ONE rocked the course yesterday! Everywhere I turned I saw orange and gray! Signs, casual clothing, race gear, banners, tents, and on the podium...AWESOME! It was great to see my teammates sprawled all over the course---smiling and suffering at the same time, giving high fives, low fives, hard fives (sorry Carlos! I think my ring got you!), cheers, shouts, and hugs! You all made the race one of the most fun race experiences I have had and hope you all and even more will be at IM AZ where I will REALLY need your help this year! Throughout my 40+ races in triathlon over the years, I have always been blessed to have my family there cheering me on, and while the club can't hold a candle to having Jenny there yesterday to yell in support on a tough day, the ONE crew was my new family of 40+ yesterday. From running the first 5K with the ever steady Joey Gregan at my side to Carlos Mendoza pushing me (and me losing to him ;-) in the last 5K, and Ben Gherardi trying to slow down for the final 1/2 mile on his way to the relay victory, you all kept my spirits and drive intact. I don't show much emotion race day (or any other training day for that matter), but the high fives and yells of support and even screaming "GO SVANS!!!" (thanks Dan Thomas at T2!!!) fired me up every time and gave me the boost I so needed. Even if you think I didn't see you, I did...I was just barely keeping it together to keep moving forward, especially on the second lap of the half marathon.
So this is supposed to be a race report, so here it goes, stats first.... Marquee Race Results
total time: 4:22:35 10th Overall, 4th in 35-39 division
splits: 5K: 17:56 5:56/mi pace (leg:6th overal)
t1: 1:24 (had to take those tights off!)
57.22 mile bike ;-) 2:30:14 23 mph pace (leg:17th overall)
t2: 0:51 (passed more people in this transition than I did all day...again ;-)
13.1 run: 1:32:08 6:59/mi pace (leg:14th overall)
When they switched this to a Duathlon the morning before---something in my head lost a fair amount of interest----I'm not a Duathlon kind of guy---I can swim! I felt like I was losing one of my advantages as I've always been a front 1/3 swimmer, and I have really been focusing on my swimming through the past 3 months, enough so that I was going to "attack" the swim and hopefully stay on the heels of the front group of swimmers, if there was one. The news bounced around Facebook immediately, and almost in the same hour, Jenny and I decided to make saturday a date night as Sophia was off with her cousins for a sleepover....we had a great time, but it was not my typical pre -race prep, but I didn't really care and enjoyed our alone time at ipic watching THE worst movie I think I have ever seen---Your Highness. I'm not a movie critic, but it has to be pretty bad for me to not like it, and it was just awful! We still enjoyed the "Gold Cub" treatment with dinner--I had a salad and"flatbread" which was basically pizza---NOT my typical pre race dinner as well (I did have a huge serving of pasta beforehand at least). At least I stayed away from the beer!
Going into this race, Chris (www.aimpcoaching.com) was telling me not to expect much, but what did I know...I just finished these 3 weeks of 18+ hours each; I should be prepped, right??? Well, I couldn't be more wrong on that issue as Chris has since told me in our post race discussion (more on that below).
I woke up Sunday at 4:40am, had my typical workout meal: Oats with a scoop of Ultragen (160cals x 2), a banana (60 cals at most), a Nutrigrain bar (I think 120 cals), my Multi V and Optygen HP from First Endurance and plenty of water. 540 cals and I was out the door. Out the door I went at a little after 5am. Driving down, I still wasn't feeling much like it was race day---I downed a gatorade (100 cals) and next was my water bottle of PreRace and EFS (100 cals, First Endurance again), and sipped on it all the way through to start time. Between the two dinners and all of this, I was feeling well fueled, and not full...just how I like it (the 5pm dinner seems to be key for me). www.firstendurance.com
Finally, halfway to Tempe, the switch flipped, and I felt ready to race...I dunno what it was that triggered it (maybe a song on the radio??), but before this moment, I wasn't feeling it. I did taper for this race, but without any massage to help "refresh" from the heavy training I had completed over the 3 weeks prior to the week of the race (was soo key for IM AZ!)...and as always, the only day you want to feel fresh on is race day.
After tidying up the bike from the overnight stay, catching up with my ONE buddies, and telling Kevin Taddonio (we are always next to each other due to Red Rock going by alphabet) to go slow (he of course laughed), the Pre Race (First Endurance) was in full effect.
So Dan sings an awesome anthem, gun goes off, and we are moving. I felt fresh enough after the initial 1/2 mile, and just kept the pace I was holding, at which I was running side by side with Joey Gregan. I felt the pace was comfortable, and I must be where I should be if I was running with Joey. Joey must have been tired after Oceanside last weekend, and is also a better runner than me. That was telling me I was going at it correctly as he is coached by Mark Allen, is a stud, and probably doesn't make many mistakes. 5 of us cruised into T1 more or less separated by 20 seconds with K Tad 1 minute in front. I ran in full tights, but those were off in T1; then helmet on, fuel into pockets, and I was outta there. T1 was a bit crazy (yeah Michael I heard you yelling at me!!), so I had no idea who was where, but knew the Folts brothers were ahead riding their tandem (more on this later). Two other guys I didn't know were ahead as well, so I was sitting 5th or 6th out of transition. We had a pretty decent gap on the rest of our wave and I think Joey took some time in T1 as I didn't see him anywhere. If I didn't have the issue taking the tights off, I probably could have come out of T1 in 3rd or 4th, but I felt the 20 seconds extra were not an issue versus my comfort.
Before I reached the 1 mile mark, I realized I wasn't gonna have an "A" day...I'm not a duathlete, so I don't know what it should feel like getting on the bike, but regardless, my legs didn't feel like fresh pistons ready to pound the pedals to the Beeline. I went with what my legs were giving me, and as I passed the dump, some guy was flying up from behind me---Kevin Taddonio had been given bad directions out of T1 and ended up riding out to Priest before realizing it was wrong...at least an extra 1.5 miles! The stud that he is, he was flying and was soon out of sight---the guy can simply ride AND run! As I approached the turnaround, two guys "riding a tandem" (figure of speech...their bikes were so close they looked like one) were heading back down the Beeline---the Folts brothers. I'll leave it at that, but one of them ended up with 12 minutes of penalty time, but as far as I'm concerned, they both are guilty of cheating in a sport that has zero tolerance. 12 minutes, really? DQ more like it. Finishing lap 1, I heard Jenny screaming at me in support--thanks babe!!! I also passed one of the guys in front of me out of T1, otherwise I was passed by 4 or 5 guys who were definitely stronger bikers than myself throughout the bike (I did pass a few guys who went out too hard on the bike as well ;-) I tried to eat on the first lap, but failed because I was too cold to gain hunger---which was fatal flaw number one, as cold weather burns more calories. By the end of the ride I had managed to only get one bottle of water down and only 480 calories...I dug myself a huge hole that showed obvious in the half marathon (my goal number is 300 cals/hr, or 750 total on the bike). This race is all about the half marathon and being ready to run off the bike---I was running on empty, and there's no catching up.
Beginning of lap 2 brought Troy Jacobson up next to me, then past me, as well as me joining a "pace line" (meaning: legal drafting with 3+ bike lengths between us) on the way back to transition (4 of us). With all of the races going on, there were about 10 people heading into T2 (BTW...the new LG helmets with faceshield---AWESOME! Thanks LG!). By the end of the ride I had managed to only get one bottle of water down and only 480 calories...I dug myself a huge hole that showed obvious in the half marathon (my goal number is 300 cals/hr, or 750 total on the bike). This race is all about the half marathon and being ready to run off the bike---I was running on empty, and there's no catching up.
I've always been a fast T2 guy, and I gained a chunk on this one, coming out about 10 seconds behind Troy, ahead of all of the Pace Line I was with, and actually caught another one of the 5 guys that were ahead of me out of T1 as I came out of T2. I settled in with him (super nice guy from Albuquerque) and was feeling great, enjoying the "free miles" that usually come from getting off the bike. Chris' direction for the day was, word for word " bike HARD, and blowing up on the run," I think I failed a bit on the biking hard due to the cold, and then the lack of calories further doomed that plan--and was steering me straight into the Blow Up. Pace was in the 6:20-6:30 range, and I knew this was a bit fast, but I was in a pack of 3 with Troy running next to me. Knowing him as a 2:58 marathoner at IM AZ, I knew I was going too fast, so I hung for about 10 minutes, but had to let go, staying with the guy I caught out of T2. I then had to let him go as I was not feeling it on this day (probably because I was not training specifically for this race...). Did I say that ONE was everywhere? Well, they were! After the quick out and back about 2/3's into the run loop, ONE was all lined up...within 200 yards I had Joey, Carlos, Dan, and Ben coming at me---it was high five time! I was still at a 6:30ish pace as I headed back to finish loop #1. Jenny again was there cheering away to lift my spirits, but literally 2 steps into lap 2, I hit the proverbial wall. I had to pee the entire race, and I hit the port o let at the first aid station by the Arts Center--I needed an excuse to take a break (same port o let I hit at IM AZ!!!). I didn't lose a place at least, and I felt better as I started back up (it was a long pee!). I usually hit 2 out of 3 aid stations alternating a gel with water and perform drink, and continued that as I begged my body to not stop---BEGGED! I was not prepared to "go to the well" on this day...but I should have known that the lack of calories was setting this all up quite nicely for a Blow Up. I was passing mile marker 8---5.1 to go. I went with my nickname and inflicted some pain, all of which I knew I could overcome, but man, it hurt, A LOT!! Quitting popped into my head, the thought of an IM seemed insane, retiring from the sport altogether even got in there, but I won that battle, crossed the bridge, hit the little out and back, saw the same clan I saw on lap 1 (Carlos was closing in, and Ben of course was flying---damn relay runner ;-) At this point I knew I couldn't hold Ben off, but the question was now Carlos catching me(did you know I am competitive??? You do now). He looked as fresh as if he just started running! I have fought off the demons and we feeling good again, but I used up the tank to get back to running well, and I had very little to draw from except for that I knew the finish was straight ahead of me. I begged Ben to slow, only to let him go as we made the final turn into the finish chute. My calves and hamstrings did not have anything left...nothing! They were siezing as I ran the slight uphill to the finish, and of course Jenny was right there 50 yards from the finish, right where I needed to see her face. She encouraged me to finish strong...DONE!
All and all I should be happy with the result--it's early in the season and this race was more of a test to see where I am at...now i know, and as I have been saying lately, let the insanity begin...26 or so weeks to Kona. Post race was like a social club with all of the ONE clan to check in with, as well as race winner K Tad by 9 minutes and Kenny Stiel, who will also be hitting the Kona course with me---awesome guys----I wish I had their talent (and youth!).
After talking with Chris, he said the reason I should be happy with the result is due to my lack of work at higher intensities (of course true!)...the big build I finished was all about base pace, and NONE of this race was at that pace. I did almost no training at T2/intervals, and if I was to expect a better result, more of that type of work is needed. Another Chris quote: " this type of race is ZERO your engine right now." It is April, my key races are in October and November...I have a LONG journey ahead of me and peaking for this race was not anywhere on my road map. Still, I race to test my limits, no matter where I am in my training. We will test more in future 70.3's as we build in that intensity I was soo missing for this race, so I have a chance to bounce back. Aside from this, the lack of calories doomed my run...the run is always the key workout in any triathlon/duathlon...my marathon caved "because I ran out of energy (calories), not will or fitness..." (quoted from Chris). Maybe he now knows I AM THE PAIN MAKER ;-} I should have a few jars for sale after this one.
Jenny, thank you so much for hanging in there, pregnant and all, to support me...it means everything to have you there!
ONE---you all rock! John and Cyndi specifically, you two are a class act and put everyone in front of yourselves---I am honored to be a part of your club!
Great report! It is only April and Kona is the biggie! great job.
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