Eagleman 70.3 Race Report 2013

Eagleman 70.3; June 9, 2013
This was my second trip to Cambridge Maryland; I like this race because it is an easy drive from NJ and it is flat and fast like our terrain here at the shore. Due to the popularity of this event and the flat hot course I learned a few things from 2012 that I took into this year’s race. The host hotel, The Hyatt Regency in Cambridge was a wonderful place to stay with my family.

Night Before the race:

Last meal was finished by 7:30pm, as my swim wave was set to go off at 7:50am the next morning and my general rule is to have this complete 12 hours prior to start.

Dinner: Grill Chicken/veggies and some French fries plus 2 scoops of Ice Cream. My stomach was already going south on me the night before the race. This could be due to the antibiotics I had to start 3 days prior or something else all together.


Race Day: Awoke 4:30am

Small cup of coffee/attempted to eat a peanut butter/choc chip Bonk Breaker, however could not get it down, so switch to P&J Bonk Breaker not much better but was able to get most down before 5am. Sipped a bike bottle of GUBrew. Woke up the family, packed up my things and headed to T1/start.

5:45 am drank my bottle of 2 scoops Carbo Pro/2 scoops Mudd and a big squeeze of EFS Mocha Gel Flask, as this is always easy to get down and lots of cal/energy.

I then sipped two 24 ounce bottles of Gatorade Endurance (which was on course) and a scoop of Carbo Pro leading up the start since I do not do well with solids, but I am able to get the liquids down before a race. Ate some gluten free pretzels to settle my stomach down.

1.2 Mile Swim:

I have been working hard on my swim and really trying to focus on getting out with the lead pack and staying on their wave/draft. Apparently this did not happen on Sunday. I thought I was out there with the lead group since I saw open water in front of me, but must of just been off course or imagining things as this was not the case. During the swim I had some stomach issues and numerous times kept burping/throwing up in the water. The swim often feels long, but I think the currents must have shifted and my head was not in the swim 100% causing me to fall behind and not even notice the shift in currents. When I should of dug harder and concentrated more on proper stroke technique, so as not to fall too far behind, I lost focus and time. Swim time 35:51 UGH!

56 Mile Bike:

Bike Nutrition: 3 scoops of Gatorade Endurance and 2 scoops of Carbo Pro (total calories in each bike bottle was 440) I had two 24-ounce bike bottles with this same mix; Plus 2 GUs during the bike portion of the race, which took me 2:27 according to race clock.

Since Eagleman is a very flat course and crowded there often is pack riding as I saw last year (which can be frustrating). This year I was smarter about my bike and instead of avoiding the packs I decided to legally situate myself 4 bike lengths off the bike in front of me. A good measure I used is the distance between the white dotted lines on a road. There have been studies done that show even up to 12 bike lengths there is still a benefit. I was able to pace myself and stay mentally in the race. It is easy to check out when you are out there on your own, but with lots of people around you and working hard to stay 4-5 bike lengths off the wheel in front of you the time goes by quickly. The reality is on a crowded flat bike course if you do not race smart you will be left behind. According to my Garmin I was able to maintain a good power wattage (214 Normalized power avg.), which would explain why towards the end of the bike I pretty much fell off due to pushing so hard and legs fatiguing.   Garmin Computer Report

My hard effort on the bike and the lack of being able to grab the water bottles through 3 aide stations (I should of slowed down more) started to take a toll. I started to decline as I think my hydration volume was too low for the effort/time on the bike combined with the heat. My calorie intake was high enough possibly too high, but I needed to consume more volume of liquids.

Next time I plan on making sure I can grab the water and add it to my TorHans Aero 30. Bike time 2:27.

Run 13.1 miles:
The last 8 miles of the bike were awful, my left leg was killing me and I was finding it hard to turn the crank. I was not sure how I would be able to get off and run with out my leg seizing up on me. As I dismounted the bike I had the usual soreness in my hip flexors, but my left thigh felt as if I had been punch in the leg numerous times. I normally at this point in the race love to get off my bike and start running. Not this time! The first half of the run I was very concerned and fearful that my leg would seize up on me. Finally after I was able to take in some nutrition, throw some ice down my pants to bring my body temperature down I was able to put in more of an effort on the run. At mile 7 I switched to cola. Honestly I would have gone sooner had it been offer to me at the earlier aide stations. I love the boost cola gives me on the run. It is pure heaven. In the end I was 2 minutes off the run time I was shooting for, but my left leg pretty much killed me the entire 13 miles, so I was still pleased to go 1:41.

New Equipment that Work well:
As always special thanks to Brian Shea of PBN and Melanie Fink of Ironfit Training for all there advice and support.

My gorgeous perfectly fitted Cannondale Slice (Thanks to RETUL session), I cannot thank the guys at ThePeddler Bike shop in Long Branch enough for getting my bike race ready.

Pearl Izumi Tri Pro Racing Kit, this is the same fabric that our awesome NJ Tri Devils kits will be. The kit was awesome, felt great the whole day, and never rode up on me during the run or bike. I topped my all Pearl Izumi kit off with their new tri racing shoe Project Emotion which felt light weight, easy to get on and look really cool!

G2T ParaTriathlon Camp & Race Report from a Handler

Background
The NJ TriDevils are a TriTeam in the New Jersey shore area and are expanding our current roster of able-bodied athletes and trying to recruit paratriathletes to join the team. www.njtridevils.com. As part of our networking efforts, we were invited to join the Getting2Tri Foundation’s annual National Paratriathlon Training Camp.

The camp is an intensive 3-day event for all classes of physically challenged athletes. The camp is sanctioned by USA Triathlon and was held in Charlotte, NC and surrounding recreational areas from June 7- June 9. The camp's curriculum is designed for the beginner who is looking to start a training program or for experienced paratriathletes who wish to further their development. G2T also welcomes those interested in learning more about programs for athletes with disabilities and triathlon, including coaches, trainers, and volunteers. www.getting2tri.org.

Camp
After a 600-mile drive from NJ down to Charlotte, NC, I was warmly welcomed by Mike Lenhart and a bunch of the early arrivers. Nothing could have made me happier than pizza and beer, both of which were thrust into my hands before I could even park my car.

A busy day 1 included indoor swim training with amputee and wheelchair coaches Deanna and Dobe, respectively. Then we split into ambulatory and wheelchair groups. The wheelers went to handcycle class and the ambulatory folks went to bike fitting with Lee Childers, who is an awesome asset to the camp. Transition clinics followed. Dobe had some great advice, and I felt bad about asking so many questions for fear of hijacking the session and making it into one about how to be a handler. After that, the ambulatory did running workouts while the wheelers went to the track with their racing chairs. After a quick shower back at the hotel, we had a wonderful BBQ dinner hosted by the Junior League of Charlotte.

Day 2 started off at Lake Norman for an open water swim.



While most of the athletes and volunteers were heading straight out from the beach toward the yellow race buoy far off in the distance, my new friend John was a bit worried about his stamina, and wanted to stay closer to the shore. Since the only swim I know is slow and steady, that’s what we worked on. After a few hundred yards, he mastered regular breathing and learned not to go full sprint all the time. Slowing down his stroke got him all the way along the shoreline without stopping. Thanks to Thomas’ tips, we also worked on a recovery stroke for when you are out of breath: just roll onto your back, backstroke slowly, watch the clouds go by, and recover. After a few long practice laps, John declared that he wasn’t wrapping up the day without making it out to the yellow buoy. So off we went. Much to my surprise, fellow athletes Thomas, David, Mario and their handlers joined us for one more lap to cheer John on as he swam across the lake.

Every thrill seeker knows that asking forgiveness is better than asking permission. With this in mind, John swam off anther 100 yards to the giant inflatable water slide. As we got there and I looked back, there wasn’t a camper, coach or volunteer that wasn’t in our wake and headed toward the slide. It turned out to be a highlight of the day for everyone. Memorable quotes were “Sure, we have permission”…“I bounced like a skipped stone” … and “Quadriplegics gone wild.” Even if it’s on the schedule for future camps, it will be hard to recreate the electricity of this spontaneous half-hour.

After lunch and classes on bike and handcycle maintenance, the ambulatory group went back to the rec center for another run and mobility clinic hosted by the brutal Lindsey Justice while the wheelies worked on racing chair technique and speed. After the heat of the afternoon and the intensity of the workouts, the afternoon ice cream social was well deserved.

Triathlon
Sunday was a beautiful day for a race. Even though John felt he could do the race all on his own, his wife, Blondie, wanted a handler to be with him mostly to make herself more comfortable, so I volunteered. Since John wanted to finish the race without his crutches, and the transition area was a bit far from the pool, we decided to set up a mini transition area poolside where his leg, towel, shoes and stuff would be waiting. Dobe’s advice on what accommodations a race director would make for paratriathletes was really helpful. We then went to the official transition area to set up our bikes and helmet where we had our first race day glitch...John’s front tire was flat and the gun was going off in 5 minutes.

Not many PhDs, university professors, or ex pro cyclists would change a flat for someone else. Lee Childers is all three, and fixed up John’s bike with a smile while we got set-up poolside. Thanks Lee!

Swim

The pool was so warm that wetsuits weren’t legal, but John cut a dashing figure in his tri shorts and NYC Tri top. Never having worn lycra before, John was pleased at the Spanx-like effect. So was Blondie. Second race day glitch, I forgot to charge my Tri watch, so we couldn’t keep track of John’s time or spits. I'm so dumb. I've made this mistake more than once, but it's worse when someone else's time is on the line.

After a super fast first couple of laps, John realized that the loss of buoyancy and speed from the wetsuit made the pool swim harder than what we were doing yesterday. A little help from the recovery stroke settled him down. He finished strong and was the second swimmer out of the pool. Great job, John.

Out of the pool on his own, across the deck to T1a with my shoulder to lean on, then on with his leg. If I thought there was a lot of gear for triathletes, the extra stuff needed for paratri makes transition into a sport of its own.

Then off to the official T1 where we run into our third race day glitch…I had forgotten to set up my own transition area. No helmet. No bike shoes. And I had lent my bike seat to Mario. Uggh. Lee to the rescue again installing another seat in the nick of time. And thanks to Brad for cluing me in to the rules; failure to observe any USAT rule by either the racer or the handler would have DQ’d John. So while John got himself sorted out and Dr. Lee went back to mechanic duty, I sprinted to my car to retrieve my helmet.

Lesson learned. I can’t do a good job of being a handler for John if I’m spending my time taking care of my own problems. A rookie mistake cost us a long T1 time.

Bike

John’s first time on a bike since his accident was not even 24 hours ago, but off we went in his usual style – all out. A quick lesson on shifting got our speed on the downhills to nearly 25mph. There was a long incline back to the rec center that had us both huffing and puffing. Then we made “Richard’s Turn” only to find that the hill continued. Uggh again. Once at the top, it was around the rec center and out for a second loop. Knowing the course and the gears, John rode the bike hard and killed it on the second loop. It was great fun to see runners, bikers, handcyclists, and racing chairs all on the course at the same time.




Even though we were averaging 15-16mph, Mario, the Army Special Forces vet, blew past us like we were standing still. Must have been the seat.

Run
T2 was uneventful and super quick. Drop the bike and go. Not having a racing leg was a bit of a speed disadvantage for John, but we went off at a good pace and kept it steady the entire time. John, never at a loss for words, gave me a full lesson on prosthetic leg mechanics as we made our way out to the turnaround and back.



This is where the wheelchair racers came into their own, David and Jess whipping past us at light speed.

Around the last bend was the finish line, which was set up with jamming music, finish line banners, photographers, and a full cheering squad. With my rookie mistake, we don’t know John’s time, but one thing we do know is he set a Personal Record. And he inspired me and everyone else at the G2T camp with his performance, outlook, and smile. I have crossed lots of finish lines since I started my athletic endeavors, but this is one I will never forget.



Final Thoughts

Here are some of the big things I learned:

• Every athlete’s abilities are different, and so is their desire for assistance. As a handler, be sure to ask what they want you to do. It’s better to be direct and sure, than not know what to do. Thomas is fully capable of doing everything himself, but his race time is much better if he can save the energy of taking off the wetsuit by using his handlers. Other racers would rather do it themselves. It’s our job to ask and know.
• Be sure to take care of your own needs in advance. I was prepared to go in the pool with John, but didn’t need to. And I totally failed at prepping for the bike leg. My mistakes cost John time.
• Every athlete has a different outlook on talking about his or her disability. If you get to know them just a bit, you’ll figure it out. John was happy to jump right into the details about his accident and recovery, and was pretty funny telling us his stories. Other people weren’t too interested in talking about it, and let me know with response of just a few words. That’s totally cool, too. I learned not to be afraid to ask, though.
•  It’s better to come out and volunteer than to sit home and wonder if you should have! This weekend was a wonderful experience for me, and I’ll never forget the training, the inspiration, and the new friends.

 

Over the weekend, John was interviewed by the Charlotte news and was quoted about his accident: “It can make you better or it can make you bitter.” I didn’t know John before the accident, so I can’t be sure if he is better, but one thing is plain for all to see, he is not bitter. And I am the better for getting to know him. Same goes for David, Thomas, Jess, Francesca, Eileen, Deanna, Dobe, Brad, and Mario. And for Mike Lenhart who is inspiring himself in organizing G2T and this camp.

Woodstock Triathlon Festival (Half iron and Olympic distance) - Bethel, NY - May 4, 2013

Not much other to say than Holy Hills. This course gets straight 10's when it comes to being aesthetically pleasing and vertically challenging:  A cool crisp lake swim, about 2100 feet of climbing during the 56 mile bike (this included plenty of woods, waterfalls, and roads sans traffic), and a run course that offered some lighter hills…with the exception of that rather unkind one Doug snuck in at the end of the run loops.
Packet pick-up, located at T1 the night before, was pretty simple. It made life much easier since they offered night before bike drop off (with guards, of course) especially considering this was a point to point race.  It’s just once thing less to worry about morning of with regard to time spent setting up and planning where you needed to be and at what time to use the provided shuttles from T2 to the start.

Race morning we still had to hustle.  While Job Johns were plentiful at T2, the last shuttle bus showed up late to take us remaining folks to the start.  We had a few short minutes to work our way into our wetsuits and I may have had a 30 second warm-up in the water – not exactly ideal when the water temp was mid 50’s at best.  Thankfully, the lake water was nowhere as cold as I had been anticipating from the surface temp reads during the preceding weeks.  We had a single swim wave for the long course participants since there were only ~35 of us (29 finished).  The swim went very well – I pulled off a 36:25 swim split that I was both surprised by and pleased with (maybe I can chalk up part of that to the full wetsuit that I borrowed from Maureen).  Either way, the heated changing tent provided by Split Second Racing was awesome.  It was warm and provided a great place to change so that we could get onto the bike partially dry.  The only downfall for me is that the wonderful comfort it offered pushed my T1 time just over 5 minutes….oops!

Group from the pre-ride.

Getting on the bike I was chilly but generally comfortable due to being pretty dry.  I had loaded my water bottles with a Perpetuem and carb mix, and had some shot blocks, a Honey Stinger waffle, and some cookies (with a little protein in them) in my rear jacket pocket.  Since I had come up to pre-ride the course a few weeks prior, I knew what kind of hills to expect and went at the course with a bit of caution (well sort-of…that was the intention at least). At the end of the 1^st loop I was having shooting pains through my stomach and I am pretty sure that my body was rejecting the amount of Perpetuem I had put in my bottles.  I was very thankful for the water bottle hand off where I took plain water.  My only gripe with the water bottle was that it was a bottle similar to what you would buy in a convenience store and it was too small for my cage.  I had to keep catching from falling out a few times when I took a funny bump or turn.  During, the second lap I backed off a little on the hills and skipped the cookies with protein to let my stomach settle going into the run.  Overall, the bike was pretty lonely with the exception of a female I had passed early on during my ride, or the few men that had caught me as I went into the 2^nd loop.  I managed a 3:25:35 bike split that I was relative happy with (plus I had achieved my goal of “relieving myself” on my bike – TMI, I know, but I am still pretty proud of it).

Post race & the finishers medal.

Coming in off the bike, I was greeted by the fellow I had started dating and who had volunteered to work the bike dismount area.  I’m sure I looked and smelled great...NOT.  My legs were jello and I may or may not have let an obscenity fly when describing the bike course.  T2 lasted just over a minute but it felt like forever.  As soon as I got out on the run course I realized that as long as I could keep it together and put in a decent run I could break 6 hours, which was my goal for the day…or for the year I guess.  The run course was also nice – some shaded roads and a great view of the Woodstock Amphitheater…not to mention some quad crushing down hills and obviously the up hills to compliment them.  I will admit the run was tough, mostly because it followed that dang bike course, but very much do-able.  Aid on the run was water and water only.  I had prepared well and brought my own carb sources, but if I hadn’t I would have been in trouble, as were some fellow racers who had expected the advertised Gatorade and bananas.  (Hopefully this support was only missing due to over consumption by the Olympic distance race group, but it was something I still found disappointing for this race distance.) With minimal cramping and an evenly paced run in 1:48:25, I finished as the 3^rd female (of 7 that finished) in 5:56:52.  Whoop whoop!  3 minutes to spare until my goal time.   

Overall, for an inaugural race I think it was decently done and I enjoyed the challenge the Catskill Mountains had to offer.  For anyone considering racing Timberman in mid-August, I would highly recommend this early season race if you have the time to be prepared for the ride (or the balls to risk a potentially very cold swim).  On paper, this course displays similar elevation gain to that of Timberman and can be a great (cheap-ish) practice race as part of training for other tough courses such as IM Lake Placid.