70.3 Race Report

2022 70.3 370 Lakeside Park Triathlon

With less training than I would have liked, I managed to finish the race in just over 7 hours and 30 minutes, which was my estimate. So pretty good. My worry of the swim was unfounded, while it was more stressful I managed to swim at about my pace in the pool. I biked using power and managed over 17 miles per hour. What really slowed me down was the run, had the heat not been an issue I might have been 30 to 60 minutes faster. At 93 degrees with zero shade on the course I felt my heart rate climbing dramatically during parts of the run. As a result I resolved to walk, putting ice on my head at every rest stop. When the sun went behind a cloud I decided to start run walking, and was feeling good enough that I ran the final mile at the same pace I managed the first. I felt good at the end and was able to recover easily after the race.

I probably could have gone faster if I had pushed myself more on the run. As it was I find it a great return to triathlon. I met my goal of finishing, and did so feeling good at the end. All this on about 6 weeks of real training leading up to it due to illness, this gives me confidence that doing a full next year is a real possibility.

In the future I think run training during mid day is a must, and longer distance long runs is also a must. In my training for this one my longest run was only 10 or 11 miles, for a half it really needs to be over the 13.1 distance, even if that takes longer than what is in the plan. For the full, I think 24 miles, but I think in the off season I will try to fit in a full marathon as a confidence builder.

While I did suffer a bit on the run, I found the enjoyment I had known in the past from endurance racing. Looking forward to my next one.

I’ll keep you updated

Race on Sunday

Tuesday long Run

This Sunday is my main race for the year. It has been a juggle getting training in while maintaining a work and family life balance. I’ve again become used to waking up at 4 and 5 in the morning and what wonderful sunrises I get to see.

Many times during this reduction in training people begin to worry, which is quite normal and is impacting me a little.

In review, my my training hasn’t been optimal, there have been missed workout sessions and much that had to be adjusted. Because of illness I got quite a late start in my training. I am a little concerned that I haven’t gotten any open water swimming in, and that my pace places me finishing that stage 10 minutes shy of the cut off.

That aside I do believe that I have put the work in to successfully complete the race, provided I pace and fuel well. Knowing myself I will probably have a certain level of anxiety leading up to the race, then when the starting gun goes off all that will be turned into excitement.

So often anxiety is excitement without a direction to go. Regardless of the outcome I have achieved the benefit I sought. I am fitter, I feel better, and I have found the joy in running, cycling, and swimming again. I hope to continue my training at a reduced volume after this race with hopes of another race next year.

Gearing up

Over the last few weeks I’ve been able to ramp up my training. My mileage and intensity are peaking and this is helped greatly by the addition of a new turbo trainer that I received as a gift.

This has allowed me to get consistent milage in during the early morning and late evening (when I have time to train), and when the weather is disagreeable. I has been fantastic to be able to virtually ride old courses, making indoor training more enjoyable.

Strava recording of my long ride this week

I am starting to feel like I can complete the 70.3 in a month. I have one more set of long workouts at the beginning of next week, then I start to taper (reduce length and intensity of workouts). If I finish it will likely be a PR (personal record). It really does feel good to be in the groove with training.

I guess the moral for this post is to stick with it, even if you have some major setbacks and don’t give up.

Getting back in the saddle… again

After a multi-week illness, I am back in the swing of training. It was something else to come back to running only to hear my body say… oh no you don’t. Yes as is the general wisdom I needed to dial it back quite a bit after coming back from illness. I’m not back where I was, but I am hopeful to gain back my lost ground and be in racing shape by the end of August. These efforts are helped by a loving spouse who is supportive of my fitness goal, as well as the addition of an indoor trainer which makes cycling in the early hours not only possible but fun.

My cardiovascular fitness is where I really took the hit, I believe this will come back quicker as the time away from exercise was a matter of weeks. I will keep you updates. Regardless of this setback and the ultimate outcome of my incremental goal of the 70.3, this does not greatly impact my larger goal of completing a 140.6 in 2023.

I am helped by the fact that for the next month I enjoy having no graduate studies to worry about, and Church activities don’t ramp up until after the 70.3 takes place.

Here I find that the endurance of endurance sport is not limited to physical training, but requires the mental endurance that extend into other parts of life. I am grateful I have learned to find enjoyment in the act of endurance.

Covid-19 strikes

Well after two and a half years it finally got me. Of course it was right when my Half Ironman training was going to ramp up, but thankfully it was a mild case. It has set me back a bit in my schedule. I am really excited and eager to train, but wisdom dictates that I should take it slow after an illness. This is difficult to do but necessary. I do believe I can still accomplish my goal of finishing, and doing that will be a helpful step in moving toward my larger goal of completing another Full Iron distance race next year.

Time Demands

Recently my life demands have increased. With work, school, and home life competing for time training can find itself in the back seat. Currently I am working on completing my MBA, with just three classes left to go. Unfortunately my current class is proving to me by most difficult and time consuming. This combined with two new groups I am leading at church is crowding out my exercise time. While unfortunate, it is ok. Often times we must make choices at to what to devote our time and energies to. Given the importance home life, church, and school it is the right choice currently to reduce the amount to time I train. With my planned race in August and my current base level of fitness I know that I don’t need to ramp up my training until after my current class is completed. Making these difficult choices and knowing when to say no is a vital part of growth not only physically but spiritually and mentally.

Achieving

Last Friday I achieved the goal of riding 100 miles. Several weeks earlier I picked out a training plan and began doing workouts on my bicycle indoors, building up mileage on longer rides and intensity on shorter ones. I had hoped to do some outside, but with roads covered in snow and ice I decided to do the entire ride on my indoor trainer set up.

I managed to ride at a little over 19 miles per hour finishing in 5 hours 14 minutes. I had hoped to finish in 5 doing 20 miles per hour, but I’ll take it. This is my first century ride in something like 7 years and I felt worn out but good afterward.

While I will continue training on my bike, I am now going to shift my main focus over to running. I hope to build up my mileage a bit in that arena, building to the 13 miles distance that will be in my 70.3 race. That will be the next goal to keep me motivated until my proper triathlon training begins closer to the race.

Adapting

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I was fortunate to find a Triathlon bicycle on sale several months ago. This is what lit a fire for me to get back in shape and participate in a Triathlon race. Unfortunately when I was getting a bike fit I was informed that the frame was just too small and was just beyond the ability of the fitter to adjust for me. This was a big blow, as such bicycles are usually out of my budget range. It also means I have a bike I need to sell. Without a triathlon bike I lose the forward seat position which helps keep the rider fresher for the run, and a more aerodynamic bike which reduces wind resistance.

Fortunately it was not my only bike, I do have a 10 year old road bike that I bought when I first started doing triathlon. I had it fitted with clip on triathlon bars which give some of the benefits of a dedicated triathlon bike. The main advantage here is this is a bicycle that actually fits me which is the most important thing.

The other challenge lately has been winter. The time I have available to ride typically is during the dark hours of the day, to this add ice and snow and well getting outside to ride any distance over a few miles is proving difficult. When a friend heard I was looking for a turbo trainer to turn my outdoor bike into an indoor bike, she graciously lent me her fluid trainer. This along with some sensors and a bike computer (fantastic Christmas gift) have allowed me to ride inside during January without issue.

The bike computer has allowed me to download a workout plan that is getting me in shape to ride 100 miles. I recently completed my longest training ride racking up 75 miles in one session, and over 300 during the month of January.

This gave me the confidence to register for my first Triathlon in 7 years, the 370 lakeside 70.3 in St. Louis, Missouri on August 28th of this year.

I have roughly 7 months to get race ready, which should be enough time to do so without rushing.

One more step on my way to completing another full Ironman, hopefully in 2023.

Setbacks

Training and weight loss goals often come with setbacks, such is the case with me the last two weeks. Some of this was a planned setback. During my Christmas vacation I chose to not count calories with the goal of maintaining weight rather than trying to lose it while on vacation. This was combined with frigid temperatures which kept me inside and unable to maintain my exercise plan, as a result I gained 3 pounds. Setbacks come in all shapes and sizes, this is a rather small one that will likely add a week or two to my weight loss schedule. The key is to accept where one is currently and begin working from there.

I had an incident that stopped me from doing anything for a month right after registering for a big race, it didn’t stop me but rather I used it to spur me on.

Additional updates, I was able to add a speed sensor to my bicycle so now I can do more effective indoor bicycling. I’m excited that I now have a better option for cycling in the dark hours of the day and when temperatures or weather conditions make outdoor cycling unsafe.

Managable goals

My pattern with endurance sport is to set really large goals. My first organized run was the St Louis Marathon. My first triathlon was the Branson 70.3. It isn’t generally what people recommend to those new to the sports. What is generally recommended is setting smaller goals and working up to the bigger ones. In reality that is exactly what I did, just not in the form of organized races.

I remember challenging myself to ride to work, which was 5 miles at the time. Then after that became routine, challenging myself to my first really big ride, 10 miles! Riding out to Wilson’s Creek National park and back. I remember feeling so great that I had accomplished that. Then incramentally building upon those accomplishments to shoot for larger goals.

My current managable goal is to lose weight. About 6 months ago I was as heavy as I’d been in probably a decade. No one around me would have said I was overweight, but for triathlon, especially running with the impact on ones knees I weighed too much. One of my first goals was to get back down to race weight.

The first thing I did was commit to being more active. This was enough of a change the first few months. Then three or four months ago I started using an app to count calories. (my app of choice is through Garmin Connect) If anyone wants to lose weight there is only one way to do it, burn more calories than you take in. There are a lot of different variations on how one does this but at their core it is that fundamental principle.

One big advantage to tracking calories eaten and burned (through exercise) means that I won’t underfuel for the work I am asking my body to do.

As a result I have lost around 30lbs and have another 10 to go before I get to my ideal weight for training. I have be losing between 1 and 2 lbs a week which is considered a safe and sustainable rate.

After I reach my goal weight I plan to fuel to maintain that weight and move to new goals involving the increase of intensity or volume in my workouts.

It may take a week or two extra given Christmas goodies, but my hope is to reach my goal within a couple of more months.