Back to Blogging and Exciting Ironman News: IM Kona 2016

Dear friends,

After 15 Full Ironman Triathlons, I have finally been selected to compete in the Ironman World Championships in Kona on October 8, 2016.  It has been a long journey since my first Ironman in Louisville in 2010.  I was too busy with life and with Ironman training and racing to keep up with my blog.  Let me summarize by saying that I have continued to train with Ironteam while fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  I have raised over $25,000 in that span.  I will start up a new season with Ironteam this weekend as I start training for IM Kona.  I hope to be more diligent with my blog and with my swim workouts.  I am a faster cyclist and runner, but still need to work on my swim.

My previous blog outlined my recovery from ACL Reconstruction and provided race reports after each of my major marathons / Ironman triathlons.  This new version will be more focused on the life of an age grouper balancing work, family, and Ironman training.  I hope you find this interesting.

As for my knee almost 7 years s/p ACL reconstruction, its doing great.  I run faster than before my injury and 99% of the time, my knee feels solid and I don't even think about it.  However that 1% of the time, I will have a mis-step and feel a strange twinge and there is that slight instability.  Fortunately, I have not had any falls, but I have had a few close calls during these episodes.  Occasionally after long runs and marathons, my operated knee will feel more swollen and more sore.  That's where ice wraps and muscle stimulation comes in.  More on that in a future post.  Until then, Run Happy!

Alexander "Neomedic"
Marathon Maniac #886

Ironman 9 : CDA June 23, 2013

Many things happened between my last Ironman race in Arizona 2012 and CDA 2013.  The most important thing was that I joined Team in Training and the Greater LA Ironteam for my 5th season of fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  My 1st season with the Team was interrupted by my ACL tear and subsequent ACL reconstruction.  I realized my dream of becoming an Ironman at Louisville 2010 during my 2nd season with the Team.  I got bitten by the Ironman bug and completed Ironman #2-8 in seasons 3 and 4.  Now for season 5, I have CDA, Lake Tahoe, and Arizona.  

One highlight during the last 9 months was traveling to Copenhagen, Denmark and running the Copenhagen Marathon.  It rained the entire time and parts of the race was over cobblestones (ouch). However I will always cherish the memories of the cheering crowds and meeting runners from throughout Europe.  And Copenhagen was heaven for "foodies".

Another proud moment for me was running the Big Sur International Marathon and coming in 1st Place in the Corporate Relay Division.  The nerves and pressure I felt for this race, topped any Ironman race.  Again the beautiful scenery of Big Sur and the California Coast will be something I will always remember, as well as the camaraderie of our team.  I look forward to defending our title next year.

Running the Goofy Challenge at Disney World and going Coast to Coast and running Tinkerbell Half was another highlight I will cherish.  Sharing these events with family and loved ones made Disney Magical.

Now onto Ironman #9: Coeur d'Alene

I mentioned last year that Coeur d'Alene is like being in a National Park.  Gorgeous scenery, wildlife, and fresh mountain air.  This year the weather cooperated and the lake was warmer than 2012.  In 2012, I competed by myself.  This year, I had the majority of our Greater LA Ironteam competing with me, along with coaches along for support and guidance.  Our team took a bus tour of the bike course a couple days prior to the race.  I was able to share my experience from 2012.  We took a few swims prior to the race and I immediately noticed the water was cold, but tolerable.  Definitely warmer than 2012.  On to race day:

Swim: 1:38:39

I'm not a swimmer.  I swim once a week.  I know I need to focus on this in the future, but I keep putting it off.  That said, this year my time was 16 min faster than 2012.  The new "Swim Smart" initiative instituted a rolling start.  Swimmers seeded themselves according to pace.  I think this worked very well.  It made for a much more relaxed and enjoyable swim.  The warmer water also helped.  I did not have any problems with chop.  My first loop was 45 min.  Slight swim fatigue probably led to the slower 2nd loop. 

Bike: 6:32:20

This was 11 min faster.  I described the 2 loop course in my post last year.  CDA is definitely a challenging course.  I think it's more difficult than the IM Canada course in Penticton.  My main complaint is that going back into CDA on US 95, is a long descent which is interrupted by a "No Passing Zone". There is also a 2nd NP Zone as you exit the 95 and get back on NW Blvd.  I couldn't believe my bad luck that along both NP Zones, I had to hit the brakes due to slower cyclists.  This happened again on the 2nd loop of the bike course as well.  I notice that these "slower" cyclist stopped pedaling during these descents.  Unbelievable!

My favorite part of the bike course is of course going through the cheering crowds that lined the streets of downtown CDA which you hit out and back during each loop of this 2 loop course.  I saw my cheering section and felt energized each time.

Run: 4:43:20

This was about 5 min faster.  Not much to add.  I had foot pain in 2012.  This year, I was fine.  I saw teammates, cheering supporters, coaches all along the course.  Last year was a mental challenge. This year, the run was very enjoyable.  In hindsight I probably could have pushed harder to my "uncomfortable" zone.  I may have finished sub 13, but I probably would not have enjoyed the run as much.  The only regret was not paying attention to my Maui Jim Titanium sunglasses which I had placed on top of my cap.  I still had them in a photo taken by a coach at mile 23.  I noticed around mile 25 that they were missing.  By that point, I was not going backwards to look for them.  I continued to the finish line and high-fived my way across the finishing chute.  

Finish: 13:12:42

After a short recuperation, I collected my bike and gear bags.  Dropped them off.  Wiped down myself and changed into fresh clothes.  Grabbed a coffee and then returned to the finish line to cheer on my teammates as they finished their races.  We stayed until almost midnight to welcome the last of our teammates.  It was another special night to conclude a special day.  Kudos to the town of Coeur d'Alene.  Thank-you for welcoming and supporting us.  Perhaps one day, I will return for another edition of IM CDA.

Ironman # 8: Arizona 2012

Ironman #8

Well I set out to complete 4 Ironman Triathlons in 2012.  2 weeks after Florida, it was time for Arizona.  This is a special race since my Ironteam-mate Mari died in October while training for this race.  Many of my teammates gathered in Arizona to commemorate Mari.  Those of us racing wore armbands and photos of Mari on race day.  I think Mari helped me get through the difficult stretches of this race and inspired me to give it my best effort on race day despite running in the Auckland Marathon 3 weeks previously and Ironman Florida 2 weeks prior to Arizona.  The presence of my friends and teammates cheering me along the course also inspired me to " Play Like a Champion Today"--Notre Dame Football

Swim 1:46:45

The water was cold.  Arizona is a deep water start.  You jump in 15 minutes before the start of the race and head for the start line.  I swam out towards the bridge, but stopped before reaching it and rested at a kayak. I probably mis-timed the race start, since by the time I resumed swimming towards the start line, the start gun had gone off.  This may have costed me a few minutes.  The good news is that the crowd was gone and I was able to swim in peace.  Once I got into my groove, it was a very pleasant swim and I no longer noticed the cold water temperature.  The swim is a single out and back.  No waves.  People mentioned that the water is dirty, but I did not notice.  I inadvertently swallowed some water and it seemed fine.

T1 10:55

As I mentioned in my IM Florida report, I tend to take my time in transition.  However, this one was a bit longer because the heater felt so good after the cold water swim.  I couldn't help lingering a little bit longer to warm up.

Bike 6:22:23

Again my tired legs affected me during the ride.  I averaged 17.5 mph, but was much faster going downhill or with a tailwind and much slower going uphill or with a headwind.  The outbound portion of this 3 loop course  has an uphill section.  This is of course followed by a downhill section on the inbound portion.  The winds did pick up significantly during the bike ride.  The key is to try to be consistent and maintain a similar effort uphill, downhill, headwind, tailwind.  Seeing cheering teammates throughout this 3 loop course was the highlight of the ride.  I am already looking forward to tackling this race course again in 2013 on "Fresh Legs"!

T2 7:40

Run 4:47:40

The run course is again 3 loops.  I was excited to run.  It was getting a little warm, but not bad compared to some of my other Ironman races held in the summer months.  The sun sets early this time of year, so during loop 2 it started to get dark, and got a little cool on loop 3.  3 loops mean plenty of chances to see my racing teammates and my non-racing friends and coaches.  That again was the highlight of the course.  The aid stations were great and the volunteers were supportive and enthusiastic.  Did the race get old during loop 2 and 3?  Well loop 1, everything is new and exciting.  Loop 2 is the toughest loop, because you have seen it already and you know that you will see it all again on Loop 3!  By the time Loop 3 hits, you are already focusing on counting down the final miles and finishing the Ironman.  It was during loop 3 that I really felt inspired by memories of my teammate Mari.  I had her picture on the back of my running shirt.  With thoughts of the many training sessions and previous triathlons we had endured together, I rounded the final corner and ran across the finish line.

Finish 13:15:23

We waited at the finish line and celebrated everyone of our teammates finishing.  After our last finisher, we drank a toast of Bourbon to Mari.  She would have liked that very much.

I spent Thanksgiving with family giving Thanks for everything God has given me in 2012.  All my Ironman wishes came true ( except for the Kona lottery...)  I am Thankful for the support of family, friends, and coworkers.  They supported my fund-raising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  They gave me encouragement and the opportunity to train for almost the entire year for these Ironman events.  With their "Loving Kindness" I plan to continue raising funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as I tackle Ironman Coeur D'Alene, Ironman Lake Tahoe, and Ironman Arizona in 2013.

Ironman #6 Penticton, CANADA

I am finally getting a chance to write my IM CANADA race report.  It's been a busy month.  After 8+ months of intense Ironman training, I had to catch up on work duties and home duties.  In the meantime, I did run Disneyland Half a week after IM Canada and almost PR'd.  I am currently in taper mode for Long Beach Marathon.  OK, on to the last IM Canada from Penticton, BC.

This was my main event with Team in Training's Ironteam L.A. for 2012.  We arrived a few days before the race and I was impressed by the beauty of Penticton.  I was worried about heat since IM Canada 2011 was a scorcher.  I was also worried about the hills and all the climbing involved.  Well, my fears were overblown, the course is excellent and the weather cooperated this year.  Unfortunately this is the last IM Canada race in Penticton.  It has been sold to the group that puts on the "Challenge" triathlons.  A detailed race report will no longer be very useful since the Challenge Penticton race will probably be very different.  So I will give a quick summary and then my thoughts on the race experience.

Swim 1:37:59

The Ironteam got on a bus and left our team hotel very early Sunday morning.  We arrived with plenty of time to check in our special needs bags and adjust our bikes.  I had a nice warmup jog and a quick swim prior to race start.

The swim was very nice.  There is the usual contact associated with the mass start of an Ironman.  You learn to just ignore the contact and keep swimming.  Eventually, the field separates out, you can swim, and it all works out.  The water temp was just right and I felt very comfortable in my full wetsuit.  IM Canada is a 1 loop lake swim.  Fortunately, there was no chop on race morning.  ( Unlike the chop during our practice swim a few days prior to race day and unlike my horrible IM CDA swim.)  One unique thing about this swim was that the water was so clear that you could see the bottom of the lake!  At the turnaround buoys, you can see divers on the lake bottom taking photos of the swimmers!  The glare of the morning sun made sighting a little challenging on the return to shore, but one can sight off the tall building by the lakeshore.

Transition 1  9:08

I didn't realize I took so long.  Maybe I was busy listening to the conversations of those around me.  Also, I didn't have a volunteer to assist me, so I had to complete the transition on my own.  I am also a proponent of taking enough time in T1, so that I don't overlook something important that will hurt me on the 112 mile bike ride.  I also made sure to apply sunblock.

Bike: 6:07:22

What a great ride!  The first part out of town was very pleasant.  Maclean Creek Road is when the first climb starts. This is a short steep climb which is then followed by a long down hill stretch into Okanagan Falls.  During this climb, there are still a lot of cyclists and there is traffic on the opposite side of the road.  I came close to another cyclist as I was climbing and I guess I scared him and he yelled at me.  Oops, "Sorry."   The next 25 miles from the Falls to Osoyoos is flat.  Time to hit the rolling buffet.  I ate my Honey Stinger Waffles.  Yummy.  The weather was still very pleasant that morning.  Then you hit Richter Pass.  The Big Climb.  Actually a series of 4 climbs over 6+ miles.  1300 ft elevation gain.  You have a steep climb for a mile or so, than there is a flatter climb, followed by the next steep climb, flatter climb, etc...  Eventually you get to the top and the reward is a fast, very fast downhill stretch.  I was probably going 30 to 40 mph during the downhill.  After that, it's the 7 Bit**es!  A series of rollers...  I just counted them down 1 by 1 until I did all 7.  Believe me towards the end, you're hating these bit**es.  I used the momentum I achieved in the downhill stretch to carry me all or part of the way up the next uphill stretch.  This allowed me to pass quite a few people.  The next section of the bike course is an out and back.  This section requires will power, since fatigue is starting to hit and the Bike special needs is at the out part of this section.  Now it's getting warm.  Somehow, I got stung by a bee on my back.  It's probably because I had my bike jersey zipped half-way down to cool off.  I also dumped water over my cooling sleeves and over my head and back of jersey to cool off.  I ate some salty chips from my special needs bag, reloaded on the Honey Stinger waffles, and it was off to Yellow Lake.  Yellow Lake is the last big climb before returning to Penticton.  It is 1500 ft of climbing over 12 miles.  By this point in the race, the legs are tired, so the climb feels more difficult than Richter Pass.  The good news is that the road is lined with fans cheering you on, a la Tour de France.  The energy of the spectators will get you over the top.  The reward is another long fast downhill stretch into Penticton.  Time to prep for the marathon!

T2  10:17

Again I don't recall what took me so long.  I changed into my run outfit.  I applied sunblock.  I used the Port-a Potty briefly.

Run:  4:52:55

This a single out and back to Okanagan Falls.  I ran great during the first 13 miles.  I caught up with one of my coaches on the run and we kept pace to the turnaround.  I hit the special needs and ate another bag of salty chips, a Gu gel, Honey Stinger waffle.  Unfortunately Coach decided to stay near this turnaround to run and encourage other Ironteam members as they came by later in the day and night.  So I was left to run the remainder of the marathon on my own.  At this point, I started to suffer from GI distress.  I felt very gassy and eventually had to hit the Port-a Potty.  I didn't feel like eating or drinking so that started to impact me as well.  Severe fatigue hit and I started to feel dizzy.  In analyzing what happened, I think I came off the bike in good shape.  I didn't feel like drinking more Ironman Perform, since I had been drinking that on the bike.  So I had taken water and Pepsi during the run.  I also ate watermelon from the aid stations.  ( cleanliness?)  So I think I probably suffered from hyponatremia and possibly some sort of GI malabsorption.  This led to one of my slower marathon times.  I ended up taking longer and longer walk to run ratios.  I initially walked the aid stations only.  Then I started walking up hills and every aid station.  Eventually I walked up hills, sometimes, downhill, and about every half mile.  At mile 24 or so, I ran into my head coach, who asked me how I was doing.  I said, "Not good."  He encouraged me and said it's all downhill to the finish.  Unfortunately as I approached the finish line along the lake side, the IM run course takes a left turn and you have to run an out and back.  Running away from the finish was psychologically painful.  A bystander encouraged me and said if I hurry, I will come in under 13 hours.  Eventually I reached the turn-around and ran back and over the finish line!  Mission accomplished.  I gave a military salute as I crossed the finish line.

Total time: 12:57:39

Final thoughts:

1) Great course.  Great fan support.  I would have loved to return to Penticton for a future Ironman.
2) I loved my Team in Training Ironteam experience.  Great coaches, mentors, and teammates.  I raised over $6000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  I will return for another season with Ironteam in 2013.
3) I need to fine-tune my nutrition.  I probably need to eat more on the bike, because I have a hard time with my digestion during the run. I probably need to force myself to keep drinking the electrolytes / Perform drink and avoid Pepsi.  ( I had a similar GI problem during Full Vineman in 2011).
4) Finally, I am now 3 years after ACL reconstruction.  My ACL has been fine.  I am running well.  I still get more soreness in my Right ( repaired) knee.  I missed my knee checkup with my Ortho surgeon, since I was so busy over the summer.  I still have IM #7 and #8 coming up in November, as well as my Fall and Winter marathons.  I will probably check my knees in the Spring.

Ironman # 5 Coeur D'Alene

Race Report:

I am training for IM Canada this year, so CDA was a training race.  It will be my main race for 2013, so it was also a good scouting mission for CDA 2013.  Since I'm in the midst of Ironman training, I did not taper for CDA, so my slower times probably are a factor of that and the windy, choppy conditions during the swim and bike.

Coeur D'Alene is beautiful.  I felt like I was in a National Park.  The lake looked very peaceful and serene.  I checked the water a few days before race day and it seemed cold, but tolerable.  The town is small, but has nice restaurants, bars, and cafes.  The surrounding roads and countryside are bicyclist and runner friendly.  The town seems to really support Ironman athletes.  The weather was warm, but not too hot.  We did have thunderstorms rolling through the days leading up to race day.  Perhaps because of the storms, it seemed a bit humid, but definitely not as bad as Louisville.

Race Day:

Swim: 1:54:34

This was the toughest part of the day for me.  I had been slacking off on my practice swims, concentrating on cycling and running instead.  I got a few ocean swims in, so I thought I was prepared for a nice pleasant lake swim.  I did not take into account very cold and choppy water conditions.  I started off to the far right side of the course and towards the back of the pack.  That was appropriate for me since I know I am a slower swimmer ( usually around 1:30 for 2.4 miles)  The cold water shock hit me and the mass start caused an initial "stressful" situation.  The good news is that I was able to gather myself and not panic.  It got better after the first quarter mile.  The first loop of this 2 loop swim went well.  The chop did not seem bad during this first loop.  It was frustrating though as I came on to the beach, that a few swimmers were turning to the right, towards T1 since they had finished 2 loops already!

Loop 2.  Cold and Colder.  The problem with being a slow swimmer in cold water is the negative feedback loop you get into.  The slower you are, the more time in the cold water and the colder you get as your core temp starts to drop.  The more your core temp drops, the slower your neurons fire which will slow down your mentation, your reflexes, and your muscular movements.  This leads to even slower swimming, leading to more time in the cold water and further drops in core temp....
Throw in the wind and the chop and now things get really challenging.  The chop makes it more difficult to site and see buoys.  It makes it difficult to breathe.  I swallowed quite a bit of water.  I found myself altering my stroke and raising my head out of the water in order to breathe and in order to site.  All this makes for a very slow 2nd loop.  By the time I got out of the water and into T1, my fingers were numb and I had difficulty putting on my bike gear.  This led to a 10 min T1.

Bike: 6:43:24

After getting on the bike, I still felt cold and had difficulty taking deep breaths.  I might have gotten some water in my lungs.  I didn't feel very well, but I hoped things will improve.  You go through the town of CDA and then an out and back along the lakeshore ( which also happens to be the run course).  There are a few rolling hills on the out and back. This first part you just get into your cycling rhythm and start taking in some hydration.  You go through CDA again and then you hit US 95 around mile 15.  Now it's time to get to work on this long out and back on US 95. You have a significant climb around mile 17-19 and another one at mile 23-26, but they were manageable.  Then several more rolling hills until the turnaround around mile 36.  The way out we had a significant headwind that made for tough climbing.  The good news is that it made the return trip to CDA easier and faster.  The weather was still cool during this first bike loop.  I enjoyed riding through some beautiful country.  Back into CDA there was a lot of cheering crowds and excitement.  Then it was time for the out and back along the lakeshore into Special Needs.  I sat down and ate some chips and nuts.  Took in a Gatorade G1 and some FRS.  Then it was back in the saddle again.  Go through CDA and back to US 95 for the second loop.  This time the climbs seemed much harder.  The sun was coming out and it was getting warmer as well.  You're hitting the hills at around mile 76-78 and 81-84.  Turnaround around mile 91 and I forgot to mention this during the first loop, but you hit the hills from the other side on the way back into CDA.  So you get one last big climb around mile 101-104.  Then it's a fast downhill into CDA.  Unfortunately there is a narrow section where you have to bike on the shoulder of the road and it is a no passing zone!
I felt great and had a lot of energy going into T2.  Spent 5 min and then it was time to run.

Run: 4:48:00

The run was very scenic and had a lot of crowd support.  The aid stations were well staffed and supplied.  I enjoyed the run very much and it is my favorite Ironman marathon so far.  The temp was in the low to mid 70's by now.  I tried to run in the shade whenever possible.  I used water at the aid stations to cool down.  One bad thing was they ran out of sponges very quickly.  I got a sponge at the first aid station, but all the subsequent stations ran out.  I was fine until mile 4, just the usual legs of "brick" sensation.  Around mile 4 a significant incline / uphill section begins.  At this point I had pain at the base of my right 5th toe with every step I took.  Even walking was painful.  I was sure I had a blister, but I did not want to stop.  I took more walk breaks and tried to put less pressure on my right foot by altering my gait.  I also prayed the rosary.  This has been something I do during my marathons and prior Ironman races.  It usually helps me ignore pain and discomfort and distracts me from the monotony of running "endless" miles.  It took a while, but it worked.  My foot pain was gone by mile 12.  I was actually able to start running again, and walking just the aid stations and the steep inclines.  The run course is 2 loops, with special needs around mile 13.  I again had chips, Gatorade G1, FRS, and Peanut Butter GU.  I ran a negative split during this 2nd loop.  The last 4 miles I imagined running with my daughter who is on her High School XC and Track team.  If anyone overheard me talking to my imaginary running partner during those last 4 miles they might have thought I had heat stroke.  But I ran the fastest last 4 miles ever for any of my marathons... easily 8 min/miles.  I finished the Ironman on an emotional and physical high.  Not bad considering the day started with a "crappy" swim.  I checked my feet after the race and to my surprise they were fine... no blisters!

Finish: 13:41:40

Overall I am satisfied with my effort considering the challenges I faced and the fact that this race was just a long training day.  I am looking forward to tackling CDA again in 2013.

As an aside I just heard about the competitor that died from the IM CDA swim.  My condolences to his family.  Ironman is never easy and the swim was very challenging.  I train in the Pacific Ocean and deal with waves and surf.  I have swam Alcatraz twice.  This CDA swim reminded me of the cold waters of Alcatraz.

Half Fanatic: PV, Portland, and Laguna Hills

3 Half Marathons the last 2 weekends...  in addition to 100 mile bike ride along PCH between Santa Monica and Camarillo and Tower 26 ocean swims...definitely has kept me busy.
Running is going well.  I feel fast although legs do feel a bit tired from all the Ironman training.  My cycling is not to the level I want to be at, but I still have a few months until my main event at Ironman Canada.  ( of course, I will also compete at Ironman Coeur D'Alene in 3 weeks, but that will be just another long training day.)
Swim is good.  I feel comfortable in open water, even in the ocean and dealing with waves...However, I am not a fast swimmer, but I know I can get by.  My focus during the swim will be to get from the swim start to the swim finish at a sustainable pace that will preserve energy for the 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile run.

My Post ACL reconstructed right knee is a bit sore from all the running.  Palos Verdes was hilly, Portland was very hilly, and Laguna Hills had some hills as well.  Throw in the Big Sur Marathon last month and I guess knee soreness is to be expected.  I've even had to take some NSAIDs and also Glucosamine and Chondroitin. I am also a big proponent of massage and that definitely helps with recovery after these tough races and workouts.

As for the 3 races, PV is my home course.  I love the ocean views and the beautiful homes; one of them is mine!  In fact, I ran to and from home to the race start/ finish at Terranea resort.  I ended up running 17 miles, jumping in the shower, and going to the airport for my flight to Portland.  Portland was nice.  I enjoy the city and the people.  It reminds me a lot of San Francisco, my old "hometown".  I ran Portland Half on Sunday morning and had Dim-Sum and shopped at Powell bookstore and visited the Chinese garden before returning to LA.  The Portland course was hilly.  It rained towards the latter part of the race, but at least the temp was cool and very comfortable for running.  I enjoyed it and missed a PR by about a minute.  Perhaps if I didn't run PV the day before, I would have set a PR.  Finally this past Memorial Day, I ran Laguna Hills.  The race raises funds for the Marine Corps Dark Horse Battalion and their 3/5 Battalion Support Committee.  People carried American flags.  There were plenty of Marines and their family members running the race.  It was a race that made me proud to be an American, running in the "Land of the Free".  I was about 2 minutes slower than Portland, but not bad considering that I biked 100 miles on Saturday.

This coming Sunday I will be running Rock n Roll San Diego Marathon, site of my first marathon and also site of my 3rd Place marathon relay finish in the Men's division.

Marathons and More...with Ironman Oceanside

Marathons and more Marathons, with Ironman training thrown in, that has been the story of my 2012 year so far.  I started off with Houston Marathon and Miami Marathon in January.  It was fun to be part of the US Olympic Marathon Trials.  Cool weather.  Then Miami was warm and humid.  I was drenched in sweat and the sun hadn't even risen yet.  But I loved the run, the crowd support, and the international flavor of this race with runners from Europe, Latin America, South America, and the US.  After that February was the Surf City Marathon where I just missed a PR.  I ran the Rock n Roll Pasadena Half Marathon that month and set a half-marathon PR.  Yay!!!  March was especially busy...Rock n Roll New Orleans, followed by LA Marathon, and finishing off with Ironman Oceanside 70.3

My swim at Oceanside sucked.  I got disoriented from the waves at the turnaround buoy and ended up off course, adding several minutes to my swim.  I had a nice bike ride and my run was great.  All in all,  pretty good for a tune-up race.

April has been more focused Ironman training with the Ironteam.  Last weekend I rode 100 miles from Anaheim to La Jolla / San Diego. I ran a quick 4 miles off the bike and then Ironteam took the train back to LA.  Sunday was a 1.2 mile ocean swim from Tower 26.  This was followed by a Sunday "taper" run.  Taper because I am running in beautiful Big Sur this weekend.  See Pics above.  I ran the full in 2007, the relay on a torn ACL and MCL in 2009, and return in 2012 for the relay.  I will post more after the event.

Ironman #4: IM Florida

Wow, it's been an action-packed 2+ months since IM Louisville 2011.  I had some post-race withdrawal symptoms.  I didn't want to swim.  I didn't want to bike.  I only ran for fun.  ( That's OK after 9 months of training with Ironteam.)  I competed in Malibu Olympic distance Tri and L.A. Tri Olympic distance in September.  I actually enjoyed swimming in the Pacific Ocean.  I have to thank my Ironteam Coaches: Brad and Rob for getting me comfortable in the Ocean and dealing with waves.  I've come a long way from my first Tri at Desert International Distance Tri in 2009.  During that race, I had a panic attack and almost quit, but managed to finish the swim by swimming from one surfboard to the next.
October was Ironman World Championships in Kona!  I was an Iron Doc once again working the medical Van.  Race day was preceded by a week of Sports Medicine lectures at the Ironman Medical Conference.  I spent half the day in lecture and the other part of the day running on Alii Drive and biking the Queen K.  Oh yeah, I bought a new Trek Speed Concept 7.5 while I was in Kona!  Sweet ride.  I picked up an LG Aero helmet as well.  Race day was capped off by cheering on the last Finishers at midnight.  It was great to take a pic with a very happy World Champion as she greeted the last few Finishers.

After Kona, I ran the Columbus marathon where I came within a few minutes of my PR.  A couple weeks later, I got a PR at the RnR L.A. Half Marathon.  I cycled in between all that running.  ( Skipping the swim workouts.)

This led up to IM Florida in Panana City Beach.  I arrived a few days early to get settled in.  I swam in the Gulf of Mexico a couple days before the race, which basically was my first swim since Kona.  Went through the ritual of preparing all the bags and checking them in along with my bike.  Got a couple pre-race massages and just tried to relax.

Race day: Swim 1:30:56
A beautiful dawn led to a beautiful swim.  The waves were calm.  Although 2500+ athletes swimming and jockeying for position made for a whirlpool effect.  I had a great first lap considering that I'm a slow swimmer (40 min), but fatigued a bit during my second ( 50 min ).  IMFL is a beach start, and what makes it interesting is that after the 1st lap of this 2 loop swim, you get out of the water and run on the beach before re-entering for the second lap.  One good aspect of this is that you can get water / Ironman Perform between the 2 loops.  Now for the downside of the Gulf of Mexico swim.  Jellyfish Stings!  Yep, I got stung a couple times... a minor one in the Right armpit area and a major one on the Right forearm a few minutes after the first.  This happened during the second lap.  I didn't notice many jellyfish on the first lap, but they were abundant during the second.  Maybe we woke them up.  Anyhow, I just tried to stay calm, ignore the pain, and finish the swim.  After the swim, I went through transition and got my bike.  I just ignored the stinging sensation in my right arm.  Next time, I will wear a full wetsuit, instead of my sleeveless one.

Bike 6:05:53
A very nice bike ride.  IMFL is a very flat one-loop course.  This means lots of time in the aero position.  I wasn't use to this, since I train on hilly terrain and usually spend only about 50% of the time in aero.  I paid the price in terms of a sore neck and back.  My hamstrings were also more sore than my previous Ironman races.  I rode my old reliable Cervelo road bike since that has carried me through 3 previous Ironman races.  I'm not accustomed to my new Trek Speed Concept yet, so I will unleash the Speed Concept in 2012.  The only other difficulty with this course was the wind.  Strong winds made for a tough ride.  But Ironman is suppose to be challenging, right?

Run 4:49:26
A pleasant run, but rather boring.  IMFL is a 2 loop run through mostly residential neighborhoods.  There is some nice fan support in certain areas, but pretty desolate in others.  The volunteers were wonderful of course.  Since, I was doing IMFL without Ironteam and my family couldn't come out because of work / school, I really appreciated the random fans who cheered my name which they picked out from my Bib.  The most memorable cheer was from a woman who called my name and said "You have a nice Butt!" The run started in the afternoon with Temp of about 70, but finished in the evening with Temp of about 60.  I know I can run faster, but I felt fatigued during the run.  Perhaps running a marathon and a half marathon at PR pace in the weeks leading up to Ironman wasn't a great idea.  Not exactly the taper the Coaches would recommend.  But perhaps also the fatigue had a strong mental component.  I ran my previous Ironmans with Team in Training.  I had Coaches and Teammates to support me on the course during the race.  I had thoughts of Honored Teammates and Patients whose battles with Leukemia and Lymphoma had inspired me to undertake the challenge of the Ironman.  In Florida, I was racing for myself, for a PR.  Perhaps that was it, Inspiration was lacking and my Will faltered.

Total: 12:44:42  PR
I ran across the finish line and the announcer called my name and said:  " He is a Doctor!"  ( Instead of the "You are an Ironman.")  I found that amusing.  I sat down, had some pizza then quickly got my bags and bike.  Dropped off the bike at TriBike Transport and then headed back to the hotel for a warm shower and a TV to catch up on College Football.  Ironman #4 was in the books.

Now a new season of Ironteam 2012 begins.  I will be fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society while training with Ironteam.  Here are my "Ironman" races for 2012:

Ironman 70.3 California 3-31-12
IM CDA 6-24-12
IM Canada 8-26-12
IM FL 11-3-12
IM AZ 11-18-12

Wish me luck.

Ironman Louisville 2011

Race morning I went through my usual routine, except I didn't have a BM.  Perhaps it was getting up before 4am Eastern time ( which meant 1 am Pacific time), which made it hard for my body to adjust.  I figure I will go before race start, so I wasn't too worried yet.  I was much more careful with my pre-race meal and the preparation of my hydration.  I prepared 3 bottles of Ironman Perform drink with bottled water and refrigerated it overnight.

I headed out to transition with my Greater L.A. Ironteam and coaches.  Dropped off my bike and Special Needs bags.  The weather was mild and very pleasant.  I was very pleased.  In 2010, I was already sweating profusely walking to transition because of the heat and humidity.  This time I felt much more at ease.  Having survived 2010 under very difficult conditions, I knew that if I took the Ironman, one component at a time: I WILL DO THIS.  We walked over to the swim start, got body marked and waited in line.  This year they did not allow people to camp out overnight and hold other athletes places in line.  But since we arrived very early, around 5:30 am, we were near the front.  I tried to use the port-a-potty, but I still did not have any urge.  Later... But later they were very strict about athletes remaining in line.  Some of my teammates went right there while standing in line.  Others fled to the grass and took care of business there.  I snuck off next to some bushes and pee.  Before you know it the elites were off, and then the rest of the field.  I probably entered the water in the first 5 minutes.

Swim 1:49:43

I jumped in the water and tried to stay calm as the madness surrounded me.   I tried to stay to the right to avoid the crowd of swimmers that were swimming closer to the island on the left.  The previous year I swam to the left near the island and was constantly being hit and kicked.  This time, I got hit less, but it still happened.  At one point I kicked someone in the head and my heel stung from the impact.  I hope the swimmer was OK.  As I mentioned in my previous post, I had a recent concussion and still had some dizziness.  So I took it real easy on the swim.  I knew that the swim was the shortest part of the day.  I still had a long bike ride and a marathon ahead of me.  I finally past the island and swam out to the farthest buoy for the turnaround.  The first part was upstream, now I get to go downstream.  At the athlete's dinner, they had advised us to stay near the buoys for the strongest downstream current.  But elsewhere on the internet I had heard that the current was stronger further out, towards the middle of the river.   The prior year I took the buoy course.  So this time I decided to try further out towards the middle.
Well when I finally exited the water I felt fresh and not as tired as 2010.  But when I checked my results later I realized I was 7 minutes slower than 2010.  Again my post-concussion syndrome was partly to blame and perhaps my swim strategy was flawed.  In comparison, my 2.4 mile swim time at Vineman 4 weeks prior to Louisville was 1:21:52
I also learned afterwards that a swimmer had died from cardiac arrest that morning in the water.  One of my Ironteammates was directly affected since she came upon the swimmer floating under the water and was involved in the rescue attempt.  Unfortunately that swimmer died. ( My teammate completed the swim and bike, but was pulled at mile 20 of the marathon course. )  My coaches were worried since I was the last swimmer from my L.A. Ironteam to exit the water.  With my recent concussion and the increased number of rescue boats that were out on the water after that mornings death, they had feared that I had encountered a medical problem.  They were so relieved to see me exit the swim.

T1 10:14

Although I felt fine.  I still took my time in T1.  I didn't want to forget anything important before embarking on a 112 mile bike ride.  I also hit the port-a-potty for a pee.

Bike 6:21:00

This is where I made some real progress.  I tried to keep a steady pace and slowly passed my teammates one by one.  The weather cooperated and it was quite cool and pleasant during the first couple hours of the bike.  But slowly it warmed up.  I tried to stay cool  by drinking water and also dumping water on my arm coolers and over my helmet at each water station.  At special needs I had a nice snack of BBQ potato chips. I took a salt tablet every couple hours.  I also took Motrin twice during the course of the bike ride.  Clif Shot Bloks, PowerBar Gel Blasts, and a Tiger's Milk Bar, along with the Ironman Perform drink made up my nutrition on the bike. Unlike Vineman, I did not have any GI issues on the bike.

The best part was that the last 40 miles or so, I felt strong and was picking up speed while those around me were slowing down.  It was a great psychological lift to zip past a bunch of cyclists at that point of the race.  Special props to the Team in Training Cheer Squad that was out in force to cheer the competitors on.  Perhaps I will post some pictures at a later date, but you can check out pictures at the Greater L.A. Ironteam Facebook page as well.

T2 7:51

I was 3 minutes faster than 2010, but in 2010 I came in from the bike exhasted from the heat and humidity. This time I felt ready to run a marathon.  I hit the port-a-potty for a quick pee.

Run 4:48:54

I started off at a 9 min / mile pace and then eased into a 10 min / mile pace for the first 13.1 miles.  But then the GI issue propped up.  I felt gassy and started looking for an unoccupied port-a-potty.  I finally came across one around mile 14 and finally had a BM (it was a little loose).  My Run Split will show that from mile 13.1 to mile 15.33, I was running a 15 min / mile pace.  In reality,  I spent at least 5 minutes in the Port-a-Potty and then ran a 11 min / mile pace. I believe I also hit the Run Special Needs during this run split and had a half-bag of Hot-Wings flavored potato chips, a Motrin, and changed my socks as well.

The rest of the run, the leg fatigue started to hit and I ran 11:30 min / mile pace.  During the run, I drank mostly water and cola, because I was sick of the Ironman Perform drink.  I ate some grapes, but did not think that I could tolerate anything more substantial.  Towards the end I was getting light-headed and dizzy, I knew that I could be dehydrated and low on sodium as well.  So I started to drink chicken soup and I drank an entire bottle of Ironman Perform.  I did feel better after rehydrating on the Perform drink.

A highlight of the run was seeing my teammates multiple times throughout the out and back 2 loop course.  Their smiles lifted my spirits.  I was reminded that even though I was suffering, I needed to enjoy the moment.  I was reminded about my Honored Teammates who have had to overcome Cancer.  They have had to fight something more serious and go through more suffering than an Ironman Triathlon.  I thought about my family and friends who have supported me on this Ironman journey.  These thoughts carried me home to the Finish line on Fourth Street Live.  This time I heard my name called out: "Here comes Alexander C.  from ..... You are an Ironman."


Total Time: 13:17:42

This was 46 minutes better than Louisville 2010.  Just like 2010, I was the second finisher from my L.A. Ironteam.  I greeted Amy from L.A. Ironteam who was working as a finishline volunteer.  I then saw Rachel our campaign manager and thanked her.  I went back to the hotel to shower and then hit the convention center for some pizza and to pick up my morning clothes bag.  I returned to the finishline to cheer my teammates as they in turn finished their Ironman races.  The last 45 minutes I joined the crowd that was giving high-fives to the final finishers of the day.  It was a wild scene, especially when one of my Ironteammate approached the finishline just as the clock struck 17 hours:00:00.  The coaches were jumping up and down urging her to sprint for her Ironman Life.  When she crossed the finishline a few seconds after 17 hours, a hush momentarily fell over the crowd.  Then the announcer said that because of the delay of the swim during the rescue attempt that morning, the race end time has been extended for 10 more minutes.  The crowd erupted, my teammate was an official Ironman Finisher!

Although this is not the most technical Ironman Race Report, this is what struck me as the important moments of my race day.

Special props to my Coaches who were there to support me not only on race day, but throughout this whole long training season.  I couldn't have completed 2 Full Ironmans and 1 Half Ironman in 6 weeks without their coaching and advice.  ( Throw in a concussion and Post-concussion syndrome in there as well between the 2 Full Ironmans just to add to the degree of difficulty.)

Post Concussion Syndrome to Ironman Louisville 2011

Well I'm now a 3 time Ironman Finisher.
This latest one may have been the toughest because of questions regarding my health going into Ironman Louisville.  My full race report will follow in about a week.  But this post will describe the events leading up to race day.

As you may recall or you can read from my last post, I finished Full Vineman Ironman Distance Tri on July 30.  A week later I attended my cousin's wedding in San Diego.  That's when my problem started.  Well perhaps it started the day before the wedding.  The week after Vineman Ironman, I was tired physically and mentally.  Remember I had also competed in Vineman 70.3, 2 weeks earlier.  My swim that week was crappy.  I cut the runs short to recuperate from the 26.2 miles I had just ran.  That weekend's workout called for a 5:3 Brick!  Well Coach gave me a break and told me 3:1 was OK.  So the day before the wedding, I did a 4:1.  ( I felt 3:1 was too short, Ha Ha...)  It was hot...

Perhaps I did not recuperate fully before driving out to San Diego early the next morning.  It was an outdoor wedding.  The day was already getting hot.  When we arrived, the guests were standing in the shade fanning themselves with the fans given out as wedding favors.  Well time for the ceremony, time to sit under the hot sun... I was so glad when the ceremony was over and it was time to move indoors for the open bar.  I "rehydrated" on Rum and Cokes.  I believe I had 3 drinks.  Then it was time for lunch and a glass of wine.  In between the Rum and Cokes and the wine, my sister ordered me a Bloody Mary and I had about half of that drink as well.  Well after the main course and before dessert and the wedding cake, I decided to use the restroom.  I remember using the urinal and then the next thing I know I'm looking up at an unfamiliar ceiling with a pain in the back of my head.  It took me a few seconds to realize I was on the floor of the Men's restroom and that I had passed out.  I somehow managed to get up.  ( Perhaps somebody helped me, but I don't recall that.)  I remember washing my hands and then making it out to a sofa and apparently I "passed out" or fell asleep.

Well to make a long story short, I was escorted back to the hotel and took a nap.  I missed the evening dinner and reception.  The next day, I woke up with a headache.  I tried to workout at the hotel treadmill, but running made the headache worse.  I decided to swim a few laps and that was tolerable.  The headache got worse as the day progress and I bought some Tylenol and took a few.  Well apparently I got a concussion and as the days went by my symptoms included dizziness, vertigo, headache, light sensitivity.  I couldn't go to work all that week.  In fact I laid in bed under a pillow to cover the light.  I couldn't read, watch TV, or surf the internet because any mental activity worsened the headache.  Even most music aggravated the headache.  I could only tolerate mellow music and some classical music.

I got checked out a few days later in the ER.  My head CT was fine.  I had Post Concussion Syndrome.  My main concern at that point was when can I return to my Ironman training / workouts.  The answer was when my symptoms go away, but how long they will last was a big question mark.  I started to worry that Ironman Louisville was in jeopardy.  I informed my Coaches and they all wanted me to back off and take my time.  Don't rush it.  Apparently returning to strenuous activity too soon after a concussion can prolong the Post Concussion syndrome.  What's worse than that was the fact that if I had a second concussion immediately after a recent concussion, I could suffer from severe brain swelling which could lead to "DEATH".

Well this is what I was dealing with as I headed into Ironman Louisville.  My initial goal was to PR, but I modified it to just "Survival".  If I can get in a 2 hour swim,  8 hour bike,  6 hour marathon, I would be happy.  Over the next 3 weeks leading up to race day, my symptoms did improve.  I got in a few bike rides, a few open water swims, and a few runs.  Running and swimming were the last activities to come back.  Initially running really jarred the brain too much and made the headache worse.  And I was afraid of getting into trouble during the swim, so I took my time with that as well.  I probably lost some fitness, but since this was taper time, I figured my body needed the rest.  When I departed for Louisville on Thursday August 25, I was 99% better.  I still had occasional headache and dizziness, especially when I went from a supine or lying down position to a sitting or standing position.  When I did that I found that if I closed my eyes for a few seconds the dizziness subsided.  The flight did worsen the headache slightly and I took some Tylenol and Motrin.  I figured I will take some during the race as well.

My final dilemma as I picked up my race packet at the Expo, was whether or not to list Post Concussion Syndrome on the medical release forms.  I decided not to.  I knew that no medical professional would jeopardize his medical license and clear a participant with Post Concussion Syndrome for one of the most physically strenuous endurance events in the world, the Ironman Triathlon. I was taking a risk by competing in Ironman so soon after a concussion, but this was like the Superbowl or the Conference Championship game, I couldn't miss it.  

Stay tuned for the Race Report.

Vineman Ironman Triathlon

Several weeks have passed since I completed Ironman #2: the Full Vineman.  This race was marked by major GI distress on the second loop of the bike course and during the marathon.  Here is what happened: 


I went to a Chinese restaurant in Santa Rosa with my family on Friday night.  I woke up early Saturday at 3am and had a normal bowel movement.  I drank about 20 oz Zico coconut water.  Had a couple bananas, one FRS energy chew, and a Hawaiian bread roll.  ( I was fine with this for Vineman 70.3)
I got ice from the ice machine and mixed it with bottled water and my usual Cytomax powder. ( ? ice is not my usual routine, but I did not have a fridge and I was expecting a warm / hot day)
Pre-swim I had Gatorade G1 and my usual energy bar, along with about 4 oz gatorade at T1 aid station.
I used the Port-a-Potty and had a soft BM ( not diarrhea) ( no soap / hand sanitizer  ? contamination)

Swim 1:21:52 which is a great swim time for me since I'm not a very good swimmer.  No GI issues. ( ? Swallowed a little river water)

T1 8:14

Bike 6:20:24  which is a pretty good ride, but considering that my first 56 mile loop was just under 3 hours, the second loop was slower than I would have preferred.
I was feeling good to great through the first bike loop.  Then on my second loop I started to feel very "gassy" and whenever I got into the Aero position, I felt abdominal pressure and the sensation that I wanted to have a bowel movement.  So not being Aero and the fatigued legs probably contributed to the slower 2nd loop on the bike.  I just tried to suck it up until I could hit the Port-a-Pottie in T2.
I had 2 bottles of Cytomax and 1 of Gatorade from the aid station, along with 1 pack Clif Shot Blok Margarita flavor and 1 or 2 energy bars during the first loop.  I also took 1 salt tablet around hour 3.
Second loop I had 1 bottle of Cytomax, 1 bottle of water, 1 bottle of Monster Maize which I took in last 45 minutes of ride.  I had 1 pack Clif Shot Blok Margarita, 1 pack Shot Blok Tropical Punch, 1 pack Power-bar gel blasts, and 1 salt tablet around hour 6.

T2 6:43  I had a slow T2 because I had to use the Port-a-Pottie and as I had feared it was diarrhea.  I couldn't eliminate completely because I wanted to get out of T2 ASAP.  ( Again no soap / no sanitizer)

Run 4:49:58 which is not good for me, since running is my strength.

  

I started the marathon and the first 9 miles I was OK, although I felt gassy and I could hear the fluid sloshing around in my bowels.  I wanted to "fart" but was afraid I would have a diarrhea accident, so I tried to hold the gas in, which led to cramping and a lot of abdominal discomfort.  I didn't drink or eat as much because I didn't want to contribute to the "gassy", fullness sensation.  I skipped the first couple aid stations and then had a small cup of cola or water at the other aid stations.  I carried a pack of Powerbar Gel Blasts and I ate them sometime during the first or second run loop.  

As I passed the port-a-potty at each aid station, I debated whether to stop or not, I ended up holding it in until the bitter end.
I ended up alternating between walking and jogging.  By mile 16, I hit the "wall", I felt behind in my hydration and nutrition, but didn't think my GI system could handle anything.  But I forced myself to drink some Gatorade and water and I started eating grapes at the aid station.  ( I stopped the cola because I thought it might be making the gassiness worse) 
I had to "slow down" and walk, so that hopefully I could recover and go faster in the end.  By this point I had gone over 130 miles and been out for over 11 hours, quitting was not an option.  

Fortunately this worked.  By mile 20, I was able to pick up my pace and start run / jog again.  
After 12:47:11, I became an Ironman ( for 2nd time and set a PR)  

Post-race I had diarrhea.  I was able to tolerate some soup, but I couldn't even look at solid food without causing some GI discomfort.  (This is very different from IM Louisville, where I was so hungry after the Ironman that I ate 3 or 4 slices of pizza and a sandwich shortly after the race and then after the L'ville course closed I went out and had drinks and more food at a 4th Street Live restaurant.)

I returned to cheer on my Ironteammates until past 10pm, but due to additional GI distress, I returned to the hotel and had several more episodes of diarrhea that night / Sunday morning.

Lessons learned: 

1) Avoid new restaurants the night before Ironman
2) carry sanitizer pre-race for Port-a-Potty
3) Avoid ice from hotel ice machine
4) Try not to drink murky river water
5) Re-examine each component of my race day nutrition and make sure they are not the culprit.

2 years after ACL Reconstruction: Vineman 70.3 PR and Full Vineman Ironman Next

Wow, so much has happened in the last month.  Training.  Racing.  Work.  Nutrition.  Sleep.  Repeat...
Vineman 70.3 was a great success.  I set a PR.  I completed my Half Ironman almost 20 minutes better than my Best Case Scenario Goal Time.  I was expecting temperature in 80s, but we had the best race conditions possible with temp in 60s and low 70s.  This allowed me to push it a little harder on the bike and still have a great half marathon time.  Now if I can only have those conditions again for my Full Vineman ( 140.6 miles) this weekend.  I am once again in taper mode this week.  I need to catch up on a few things, tie up some loose ends, and then start packing and trek up to Northern California again.  It seems like I was just there last week... Oh yeah, I was there last weekend for 70.3

Having a great time cruising up Chalk Hill.


With everything going on with Ironteam, finishing up my fundraising, and my work responsibilities, I almost forgot my 2 year anniversary of my ACL Reconstruction.  That's a good thing.  My knee use to remind me on a daily basis that I had surgery.  Now I usually don't think about my reconstructed ACL even after a Half-Ironman!  I was ready to PARTY after Vineman 70.3 and thanks to teammate Jazzy, we had a great celebratory get together that evening.
I am setting new PRs in triathlon.  Earlier this year I set a marathon PR.  I am about a minute off from my 5K PR ( and I don't run very many 5Ks since I've been training for Ironman).  So once again, my thanks to my great Orthopedic Surgeon: Dr. Raffy Mirzayan at Baldwin Park Kaiser.  Thanks again to my Physical Therapist: Nazly Behnia at South Bay Kaiser for pushing me and encouraging me during those tough months immediately after the surgery.  It was literally learning to walk again, jump again, and run again.  Tearing an ACL is never a good thing, but with the right surgical / medical team, a supportive social network, and one's own "will power" and determination, those of you about to undergo ACL reconstruction will once again be doing the things you enjoy most and resume your active lifestyle.  Good luck to all.

San Diego Ride, Piuma, and Vineman Training Weekend

The last 3 weeks have been a blur.  First was the San Diego 100 miler.  We rode from Anaheim to Del Mar and up past Torrey Pines to UCSD.  It was my first time and I enjoyed the ride especially through Camp Pendleton.  The next day, we had a nice long run and then returned to Anaheim via car or Amtrak.  I rode back up with some bikes in Louis' car.
The following week was a big Brick workout; we started in Westlake Village and rode up and down Piuma, followed by an out and back around Westlake Village.  Then it was a 12 mile run.
Finally this past weekend we drove up to Santa Rosa and had Vineman training weekend.  Saturday was the 2.4 mile swim in Guerneville river, followed by 112 mile bike ride on the actual Vineman course.  The swim was so pleasant.  I ended up with my fastest open water swim to date 1 hour 20 min.  Then after a quick T1, it was off on the 112 mile ride.  Unfortunately my legs immediately felt tired and heavy.  It took a good hour for the lead in my legs to fall off.  I then started getting into a groove, but as the day progressed, it got hotter and hotter.  By the second loop, I had to cool off at the aid stations by dumping water over my head and onto my cooling arm sleeves.  The second time up Chalk Hill was tough.  I just kept pedaling and finally, I sped back to Windsor High School for T2 and a quick 2.5 mile run.
The following day, it was back to Windsor High for a 21 mile run.  The morning was very pleasant and I enjoyed the scenery very much.  But after 10 miles, it started to get warm.  I just wanted to finish ASAP, before the day got too hot.  So I probably ended up running at marathon pace.  I finished the 21 miler in a little over 3 hours.  Not bad on tired legs!
The worst part of the weekend was the 8 hour drive back home to LA.  Sore butt, sore legs, sore back... Yikes!  I had to go to work on Monday and I felt like I was half asleep.  Tuesday after work, I ran 3 miles, but then I was too tired for my Tuesday swim; I ended up going to bed early after dinner.
Today, Wednesday, I finally feel recovered from Vineman Training Weekend.  I had a nice bike ride up and down the hills of PV.  I will hit the pool tomorrow.  Stay tuned for more training updates...

Wildflower Long Course Triathlon 2011

Team in Training evening before the race

Well another successful Wildflower Long Course Triathlon is in the books.  I managed to make slight improvements in all aspects of the race and set a new PR by beating last year's time by 26 minutes.  I probably could have shaved off 15 to 30 more minutes if it wasn't for the strong winds.  But the breeze did help cool things down a touch, so the race wasn't as hot as 2010.
The swim could have been better.  I was a little off course after the first buoy and drifted too far to the left.  Minor bumps along the way, but no major disasters.  The bike was windy and hilly.  The run hilly and warm, but I dumped water at every aid station to cool off.  The downside to dumping water is wet feet and I finished the last 10 miles with a blister on my left foot.  Ouch.  I was also wearing relatively new shoes.  I got the New Balance Minimus Trail shoe 2 weeks earlier and ran 7 miles the week before.  Perhaps that also contributed to the blister.  I know, I know... Nothing new on race day...

 Now more training... for Ironman 2, 3, and 4


Cooling down at the Finishline

Ironteam Finishline

New Balance Minimus ( mine is the large foot)

Desert Triathlon: Shattering a PR

Well I'm finally getting a hang of this Triathlon business.  My goal heading into the Desert International Distance Triathlon this past Sunday was to beat my previous year's time by 20 minutes.  I've been improving my swim and my cycling, and another year of rehab and conditioning from my ACL reconstruction should lead to a faster run.  So my goal was realistic.  Now I just had to go out and grab the "bull by the horns."

Ironteam had a 3.5 hr+ swim, bike, run workout in Long Beach on Saturday.  Then a mad dash to La Quinta for the packet pickup and practice swim.  After a nice team dinner at Yardhouse, it was time for bed.  Hard to sleep, I tossed and turned and woke up several times during the night.  The AC was noisy.  Before I knew it, it was time to get up and go through my race day ritual.

Ironteammate Louis and I arrived at the Lake and we set up our transition.  Then it was time to decompress the mind and the bowels... A quick warmup swim and then it was time to line up with my wave.  Our wave started and I waited a good 15 to 20 seconds to let the ultra competitive swimmers out first.  Then I jumped in and just tried to swim at a pace that I knew I could sustain.  Sighting to the first buoy was tough due to the sun, but eventually I reached it.  The return was much easier, although more crowded since I was catching up with the slower swimmers from the previous wave and the fastest swimmers from the wave behind me were starting to catch up.  I got out of the water and started to jog and get out of my wetsuit.  I felt good heading into transition.
No major hangups at T1.

The Bike went well.  2 loops.  I passed a lot of people, although quite a few in their disk wheels passed me as well.  The only hitch was that at the turnoff between the first and second loop, I got a little confused since it was a new bike course this year.  I saw cones that guided the turn towards the Right, so I started to slow down to make the Right turn.  Then I noticed that some of the cyclist in front of me kept going straight.  After a slight hesitation, I figured I better keep going straight.  Right choice.  One of my Ironteammates was DQ for skipping the 2nd bike loop.  I finished strong heading into T2.

T2 was going smoothly and I took off on my run feeling good.  Then I realized I didn't have my racebelt on.  I had to go back and get my racebelt, because I didn't want to risk DQ.  Probably wasted a minute, but the worse thing was when I started running again, I felt slow.  I couldn't pick up my pace.  I felt like I was jogging.  My stomach also was very gassy.  I had taken 2 bottles of carbs, a PowerBar, and a packet of PowerBar Gel chews on the bike.  Now my stomach was sloshing around during the first loop of the run course.  I realized that I was now a few minutes behind the pace I needed to beat last year's time by 20 minutes.  I saw Coach Brad at the end of the first loop and he asked me how it was going.  I told him not too good and that I was behind schedule.  He told me that was OK and to go out and see what I can do on the second loop.  That somehow motivated me and gave me the encouragement to try my best even if I fall a little short of my goal.  I started to run and pick off runners in front of me one by one.  I noticed that no one was passing me on the run.  Perhaps all the faster runners had already finished.  In hindsight, I was probably throwing down some 7 minute-miles.  I finished strong with no idea if I accomplished my goal.  I knew I had a PR, but did I PR by 20 minutes.  I felt like I just might have, but it was going to be close.  The minute I wasted in T2 bothered me. 

I cooled down at the finish by dumping a couple water bottles down my head.  It was 80 degrees during the run.  Then I hung out with my Ironteammates.  Later when they posted the results, I was surprised to learn that I had PR and beaten last year's time by almost 24 minutes!  It was a great weekend...

Malibu Brick: 60 mile bike : 4.5 mile run

Well definitely the intensity and duration has increased with my Ironman training.  Last Saturday I had a nice 60 mile bike: 4.5 mile run along the Malibu PCH coastline.  A few Category 5 hills thrown in for good measure.  The Pepperdine University hill was a beast.  Then when I try to coast, mentors and coaches were there to push me on, "ATTACK.  ATTACK."  After 3 strenous hours on the bike, it was time for the run.  Run up another steep hill and then run back.  Great...

My reward was the compliments I received from my coaches for being the only one on the team to complete the entire 60 mile : 4.5 mile brick workout.  I definitely felt good about a job well done.

The next day I was in L.A. Chinatown for the Firecracker 5K and 10K.  Yep, I ran both.  The weekend before I ran the Redondo Beach Superbowl 5K and 10K.  I almost PR at Redondo Beach which was basically a flat course.  The Firecracker was a different beast...Uphill to Dodger Stadium for the 5K and Up Elysian Park over and above Dodger Stadium for the 10K.  Running downhill was exciting, but a strain on the knees and the quads.  I ran well for the 5K, but fatigued a bit during the 10K.  I blame it on the previous day's strenous Brick workout.

I ran into Ironteammate Louis at the race.  And Ironteammate Holly baked me a couple nice Valentine's cakes for her fundraising.  Finally a nice Dim Sum meal made the day complete.