Alex McDonald Pro Triathlete

I decided to make the trip up to Middlebury, CT to race the inaugural Rev3 triathlon. I was planning to race Ironman Cor d’Alene in just 2 weeks and decided to approach this race as a practice race/learning experience, especially given the depth of the pro field. Additionally this was my 3rd half Ironman in 5 weeks, on top of the fact that I have not officially taper for any of them due to my focus on Ironman CDA. In retrospect this may have been a bit of a stretch, however, you are never really sure where the line is until you cross it.I flew up to NYC where my mother-in-law picked me up and then lent me one of their cars to drive up to Middlebury. An easy drive on a Thursday afternoon and I arrived at my homestay with plenty of time to relax. Gina, her 2 dogs and cat were great hosts! Also, for those of you who do not know, Middlebury, CT is the headquarters of Timex. Keith Meyer and several other folks at Timex hosted several of us on the team on Friday and it was great to not only see several teammates, but also the Timex staff.Let me start by saying how well the Rev3 staff was at taking care of the pro athletes who were racing. We were provided complimentary pre-race massages, and personalized banners at our transition spots, just to name a few. For example, the shifting on my bike was a little off after the plane ride and I had no idea where a bike shop was in the area. I e-mailed my contact at Rev3 about the problem and 2 minutes later, literally 2 minutes, I got a call back from them.As for my race I knew it was going to be tough. I had been nursing a hip injury and was pretty sure that I was not going to run in an effort to save myself for IM CDA. As I said I was approaching this as a practice race so I was not too concerned or putting too much pressure on myself. However, I perhaps was not putting enough pressure on myself and I found that I was mentally having a hard time getting “psyched up” to race. I think another factor in this equation was the cumulative fatigue in my body from 2 months of solid Ironman specific training and 2 halfs. Unfortunately, this mental flatness translated into physical flatness on race day as well.I have been very happy with how my swimming has improved over the last several months, yet I am still having difficultly mastering the race tactics and sprinting involved at the beginning of a race amongst the pro field. I really wanted to have a good swim at Rev3 like I had at Cali 70.3 earlier in the year. I sprinted as hard as I could for 5 minutes and then my arms and shoulders seemed to decide that they were done. I had nothing in the tank and it was all I could to simply keep moving forwards on the course. The thought of simply quitting did enter my mind and right up until exiting T2 I was debating whether or not I should even ride. However, I decided to approach the bike as an up tempo training ride.The bike course at Rev3 is beautiful and very challenging. It seemed I was either mashing up a hill at 10mph or coasting down at 35mph. I focused on keeping a steady up tempo effort and felt ok a moments but the flatness in my legs remained.I rolled into T2 in 12th place, much to my surprise and decided that I would at least practice my T2 and try to run. After running out of transition and 500 feet down the road the pain in my hip was not horrible, but I did not want to set myself back for IM CDA, so I pulled out and headed to the massage tent.Although this race was probably one of the worst of my career thus far, the lessons continue and I certainly learned a thing or two about the mental aspects of racing. I found that racing without a goal, or without any pressure on myself that there was nothing pulling me forwards or encouraging me to dig down and find the energy and strength to fight on. This is really the first time that I have mentally given up in a race and it is a slippery slope. I find that when the pain and desire to quit creep into your mind during a race it never lasts very long. However, when it is coupled with self-doubt or lack of self-expectation is very easy to give in and say to yourself “you’re right, I can’t do this” or “I’m not good enough.” This begins the negative downward spiral that in many ways becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The trick is to give yourself little goals, such as “one more hill” or “1 more mile.” Most importantly, however, stay positive, no matter how much your doubt yourself and your body is screaming to stop, smile, focus on staying relaxed and stay positive. It really does wonders and soon you will feel better, I promise.In summary, my race a Rev3 was pretty horrific, yet is certainly an organization where I will considering racing again in the future, only hopfully under very different circumstances.

One year ago this past weekend I graduated from medical school and made the uncharacteristic choice to take a break from my medical career and challenge myself in new and painful ways in the sport of triathlon. I have now been training and racing as a professional triathelte for 1 year and the lessons continue to arrive fast and furiously. This past weekend at Ironman Florida 70.3 was no exception…in fact it was probably one of the most glaring examples of what I have learned over the last year.

First off, racing at Disney World is fun, although next time I need to bring Ashley…and maybe the kid if we have one by then. I arrived on Friday, got everything taken care of and was ready to test my fitness, just one week after racing a previous weekend at the White Lake half triathlon.

As a professional triathelte the swim can make or break your race and unfortunately on this day it broke mine. I have been working very hard on my swim over the last 6 months and have made huge improvement, both in terms of my speed as well as my swimming endurance. I had put together great swims at IMAZ last fall and this spring at California 70.3 and was excited to put together another solid swim thinking I had figured out how to do it. The pro wave went off at 6:20AM and the sun was not even up yet. I had made the mistake of wearing tinted goggles and I had trouble seeing the buoys as well as other athletes. I began swimming very hard, as I usually do, and found some feet and then settled in to a steady rhythm after a few minutes. However, I got over confident and before I realized what had happened I had veered off course a little, the pack surged and I was left swimming alone. This has happened before, but this time it was not because I was not a strong enough swimmer, or I didn’t know what I was doing, it was because for a brief moment I lost concentration and stopped fighting to stay with the group. Lesson learned, never stop fighting to stay with pack, never! In that brief moment when I let the pack slip away my desired top ten finish also became much more difficult.

I stayed positive and came of out the water with a small group and jumped on my Trek. The bike course is smooth and fast and after a few minutes I found a great rhythm and a group of athletes and we help push each other along as we tired to chase down the main pack of 12 cyclists. However, despite a solid PR ride I remained about 2-3 minutes behind the group the entire way into T2.

The run course consists of 3 loops, which was a nice change from the “out and back” routes most courses have. The first mile I felt pretty good and was happy with my sub 6min split knowing I would catch several of the athletes ahead of me if I was able to maintain it. However, the middle 2 miles or so of the loop was on a wide grass trail and I had a very difficult time getting into a rhythm on the soft uneven footing. In addition to the grass the temperature and humidity began to climb and the sun began to feel very intense sapping my energy. I managed to stay relaxed and smooth and I was able to pick up the pace a little on the last lap where I passed a few guys and moved up to 17th overall.

The process of training and building fitness and seeing improvements is hugely gratifying and I have seen great improvements over the last year. However, I am still leaning the best way to execute a great race as a pro and give myself every opportunity to put that fitness to use. Many top athletes have told me the best way to become the best in the world is to train a lot, but race even more, and I am beginning to believe them. Every time I race I learn something new and especially when I am racing against some of the best in the world. Some people ask me why I constantly enter races that have a very deep pro field or that I probably won’t win. The answer is that I want to be one of the best in the world and the only way to get there is to continually, challenge myself and race the best in the world. I know that I now have the fitness and ability to race against some of the best athletes in the world, now I just need the experience! Next up Rev3 and Ironman CDA!

Sometimes races do not go exactly planned…. In fact they rarely go “exactly” as planned, but it’s how you respond to the adversity and handle yourself physically and mentally, that dictate the result. Lets just say that White Lake #2 was a great test. 

First off SetUp Events put together a great race in a great location! This race has been so popular in the past that they split it into 2 weekends Whit Lake ½ #1 was 5/2 and the sprint was 5/3, and White Lake #2 was 5/9 and the sprint 5/10…. I did the second weekend.It was an early morning for me, even by race day standards, because I decided to save money on a hotel room and got up at 2:30am to drive the 2 hours to the site that morning. What can I say…I am poor and cheap! I got there in plenty of time to register and got all my stuff together without any rush or unnecessary stress.The swim was in beautiful, clear and smooth White Lake (hence the name of the race). The water temp was 77 degrees, just barely wetsuit legal for this race, but it was going to be 90 degrees and sunny so I decided to go with the swimskin to keep my core body temp as low as possible for as long as possible. Also I wanted to challenge myself. Swimming in a swimskin is certainly slower than a full wetsuit. I had a decent swim, not exactly what I was hoping for, but it was difficult to see for the first 1/3 of the course and many of us swam a little farther than necessary. I exited in about 29min and was in 8th place, about 4min behind the leader.

Another advantage to the swimskin was my T1, itwas the fastest of the day and I was cruising on the bike course before I knew it! I had decided to push pretty hard for the first hour, not even look at my PowerTap, and see what happened. I had moved into second position by mile 10 and kept my foot on the gas, so to speak. This bike course is pretty flat, has a few small undulations, but is basically pancake flat so I could see the other competitors on some of the long straight away and knew I was catching the leader. At about mile 23 I moved into first position and was feeling great! However, about 2min later I heard a clunk and my chain feel off. My first thought was to stay came reach back down and put it back on. However, the chain had gotten jammed between my 11 cassette and rear seat stay, so I had to get off yank the chain out and I was off again. Ok only about a minute lost, and I thought to myself “no big deal, stay focused and relaxed. Note to self, never do your own bike tune up before a race…leave it to the professionals!” At this point I knew the leader was well aware of me and I have a feeling he pick it up a little, because it took me almost another 5 miles to catch up. I cruised past, a little more aggressively this time and around mile 40 there is an out and back where I clocked about a 1:30 lead. However, about a minute after that I heard that dreadful noise…KA POW! Tsss…Tsss…Tss…Tss and I knew this was not my day…to add insult to injury it was my rear tire also that had flatted. At this point I muttered a colorful metaphor to myself and for about a sixteenth of a second I thought about quitting. However, I that is not my style, I hit my watch to time how long it was going to take. After what felt like forever I was back in the saddle and rolling along. It took about 4min which I was pretty pleased with. I knew the leader was a good runner and at that point I decided that I would cruise into transition and see where things stood at that point before deciding my fate. I finished the bike in 2:15, which was the fastest of the day, including my mechanicals and flat, I was very happy with that.

I rolled into transition with my flat tire around my neck, since I didn’t have anywhere else to put it and didn’t want to leave it in the side of the road. Immediately my wife saw it and asked what had happened. I told her about my bike adventures as I took a somewhat relaxed T2…rushing never helps anything. As I headed out my wife also told me I was about 2min back, good to know. I was out on the run course with just my thoughts the sun and the heat before I knew it. I am racing Florida 70.3 next weekend and my plan at White Lake was not to run myself into the ground so that I would be fresh for next weekend. I was a little frustrated with how the day was unfolding, but I decided to focus on the beautiful weather and the fact that I was doing what I love, racing! I got myself into a positive frame of mind and felt great, physically and mentally. I found a slightly up tempo pace that was pretty comfortable that I knew I could sustain for the rest of the run and not kill my legs. A few people gave me splits along the route and I realized that I was closing in on the leader, not very fast, but I was closing. I decided to continue in my rhythm. At the turn around he was 1min up and knew I was closing. I decided that I would at least make him work for the win, so I picked up my pace for a few miles, but I kept getting 45 second splits. At that point I was going to have to run much harder to catch him with only a few miles left and I had bigger fish to fry next weekend, so I continued my pace and cruised into to the finish line in second place about 40 seconds behind, with the fastest run split of the day.

Believe it or not this was the first time I had ever flatted during a race and although I must admit that I am a little disappointed with my luck, I am very happy with the race and the lessons learned. There are several aspects of this race that I am very pleased with, not the least of which is how I responded to the events of the day. I reacted and responded to the situations around me in a calm and collected manner and I ultimately raced my race and stayed positive throughout the day. White Lake certainly tested me both physically and mentally and I am very happy with the outcome. Now for some new tires and tubes on my Bontrager Aeolusrace wheels, a visit to see the mechanic at Inside Out Sports and then off the Disney World for Florida 70.3! ☺

I have kicked off the last 2 season in Oceanside and 2009 was no different. The Timex Multisport Team holds it’s annual training camp in Carlsbad following the race and aside from getting some California sun, going to team camp, and having some fun racing, it is a great chance to test my early season fitness against some of the best athletes in the world. This year was no different, only instead of just 1 or 2, there were several world champions and Olympians racing.I arrived in Oceanside Tuesday night and was hosted by a great family, along with 7 other athletes racing! It was a fun environment to be in prior to the race and we were very well fed. A huge thank you to Felicia! ☺My race week was unremarkable and I was excited to race and see the results of my training the last 4 months. A visit to the expo, a few short loosen up workouts and lots of lying/sitting around. It was especially fun to see some great friends who were also racing/spectating whom I had not seen in a long time.
I arrived at the race site at about 5am, plenty of time park, get settled and do a short mental prep. It was about 45 with a pretty stiff wind and I was freezing and not at all looking forward to getting into the 59 degree water.

However, before I knew it I was in my wetsuit and standing on the boat ramp. I felt pretty good in the brisk water, I lined up right on the front and off we went. I found a pretty good group and cruised along expecting about a 27 minute swim, however, I was VERY pleasantly surprised to read the clock at 25min as I exited the water. Over the last 4 months I have been working very hard on my swim with the help of the NCAC masters group at UNC as well as on my Vasa Ergometer.
Cali 70.3 has a great bike course and I felt phenomenal during the first 45min or so as we flew up the coast with a slight tail wind. This winter cycling has been a key piece of my training, however, I was not expecting anything amazing. I pushed pretty hard these first 45min and then I settled down a little and still felt great. The back side of the course is rolling and has a few climbs, but some newly paved roads made for a very enjoyable ride. The last 15min or so of the bike I again let my power fall a little to make sure that I had something left in the tank for the run. In many of my races recently I have pushed pretty hard on the bike and I think that my run has suffered a little. As a result, I decided to give up a few minutes on the bike in order to run well.

I was into T2 and onto the run course before I knew it. My T2 was a little slower than I would have liked, but it was primarily a result of taking a few extra seconds to put on my CEP compression socks, which certainly allowed me to more than make that time up on the run.

I knew the run was going to be fast, especially give all the ITU athletes that were racing, so I dug in and kept my cadence up. There was section of beach that we had to run on (4 times) and it was miserable, but aside from that I was pretty satisfied with my run, not quite where I wanted it to be, but I was pretty satisfied.I finished in 4:13 which was about 10minutes faster than last year and was good enough for 21st place overall. Given the fact that it is only April I am happy with my results and it is a sign of very good things to come this season.

Making this race even more special is that my wife and dog were able to watch me race! My dog was also very thirsty after so much excitement so she helped herself to some water from my Fuel Belt.

My rookie pro season ended on a mixed note in Tempe, AZ on Sunday. It was a last minute decision to race one last Ironman after Kona this year. Given the length of the season, the proximity to Kona and other factors I knew my race was going to be ridiculous…the only question was if it was going to be ridiculously good or ridiculously bad. It may sound obnoxious, and apologize if it does, but at this point in my career finishing an Ironman is no longer the goal, finishing an Ironman as fast as I can is the goal. Unfortunately, my race was ridiculously bad and my day ended with a DNF in the medical tent, although there were many silver linings.

I used this race to test my limits and see where things shook out. My goals were to swim hard, bike hard (harder than I usually do) and see what was left for the run. Quite frankly I accomplished my goals, so I can’t complain too much. I set personal best times in the swim at 52 minutes, exiting the water with the main group and then had the 14th fastest bike split of the day in a time of 4:39, another PR by about 16 minutes. I learned a lot and have certainly gained some confidence and insight that will serve me well in the future and will ultimately help me to become a better athlete. Enough about that…onto the days events.

The swim was a little chilly to begin with, as the sun was not even up at 6:50 when the pro wave started. It was actually pretty hard to see while I was warming up because of the tinting on my goggles. I lined up right on the front line behind some top swimmers and began hard right from the gun, yet made sure to not red line for too long as I have done in the past. I also made sure to stay focused and if I was not right on someone’s feet then I pushed the pace to make sure I did not lose the group, as I have done so many times this season. It was certainly a break through swim for me and I was able to figure out a strategy and pacing that works for me which will help me swim with some of the best in the sport.

As anyone who I have spoken to about IM biking pacing and power I certainly mixed thing up and tried a new strategy in this race. Part of my reason for this tactic was because of the nature of this course. IMAZ bike is a 3 loop, out and back course where there is a gradual 500 foot climb, which happened to be into a head/cross wind on the way out on race day. I had decided to push hard the first hour, around 80% of my FTP to try to get into a group and then let others dictate the pace on the way back into town. If the group slowed down too much then I would ride hard for 5-10 minutes to the next group if I could make it. I continued with this strategy until the last 5 miles where I just cruised in an attempt to prep my legs for the run. Despite this bike pacing I virtually evenly split all three loops at 24.09, 24.03 and 24.06 mph respectively. There were some very tough moments on the bike course, particularly into the wind and up the hill, however, I felt pretty good on most of the bike and my total AP power was actually pretty conservative, however, it was not nearly as steady and consistent as I normally ride and I think this high variability was part of my undoing on the run course.

I was 19th out on to the run at a race time of 8:35 with a top ten finish and a 20-25min Ironman PR within my grasp if I was able to run my “normal” IM run. However, I was not taking anything for granted. The first mile of an IM run is usually pretty uncomfortable but then things loosen up and I am able to settle into a rhythm. However, around mile 2 I knew I was in trouble. My lower back is normally a little tight for the first mile or two of the run, however, today the spasms set in pretty early, began getting worse and was effecting my run stride. A very similar problem occurred at my first race of the 2008 season at California Ironman 70.3 in April. I continued on hoping that things would work themselves out, after all as I constantly tell myself on race day “it’s a long day and anything can happen.”

At mile 16 the spasms in my lower back became unbearable and my run stride had turned into more of a hopple/shuffle. As a perfect example of how interconnected the entire body is, due to my odd “running” form and interconnectedness of all the muscles in the kinetic chain involved in running my quads and hamstrings began to seize up as well. I began limping, and at this point my run had turned into a side ways shuffle/limp. Additionally I began shivering despite the sunny skies and temps in the mid 70’s. I knew at this point I was in serious trouble and if I continued I was in danger of doing serious damage to my body. I walked/limped for about a mile and a half before I finally made the decision to throw in the towel which was a very difficult decision, I could have walked the remaining 9 miles or so, but at what cost? I deiced to limit my injuries and live to fight another day…and went to the medical tent.

This was the first race I have ever DNF’d, in fact it was one of the first time I have ever quite anything I started. I am certainly disappointed in myself, as I have mentioned in the past, quitting is just not my style. However, given the situation, as painful as it was both physically and mentally to drop out, I know that I made the right decision. The worst part is that, I feel like I let down, my family, coach, friends and everyone who has supported me in my passion to reach the pinnacle in the sport of triathlon.

I know this race and a DNF will only fuel my fire and I know that this race in general, the good and the bad, has put me in a much better position to take 2009 to a new level, as my coach said, “sophomore year will be much better.” Additionally, my sister-in-law, who deals with famous, professional athletes on a daily basis, put it all into perspective. “Pros get injured and sick but the rules are different since they do it all in the public eye. What separates champions from the rest is the ability to refocus and learn from the imperfect days. Tiger Woods has had rounds he’d like to forget. Brett Favre has had games with multiple interceptions. This is a great experience for a young pro….you went out too hard and now you know what happens. You will have that perfect race and when you do, you will appreciate it all the more.” I couldn’t have put it any better myself.

A huge thank you to Timex, Team Sports, my sponsors and all the people who have supported me this season…there are just far too many to count. Thanks for reading…now a few weeks of down time and then back in the saddle with renewed focus on 2009.

http://www.nasports.com/results/results.php

For the second time this year I successfully defended my title at a regional half ironman. Last September I was here in Durham, NC completing my final prep for Kona and now that I have officially moved here and racing the Duke ½ and Kona worked so well last year, I though I would do the same this year. Also it is a great way to meet other triathletes and get into and involved with the triathlon community in the area, which by the way is huge!! In the triangle area (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill) there are at least 4 triathlon clubs…and those are just the ones I know about…I’m sure there are others. I was excited to race having been focusing on solid training since IMLP in July and also being able to compare my times to the same course as last year. Setup Events does a lot a races and does a great job, this race was no different.

Enough babble…onto the race!

It was a beautiful warm morning when I arrived in transition, about 70 degrees with no breeze and the sun had not even begun to come up yet. Before I knew it, I was in the water warming up. The 79 degree bath water was not wetsuit legal, but I had planned to wear my Blue Seventy PointZero3 regardless of water temp in prep for Kona. Everything I planned to use in Kona, I used at the Duke ½.

The Swim: 29:57, 5th out of the water
The gun went off and so did the “open wave,” that is those not racing age group. The starting line was a little vague and there was no real group, it was just a long line. I wasn’t sure who the fastest swimmers were, but I took it out pretty hard and found myself in back of a small pack pretty quickly, but then they moved on and I found myself in front of the main back, but behind about 4 other guys who were pretty strung out. I honestly felt great in the water, I kept it smooth strong, yet relaxed. I find that the more I struggle the more the water pushes back. I came out just breaking the 30min mark, which was my goal. Although I was not blazing fast I have never felt that good and relaxed in a race! Thank you North Carolina Aquatic Masters swimming!

Bike: 2:17, 2nd out of T2
I was 2 minutes behind the leader leaving T1 and excited to ride hard, but consistently. I quickly found myself in second position and riding some beautiful scenic roads all alone with just me and my PowerTap , again good practice for the desolate roads of Kona. I focused on holding a steady effort despite the small rollers and some head wind. I held a higher power than last year and completed the course over 2 minutes faster in warmer temperatures and tougher winds! 2:17

Run: 1:24, 1st across the line!
I exited T2 4:30 behind the leader, who I knew at this point was Eric Bean, a great cyclist and solid pro triathlete (later I found he was doing a Kona prep race as well). My T2 was a little longer than usual because it takes a little more time to put on my compression socks , which I was skeptical of at first, but I think there really is a benefit. In all honestly, begin 4:30 back I was a little scared but I put it in gear and “ran like I stole something,” as I like to say. This run course is beautiful, but difficult, it is 90% on gravel roads and grass trails (I hate running on dried pine needles), also it is pretty hilly. To make things even more interested, but also great prep for Kona, it was getting up to 95 degrees on the run, and although there was some shade, it was still getting pretty nasty on the run course. At the halfway point my deficit was down to 1:10 so I confident I could make up the rest, but I knew the race is not over until I crossed the finish line. I moved into first about 2 miles into the second lap and kept up the effort until about mile 10, however, at the second out and back I just cruised to the finish it an effort to not be totally beat up for the next 2 weeks of solid training heading into Kona. So although my run time was pretty slow given the course, weather and race conditions I was satisfied with the result.

All in all a solid race!  I beat my time last year by 1:30 and set a new course record in certainly more difficult conditions.  Things are certainly on track for another great race in Kona.

Full Results

Thanks and train hard!

In summary Ironman Lake Placid 2008 was a memorable day. It was very, very wet…in fact in retrospect I should have just wore my wetsuit the entire race. With 3 inches of rain over 14 hours my times were slower than I wanted, but given the circumstances I’ll take it. I finished 8th and on the podium in my first Ironman as a professional, all in all a very satisfying feelingl.

Swim: 57:46, 91st overall
I’m still not sure what happened here. I swam really hard for the first 5-10minutes and then tried to settle but I was never able to find a steady rhythm. I think I probably pushed a little too hard at the beginning. I found a good draft group toward the end of the first loop but then lost it shortly into the second lap as they surged and I couldn’t stay on their feet.

T1: 3:33
Those of you have been to IMLP know that T1 can be a bit of a haul. After a disappointing swim where I was already pretty tired in combination with completely rain soaked carpeting and grass I didn’t try to go too fast and focused on moving thru smoothly and steadily.

Bike: 5:08:52, 14th overall
This course is unforgiving for those who over pace themselves on the bike, especially the first lap. As a result I pushed a little for the first 15min to find my rhythm and after that I settled into what felt like a pretty relaxed effort. I just kept my cadence up and power steady regardless of terrain. There were several people who passed me, especially up the hills, however, my mantra on race day is “the race begins at noon.” That is, for the first five hours of the race it is just a steady up tempo training day for me, then at noon if there is anyone around, then I can start racing and that’s just what I did. I saw several of those same guys who I re-passed on the second lap of the bike or the run. Additionally making this course more interesting and challenging the roads were completely drenched and there were rivers running down the road in some sections. I played it a little conservatively on the corners and the down hills as I knew losing a few seconds to minutes was preferable to crashing. My Trek performed perfectly and certainly helped me to maintain an upright position throughout the ride. The day was beginning to grind on me around mile 100 as I began the climb back up to town from Wilmington and found a little trouble concentrating and keeping my power steady. All in all I was pretty happy with my bike split and my power, although not super human it was respectable at 250w, along with a VI of 1.03, which for that course is very satisfying.

T2: 1:19
Fastest of the day…this is my 3rd Ironman in a row where I had the fastest T1 overall (including Kona last year)…so it’s fun to see how fast I can get thru! Again, not a sprint just a steady smooth relaxed process. 

Run: 3:01:36, 5th overall
I felt ok for the first few miles and then I began to settle into a rhythm and got going after mile 4 or so. I knew that there was still plenty of racing ahead and beginning the run in 18th position I was confident that I would be able to make up spots. At the special needs station at mile 13 I couldn’t get my bottle and lost most of my intended calories for the second half of the run…crap! I stayed calm and instead of my usual race day nutrition, I just drank and ate as many carbs as I could at the aid stations. Then the run began to get interesting. At about mile 16 or so a spotter told me I was in 10th position, at that point I wasn’t really sure how many guys I had passed. I thought to myself, “dig deep,” as this was really my goal in the run portion. I wanted to leave everything I had out on the race course, I didn’t want to walk away with any regrets wondering what if I had pushed harder, like I often do. At mile 22 my arms and hands began to tingle and turn numb. At mile 23 I was informed that I was 40 seconds behind fellow Timex Team member Dave Hardju (a former Ironman Champion) and I was trying as hard as I could to run him down. The last hill climbing back into town nearly destroyed me, but I kept pushing and the last mile my feet were turning numb as well. I crossed the finished line and collapsed, something I have never done before. According to my Kurt Perham, my coach, I looked like death…well let me tell you, I felt like it also. After a little while in the medical tent I felt better and then I took the greatest hot shower I think I have ever experienced.

Honestly I have mixed reactions on the day. Having finished on the podium in my first Ironman as a professional as well as obtaining a spot for Kona I am ecstatic! However, my swim was very disappointing…3 minutes slower than last year, that one I cannot blame on the weather!  Also I know that I can run faster as well. So I walk away with feelings of pride and satisfaction as well as a little disappointment and feelings of missed opportunity. At this point in my career I know that the big improvements are very few and far between, therefore I need to focus on the little victories. After placid I am taking a “mid-season break” both mentally and physically for about a week to 10 days. Then I will be ready to hit the last several months of the season with renewed motivation and my sites set on the Big Island in October.

Lastly, a big thank you to all the folks who braved the rain, rain and more rain to cheer us on all day. In particular my coach Kurt Perham , who gave me splits all day, as well as worked the phones with my wife, giving her updates and words of reassurance all day.

Normally I like to include some pictures of the day, but due to the rain and soggy illegible race numbers there were almost none taken!!  However, this one at the finish line sums up the day pretty well.

Ironman Lake Placid 2008 Results

When my buddy Ryan called me in April saying that he would be racing Ironman Kansas 70.3 and “strongly encouraged me to join him” I was unsure if I would be able to go. However, when the guy who convinced you to do your first triathlon, who you haven’t seen in over a year, calls you and tells you to race…you better go race. So that is exactly what I did. I was also looking forward to racing some of “the big boys” after a disappointing race at Ironman California 70.3 earlier in the year.

I got to Lawrence Kansas on Friday and was greeted by what seemed like an army of volunteers (really just a big family) to pick me up at the airport and take me to my home stay as well as registration. They also took me out to dinner on Friday night with Jo Lawn, her husband Armando, Lindsey Corbin and Paul Ambrose. They were certainly VERY hospitable, which really allowed me to focus on my race and I am very grateful to them all.

It was great to see my friend Ryan and my dad came out to watch the race as well, an unexpected surprise, but it was great to see him and (appropriately) spend father’s day with him. At the pro meeting we found out the water temp was 75 degrees, so there would be no wetsuits, which mean that I would be at a disadvantage not being the strongest swimmer. I went through the usual pre-race routine and got ready the race. Race morning nothing too exciting to report. I got my stuff set up and jumped in the water for a warm up.

The Swim: 33:30, 20th place
What a horrific swim…not because of anyone’s fault but my own! I missed the first, and second and third swim group. Not to make excuses but I don’t have much experience with beach starts or with the frenzy and pace of the start of a pro race. I began hard and thought I had found “the group” and began to settle into my rhythm, when I looked up and there was a 5M gap, I swam hard to try to close it but they were gone I was left to swim 1.1 miles on my own, which is exactly what I did. I came out the water and there were not too many pro bikes left on the racks…the thought of droping out did cross my mind for a nanosecond.

The Bike: 2:16, 14th place
Rolling out of T1 I knew I had work to do, so I put my head down and rode at my goal power. Having a PowerTap is really critical to my race as it helps to push me when I am all alone and helps to hold me back when the competition gets the better of me. The first 15 minutes of the bike my legs were screaming at me and I was afraid that racing Mooseman a week earlier had taken too much out of me, however, I was able to find my rhythm and ride. As usual I was all alone for about 90% of the bike ride, the good part is that 10% of the time I was passing people. The hilly and windy course made for some challenges, however, I was loving it and felt great all day and even better toward the end of the bike. I had ridden myself into 14th place.

The Run: 1:20, 10th place
I wanted to run myself into the top 10 and thought it might be possible if I was smart. I ticked off the first few miles at a great pace, then the heat and dirt roads began getting to me and my pace slowed a little, but I kept telling myself that anything can happened and push through. At one of the short out and backs I saw Timex teammate Andrew Hodges and knew that he would catch me, but I kept my pace and was pleased to hold him off until about mile 6. I thought that if someone was going to pass me “at least it is a great guy and teammate.” I pushed through the second loop and saw a few other Timex athletes and by buddy Ryan. As I approached the finish chute I heard the announcer say “rounding out the top 10…” I wasn’t exactly sure what place I was in, but was very happy to hear that I met my goal!! 

All in all a great race and I got to see a bunch of Timex teammates, a friend from med school who first got me into this crazy sport and my dad!! The post race festivities were cut a little short due to some thunder and lightning but it certainly worth the trip to Kansas.

Ironman Kansas 70.3 Race Results

I returned to Bristol, NH for the third time on June 7th to race the third annual Mooseman ½ Iron triathlon. Keith Jordan and the folks at Endorfun extended a generous invitation for me to return as the defending champion form 2007.

There was an Olympic distance race on Saturday so Ashley and I arrived Friday night to enjoy Saturday’s festivities as well. However, before I get to the race I need to share a little experience that my home stay host provided. A common friend of mine put me in contact with Jim as he is a triathlete and lives less than 10 minutes from the race site. He provided an amazing pasta dinner Friday night for Ashley and I, as well as a few other triathletes racing. During diner the topic some how arose that Jim built a cannon…that’s right a homemade cannon. After quite a few questions clarifying this “cannon,” as well as a few stories involving the police and fire department investigating an “explosion” the first time that he set the cannon off. After all this we needed a demonstration which Jim was happy to provide…all I can say it wow! The noise was amazingly loud and the 3-4 feet of flames that shot out of the cannon were incredible.

On to the race! Returning as the defending champion added a little more pressure, but it was the kind of pressure that I love. There was also a small prize purse this year which I knew might bring a little more competition. Also I had not raced since Ironman 70.3 California at the end of March, so I was excited to see where my fitness was after some solid training. Race morning was my normal routine, except I made a major mistake!! I left my nutrition in the refrigerator at Jim’s house, of course I didn’t realize this until I got to the race site. Ashley saved me by going back and getting it for me, which meant waiting in long lines of traffic. Thank you Ashley!

The Swim: 25:55, 5th position
The water temp was only slightly above 60 degrees and it made for a chilly start. However, my Blue Seventy Helix felt great and not only kept me warm it also helped me to catch a good draft group and come out of the water in a great position.

The Bike: 2:19, fastest split of the day
After passing a few people in T1 I set out on the bike in 3rd place 2:30 back from the leader. The New Hampshire roads had taken quite a beating after the winter and the pavement was pretty rough in some spots. The course also has several rollers and a few short steep climbs that required patience in order to be able to run well. My goal was to hold a steady power throughout the ride and be patient. After seeing a few cyclists on the first loop I began the second loop still in 3rd position 2:30 behind the leader…I wasn’t gaining any ground, but I wasn’t loosing any either. As the race progressed the day began getting hotter and hotter (eventually hitting about 90 degrees) and I was working pretty hard to keep a consistent pace/power, but my patience began paying dividends. As the second loop continued people would shout my position and the gap up to the leader, “3rd place 2:15 back”…”1:50”…”1:30”…”1:10”ect. I began catching glimpses of the 2 riders ahead on the long straight stretches. The three of us rolled into transition together.

The Run: 1:19, First Overall
The two other guys had very fast transitions and left transition about 10-15 seconds ahead of me. The first mile they set the pace pretty fast and I wasn’t sure if I would be able to keep this pace. It usually takes me ½ -1 mile to settle in and find a good rhythm and as a result I let the two guys open up their lead a little. However after about 1.5 miles I moved into second place, giving my friend Charles a little encouragement as I went. At that point I found a steady pace and caught up to the leader at about mi 2.5. We ran together for a few miles at a hard pace. I noticed that I had a little more power up the hills than he did and as a result I used a hill to surge ahead and didn’t look back. At the half way point at ~6.5 miles I had a 30 second lead. I kept the pace steady until the last turn around at about mi 10 where I had a ~1min lead and knowing that I had to race Kansas 70.3 the following weekend I cruised in the last 3 miles enjoying the experience…after all racing hurts, but I love it, but that’s why I work so hard the other 355 days of the year.

I had a great day at Mooseman and I was able to see a lot of the New England area triathletes who I will not see together for awhile since I was moving to North Carolina. I also later found out that the reason the 2 guys with me in T2 had such fast transitions is that they did not put on socks, a decision they regretted. I, by the way, always wear socks in anything over a 10k.

Mooseman ½ Iron Race Resutls

Wow what a whirlwind week!  I raced Mooseman half Ironlast weekend in Bristol, NH for the 3rd time and claimed my second win!  As the returning champion I knew there would be some pressure and stiff competition, especially with a prize purse this year, but I was excited to race!  Needless to say it was a great day despite the 90 degree heat and sun.  I am in Kansas right now getting ready to race Ironman Kansas 70.3 on Sunday and with my move to Durham, NC on Monday and preping for Kansas I am a bit to preoccupied to write a full race report, so I’ll have to get back to you on that one.  Check back soon for a full race report!

Train hard! Rest harder!