What a difference a year makes…
In 2016 I raced a 70.3 locally after running a 5k Friday, half marathon Saturday and then the 70.3 Sunday. It was more for a training block than racing for time. I wasn’t really concerned with time. Volume, nutrition and hydration were my main areas of concern.
I also raced Racine “70.3” that was a modified half. No swim. 30 mile bike. Half marathon run. It was delayed due to weather and it’s hard to say how I would have done under normal circumstances.
I say all that to preface what happened Saturday at Boulder 70.3 since I had not really officially raced a 70.3 since 2015. My PR at the distance was 5:30 at Kansas in 2014.
The day before, I wrote about my goal. 5:15. I thought it was attainable, but might be a stretch. Needless to say, I missed the mark.
RESULTS DON’T LIE
5:01:01
I’d say I underestimated myself.
Better with age… some people whence at getting older, but I seem to be hitting a new level at age 40.
Now, I’m not going to sit here and tell you it was all a stroke of luck and just worked out in my favor. I put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into training and preparation to get to this point and my results are matching my production.
Some race day tidbits
I’m not going to bore readers with a detailed account from what I ate in the morning (overnight oats with CLICK coffee protein powder and UCANN super starch) or a minute by minute race account starting with a 25 minute swim start delay due to traffic into the reservoir…
…but I will hit you with the highlights of a spectacular race day.
You can also follow my Instagram for a few more highlights like where I stayed was only a 4 mile drive and I avoided ALL of the major highway traffic.
The swim start was pushed back 25 minutes, which isn’t the end of the world, but I was nervous about the impact on hydration. I tried to find some water near the swim start, but there wasn’t enough time to wonder too far. I had to rely on what I drank before heading over. Worked out ok.
The swim // 33:05 // 37th in AG // PR by a minute
The major issue was sighting and getting smacked around in the wave start. I quickly got some separation, but every now and again there were some underwater tomfoolery going on. I wore my XTERRA full sleeve (use code “C-STPM” for 60 percent off!) and was very comfortable on my 1.2 PR swim.
I was also having issues drifting off from currents from the boats and jet skis running around patrolling the swim course. It required a lot of sighting strokes that saved excessive yardage, but slowed me down.
The bike // 2:37:27 // 78th in AG // PR by 18 minutes
Keep in mind the course was 54 instead of 56 for some reason. I guess they had issues finding the extra 2 miles… but that’s still good for 20+ mph speed which is my best speed average by far.
Issues from the bike that need addressed, as I feel I left some time out on the course.
BIKE FIT
I need to either get fit to my current 7 year old bike, or get a new bike and get fit. I see some serious speed gains from being comfortable that I don’t have to pop up every 15 minutes to stretch my cramped back. So much power was lost having my back be sore for 36 miles of the ride.
This was even more reinforced at the Endurance Coaching Summit I attended the two days before the race and spent time in the CU Performance lab with the bike fit guru. Need work…
HIGHLIGHTS
- 79 percent of time was spent in zone 2 to 3. Mission accomplished.
- 88 rpm average cadence. Mission accomplished.
- 30ish oz of water drank. Mission accomplished.
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| Shifting while out of aero is NOT good form… |
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| Any sections that required some power were spent like this to avoid sore back and achy quads. Booooooo. |
The run // 1:44:22 // 14th in AG // PR by 3 minutes
Where the rubber meets the road! HUGE improvement coming off the bike, and a PR on the bike at that.
Back in 2011 I raced Boulder 70.3 and the run was a shit show. Cramps. Walking. GI issues. HORRIBLE.
This time, it was different.
KEYS
- WATER – lots and often. Drank 30ish oz on the bike. Drank a cup at every aid station. I made the mistake of using too much sport drinks vs plain water in the past. Made the adjustment this year and BOO YA. Worked like a charm.
- Run form – I adjusted my form from what I learned the days before at the coaching summit.
- Arm swing
- Bowl of fruit
- Lean
- Think about your glutes
- Drop me comment on this post, email me or drop a comment on Facebook to learn more!
- Hot Shot – I suffer from cramps regardless of training, hydration or chemical balance. I popped Hot Shot before the swim, before the bike and before the run. CRAMP FREE! I’m sold on this product and I’m stocked up for the season. Get yours ASAP!
- Keeping the energy equation balanced between swim, bike and run. Over the years I’ve been smarter about riding the bike to get to the run instead of trying to crush the bike and hold on for the run. It’s hard to watch people ride by on the bike, but fun to run past them walking on the run.
- 88 percent of time spent in zone 2 to 3. Mission accomplished.
- 178 average cadence. Mission accomplished.
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| “sprinting” to the finish line, ignoring all form suggestions I just lined out. UGLY heel strike… 😉 |
Wrapping it up
In summary IRONMAN Boulder 70.3 was a breakout race for me.
I’ve been setting the mark high kicking off year 40 with 2nd AG place in a 5k, 1st AG place in a long course tri and setting PR’s in general.
Years of smart racing and training are paying off as I’m getting faster with age and the competition is getting slower. 🙂
I’m very excited to look forward to IRONMAN Florida in November. If I can address the bike fit and do the work, it should be a great race day.
I do want to give some shout outs besides just patting myself on the back… it’s hurting my arm.
The family.
My wife and kiddos, and extended mother and mother-in-law. I place a high priority on getting my training done in the AM before people are up and over lunch. After work is dedicated to family as much as life allows. Karate practice, soccer, homework… you have to make time every day for the ones that depend on you the most.
The Wife has been gracious in serving the kids while I get in a few weekend workouts when weather allows. She’s also on the hook when I’m out training in the AM if anyone gets up early. It simply would not work if she was not on board.
The Moms… watching kids, supporting my family, being there in general and not complaining at all. It takes a village!
Products
What I used.
- Zoggs swim goggles
- ASICS – gel cumulus 17’s baby!
- Specialized Tri bike – might be time to retire. 🙂
- Clif bars before the swim
- GU gel shots – 2 on the bike, 1 on the run
- Speedfil on the bike
- Gatorade on the bike
