One foot in front of the other.
My trip to Louisville, Kentucky began at about 6 o’clock AM on August 26, 2010. Since I had so much stuff to bring, including my bike, helmet(s) and all my other race gear, some of which is quite bulky, I had decided to drive down rather than fly. From New York City, where I live, it is about a twelve hour drive. To be completely honest, the drive was rather boring and uneventful.
Upon arriving in Louisville and checking in to my hotel, I immediately headed to a nearby Wal-Mart super center to pick up some groceries. I was trying to keep my meals as on track as possible leading up to the race and, say what you want about Wal-Mart, but they had everything I needed to have the meals and snacks that Coach Jeff prescribed. After eating dinner and taking a bit to digest, I got right into bed and went to sleep.
The next morning, I didn’t have a very strict schedule of anything to do. So, after eating breakfast, showering and such I headed down to check myself in to the race and to visit the expo. Checking in was relatively painless and went by in about 15 or 20 minutes. The check-in process went like so:
After doing the check-in thing, it was on to the expo. A quick side-note on that; I think WTC (Ironman‘s parent company) is making a huge mistake by only having themselves as the sole vendor of general multisport “stuff” at these events. There are of course, other companies at the expo selling their products, but not really any multi-sport retailers other than Ironman. For instance, I needed two extra eight ounce Fuel Belt bottles. The Ironman store in the expo only sold Nathan products (that I could find) which do not fit in my Fuel Belt. So, I had to drive across town to what was actually a really great local multisport store, VO2 Multisport to find the bottles I needed. My point is, unless Ironman/WTC can somehow manage to have fewer exclusive deals and carry a wider range of products in their “store”, I think they’re hurting themselves and the athletes by boxing out stores that might be able to provide some of the things they cannot.
In the expo, I made my way through the companies that were there to visit Pam, Ian and the crew from Newton Running (I’m sure you’re completely shocked that I spent time there!). It was really great to hang out with them for a few and to talk about everything from shoes to the challenges of running (and hiking and biking and…) with babies, toddlers and beyond. I had put out the call for a tweet-up lunch thing meeting at the Newton booth at noon, so in the time I had before then, I ran back out to my car to take care of a couple of errands and to scope out the area. On my way out of the Galt House Hotel, where the expo and such was being held, I got recognized by a racer named Alvaro (I’m pretty sure). I’m constantly shocked when this happens, but he was such a nice guy and I truly hope his race was everything he’d set out to accomplish.
I got back to the Newton booth right at noon and waited around until 12:30 for people to show. The tweet-up ended up being just me, but that’s OK, because I like me (most of the time)! I think that a lot of the time, people are a bit shy about crossing the bridge between the virtual and real worlds and don’t want to speak up. So, if you’re reading this and you DID show up, but you just weren’t sure what to do next, SAY SOMETHING TO ME!! Chances are you know what I look like, but I probably don’t know what you look like!
After I had my lunch, I went back to my hotel to rest a bit and to shower and such as I’d be heading to the athlete’s dinner and meeting that evening. The meeting itself was the usual stuff; the directors of each portion of the course, and the race director went over rules and cautions, helping to give us the safest and best race experience.
Afterward, I headed back to my hotel. My plan was to begin to get my gear together and into it’s assigned bag. Below is the video of those details:
After all that, I headed to bed with my alarm clock set to wake me up and get down to the practice swim the next morning.
The practice swim was pretty uneventful. The race was NOT wetsuit legal as the temperature was about 86° F. I took the swim to feel out how I would react to the fact that we would begin the race by swimming upstream and against the current of the Ohio River. I also wanted to feel the downstream current as I was expecting to feel more pull than I actually did. The swim felt good and the water was MUCH better to swim in than the Hudson River!
After the swim, I took my bike to the Ironman wheel rental counter to get my race wheels put on (special thanks to @Indianabackdoc for helping facilitate this). I then had a short, easy bike ride of about 30 minutes in order to get my legs spinning. This was followed by a short, roughly 15 minute run. Both of these felt great and I was really beginning to get excited for the next day.
I went back to my hotel and got my gear together to check in. In Ironman races, you are required to check in your bike and transition bags the day before the race. Generally, you will have access to them on race day, but it pays to be ready ahead of time. I got my stuff all checked in and that pretty much ends the preparation!
After taking a short nap and lounging around my hotel room for the afternoon, I met up with Trevor and Kristine (Twitter friends and teammates on Team PRS Fit). We went to Lynn’s Paradise Cafe and had an awesome dinner with excellent conversation. It was so amazing to have met these two and to get to spend some really amazing time with them (more on this later). They really and truly made my trip without my wife and daughter that much more bearable and I cannot thank them enough for all they did for me.
I got back to my hotel at about 8:30 and set my alarm for 3 AM. I closed my eyes, and surprisingly, sleep came easily.
To be continued…
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Continued from: 2010 Ironman Mooseman 70.3: Race Report Part 1 – The Day Before…
Four AM on race morning arrived to find me well rested (relatively speaking) and ready to go. I have tried hard to make myself sleep when I need to by telling myself that all the preparation is done, there’s nothing left now but to race. That seems to work, most of the time.
I got myself up and went through my usual morning routine. I took a shower, got dressed and watched the news while I ate three pieces of whole grain toast (OK, so I lacked a toaster and it was just bread) topped with peanut butter and grape jelly. I did a few, last minute checks of everything and then began to pack my car.
I was on the road to the race site at about 5:30 AM, which put me at the race at about 5:55 (give or take). Along with the other racers, I made my way through the now muddier parking lot, for the 3/4 of a mile trek to the race site, bike and gear in tow.
Upon arriving at the race site, everyone was being funneled through a narrow-ish corridor where body marking was taking place. I know that body marking has to get done, and I know that this seems like and efficient way to make sure everyone gets it done, BUT, when you have hundreds of people, packed to the gills with gear and often bikes as well, this is a tricky prospect. Bikes and gear and the clothes that we had to wear in the cool morning air were falling to the ground and tripping their wearers and everyone else.
By the time I got to my transition area, it was about 6:30. The first thing I noticed was that racer number 702 (the numbers went in order but on alternating sides of the transition racks, therefore, on my side of the rack were the odd race numbers and on the other, the evens) had set up hi entire transition in my area on the wrong side of the rack, leaving me absolutely no place to go. I pointed this out to a volunteer in the area, as racer 702 was nowhere to be found, and she moved his belongings to the proper side. I began setting up, putting everything in its designated place to make for a smooth transition.
At 6:45 the transition area was closed as the start of the race was scheduled for 7:00 AM. As I was leaving transition, the rain began. Rather than my usual shoe setup of cycling and running shoes set up in their respective row on my mat, I had placed my cycling shoes inside a plastic grocery bag (along with my other cycling needs) and placed that bag on top of my running shoes. This insured both pairs of shoes stayed mostly dry.
I headed down to the water’s edge, putting on my wetsuit along the way. As I walked toward the start, Maria found me and we both got in for a short warm-up swim. The water temperature, which I had expected to be frigid, was actually really nice and was a great compliment to the wetsuit legal swim. Just before the pros started the announcer informed us that they may be trying to send the waves off with a smaller time gap than the four minutes that were scheduled. (Side note: the National Anthem was actually quite good. I’m not sure who it was, but it was a good baritone.)
I made my way to the start and waited for my wave (powder blue swim caps and all) to be called to the line. This race was a beach start, which meant a great opportunity for some full contact racing. In this environment, kicks to the face and being swum over (by me) is not out of the ordinary by any stretch of the imagination. The starters gave us sectioned countdown. First we got the ninety second call…then sixty seconds…I didn’t hear the thirty second call, and there was no countdown from ten or even five seconds for that matter. I was clearing the fog from my goggles when the horn went off.
It was on.
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Doug McCard
On Monday’s show, I reported on a triathlete named Doug McCard being attacked by an alligator while out for a training swim in Lake Mary Jane (insert joke here) in East Orange County, Florida. After the attack, authorities were on the lookout for the animal in an attempt to capture it. Well, fortunately for those who may also enjoy a dip in Lake Mary Jane, the rogue gator has been captured. Click the link below for the full story.
I wanted to mention a new race coming up in California that is an absolutely perfect place for a weekend getaway with an awesome half marathon thrown in for good measure! The Salinas Valley Half Marathon takes you through the vineyards and near Monterey Bay with a scenic point-to-point course.
I’ll be posting more this race soon, but I wanted to tell you NOW that I’ve got a $5 discount code for registration right now! Click the link below to the registration page and use the discount code: “IronBrandon” and sign up now!
As a strong swimmer, a consistent question that I get from people I give tips to is, “Why do I need to know how to have good turns/underwater push-off’s/etc. in a pool when my race is in open water?”. Here’s why.
Most triathlons, though far from all, take place in some form of open water like a lake, river or ocean. The reason that I think it’s so important to know how to workout in a pool well has a few reasons.
The first reason is because, during any event cycle (including training and the race itself), you will likely spend MUCH more time in the pool than you will in open water. During that training, if you’re taking a ton of time doing some odd variation of a turn, you’re doing something that you will not be doing on race day at all. You will not have a wall to hang on to in open water, nor will you have a nice floor to stand on. That said, learning to turn and not wasting time with a slow, laborious turn, will help you immensely. I’m not saying you need to now go learn how to do a flip-turn (although it certainly wouldn’t hurt!), just how to do a proper open turn. Below I’ve put a wonderful video that explains proper open turn technique.
Second, when pushing off of the wall, whether from a turn or at the beginning of a set, push off and glide UNDERWATER. Too many times I have seen the push-off on top of (which is to say through) the water, causing a massive splash and stopping the swimmer after about five feet of glide. A solid underwater push-off will give your body a few seconds to do the following: find a rhythm for your kick, find your balance in the water and compose yourself before you begin swimming again. This underwater push-off will also keep your breath under control and keep you from hyperventilating.
Finally, there are some races where the swim takes place in a pool. If you have good pool swimming skills this will give you a leg up on a lot of those around you and allow you to be a better, faster triathlete.
Today, World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), owners of the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 Series, announces modifications to several rules and regulations relating to the swim at U.S. races. Effective September 1, 2010, which is the start of Ironman’s 2011 competition season, new rules for apparel and wetsuits will apply at all Ironman and 70.3 events in the U.S., including both World Championships. The amendments were made to further standardize rules in the Ironman/70.3 Series and ensure a fair playing field at events around the globe.
The changes will include the following:
“Ironman recognizes the importance of showcasing the competitive element at all events. We believe these amendments place more emphasis on performance and function and less on technology, therefore staying true with the Ironman spirit,” says Ironman’s Head of Officials, Jimmy Riccitello.
Ironman’s rule changes are consistent with rule changes adopted by swimming and triathlon’s international governing bodies, FINA and ITU, respectively.
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Some people warm up by stretching while sitting in one place. Some people warm up by doing short sprints. Some people warm up by doing short, relaxed runs.
Personally, I warm up best by running for somewhere in between on to two miles. My body, on the other hand, sometimes has different things in mind. Yesterday, for instance, it took me about five miles to get warm and into a comfortable place. Part of it was that odd dizziness I was dealing with, but a lot of it was that my body just was simply not feeling it.
Ho do you war m up before a workout? Is it different than before a race? Is your warm up for cycling or swimming different than for running?
TYR athlete Fran Crippen secured a first place finish at the second stop on the FINA 10K Marathon Swimming World Cup circuit in Viedma, Argentina on Saturday, February 6th. Wearing TYR’s new Tracer Light Technology, Crippen finished in 1:50:57 to beat second place by a close three seconds.
The race began for Crippen with an error that threatened his chance at a spot on the podium. Misreading the current in the open water, he found himself a couple hundred of meters behind the pack at the first buoy.
“I spent the next two and a half kilometers working really hard to catch up,” shared Crippen on his tactical error. “I kept telling myself that if I caught the pack I could get right back in course.”
Crippen did just that-joining the lead group of swimmers and then settling until a breakaway seemed possible. That came with 75 meters to go.
“I was able to get myself in a good position for the final sprint and I felt really strong in the end. I took the lead and the win.”
Accepting the only medal for the USA on the men’s side, Crippen shares plans for the upcoming months.
“Right now my focus is to get into heavy training and prepare for the summer season. This was a nice accomplishment for this point in the season.”
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Sarah Stanley’s Run Ride Inspire
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Huntington Beach, Calif. – January 29, 2010 – TYR continues to expand its elite roster of world-class athletes with the signing of triathlon “King of Swim” John Flanagan. The Hawaii native competed in the company’s Sayonara swimskin when leading out of the water at the 2009 Ironman World Championships. He will continue to race in TYR’s line of swimskins, apparel, and accessories, as well as the newest addition to the Triathlon line, the Hurricane wetsuit.
“All of us at TYR are thrilled to have John Flanagan as one of our flagship athletes,” said TYR Triathlon Sales and Promotions Director Ryan Dolan. “John has been a long time member of the TYR family. He coaches TYR teams and has represented the company in national and international open water swimming events. We look forward to him racing in our new premier wetsuit, the Hurricane.”
Flanagan proved his swimming strength at many national and international triathlon races in the past year. In addition to his 47:42 split at the world championships during the 2.4-mile swim leg, he set the swim course record at the 2009 Ironman Louisville race, averaging roughly 1:10 per 100 meters to clock in at 44:45. His success is rooted in over a decade of competitive swimming including a 2001 national title, an NCAA team title for Auburn University’s Men’s Swimming and Diving team, and four years as a Team USA swim member.
“I use TYR products everyday for either training or racing,” said Flanagan. “The Sayonara swimskin is the fastest suit I have ever swam in and helps me get out to a good start in my races. I also look forward to competing in cold water races this year so I can use the new Hurricane wetsuit!”
Flanagan joins the world’s greatest triathletes on Team TYR including Chrissie Wellington, Andy Potts, Sarah Haskins, and Julie Dibens.
“TYR is committed to the success of it’s athletes, and I want to continue to be a part of it,” Flanagan concluded.
[svgallery name="Richmond Sprint Tri 2009"]
Protest Over the Lakefront Marathon
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NYRR Half-Marathon Grand Prix Presented by Continental Airlines: Queens
Missing Swimmer’s Body Found In Lake Monona
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It is my opinion that events such as Ironman Wisconsin serves to teach us more in what we did NOT accomplish rather than what we accomplish. This is true, I think, for most things in life. If we truly strive to better ourselves in any discipline it is important to focus on correcting the missteps we have taken in the past.
I should note that I am not disappointed in myself or my accomplishment of becoming an Ironman. With these things in mind, I thought it important to go through and make some objective notes on what I will do differently in the future, and some things that I thought I got right this time.
Swim
First Transition
Bike
Second Transition
Run
I have referenced the volunteers from Ironman Wisconsin several times and said “more on that later”. Well, now is later. I cannot possibly say enough about the amazing job done by the people staffing the course and the rest of the event. Not only were they incredibly efficient and knowledgeable, but they were so amazingly kind. When I was breaking down and getting into my own head emotionally, I met a woman on the course named Karen. Karen was a volunteer at one of the turns whose job it was to point the way. Karen is in a wheelchair. At a moment when my body was telling me know and my mind was issuing the same proclamation, Karen was there smiling ear to ear. She was telling me that I looked great and that I looked strong. She read my bib and said to me, “Brandon, you better come here and give me a high-five!”. I was overjoyed to oblige. Later when I passed her again with only about four miles left, I did the same.
The next morning, I went by the lost and found to check for my pump which I lost on the bike course (no dice). Karen was there, having been on the course until the last racer passed and probably well after. Her smile was just as bright, and her demeanor just as kind as ever. I told her thank you for being there the night before when I really needed it the most. To Karen, and to all the volunteers of the 2009 Ironman Wisconsin, thank you. You are all amazing.
Once again, I am not disappointed in myself, I am merely a student. I will be back to Wisconsin to defeat that course one day, and I will smile the whole time. Ironman Wisconsin will always be where I became an Ironman.
The water in Lake Monona was the same temperature that it had been the day before during the practice swim, pleasantly cool/warm. This made getting in the water not terribly unpleasant. This is a good thing because, if you were trying to get close to the first buoy as I was, thus giving yourself the best line, that meant that you would be treading water for about the next twenty to twenty-five minutes. There was quite a bit of bumping and errant legs and arms while we waited, to be sure, but it was soon ten minutes to start, which was the time for the professional start.
The pro’s were wearing pink caps for the women and silver caps for the men. This was a good thing to notice for me because it gave me bait. At exactly 6:50 AM, the pro’s started. It was all I could do not to go with them since my heart was about to beat out of my chest with excitement.
Then, promptly at 7:00 AM the cannon sounded and we were off!
Now, as I explained earlier, the position where I lined up is THE place to be if you’re a fast swimmer. That being said, the intensity in the scrum that follows a starting gun in that position is incredible. There are arms, hands, legs and feet all moving in different directions and all moving very fast and powerfully. One of the tricks to being successful in that environment is to not take anything personally. If you get a black eye, it’s just part of the game, and to be honest, not that uncommon.
So, when the cannon fired, all hell broke loose around me and I was a willing participant, throwing
more than my fair share of arms and legs. My strategy was to take it easy and let the pack work itself out around me while staying up with the faster swimmers. This worked well, and I was soon in more or less open water. I was told by an Ironman Wisconsin veteran that the buoys were spaced 100 meters apart (in case I wanted to watch my splits). This was a huge help when it came to sighting, which is the practice of quickly lifting your head up to see that you are on the right course to the next buoy. Swimmers that had fast starts began to fall off of the leading group, and eventually I was able to stop worrying so much about being run into.
During training, I calculated my warm-up distance to be about 1,800 meters. This was the point at which my shoulders had flushed all the built up lactate and would let go. It was at that point where I could really go on autopilot. This point came right about where it should have, at about 1,500 meters. I should also note the added challenge of the sun. The sun rose in such a way that when we got to the first turn buoy, it was in our eyes. It continued to be in our eyes through the second turn and did not subside until we made the third turn, which was either the home turn or the prelude to the second loop, depending on which lap you were on.
About half way through the second loop, I began to pass slower swimmers. They really didn’t present much of an issue and I got through them easily. A really awesome point came when, just after the second turn in the second loop, I saw a couple of pink caps and a couple of silver caps. These were the professionals that had started ten minutes ahead of the rest of us. It was a small victory, but a morale boosting victory nonetheless.
The swim was fairly uneventful and felt good, though I was being a bit conservative. I came out of the water in a time of 54:46. This breaks down to 1:27/100 m (7 seconds slower than my workout pace, annoying) and put me at fourth place in my division and thirtieth overall.
Swim Exit Helix
Upon exiting the lake, racers were directed to run up one of the helices (plural for helix, I had to look it up too) to get to the transition area. It was pretty amazing running up the helix through the throngs of people that lined the entire thing. This included Danielle and Kevin, whom I almost missed because my brain was a little scrambled and there were so many cheering people! I also had one of the professional women running in front of me, so that gave me a focal point. I was a little dizzy from running up the helix too, so I needed to focus on something.
When I got to the wetsuit strippers, I must admit, it was kind of fun to flop and get de-frocked! I ran into the transition bag room and my bag was already in the hand of a volunteer waiting for me. I grabbed it and headed into the men’s transition room (separate rooms because there tends to be nudity) where I was greeted by another volunteer who dumped out my bag and handed me everything I needed as I asked for it. Simply amazing. I got a little scattered during transition and I believe that next time, I will take more time and sacrifice the few seconds so that I can think things through a bit more.
Bike Transition Area
As racers ran out of transition, there was a row of volunteers, about twenty-five strong, bedecked with latex gloves covered with sunscreen. I ran over to them and suddenly, there were about eight hands coating every exposed part of my body. Kind of surreal, but helpful! I then began the run to my bike along the top of the parking attached to Monona Terrace. Another mistake I made was to put on my cycling shoes in the transition room rather than waiting until I got to my bike. This left me running to my bike on my toes, which is fine, but I would have preferred to be in socks. Again, the volunteers had my bike in my hand when I got to my row, ready and waiting for me!
Then I was on my bike and on my way! Riding down the helix at the opposite end from the swim
Bike Course
exit was cool, but it was a non-aggressive area and any aggressive riding would get you a two minute penalty. The bike course, was basically out of town for (roughly) sixteen miles, followed by two loops of a forty mile course and then the same sixteen miles back into town.
About 2.5 miles into the ride, I was cruising along nicely and feeling good. All of a sudden, my rear wheel hit something in the road and I almost lost control. I immediately knew that I had a flat, and pulled over to change it. Now, as I said earlier, I was riding with Zipp “deep-dish” wheels (clinchers). These wheels require a valve extender, which I had never used before. Fortunately, knowing I would be using these wheels, I watched a detailed video on Zipp’s website showing how to install the valve extenders.
It so happened that I stopped right by some volunteers who immediately made sure I was ok and then told me that they had a floor pump, which would make things far easier than my small hand pump. They also checked the road to clear whatever debris I had hit. I must say that, even though I was very angry and I am sure, cursing up a storm, the volunteers were nothing but helpful. It took me about three minutes to get the tire changed and ready to pump. By that point, the bike tech volunteer was on the scene in case I needed any technical help. She offered to put my wheel back on for me so I could avoid getting my hands greasy on the chain. This is where things began to go not-so-well.
As I got back on the bike and headed off, I wasn’t doing much shifting because I was on a flat portion of the course. However, as soon as I had to shift, my rear derailleur went crazy! Before I go on, I want to be clear that I in no way blame the bike tech who helped me. I think something just simply got bumped out of whack when the tire got changed. So, as I rode the derailleur was skipping gears and jumping back and forth on gears, and I didn’t have my best climbing gear at all. I was forced to stop probably five times to try to fix it by fine tuning. Eventually, after about fifty miles, it was reasonably fine.
The bike course at Ironman Wisconsin is hard. I say that not necessarily because it’s of any steep climbs or anything, but because it simply does not let up. From the time you hit the loop, and a bit before for that matter, the hills begin. there are a few hills that are substantial, and even a couple of great downhills (especially one at Garfoot Road where they have to place hay bales for crashes). There are ninety degree turns at the bottom of downhills that immediately go uphill, and hard turns at the top of climbs that keep climbing. The road conditions are not so fantastic. There is one stretch in particular that does it’s best to beat you to death for about three miles.
I am usually a very salty sweater and as such, when I ride, my sweat often drips onto the lenses of my sunglasses. This is annoying because it blurs my vision and is generally gross. The day was also turning out to be much hotter than I had thought. I heard someone say that it was about 85 F in the sun. As I hit the loop, the sweat began to hit my lenses, and I recall being annoyed. However, after about an hour of that I could all of a sudden see more clearly. I believed that this was because I was settling into a rhythm. In fact, it was my body slowing my sweating to a crawl. This is not good. I think I began to notice this about three or so hours into the bike, right about the time we picked up “Special Foods” bags. The bag pickup is when I noticed that I had not packed ANY ELECTROLYTES OR SALT. There were none in myT1 bag, and none in my bike “Special Needs” bag. So, I went into maintenance mode. I tried getting down as much Gatorade Endurance as possible, to no avail. I could only take in about one bottle every twenty minutes. I was also trying to get down water, but again, my stomach simply didn’t have the room.
At about mile 80 the leg cramps began. It started in such a way that I could simply ride out of the saddle for a bit and they would stop, but after a point, no matter which way I situated myself, my legs simply would not stop cramping. So, rather than get angry, I did my best to remain calm, pulled to the side of the road and sat on the ground with my legs in a neutral position until the cramps subsided. You may be asking why I didn’t stretch, and believe me, I tried that. The problem was, when I tried to stretch my hamstrings, my quadriceps would cramp and when I tried to stretch my quadriceps, my hamstrings would go into knots. So, neutral was the only way to go.
A bit more about the course; as you ride into the town of Verona, and it’s outskirts, there is an amazing, festival-like atmosphere. It is something akin to Alpe d’Huez in the Le Tour de France. There are people lining the climb, cheering you on, patting you on the back and messages of encouragement written in chalk on the road. Upon arriving in Verona, the cheers are deafening as you ride through the barricaded crowds. Again, simply amazing.
The ironic part of my bike leg is that after I bonked (and yes, I did in fact bonk. HARD), I was riding quite well. I think this was due to the act that to avoid complete shutdown of my muscles, I had to be efficient. This paid big dividends in terms of pace. There were more stops scattered throughout the rest of my ride, but again, I stayed calm and did what I had to do.
When we finally made the turn back toward Madison, I was feeling so elated, that I seemed to be ok for the majority of the ride in. Again, riding up the helix this time, was just as amazing. So much cheering from overhead and upon arriving to the dismount line, your bike was taken from you and the crowds went nuts! My bike time was 6:29:47 with an average speed of 17.2 mph. I must say that I added at LEAST 30 minutes to my bike split with all the stopping I did. That said, I am pretty proud of my actual riding. Nutrition, not so much.
As I got into T2, I knew that I needed to take sometime. I had put a Pedialyte in my transition bag specifically to replace electrolytes. I also asked the transition room volunteers if they had any salt. They had electrolyte tablets, which I welcomed. I took my time and kind of just sat there for a few collecting myself. Then I began the marathon.
As I headed out on the run, I was well aware that for me, this was rapidly becoming a race of
attrition. A volunteer was kind enough to point out the insane amount of salt that was coating my jersey and told me to make sure I got some salt in me. About 3 miles into the run, I saw Tory from Newton Running, and it was a much needed boost, not so much in pace or anything, just in morale. Tory ran with me for about a quarter of a mile, asking if I was doing ok and telling me I looked like I was doing well. This meant so much to me.
I decided early on in the run, that I would not run any of the uphills and I stuck to that. This was especially helpful because at about mile 5, I began to overheat. So, when I got to aid stations, which were located every mile, I stopped if I needed to. I just told to volunteers manning the stations that would be sitting down for a few minutes and not to worry, I was fine. After I began taking small breaks, I did a bit of run walk alternating. This seemed to work out ok. however, at about mile ten, I began having a hard time urinating (pardon the gross details). I knew that all I could do was to keep taking in chips and gatorade at the aid stations.
Annie and Bubba
The way the run course is set up, the half way point is right beside the finish line. As I got into the downtown area, near the finish/halfway point, I saw Kevin and Danielle for the first time since that morning. It was awesome! I felt so elated and happy to see them, and one of my dogs, Bubba. A bit further and closer to the finish, I again saw Tory with Tim this time. Tory, once again, made my day by walking with me for a bit and offering words of encouragement. I distinctly remember telling her that I was sorry for having to walk in a shoe that is the epitome of a running shoe!
I continued on to the turn around. On the way back I waved to Tory and Tim and saw Danielle and Kevin again. They informed me that J was about a mile behind me. I figured he’d catch me pretty soon since I was walking a lot. Sure enough, he caught me at about mile 14 or so. He was also having a rough go of it on the run. I would like to take a second to thank J for walking with me and stopping with me and waiting for me. It meant so much to have a friend there to talk to and with whom to commiserate. I can tell him a thousand times and he’ll never know how much that meant.
J and I walked together from about mile 14 until about mile 20. He wanted to see what his legs could do, and I was happy to let him at it. I continued to walk, eventually passing by a woman who asked me how much further we had to go. I told her about 4 miles and kept going. However, I noticed a distinct note of exhaustion in her voice and I told her to come and walk with me. She did, her name was Julie and we walked and talked for about the next two miles. Her husband had finished about the time J had. This too was her first Ironman and she was, like me having a hard time. It was again, so nice to have company to talk to. With about 2 miles to go, we began running. With about a 3/4 of a mile to go, I asked Julie if she wouldn’t mind if I went ahead. She was happy to oblige.
That last bit of the race went by in a flash. I know if was adrenaline and endorphins, but I felt like new. I approached the finish and felt overcome with so many feelings that to begin to describe them here would add another page to this report. Then I heard the words I had been waiting to hear. “Brandon Wood, you are an Ironman!”
On the day before our race, Saturday, September 12, 2009, J and I had decided to take advantage of the Gatorade Practice Swim. The practice swim was essentially a free swim of the course in Lake Monona and began at 7:00 AM.
For J, this marked a big step. Up to this point, he had done a couple of open water swims sans wetsuit, a couple of pool swims with wetsuit, and of course the requisite pool training. This would be the first time he was in the murky water of a lake, the same lake in which he would be covering 2.4 miles the next day.
Ironman Wisconsin Swim Course
So that he could get the hang of things, I stayed with him and we took our time going once around the loop. J quickly got the hang of the nature of swimming in the lake, which was something considering you could barely see your hand outstretched in front of you. Being that this was J’s first organized triathlon, I did my best to put him through his paces to try and demonstrate what may occur on race day. With him swimming straight ahead, I swam all around him, hitting his arms and torso, pulling on his legs and pushing him off course. If you’ve never been in a triathlon with a mass start or even several people starting at once, this is incredibly useful so that when race day comes, you’re not shocked at what goes on. Suffice it to say that J did an amazing job of keeping his cool.
After going around the loop once with J, I wanted to finish the distance (2.4 miles) and do the loop again myself, this time at my own “easy” pace. This loop also went well. I took it nice and even, making sure to work on sighting because we were in the water at roughly the same time we would be there the next day and the sun was presenting some major challenges. My time for that loop was about 29 minutes. This was a reasonably acceptable time for a practice swim, especially considering the water temperature was about five to ten degrees warmer than I could have like, though still wetsuit legal.
At 10:30 AM, I, along with some twitter buddies and people from this site, had planned to meet at the Newton booth in the expo. So, I swung back by our hotel to pick up Danielle and drop off J. We then headed back to the expo where a few of us met. Among those there were @triboomer, @nickjantz, @kevsbrtny and @chrisdandeneau. It was a lot of fun hanging out and taking a few minutes to get some pointers on the course from those more experienced than I. Danielle and I
Even in a picture she looks fast!
also got to spend some more time talking to the Newton folks where we both met Newton Co-Founder and CEO Jerry Lee. We also got to hang out more with Tory and pick her brain about all things running and triathlon. One thing you must know about Tory is that even standing still beside you, she looks like she could kick your ass in any race, any day.
After the meetup we headed back to our hotel to get some food and to get our bikes and transition bags ready for drop off which took place that afternoon from 10 AM to 3 PM. A little explanation of the “bag” situation; when you check in, in your race materials you are given five plastic, drawstring bags. They are designated as follows:
Bike Gear Bag (T1)
Bike Special Foods Bag
Run Gear Bag (T2)
Run Special Foods Bag
Morning Clothes Bag
The gear bags are pretty self-explanatory, holding whatever you need for your transitions. As for the “Special Foods” bags; these were not necessarily for food, but rather for whatever you think you may need halfway through the bike and again, halfway through the run. For instance, in my bike bag, I had an extra tube, in case I got a flat and was down to one tube with me on the bike (better safe than sorry!). The other thing in my “Special Foods” bags included: (Both) Chia, Probar, Beta-Alanine, Pepto chewables (run) Shot Blocks, Pedialyte. If you look closely, you can see an enormous problem I ran into during the race. As for my bike, I did a close inspection and a short ride to double check everything. I also removed my Speedfil since I’d be taking it with me in the morning.
The “Special Foods” bags did not have to be dropped off until race morning, so the transition bag drop off was rather easy. Just go the proper room and put your bag in the area for your number. The bike drop off was just as easy, although I did forget a bag to cover my handlebars to keep them dry overnight. Thankfully, Tory (bless you Tory!) came through with a plastic bag!!
I then headed back to the hotel to relax and do nothing. This sort of worked. J and our two other friends who were racing, JR and Cass, were going to drop off their gear and then go drive the bike course, which was a VERY necessary activity for this particular course. I decided to go with them and asked them to give me a call when they got back. They returned at about 4:45 PM and we headed out to drive the course.
Ironman Wisconsin Bike Course
I won’t go into too much detail of the course here because I will talk more about it in the next segment of my report. Suffice it to say that this course is much more difficult than you’d think. It’s not that the hills are so steep or huge, it’s just that they don’t stop. The course is beautiful, to be sure. Lot’s of rolling cornfields and plenty of cattle that I’m sure turned more than one stomach on race day! The drive took about two hours, to do one loop or the two loop course.
Once we got back to the hotel, it was time for food and rest. Danielle and I headed out for some dinner where I got a big grilled chicken salad. The whole day I had been hydrating with a 2:1 water to Gatorade mix, and I was worried that I’d have to up twenty times during the night to use the bathroom. Luckily, I only had to go once, and with my alarm set, it was time for bed.
Part III coming soon!
Sir Isaac and Lady Isaac Guidance Trainers
10 Ways to Succeed at Ironman Wisconsin
Seven Weeks to One-Hundred Push-Ups
Simply Stu’s Ironman Wisconsin Course Videos
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Garmin Forerunner 305 versus 405
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Newton Sir & Lady Isaac Review
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I am a fast swimmer. I make no bones about it. I am not as fast as a professional, but suffice it to say that I usually finish in the top of whatever race (triathlon) I’m in (in the swim leg). My average 100 meter swim in a race is around 1:05 (+/-) I am aware that that probably comes off as arrogant, but please believe me when I say that I really don’t mean it that way. I say it because, when I go to do my swim workouts I relegate myself to the fast lane. Let me explain.
I swim at the Bally’s Sports Club at Worldwide Plaza at West 50th Street and 8th Avenue in New York City. They have a four lane, twenty five meter (debatable) pool. Each lane of the pool has a large, clear sign at the far end designating the speed for that lane. They are, from left to right: Loafer Lane, Fast Lane, Medium Lane, Slow Lane.
The reason I’m writing this is because, as of late I have been switching my swim workouts to the evening due to working and such. This is coupled with what I think is some kind of membership promotion by Bally’s to sign up every single person in the world. This has made for what can only be described as unbearable conditions for someone who is in the pool to actually work out.
The rules of the pool are simple (although, not so well enforced by the lifeguard); If there are two people in the lane, one should swim on one side of the lane (divided by the line on the bottom) and one on the other. If a third person joins the lane, it is assumed that that person is not slow (which, more often than not is an incorrect assumption) and circle swimming becomes the pattern. Circle swimming is when you treat the lane like a road; each person stays to the right in whichever direction they’re moving, thus making for an efficient way for more than two people to swim together in the lane. If a third (or more) person gets in and circle swimming commences, it is the responsibility of the slower person/s to defer to the faster person/s. That is to say that, should you feel someone touch the bottom of your feet or your achilles area, they are not being rude, rather, they are merely letting you know that you are about to be passed.
Recently, at Bally’s there have been TONS of people who just jump into whatever lane they please, without telling those of us already swimming. This is extremely dangerous because I, for instance, assume that if someone is going to join my lane, they will 1. Let me know and 2. Be fast enough to hang. There has been more than one occasion where I have been coming into the wall and about to do a flip turn when I suddenly see a pair of legs in front of me. Had I not looked up in time, that person would most likely have wound up with a broken nose or worse. There have also been several incidences of me touching (gently) the bottoms of peoples feet and going to pass them, and all of a sudden they decide that I am being rude and an altercation ensues.
For reference, you probably shouldn’t be in the fast lane if:
Now, this is of course not a complete list. Nor are all these things entirely exclusive (hence the “probably” at the top). For instance, I have been in a lane with someone who was plenty fast but wearing board shorts.
What would you add to the list?
[Edit] Just as I think it’s rude for slow (and I mean S-L-O-W) swimmers to get into the fast lane, I think it is equally rude for fast swimmers to get in the slower lanes. It ruins everyones workout! Thus, I don’t get in the other lanes.
Heart Transplant Patient to Run Kona!!
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Forgot to put this on the show, but a HUGE shout out to Kate and all the luck and ass kicking in the world this weekend in the America’s Finest City Half-Marathon this weekend in San Diego!!
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[svgallery name="Bobby Ironman 2009"]
2010 New York City Tritahlon Registration
2009 New York City Triathlon Results (I’m bib #4517)
Central Park Underwear Run Video
The Resurrected Runner Running Book Library
Brandon’s Marathon Podcast Live!!
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Yesterday, Sunday July 26, 2009 was the New York City Triathlon.
Race morning began with me waking up at the ungodly hour of 3:45am. I had been very careful to make sure everything was already packed and ready to go for the morning, so that all I had to do, was eat breakfast, get dressed and go. This included having different bottles labeled and ready to go in the refrigerator. They were as follows:
So, I gathered my bottles and myself, I headed out the door and down to 72nd St. on the 1 Train. As soon as I got out of the subway it began to rain. Fortunately, I brought an umbrella for just such an event! Myself and a ton of other people were making our way to the transition area on the West Side Greenway at about 76th & 78th Streets, depending on which transition are you were assigned (I was in the Red transition area).
The day before when I dropped off my bike at transition, I had secured a garbage bag over my handlebars. I did this because whether rain or just dew, I did not want to have my grip any more slippery than I knew it would be with water from myself and the copious amounts of sweat that I knew were coming. The rain that had welcomed us to transition that morning quickly stopped, and I got about the business of setting up my transition.
About the transition rack situation: In this transition are, as with most triathlons, this is the type of rack used. In this event, each racer was designated a space which was indicated by a sticker with your race number on it (my race number was 4517). The idea is to hang your bike on the rack by the nose of your saddle (seat), so that each bike was facing in the opposite direction than that of it’s neighbor. It appeared that each bike was being given about 9 inches (+ or -) which does not sound like a lot, but it’s pretty standard and works just fine if the bikes are alternating sides properly. In my transition space however, because I was close to the end of the rack where the supports are located, whomever had placed the stickers had gotten lazy and had not planned ahead. This resulted in my transition area and that of the bikes on either side of me, being crammed into an area about 18 inches TOTAL!! Now, my handlebars are about 18 inches wide, just to give you some perspective! It was ridiculous, and should have been checked over by race organizers and/or transition managers, and I know for a fact that my area was not the only place this happened.
I digress.
The transition area closed at 5:45am and the first wave of professional men were scheduled to start at 5:50am. Due to weather, this time was pushed back about 25 minutes. I still left the transition are at 5:45 and headed in the general direction of the swim start with my wetsuit slung over my shoulder and my bag for the finish line (change of clothes and Ipod and such) in hand. Keep in mind that because the swim for the NYC Triathlon is a straight shot down the Hudson River, the walk from transition to swim start is right at a mile.
I got to the swim start with a TON of time to spare, so I just sat down and stretched a bit and mentally ran through my race. After a while I decided to drop my finish line bag at the trucks that would be transporting them for us. Then I went to do a quick crowd scan for my wife before getting in line in my wave. Danielle did end up finding me with our friend Allie which was awesome to get a last minute good luck!
I started the swim in the water as far to the outside (closer to the middle of the river) as I could, knowing that was where the current was strongest. The start came and we were off! I can’t really say too much about strategy for the swim, because I tend to just rely on raw speed and technique to get it done. I can say that I aimed to stay toward the outside portion of the course to take full advantage of the current. For the record, I don’t think ANYONE should count on current being a help. If you can’t do the distance in a pool, you should not be doing it in open water, it’s not safe, period!
I was first out of the water in my wave and by the time I exited, had passed a lot of swimmers from the five waves in front of me as well. My total time was 14 minutes 53 seconds. This is when the fun started. After coming out of the water, each runner had to then run/walk about 300~400m to the transition area. This had the effect of making the T1 times look very slow, mine was 4:48.
I got all geared up and ready for the bike and then went! I saw Danielle and Allie at the beginning of the bike and it was so great to hear my name being yelled! The bike course ran North on the West Side Highway out of Manhattan and onto the Mosholu Parkway where it made a u-turn at Gunhill Road, then came back the same way it went out, passed the transition area, made another u-turn at W. 57th St. and came back North and into transition. It was awesome having the West Side Highway completely open and not having to worry about vehicular traffic! The course itself, did not present and crazily steep hills, but it was most definitely a hilly course, that did have me coming out of athe saddle a few times.
My biggest problem on the bike were people not watching their surroundings. In the MANDATORY briefing that we all had at packet pick-up, the race organizers were VERY clear about riding to your right at all times, unless you were passing someone. Many, many, many people did not heed this advice. Drafting was illegal in this race (the practice of riding right behind someone to take advantage of them breaking the air for you), but because of the amount of people riding on the left full time, it was impossible not to draft without pulling across the cones separating outbound and inbound racers. I was constantly yelling, and I do mean yelling, “On your left!” just so I could be safe and to keep people riding on the left would not get wrapped up in less observant racers than myself.
The bike as a whole, felt really great, and I felt strong throughout. My total time on the bike was 1:10:24 with an average speed of 21.2 mph.
I got into transition and was out pretty quickly, not feeling rushed in a time of 1:44. Not super fast or anything, but I got everything I needed done, so it’s all good. On the bike course, there were no water or aid stations, and so I relied on my hydration on my bike and my chia. Once the run began, however, there was water and Cytomax right away. It was nice to be able to dump some cold H2O down my back and get something with some flavor in it in my mouth. As I came up W. 72nd St. and headed toward Central Park, I was amazed by the crowds that formed a solid wall of humanity for the entirety of that part of the course, which once again, included Danielle and Allie!!
After entering the park, there were about five miles left in the run/race. I was feeling very comfortable in my stride, not too fast and only a bit slower than I wanted to be. At about 3 miles into the run, my stomach started to rebel against the liquid that I was all of a sudden cramming into it. I felt a tiny bit uncomfortably nauseous off and on for the remainder of the race. Not enough to really effect me, but just enough to make me notice.
I finished the run in a time of 51:34 which make for a 8:19 per mile pace. This is about a minute per mile slower than my general 10k time, but it is faster than I felt like I was going.
My total time for the race was 2:23:20 which put me in 42nd place out of the 443 people in my division (Men 30-34). For my first Olympic distance triathlon, I felt great! I feel like I really like this distance and can’t wait to do another!! Please listen to Brandon’s Marathon Podcast, Episdoe 51 for even more info and impression of the race!!
My Results:
In my excitement and hast to get up Episode 50 of Brandon’s Marathon Podcast, I forgot that I have my first triathlon of 2009 coming up!! It is the 9th annual New York City Triathlon!!
I honestly can’t believe I forgot it!
In any event, it takes place this Sunday, July 26, 2009. My wave will start between 7:36 and 7:42 AM, EST. It’s funny, as I just wrote that I actually felt a giant bump of adrenaline go through me! This will be my first NYC Triathlon and also my first Olympic distance event. The distances are:
Swim: 1500 meters
Bike: 40 kilometers
Run: 10 kilometers
I feel mostly prepared for this event. About two weeks ago, I took about a week and a half off from swimming. This was not on purpose and when I got back in the pool, I had to face up to the fact that time is not always on my side, and I paid the price. Fortunately, swimming is my “thing”. I was soon back to a very good pace and feeling good in the pool.
As far as the bike; I feel ok about it. What gives me pause just now, is the fact that when I went out for a medium thirty miles this morning, while my speed was decent and acceptable, I felt dead-legged. I made sure to get home and cram down two health scoops of Endurox R4. Over the next couple of days, I will be continuing to down the R4, run, ride or no, as well as stretching quite a bit more than normal before bed.
Apart from the other two, my running has felt really good. I’m not the fastest person in the world, by any means, however, since my interview with Christopher McDougall, I have been re-inspired to look for the joy in my running, and I have found it. That said, I am curious to see what happens if I push my pace…hmm…
The swim start is in the Hudson River (yes, it’s not the cleanest, but it’s what we’ve got!), at West 98th Street. From there it is a straight shot downstream to about West 79th Street. The Hudson is a river which, around Manhattan, does have tides. I have checked the tidal clocks for that day and if I’m correct, my wave SHOULD start on either a very slightly outgoing tide, or a dead calm tide, both of which are fine by me!
The bike (from the NYC Tri website) exits Riverside Park at 79th Street. Athletes enter the northbound entrance of the Henry Hudson Highway, staying in the right lane. Athletes will continue on a moderately hilly course north out of Manhattan, over the Hudson River Bridge, and exit onto the Mosholu Parkway. The course proceeds south on the Mosholu and U-turns at Gunhill Road in the Bronx. Participants will proceed back to the Henry Hudson Parkway and ride south in the Northbound Lane to 57th street where another u-turn will be completed and cyclists will head north and exit the Henry Hudson Parkway at 79th street and proceed back to the transition area. All bicycle traffic will utilize the normally northbound roadway which will be totally closed to vehicular traffic.
The run (also from the NYC Tri website) will exit Riverside Park at 72nd Street and run into Central Park. Runners turn left when entering Central Park and run in a clockwise direction around the northern loop of Central Park. The Finish line is on Dead Road, just west of the band shell on the 72nd Street Transverse in Central Park.
I will, of course, have as much pre and post (and during thatnks to my wife) video and such that I can. I’ll also try to get my video up in a somewhat timely manner (sorry Ari and the Achilles 5 miler, it’s coming!). If you’re in the Big Apple and need something to do, why not come by! Email me and we can figure out a place to meet!
Brain Surgery Frees Runner, but Raises Barriers
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Running with the Pack Episode 49 (with me!!)
2009 Patriot Triathlon Official Results
Rio de Jinero Marathon (GO RAPHAEL!!!)
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Xterra Wetsuits (50% off until the end of June!!!!)
Patriot Triathlon (Go Shrekilocks!!!)
Dreamfar Triathlon Team (Thanks guys!!)
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As you may or may not know, next weekend, June 20th I am doing the swim leg in the relay team Shrekilocks in the Patriot Triathlon. It is a half-Ironman distance event that will be taking place in East Freetown, MA.
Over the past few days I have been bumping up my timed distance in the pool. The swim distance is 1.2 miles, which is about 1930 meters. Yesterday, I did 1000 meters in about 14 minutes, which is over half the distance. So, if I even split the swim (go the same time in the second half), that would put me at right about 28 minutes. If I go that time, it would put me very close to last year’s fastest swim time of 27:58.
Here are some of the variables in this:
So, all of those things in mind, I will see by the beginning of next week what my rough, full time will be. I am very excited to be a part of this team, made up of my brother-in-law (run) and a good friend (bike). Not to put any expectations on us, but I think we have a reasonable shot at being in the top 3 for relays!!
Check back for updates!!
Running Aimlessly Around the Countryside
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De Soto Cool Gear (scroll down the page)
Soldier passes away in Country Music Half Marathon
Wildflower Triathlon (Bobby Cockrill)
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Thanks so much for visiting my site! My name is Brandon Wood and I am an opera singer living and trying to make it in New York City. This site and podcast follow my adventures on the way to competing in and training for all kinds of endurance events, especially triathlon and running. Click the "About Me" tab for more info!
Who: This contest is open to anyone and everyone in the U.S. and Canada (also APO)! Tell your friends!
What: Stuffitts! I have spoken about these simple yet awesome shoe savers in the past. Click here to read more about them. I cannot say enough how great they are!
When: Starting NOW! This is an ongoing contest that will be every month, or until every person on the planet has nice, fresh smelling shoes!
Why: Because Stuffitts are awesome! The folks at Stuffitts are being SUPER generous and I also want to give you guys something that I think is a great addition to any athletes arsenal!
How: On the last podcast episode post of each month (example: Episode 99 on June 28 HERE) entrants should leave a comment (however long you'd like). On the following week's show (the first show of each month) I will draw, by random number generator, one winner! That's it!
Good luck!
