Cornhusker State Games TT

This past Saturday morning I participated in the Cornhusker State Games time trial. With lots of sun, 72 F and 94% humidity at the start, my hands were sweat-waterlogged by race end. I completed the 22 mile rolling hills course in one hour and five seconds (21.97 mph).

I have mixed feelings about the performance. Comparing to this past June's Ironman Kansas 70.3, where I completed a 56 mile TT in 22.05 mph average, Saturday's efforts fell short. Kansas was also a similar rolling course and had warmer (80 F) temps, but less humidity (80%). It was also slightly more windy in Kansas. It's true that I had a long taper before the Kansas race, so that could have been a factor. It's just hard to say whether it was an "off" day or if fitness is lagging. These are the questions that linger after such a performance.

Regardless, it was a good experience just competing. Doing an all-out sixty minute time trial, regardless of results, is excellent training. So I got that going for me, which is nice. It was also fun sharing a ride and sponging up race-day tips from Bryan (thanks!) and seeing Munson and other racers out there. Congratulations also go out to Bryan for sewing up Nebraska's Cat-4 Rider of the Year award at this race. Enjoy the free race entries next year; you've earned it.

Finally, now that I'm an officially (one-day) licensed Cat-5 racer, you can count on seeing me more involved in cycling races in the future.

Another Time Trial Test

Yesterday afternoon, I headed out on the P2sL for another time trial on the airport service road. It was 89 F with 16 mph steady winds and 19 mph southerly gusts. I did not bring water since it was a shortened, 50 minute ride. That was a mistake. I believe that I could have wallpapered my house with the paste that developed in my mouth by the end.

The first half was a steady-state effort into the wind for 4.68 miles while carefully minding pace to keep from going red-line. I nearly felt defeated by the wind at the turn around. It could have been mental, but it certainly felt like fatigue. But then with the wind to the back and speeds over 30mph, motivation suddenly recovered. As those of you know when cruising with the wind, agonies experienced only moments before get wiped clean from the memory. Ah, the joy of cycling!

The Results
Dist: 9.36 miles
Time: 22:30
Avg: 24.96 mph
Max: 32 mph

This is a two minute improvement from a similar effort in March of this year. Munson was right: I will get there. So with that, I feel good about going into the Cornhusker State Games Time Trial this Saturday. Granted, the airport is absolutely flat as opposed to what I imagine to be a hilly course at the State games. Still, I'm looking forward to competing in my first licensed bike race since upgrading from being a self-proclaimed CAT-6 rider.

Let the games begin!

Not In Kansas Anymore

90 minutes into a five hour race and I was already having doubts. Pain and fatigue had set in and my focus was waining.

An hour earlier, I completed the 1.2 mile swim where I was punched and kicked many times by fellow triathletes. It was not unlike a hockey game in there. Once, I was kicked so hard in in the face that a knee jerk reaction resulted in a severe right hamstring cramp. Stopping to stretch in a middle of a deep lake among thousands of swimmers and a 1/2 mile yet to go posed quite a challenge. I managed.

But it just wasn't working on the bike. Lactic Acid coursing through the veins and that hammy threatening to act up, I had a moment of doubt. Would I even finish the race? My mind started to drift.

I thought of all of the training I had completed over the months. The long rides with my cycling friends Munson and Bryan, the weight lifting, the early morning Masters swimming practices and the long runs I had completed with this day in mind. There are always the what-ifs and wishes for more training, but I knew I was pretty well prepared.

I thought of Katherine and brother Murphini who were somewhere out on the course cheering me on. That helped carry the burden.

A cyclist or two passed me. No big deal. A hill was approaching where I'd reel them back in.

I thought of brother Brendan who had surprised me by rolling up to Murphini's house late Friday night from Colorado to compete with me. He was racing with elbow-to-wrist and full calf raspberries from a training ride crash only days before; the crimson scabs caused many to wince at the pre-race number markups. Dude's as tough as he is and nuts. Along with him was another triathlete and friend, Ryan, who was also racing. And joining us on Saturday was Brendan's girlfriend and professional triathlete, Karen. I was in excellent racing company and I sponged up as much racing advice and encouragement from them as I could soak up. Indeed, I was as ready to take a chance, go fast, pass on turns and feed the bears...as anyone could be.

Reaching the peak of the hill, the road turned into a strong headwind and a series of rollers with another menacing climb five miles down the road. Morale sank even lower.

In truth, the bike course favored my smaller size. While I spun seated in the hills, most of the others stood and labored. I'd make huge gains on the climbs only to having some of that erode on the downward slope and flats.

Knowledge of my cycling advantage did little to help my spirit. Even without the heart rate monitor, I knew that I was near my red line and I had a lot of distance to cover. Heat was also becoming a factor as I continued to struggle with motivation.

Then I remembered my cycling friend Munson telling me how he endured the physical pain of time trials: distraction. He copes with the pain by mentally picturing happy thoughts, like lollipops and bushy-tail bunnies. I tried, but Charms Blow-Pops and Br'er Rabbit just floated on by. Something else lurked in the shadows of my subconscious. I concentrated a little harder as a human figure began to form. It was holding a drawn bow and arrow. What figure would emerge from this archetype? Was it Apollo hunting, or the brave warrior Geronimo?

To my horror, the image that resolved was a pot-bellied Athena bow hunting carp in a camouflage bikini during a recent time trail training session at Lake Manawa in Council Bluffs.

Ahhh!

I was cured. I was now grateful for the remaining 41 miles of torturing hills and the half marathon that would distract me from that cross-breed between Vince Neil and what I imagine to be Ted Nugent's soul mate. I tucked into a tight aero position and began counting the cyclist I passed. It was a good bike ride from then onward.

Transition from the bike to run is never fun. A mile into it, the hamstring finally seized up. Fortunately, another triathlete who might as well have been Jesus in Asics gave me a package of salt tabs with the instructions to take two with water every four miles. Hallelujah! It cured the hammy, but for the next five miles I still fought GI issues and bloating while struggling to find my running form. After taking a port-a-potty pit stop at mile six, I felt well enough to race and completed the half marathon in one hour and forty-one minutes to the cheers of Katherine, Murphini, Karen and Brendan (who finished the race some sixteen minutes ahead of me). Nearly five hours had passed since diving into Lake Clinton; Iwas quite emotional as Katherine hugged me just beyond the finish line.

Official Results:
53rd overall, 22nd Citizens, 7th Age Group
Swim: 0:33:04.9 -- 01:34.0/100m pace
Bike: 2:32:22.9 -- 22.1 mph pace
Run: 1:41:57.0 -- 07:47.0 min/miles
Total Elapsed Time: 4:50:30.3

I am happy with the results, especially considering it was my first at that distance as well as the challenging nature of the course.

Finally, a super-huge shout out goes out to the Murphini family for hosting us over the weekend. We appreciate you loaning us Guz, for feeding us, chauffeuring and just making sure that three racers under your roof could prepare for the main event. Thank you - you guys were terrific!

Well what's next? Unpacking, laundry, yard work, the list goes on. Sigh. Indeed, I'm not in Kansas anymore!

Time Trial Test

Yesterday I headed out on the P2sL for a time trial on the airport service road. Had a nice 15 mph tailwind on the first portion, but was quite a battle into the headwind after the turnaround.

The highlight was a 737 that flew directly above me at about 100 feet on its final approach. I'm sure dozens of people on the plane we're thinking, "There's Brady on the p2Sl -- look at that fella go!"

I watched the heart rate monitor throughout the ride, keeping it between 165 - 172 bpm until the last quarter mile. During the tailwind portion, I was not having any serious effort going 29mph, but coming back was a struggle to maintain 19 without going redline.

Anyway, here were the results:
Distance: 9.36 miles
Time: 24:37
Avg mph: 22.81
Max heartrate: 185
Avg heartrate: 168

Sigh. While it was 8 seconds faster than the same effort last November, I've got work to do here.

Shabbos Time Trial

My triathlete friend Scott has proposed a Time Trial out at Epply this Saturday afternoon with beer and food at his Old Market apartment following.

I'm IN and will be wearing my heart rate monitor to get a good lactate acid threshold base test.

All are welcome...this includes YOU!

SATURDAY November 24, 2007: Time-Trial & Beer

1:00 PM
Meet at Delice's in Old Market. Drop off extra gear at Scott's apartment nearby.

Group ride to Epply Service Road for the start of the 9.3 mile time-trial (individual starts in one minute increments).

After the last finisher, maybe another quick loop as a group and then back to the Old Market to Scott's apartment for beer and food

2:45 PM
Post Time-Trial Showers, Beer, and Food

There are five riders in for sure. The more the merrier. I was thinking that it would be sweet to have a prize purse. Everyone could pay $5; we would put $1 of that in the prize purse for the winner and $4 in the Pizza and Beer fund.

Black Squirrel Triathlon

Despite missing a turn on the bike that caused a mile detour, I still had a pretty good race.

People laugh when I tell them that the swim was in Lake Manawa. They think it's like the East River when that served as NYC's sewer. Come to think about it, it is kinda funny that we swim in that Council Bubba cesspool. It actually justifies the wet suit & goggles. Thankfully, my mouth was clenched-shut too.

Anyway, I felt like death after the swim. Not because of the water quality, but because I wailed and flailed. Here's a post-swim picture that scares me.


Swim: I remember feeling as bad as I look. In truth, I felt worse. Note: secondary protective skin, goggles and cap.


Swim to Bike Transition: Here, I have recovered a bit. Gee. I wonder if the American Red Cross can find my vein to draw blood. I'd better have that looked at.


Next, I'm getting ready to transition off the bike to the run. I normally ride with my feet in my shoes...it generally works better that way. But here the photographer captured a time-saving technique of spinning on top of the shoes during the last quarter mile. Earlier, my calves were cramping on the first five miles before I settled in to a 21.8 mph avg. time trial.

Unfortunately for you viewers, there isn't a photo of me running. It's too bad because I really felt like barfing at the run transition and couldn't get the breathing managed for the first two miles. This would have made for a fine photo opportunity. Still, after the first two splits at 6:50, 7:34, I ran negatives splits from there (6:34, 6:09, 6:09, 6:08).

With this race, I have completed my transition from just a runner to a triathlete.

Back In Black

The three day period of mourning is over.

Introducing my Cervelo P2sl Pro.

Kudos to High Gear's Matt N and Jackie for getting me back on track.