Chazy on Champlain

Last month Jen and I took a few vacation days and headed north for cooler temps and a long weekend of training in preparation for Zurich.  Our destination, Chazy, NY and a family lake house on the shores of Lake Champlain.  We loaded up the VW with all of our gear, bikes, and our mascot Islay for a long road trip hoping that we would avoid any major traffic issue as we navigated up the eastern seaboard.  For most folks a 9 hour plus road trip is a chore and while I would not want to do it every weekend Jen and I had fun with our pup and a good selection of tunes, news, and comedy bits via the Sirius satellite radio.  We hit the road early on Thursday morning and before you knew it we were sitting on the deck of the lake house, enjoying a fine pilsner and a great view of the lake, I think the only person in our party that was happier was Islay.  This was also the first time we had visited Jen's dad and his wife Barbara since Thanksgiving in 2012.

Our weekend of training included the following:

Thursday - 45 minute shake out spin on the bikes
Friday - 6 mile run in the morning followed by an hour swim in the afternoon
(We killed time in between with a boat ride across the lake and into Vermont where we enjoyed some sandwiches at a future pit stop on our big bike ride).
Saturday - 88 mile ride and four mile run
Sunday - 2.5 hour run (that one was tough, needed to beg for some water from the local ice cream shop on the way back)

Jen enjoying the chilly boat ride on Lake Champlain

With all of the training it is hard to classify this trip as a vacation but it was a great time and I am looking forward to going back.  It was a great chance to recharge the batteries, hang out with family, enjoy some good food courtesy of Jen's father, and wake up every morning to cool temps and the sounds of water lapping against the rocks.

IPAs on the deck

If you are in the area I recommend a beer and burger at the Squirrel's Nest in Rouses Point, just up the road from Chazy.  Try the poutine, it is a winner.

About the only fail on this trip was the fact we could not convince Islay to go swimming with us but she probably had a better time than any of us. 

Nokesville Century

Yesterday Jen and I completed our last "big" ride of the IM training, 100 miles.  It was one of those days where everything just seemed to go our way and gave us another little dose of confidence before the big event which is now just three weeks away.

I am not certain where other triathletes complete their training rides in the DC area but I can only do so many laps at Hains Point or Prince William Forest.  Our coach gave us the idea to check out a course in the Nokesville area which is a little less than an hour way from us.  Jen checked out Garmin Connect and found what we hoped to be paved century course over relatively flat terrain, only 4,600 feet of climbing over the distance according to my GPS.

With a course in mind and the route loaded on our Garmin, we prepped the bikes on Friday before the big ride on Saturday.  Like a true cyclist Jen even took care of swapping out her old tires for new ones while I cleaned the frames and lubed the chains. 

Islay made certain to have us up at 5 am as usual, I am not sure where she keeps her little alarm clock but that is definitely when her day begins regardless of how much sleep we have had the night before.  After some coffee and Celtic Crush, we loaded the VW and headed to Nokeseville for our big adventure.  Our mission, 100 miles in Z2 with a focus on hydration and nutrition just like race day, except I have not just completed a 2.4 mile swim but that is a minor detail.   Light traffic on our way to the starting point at Nokesville Community Park where we made the final preparations on the bikes and said our goodbyes.  Did I mention this ride was to be solo?  I gave Jen 25 minute head start but all she really needed was a five minute head start.  The weather was perfect cycling weather for Virgina in July with temps in the mid- 60's to start and a dewpoint in the 50s.  Now all we needed to do was pedal, pedal, pedal.

So six hours later including a couple of wrong turns (quickly noted by my Garmin) and I was back at the starting point ready for the 20 minute run and trying not to think about the fact I would need to run a full marathon after biking this far in just three weeks. 

Stats on the ride according to my Garmin:
Distance = 101.82
Time = 5:53:28
Average Speed = 17.3 (probably too fast but I would be very happy with this pace in Zurich)
Elevation Gain = 4,612 Feet

I would highly recommend this course for distance training on a tri bike.  The roads were in good shape, several sections where you could get into the aero bar position for a long stretch and a few places to stop and refuel at some small town general stores.  I also found the local drivers very courteous and light traffic on most sections.

My legs felt tire at around mile 70 but I think that is to be expected.  I can't say my legs felt fresh for the run but they did feel better than I expected.  The weather had something to do with that as well I suspect.  The best part of the day was rolling into the park and seeing Jen finishing up her run (this is why she did not need much of a head start from me). 

What is on tap for today?  Only a two hour run which mentally seems pretty easy.  Here is finishing the weekend with another strong effort and one more step on the road to Zurich.

Stokesville

Our reward for completing the Kinetic 1/2 was a camping trip on Memorial Day weekend to Stokesville.  The weather was perfect for camping and we took Islay along for her first long road trip and first camping trip as well.

Jen and loaded up the VW which left little room for Islay by the time we had all of the biking and camping gear.  I am not sure how the pioneers managed to travel across the entire country in a covered wagon and we have a full SUV for two nights of camping.  It must be all of the beer we needed to bring along. 

After arriving and setting up camp, including the CT3 EZ up we jumped on our bikes for a short ride before dinner.  Jen has never ridden the SM 100 and what better way to introduce her to the course than the first big climb up Lynn followed by the downhill on Wolf.  Lynn is typically a conga line during the race as riders hop off their bikes and push them up the nearly two mile climb.  I really thought I might be able to clear the entire section and was doing well until about the last 1/2 mile where I decided I was out here to have fun and not experience a cardiac arrest.  I think the climb may have given Jen some different ideas about ever doing the SM 100 but that training is for some other year.  

Our camp

The climb was well worth it.  Chris Scott and his crew have done some great work to improve the downhill on Wolf and we enjoyed the ride back down to the forest service road.  Back to camp for pasta and potluck dinner with Islay and a chance to see some friends from the mountain biking community.

The next day we rode with our friends Brad and Simona who are competing in several 100 mile mountain bike races this summer.  We rode the first section of the course including a super fun down hill section.  The riding this weekend made me remember how much I love mountain biking and my technical skills are not that bad considering my time away from the trails. 

Islay enjoyed meeting new people at dinner and made several new friends.  She also did a good job of navigating the skinnies, she may have a bit of circus dog in her.

Islay taking a break after navigating the skinny course.

We finished the weekend hanging out by the fire, drinking beers and some fine bourbon, and making smores.   A great way to spend Memorial Day weekend and a nice respite from the training. 

Worst Blogger Ever

Yes, that is my official title and I know I am going to regret not taking the time to document all of our adventures in this blog leading up to our big race.  We are now three weeks away from the big event in Zurich and so much has happened since my last post.  On a positive note, the training is going great and I feel confident in my ability to complete the race (thanks Coach T).

Time to hop in the time machine, hit 88 mph, and travel back in time to the events that have brought me to today.  Let's start with the Kinetic 1/2 Ironman on May 10.  Going into this race I really did not feel the pre-race jitters that I typically experience in the week leading up to the event.  That actually had me a bit worried that I was not taking the race and distance seriously enough and it would come back to haunt me on race day.  Jen summed up our trip down and the weather conditions in her post but here is a summary of my race experience.  First off the swim and the hardest part of any triathlon for me.  This swim was in a lake and with light winds the water was relatively calm and so was I.  It was also the first time I had the chance to try out my new wetsuit in race conditions.  My goal in the swim is just to get through it, stay relaxed, don't go anaerobic, and try to find something to think about to pass the time.  While I found the race generally well organized if there was one negative to the event it was the swim markers.  At the start of the event everyone was discussing the apparent zig zag of buoys and trying to determine which was the "right" side to swim on.  Of course that led to people zig zagging around in the water and bumping into a few people during the swim but nothing serious, just more annoying and I don't need annoying during the swim.  When I came out of the water I looked at my watch and I was just at 40 minutes which I know is slow but good for me (turns out my official swim time was 42:12 due to the time it took me to get from the water to the timing mat at the transition area).

Now I am happy, swim is done and off on the bike.  This was a training race for Zurich so I was less concerned about speed and more focused on riding a steady pace.  The bike course was in good shape and besides a few riders in groups and cars blocking the road I felt good on the bike and came in at 2:54.  The biggest surprise of the ride was in the transition area.  Who do I see but Jen right behind me on her bike which means she had a great ride and a great race.  All that was left for both of us was three loops on a hilly course with humid weather, easy right?

I always go into the run feeling confident but that did not last long on this day.  My legs were tired, the weather was against me, and my stomach felt like I just finished a five course meal sans the wine pairing.  Although I left the transition area before Jen it was not long before she left me behind like a dirty shirt on laundry day.  The hills took what little energy I had left and I ended up walking the hilly sections (which seemed like most of the course).  I did manage to run the last two miles and finished the run in 2:10 for an overall time of 5:51:57 with transition times.  Under six hours which should have made me happy but I was disappointed with my run time considering my goal was 2:00.

I see the finish line!

The best part of the race was seeing Jen and the finish line and then finding out she finished third in her age group for a podium.  As a reward I made her drive home like any good boyfriend.

Setup Events Kinetic Half - Race Report

Greg and my 3rd 70.3 is in the books.  Saturday, May 10th, was the Kinetic Half, put on by Setup Events, in lovely Spotsylvania, VA.  A simple, one-loop 1.2 mile swim, one-loop 56 mile bike, and grueling three-loop 13.1 mile run.  Overall, it was a great day for me and possibly my best executed race to date.

The day started at 3AM.  That's right, 3AM.  Going down race morning IS the right thing to do.  (1) We saved money and hassle not having to board Islay for the night. (2) No expense of a crappy hotel in the middle of nowhere...got to wake up (albeit at 3AM) in our own beds. (3) Don't have to fight the inevitable bumper-to-bumper I-95 traffic on Friday evening to get down to the race site.  1:30 drive at 4AM on Saturday = 3:00 drive on Friday afternoon.  BUT this does not diminish the pain of the alarm going off when it feels like you've been asleep for 10 minutes.  Even Islay, with all of her unbridled enthusiasm, didn't want to get up.  Once we were up and had some coffee, the adrenaline kicked in and we were good to go.

The drive down was smooth sailing.  We woke up to Outlaw Country tunes but switched over to our favorite pre-race/workout 80s on the 8s.  This is when I would typically start getting very nervous.  Not this time.  I felt calm, collected, prepared.  Going into this race, my base goal was to finish smart, smooth and strong...no crashes, no bonking.  A sub 6 hour would be nice, and was honestly expected.  The dream goal was a PR and sub 5:40, but I was going to let it, not make it, happen.  After all, this race is just a building block for Zurich, nothing more. 

Per usual, we arrived right on time, 5:30AM, when check-in and the transition area opened.  Unlike Timberman, which had 2,000 competitors, the Kinetic Half is capped at 600, so it had a much more mellow vibe.  I had a fantastic rack position in the transition area, right near the bike start and finish.  It was going to be a good day.  Greg and I set up, got marked, and put on our wetsuits so we could get a little warm up in the water before the race.  Fortunately, the water temps were in the upper 60s, so not bad at all.

I was in the last wave.  The first wave went off at 7AM.  Greg was off at 7:12 (bye babe!) and I was off eight minutes later.  I lined up on the far left, my usual MO, so that I could ease my way into the pack.  The swim should have been easy - a lake swim with just two turns - but for some reason I was having a lot of trouble sighting the first turn buoy.  The guiding buoys weren't lined up properly.  I took the bumble bee route and felt like I was all over the place until I got to the first turn.  The chop was coming towards the shore so every time I went to sight I got smacked with water in my face.  Once I made the first turn I was cooking.  I was sighting easily and got my rhythm.  After the second turn, getting to the shore was a snap.  I had the "waves" rolling me in.  It was in the bag.  It wasn't fast, but it was solid.

SWIM: 37:15 5th/13 in AG, 1:46/100 YDS

I flew through T1.  Fortunately I had practiced my wetsuit removal ahead of time.  Lots of spray-lube before the race on my legs, feet, and wetsuit + sitting down to remove it = had it off lickety split.  This combined with my optimal positioning made for a fast transition.

T1: 2:37 1st/13 in AG

As is typical for me, I started out too hard on the bike.  This always happens and I find it very hard to control.  I don't know why but after bobbing along in the water it's like I get this new-found freedom on the bike.  I got in that tuck position and went for it.  For the first 30 minutes I was passing all the slowpokes from the earlier swim waves.  Some newbs, some slow cyclists...but I saw people doing some crazy (illegal) things - like slow riders that wouldn't get right so lines of cars would pile up behind them, making it impossible for me to pass.  Other faster riders got fed up and actually crossed the double-yellow line to pass slow moving cars!  Since a far less blatant (accidental) version of this violation got me DQ'd from my very first triathlon, another Setup Events race, I opted to be patient.

Smiling.  Good sign.

After the first 20 miles, I looked at my watch and I had been pedaling for an hour.  Oops.  This was when I realized I had to pull it back.  Recalling my ultimate goal of finishing smooth and strong, I had to slow it down.  I focused extra hard on my cadence and made sure I was never grinding too big a gear.  I also forced myself to enjoy the ride.  Crazy, I know.  I looked around at the scenery and made myself smile and thank all the volunteers.  It actually worked!  It calmed me down and kept me focused on the bigger picture.  As I pulled into the park drive, the final stretch, I thought I could see Greg's kit in the distance.

BIKE: 2:52:15 3rd/13 in AG, 19.5MPH

As I entered transition...yep, it was him!  That felt good because I must have had a strong bike.  A quick hello put a spring in my step.  Greg set off on the run and I hustled to get my run gear on.  Another quick transition.  I was feeling strong.

T2: 1:35 1st/13 in AG

The run is the toughest part of this course, bar none.  Not only is it 3 laps, but there are a couple of steep ups that are soul-crushers.  Each lap starts off with the steepest of the hills, so right off the bat, I am walking.  I had it in my head that I was going to walk this hill every time and have a GU as I walked.  At my level, it simply expends too much energy to run it...no matter how psychologically hard it is to walk my first steps of the course.  This strategy paid off.  When I got to the flats and down-hill sections, I felt strong and could really push.

Start of lap 2.

By the third lap, the fatigue was starting to set in.  It was humid as all hell.  All week I had been praying that it wouldn't rain but on that run I prayed for the opposite.  I wanted those skies to open up and give us some relief.  No such luck.  I walked that same hill again, and even had to walk a couple of the other hills that lap.  But a quick eye on my watch told me that if I remained patient, I could still finish strong with a PR.  At mile 11ish I knew the hills were behind me and I gave it all I had into the finish.  The final mile is a long downhill and I just let my legs fall down to the finish.

RUN: 2:01:31, 4th/13 in AG, 9:17/mi

OVERALL: 5:35:11 3rd/13 in AG, 25th/104 women

Yahoo!  Mission accomplished.  Bring it, Zurich!

Sharing proud moment with Coach T.

Training Log through April

Time to update our stats!  It has been a busy start to the year.  Year-to-date training:

Swim: 27 miles
Bike: 271 miles
Trainer: 21 hours
Run: 292 miles


It is funny to me that we've run further than we've biked so far in 2014.  Those numbers are about to swing dramatically. 

Next up...next weekend, actually...the Kinetic Half Iron!   Water temps looking chilly...hope we don't live to regret our purchase of sleeveless wetsuits. 

Race reports to follow.

6 Hours of Rosey

Team Islay Barrel Proof showed up early, stayed late, crushed the course and walked away with some first place pint glasses at the Six Hours of Cranky Monkey mountain bike race at Rosaryville.  I admit we did not have much competition for a podium spot in our class (3 person coed) with only one other team but we all posted some impressive lap times and would have still found a spot on the podium if we had been combined with the 3 person male teams.  I walked (or rode) off the course feeling really good about our day and the fact I can still ride a pretty fast lap at my age.  For some reason, lap times were generally slower this year which I attribute to the long, cold winter and impact on training for all of us out there. 

The race draws a lot of familiar faces from the local mountain biking scene and it was great to see so many familiar faces.  My friend Bruce Buckley was working the race for Swim, Bike, Run photography and stopped by the tent to say hello and snapped a close up of our team mascot, she is always happy to make a new friend, especially one with a camera.

 

 

 

Your camera smells

We also invited our celebrity wrench, Jay Robertson, to join us.  I know Jay from his days wrenching at the Bike Lane but now that he has gone solo I have been using him to wrench on our fleet of bikes.  Watching Jay work on bike is like watching an artist, he is so detailed and so good at what he does you know your bike is in excellent hands.  Fortunately Jay's attention to detail paid off as he found  cracks in two of our Niner frames which means we are getting new frames.  Almost as good as getting a new bike.  Hopefully Jay and his wife Kate enjoyed the day with us, I know there were several folks that stopped by our tent to say hello to him.

Now our attention is back on preparing for the Ironman but I am already looking forward to next season when we can do more racing and riding in events like this.

Team Islay post race celebratory pic