Boulder Peak Race Rehearsal (Rehearsal)

Boulder Peak Race Rehearsal - Olympic Distance

Morning Air Temp: 56

The Olympic Distance Triathlon is exactly double the distances of the Sprint Distance Triathlon.

* Swim is 1500M, 100M shy of one mile (1600M)
* Bike is 42K or 26 miles
* Run is 10K or 6.2 miles

Nutrition becomes paramount in race efforts greater than two hours, and this particular race will definitely take longer than two hours for me to complete.

This year I am exploring a Hammer Product used to fuel for Endurance Events called Perpetuem. This type of sustainable fuel is used when *more* than an electrolyte replenishment (ie. Gaterade, Cytomax, etc) is needed. Perpetuem contains complex carbohydrates, soy protein, healthy fats, and key auxiliary nutrients such as sodium phosphate that support those athletes who will need to replenish their fuel after depleting their initial intake. While others use Gels and Gu's, which give a burst of energy followed by the "Sugar crash", athletes like myself who plan to be on the race course for greater than four hours will need the support of products like Perpetuem which offers a consistent, reliable, "level" energy that will hopefully allow me to swim, bike and run without cramping and fatigue.

The product comes in a power form which is portioned based on one's weight and length of activity time. My weight is > 200lbs... and I need at least 3 hours of continued fuel after I burn off my initial intake (ie. After the first 1.5 - 2 hours of my race). So about mid way the bike I will need to begin to "eat".

Another piece that I am exploring this race is the use of an aero hydration system for my new Tri Bike. Last race I rode without any hydration, which was actually a mistake... but this race it is significantly more important for me to have a way to fuel/hydrate during the ride, so the hydration system is one solution to the problem. -- The aero hydration fits between my aero bars and a long straw extends upward for me to fuel while in an aero position. This will be a new component to my race rehearsal.

I also thought I might need to carry some Perpetuem for the run, which requires yet another handy item called a "Fuel Belt". The Fuel Belt has several tiny elastic "pockets" that can carry an 8 oz bottle. The whole belt fits snugly around my waist. The bottles hold the Orange tasting Perpetuem mixture. I plan to sip during my run leg when the sun is hot and my energy is waning.

In the past, when I ran marathons and completed my first Half Ironman, the nutrition piece was always something that I got right. I remember hearing about my team mates being rushed to the hospital for consuming more than their stomach's could digest... others needed to receive aid for dehydration or severe leg cramps. One good thing about my slower pace is that it has allowed me to experience "Bonking", which is completely depleting one's body of all energy stores, so I have also had the privilege of practicing my nutrition and working through what my body might need in terms of energy stores. In the past I have eaten baked potato pieces and/or tiny "Chiclet" size pieces of Power Bars to maintain fuel while drinking Cytomax, which is an electrolyte replenisher. This year I want to take advantage of a high tech energy sustaining product like Perpetuem, so this is a new adventure for me.

I spent the night making my "Baby Bottles" as I have affectionately named them... carefully measuring powder and identifying which bottles they would go into. I planed to start my day with a meal replacement shake called Nutrimeal by USANA. I have used it in the past and noticed how it maintains my "Blood Sugar" levels. No, I am not diabetic, but I do notice when my sugar levels are low or fluxuating. So I set up the blender and identified the frozen fruit that I planned to use as a mix in the next morning.

4:30am comes earlier than one ever imagines... I casually got up and put on my tri clothes that I had staged the night before. I fed the dogs and began the "mixology" experiment I had prepped the night before. The bottles took twenty minutes for me to make... a slice of time that I hadn't accounted for... so I was actually late leaving the house! Since this was a race rehearsal and since there would be approximately one hundred people instead of the full flock of triathletes, their families and friends that will be there on Sunday July 20th, I was going to arrive later than I wanted to but not so late that I would be in jeopardy of missing my race start. I'm glad this timing issue surfaced now and not on the actual race day. The consequences would be significantly more damaging had I not realized how long it would take me to prepare my bottles until my actual race day.

While I arrived later than I wanted, I was able to register, get the appropriate color swim cap for my wave, get body marked and receive my run bib. For the first time in a long time, I realized that I forgot my bike pump... so I had to borrow someone else’s pump to top off my tires before race start. I set up my transition area and hurried to get my wet suit on. I wanted a more leisure orientation to the water than I did the last time... so I wiggled my way into my "Body Stocking" and headed toward the water. -- The race started about 8 minutes late which gave me a few extra minutes to get use to the cold water seeping into my wetsuit through the zipper. I felt "ready to go" when the race finally started.

I swam in the front of the first wave where I was quickly over come by faster swimmers. I will plan to start closer to the side and/or back in the future. We did two loops around the buoys before heading to "T1" our Swim to Bike Transition area. -- I finished the swim in a good time for myself. My watch seemed to be off that day so I don't have my splits to post. I walked quickly up through the sand and into the transition area where I changed and headed out for the 26 mile bike.

Now the bike was the greatest challenge of the day. The race course would head up Lee Hill and on to Old Stage. The steepest part is a 15% grade and the ascend lasted for 2.25 miles. I had practiced the hill once before, so I knew that I would not be able to make it up the hill the whole way. Instead, I had goals of how far up I wanted to ride before stopping. I made it to my predetermined destination and unclipped. I rested there while my heart beat so hard I thought it would come through my chest. I found a slightly level spot on the hill where I clipped back in and proceeded up the hill for as far as I could go... repeating my intervals until finally reaching the row of mailboxes which marked the end of the ascend.

Now down hill is more my forte... I'm not sure what top speed was recorded by my new Garmin GPS Wrist watch. I just enjoyed the wind in my hair as I flew down the mountain ten times faster than I climbed it! The rest of the ride bike route consisted of "Rollers" and soft ascends. While I remember riding that same course in the past, I felt particularly challenged during this rehearsal covering the same ground. My legs spun slower as I pushed myself through the remainder of the course. I was almost to the "Fire station" when my chain dropped, and I didn't have enough momentum to unclip before falling. :::sigh::: So here I was on my new Tri bike struggling to unclip after falling because of a "dropped chain". I was fortunate that I did not hurt anything except my pride... and I was also lucky to have fallen without many people around to see me. Two women training came by to see if I was ok... they weren't part of the CWW group, but were very nice, supportive and generally sweet. Needless to say I was very happy to see the transition area where I would begin T2, the transition from Bike to Run.

I had consumed about 2/3rds of the Perpetuem mixture that I carried in my aero hydration system. It was hard to swallow the thick substance with no plain water to case it. I realized then that I would need to carry an extra bottle of water, so a bottle cage was needed at a minimum. -- After the bike leg, I was tired and not feeling up for a six mile run... I thought I might cover one to two miles, but I felt self conscious about my mile pace which is closer to that of a "Walk" and not a "run"... I was concerned about keeping the race course open longer than others may have wanted to stay. ::: sigh::: I talked myself into heading out anyway. My goal was to run three miles and call it a day.

I decided to not take my run belt with Perpetuem because I didn't think I would need more fuel. In the future I will plan to take the belt anyway if only to sip a few sips from the bottle as my body adjusted to the new sport of running after sitting and cycling. I managed to get to the 1.5 mile water station and noticed an energy increase which allowed me to move from a walk to a fast trot. The sun was high and I was thirsty... I will plan to carry both water and Perpetuem in my fuel belt in the future. I finished the race with a three mile walk/run rather than the regulation run distance of 6.2 miles... and for the record, there were several other athletes still on the race course long after I came in. There was a part of me that had wished that I would have "trotted" the full 6.2 miles. I had the energy stores to complete the distance... just lacked confidence in my speed as I allowed myself to be more concerned about finishing in a "timely manner". Next time I will finish my full race.

I ended the race feeling confident about my nutrition choices. In the past, I had been feeling light headed and almost faint after previous rehearsals, but the Perpetuem product seemed to be doing it's job. While I didn't finish the full distance of the race, I did get a chance to work through my nutrition concerns and try out my new "Aero Hydration" system. Having ironed out these areas will serve me far into the future of my triathlon and endurance sport adventures.

It feels good to be back in the know about how to hydrate and fuel for the longer distances. While my endurance and weight goals are not quite where I want them to be, I feel the success of working out other critical components of Tri Training and racing. So I end the Boulder Peak Race Rehearsal feeling great about myself and my life and happy about my re-orientation to endurance multi-sport activities!

Big Fun in the Sun!!!

SWIM, BIKE, RUN!!!!!!!!

Boulder Sprint Distance Triathlon (Rehearsal)

Boulder Sprint Distance Triathlon (Rehearsal)
Sunday June 8, 2008 - 8:00am
Air Temperature: 56 degrees
Race Day Weight: 222.2lbs/ 6'0"

Pre-race day is usually a quiet time for me... thinking through transitions (Swim to Bike... Bike to Run). I laid out my CWW Uni-body Tri Suit, Polar watch and running shoes. I packed my wetsuit, goggles, cap and cycling shoes. I spent a little more time preparing for this race. I noticed during the Duathlon just one week ago that I forgot my bike pump as well as my race number belt. There were alternative ways to have my tires "Topped Off" and my race number affixed to a shirt that I would put on after the swim, but it was alarming to realize that I didn't have my own equipment last week. This is something that has never happened in my past. So I carefully packed my bags... secured my bike on to the car, and felt more grounded and prepared going into the Boulder Sprint Rehearsal.

I would need to leave Highlands Ranch at 5:15am to arrive at the Boulder Reservoir at 6:15 for check in. I like to arrive early to allow myself time for leisurely check in, transition setup and bike "shake down". Today was no exception. I hit the road on time... carrying my new Equinox E9 TT/Tri Bike. This will be my second time riding it. I still need to purchase a hydration system as well as a computer to log my mileage, cadence, and to calculate my Miles Per Hour (MPH). Those items are next on the list to purchase.

I have had some challenges transporting the "E9"... the aero shaped top tube doesn't allow my bike carrier to get a secure grip... so occasionally the bike will "Flail" out away from the car... this happened while I was driving 75 MPH down I-36 headed into Boulder. -- I managed to pull over to the shoulder of the road to resecure the bike. I just feel tentative driving fast. I hope to figure out a more secure way to transport my bike in the future.

I ran into a brief shower of rain during my commute... all I could think of was how cold it would be to bike in the rain. The weather had called for high 70's so I didn't have clothes that would shield me from the rain. My prayer was that the rain would cease and the sun would shine so that I would have Big Fun in the Sun! Swim, Bike, Run!

I arrived early, parked and checked in. I was wearing a jacket and pants over my uni-body suit. The air temperature was fifty-six degrees... however, it felt like six degrees. I racked my new bike... being careful to balance it so that it wouldn't fall as it had the week before. I tucked my bike helmet under the front tire to stabilize it. It seemed reasonably secure considering the winds weren't too high.

I socialized a bit before putting on my full leg wetsuit... my friend helped me get the suit positioned correctly... it seemed to ride "up" in areas where it should have been "down". Between the two of us I felt reasonably comfortable and headed to the swim start.

I usually start my "orientation to the water" a bit earlier than I did today. As a result, I had to rush myself into the cold lake water and prepare for a quick "Mass Start". I felt slightly hurried. There were three huge waves... the "White Caps"... those of us who were comfortable in the water were going first. The second wave were those who could make the distance but didn't want to be in the first wave rush, and the third wave were those who needed to swim next to a "Swim Angel"... someone holding a floating noodle in case of panic in the open water. Today I was in wave one, and our race started at 8:00am sharp.

So, off we went... splashing into the sun... arms and legs flailing. I jockeyed for position... trying to find my place... struggling to find my pace... eventually the crowd died down and I found a rhythm that I could sustain for the next eight hundred meters. We swam clockwise, which isn't ideal for me. I breathe to my left and prefer to swim counter clockwise. However, this year I learned a new way to sight... it requires a simple lift of the head to make sure I am on track heading toward the large florescent orange buoys. I learned this at an earlier open water swim clinic and I appreciated the ever so slight change in the way I had sighted before. If you do not sight correctly in open water, you end up swimming "Off Mark". I have always been proud of this skill and I enjoyed the ease the new technique added to my already comfortable sighting style. -- I rounded the first buoy, then the second... now I was on my way "Home"... home being the shore line where the swim leg ended.

I finished the swim in 17:25 (HR Max 152, HR Avg 137). Usually the swim split ends by running across a timing mat which is usually located at the top of the hill and closer to the road before crossing into the Transition area. This timing happens when the timing chip attached to one's ankle crosses the mat. Today I took my split at the sandy shore when I exited the water. This split would usually be at least one minute longer in a "Timberline Timed" event.

So, up the sand we ran... my sensitive feet numb from the cold water... someone put a small pool of water for us to run through... to rinse the sand from our toes. There was also a soft mat trailing into the parking lot shielding our feet from the course black top surface. We were headed into "T1"... the transition from Swim to Bike!

I was wearing my wetsuit which was now unzipped to my waist. I sat down to pull it inside out and off of my legs. I took my time putting on socks and padded gloves to cycle. Had it been a real race I may have opted to bike without socks until my feet were dry and put my socks on during my bike to run transition (T2). Today was slightly more leisurely, so my T1 was 5:46.

Heading out on the bike now the air temperature was warming. The sun was shining and I felt happy. Many were heading out with heavy coats and/or long sleeved jersey's... but I knew that by the time the cycling leg was over, my uni-body tri suit would offer sufficient warmth relative to the temperature and the efforts I put forth on the bike.

I was riding my new E9 (Trek Equinox Time Trial/Tri Specific Bike). It was new for me to get committed to shifting in an aero position. I enjoy closing my hands around the shifters and holding on... making the chain dance across the sprockets... dialing in on the perfect gear for the given terrain that changes minute to minute. All that said, I still felt slow climbing out of the reservoir. The incline was deceptive, but present nevertheless. I geared down and allowed my legs to spin easily... feeling winded by the minor effort, I found a comfortable cadence and continued on my journey.

I somehow wanted more from the bike leg than I was able to give. It had been years since I have biked out of the 'Res... I remember when that particular part of the ride wasn't a challenge... but today was a different story. -- Heading out on to I-36, I also had flash backs of previous "Boulder Peak" attempts and the most memorable "5430 Half Ironman"... all of those bike legs shared this particular part of the road... and I relished in the memory of those races of the past. I realize now that I was in amazing condition back then... I vowed to never criticize my speed as I have in the past... I must stay focused on the ability to cover the distance and relax more in terms of needing to go faster than I naturally do.

So, the route went out I-36 to Hwy 7, to Foothills Hwy then turned right on Neva Road. That particular road has a nice down hill with a hard roller/uphill segment. My legs were excited about the speed we reached going downhill. "On your left" I yelled as I shifted into a higher gear to pedal. It was an enjoyable experience and it encouraged me to spin harder and faster on the flats that were just ahead.

Over all the bike leg went well. I will need to spin flats and rollers to condition my legs to produce and sustain a higher cadence. Next up... "The Run!"

My T2 was reasonable considering I had to change from cycling shoes to running shoes. I slipped on my run shirt with race number pinned to it. I'll have to look for my race belt as the weather gets warmer and it is less desirable to run with a second layer on top.

The run headed out counter-clockwise around the reservoir. I found myself reminiscing about the 5430 Half Ironman I finished in 2003. I remember that road so well... and the time when I volunteered to man a water station at the Boulder Peak! What fond memories I flirted with as I trotted round the bend. The run today was three miles... it seemed like at least four! My legs moved slowly and I dropped to a walk at times on the way out. At the half way mark my pace picked up and I felt a little more of a run come in. It felt great to pull in front of a woman that played "cat and mouse" with me to the half way point.

It was a lonely run as many of the tri team members had completed this leg... but many were also on their way out and I was headed back and would soon be at the finish line.

The finish line was hidden... tucked away from sight on my decent back into the parking lot from which we started. The pink ribbon was finally in view... and I ran through the cheers enjoying the completion of the Boulder Sprint Distance Triathlon Rehearsal!

Boulder Sprint Distance Triathlon Rehersal

S: 17:25 152 max 137 avg
T1: 5:46 168 max 142 avg
B: 1:16:48 160 max 143 avg
T2: 1:31 135 max 126 avg
R: 43:42 175 max 155 avg

Total Time: 2:23:92