Making the Jump. A beginners tale of preparation, panic and accomplishment

No parachute! Sometimes that is how it feels to jump out the comfort of our predictable planes into the newness of the expansive sky. A change of course, a big adventure, a challenging commitment can disarm the most protected individuals. And so it goes with Chris Odekirk, one of SLRC's fine employees. Last year was his first dive into a whole new sport. Thankfully, he landed on his feet and really did live to tell about it.

Making the Jump. A Beginners tale of preparation, panic and accomplishment.

By Chris Odekirk

It was a balmy 120 degrees outside and I was getting ready to go for a run, when I received an email from my brother-in-law. I knew that he was big into triathlons, and the thought had crossed my mind, that I would like to do them as well. The only problem was that he was emailing me to convince me to do the new Ironman in St George. Not only was I not willing to commit to something of that scale, I was also half way through a deployment to the Middle East. Needless to say there were no places for me to swim or bike. The only thing that I did have going for me was that I had been a distance runner my whole life. After reading my brother-in-laws email, I decided that I was going to sign up for a triathlon that would take place several months after I returned home. My first race would be an Olympic distance at the Stansburry Triathlon…or so I thought. Six months had passed, and I was on my way home. Luckily, I was able to get my legs in decent cycling shape by finding some spin bikes on our post and I was able to log plenty of miles on the road (or treadmill, when the sandstorms would hit.) Now all I had to do was work on the swim.

As soon as I got home I went to the local pool, bought a membership and recruited a friend, who had been a competitive swimmer, to give me some swim lessons. Everything was coming together perfectly. I remember my first swim lesson like it was yesterday. My swim coaches first set of instructions was to swim an easy 200 yards to warm up. 200 yards? How hard could that be? I run 50 plus miles a week, I can swim 200 yards. With this unfounded confidence, I jumped in the water and set off to swim my “easy” 200 yard warm-up. I made it 50 yards (down and back in a 25 yard pool) before I started to flail in the water and grabbed the side of the pool. My friend laughed at me and said “You have a lot of work to do if you want to swim 1500 meters.” Later that night I emailed the race director and asked if I could change from the Olympic distance to the Sprint. My pride was shot and so was my goal of someday competing in an Ironman with my brother-in-law.

Thanks to the race director, I was able to switch distances and with a little help from my triathlon instructor at the University of Utah, I was feeling more confident in the water. Although I was feeling more confident, I had yet to swim the 750 meter distance without stopping. My coach assured me and told me that I would be just fine. I didn’t believe her.

Race day finally came, I had my wet suit, which I had yet to swim in (just one of many mistakes in my triathlon prep), and I was as ready as I was ever going to be. With all of the male competitors for the Sprint in the water, my nerves were on edge and the only thing I could think about was getting out of this water. The gun went off and it was “do or die” time, and hopefully there would be non of the latter. I was feeling great! For the first 100 meters, after that it all went downhill and a few minutes later I completely stopped swimming looked around for something to grab on to and was ready to call the whole thing off. I had been kicked, slapped and I am fairly certain that I swallowed half of the water in that lake. Nothing was going right, my form went out the window and my breathing pattern was all over the place. In that moment of doubt I saw a fellow competitor swim past me doing the breast stroke with a smile on his face. At that moment, nothing could have infuriated me more, and that was what I needed. I dropped my head back in the water, focused on my form and drug myself to the water exit. With a strong bike and run I actually did a lot better than I anticipated, but I still was not where I wanted to be. I knew that I wanted to compete on the Olympic level and someday the Ironman.

With my first triathlon under my belt I was ready to set a date for my first Olympic distance. I knew where I had gone wrong with my prep (or lack thereof) for the Sprint, and I was not going to let that happen with the Olympic. I focused on my swim, logged some serious rides on my bike and pounded myself into oblivion on the road and track. I had received some great advice from BJ and Guy, and Debbie helped me forge my legs for the run while I was in high school, so in my opinion I was ready to go.

Race day had finally arrived and I was ready this time, really ready. The gun went off and the good swimmers flew by me, but that was okay. I was going to swim my own race. I kept referring to something that I had heard from TJ Tollakson, “99 percent of life boils down to this one principal, DON’T PANIC!” With those wise words, and taking it one stroke at a time I was able to feel comfortable in the water and maintain a pace that I was fairly happy with. Aside from losing sight of the buoys on several occasions in the sun, I was happy with my performance. The bike went amazingly well, I was on schedule with my nutrition and hydration and I was just about to start my favorite event, the run. The heat had continued to climb throughout the day and by the time we got to the run; it was much hotter than I had anticipated. Thankfully, I was feeling fine and taking water as needed. Not wanting to get behind on my water intake, I forced myself to stop, yes stop, at all the water stops to take in water. I don’t care who you are, it is not easy to drink a cup of water while you are running. Even with those water stops, I posted a time in the 10K that I was very happy with. All-in-all, it was a great race. Thanks to proper preparation, advice and a lack of water in my lungs I was able to cross the finish line with a smile on my face.

Even though, I just briefly touched on the fact that I sought advice from experienced triathletes, I cannot stress the positive impact their advice had on my race enough. Simply asking someone what I should expect in the swim would have saved me a lot of strife during my first triathlon. Ask questions about anything and everything. If there is one thing that triathletes like more than the triathlon its self (and that includes their beloved bikes) it is talking about triathlon. Asking questions about what to expect, proper nutrition, hydration, equipment, etc will only help fill in any gaps you may have in your training regiment and not to mention the peace of mind that comes after picking an experienced triathletes brain for a few minutes.

Making the jump from Sprint to Olympic was not easy, it required a lot more time and a lot more focus, but it was totally worth it. Tune in next time to read about either my successful jump from the Olympic distance to the ½ Ironman or my obituary. Either way, it will be good reading.

Human Race 10K Video

Thanks to our rising video producers, Dave and Memphis, who work at Salt Lake Running as a day job, we have this vid of this weekends Human Race 10K!

A great time was had by all. As a business, we would like to thank Nike for offering this worldwide 10K and even sending some REALLY nice technical tees free of charge to those who registered. That is a generous give back by Nike for sure! And it was cool to see so many wearing them in the race. Gave it a united human family feel. Aren't we all in this race together?

The staff (and some of their families) enjoyed the opportunity too to set up a Salt Lake City free race location. It was a ton of fun to give people a chance to run just for the joy of it. No awards, no published results, just a 10K course, an aid station(where the kids where in fact NOT chained to the table), a free NICE shirt and friends. Even the weather held out. What a great day!

We hope that this becomes an annual tradition. If you were there and loved it, then let NIKE know. There is feedback tab to the right of the cool interactive world map that shows some of cities participation at this website:

http://nikerunning.nike.com/nikeos/p/nikeplus/en_US/humanrace/?id=race_day

We hope you come back next year...and bring your friends!

BJ's Kona Report 2009-In the heat of the moment, the heart does not forget.

Kona Report 2009, October 11, 2009

"You can learn a lot about life on the Big island of Hawaii." These are the words of notorious telecaster Al Trautwig. Never have these words rung more true for me than they did yesterday as I made my way to the finish line on Alii Drive. As I write my report on yesterday’s activi

ties I hope I will be able to capture the feelings and lessons I learned as I made my way over some of the most beautiful and harshest environment on all of Mother Earth.

The day was here the moment had arrived and I was feeling ready to perform on the world’s biggest stage. After checking things over on the bike I got my swim skin on that a few days before cut me pretty good on my ribs and knew it would only be worse after the swim today. I caught up to Chrystel gave her my love and with all the other athletes headed into the Pacific. The swim began like any before, a massive push where blows were traded and we swam like spawning salmon to the turnaround. I stayed calm and relaxed in the water and just kept a good steady stroke. I never felt like I was pushing too hard. I felt in control and was having a great race. When I got to the pier, everything was running according to plan. I had a quick transition and I was on my bike a few seconds over 1 hour. I saw Chrystel as I left gave her a quick smile and headed out.

My plan on the bike was to stay in control and then see if I could go harder after the turn at Hawi. But, even more important was making a push after the turn at Kawaihae on the way back to town. This entire week the wind has been blowing from north to south and as we made our way north it was doing just that. I thought to myself, “cool, then I will have a tail wind on the way back”. The wind changed and I had a headwind coming back into town. I realized that the wind here is not predictable other than you can expect it to be hard and above all else don't count on it staying the same. My bike leg was very frustrating from the go, I watched as packs of riders would go by and I would fall out of the draft zone only to be passed by another pack. I felt like everyone had more power than I did. The bike leg was the most painful ride I have had. I tried to pick up the pace but couldn’t. All my power was gone. I had nothing in me. I did not know what was wrong. By that point I was overwhelmed with a lot of negativity running through me and I was

doing my best to push it aside and concentrate on the marathon ahead. I kept thinking about what Chrystel told me, that all I could control was my attitude and I tried really hard to do so.

After finally getting off the bike, I proceeded through transition and got back to my natural environment. I ran well and in control, but I just could not get into my rhythm. Everything was off. I had moments of good pacing followed by moments of wanting to just walk to the finish. Thoughts of quitting even crossed my mind, but I could not let it go there. I went through highs and lows throughout the entire day. My thoughts had changed as my goals changed from my time goals to merely finishing and everything bad that was happening changed as I changed my perspective. I saw Chrystel on the run a few times and she was cheering me on to have a great run and telling me how good and strong I

looked. It helped me so much, but it wasn’t enough. Pretty soon my pace slowed as it did on the bike and there was nothing I could do about it. My body was not responding as I am used to it responding. It let me down and I did not know what to do about it. The pain was all consuming, I thought about my brother Doug at the Spud telling us “even my hair hurt” and I could relate to him at that time.

During my moments of deep pain, frustration, depression, and fear, in those dark times, I would change my thoughts to thoughts of gratitude and love. I was thankful for the volunteers’ who gave me words of encouragement and gave me food and fluid to keep me going. I was thankful for my loving wife who in spite of my imperfections has not quit on me and supported me as I pursue my passion. I was thankful for my wonderful son Will who always brings a smile to my face and is as easy going as they come. I was thankful to be there in the race that not many people get to do and to see truly great athletes perform majestically even when my situation was saying the conditions are too tough. I was thankful to my friends and family for their support. I focused on love as well. One of my fears was that my family and friends would be disappointed in me for not doing as well as I had prepared. I only needed to think of the love in my life and I knew they would not be and would be behind me even on my worst day.

The lessons I learn during my races are not different from the lessons in life. We have good and bad days and moments where we want to just walk or even quit. But during those times, if we take time to be grateful for what is good and focus on the love that is in all things, it will bring us out the pit of despair with renewed hope and spirit to soldier on because the finish line awaits. And no matter what kind of day you are having, it is sure to bring a smile to your face.

One of the most magical places on earth is the final stretch down ALII Drive. It is as if all of the problems and pain you were experiencing before are taken away and you find new life in yourself brought on by the cheering crowd and the finish line. If there is a heaven, I would imagine that it would be similar to finishing an Ironman where the highs and lows of life are gone and only the ultimate high awaits you as you cross the finish line. I say thank you to everyone for your love and support and I hope we can all find strength in each other to overcome any obstacle that comes our way.

Yesterday was a rough day. I never left the pain cave from the moment I got on the bike. I have no excuses, no injuries. I was not sick. Everything was just off. We all have good days and we all have bad days, and yesterday was the worse time to have one of those bad days, but it is what happened. I know I will keep playing the day in my head over and over again, trying to figure out what went wrong, what I could have done different to have a better day.

Now is the time to pick up the pieces and concentrate on the future and the great things to come. I am truly thankful for everyone in my life and all the support I have received. I feel I have let you down and feel such deep sadness.I am picking my head up and looking at 2010 as the year of redemption. I have a goal to come back to Kona and have a stellar race. I will. I know I can, and “All that I can, We will”.

Thank you,

BJ

Marathon tips by Seth Wold

I would like to thank Seth for sharing some of what he does to prepare for and race a marathon. Some people may think that fast people do things totally different, but I know runners at every level who approach their marathons the way Seth is describing. The commonalities are consistent and adequit preparation, well thought out objective race goals, well planned preparation and focused on tasks do be done not how they feel during the race.

Marathon Preparation and Race Day Rituals of Seth Wold

I am a young new marathon runner who enjoys running enough to compete in all of Utah’s major marathon’s this year. In my past two years of marathoning, I have won the Ogden marathon twice, won the Utah valley marathon, and placed respectably in many other marathons including; Salt Lake, Deseret News, Bryce Canyon Half, Top of Utah Half, etc. In 2008 I went and competed in the US marathon championships, placing 28th overall. I married my highschool sweetheart who is also a runner. We were track captains together, and then both ran in college.

The mind set for marathoning. When preparing for a marathon it is important to create a realistic goal. This goal should be a measurable result which you can control. For example, I shouldn’t go into races with a goal of taking a certain place, because I can’t control who comes to the race or how well they will perform. But setting a time, heart rate, or effort goal helps me run strong no matter what the race day circumstances may be. As part of this goal, find a marathon training plan with daily workouts written out. (i.e. The Salt Lake Running Company Website is a good place to start;)

The next step in mental preparation for a marathon is just as important as the first. Reevaluate your goals weekly. You may find that an injury has slowed the progress towards running to your goal. This is OK. It is normal to hit speed bumps along the way. Just be proactive, and find ways to overcome, and prevent future injuries.

The most important part about marathon preparation for me is remembering why I am training for and running the marathon. I am in it for the fun. It feels good, and I gain a real sense of accomplishment from preparing for and completing such a large goal. It is hard to stay consistent with training for a marathon. But the feeling I get completing a race is so great that it is worth all the hard solo runs I muscled through in preparation.

Race day thoughts for me are pretty simple. I think positively about all the work that I have put in preparing. Sure, I could have trained harder, but I am happy with what I did. I have my gels (taken every half hour), salt sticks (taken every hour), and sport legs (taken every 2-3 hours) measured out in plastic bags pinned to my shorts. My shoes fit, with a pinky to thumb width in front of my longest toe to the end of the shoe. I am wearing tech clothes; singlet shorts, socks and gloves when needed. I have applied a liberal amount of Body Glide to avoid painful chafing late in the marathon. With all the physical needs taken care of I shift my focus to the mental aspect.

The gun goes off and I get out quickly to settle into my planned race pace. I feel out the field to see who I should run with. Once I decide to run a certain pace I try to relax my breathing, even out the cadence of my steps and slow my heartrate. I glance occasionally at my Garmin to check the pace, because I don’t want to stress too much if I am feeling good. I am always relieved to see the aid stations, and I grab waters in both hands so that I can stay hydrated. By focusing on doing all the little things, eating gels, drinking water, controlling my breathing and racing according to how I feel, I gain confidence and I am able to race the marathon a mile at a time, rather than mentally attacking the whole marathon at once.

No matter how the marathon finishes, I am genuinely happy with the results. Whether I obtained my goal or fell short I am happy that I had the courage to go for it. If some of my competition has a great race, then I am ecstatic for them. It is fun to watch others achieve their goals, and inspiring to watch others continue to try to catch an elusive goal.

BJ's Ironman-A new PR at Ironman Couer D'Alene

So here is BJ Christenson's Ironman Couer D'Alene race report. At Salt Lake Running Co we are very happy for our Draper Sales Floor manager in not only running a fantastic race, but grabbing another slot for Ironman Hawaii. Like other elite athletes, BJ has endured many dedicated hours over many years to run races like this one. Yes, he has earned his way to Kona before, but we look forward to BJ's next attempt this coming October to put together more pieces of his personal pursuit puzzle. And Ironman Couer D'Alene has definitely given him yet one more experience and hopefully a few more key pieces to slide gracefully into place.

I guess using the term PR in an Ironman or any triathlon for that matter is not exactly the correct term. Every course is different and some are prone to helping you get to the finish line faster. Ironman CDA, as most people call it, is not exactly a course designed for going super fast. Racing an Ironman however isn’t really about speed. First and foremost it is about getting to the finish line and celebrating that achievement with those who helped you get there. That being said, it is especially special when you get to that line with a good race in your hand and a Kona Slot in your pocket.

Lake Couer D'Alene is one of the most scenic and beautiful lakes in the Northwest. At 7 AM June 21, on the shores of the city beach the lake turned white with mankind’s impression of spawning salmon. Let’s face it with 500+ dollars on the line I would hope you did your homework. I felt ready for the swim but it was one of the more difficult swims I have done. I like to call the swim in an Ironman as the Warm-up, but the lake didn’t seem to like it because the more we swam forward the more it felt like the lake was trying to through us back out. I felt ready for the swim but it was one of the more difficult swims I have done. It was a very rough swim out there and very difficult to find a line and hold it. One thing is for certain, after swimming in that I don’t think they will cancel the swim in St. George next year no matter how hard it gets.

Leaving the swim is a mass of noise. With a rough swim like it was this year, it made for a little bit of disorientation. Once I was free and clear of my wetsuit, I headed to the changing tent and found it a little more crowded than usual. I quickly put my cycling gear on and I was out the door to my surprise before most of the people who beat me there. I grabbed my bike and hit the road. Just like the beauty of the lake, the bike ride in CDA is breathtaking, in more ways than one. I always make a mental note of the people who pass me on the bike and focus on limiting my losses before the run. The bike course is full of hills as you make your way around Hayden Lake and the surrounding area. I had to really stay focused to keep my mind on task. By mile 91, I was starting to wish the bike was over not that I was totally hating it I just didn’t have a lot of miles on my legs and my lack of cycling was starting to show. On the plus side the clouds had moved in and the temperature was staying cool yet comfortable.

In my past Ironman’s cramping has been a big concern. So one thing I tried this time that I like to call the winning combo is the combination of Salt Stick salt tabs with Sports Legs--another supplement I have found to be very beneficial. I had no cramping the entire day so I guess it worked.

Finally I was able to get off my bike and start focusing on the people who passed me. There are many ways of tracking your progress on the bike and on the run and a lot of people are obsessed with pace and speed but for me it is all about the heart rate. It is the one number I look at and in reality the only one that matters. As I left transition I found a comfortable pace and checked my HR as long as I am below 160 bpm I can sustain the pace. I took a look at my competitors at the first turn around and realized I would have to be patient and not get down on myself if I was going to catch them. Little by little they started to come back and I kept my pace consistent. By mile 15 I had almost caught everyone who passed me on the bike. The run was a 2 loop run so by the second loop it started to get more difficult to spot who is in front because we start mixing with other athletes on their first loop. I started to feel myself fade as I reached the final turnaround and started to think to myself why I thought this would be fun. I kept moving in and out of mental focus as I made my way to the finish. My wife Chrystel was on the course at various points always snapping me back into the world of reality and the task at hand. Finally I had reached the juncture in the run course where you start to envision how good it will feel to be done.

Making the turn down Sherman Ave you have one long stretch down hill until you cross the finish line. It is there that you get to hear the most famous words in Ironman escape the lips of Mike Reilly, "You are an Ironman!" I had a great day and was happy to have Chrystel there at the finish line. Completing an Ironman usually takes a team of people to help you get ready. Without the help and encouragement of my wife, I am certain it would not have been possible for me to have the day I did.

My thanks go out to the volunteers who volunteered that day and to the support of my friends and family. My goal going into CDA was to qualify for Kona and that I did. I also learned a little bit more about myself and what it takes to improve in Kona. Congratulations to everyone who made it to the finish line that day and in the words of John Collins, brag for the rest of your life.

Hawaii 70.3--a comedy of errors

A Half Ironman is a really long way no matter how you look at it. So why not spend that time wisely and pass the miles along the Kohala Coast of the Big Island? Well, Hawaii 70.3 is most certainly that salt and pepper, sugar and spice kind of course. Hard, but beautiful. A hot and hard run tempered first with a cool and calm swim. And the bike? Thank goodness that whatever goes up must come down! So after two and a half years of hardly no racing, I decided to give it a go. Not just a little, but a lot. My journey towards getting back into race shape started Oct 1st with the ultimate goal of grasping one of those rare Hawaiian Ironman World Championship slots given to only 1 or 2 in each age group. Going into it, I knew that the capability and training I had was enough. I was nervous, but excited to finally race hard. And when that day finally came on Saturday, May 30th, I pulled out all the preparation and laid out a race that went well in many ways. But, in a 1300 person race where there is a high percentage of other competitive athletes, mistakes cannot be made if you are trying to lay claim on the much sought after prize of a ticket to come back for the full Ironman.

THE 97% THAT WENT RIGHT!

So much of what goes right in a race is done well before you get there so most of this list comes from preparing properly. But that is the point! If you do your homework, there are not many surprises come test day.

· Strength—I spent two good 45-60 minute sessions in the weight room each week from Oct 1st until about mid-March. From then on I did maintence core work and let the strength work come mostly from sport specific workouts. I also sought after outside help as I had never had anyone teach me the right way to squat, deadlift and clean. So, thanks to Joel Hatch at BASICS, I learned more than I ever wanted to know and lifted, at times, more than I ever would have wanted to lift. Big thanks to Joel for pushing me to tears when I really needed it and letting me rest when I needed it more. Oh and for all the fun functional exercises too! Me luvs them kettlebells.

· Speed and Power—the anabolic focus of a majority of my workouts paid really big dividends on race day. I felt strong and much more capable of handle a tough course and a tough environment. It was a beautiful feeling to not be intimidated by the hills on the bike and then be able to have the strength and speed to actually run after coming off said hillfest.

· Endurance—I will never forget what Ironman 70.3 world champion Samantha McGlone said about volume for a Half Ironman. Do one longer 4-5 hour swim/bike/run workout a week and then stay shorter and faster on the rest. DONE! I did 4-5 of those longer workout to adapt my body to the full distance. It worked. I felt mentally, physically and emotionally capable of being in the game for that long since that is what I had practiced.

· Massage therapy—I have gone to Nate Graven, the best sports massage guy ever, twice a month for over 5 years now. I consider it required, especially when I decide to combine all the above training elements. Solid training requires an even more solid sports massage therapist. Nate has helped keep me injury free for a really long time as well as gotten my body ready to be worked at full capacity come race day. And believe me, my body tried really hard this year to fall apart, but Nate just wouldn’t let it happen!

· Taper—Resting during the weeks before the race almost killed me. My least favorite part of training for sure, but vital. I felt totally ready to go when the gun went off.

· Nutrition—Perfect! One of the big purposes of those longer workouts, was to dial in my nutritional requirements. I DOUBLED my carb intake to 100 grams of carbs an hour, made sure I had some protein and amino acids(endurox and gu packs,) figured out how much fluid I would really need and went heavy on electrolytes. I was at about 400-500 mg of sodium (and other minerals) an hour. Once I knew, I just made sure to DO IT on race day. I felt as energetic as I probably could have throughout the race, peed in T2(in a porta potty this time…don’t ask me to clarify that) and had NO CRAMPS. Rockin!

· Attitude—Eventhough there were mistakes, I was happy to be there and truly wanted to do the best I could. When the going got rough I would just tune EVERYTHING out and remind myself to race like a warrior. No complaining, just racing. And with that, I made my mind as quiet as possible and let my body do what I had trained it to do.

THE 3% THAT DIDN’T GO SO WELL

The only comfort I have from the following three items is that they are all easily fixable. But, they are things I want to kick myself over because “I know better.” They are a great example of what kind of dumb things a person can do when their race brain is not fully turned on. And even though I still placed in my age group anyway, I was irritated enough after the awards ceremony to want to throw my special Hawaiian wood bowl into THE OCEAN!

· Swim start—simply stated, I did not go out fast enough. With 1300 people going at the same time I put way too much thought into where I thought I was and what effort I was giving the first 500 meters rather than just swimming as hard as I can! I got caught in the log jam next to a couple hundred swimmers that were not as fast as I was. I could not go around them by this point, so I was stuck swimming much slower than I should have by about 2-3 minutes. So, next time, I will do what I normally do in a race. Swim very hard for 400-500 meters, don’t think, you will recover!

· Bike leg—my long rides paid off, but I lost focus after the turn around a Hawi. I didn’t realize either how hard I will still have to work coming back. So it is better, to assume nothing, work everything and trust that the bike legs can take it. I know that they can because I have pushed it before and survived. And staying focused comes more easily after a race or two under the belt as well as the right race attitude.

· T2—So one of the race volunteers told Guy that the race staff would take everyone’s bike so we didn’t have to rack them ourselves. Wrongo! I did have to rack my own bike! The problem was that T2 was different than T1 so I had NO. IDEA. where my bike was supposed to go. I had the distinct priviledge of being misdirected in transition and running the full length of T2 before being directed back to the entrance where LOW AND BEHOLD, my bike rack was located only 4 slots in from said entrance! Yep, ran right by it! Totally my fault too, not the volunteers. I should have looked at T2 the night before like I usually do. I would have figured out more of what was going on on my own and at the very least, seen where my bike number was. So what was I thinking about the night before the race? Apparently, not T2! It cost me a little less than 2 minutes.

So how far was I from a slot to Kona after 5 hours of racing? 3 minutes…Ugh! Fix the swim and T2? In like Flynn. Fix the bike, even better!

Overall, I loved the experience. Great race, great venue and great effort. So much to feel good about and I suppose I am glad I really didn’t throw the bowl into the ocean..sort of. And what did Guy have to say? “So, are we coming back next year?”

Race Fitness--Sharpening the Saw

In the world of human performance, people have goals that they seek after with dedicated passion.  Most commonly people are after a certain “time” or “place” goal and find a key race to try to make it happen. There are many bases that have to be covered before that race.  In most cases, athletes set out to learn whatever they can so they are training in best way possible.  Good workouts are designed to increase fitness as well as skill sets so that what you do race day is automatic.  However, it seems that to be able to achieve 100%, one must consider the aspect of race fitness.  Race fitness is the fine tuning that occurs and brings out the last 2-3% of possible race performance.  We all know that at some point, you will only put together a race effort on race day. And that is wise, since too much racing leads to overtraining. So how do you sharpen the saw without braking the blade?

• 1-2 races are all you need before your “a” race. 

• These races can occur between 2-8 weeks out. 

• If you are prepping to race over an hour, then keep tune up races to an hour or less. So you don’t need to run a marathon to prep for a marathon that would do more harm than good and sprint tri’s work just fine for any triathlon distance.

• After the “practice race” make a list of what needs to be fixed.  This could be pre race ritual, pacing errors, tactics, equipment problems, clothing, nutrition, outlook.

• Pay close attention the mental focus you had and look at where you may need to sharpen it.

• Always spend plenty of time focusing on what you did well. Chances are that you really did 97% of it right and you want to not only feel good about it, but keep doing that part right! 97 out of 100 cats are already in the bag, right!

So, just a little bit of tuning up goes a really long way.  A 2-3% performance gain may not seem like a ton, but it may make a huge difference in whether or not you reach your goal.  It also helps prepare you emotionally to handle the stress and mental sharpness required when the going gets rough and the body just wants to stop.  Race fitness will also help you decide how much you really want what you think you want.  If you come home from your “practice race” fired up, kicking yourself over the errors, and foaming at the mouth because you want to give it a better go next time, then it has served its purpose. You will show up to your “A” race much more with the nuances worked out and ready to give just that little bit more. 

Next Monday will be the Hawaii 70.3 race report. A story of the 97% that went just as planned (some great practical tips that worked like charmers) and can bring you a very long way, but how 2-3% of small errors can push you one slot out of your goal.   

It’s a good thing that there a lot of places to meditate by the ocean.

When the wind blows, fly a kite!

So, for the 2nd year in a row, the usually wonderful race conditions of Saint George Triathlon were blown into a million windy pieces. And there we all were again waiting around with pre race nervous stomachs hoping the swim wouldn’t get canceled again. Sure enough, almost an hour past race time, the shivering and windblown athletes were informed that there was no swim(which was the best call at the time) and that the Olympic distance needed to be ready within about 10 minutes to run a 5k, bike the Olympic course, and then run another 5K. Okay not so bad, just splitting up the planned 10K.

But, right after their waves left for the run, the sprint triathletes, were then warned that they had only about 5-10 minutes to also do a 5k, Sprint bike and another 5K. Poor things, twice the run, than what they were ready for. And that is a pretty tall order for some of those people not expecting or ready to run that far.

Now, I don’t know how everyone felt about the situation. I am sure there were a variety of reactions ranging from disappointment, to frustration, to I don’t care I just want to do something and get this race going. For the most part, endurance athletes make the best of the environment especially since everyone at the event has got to deal with it too. But, what about me? What was I going to do? My “A” race, Hawaii 70.3, is only in 3 weeks and I really needed to do was only the original plan of a sprint tri. That was it, all I needed was a little over an hour of threshold training and definitely not spend anymore than 20 minutes running hard. I had way too much training left to do and couldn’t risk running any farther than a 5K and taking too long to get recovered. So, while I was cool with doing no swim leg, now they threw out a double dose of the 5K leg. ARGH! The best laid plans of mice and men!

So what’s a girl with a goal to go fast in 3 weeks for a half ironman to do? Well, I had already looked around me earlier in the morning and realized that it was hot, windy and the bike course was really hilly. Just. Like….Hawaii 70.3! So I thought to myself, “Hmm...I really wish I could just do my last long ride today rather than the middle of next week. I have been inside on my trainer for all my long rides so it would be nice to get adapted to being out. And that’s what was on the training plan to begin with for today, not a race. BUT, I am rested for this race and still hoping to get in a race effort before I go. Even if the conditions aren’t great and I don’t swim, then it will be a great lactate day with just the right amount of work to recover quickly from so I can do long stuff in a couple of days.” I was TRYING to be positive and then got blown over by the announcer’s proclamation of the new double the sprint 5K run plan. I think all the other sprint triathletes were shocked too. In fact, I was so shocked, that a switched flipped in my head immediately and the light went on. “What am I thinking? I am so getting on my bike and doing what I really need to do for the race I REALLY care about. Sign me up right now for a 65-70 mile ride on hot, hilly and windy roads!”

Yep, that is really what I did. Within 5 minutes (and I kid you not!) I grabbed my TYR race backpack, jumped on my bike and turned in my timing chip as I rolled out of transition. See you later guys and dolls, this lady is going for a ride! So ride I did for about 68 miles on terrain and in conditions that are similar to what I will face in less than 3 weeks in Hawaii. The fun part was that for the first hour, I got to ride on the course while the racers were racing. And for the first time ever, I got to watch a bike leg without being in it! Very fun and I got to see one of my athletes,Weston Woodward, riding his way to the fastest bike split of the day and 2nd overall. Even better was that I saw another elite athlete, coach and good friend of mine, Coach Keena, out there too on her bike cheering on her friends and athletes. So I guess I am not the only one crazy enough to drive all that way, see a better plan for their long range goals and decide to go fly kites on that windy day.

P.S.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHEN I POSTED HOW I FELT ABOUT RACING,

“No matter where you are at fitness wise, getting out and doing what you are ready for is what should make you happy. Other peoples' or society's expectations should be disregarded. They are not in your shoes and don’t know what brings you joy or makes you tick.”

I REALLY MEANT IT!

What races should you do this year?

Once the month of May comes, the race schedule gets pretty packed with all kinds of road races, triathlons, bike racing and off road events. Already, there has been the Moab Half-Marathon, Salt Lake Marathon, a handful of sprint triathlons and bike races. At this point in the year, the biggest mistake I see people make is doing too many races/events. Not only is this expensive, but it is also very draining mentally and physically, not to mention the stress on the family. Oftentimes, by the time late summer rolls around, I hear many complaints of being tired all the time, a lack of enthusiasm for the next race and/or the most dreaded of all, INJURY! Seriously though, if you want to take all the fun out of training and racing, then racing too often will do the trick. Here are some tips to think about as you decide what you are going to do this year whether it is running, triathlon or both.

• If you have run a marathon or a half marathon longer than 2 hours, wait 3-4 weeks before doing any other event of any kind.


• Putting 2 marathons within 8 weeks of each other is not advisable, more info here.


• 5K’s and 10K’s can be done twice in a month as long as there is good recovery in between.


• After an Ironman, no events for at least 5-6 weeks and then only a short one that lasts less than 2.5 hours as long as the run portion is no longer than a 10K.


• A Half Ironman requires about 3-4 weeks with no event.


• It is okay to do an Olympic distance tri once a month even if you do a sprint during that month as well.


• In general, try not ever line up event that occur 3 out of 4 weeks or 4 out of 6 weeks or 5 out of 7 weeks.


• PLAN AHEAD Write the events you are interested in on a calendar in PENCIL. Pick 2 of them that are your most important races (“A” races) and sign up for those (as long as they don’t conflict with above.) Then pick 2 or 3 more “B” races that won’t interfere with your performance at your “A” races. After that, seriously plan on doing only those unless you know for sure that it is far enough removed, short enough, and/or low key enough to be added. However, most of these kinds of races are more easily and cheaply done at home


• Remember that your racing schedule is your own and not your friend’s, so don’t feel pressured to do something you are not excited about or ready for.


• Even if you are performing well, stick to your guns! Getting overexcited too soon will have you racing too hard and too often at races that are not your “A” race and therefore don’t matter.


• It is okay to change plans midstream if the one you have isn’t working. For example, it is okay to switch to a half marathon from a marathon or to a sprint tri from an Olympic if that is what works better for you.


• Remember that when comparing your schedule to an elite or professional, they are capable of handling a higher workload and quicker recovery times so it is not wise to model your schedule after theirs.


• Some years you may feel like racing more than others and that is normal and advisable.
  

Above all else: Remember that you are doing these things for the fun and/or challenge of it. Too much ruins the experience. One excellent race experience is better than 5 mediocre ones. No matter where you are at fitness wise, getting out and doing what you are ready for is what should make you happy. Other peoples' or society's expectations should be disregarded. They are not in your shoes and don’t know what brings you joy or makes you tick. You are still a runner if you do only 5K’s and 10K’s and you are still a triathlete if you do sprint tri’s and not Ironmans. So, as always, pick race and events that will help you to RUN FOR YOUR LIFE AND KEEP ON TRIING !

Marathon, Half marathon,10K or 5K taper

You have done the work, run the long runs, got your shoes and gels ready, and are ready to rock come race day. But, what do you do to get ready for the big day when you are 5-7 days out? Do you rest? Run a little? Stretch? Well, how your legs feel on race day will partially depend on how you have tapered the week of. Here is an example of what a rest week might look like for a Saturday marathon or half marathon race

Saturday: 60 minutes
Sunday: Off
Monday: 45 minute run with *8 X 200 meters fast followed by a 200 jog*
Tuesday: 30 minute run and stretch well and moderately do *Trigger Point or Massage*
Wednesday: 30 minute run with *6 X 200 meters fast followed by a 200 jog*
Thursday: Off
Friday: Jog for 30 minutes and stretch lightly
Saturday: Marathon or Half Marathon

**only do the activities marked in the astrix if you have already been doing them. Otherwise skip it.

Overall, here are some tips to keep in mind during this taper week.

• Do active recovery
• The best day to take off is two days away from race.
• Do the 200 meter strides to keep blood volume up so you don’t arrive to the start feeling
• lethargic.
• Stretch
• Get extra sleep
• Relax emotionally
• Get clothes, shoes, and food ready 2-3 days out so you have time to get something you thought you had but didn’t. Read marathon nutrition article
• Pick up race number
• Double check race start and bus shuttle times.
• Drink extra water and eat wisely. Read Carbo Load article
• Get excited! Relaxed, but excited!
  

Any event you do will be icing on the cake for all the work you have put in. For some people it is a chance to publically express their innermost goals, pursuits and passions. Sometimes, events are just celebrations of being alive and actively living. Either way, rest up, run smart and good luck!

Can I Run Both the Salt Lake and Ogden Marathons?

Can I run both the Salt Lake and Ogden Marathons?
Tia from facebook

In 2009, the Salt Lake Marathon (April18th) and Ogden Marathon (May16th) are 4 weeks apart. Tempting isn’t it? Why not run both! Well here are a couple questions to answer and ideas to mull over while making your decision.

Do you care about your finish time?

If you DON’T care about your time and you are doing these marathons solely to be a part of a really cool event, then the answer is pretty simple, run both. There are still some cautions here though. First, run both races at a very comfortable and conversational pace. Second, fuel really well throughout the marathon with gels/water or carb drinks every aid station. You will also need to walk through each aid station so you are getting enough food and water. If you do the above two, then Salt Lake Marathon won’t take as much out of you. And then third, rest plenty following the first race. The first week should be off, the second with some light 30-45 minute running, the third week can have an hour run thrown in to make sure you feel okay and then the 4th week is 30 minute running again to rest for Ogden. If you feel like your body is ready to go, then have a great time running Ogden!

*If you are a first time marathoner, then I recommend choosing only one marathon. If you would like to do another in 2009, then wait for a fall marathon.

Do you care about your finish time?

If you DO care about your finish time, then pick one marathon or the other. If you want to participate in some way in both events, then you can always run the half marathon at one or the other. If you run the half marathon at the Salt Lake Marathon, then be disciplined enough to run it at the pace you are trying to run your full marathon at and not any faster. This will be a great workout for race prep and give you an indicator of if your planned marathon pace is realistic. Then, you follow up the half with your last long run the following week and you’re set!

If you decide that Salt Lake Marathon is the place to attempt to run a fast marathon, then you can always come back and run the half at Ogden according to how you feel. I do NOT recommend running another marathon no matter how you think you feel. The reality is that marathons are very tough on the body at a deep cellular level. You are far more beat up and broken down than you realize, especially if you are trying to run a fast time. So pick one marathon or the other, be kind to your body and it will rise up to the occasion much better than if you overuse it.

Labels