Kure Beach 2009 Race Report
Well I must admit that although I was much less nervous for this race than I was the REV3, never having done a double sprint before had me a bit concerned about how to pace myself. I knew I could handle each leg of the race, but I was worried about how I’d do on the bike considering the muscle spasms I had several weeks ago. The final swim was also a concern, but overall I felt good going into the race.
I woke up early, about 4 AM, and had a bagel with peanut butter and a banana. I had a glass of Heed also just to be sure I wouldn’t be dehydrated. When we arrived at the packet pickup, I was pretty excited to see the beach and some beautiful scenery nearby. The race site was picture perfect. The only problem was that the waves were HUGE!
Here’s me getting ready to head to packet pickup and then drop my bike off:
Once I got my packet (#170), I dropped off the bike and the run gear at the separate transition areas and started warming up. Next time I’ll bring an extra towel for the run/bike transition and a bucket or tray to place in the swim/run transition to keep sand off my gear.
Like I said, the waves were huge, but the water was nice and warm. I thought about not swimming with the jersey, but in the end I decided to keep it on to cool me down during the run and bike portion.
The race start was rather anti-climactic and although they forgot to bring a bullhorn or air horn, there were people giving us signals to start. During the first swim, I focused on staying next to someone so that I wouldn’t get off course and so that I could pace myself. Considering the surf, I actually felt great. I didn’t have any goggle or nausea problems, which is another positive change from the REV3. I hit the first buoy pretty quickly and just kept swimming. This time, rather than feel people on my heels, I was on the heels of others. I finished the first swim around 10 minutes and had a total time of 10:28 for the leg, including the swim to run transition.
I felt pretty strong during the first run, but I have to admit that my legs were slightly trashed from the swim. Kicking through the surf was rougher than I expected, but I managed to pass a few guys during this stage and hit the bike transition area feeling pretty good.
This transition was a bit tricky because you can get turned around if you aren’t paying attention, but I was able to get out of my running shoes and into my bike shoes pretty quickly. I ran with the bike and mounted on the fly…the only issue was that the cones marking the lanes were too close together and I had a pretty close call. Still, I got on the move and went immediately into my big ring, where I felt pretty strong.
For the first time in a race, I actually felt like I was competing, which was a huge rush of adrenaline. I went through a few gears on the third ring, but was able to keep a high cadence and my speed average was in the mid 20’s. The course was flat at worst, and downhill at best, so it was a great way to test my legs. I actually surprised myself with a split of 33:50, which was 100 overall. I passed a lot of guys and only saw a few sneak by me. I was very happy with the bike result.
Going into the 3rd transition, I was getting stiff, but my legs loosened up eventually. I took quick and short strides to try and keep up with the pack ahead of me. I managed to catch a few, but there were a few quick runners that did the same to me. I’d say I came out better, but not as good as I wanted to. Still, the run was so short that it wasn’t painful for long. I finished that and the transition in 11:58.
When I finally got back to the beach, I was ready to get in the water to cool down. However, the waves were even WORSE this time and they beat me up quite a bit on the way to the first buoy. I couldn’t get in a groove and lost probably 5-7 minutes during this stage. The transition was fine, but I started having some sighting and nausea issues here…mostly due to the fact that every time I took a breath I took a wave in the face. I tried to beat the guy in front of me, but he snuck by before I could get my legs moving out of the water. Still, I finally made it in and was greeted by a great crowd and my supportive family. My split for the final transition and swim was 15:09.
I finished with a total time of 1:24:31, which was about 20 minutes of the top 3 times. Although I could have shaved a few minutes off overall, I felt pretty good with my effort. I had a much better showing than I did at the REV3 and I was able to keep a good pace for most of the race. I also had a blast and will definitely do this one again.
The winner was a 16 year old and he finished in 59 minutes…insane!
Triangle Triathlon Added
Just added my 2nd race of the NCTS to the schedule, which is the Triangle Triathlon on July 12, 2009 in Raleigh, NC. Should be a great race and is just a few weeks after my first sprint of the season, the Kure Beach Double Sprint Triathlon.
Should be a great time and I look forward to a shorter race than the REV3! In order to rank int he series, I’ll need a few more races, so I expect to sign up for Pinehurst, Wilmington, and Duke.
Rev3 Race Report
After nearly 8 months of training in Afghanistan and a rough month upon arrival back to the states, I made it out to Middlebury CT for the REV3 Half Ironman Triathlon. My first impressions about the area were that there wasn’t any place to eat! There was absolutely nothing in the area aside from a few corner stores and gas stations. If you know me well enough you’ll know that I’m always eating and this had me a bit concerned. Luckily, the Hampton Inn we stayed at (always a great stay) served free breakfast and coffee and I had a great pre-race meal at a local restaurant called Spartans.
On race day, I got to the site about 5:30 to prepare my transition so I could spend more time getting mentally prepared and less time stressed over everything else. The Rev3 setup was fantastic. They had a great transition area to work within, including a personalized spot with your own nameplate.
My wave started at 7:05, which was right after the pro start. There were a ton of spectators and the pre-race announcer had me hyped up. Was a very cool thing to watch the pro’s take off and then have to follow them shortly thereafter.
I got into the water and got into a decent rhythm, but I struggled with some sighting issues, which probably cost me 5-10 minutes. I also had a leak in my goggles about every 10 minutes which I had to try to fix on the go. Lastly, I was having some nausea issues, probably because I opted to not wear my ear plugs. Between the nausea, the sighting issues, and the goggle leak, I lost a bit of time and came in at around 45 minutes. Not a great time, but about what I was expecting for not swimming in open water since last year.
I peeled off the wetsuit and had to stop a bit in T1 to cool down and regain my legs. The nausea was nasty and I’m surprised I didn’t hurl in the water, but I managed to get a grip and get into the bike gear. What a killer! I’ve got to admit, I just wasn’t ready for the bike leg. I never had a chance to get in the saddle until I returned home to the states and I realize now that a gym bike just doesn’t cut it. I had a few rides in May, but nothing too long. This was my first mistake, although in hindsight there wasn’t really anything I could do about it. There were hills after hills that led you to a downhill so you could tackle even more hills. I knew at about mile 20 that all time goals would have to go out the window and I’d have to concentrate on just finishing.
This doesn’t mean I was happy with “just finishing,” but considering where I’d been and the lack of time for training, I wanted to get some kind of momentum going into Kure Beach at the end of this month. I finally came in at about 3:47:00, which again was a horrible time but was at least another leg completed.
In T2 I didn’t really have any problems getting off the bike and into the running shoes, but I was hungry as hell and was out of real food. At that point, gels just weren’t doing it for me, but I took a few along. Luckily, they had a lot of food (bananas, oranges, pretzels, gels) on the running course. I started running into issues with my quads siezing up on me, so I walked the hills and ran the rest. I stopped at every aid station (a first for me) to get water and oranges, but the hills were starting to put a hurting on my legs. By this time, both my quads and calves were seizing up every few hundred meters, so I was running out of options to finish this race any faster. Still, I knew I couldn’t quit and I tasted that finishers medal and shirt…I wasn’t going to go home without them.
Finally, about 2:40:00 after I started the run, I reached the finish line where a patient (thanks guys!) family was waiting and cheering me on just like I was the winner of the race. Nothing makes me happier than seeing my wife and kids cheer me on when I reach the end. My final time was 7:22:48, which again isn’t anywhere near the goal I had, but considering it was my longest run, bike, and swim in the past 10-12 months, I felt pretty good about it.
Now that I know what the REV3 and HIM’s are all about, I’m ready to take it to the next level. I’m in the process of obtaining a coach’s services and getting ready for the NCTS and Augusta later this year. I’ll also be ready for the REV3 next year, you better believe I’ll be back 
Home Sweet Home
We did it! Thanks to the support of everyone, the high altitude training is over and I finally made it home back to the states where I am ready to race all spring, summer, and winter long. Although my training hasn’t been as great as I’d like it to be, I’m still on the way to giving it my best shot this season.
I’m so grateful to have had the chance to serve my country in Afghanistan, but now that I’m home it is time to kick it up another notch and see just how good my off-season conditioning was. I’m a bit behind schedule for the REV3 prep, but that’s OK, I’m still looking forward to June 7. Shortly after the REV3 Triathlon is the Kure Beach Double Sprint Triathlon in North Carolina, which should be a great time.
I’m planning on using a few 10k’s, half mary’s, and other sprint triathlons to get ready for the 2 big races I have on the agenda, which are Ironman Augusta, and the Outer Banks Marathon, which I plan to use to get a BQ slot.
I haven’t been updating my training calendar lately because I’ve been so busy, but soon I’ll be transferring the data from my Garmin to the online training log so you can check my progress.
Where I Get Motivation
Motivation is a tricky thing. When you need it most, it is hard to come by, but when you have no need, it abounds. Over the years I’ve learned that I find motivation in momentus spurts of energy and end up wasting it all at once. However, I’ve also figured out how to prolong the experience without actually having to prolong the motivation itself.
Have you ever felt those moments where you felt like you could conquer the world? Well I seem to have them more often than is good for me. What I used to do was use the motivation like rocket fuel and use it till it was all burnt up. This wasn’t very effective and often times I ended up stuck in the middle of a project or goal without the desire to continue.
To fix this, I started using the motivation to set “realistic” (and I’ll use that term loosely) goals for myself. Rather than use the motivation for exertion, I used it for goal and lifestyle planning, which is how I ended up here.
One of these goals I set for myself was not just to compete in a triathlon, but to become a pro triathlete. Sure, it might seem like a cocky move and I might be in over my head, but that’s where the motivation comes in.
Since I already labeled myself as a pro, I then had to force myself to either live up to that claim by training like a pro…or I had to recognize that I’d never make it at all, and I’m not one to give up.
So this is where my motivation comes from. I create an image of myself beforehand and then force myself to live up to it. Sure, this makes me open to criticism, but if you can’t handle it now, how will you handle it when everyone puts a bullseye on your back?
Kure Beach Added
For those of you that don’t know, my time in Afghanistan is coming to a close. I’ve got a little over a month left and I’ll be on a plane to North Carolina. In the meantime, now that I know a bit more about my future, I went ahead and added the first sprint to this year’s calendar.
This one is actually a Formula 1 style sprint and looks to be a blast. I’ve never done a dual sprint like this before, but I’m sure it will be a nice test. Looking over the times from last year’s results, it seems very competitive. Although my training has waned in the past few months due to an increased workload, I’m going to do my best to give an all-star performance.
It will be 3 weeks after the REV3 Triathlon, on June 28. The Kure Beach Double Sprint looks to be a great time…I hope I see you there!
Thank You for Your Support!
I know the race isn’t here yet, but so far I’ve been overwhelmed by the support of my friends, family, and allies in the fight against cancer. Here is a video that shares my thoughts.
Ironman Augusta - It is Official
Well, it is official. Barring injury, tragedy, or both, I will be competing in the 70.3 Ironman at Augusta, Georgia at the end of September.
It looks like my progression is on track and although I didn’t get in some of the NCTS races I wanted to, I will still be able to compete there while attempting 2 half-ironmans and 2 marathons this season.
I’m using the REV3 as a “test” race for the Ironman, so I’m banking everything on September. I honestly can’t wait to get started racing and as much as I love the high altitude training here in A-Stan, I’m ready to get back to business.
20% There - Still Need Your Help
If you hadn’t read the post, I have earned a charity slot for the REV3 Triathlon in June. Now that I’ve got the slot, I need your help fighting cancer by donating to the V Foundation. I’ve made it easy for you, there is a widget in the top right of this page that will take you to the donation page.
This isn’t about me, it is about everyone that is fighting cancer. Every grandfather/grandmother, father and mother, son and daughter, and grandchild. Help me help Jimmy V.
A Small World!
The internet has a great ability to mashup people that would probably normally never meet, and I am grateful for it. Recently, I was contacted by Thad (pictured here) after he saw my information on a triathlon website, Athlinks. We started communicating via PM and Email and learned that we both lived in the same area.
He was nice enough to feature me in a story on his website about my time and training in Afghanistan. You can read the story and some of Thad’s great content by visiting RunnerDude’s Blog. You won’t find that story anywhere else and it sheds a little bit more light on my background and philosophy.
I’d like to thank Thad again for his kind words and his willingness to spread the word about what we are doing here. I promised that I’d line up next to him one of these days, and I’m looking forward to it.
Thanks Thad!
-Nathan
