After effectively retiring from multisport in 2013, I decided to get back on the horse this year, since nationals is right in my current home state and duathlon has always been the best fit for me. I am adjusting to being a master (I can't run fast anymore), struggling with some weight gain and a lot of stress at work, but overall training is going pretty well.
Leadup:
I ran a 61:45 10 miler in early March and then started picking up the biking. A few road races and then I did 25.7 mph for a 22.8 mile TT in mid April. The new P2C is a lot faster than my old 2001 P2K. Got a power meter, but only have used it for a few rides. Did a hard group ride about 12 days before the race and according to my Gamin 520 my FTP was 292 Watts. Got a massage on Tuesday and then felt really lethargic the rest of the week. Did an easy brick on Friday (16 miles bike/3mile run) and felt okay, maybe getting a little tension back in the legs. It was really windy and felt like I had some handling issues with the bike and I didn't even have the disk cover on.
Prerace (Saturday):
Try out my new Castelli trisuit for a 2 mile run in Enumclaw after a 4.5 hour drive to get there. Feels great, large is a perfect fit for 6'2" 165 pounder. I got the sleeved version because I am only using it for duathlon and time trial. It was free (points) accumulated at the shop (athlete's lounge in PDX) where they practically gave me a 2015 Cervelo P2C for $1800 last September. Picked it up at the ST roadshow where I got to meet the slowman himself.
The race (Sunday):
I have high expectations and thought I could contend for the overall win based on time from previous years. Race day temps were almost perfect, maybe 60F for the 8 am start. Not sure if I would need arm warmers for the bike, but decided against. The run went off and I figured that even though I wanted to contend that I would be patient for the first mile and see what the competition looked like so I did not get in over my head. Went out in 5:55 (slightly downhill mile) and I was sitting 6th or 7th, but there was already a huge gap to the lead (at least 20-30 seconds). Need to be patient and run my own race, it is obvious I don't have the horse power to keep up on this run. I decided to settle in and keep my heart rate about 160-162 and save it for the bike. Finish the 5.2 mile run in 31:30 (6:07 pace) and feel good, average HR of 161, no matches burned. Run had a few rollers but overall pretty nice.
The bike has one climb (Category 4), done twice (2 loop course) for a total of 28.8 miles. This is my first race with a power meter. I figure I want to keep the power under 300 watts, maybe target like 280 Watts. I have been using 3s power on the readout, but it seems pretty easy to wind up with surges even when you are trying not to. I pass two guys early on the bike who finished the run within 20-30 seconds of me. The first 5-6 miles is pretty flat. I go pretty conservative on the climb, which has some steeper spots, up to 8-10%, and feel pretty comfortable on the first loop. Come through in 39:XX, which I think is pretty good, but I didn't catch anyone else. I thought the previous years top bike split was around 1:18 (I was wrong, it was 1:15), so think I am riding really well and just decide to maintain and not push the second lap. I basically ride exactly the same pace for lap two. I used one large bottle with gatorade, a little Carb Pro and a few Enduralites. Pass no one on the second loop and finish with 1:18:30 split. Average HR was 152, which seems lower than I felt I could have done. Avg power was 269 watts, normalized power was 276 watts and 22 mph with 1500' of ascent. Solid bike, felt totally within myself but didn't move me up at all.
I head out on the 3.8 mile run and feel kind of meh. The course has long sight lines and I see no one in sight ahead of me and after getting out about 0.75 miles I can see no one behind me, so I have at least a minute lead on the next competitor. Just run steady, don't try to push it (saving myself for tomorrow), there is nothing to gain or lose in terms of places. Finish up in 24:30, 6:32 pace. I had at least 45-60 seconds in the tank if I needed it, but I had hoped to feel a little fresher after very controlled efforts on the first run and the bike. Talked to the masters winner after the race and he was in the same boat on run 2, locked into place, did not push on the run either, so I can't console myself that some of the time I lost to him was based on my own lack of effort;)
End up in 2:17:03, 5th OA and 2nd master, but I am almost 5 minutes behind 4th place and 6 minutes out of 3rd (1st master). Basically everyone staked their gap on the first run and built on it. First and second went 2:02 and 2:04, first masters was 2:11. I talked to the masters winner (he has raced here before) and said when they had nationals here, the winning time was 2:06 or 2:07, so the first two guys really killed it. See you in Bend, I'll be bringing up the rear for the PNW contingent, but there may be some real horses ahead of me.
Post race:
Did a ski descent of Mt St. Helens on the way home the next day. 5500' ascent, so I guess I didn't grind myself down enough at the race. Did a 5 mile jog today (Tuesday), but I am a little sore now.
*********************
"When I first had the opportunity to compete in triathlon, it was the chicks and their skimpy race clothing that drew me in. Everyone was so welcoming and the lifestyle so obviously narcissistic. I fed off of that vain energy. To me it is what the sport is all about."
Leadup:
I ran a 61:45 10 miler in early March and then started picking up the biking. A few road races and then I did 25.7 mph for a 22.8 mile TT in mid April. The new P2C is a lot faster than my old 2001 P2K. Got a power meter, but only have used it for a few rides. Did a hard group ride about 12 days before the race and according to my Gamin 520 my FTP was 292 Watts. Got a massage on Tuesday and then felt really lethargic the rest of the week. Did an easy brick on Friday (16 miles bike/3mile run) and felt okay, maybe getting a little tension back in the legs. It was really windy and felt like I had some handling issues with the bike and I didn't even have the disk cover on.
Prerace (Saturday):
Try out my new Castelli trisuit for a 2 mile run in Enumclaw after a 4.5 hour drive to get there. Feels great, large is a perfect fit for 6'2" 165 pounder. I got the sleeved version because I am only using it for duathlon and time trial. It was free (points) accumulated at the shop (athlete's lounge in PDX) where they practically gave me a 2015 Cervelo P2C for $1800 last September. Picked it up at the ST roadshow where I got to meet the slowman himself.
The race (Sunday):
I have high expectations and thought I could contend for the overall win based on time from previous years. Race day temps were almost perfect, maybe 60F for the 8 am start. Not sure if I would need arm warmers for the bike, but decided against. The run went off and I figured that even though I wanted to contend that I would be patient for the first mile and see what the competition looked like so I did not get in over my head. Went out in 5:55 (slightly downhill mile) and I was sitting 6th or 7th, but there was already a huge gap to the lead (at least 20-30 seconds). Need to be patient and run my own race, it is obvious I don't have the horse power to keep up on this run. I decided to settle in and keep my heart rate about 160-162 and save it for the bike. Finish the 5.2 mile run in 31:30 (6:07 pace) and feel good, average HR of 161, no matches burned. Run had a few rollers but overall pretty nice.
The bike has one climb (Category 4), done twice (2 loop course) for a total of 28.8 miles. This is my first race with a power meter. I figure I want to keep the power under 300 watts, maybe target like 280 Watts. I have been using 3s power on the readout, but it seems pretty easy to wind up with surges even when you are trying not to. I pass two guys early on the bike who finished the run within 20-30 seconds of me. The first 5-6 miles is pretty flat. I go pretty conservative on the climb, which has some steeper spots, up to 8-10%, and feel pretty comfortable on the first loop. Come through in 39:XX, which I think is pretty good, but I didn't catch anyone else. I thought the previous years top bike split was around 1:18 (I was wrong, it was 1:15), so think I am riding really well and just decide to maintain and not push the second lap. I basically ride exactly the same pace for lap two. I used one large bottle with gatorade, a little Carb Pro and a few Enduralites. Pass no one on the second loop and finish with 1:18:30 split. Average HR was 152, which seems lower than I felt I could have done. Avg power was 269 watts, normalized power was 276 watts and 22 mph with 1500' of ascent. Solid bike, felt totally within myself but didn't move me up at all.
I head out on the 3.8 mile run and feel kind of meh. The course has long sight lines and I see no one in sight ahead of me and after getting out about 0.75 miles I can see no one behind me, so I have at least a minute lead on the next competitor. Just run steady, don't try to push it (saving myself for tomorrow), there is nothing to gain or lose in terms of places. Finish up in 24:30, 6:32 pace. I had at least 45-60 seconds in the tank if I needed it, but I had hoped to feel a little fresher after very controlled efforts on the first run and the bike. Talked to the masters winner after the race and he was in the same boat on run 2, locked into place, did not push on the run either, so I can't console myself that some of the time I lost to him was based on my own lack of effort;)
End up in 2:17:03, 5th OA and 2nd master, but I am almost 5 minutes behind 4th place and 6 minutes out of 3rd (1st master). Basically everyone staked their gap on the first run and built on it. First and second went 2:02 and 2:04, first masters was 2:11. I talked to the masters winner (he has raced here before) and said when they had nationals here, the winning time was 2:06 or 2:07, so the first two guys really killed it. See you in Bend, I'll be bringing up the rear for the PNW contingent, but there may be some real horses ahead of me.
Post race:
Did a ski descent of Mt St. Helens on the way home the next day. 5500' ascent, so I guess I didn't grind myself down enough at the race. Did a 5 mile jog today (Tuesday), but I am a little sore now.
*********************
"When I first had the opportunity to compete in triathlon, it was the chicks and their skimpy race clothing that drew me in. Everyone was so welcoming and the lifestyle so obviously narcissistic. I fed off of that vain energy. To me it is what the sport is all about."