So I'm sat in front of my laptop watching the Ironman World Championship in Kona. A new feature this year is the "Kona Inspired" athlete programme. The idea is to give people with unusual stories the chance to race at Kona... these were open submissions, judged by the public. The stories have been fantastic and the people chosen really are inspirational. This year the chosen few are mostly survivors - survivors of cancers, childhood abuse, severe burns - but some are representing others, including a firefighter competing for firefighters affected by cancer, running the marathon in full firefighting gear...
These people are fantastic. They are winners before reaching the start line and I hope the short segments getting airtime give viewers a window into their cause.
Of course, this also has me reflecting on my situation. It's been a little over 3 years since I heard of uveitis and started learning first-hand about its effects. Since my first ironman nearly 4 weeks ago I've had a lot of time off work (long story) and have been really quite inactive - almost to the point of going cabin crazy! I've really been acutely aware of how my body is reacting to the increased dose of methotrexate that I've been on for a couple of months now. The main side-effect I've noticed is the nausea. Oh yes, the nausea is plentiful and was really bad for the last two weeks. There have been other ailments that have popped up, all of which can be associated with a compromised immune system. To be sure, none of it has been serious, but it's all a strain on the system physically and mentally. Sadly I noticed a little blur appearing in my left eye again today... so it looks like the methotrexate isn't doing much for my uveitis (despite giving my body a hard time).
So what's next? Well, I'm out of the country at the moment - so no access to my usual doctors. In fact, I'm not even in my home country, so I can't just walk-in somewhere and get free care. I'm going to go to a clinic in the next day or two and pay good money for some medical attention on the minor stuff (most urgently what I think might be an abscess on my left ear - ugh). Then I may have to send some email to my uveitis specialist to ask about the medication. I'm inclined to just discontinue use so I don't have to worry about side-effects any more. When I get back to the US I suspect that my medication will have to change. The next option discussed was a different immuno-suppressant called CellCept. I have more reading to do...
There is a silver lining here. I've found that the dosage of methotrexate is too high for my body to tolerate. More importantly I've found that the methotrexate isn't beating my uveitis down. Moving to a different strategy is one step closer to remission...
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Ironman Wales - 12:15:10
The Welsh dragon does indeed have a mighty roar! The organizers were billing Ironman Wales as the toughest Ironman course in the world (tougher than Lanzarote, but not the same league as Norseman) and it wasn't hard to see why. It was a hard day, not without problems, but it was ultimately rewarding and I'm happy with my results.
Pre race: my alarm was set for 4:45, but I woke up at 3 and tried to snooze until the alarm went off. Breakfast was a glass of Emergen-C, coffee, 2 slices of toast with marmalade, a bowl of corn flakes and half a Yorkie bar. Then I got my stuff ready and headed over to transition.
There was a procession from transition, through town and down to the beach. The crowds were already out in force. At high tide there's not much room on Tenby's North beach and it took some time to get everyone on the beach for the start. Time for the Welsh national anthem, followed by AC/DC’s Thunderstruck to get the heart going, and then the cannon went off to mark the start of the race.
Swim: The course layout meant that people were bunched up for the first few hundred metres with no chance to spread out at all. Then it was so congested at the first right turn buoy that we were treading water around it. Otherwise, the swim was great... Water temp 16.9°C (62.4F) and only a little wetsuit rub on the side of the neck. The 2nd lap was much easier and I felt like I could really relax into the day. Swim time: 1:07:59
T1: Transition was 1.2km from North beach. The first task was running up the beach, then up the steep zig-zagging walkway (picking up the spare shoes on the way) and jogging to transition. The transition tent was crowded and completely chaotic. It took a while to find space to get my stuff out of my transition bag and get ready for the ride. One gel here, to get the blood sugar back up. I even had a quick chat with a guy filming for TV (off-camera), then it was out the door and onto the bike leg. T1 time: 16:55
Bike: Well, this didn’t quite go according to plan. Given the circumstances I’m actually happy with the result, but the circumstances weren’t ideal. I’ll get to that though...
Wales is a two-loop course, with a total elevation gain of about 8000ft. The first loop is longer and starts out heading West into the prevailing coastal winds and turns to come back East by the town of Angle. The second loop is basically the more hilly part of the first loop, repeated. On the way to Angle I felt like I was making reasonable time and wasn’t pushing too hard. The wind was pushing me around a bit, but I was glad I had the TT bike to reduce the effect of the wind. I was riding on Zipp 404 wheels, which didn’t cause me any trouble even though I’m very light. Anyway, out near Angle I changed up to the big chainring and felt a frayed strand of cable pop out and jab me in the finger. Not good! Fast-forward to mile 62 and another change to the big ring -- SNAP!! So I swore, I stopped, I tried to work out how I could fix it. In the end all I could do was get out the multi-tool and dial the derailleur out as far as possible so that there was the least amount of chain rub, even then the rub was pretty egregious in the smaller cogs on the cassette. So, 50 miles in the small chainring... I’d lost nearly 10 minutes to roadside repairs and I couldn’t get much speed up for the remainder of the ride.
Not that the mechanical was my only problem on the bike: I did get the nutrition slightly wrong. My plan was to get 4-5 bottles of sports drink (2 on bike, 2-3 on course), but I was clearly overdoing the liquids and had to stop several times. So I started drinking less and then I obviously wasn’t getting enough calories. I started to feel quite drained and needed more solid food. Eating revived me, but my on-board stash of 1 Clif bar, 1 powerbar, 5 gels and a bag of powerbar chews really wasn’t quite enough. What I’d change? I’d use a “bento box” on the top tube with extra food in it. I’d pack more than I anticipated needing, just in case.
The highlight of the bike course for me was the last part of the second loop -- the steep hills in Wiseman’s Bridge and Saundersfoot were a joy to ride, especially in the wet on that second lap when many people were struggling. To me, those hills represented nearing the end of the ride and were a rare chance prove to myself that I was (despite the ever lengthening time on the bike) a strong enough biker for this course. Bike time: 6:55:50
T2: I wasn’t tremendously motivated for a fast transition here - I walked my bike to the rack, then I walked to the tent (jogging seemed pointless). I also had a little trouble removing my gloves and arm-warmers, which were soaking. Full-finger gloves had been a very wise last-minute choice here. Anyway, one more gel in, one into the pocket and then I was out onto the run course. T2 time: 8:01
Run: Well, I started out feeling brilliant. As soon as I left T2 and started running the day regained some purpose. My first 5.2 miles happened in 37:23, which was good considering I was actually trying to pace myself (working from heart rate) but everything just felt so EASY. And then, quite suddenly, it didn’t. Mile 6.5, just a little into lap 2, and I was walking. It wasn’t even up the main hill yet, I just couldn’t run or even bring myself to try. I wanted to have a little sit down (and maybe a brief weep), and if there hadn’t been so many people I might have. Fortunately it didn’t last, and whatever I was telling myself in my head must’ve worked. I ran up the main hill out to New Hedges and decided that it was a nutritional problem, so the plan changed from “eat on the run” to “walk every aid station and eat the Ritz crackers”, which are brilliant washed down with Pepsi. Crackers and Pepsi is a marathon miracle, if you ask me. I’d never even thought of it before, and the pepsi wasn’t flat, but it was AWESOME. My pace evened out after that and my new strategy gave me the strength to ignore my body as it told me that my right achilles hurt, and that my left knee ached. As I passed mile 20 it really felt like a shuffle, though photos show what looks like a run, even in those dark times. Still, after collecting the pink band to mark my final lap on the course I started feeling a weight lift and there was a fresh flood of endorphins. I chatted to a fellow finisher as we turned onto the Esplanade for our run in, he said he wanted to enjoy the moment and slowed to really savour the finish. I heard my nephew calling for a sprint finish and did my best to oblige. Run time: 3:46:25
It seems that the run may have been slightly short, but to be honest, I’m not sure I care. I logged over 3300ft of vertical on the run and the bike wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. This was a tough course. Sure, it was my first Ironman, but I know tough conditions and terrain when I see them. The fastest bikers would’ve missed the worst of the rain and only gotten wet on the run course. The bike course was steep on the uphills and twisty on the downhills. There were plenty of spills once the roads got a good soaking.
Anyway, total time: 12:15:10. 96th in M35-39 and 453rd overall.
At the race briefing we were told 1650 athletes, and I’ve since heard that there were only 1200 finishers though that is just rumour. Certainly a lot of people missed the bike cutoff. I’m looking forward to seeing the final results. But first, I’m looking forward to a rest. I’ve contracted (Iron)man-flu and don’t want to ride a bike for at least another week.
This race was organised very well, the local support was utterly brilliant and despite hating it at times, I loved the experience. It’s actually helped to remind me just how great people are. So I’m glad I did it. I’m glad I met the racers and the supporters. I’m glad I got to raise money for Olivia’s Vision and I. AM. AN. IRONMAN!
Pre race: my alarm was set for 4:45, but I woke up at 3 and tried to snooze until the alarm went off. Breakfast was a glass of Emergen-C, coffee, 2 slices of toast with marmalade, a bowl of corn flakes and half a Yorkie bar. Then I got my stuff ready and headed over to transition.
There was a procession from transition, through town and down to the beach. The crowds were already out in force. At high tide there's not much room on Tenby's North beach and it took some time to get everyone on the beach for the start. Time for the Welsh national anthem, followed by AC/DC’s Thunderstruck to get the heart going, and then the cannon went off to mark the start of the race.
Swim: The course layout meant that people were bunched up for the first few hundred metres with no chance to spread out at all. Then it was so congested at the first right turn buoy that we were treading water around it. Otherwise, the swim was great... Water temp 16.9°C (62.4F) and only a little wetsuit rub on the side of the neck. The 2nd lap was much easier and I felt like I could really relax into the day. Swim time: 1:07:59
T1: Transition was 1.2km from North beach. The first task was running up the beach, then up the steep zig-zagging walkway (picking up the spare shoes on the way) and jogging to transition. The transition tent was crowded and completely chaotic. It took a while to find space to get my stuff out of my transition bag and get ready for the ride. One gel here, to get the blood sugar back up. I even had a quick chat with a guy filming for TV (off-camera), then it was out the door and onto the bike leg. T1 time: 16:55
Bike: Well, this didn’t quite go according to plan. Given the circumstances I’m actually happy with the result, but the circumstances weren’t ideal. I’ll get to that though...
Wales is a two-loop course, with a total elevation gain of about 8000ft. The first loop is longer and starts out heading West into the prevailing coastal winds and turns to come back East by the town of Angle. The second loop is basically the more hilly part of the first loop, repeated. On the way to Angle I felt like I was making reasonable time and wasn’t pushing too hard. The wind was pushing me around a bit, but I was glad I had the TT bike to reduce the effect of the wind. I was riding on Zipp 404 wheels, which didn’t cause me any trouble even though I’m very light. Anyway, out near Angle I changed up to the big chainring and felt a frayed strand of cable pop out and jab me in the finger. Not good! Fast-forward to mile 62 and another change to the big ring -- SNAP!! So I swore, I stopped, I tried to work out how I could fix it. In the end all I could do was get out the multi-tool and dial the derailleur out as far as possible so that there was the least amount of chain rub, even then the rub was pretty egregious in the smaller cogs on the cassette. So, 50 miles in the small chainring... I’d lost nearly 10 minutes to roadside repairs and I couldn’t get much speed up for the remainder of the ride.
Not that the mechanical was my only problem on the bike: I did get the nutrition slightly wrong. My plan was to get 4-5 bottles of sports drink (2 on bike, 2-3 on course), but I was clearly overdoing the liquids and had to stop several times. So I started drinking less and then I obviously wasn’t getting enough calories. I started to feel quite drained and needed more solid food. Eating revived me, but my on-board stash of 1 Clif bar, 1 powerbar, 5 gels and a bag of powerbar chews really wasn’t quite enough. What I’d change? I’d use a “bento box” on the top tube with extra food in it. I’d pack more than I anticipated needing, just in case.
The highlight of the bike course for me was the last part of the second loop -- the steep hills in Wiseman’s Bridge and Saundersfoot were a joy to ride, especially in the wet on that second lap when many people were struggling. To me, those hills represented nearing the end of the ride and were a rare chance prove to myself that I was (despite the ever lengthening time on the bike) a strong enough biker for this course. Bike time: 6:55:50
T2: I wasn’t tremendously motivated for a fast transition here - I walked my bike to the rack, then I walked to the tent (jogging seemed pointless). I also had a little trouble removing my gloves and arm-warmers, which were soaking. Full-finger gloves had been a very wise last-minute choice here. Anyway, one more gel in, one into the pocket and then I was out onto the run course. T2 time: 8:01
Run: Well, I started out feeling brilliant. As soon as I left T2 and started running the day regained some purpose. My first 5.2 miles happened in 37:23, which was good considering I was actually trying to pace myself (working from heart rate) but everything just felt so EASY. And then, quite suddenly, it didn’t. Mile 6.5, just a little into lap 2, and I was walking. It wasn’t even up the main hill yet, I just couldn’t run or even bring myself to try. I wanted to have a little sit down (and maybe a brief weep), and if there hadn’t been so many people I might have. Fortunately it didn’t last, and whatever I was telling myself in my head must’ve worked. I ran up the main hill out to New Hedges and decided that it was a nutritional problem, so the plan changed from “eat on the run” to “walk every aid station and eat the Ritz crackers”, which are brilliant washed down with Pepsi. Crackers and Pepsi is a marathon miracle, if you ask me. I’d never even thought of it before, and the pepsi wasn’t flat, but it was AWESOME. My pace evened out after that and my new strategy gave me the strength to ignore my body as it told me that my right achilles hurt, and that my left knee ached. As I passed mile 20 it really felt like a shuffle, though photos show what looks like a run, even in those dark times. Still, after collecting the pink band to mark my final lap on the course I started feeling a weight lift and there was a fresh flood of endorphins. I chatted to a fellow finisher as we turned onto the Esplanade for our run in, he said he wanted to enjoy the moment and slowed to really savour the finish. I heard my nephew calling for a sprint finish and did my best to oblige. Run time: 3:46:25
It seems that the run may have been slightly short, but to be honest, I’m not sure I care. I logged over 3300ft of vertical on the run and the bike wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. This was a tough course. Sure, it was my first Ironman, but I know tough conditions and terrain when I see them. The fastest bikers would’ve missed the worst of the rain and only gotten wet on the run course. The bike course was steep on the uphills and twisty on the downhills. There were plenty of spills once the roads got a good soaking.
Anyway, total time: 12:15:10. 96th in M35-39 and 453rd overall.
At the race briefing we were told 1650 athletes, and I’ve since heard that there were only 1200 finishers though that is just rumour. Certainly a lot of people missed the bike cutoff. I’m looking forward to seeing the final results. But first, I’m looking forward to a rest. I’ve contracted (Iron)man-flu and don’t want to ride a bike for at least another week.
This race was organised very well, the local support was utterly brilliant and despite hating it at times, I loved the experience. It’s actually helped to remind me just how great people are. So I’m glad I did it. I’m glad I met the racers and the supporters. I’m glad I got to raise money for Olivia’s Vision and I. AM. AN. IRONMAN!
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Race Week!
So the nerves are definitely building up... Ironman Wales is on Sunday and it's looming like, umm, some giant terrifying thing. I went for a swim on Monday, which felt good. I ran yesterday, which felt nice and easy (despite being fairly fast). Then today I committed the cardinal sin of adjusting the bars on my bike -- the maxim "nothing new on race day" being violated here -- and so that it wasn't quite so unknown I went out for a ride in the Hampshire countryside.
It was cold, but that helped me sort out what I'll be wearing on Sunday. There were a few exposed patches too, where a few gusts of wind started to build my fears that the weekend will be a windy one. The long range forecasts were looking good two days ago. Yesterday they started to diverge and a couple of forecasts suggested that the weekend might actually be quite a windy one. :-(
All I have to do between now and the race is get to Tenby, set my race gear up, and sort out my nutrition. Oh, and work out how to stop worrying, because I think it might be counter-productive.
On the bright side, two things are making me happy:
1. Despite still having about a million eye drops a day to do, I'm feeling good about my eyes as the left (recently upgraded) is still inflammation-free.
2. Fundraising for Olivia's Vision is going well and I really appreciate the support. No matter how hard it gets out there, I will keep going and I will earn every penny for Olivia's Vision.
It was cold, but that helped me sort out what I'll be wearing on Sunday. There were a few exposed patches too, where a few gusts of wind started to build my fears that the weekend will be a windy one. The long range forecasts were looking good two days ago. Yesterday they started to diverge and a couple of forecasts suggested that the weekend might actually be quite a windy one. :-(
All I have to do between now and the race is get to Tenby, set my race gear up, and sort out my nutrition. Oh, and work out how to stop worrying, because I think it might be counter-productive.
On the bright side, two things are making me happy:
1. Despite still having about a million eye drops a day to do, I'm feeling good about my eyes as the left (recently upgraded) is still inflammation-free.
2. Fundraising for Olivia's Vision is going well and I really appreciate the support. No matter how hard it gets out there, I will keep going and I will earn every penny for Olivia's Vision.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Cataract surgery #2
Less than 20 days to Ironman Wales, but I just had my second cataract surgery. My previous op was back in January, and I "reviewed" the procedure here. Well, second time around was an easier experience. The anaethesia wasn't as uncomfortable and I was less nervous about the surgery (but more nervous about the anaesthesia). I'm one day post-op now, and I'm sat at home passing time since I'm not allowed to lift anything heavy, do impact exercises, or swim. So nothing fun then... at least I'm off work again today, I think I'd have left with a headache by mid-morning!
So how did this one compare to the last? It was nearly 8 hours before I could open my eye and not feel nauseous from the wonky vision. When the muscles that control the eye are put to sleep your eye can rotate to a different angle, making the world in that eye rotate. Add the blurriness from the operation and the dilation, then throw in a healthy measure of "new glasses" feeling and you're approaching the evening after the surgery.
One decent, but not stellar, night's sleep later... I'm actually seeing a lot better. There's occasional double vision and there are certain distances that just don't work, right now. That should improve. My right eye was the one done previously, and that's set for long distance. The left eye (done yesterday) was supposed to be set to focus about 20 inches (50cm) away. That was so I'd have good vision for computer work, the dashboard while driving, cooking and food prep. Then I could have reading glasses for close-up work. Well, I'm currently focussing at about 8-10 inches, which wasn't the plan. One reason I didn't want this (which is the "normal" monovision they give people), is the larger difference between what the eyes can actually see. It takes a while to get used to it, but it's not a problem for people who don't have other eye issues. For me, if I have another flare-up of macular edema in one eye then I'm essentially down to only one useful eye. In this scenario having extreme short-sightedness in one eye is kind of pointless.
There are options though:
1. Within about 6 weeks of cataract surgery you can have the lens replaced. Much later and the little pocket that the lens sits in will have "shrink-wrapped" the new lens and the surgery is less advised.
The real downside here is that it's yet more eye surgery.
2. After a couple of months the vision can be corrected using laser refractive surgery. The downsides here are that healing takes at least as long as the cataract surgery and that the vision needs to be "stable" before the surgery. For uveitis sufferers, a "stable" eye is often a dream. My eyes have periods of medicated stability, typically lasting 3 months, during which time I switch from worrying about distorted vision to worrying about glaucoma.
Anyway, in general the vision is somewhat improved. This time didn't feel quite like the magic bullet of the first cataract surgery, but given time it should settle in and I'll know for sure how the vision is going to end up. Then I can make decisions about lasering the eye to fix my focus.
For now, it's time to continue resting up and making sure my eye recovers quickly. Then I can get back to the serious business of tapering for Ironman Wales, where I'm hoping to raise money for Olivia's Vision. I'd love people to check out their website and maybe sponsor my Ironman on their behalf...
So how did this one compare to the last? It was nearly 8 hours before I could open my eye and not feel nauseous from the wonky vision. When the muscles that control the eye are put to sleep your eye can rotate to a different angle, making the world in that eye rotate. Add the blurriness from the operation and the dilation, then throw in a healthy measure of "new glasses" feeling and you're approaching the evening after the surgery.
One decent, but not stellar, night's sleep later... I'm actually seeing a lot better. There's occasional double vision and there are certain distances that just don't work, right now. That should improve. My right eye was the one done previously, and that's set for long distance. The left eye (done yesterday) was supposed to be set to focus about 20 inches (50cm) away. That was so I'd have good vision for computer work, the dashboard while driving, cooking and food prep. Then I could have reading glasses for close-up work. Well, I'm currently focussing at about 8-10 inches, which wasn't the plan. One reason I didn't want this (which is the "normal" monovision they give people), is the larger difference between what the eyes can actually see. It takes a while to get used to it, but it's not a problem for people who don't have other eye issues. For me, if I have another flare-up of macular edema in one eye then I'm essentially down to only one useful eye. In this scenario having extreme short-sightedness in one eye is kind of pointless.
There are options though:
1. Within about 6 weeks of cataract surgery you can have the lens replaced. Much later and the little pocket that the lens sits in will have "shrink-wrapped" the new lens and the surgery is less advised.
The real downside here is that it's yet more eye surgery.
2. After a couple of months the vision can be corrected using laser refractive surgery. The downsides here are that healing takes at least as long as the cataract surgery and that the vision needs to be "stable" before the surgery. For uveitis sufferers, a "stable" eye is often a dream. My eyes have periods of medicated stability, typically lasting 3 months, during which time I switch from worrying about distorted vision to worrying about glaucoma.
Anyway, in general the vision is somewhat improved. This time didn't feel quite like the magic bullet of the first cataract surgery, but given time it should settle in and I'll know for sure how the vision is going to end up. Then I can make decisions about lasering the eye to fix my focus.
For now, it's time to continue resting up and making sure my eye recovers quickly. Then I can get back to the serious business of tapering for Ironman Wales, where I'm hoping to raise money for Olivia's Vision. I'd love people to check out their website and maybe sponsor my Ironman on their behalf...
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Los Alamos Triathlon
Yesterday was the Los Alamos triathlon, a local sprint race (20km bike, 400m swim, 5km run). Today marks exactly 4 weeks to Ironman Wales.
The Los Alamos triathlon last year was my second multisport event and my first triathlon. It was nice to be able to return to it this year, see all the new people I've met through the sport and have a great race. The LA tri is run in an unusual order: bike, swim, run. Since it's a pool swim, this is done to spread people out by the time they hit the water. Also on offer for the first time this year was a time-trial start for the "elites". I got talked into signing up for this group, so I gathered with the fast guys and gals at the start and waited my turn to leave. One every 30 seconds... a friend snapped me about 50 yards down the road from the start (that's why I'm the only person in the picture, I'm really not that fast).
Waiting around at the start, it was pretty chilly, so it took a while for the legs to warm up. Training for the ironman distance doesn't really emphasize the short efforts, so I think I may have under-paced the ride. On the other hand, riding harder might have bought me another minute at the expense of time on the run...
I got back and had a minor nightmare unclipping at the dismount line. Left foot, out. Right foot... come on right foot... On my first attempted dismount I started to lift the bike with my right foot and had to give a good sharp twist of the foot to get out of the pedal and off the bike. Next step, almost running past my rack at transition! Anyway, it wasn't that bad, but it was good practice at not getting flustered and practicing "less haste, more speed". So then I was off to the pool, for my worst swim of the year. My arms felt like lead, my legs would only kick slowly and the water felt like hot treacle. A swim that should normally take me seven minutes and change without pushing too hard took over 8 and a half minutes. Maybe some of it was the residual of Thursday's 2 mile swim session, but frankly I don't think that was it. Sometimes you just have a bad day, and I apparently can't swim after cycling.
But I can run (apparently)! Once I got out of the pool I was back to zip through transition (well, it felt speedy, but it was longer than T1) and see whether I could catch anyone on the run, having been overtaken in the pool. Well, one personal best 5k run later (18:49) I was crossing the finish line having shown an improvement in all three events over last year, for a final time of 1:05:16. Even better, it was enough to take 6th overall! Signing up for the elite wave took me out of contention for an age group prize, but I don't need the glassware and it was super fun to do the time-trial start.
So now back to my regularly scheduled training... I'm looking forward to the week after next, where I start my taper (yay, less training!) and get my left eye operated on (yay, vision!). Then it's all recovery until the big day in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
(You can still sponsor me and raise money for Olivia's Vision, a uveitis charity. For details, see this old blog entry.)
The Los Alamos triathlon last year was my second multisport event and my first triathlon. It was nice to be able to return to it this year, see all the new people I've met through the sport and have a great race. The LA tri is run in an unusual order: bike, swim, run. Since it's a pool swim, this is done to spread people out by the time they hit the water. Also on offer for the first time this year was a time-trial start for the "elites". I got talked into signing up for this group, so I gathered with the fast guys and gals at the start and waited my turn to leave. One every 30 seconds... a friend snapped me about 50 yards down the road from the start (that's why I'm the only person in the picture, I'm really not that fast).
Waiting around at the start, it was pretty chilly, so it took a while for the legs to warm up. Training for the ironman distance doesn't really emphasize the short efforts, so I think I may have under-paced the ride. On the other hand, riding harder might have bought me another minute at the expense of time on the run...
I got back and had a minor nightmare unclipping at the dismount line. Left foot, out. Right foot... come on right foot... On my first attempted dismount I started to lift the bike with my right foot and had to give a good sharp twist of the foot to get out of the pedal and off the bike. Next step, almost running past my rack at transition! Anyway, it wasn't that bad, but it was good practice at not getting flustered and practicing "less haste, more speed". So then I was off to the pool, for my worst swim of the year. My arms felt like lead, my legs would only kick slowly and the water felt like hot treacle. A swim that should normally take me seven minutes and change without pushing too hard took over 8 and a half minutes. Maybe some of it was the residual of Thursday's 2 mile swim session, but frankly I don't think that was it. Sometimes you just have a bad day, and I apparently can't swim after cycling.
But I can run (apparently)! Once I got out of the pool I was back to zip through transition (well, it felt speedy, but it was longer than T1) and see whether I could catch anyone on the run, having been overtaken in the pool. Well, one personal best 5k run later (18:49) I was crossing the finish line having shown an improvement in all three events over last year, for a final time of 1:05:16. Even better, it was enough to take 6th overall! Signing up for the elite wave took me out of contention for an age group prize, but I don't need the glassware and it was super fun to do the time-trial start.
So now back to my regularly scheduled training... I'm looking forward to the week after next, where I start my taper (yay, less training!) and get my left eye operated on (yay, vision!). Then it's all recovery until the big day in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
(You can still sponsor me and raise money for Olivia's Vision, a uveitis charity. For details, see this old blog entry.)
Friday, August 10, 2012
4:59:30
Since my last blog entry I've done two races, I've had 5 doctor's visits and one job interview. That kind of thing can really take it out of you...
Anyway, as a result of the 5 doctor'svisits I have been proclaimed healthy (apart from my failing eyeballs) and I have cataract surgery scheduled at the end of the month. Yup, cataract surgery two-and-a-half weeks before Ironman Wales. Still, after a rough couple of weeks where my vision was frighteningly bad I can see again! Okay, only one is is really useful, but cataract surgery should bring that up to two. :-)
I'm still waiting to hear on my job interview, and between opthalmologists, rheumatologists, cataract surgeons and optometrists I'm totally over doctors right now. But training and racing is still good...
So what races? Well, there was the Cochiti Lake triathlon, which was a lot of fun, and Ironman 70.3 Boulder.
Cochiti Lake tri is a feature on the local calendar, and I can see why. It's a nice lake swim, followed by a relatively tough bike (nearly half is on bone-jarring chip-seal, and it has a couple of small hills to slow you down) and then a run that starts with a steep hill, continues on false flats and then bakes you alive in the heat. Did I mention that it was awesome? Okay, so there were some timing SNAFUs, but they all got sorted eventually. Also, by my GPS the bike was about a mile long and the run was 0.3 miles short. Everything went as expected really... the bike was a couple of minutes slower than I would have liked, but my run was a 10km PB at 40:42! Of course, the course was slightly short, and I don't run 10km races very often. I'll take it though. It got me my first podium of the year - 3rd in the M35-39 age group, with a total time of 2:27:51.
Now, the highlight of the last month: Boulder 70.3!
I'd been really looking forward to this. Technically it was a "training race". It was my second ever half-ironman, fifth ever triathlon and the litmus test for my Ironman Wales training. It was also to be my redemption for falling apart doing Ironman 70.3 Austin last year.
Boulder is a super-cool town. I have friends there, so accommodation and good times were sorted. The girl was my driver for the weekend as my eyes were in pretty bad shape, and she was an awesome support team and cheerleader.
The race itself was well-organised. It was a lot more low-key than Austin, but everything was done well. The volunteers were brilliant and the porta-loo to athlete ratio was good (except on the run course).
I'll get pictures and put them up some time, but this race had me nervous and I'll explain why. There's a mantra that applies to many sports, and triathlon is no exception: "Nothing new on race day". I broke that rule in several ways: new bike - I bought a used TT bike less than a week before and had only 60 miles on it by race day; new wheels - there was a sweet deal on used Zipp 404s that I couldn't pass up, so I picked them up in Boulder on Saturday and raced them on Sunday; new goggles - probably not so bad, but I have a collection of goggles that fog, so I bought new goggles (a brand/model I've not worn before). I'm sure there's more, but you get the point. Race day was full of surprises.
I actually warmed up before the swim. This is something I've never done before any oopen water events. Still, it felt good and gave me a bit of confidence in my new goggles. They worked like a champ and I could actually see well enough with my blurry eye to sight for the buoys and stay on course. The water was around 70-71F and was good until I got a slight stitch, probably from the pretzels I was snacking on before the start. Swim Time: 35:08
Dolphin diving out of the shallows, I jogged up the chute towards T1 looking for people I knew. I heard a shout of "Go Bike Works" and failed to see who shouted. Anyway, thanks to that unknown supporter (I was wearing a tri top from Bike Works on Hawaii's Big Island). My plan was for leisurely transitions, to practice for Wales. So I dried my feet, pulled on socks. Next step, sunscreen. I got my bike shoes and helmet on and loaded my pockets with gels. I figured I'd start with a gel in transition and washed it down with a little drink, then unracked the bike, double checked my transition area and jogged to the bike start. A slow transition, but I felt happy and relaxed.
As I got on my bike the guy in front of me lost both bottles from his behind-the-seat cages and all his sports drink spilled. Shame, but he should invest in better bottle cages! The girl was here cheering for me too, so I started the bike ride hoping that I could handle the TT position for the full distance. The road quality on the Boulder course was good. There was no debris to speak of by the side of the road, the surface was fast and smooth, and the hills were subtle: false flats, gentle descents and just a couple of steep bits to keep you honest. Near the end of my first lap I was passed by two female pros just finishing their ride, sadly I didn't recognize them to cheer them on. My second lap was good, and knowing the course by then I felt really confident about the (small) hills and corners. After 56 fun miles I got back to transition - bike time: 2:33:22, by far the fastest I've ever ridden that distance.
The run was around Boulder Reservoir. Since it was an exposed course I took my time in transition again and layered up on sunscreen. After the fact I guess I missed some bits, so I've got some red stripes as souvenirs, but I did a decent job. Then the run... I didn't bother to time my swim, and I used my Garmin Edge bike computer for the bike leg, so I had my Timex Global Trainer watch to time the run. To make sure I'd get GPS lock quickly I'd taken it on the bike with me and turned it on. It auto-powered off during the ride, but as soon as I got to T2 I turned it back on. No GPS lock until about mile 4. I even had to reset the GPS 3 times. I'm really not impressed by that watch. So I ran the first few miles by feel, which included feeling the need to stop. First aid station - one portaloo with a green "vacant" sign... except that the lock was broken, so I stood and waited for a minute before deciding to move on. Second aid station... same problem. Fortunately this one vacated quickly and thirty seconds later I was back running again. The lack of facilities on the run course was my only complaint for the whole day.
After the first lap I decided that I'd try to hold my pace until mile 10, then if I still felt as good I'd go for a fast last 5km. The day was getting hot (around 88F/31C) by this point, so at every aid station I was grabbing ice water for my head, ice for my shirt, ice water for down my back... I even grabbed coke by mistake at one aid station, so figured it was rude not to drink it. More calories are good, right?
Anyway, at mile 10 I felt good and tried to up my pace. My effort went up, but glances at my watch didn't show me a corresponding increase in pace. Never mind, I settled into a rhythm and waited for mile 11. My pace managed to creep up through miles 11 and 12, then with about a quarter mile to go I gave everything I had. It's really amazing how good it feels to run fast, especially after that kind of effort. I felt like I was flying when I got to the finish line, a marked change from Austin last year, and I was all smiles as I got my finishers medal, some ice water and went to find shade. Total run time: 1:43:32.
So my race time was 4:59:30. Over an hour faster than my last half-ironman. I'm still having trouble comprehending how I got under 5 hours (even just 30s under), and the fact that I felt great afterwards. Sure, my legs stiffened up when I stopped moving, but I had plenty of energy left and since I'd not tapered for the race I'm a lot more confident about Ironman Wales now.
It looks like I'll be getting to the start line in Wales with two working eyes and some solid training behind me. I'm actually starting to shake some of the feelings of impending doom that I've been having about the race!
Anyway, as a result of the 5 doctor'svisits I have been proclaimed healthy (apart from my failing eyeballs) and I have cataract surgery scheduled at the end of the month. Yup, cataract surgery two-and-a-half weeks before Ironman Wales. Still, after a rough couple of weeks where my vision was frighteningly bad I can see again! Okay, only one is is really useful, but cataract surgery should bring that up to two. :-)
I'm still waiting to hear on my job interview, and between opthalmologists, rheumatologists, cataract surgeons and optometrists I'm totally over doctors right now. But training and racing is still good...
So what races? Well, there was the Cochiti Lake triathlon, which was a lot of fun, and Ironman 70.3 Boulder.
Cochiti Lake tri is a feature on the local calendar, and I can see why. It's a nice lake swim, followed by a relatively tough bike (nearly half is on bone-jarring chip-seal, and it has a couple of small hills to slow you down) and then a run that starts with a steep hill, continues on false flats and then bakes you alive in the heat. Did I mention that it was awesome? Okay, so there were some timing SNAFUs, but they all got sorted eventually. Also, by my GPS the bike was about a mile long and the run was 0.3 miles short. Everything went as expected really... the bike was a couple of minutes slower than I would have liked, but my run was a 10km PB at 40:42! Of course, the course was slightly short, and I don't run 10km races very often. I'll take it though. It got me my first podium of the year - 3rd in the M35-39 age group, with a total time of 2:27:51.
Now, the highlight of the last month: Boulder 70.3!
I'd been really looking forward to this. Technically it was a "training race". It was my second ever half-ironman, fifth ever triathlon and the litmus test for my Ironman Wales training. It was also to be my redemption for falling apart doing Ironman 70.3 Austin last year.
Boulder is a super-cool town. I have friends there, so accommodation and good times were sorted. The girl was my driver for the weekend as my eyes were in pretty bad shape, and she was an awesome support team and cheerleader.
The race itself was well-organised. It was a lot more low-key than Austin, but everything was done well. The volunteers were brilliant and the porta-loo to athlete ratio was good (except on the run course).
I'll get pictures and put them up some time, but this race had me nervous and I'll explain why. There's a mantra that applies to many sports, and triathlon is no exception: "Nothing new on race day". I broke that rule in several ways: new bike - I bought a used TT bike less than a week before and had only 60 miles on it by race day; new wheels - there was a sweet deal on used Zipp 404s that I couldn't pass up, so I picked them up in Boulder on Saturday and raced them on Sunday; new goggles - probably not so bad, but I have a collection of goggles that fog, so I bought new goggles (a brand/model I've not worn before). I'm sure there's more, but you get the point. Race day was full of surprises.
I actually warmed up before the swim. This is something I've never done before any oopen water events. Still, it felt good and gave me a bit of confidence in my new goggles. They worked like a champ and I could actually see well enough with my blurry eye to sight for the buoys and stay on course. The water was around 70-71F and was good until I got a slight stitch, probably from the pretzels I was snacking on before the start. Swim Time: 35:08
Dolphin diving out of the shallows, I jogged up the chute towards T1 looking for people I knew. I heard a shout of "Go Bike Works" and failed to see who shouted. Anyway, thanks to that unknown supporter (I was wearing a tri top from Bike Works on Hawaii's Big Island). My plan was for leisurely transitions, to practice for Wales. So I dried my feet, pulled on socks. Next step, sunscreen. I got my bike shoes and helmet on and loaded my pockets with gels. I figured I'd start with a gel in transition and washed it down with a little drink, then unracked the bike, double checked my transition area and jogged to the bike start. A slow transition, but I felt happy and relaxed.
As I got on my bike the guy in front of me lost both bottles from his behind-the-seat cages and all his sports drink spilled. Shame, but he should invest in better bottle cages! The girl was here cheering for me too, so I started the bike ride hoping that I could handle the TT position for the full distance. The road quality on the Boulder course was good. There was no debris to speak of by the side of the road, the surface was fast and smooth, and the hills were subtle: false flats, gentle descents and just a couple of steep bits to keep you honest. Near the end of my first lap I was passed by two female pros just finishing their ride, sadly I didn't recognize them to cheer them on. My second lap was good, and knowing the course by then I felt really confident about the (small) hills and corners. After 56 fun miles I got back to transition - bike time: 2:33:22, by far the fastest I've ever ridden that distance.
The run was around Boulder Reservoir. Since it was an exposed course I took my time in transition again and layered up on sunscreen. After the fact I guess I missed some bits, so I've got some red stripes as souvenirs, but I did a decent job. Then the run... I didn't bother to time my swim, and I used my Garmin Edge bike computer for the bike leg, so I had my Timex Global Trainer watch to time the run. To make sure I'd get GPS lock quickly I'd taken it on the bike with me and turned it on. It auto-powered off during the ride, but as soon as I got to T2 I turned it back on. No GPS lock until about mile 4. I even had to reset the GPS 3 times. I'm really not impressed by that watch. So I ran the first few miles by feel, which included feeling the need to stop. First aid station - one portaloo with a green "vacant" sign... except that the lock was broken, so I stood and waited for a minute before deciding to move on. Second aid station... same problem. Fortunately this one vacated quickly and thirty seconds later I was back running again. The lack of facilities on the run course was my only complaint for the whole day.
After the first lap I decided that I'd try to hold my pace until mile 10, then if I still felt as good I'd go for a fast last 5km. The day was getting hot (around 88F/31C) by this point, so at every aid station I was grabbing ice water for my head, ice for my shirt, ice water for down my back... I even grabbed coke by mistake at one aid station, so figured it was rude not to drink it. More calories are good, right?
Anyway, at mile 10 I felt good and tried to up my pace. My effort went up, but glances at my watch didn't show me a corresponding increase in pace. Never mind, I settled into a rhythm and waited for mile 11. My pace managed to creep up through miles 11 and 12, then with about a quarter mile to go I gave everything I had. It's really amazing how good it feels to run fast, especially after that kind of effort. I felt like I was flying when I got to the finish line, a marked change from Austin last year, and I was all smiles as I got my finishers medal, some ice water and went to find shade. Total run time: 1:43:32.
So my race time was 4:59:30. Over an hour faster than my last half-ironman. I'm still having trouble comprehending how I got under 5 hours (even just 30s under), and the fact that I felt great afterwards. Sure, my legs stiffened up when I stopped moving, but I had plenty of energy left and since I'd not tapered for the race I'm a lot more confident about Ironman Wales now.
It looks like I'll be getting to the start line in Wales with two working eyes and some solid training behind me. I'm actually starting to shake some of the feelings of impending doom that I've been having about the race!
Monday, July 16, 2012
At least I train more than I blog...
I admit it - I'm absolutely terrible at keeping a blog. There are extenuating circumstances, but it basically has to do with three things:
1) I'm fundamentally lazy. This is why I'm effective at work - a smart, lazy worker will find the most efficient way to do something (or so I believe).
2) I'm mono-obsessive. Basically I'm overcoming my inherent laziness by obsessing over my Ironman training. As a side-effect I'm having trouble remembering to buy groceries, let alone write a regular blog entry.
3) I can't really see. My left eye is all just fuzzy shapes and colours right now; it needs cataract surgery, among other things. My right eye has good distance vision, especially near the start of the day. Computer screens are hard, especially after a long day in the office.
So, better late than never, here's what happened at Storrie Lake...
The race organisers had put on a 10km run the night before the triathlon, on the triathlon run course, which was great for the non-triathlete significant others. I made good use of this by sending my spy out to check the run course and report back on road surface, hills, etc.
So race morning: despite rumours about the swim not being wetsuit legal, the water was actually at 63F and quite comfortable in a full-sleeve wetsuit. The start wasn't too hectic, and I only got hit by flailing arms a couple of times. I did get a decent hit in the goggles from someone's foot as they cut a nice zig-zag course in front of me, but before too long I had worked my way through to nice (relatively clear) water. It took about 27 minutes before I was out, but I was pleasantly suprised by Storrie Lake. New Mexico isn't famed for any of it's bodies of water, but it was really quite nice.
Into transition, after a wobbly run up the boat ramp, and I had a fairly slow transition. I can't pin down exactly what was slow, so it must've been everything. I had some watch troubles too, leading to some very odd splits on my Timex Global Trainer... anyway, transition was a good opportunity to clear the mind and before I knew it I was heading to the mount/dismount line and jumping on my bike.
The ride was great, with the exception of the giant rumble strip that ran along the outer edge of the shoulder. I had to cross the rumble strip several times and my bones and teeth didn't appreciate the experience. It was an out-and-back course of 40km which was mostly uphill on the way out, then mostly down coming back. The total elevation gain was less than 1500ft (I think) and that made the ride nice and fast. One thing that really stood out to me was just how much faster all the guys/girls with TT bikes and aero gear went on the downhills. I was in the drops, spinning my biggest gear, and the full time-trial setups kept cruising past me with barely any pedaling going on. Still, I loved the ride and had a great time cruising past people on the uphill sections.
Two notably stupid things I did on the bike course:
1) took the turnaround too fast. I had to lock up the back wheel and skid it round the last few inches so I could avoid running into a table.
2) on one section of hill I dropped my head for too long (watching the white line disappear under my front wheel) and looked up to see a traffic cone. Well, I ran that traffic cone down! A little shift of bodyweight around the bike and the cone just popped out to the side when I ran over it. No harm done (but silly, especially considering how much I ride).
And that just left the run. The course was about 65% paved road, 30% packed dirt road and 5% trail. It was really a lot of fun
So overall it was a good race. The day wasn't cool, and the course wasn't shaded. Heat was starting to play a role as the day wore on, but I finished my day in 2hrs 28min 26sec. Age group place: 5th. Overall place: 23rd.
Next there will be words about the Splash'n'Dash series I've been doing. There will also be an update on how my eyes are coping just as soon as I have news. I've got a checkup on Thursday to follow up on the Ozurdex implant I had put into the left eye on last Saturday.
Until next time...
1) I'm fundamentally lazy. This is why I'm effective at work - a smart, lazy worker will find the most efficient way to do something (or so I believe).
2) I'm mono-obsessive. Basically I'm overcoming my inherent laziness by obsessing over my Ironman training. As a side-effect I'm having trouble remembering to buy groceries, let alone write a regular blog entry.
3) I can't really see. My left eye is all just fuzzy shapes and colours right now; it needs cataract surgery, among other things. My right eye has good distance vision, especially near the start of the day. Computer screens are hard, especially after a long day in the office.
So, better late than never, here's what happened at Storrie Lake...
The race organisers had put on a 10km run the night before the triathlon, on the triathlon run course, which was great for the non-triathlete significant others. I made good use of this by sending my spy out to check the run course and report back on road surface, hills, etc.
So race morning: despite rumours about the swim not being wetsuit legal, the water was actually at 63F and quite comfortable in a full-sleeve wetsuit. The start wasn't too hectic, and I only got hit by flailing arms a couple of times. I did get a decent hit in the goggles from someone's foot as they cut a nice zig-zag course in front of me, but before too long I had worked my way through to nice (relatively clear) water. It took about 27 minutes before I was out, but I was pleasantly suprised by Storrie Lake. New Mexico isn't famed for any of it's bodies of water, but it was really quite nice.
Into transition, after a wobbly run up the boat ramp, and I had a fairly slow transition. I can't pin down exactly what was slow, so it must've been everything. I had some watch troubles too, leading to some very odd splits on my Timex Global Trainer... anyway, transition was a good opportunity to clear the mind and before I knew it I was heading to the mount/dismount line and jumping on my bike.
The ride was great, with the exception of the giant rumble strip that ran along the outer edge of the shoulder. I had to cross the rumble strip several times and my bones and teeth didn't appreciate the experience. It was an out-and-back course of 40km which was mostly uphill on the way out, then mostly down coming back. The total elevation gain was less than 1500ft (I think) and that made the ride nice and fast. One thing that really stood out to me was just how much faster all the guys/girls with TT bikes and aero gear went on the downhills. I was in the drops, spinning my biggest gear, and the full time-trial setups kept cruising past me with barely any pedaling going on. Still, I loved the ride and had a great time cruising past people on the uphill sections.
Two notably stupid things I did on the bike course:
1) took the turnaround too fast. I had to lock up the back wheel and skid it round the last few inches so I could avoid running into a table.
2) on one section of hill I dropped my head for too long (watching the white line disappear under my front wheel) and looked up to see a traffic cone. Well, I ran that traffic cone down! A little shift of bodyweight around the bike and the cone just popped out to the side when I ran over it. No harm done (but silly, especially considering how much I ride).
And that just left the run. The course was about 65% paved road, 30% packed dirt road and 5% trail. It was really a lot of fun
So overall it was a good race. The day wasn't cool, and the course wasn't shaded. Heat was starting to play a role as the day wore on, but I finished my day in 2hrs 28min 26sec. Age group place: 5th. Overall place: 23rd.
Next there will be words about the Splash'n'Dash series I've been doing. There will also be an update on how my eyes are coping just as soon as I have news. I've got a checkup on Thursday to follow up on the Ozurdex implant I had put into the left eye on last Saturday.
Until next time...
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