2 more down & 2 left

Knocked out the Tupper Lake TinMan Sprint (really an Olympic distance) at the end of June in upstate NY and recently the 14.06 Sprint in Manassas, VA.

Both races went well, but could have been better.

Tupper Lake TinMan Sprint - Great day for a race.  Swim start was in water and went very well.  I came out of the water 9th overall and left T1 quickly.  The bike leg was solid and I came into T2 3rd overall.  The run started well, but by the 5K mark, I started to shutdown.  I walked a few spots and the 2 aid stations on the way back.  I ran it in for 6th place male overall.  A better placing than last year, but a slower time due to the run.

http://www.sportstats.ca/displayResults.xhtml?racecode=107250

14.06 Sprint - A solid performance all around.  425 yard pool swim in a TT format.  11.2 mile flat and fast bike course.  2.6 mile flat run course with a short section in the woods.  I knew it would be close when I saw a few guys chasing me on the run.  It was. 2nd place overall and lost to 1st by 6 seconds.

http://www.amazingracetiming.com/results/2014/the-14-06/327-results-triathlon.html

  

A solid week off, aka no workouts, was my greatest prize.  2 races looking to finish out the season.  Twinbrook Tri in Rockville, MD and the Luray Sprint.  The latter is my first opportunity race head to head against the pros via an OPEN division.

Taper is good, but what is right?

@SkratchLabs @BikeDrWaldorf

Big thanks to both of these for hydration and bike fits.  Without either, I'd be screwed. </plug>

I've recently completed 2 super sprint distance races.  I took 2 different approaches to taper prior to each.

For the May 4th East Coast Super Sprint (400m swim, 10k bike, 2.5k run) I did the following:

1. No road biking for 12 days prior to event and that was only commuting
2. 2 whole rest days immediately prior to event
3. Mostly easy runs and swims week of
4. Total of 2 hours of training during taper week

Times for my race were moderate:  1:30/100yds on the swim (wetsuit & open water swim), 22mph on the bike, 7:10/mi pace on the run.

For the May 24th & 25th Rev3 Rush (250m swim, 5mile bike, 1.5 mile run) I did the following:

1. No road biking for 6 days prior to event those 2 days back to back
2. 1 rest day prior to event
3. Moderate runs and swims week of
4. Total of 2 hours of training during taper week

Times for my race were moderate:  1:30/100yds on the swim (no wetsuit and pool swim), 24mph on the bike, 6:10/mi pace on the run.

There's difference in both the taper week and the results.  My Rev3 Rush race was faster and I placed better than the East Coast Super Sprint.  The amount and intensity of the biking was closer to the event and harder.  This was more noticeable for me that I was able to push harder on the bike in the Rev3Rush. I felt fresher and held more power than the previous race.  The run too was a noticeable difference.  I was able to push harder even though I had harder workouts during taper.

Remember, see what works for you and how your body responds to different activities.  Mine needs good quality rest, but not long of a rest.  Easier days don't do me more good than moderate days.

First race

With an early season race planned, the goal set shouldn't be a win or a top 10.  It should allow you to see how your base training, initial speed training, and technique training has paid off.

Using the 2 programs I've posted here, I'm very happy with how Sunday went.  Sure I would loved to have knocked out a 1st place win, but 3rd is still on the podium.  Also, it being a reverse tri (run, bike, swim) the body wasn't exactly ready.  The weather at the start was 38 F and rainy.

At the gun, I was off and pacing with the eventual winner, Sean Walsh.  We ran 3rd and 4th for the 1.5 mile course.  The run leader, Josh Pickens, who took second overall, was a good 30 seconds in front of us.  By T1, Sean and I were still close.  I made it into T1 5 seconds after Sean, with Josh already moving out onto the bike.  I got out of T1 fast and onto the bike before Sean.  a quarter mile into the bike and I was having serious issues getting into my shoes and just getting my arms/fingers to work with the cold.  Sean passed me at that moment, I was able to get into the shoes and start a rhythm.  The bike course is a 4 mile loop shaped like a cross.  This meant a lot of hammer in between 180 degree turns.  I managed to stay on Sean and we bridged up to Josh.  In the last 300 meters, Josh was quickly into T2 with Sean and I coming into the dismount line at the same time.  A poor selection on my part for racking had me running my bike to the exit side of T2.  I was able to strip down as fast as I could minus the long sleeve skin shirt.  I was able to get that off right before entering the pool.  The swim can be summarized for me as pure survival. It's probably my strongest discipline and I could not for the life of me get my arms to move after the cold of the race.  I managed to finish and hold onto my 3rd place position.

That race is complete and lessons were learned.  Looking forward to the East Coast Super Sprint in May.  Weather be damned for that one!

Pre-season is winding down

I'm into my last week of winter base training (see earlier post on the program from TriRadar).  Next Monday starts a 4 week plan focusing on speed and sprint format triathlons.

Again, I've picked a race and lined up a training plan to get ready for it.  End of March is the race and this 4 week plan gets me there.  Take a look.

http://mos.triradar.com/Training_Plans/Sharpen_Sprint_Speed.pdf

Author Phil Mosely writes that "during these four weeks of training I want you to separate your sessions into two main intensities: easy or hard. When I say easy, I mean easy, so save your energy for the hard stuff. It’s the hard sessions that’ll make you faster, so you need to be fresh."

This goes well with the periodization and polarization talk I posted about.  Don't train at race pace.
When you're supposed to work at easy efforts stay there.  Same with hard efforts, go all out!  Stop making the easy efforts sessions harder and the hard sessions easier. Avoid that "black hole of training".

With a race on the horizon, it's a good time to focus on those transitions.  Not just the logistics of gear, but the muscles that get engaged at T1 and T2.  Know how you'll feel and be comfortable with it so you know what's normal and what's not on race day.

The Intro and Plan

I've put one solid year of racing and training behind me.  Being fully into the training months, I now acknowledge that 2013 was my "base year" of training and getting to understand how to race.  Sure I was ambitious throughout last year and even posted some good finishes, but in reality, I was just figuring it all out.

Now is the time to take that rookie coat off and get into how to win.  This blog will be my journey to getting on the podium each and every race.

First step is planning.

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” 
― Abraham Lincoln

I'm realistic in setting my goals for 2014.  Last year, I was so enthralled with racing that I wanted to race everything and thought I could.  This did not work out well.  Between triathlons, duathlons, and USAC bike racing season, it would (and did) not work.  With that said, pick your "A" race.  The one that you would do if you couldn't do any others.  From there, back up your schedule with a number of smaller and less stress races.  I've chosen the USAT Olympic-Distance National Championships in Milwakuee, WI this year as I qualified with a top age group finish in a triathlon in 2013.  From there I fill in my calendar backwards off it's August 9th date with 1 (maybe 2) triathlons a month until the end of March.  So the list looks like this:

Tune Up Tri 
Manassas, VA, USA
Sun Mar 30 2014

East Coast Super Sprint
Glen Allen, VA, USA
Sun May 04 2014

Naylors Beach Triathlon
Warsaw, VA, USA
Sun Jun 08 2014

Tupper Lake Tinman Sprint
Tupper Lake, NY, USA
Sat Jun 28 2014

The 14.06 - TIN
Manassas, VA, USA
Sun Jul 27 2014

USA Triathlon’s Age Group Olympic-Distance National Championships
Milwaukee, WI, USA
Sat Aug 09 2014

6.  That's right, 6 races. All but the last are sprint or super sprint distance races.  Why?  To limit injury.  By not training for Olympic (or even longer) distance races all year, I reduce the fatigue and injury on my body.  Through this blog, I'll share how recovery and rest, along with focused workouts on speed, will increase the overall goal of being faster and winning.

Remember, I'm no expert, this is what works for me.  But hey, I just started a year ago, so I've got to be doing something right.