Back in the USA

Again, I am here, bikes arent.

Feeling good though. Achilles, after 7 straight days of no activity is back to pre-race condition. I will start swimming tomorrow, tuesday.

So, I like to give my race reports as soon as possible after the event. In the case of Roth, the very next morning. This allows me to share my true emotions on the event while still fresh.


That saying, in quantitatively looking at my race, I am very happy.

Swim: 1:03 is a nearly 3 minute PR, without goggles. I cant be happier with this condidering the conditions.

Bike: 5:06 is a 6 minute PR for me. The former pro who I went to the race with, who has broken 9 hours on this course wanted to bike 4:50, and biked a 5:01. He claims the wind took off 10 minutes or so. Regardless, the day is what it is. Thank God it wasnt storming like the day before the race. Wet pavement on the 90 degree downhills would have slowed me down considerably. Consider my two rides over 100 miles and one ride at 97 miles for my "long ride" preparation. I feel the more quality rides of 70-85 miles are far more beneficial to me.
I am very happy with my bike in total though. A 5:06 on over 5200 ft of total climbing is far better than any of my IMNA or Kona bike splits.
First lap = 2:35 (HR ave 119, max 145: Z2/Z5)
Second lap = 2:31 (HR ave 122, max 142: Z2/Z4)
McCormack's blog suggested a key to this bike course is negative splitting. So, that's what I did.

Run: My 3:22 "bonk" in the marathon is put into more perspective when you look at my splits.
10K #1 = 45:35 (HR ave 132, max 145: 4 beats into Z2/1 beat into Z4)
10K #2 = 45:50 (HR ave 130, max 144)
10K#3 = 49:20 (HR ave 131, max 144)
Final 12K = 1:03 (HR ave 129, max 152: max in Z5)

The real bonk occurred in the final 5K of my third 10K, and the first 5K of my final 12K.
This 10K segment was just over 52 minutes, or about 8:30 pace per mile I think. That is what cost me my sub 9:30.

Now, dont get me wrong, there is nothing I could do. I predicted before the race to Hannes and his brother Andreas that I could definately hold 3:15 pace for the first 25K of the marathon, but after that, completely unknown. My bonk was 100% due to the lack of quality runs in the final month before the race. 1 long run in the final 4 weeks is ok to run 3:30 or even 3:25, but missing those final key workouts were critical in maintaining the intensity needed to run 3:05-3:15.
Besides missing 2 quality long progressive runs, I missed an extreme hill workout that Ann did 2 weeks prior, as well as the final speed workout.
Just getting in these final 4 workouts in the final 3 weeks would have gained me the 7 minutes in that marathon.

I have to be happy though. I was going there to PR all 3 events, and I felt I could have gone under 3:08 in that marathon in my May fitness. You take what you can get in these races though, and in the end, I am very pleased to run 3:22, although my 5th slowest marathon in 7 Ironman races.

I will place my power and hr data on this page tomorrow. Same as usual though. Zone 2 ave on bike, zone in run for 25K, then zone 3, zone 4, zone 5 as the run progressed. Ave HR for swim in zone 3.

Now, for Ann. She is very happy. However, I have spoken to her seriously about her ability to break 10 hours in the Ironman. On Florida's course, her effort from Roth would have been sub 10 without a doubt in my mind. However, Florida is closed. I am talking to her about a potential Ironman for her, and it may be Arizona. I will let her digest this over the next few days.
If windy in Arizona, no way. On a normal day though? On a course with 600 ft of total climbing? I think I have a way to train to hammer this bike course. If she can put together the same swim, and same run (I am nearly 100% confident on the run), She only needs to drop 15 minutes off her Roth bike split. 10 minutes of that is off, purely due to the elevation difference between the races. The wind on race day will make the difference.
We'll see. I will let here think it over.
For me? OK, if she decides to run AZ, I will too. It has become easier for me to make the decision now that I know I dont have to grind out multiple 100+ mile rides in the winter to train for this race. Plus, we wont be coming off Kona either, and could be ready to train 2 weeks after 70.3 Worlds in November.
I said I wanted to run a fast marathon in my last blog...I do. I would consider a sub 3:10 fast in an Ironman.
I'm thinking....maybe Arizona?