I'll go ahead and throw the weekly wrap-up and race report together, since being a "B" race, the weeks training was focused on recovery before the race.
I was definitely ready for a break after that brutal training week and a solid 4 weeks training block following Kansas. I probably should have taken more time off after Kansas, but I'll make up for it with 2 weeks of mostly lighter workouts.
Lets' get to it! WARNING >>>>SUPER LONG!!!!
Lake Geode Challenge 2014 -
Pre-race
Go up around 4:30AM. My usually morning routine as though I was training. I had my biek and everything packed the day before. the challenge was getting the family out of the house, but they did great and 5:15 I scooped my daughter out of bed and plopped her in the car and we were off. Transition closes as 7:05 and I like to have a solid 60 minutes to set-up relax, warm-up a little and make sure I didn't miss anything. If there's an issues, I proved at Kansas that you can set-up 2 transitions in about 25 minutes if needed using the bike as transportation between Parking, T1 & T2. It was really humid, so about 1/2 mile jog...or less and I was sweating good. Enough to warm the muscles to stretch them out and get rid of some nervous energy. I kept hydrated with sports drink and ate 1 gel before pre-race meeting. Then gave the family a hug and headed to the water.
Swim:
This lake is known to be warm and very green and murky. I thought it was the best conditions I've seen. 79F, 3-4F cooler than usually and nearly wetsuit legal. That's 3F cooler than I train in and it felt amazing.
They counted us down and off we went to the horn. I went out strong to get clear and found myself along side and just behind a couple fish. I made a solid effort to stay on their feet, and in hindsight should have just kept pushing as going a little harder would have paid off with the draft even if I still got dropped 500y later. Once I fade, I tend to hold at the same steady pace from there either way. I'll remember this for Steelhead and IMWI.
Otherwise I swam completely solo. leaders were well out front and I didn't sense anyone behind or beside me. I was all alone. I focused on sighting more frequently and switch to breathing on my left every 10 or 12 strokes. I PTL when breathing to the right and PTR...even more... when breathing left. Overall I stayed on course really well and felt strong, relaxed and some arm fatigue (from lack of quality swims I think) was the only thing holding me back. I felt really good. I hugged the buoys better than I even have at thsi race on the return leg and pushed a little the last couple hundred yards. I was out of the water in 4th...my best place ever exiting and shot up the hill to T1. TIME: 23:16 (a 1500M PR by ~30 seconds)
I took my time a little to stay relaxed and was a few seconds slower this year than last. But still had a solid transition time. (2nd place finisher Jeff Paul, showed his experience here and shaved 5 or 6 seconds off my in transitions).
Bike :
A hit my flying mount at the line and got 1 foot partly in but pedaled too soon and my 2nd foot didn't find the shoe. I fumbled for a moment, but got going from there and was up to speed faster than last year and into my shoes well before the first climb out of the beach area.
I held my watts around 350 on the first climb. In past year I would have been redlined over 400W I think (no power meter last year) I was breathing hard, but controlled. I pushed over the top, got up to speed and buckled my shoes. I took it easy on the first downhill corner, probably the hardest of the race because the the surface seems more unpredictable. Then up a 2nd climb and onto a flatter section of the course. We'd have a cross headwind the 1st 1/2 of the race in open exposed fields. The 2nd half would be more sheltered, so already I knew that a course record probably wasn't likely. I also found that holding over 270W was pretty hard, not like Kansas, so my legs just weren't going to be there to ride 285W NP. Plus, with the humidity, realistically my power was probably down 5-10 Watts anyway. But either way, it was still good to go for it into the wind and early on to open a gap. I didn't know how far back Jeff Paul was, but if I could stay at least 30 seconds up the road, I'd mostly be out of sight.
I caught one "Fish" pretty early on, and saw the next 2 and the police escort maybe 1/2 mile up the road. They all had road bikes with clip-ons, and really were riding a solid pace considering. Probably not too far below my wattage. Equipment and position can make such a huge difference. I suspect that my average power last year was almost the same and possibly higher. I was more rested last year, but I'm more fit this year and I think latex tubes and a slightly more refined position gave me 1/2 my improvement. I passed 2nd on the long climb before the turn West. I almost felt a little bad. I sailed past him going at least 5mph faster. I quickly caught the leader before the turn West and the race form there was over was over. It was mine to lose. I tried to hold at least a steady SST level. This is a wonderful piece of road with only a few rolling hills, but perfect pavement. It was slowed by the cross headwind, but if still mentally made you want to push.... but the legs just weren't there for big numbers and nobody to chase like last year (It's amazing the impact of swimming just 30s faster).
I made the turn South and that tail wind was like wings lifting my off the ground. I sailed past the aide station at about 32mph. Every year I wonder if they will tell them the leaders don't take hand-ups in a print race...but there they are being great helpful volunteers offering water. I stay close the the centerline to make it clear I'm rolling through. Great volunteers every year for this race!
Pretty uneventful from here. My strongest section was coming up with the down hill turn and 2nd longest climb followed by the last 6 miles of semi-technical turns and short steep rolling climbs. I hit my highest power numbers on the the hill just after the damn. I was determined not to use the small ring...and it took over 400W to accomplish that! Then the most fun turn of the course. A downhill sharp, but sweeping right (left on the return) with perfect pavement. When you nail it, you just rail around it. The volunteers are of course yelling at you to slow down... and probably freaked out there I'm still in the aerobars, intended to brake late and toss the bike in. Those few years of sportbikes on racetracks really pays off here. A 30-35mph turn like this is childs play on a motorcycle.
I carried just a single 24oz bottle and that worked pretty well. I did have swallow some air and had a some minor GI issues until I burped 1 mile from the finish. That was a huge relief. I finished my bottle from there. I looked I hit the last turn and still none meaning I had at least a 3:00 advantage. That was good since it was really heating up outside. The sun was shining too. I pulled out of my shoes and sailed down the final hill towards T2. Nice to coast for 30 seconds in the final stretch. I decided this year to throw my Garmin in my rar pocket and use it for run tracking. This worked OK. I think I won't bother next time. Seeing my time now, in hindsight I wish I would have pushed harder on the bike ...so,so close to the 1 hr mark. Just another goal for next season. Time: 1:00:24. A solid time with all of those hills and 4 turns you have to sit up and brake for. Power Numbers: 260W AP/ 271W NP 0.89VI (0.93 if FTP 5% corrected for heat???), 1.04VI... perfectly paced!
Run:
I nail the flying dismount, just barely in control... perfect.. rack the bike, but fumbled just a little with my right shoe. I didn't have foot powder as my daughter was playing with it and I grabbed a mostly empty container of baby powder instead. Oh well, stuff happens.
I headed out of T2 and with the heat picking up, elected to easy back a bit. Keep a good cadence and leg drive but keep the breathing controlled. With no competition in sight, and my legs not feeling it for a PR run split, it was conservation mode. Super easy up the hills, roll the downhills and just cruise at maybe 70.3 pace between. Overall the worked great. I didn't feel overheated, but it was certainly zapping the speed. My Athletic Induced Asthma was kicking in a bit as it has been for the lat few months when dew points are over about 60F. I hit the turn around and still didn't see anyone until at about 1 mile back. So I have 6-7 minutes. Time to cruise on home. The last 3 miles were still hard as always, as you pay a little for a solid bike split...no way around that. I kicked it a little for the last climb, no cramping (a first) just feeling the heat. Sailed the last downhill to the finish. RUN TIME: 39:07 (should have ran a little harder ot get into the 38's.) Final time 2:03:47. It's a PR...if only by 10 seconds, but I'll take it given the conditions. A well earned check and a nice confidence boost from a fast ride and great swim.
I'll post my weekly training numbers later in the week... and add my power file.
http://www.trainingpeaks.com/av/KITCM24SV632AXBNKV7EOHRLFM
Summary:
Overall great race for me. Faster than last year on the swim and bike. A solid run given the conditions. MY streak of good consistency continues. I just don't have really have bad races. Even if I'm not having a breakthrough race, I still pull out a solid effort. I saw that even at Pigman last year.
What I take away from the race, is a real boost of confidence in my swimming. At Kansas I felt I had a poor swim and poor effort overall. It's wasn't real slow, but I felt I was capable of more. Here's while I think I could have gone faster, I was relaxed, in control, sighted well and felt positive coming into T2. So while the swim isn't a strength, it's not an obstacle I was fearing before. I think a 59:xx swim is possible at IMWI, but I won't be upset with a 1:02 either. That won't end my day because this ride confirmed that I can put down solid split on a hilly course with with moderate power. I'll have to plug it into BBS and see what at 59' or 58' split would have needed in terms of power. Although, keep in mind that road surface is a lot better on this course.
Overall I'm excited more than I'm anxious about IMWI.
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