Florida 70.3

"Mind is everything: muscle--pieces of rubber. All that I am, I am because of my mind."

Paavo Nurmi

This race was difficult for me. The last time I remember pushing until I almost fainted in the final 5K was U.S. mens national marathon championships in 1996. I had no idea what my time was because I had to restart my watch to get my HR to start functioning. I thought to myself as I passed 2 in my age group at mile 55, at 27 mph, and them surging and hanging on my wheel, "crap, this is going to be tough".
I always know where I am at in a race. I can figure out quickly on my watch what I have to run as a minimum to achieve my goal, if even possible. This race I had no idea. I had to just run to sub-threshold and try to hold as long as I could. There were about 6 turn arounds in this race. Each one, I saw the 2 guys behind me. First mile, about 10 seconds. Third mile, 10 seconds. I had to really control myself to not push into zone 5. I convincingly lied to myself at mile 4, telling myself, "no one out here over 40 can run 6:30 pace in this heat." At mile 6, there they were, by my watch, about 15 seconds behind me. Both were running neck and neck, and both looked right at me. One had his shirt off now, and both looked like they were going to catch me by the looks on they're faces. I had to stay patient I thought. Just hang on. I havent been the one pursued in a long time. I hadnt caught anyone in my age group, and I know my bike was around 23-24 mph so I had the feeling I was in the top 2 or 3 maybe. I just had to hang on to mile 10. Suprisingly, at mile 9, or so, I only saw one pursuer. Now about 20 seconds back at our turn around. This was the first time I felt like I had the edge. I got to mile ten, took my HR right up to zone 5a, then 5b and by mile 11 I was at the maximum HR I had thus far achieved this season in our intervals. I have never held a HR that high for 2 miles since 1996, or so I remember. It was one of the most difficult things I have done in a long time. I didnt realize I was going to break 4:30. I didnt know my total time. I told myself over and over again. Anyone who breaks 4:30 today with that swim and the headwind is going to have to work as hard as they can.

So, I pushed, and pushed. Keeping the throttle pressed. By mile 12 I was dizzy, light-headed, and vision blurry. I hit a couple of athletes as I ran by swinging my arms like running the 400 meter, trying to gain all the momentum I could. It's been so long since I have run myself into the ground. Run so hard, pushing so far, that you cant hold back a few tears...I guess that was it. That is why everything was blurry. Yeah, I was emotional on this one. Ask any runner who has pushed in an event beyond what he thinks he is capable of...it induces such strong emotion, you completey lose touch with the reality of pain. My legs were numb for 2 straight miles, yet I pushed my HR to near max. I am fit..everyone is fit. I am no more fit than anyone fighting for a podium spot that day. I really think it comes down to this Nurmi quote. Everything in that last 5K, that final 2 miles, was from my mind. Sometimes you just have to have the will. I dont always have it. I had it Sunday. I hope to have it again, on the right day.

Things that went "wrong":
Lost 3 chain ring bolts, needed to find bike shop to replace day before the race.
Hit a security vehicle with my rental car, at least 1000 of damage likely, day before race.
3 spare tubular tires missing from my bike box.
Needed to get up at 4:40 for 6:30 start...Epcot fireworks going until 10:30, now only 6 hrs sleep night of race.
Power meter non functioning as I got onto bike. Polar watch not picking up heart rate.
Bike shoe strap came out of shoe while mounting bike. Had to fix first 2 minutes of bike.
Running across wood chips in T1. Of course got a splinter in my foot arch. The stinging on the bike went away after an hour or so, but a bit distracting.
Terrible swim, off course 3-4 times. Drafting off people in the wave in front of me by mistake.
Hearing the forcast of 10-25 mph winds the day before the race. Thinking crap, there goes my PR.
Realizing that they changed the run course, 6 miles on grass. Should have done more research, but didnt really realize this until we got down there when Ann showed me how the run times were about 5 minutes slower in 2006 compared to 2005 when they changed the course to half grass. Good for the legs, but grass is slow.
Forgot my caffeine tab for that final 6 miles of the run.

Things that went right:
Swim place: 13 in my age group: Best ever placing. I guess it was just a slow day. Swimming into the headwind the final 600 may have had something to do with it.
Bike place: 4th in the age group: Best ever placing. Not unexpected. I went there to push the bike very hard. I was pushing literally to the point where I had to stop pedalling multiple times because of the burn. I have to assume my Watts were over 300. I averaged 301 for 46 mile TT a few weeks back and I pushed much harder in this race.
Run place: 4th in age group: Not my best placing, but very happy to hold a 1:27 off that bike.
I realize 30 grams of carbs per 20 min. may be a bit much. A little cramping and peuked once. I will back off the carbs for Roth.
My run nutrition is really dialed in. Havent changed it from Grand Columbian last season.
I am biking and running pain free in my first race since June of 2006. Feels so good to push.
Watching Ann hammer that run as I saw her at the turn around. She put 6 minutes on second place female on that run.

Yeah, I know I didnt spend any time discussing the bike and swim. This race came down to the run. Dont they all? No matter how well you do in you age group, or overall, even if you have a stellar bike split, you have got to know how to run. How to really push the run, and be fit enough to do it. Your bike and swim split just wont mean that much in the end with a disappointing run. This entire race for me was, in my mind, the final 5K.

Note on drafting:
I busted 5 guys in a pace line on the bike. We passed each other a couple of times. They were about a mile ahead when an official pulled up to me. I said, "hey man, this is ridiculous, those 5 guys up there have been cheating for 10 miles". He said, "thanks, dont worry, we'll get them". Coming back off a turn around, I saw the official pacing next to them yelling at all of them. I saw all five of them standing in the penalty box a couple of miles later. Yeah, its unsportsman like for me to yell "losers" as I rode by. But I'm sorry..intentially cheating disgraces the sport. Trust me, I totally understand there is some illegal drafting in these huge races, and many times you cant help it. A line of people climbing, or going very fast dowhill. Some races are really lax at enforcing the rule, and some are strict. Clearwater last year...I heard there were just so many people on the course, you just couldnt help but be too close to the bike in front of you. These situations are different. I dont think they are intentional by the athlete. By intentional, I mean for long periods, purposefully. These 5 guys were checking their backs every 10 seconds or so, looking behind for an official coming up. That's flat out cheating. Low athletic self-esteem. Yeah, losers.