I had a lot of questions about going into this race with my recent injury but I left my excuses at home and had more rest than I have ever had going into any race so my plan was just to do as much of the race as possible and take my mid-season break when I was done.

The swim was out of Pamilla cove and the water was perfect.  Clear, ~70 degrees and one big loop.  As we started, I lined up on the far right and a fast group took out the swim into the surf close to the buoy line on the left side.  This was all left turns and I should have started on the left but I got clear water and lead out a group on the far right slowly making my way to the left as we closed in on the first major turn.  By the time I got there I was in the back of a very big lead group that split at the turn leaving me in the back of the second group.

Shortly after rounding the first buoy, I made my way to the front of the second pack and then tried to bridge up to the leaders.  I put in a solid effort for what felt like a long time but it was probably just a few minutes.  That left me swimming in the middle of both packs and still not close enough to get onto the front pack who continued to pull away.  I decided to swim a bit smarter and do some breast stroke until the 2nd pack caught me and then just find some feet.

The pace felt very comfortable after racing a couple halfs and an olympic over the last couple months and the proof that the smart sessions at Nova were working.  I have also continued to feel very aware in the water and have been able to watch what is going on around me more and more which in some way relaxes me throughout the swim.  Specific OW sessions + Smart Nova practices + experience = progression.  Now I just need to work on some muscular endurance so I don’t fade at the end of the swim.

As we rounded the final buoy and headed to shore we ran into a little chop and what felt like a head on current.  I got dropped.  I missed some feet and then more and more space opened between me and the group.  My long strokes were burning me up and by the time I switched to more of a choppy quick cadence my pull felt faded.  That last section I really slowed down and could not even hold pace with anyone passing me.  This was by far my longest swim in a while and I know where I am at now and how to address it by the next IM.  I was happy to get out of the water!

The bike course was a lot of fun with consistent “rollers” out along the coast and then a climb towards the airport on the toll road.   Two laps of that with a progressive wind and streets lined with cheering spectators yelling “VA VA VA”  and the time just flew by…

My goal was to ride the first lap building into the climb at the airport and then stay strong on the pace the second lap.  I was still unsure if I was going to run but I realized it would do me no good to send it on the bike even if I was not going to run.  This was the proof if my training was working and my pacing was right, so, run or not, I decided to practice executing my race – I wanted to build good habits and proper pacing.   I also stuck to my nutrition plan (Vitargo + Salt Stick) just like at Panama which both provided my best pacing/power so far.    My average power for this race was 1 watt less than I did when I raced a half ironman in December (a PB at the time) so I was pretty stoked with that knowing I didn’t even feel like I rode hard when I got on the run.  The bike progress is coming along nicely!

The nature of the course also had a lot of rest built into it.  Rolling hills and some wind that was at our backs at times made for some good recovery between the efforts. Compared to the humidity and lack of tailwind I felt at Panama, I was all smiles on the bike.  I was in no-mans-land again by about 20 miles in.  There was a small pack of pro men way out in front and a group of about 4 pro women in a pace-line I would see at the turn around and I just focused on trying to catch them.

Finishing the bike, I rode up the last 180 degree turn around and was directed back through the turn.  I didn’t think this was right as that would have put me on track to head back to the airport for a third time but I did not see any other options.  I turned around again mid-street and back to the turn asking the volunteers and spectators for directions to the bike finish.  To keep it short, I got a bit lost at the end of the bike.  The right way was to ride through the last 180 degree turn – I rode in a couple small loops on that street before I finally got direction to do just that…No biggie.

The confusion over not knowing the final miles however had me lose focus on the bike exit and taking my feet out of my shoes.  That was slightly exaggerated by a slight downhill that had me moving at a quick pace towards T2.  I got my left foot out and by the time I looked up I realized I was coming in quick!  I reached down and was able to get my right foot out just in time to look up and see the dismount line, so, I naturally grabbed two fists full of break and felt the weightlessness that only comes from a high speed indo.  Yeehaa!  I managed to get both of my legs around my handlebars that were sinking below and behind me at this point and as my bike tumbled beside me on the left and we both floated over the dismount line.  I landed barefoot on the far side but my bike was not so lucky. My immediate thought was “I hope someone got that on video”.  The support grabbed my bike and told me they would take it from here and I said, gracias amigo! and took off running into T2.

My shin lit-up before I hit the first mile marker on the run.  I was hoping to at least get a few miles under my legs before that started but other than that my legs really did feel good.  The run course was a ghost town the first lap but that let me dial into my pace and run relatively easy.   At this point I still was not sure how far I was going to run but I was keen on practicing executing proper pacing off the bike.  I honestly feel that the first 5 miles of the run will make or break your marathon and this was the time to use my discipline of sticking to what I felt I could sustain in the final miles.  My mind went to fueling, electrolytes, rhythm and form…anything but the pain in my shin.

keeping it going lap two of three

Before I knew it, I was rounding mile 10 and starting the second loop.  Hot dog!  I may finish this dang race!  My goal of mile 3, 5, 10 turned to mile 16 until I finally had to commit to finishing even if I had to walk.  It is best not to allow yourself any negotiation in the final miles of the marathon.

Although it felt like I could feel the muscle ripping from the bone with every step, I got the confirmation I needed about my training – finally getting the quickness I needed.  Every other Ironman I have lacked the quickness to take advantage of the downhills or have variation in pace.  I have always trained at about 7:30-8min/mi pace and ran close to that for the marathon but it would destroy me to deviate from that range.  This training block, I was almost always running closer to 6:30-7min/mi pace at the same heart rate and have ran more miles at or below 6min pace in the last couple months than I have my entire life.  Unfortunately, the result of my shin splints and now tendinitis of my ATT was in one way proof of that…  A little too quick, too soon, but with some adjustments I know I am headed in the right direction.

From mile 18 on, I had to take a few breaks to stretch my calves.   I was subconsciously favoring my good leg (left) and my calf was so loaded  I was fighting cramps in it along with the unnecessary struggle that comes when your form goes to crap from limping.  The run was bittersweet for me.  I was stoked that I was going to be able to finish, and that I ended up running the same time I did at Kona when it was a PB for me and today I was not up….as a “bad” run.  It also gave me more confirmation and confidence about the type of run I know I have in me and will execute when I’m not gimpy.  However, I was running injured.   Something I would never recommend and am totally against.  The only exception was that I was planning on taking a break after the race but it is not something I am proud of… Never run injured!

Outside of the obvious, I was in a deep pain cave trying to cope with this in the last 10 miles of the race.  There has been plenty of times I have ran for 5, 6, 7+ hours and was dealing with the fatigue and heavy legs that accompany such experiences but I have never had the struggle like I did in the last hour of this race.  It did feel good after not running for 3 weeks to finally get out and move on my own two feet so I just thought about that, the people that inspire me and every drop of positive I had until I crossed the finish line.

rounding out mile 26

I won my age group and took a slot to Kona so it looks like Monique will have to do some more bikini shopping before the end of the year.

In the end, I was very happy to have support from friends, sponsors and the rest of the team around me.  I did better than expected and I was glad I was able to finish while learning about what has been working in my training where I need to focus on for improvement.  Not a PB in swim, bike or run but stoked to see after taking 18 months away from triathlon that the specific fitness comes back fast and the desire is stronger than ever.  With less Ironman training than ever going into this race (a good thing for March), I feel like my PB was executing a race that squeezed higher percentage of what fitness I had in me on the day.  A breakthrough of sorts that I know will only have more to work with for the next time I get to the starting line.  Until then..  Its time for some R&R!

This has been one of the smoothest races I have been to logistically but part of that could be because of the nightmare travel experiences I had getting to and from Panama at the start of this year.  Even if we had to get through customs, the flight down to Cabo San Lucas/Los Cabos (SJD) was as short as flying to Northern California and getting into and out of SJD and the San Diego airport was a breeze.  We also flew Alaska which only charged us $60 to check 3 bags including my bike.  This was awesome compared to the $150-200 I am typically paying for my bike alone.

Monique and I had never been down to San Jose or San Lucas before but our teammates for the trip, Brynn and Ryan have been there plenty of times and not only made the trip much more fun but Ryan knew about all the spots that the cool kids hang out and where to get what we needed to prep for the race.  This was a huge help.

The logistics for the race itself (which at some events can be a race in itself) was effortless and very organized.  I think I heard that the race director is also who puts on Ironman Cozumel which only make me want to do that race also.  The crew must have had solid experience because for a first year race I felt like they ran it without a hitch.

- check-in was fast, people were informed and we got in and out without ping ponging around for a few hours picking up random stuff from tables across the room.  It was also right next to where we were staying (thank you Ryan) which made it nice to just go for a walk and grab our stuff before dinner.

The same goes for bike drop off where we got marked with numbers and photos taken on the way into transition and then left our bags for T1 & T2.  Having two separate transitions was not an issue at all and this “assembly line of efficiency” continued through the finish chute where we crossed the finish line got our metal, necklace souvenir, t-shirts, towels, food, massage, ice bath pools, etc.

- The course (i will detail more below) was super fun and challenging enough to keep the drafting down on the bike and elements enough to keep it real without people complaining that it is too hard (IMSG).  Maybe that will keep it around longer…  The course was marked very well and they did a great job of setting up most of the aid stations on the bike by the climbs so we were moving at a slower pace to switch bottles and they also gave our real bike bottles which is always a huge plus.  There was also plenty of aid stations on the bike (every 5mi?) and on the run we had one every kilometer.  This was a big help keeping cool and having consistency even if you did not need them that often.

- local support was good as expected.  People are generally friendly and supportive of these events but it was also very SAFE.  I had so many people telling me before we went down about the dangers of Mexico but we were far from any of that.   Bring your wife, bring your kids.  No need to hide them here.
We stayed at the Posada Real Hotel for the first few days before the race and a day after.  I was VERY stoked on this place!   This brings up another plus… RELAXATION!

This was a good theme to have before the trip and the ease and low key atmosphere along with the all inclusive stay at Posada Real made it a pleasure. 

Bike Course Details–

In short, it has been far from ideal…but that is the norm.  The smart athlete learns to adjust, stay positive and just get your butt to the starting line.  The lead into my fourth Ironman has also been very different, which is a good and bad thing but enough to expect very different results and a drastic race strategy – show up and blow up!

I started out this year with the “less is more” approach to training with a deeper focus at work, setting up the year to achieve one of my top triathlon goals and make sure I was stronger, fiter and highly motivated after August.  I knew I would have to spend the first phase getting my riding and swimming back and have the optimal balance in order to run well enough.

However, after dealing with shin splints before racing Pamama 70.3 my training, especially my running, started to have an abundance of “less”.  I took my lowest week of training before Pamama and took the week after it basically off.   This was not easy to do with it being only 4 weeks away but I knew if I could get in a solid 3 weeks of injury free specific training before Cabo I would have the confidence to be able to race it.

And that did not exactly happen either …but I am somehow still optimistic.  I raced the Desert Tri two weeks ago and I was waiting for results from an MRI to see if I had a stress fracture so I did not do the run.  I rode the bike loop until they kicked me off of it and then tried to hobble a lap around the lake.   It was a week before the Desert Tri (3 weeks out from Cabo) that I have done my last training run and I am just trusting if I can run on Sunday that I will have the endurance.

owning the aquabike solo division

This has been my first injury to pull me out and it has not been easy to deal with.  Especially that it is running and I had such a focus on it last year that I really wanted to rip some runs off the bike this year.  No excuses and no complaints.  I am a lucky boy and I am on the beach in Cabo San Lucas with friends…life is very good.  Dealing with this injury has put things in perspective and maybe a blessing in disguise to keep me fresh at the end of the year but it has been a roller coaster of hot and cold, race or rest.

Some lessons learned

• If you have shins splints – DONT RUN – the only real way to get rid of them (thank you James).
• Its always best to get an X-Ray and an MRI for tracking down the real issue – If anything it gave me peace of mind and confirmation that I did not have a stress fracture – something I needed to know before Cabo.
• The real “race” is between your ears.  Confidence is what it takes to execute your best performance and it is the same sort of confidence that you need to take when dealing with any setback.  Keep the big picture in focus and keep playing the part of the champion.
• If you think you need to use the Graston technique and take a cresent wrench to your shin you may just piss off your tendons and develop tendinitis of the ATT - dont try this at home!
• Use your downtime to get aggressive with active recovery – I have been practically living in my 110% overdrive compression/ice socks between meetings at work and on the couch or foam rolling between.
• Get a plan and stick to it.  Dont use any additional mental energy going back and forth about schedules or take yourself too seriously.  Adjust your original plan and do what you can.

In the end, I found that my shin splints went away but I developed some Tendinitis of the ATT from the bike among other things (like “fixing” myself with a cresent wrench). Change with additional forced change.  I planned on posting a “less is more” training comparison after the race that outlines my training to each Ironman I have done.  At a very high level, I have done much less overall volume but much more strength training and quality race specific training than in the past.  I also consistently trained with my buddy Ryan Pearson for the first time and he has made major changes from his previous 6 Ironmans and I believe he is in for the race of his life.

Ryan will be crushing dreams on Send it Sunday

I am more interested to see what this change provides and how Ryan does than anything else.  In many ways this is one of my most exciting races because I am not afraid to fail and I really do not know what is going to happen but I am sure to learn a lot from watching Ryan and myself.

“One of the things that enabled me to continually progress was a willingness to change my approach. It didn’t always work but I sure learned a lot!” Gordo Byrn

And that leads me to my new race strategy.   I wanted to race Cabo and then use Ironman Coeur d’Alene to go out as hard a possible and just see at which point(s) I blew up.  A unique opportunity when you have nothing to lose.  Now with this questionable run at Cabo, more rest than I have ever had since I started sport and nothing to lose I am taking my race strategy of “show up and blow up” out on the course this Sunday.  I am going to SEND IT!  I will swim on the edge, ride strong and smart on the bike without fear of failing and I am just praying my healthy run legs are going to be waiting for me in my transition bag for the marathon.  Nothing to lose, no excuse but no stupidity about doing real damage to myself.  The CI is very simple.  If this is going to help me achieve my goal for the year I will continue and if not I will stop.  However, if I make it to mile 15 you can believe I will squeeze every last drop of push I have in me to the finish line.  That keeps it exciting!

Thanks for the support and hope to see you out there!

]]> http://slaterfletcher.com/2013/03/soy-registrado-y-me-preparo-para-doler.html/feed 1 http://slaterfletcher.com/2013/03/interview-with-triple-threat-triathlon.html http://slaterfletcher.com/2013/03/interview-with-triple-threat-triathlon.html#comments Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:27:14 +0000 Slater Fletcher http://slaterfletcher.com/?p=4249  

I was stoked to be able to chat (via email) with Collin from Triple Threat Triathlon and get some unique questions for an interview and learn more about TTT.

Here is the interview if you want to check it out on their blog  http://triplethreattriathlon.blogspot.com/2013/03/slater-fletcher-dream-crushing-at-its.html

Collin asked for a couple photos so I sent him some race pics from Panama and said he could pull some down from facebook if he wanted more.  I was cracking up when I saw some of the pictures below but it brought back some good memories.  I love pictures…they speak volumes.  Hope you find this helpful or at least entertaining…

Check out http://triplethreattriathlon.blogspot.com/ or follow them on Twitter to learn more.

I had a couple main reasons I wanted to spend the 10+ hr of travel to get to the starting line.  A) I wanted to RACE!  Racing is fun.  B) I wanted to get a hard race under my belt to start the year off and something before Cabo – Not many options fit that category  C) This would give me a good baseline about how my training formula was going from December  D) I wanted to see where I would stack up from my time/placing and see the course.  This was the Latin American Pro race and I maybe back next year so I wanted to learn the logistics and turn by turn by suffering it out first hand.

After just running most of last year and getting things in order to race a lot this year I have been VERY hungry for some run PBs.  Ironic that that is where the questionable came into play for this race. A couple weeks before this race I was questioning if I was even going to be running at all.  That changed some of my goals and perspectives but  in the end taking time off from running going into the race turned out to be the best thing for me.  I have had less triathlon specific training than in the past races (a good thing for February) going into this race and with the combination of pushing and trying to get back in bike shape faster with higher intensity rides left me with some lower leg issues right before the race.  As is pretty common, this did not show at first on the bike but on the run.  Long story less drama – I got shin splints in my right leg.  Crazy.  I run 2,600 miles last year just focusing on running with no issues and I get back on the bike and get shin splints.  I could dive into many thoughts here and there but the best thing to do was just_rest and not test it so that is what I did (easier said than done!).   What I ended up with was my biggest block of rest the week before the race and even bigger block of rest following the race (lowest week in about 3yrs).  Again, maybe not the best prep for Cabo but not a bad thing for this early in the year and to come out of it injury free.

The good thing was that Josh and I made it to the starting line in Panama and after a short swim, bike, run the day before the race I knew I could run off the bike without causing any damage or pain because my splints had disappeared.  Time to party!

Swim 22:55 [4] 1.2 mi (1:11/100m)  ahr:140 max:149

There were a lot of unique and cool things about this event.  For starters, we kicked things off with swimming in the Panama Canal.  Cool!  The start was off of a small pier just outside of the hotel Josh and I were staying at and we would swim the 1.2 miles down the canal before climbing the stairs and sprinting just over a quarter mile into T1.

Race morning we walked to transition at about 5:40am to setup our stuff and although the sun was not yet up just doing an easy walk/run warm up from T1 to the swim start got me sweating.  That was all the warm up that I did.   I figured the day was going to be hot enough and the pros were about to go off at 6:50 and my wave (7th) was starting at 7:16 which gave me about 20min.  I took my pre-race fuel and then found out there was a delay…  10min turned into 20, then 40, then an hour later we finally got the clear to start.  The sun was now up and the heat and wind already started to show us how tough the day was going to be.

We had the normal chaos of the race start but I managed to get close enough to the front to take my pick of feet when the pack split.   I found a set of feet that were slightly faster than I was going and got in second position.  I could not ask for a better start.  Locked in and soon swimming steady along with nobody else close by except for the previous waves we were swimming through.  I knew from experience I was swimming hard enough so that I could have gone around but I would have worked just a bit harder and gone the same speed so I just focused on the bubbles in front of me, technique and mentally running through T1 once again. We slowed the last ~600 meters or so and I started to get really cold.  I remember my hands/arms/feet getting numb and having to relax my jaw from grinding my teeth.  No wetsuits allowed but it felt pretty dang chilly!  In some strange way I took comfort in that knowing it would be the coldest part of my day.

 apparently nudging out father time on the way to T1

Bike 2:31:07 [5] 57.25 mi (22.7 mph) +3153ft ahr:146 max:163 shoes: DA

The heat and hard of this course began to set in on the bike.  In addition to the climbing (which I really enjoyed) we had what felt like a cross or headwind for the entire bike.  Not gusty like Kona but just always pushing.  Besides the last ~10 miles through the city of Panama, the course was rolling up or down the entire time and I was very stoked to see that they shutdown the city roads and even one side of the Pan American Highway for us so there were no cars at all.  Yeee!

This was probably my best on the bike yet (pacing/nutrition).  Although I averaged almost 20 watts higher than I did at the Half Ironman about a month ago I still rode about 13min slower overall.  This course and conditions were tough and I like that!  After racing 3 different half ironmans now (206w/228w at my first-Oside, 244w at HITS and 261w at Panama) – I am moving up my effort and not worrying about going too hard on the bike.  At HITS, I was not in bike shape and literally rode until I had my legs give out and realized I could still run well off the bike.  That was a big mental help and I have had the last month or so to try and get my bike legs back.  I also usually start and end the ride with lower watts but this time I just got on and held about the same until my feet came out of my shoes.  For the first time, I took in all my nutrition I had on my bike and 3 salt sticks.  I know I have a lot of work to do but I was happy with my bike in that it is moving in the right direction.

The rest of the ride was (thankfully) uneventful.  I passed some of the first waves early on and then did not see anyone until I started catching some of the pro women in the final miles.  I took the approach of “drop it like its hot” to control my effort.  I knew my legs had more and my HR was slow to drift up but also slow to drift down do to the heat.  The heat mixed with this humidity was pretty brutal.  When I felt my head getting hot like it was going to melt or my core temp creeping up, I dialed into that instead of my watts and just rolled with it over the hills dropping my power to keep from overheating.  Simple but it worked.

Running 1:27:36 [5] 13.1 mi (6:41 / mi)  +382ft  ahr:165 max:202 shoes: NB-1600-Blu-1

Last year, I had finally, in my own mind, become a runner. It may sounds strange and nobody except me would understand and that is exactly why I am so stoked about it.  It is also why I was patient to wait if I was going to cause damage running at this race because I really believe I have some of the best running off the bike in my future and I want to be healthy and strong then.  The questioning about if I could run at Panama ended a couple days before the race but how I was going to run was still unknown.  Thats why racing is so exciting.

When I got off the bike I was told while heading out of transition that I was 1st amateur and 2nd was right behind me.  No biggie.  I ran out and just focused on my rhythm, turn over and all the little reminders of FORM that I learned last year.   The guy in the picture below just behind me got right on my shoulder and we ran together for a while…at my pace.  I have never felt more comfortable and confident.  I never thought about my shin or lack of running going into the race.  I just ran.  A mile later I was alone and feeling pretty good…and hot.  Really hot.

Just before the turn around I was running with two other guys and I think the overall amateur (I finished 2nd amateur overall – I think he started in a wave behind me but I really dont know).  I felt like I was holding back but my head was getting so hot and my feet heavy with water from aid station floods of water poured over me.  This was two out and backs but the first lap turned towards the finish before making another small loop and out and back on an asphalt road.  That is where I hit my low (meltdown) of the race.  The guys I was running with were two pro’s on their final lap and as we made our way around the turn they ran to the finish and I thought I was lost off course…Crap!  In one way I thought I would have a good excuse to stop running.  ha.  funny what goes through your mind.  Then I saw a little sign that said second lap U Turn.  Right on.  Stay the course.

The next mile or two were BRUTAL.  I have had tough and hot spots in race past – You cannot avoid these going the distance at Kona, Ultraman, or in the desert of Utah but I have never had it come upon me so quickly.  I should have known I was in trouble when I dumped two cups on my head at the aid station before only to realize afterwards that it was coke ;-)  Things were getting sticky…  I went from running strong with these two guys to hitting this black asphalt a mile later (now out of the wind and feeling the heat from the ground) and started throwing up in my mouth.    This is something I do not do at races and I was not about to start now.  Wow…  That took some tough love talk but I soaked up a good long walk and stop at the next aid station and got my core temp down and then was on my way.

Running out of that pit was actually the best part of the race for me.  I was able to turn things around and get back to running ~6:30 pace lifting my effort at the end and balancing my head melting with the smarts to keep the ice water pouring over my head instead of coke.   I was informed again at the last turn around that I had about 20sec ahead of the next amatuer and I ended up finishing about a minute ahead of him but I am most stoked that I never looked over my shoulder (a huge change for me).   Not close to my best run but stoked I was able to run and even more that I am injury free after the race and getting on my proper preparation on for Ironman Los Cabos.  I like going long!

We rode out to these small islands where the run course makes an out and back and I had to half sit on my saddle at times because of the wind.  This area is just totally exposed with ocean on both sides but hopefully the rest of the bike will be a bit more sheltered from the wind.

Our first night out after picking up our race packets from the Trump tower downtown.  Its about 90 degrees here and 100% humidity and the wind is always blowing.  Epic racing conditions!

Instead of staying in the middle of the city, we are camping out at the Country Inn in Balboa.  It is very close to the race, low key and we were pleasantly surprised when we arrived yesterday.  We are right next to the Puente De Las Americas that we will actually get to ride over for the bike course.    The only thing we are missing is a street market or somewhere we can get fresh fruit and clean food but I guess we will take a look on our next trip into down.

Although the city is only a few miles away the traffico is really think and it is like that all hours of the day.  Gnar.  I dont know how they are going to clear the roads for us to ride and I feel bad that all of this traffic is going to be short a lane but it is the weekend so hopefully we wont be dodging cars along the way.  On our taxi ride into the city yesterday we came across three accidents and realized how fond of honking these people are…hello.  The second pic below is one of the old classic streets that is only open to foot traffic now and will be pumping in a couple weeks when they start carnival.

Today we got to do a very short swim, bike and run on part of the course. You can see the entire swim course from the pic above.  We start just below the bride to the Americas and swim down the canal to this set of stairs they build yesterday.  The water is super salty and filled with bubbles.  A nice to have when we will not be using wetsuits and we have a current to help us with a swim PB too.  Its crazy how the tide changes throughout the day.  When Josh and I swam in the morning the water was up against the rocks and the bottom of these stairs.  By the time we dropped our bikes off in T1 there was a sandy beach below the rocks that was 30-40 feet back at places and sandbars in the middle.  Good thing the race starts early with the tide!

Locked and loaded and ready to race.

]]> http://slaterfletcher.com/2013/02/panama.html/feed 0 http://slaterfletcher.com/2013/02/home-camp-2013.html http://slaterfletcher.com/2013/02/home-camp-2013.html#comments Fri, 01 Feb 2013 19:43:40 +0000 Slater Fletcher http://slaterfletcher.com/?p=4150 After taking more than a year off triathlon and just focusing on running last year, I did my first triathlon in about 16 months, the Sprint Distance Turkey Tri and followed that up with a half ironman (HITS) the next weekend in December.  What a kick to the balls!  It was good to have a break from tri and the two races allowed me to see where I was at after the end of a big year of running. It also allowed me (forced me) to adapt a new training and racing strategy.  Long story short, the 1.2 mile swim just about killed me and I was falling apart on the bike or at least not able push on the bike but for the first time found myself running people down and getting the fastest run split at the half.  For the first time in a long time I was excited to start the process and try to smash some triathlon PB’s in 2013.

Getting back into ironman training allowed me to take a new perspective and approach.  After just a couple months into it I can say that I have never felt this strong and confident.  My process, like my training has become super simple and allowed me to stay fresh and motivated.   This may not produce PB’s right away but I am in it for the long run.

As I sit on a plane to Panama, my first Triathlon of 2013 I am trying to outline the subtile changes I did to prepare and setup this year of dream crushing 2.0.  Much like changing what I eat, I dont believe in drastic diets so much as small refinements that you keep for the rest of your life.  Anyways, here are a few thoughts on my prep so far.

- The Process –We all have a unique proces that helps us learn, prepare, improve and provide our own personal “formula for success”.  I know this is going to be a long road and I wanted to make sure I was committed to and enjoying the journey as I developed my blueprint to achieve goals inside and out of sport.   Taking another go let me refine my process, open it up to change and has enabled me to be responsible in sticking to my intent because the process itself is part of the goal.  Here are some highlights

-Commitment to CI- My process started with a very clear CI (Commanders Intent).  This is the bottom line, the single drive that allows for dynamic changes along the way.  This has to be the start because it drives the bus.  I am very aware of what I am getting myself into and I am willing to sacrifice in order to commit to that goal.   Following this CI is easy when you have clearly defined it and allows for daily or even minute by minute changes without loosing focus.  Should I do X or Y?  Does this support my CI?  Stuff like that.  It makes decisions easy but not always easy to follow.   That is where the commitment and responsibility comes in.

-Responsible Change- This sounds odd to link together but they go hand and hand as a big step in my process.  After racing with a new strategy in December I was open to a full host of changes.  Change or learning again for the first time makes the process fun and I already know what doing the same thing will bring.  Discovery in changing is the process!  We all know that you dont have to be Einstein to undertand that he labeled “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results“

Can I afford to take a year off to just_run and see if that changes my run split?  Can I afford to change my race dynamics and potentially throw away a race to see if pacing the bike differently changes my outcome?  Can I train in half the time as I have in the past?  What do I have to loose?  My process was opened to changes and I made sure I stuck with these adjustments long enough to see what fruit I was getting from them.  That is part of where responsibility comes in.

If I had one word to contrast my focus for triathlon now from when I was training before I would have to use the word “responsible”.   To be honest, it is humbling to add responsibility but I lacked it before.  I do not have the same time to train as I have in the past and most of that is because I love my job and want to give time to other things in my life outside of just training.  I know…shocker for some tri geeks.  Each session is also approached very different than I have in the past.  For example, I no longer just go out and ride for seven hours “because I can” or hop on a flight to do a race in some remote country and come back shelled for a week.  The truth is that I have always had the best training when I am busy balancing life and work. Crunched time makes for ruthless efficiency and responsibly forces a good change to stick.  Did I mention that I love my job?  It allows me to be responsible and creates an environment for autonomy, mastery and making a contribution.  All of which I hope to take outside of just my day job.

-No Travel -I love adventure and getting out to a new place every weekend to explore trials, see friends and smash myself at some remote training camp.  While the occasional trip offers a break for the mind and from the routine, for me, it had become routine itself.  Last year, when we were in Bend, closing in on a long summer (late Sept), I was staring down at the single track between my feet and listening to our group giggle and ride up behind me.  I honestly didn’t know for a moment if I was in Tahoe, on a trail up in Washington, in the forest of Cuyamaca or on some trail in Big Bear.  I suppose it did not really matter but it was the end of a 12 week “tour” that Monique and I were completing and the effective load of traveling was taking its toll.  I have since changed my mind on traveling and come to realize that all travel or time away from home is stressful…even if it becomes the norm and you feel you are efficient with it the quality of food, sleep, training and lifestyle is just compromised.

The biggest change for me in the start of 2013 is no travel.  Besides two nights in Santa Barbara two weekends ago (but we rode there and back), I have slept in my bed and trained out of my own front door now for over 10 weeks in a row – my longest continuous block of time at home in the last 5 years!.  That was one of the hardest decisions for me…The words of Gordo telling me, “stay put and train” was ringing in my head and I started to realize how smart athletes like James never get out of Encinitas (not that I want to encourage that James!).  Once I put down a couple weeks of training out of my front door I realized just how much stress is involved in the travel.  After missing our connection plane and having to get a hotel in Miami last night I had all of the reminder that I needed!

All of the things that supported my process like teammates, high quality foods, and FUN are located in my neighborhood…I was just never home long enough to embrace it.  And to be clear about what is most essential – the training is good but the quality of life and recovery is EPIC!   Of course, before I could stay home and train, I had to “learn to say no to myself and others“.  These two lessons are some of the hardest behavior changes for me to make in the last few years but also the most rewarding.  I could go on and on but the fact is that this single change has supported the list below, the best three quarters of performance at my job, a lifestyle that has Monique and I thriving and some of the best quality training I have ever backed up.  Sometimes less is more.

-Focus on Frequency & Freshness -Running my training camp from home was a big help on staying fresh for all of life rigors but it was also my focus on frequency rather than volume that has me itching to race long into the future.  A few simple changes like  putting a cap on my biggest days for the last few months or not running off the bike when I do go longer have proven huge returns.  I am pretty sure when I do another Ironman I will remember how to run if I skip a few run sessions on my build into it.  This was a change, the frequency was not.  This was due to a focus on recovery like keeping my  zero days _ZERO_ and I have spaced out key sessions more to allow for recovery and do not sweat the stuff between.  Plenty of time and know I can go to the well when needed.  So what do I focus on?  Frequency!  Its one of the many nerd graphs I like to plot out and track because “what gets measured gets done” and if your a nerd like me the graphs are fun!

Aug 2008 to Dec 2012

Here are a few thoughts about why I focus on this also.  Training hard is hard enough and getting the work done requires a lifestyle change to accommodate it – frequency lets you adjust, build a habit and keep the sessions easy and short enough so you can back it up.  Its not easy but I believe it is the fastest way to fast.  Running 4-5x a week is hard.  Keeping it short enough to roll for 6-8 weeks is hard…and very effective.   Smashing out a 20 mile run until you drain the tank and need to take days off to recover is not hard…its called racing in training.  When you have proven you can do the work and it is time to get specific as you move closer to a key race there is time for deviation from frequency but until then its best to save the racing for race day.  Frequency first.  When you need a sport specific or limit focused block you can jump right back in and be able to back it up and deliver consistently.  Focusing on frequency is not only is a safe way to build efficiency, durability but it develops the habits that will also help control your race day.

-The practice of Yoga-I started practicing yoga in 2010, so it is not something new to me, however, my frequency and depth of practice has increased over this last two months.   Add in the start of some recent Pilates sessions (core strength secret sauce) and this is one of my top 3 biggest gains for this block.  I knew about the benefits of yoga practice long ago since my introduction from the Yoga Wolf  herself.  Things like tuning into body awareness (finding and firing muscles I didn’t know I had), the power of proper alignment and increased flexibility but this is the first time I really started taking this “practice” to my swim, bike and run workouts.

Take for example learning to breath the yogie way….  Our minds are often flipping back and forth, calculating living between the past and the present and can be sent into overdrive in situations like race day when your heart in your throat.  In the constant negotiation of push your limits, this chatter can take away from the work output (and experience) itself.   Focusing on your breath gives your busy mind a task and keeps it focused on the task at hand – in the present!   Lengthening in flexibility with each exhale and growing in strength with each inhalation.  Deep ujjayi breathing promotes positive, consistent flow that you control even in the direst of physical or mental stress.  Tune into that and you get more than clean oxygen to fuel a focused effort.  When I find myself hearing that inner voice, “don’t crack, don’t crack” in a Nova swim set or pushing a big gear on the bike I don’t think about the top of the climb or end of the set.  I dial into my breathing, embrace the present, lighten my load and remember to not make tings harder than they need to be.

So with that here is my triathlon schedule for 2013 up to June and the only time I should be leaving Home Camp.  I have some pretty specific goals (a new post in itself) but this is part of a multi-year plan for me so I have plenty of time to confirm the process.  As always, I hope this helps and truly desire that the best in me bring out the best in you.  See you out on the race course my friends.

Ironman Panama 70.3                     February 2^nd (South American Pro Championships)

Desert Triathlon- Olympic               March 3^rd

Ironman Los Cabos                           March 16^th

Leadman 125 Tempe                       April 14^th

Ironman St. George 70.3                  May 5^th (North American Pro Championships)

OC Triathlon                                      May 19^th

Ironman Coeur d’Alene                    June 23^rd

The last couple weekends I was able to jump into two local triathlons and it reminded me why I love racing so much.  After doing so many races over the last few years I got into a train_to_train in 2011 and in so doing only raced a single triathlon in all of 2011.  Boo!  As I recently told my buddy Nick, “training is cool but racing is where the magic happens”.  Races are what make the training meaningful and promotes an environment where we can explore, test and even expand our limits.  Racing is FUN!

So on with it!

 On Thanksgiving weekend, I raced the Turkey Tri in San Demis  - A sprint tri and my first sprint tri since I did the Turkey Tri back in 2007.  From that time I have only gone longer and longer so it was a good kick in the balls to get out and try to go FAST!

With little swimming and specific riding over the year I think the distances were just enough for me to make it without a fade(not like I had the next weekend at the Half Ironman) but it was really hard for me to push solid watts on the bike.  Stuck in steady/mod-hard effort it was hard to shake it out and really sprint.  This is exactly why I need to do more races like this.  Good times and I will save the the details of the report but here is my log if you want to check it out.

Official times -
s11:33/.5mi, t1-1:38, b36:35/14mi, t2-:49, r28:10/4.5mi =1:18:47

Next up was the HITS Championship race in Palm Springs the following weekend.  I raced the half ironman distance and wanted to race these a week apart to see if the sprint would be a good tune up.  For the lack of specific training I think it was actually a big help and I held close to the same paces all day.  The distance, however, particularly on the swim but also the bike really took its toll on me.  I cracked at the swim heading out and then was so far in an anaerobic hole on the second lap that I swam across the rectangle spotting the wrong buoy before I realized I had to turn around.  Happy to get out of the water I though I would make up time on the bike but my legs were just not ready for it yet.  The flat course was much harder than expected and nothing like a mountain bike ride…ouch!

The HITS series has a long way to go if they want to be competitive with any other long course (or short for that matter) tri events group although they are already charging full price.  That is all I will say about that…  I was stoked to be able to race locally in December and get to race with my good buddies Rick, Keevin and have support from Monique.  Living the dream!

This was a breakthrough race for me however because it had me racing a very different race strategy than I have in the past.  I also had fitness from running all year but not specific fitness and there was a lot of learning in all of that!  I found that there were many, many things I was doing right all along and this just confirmed that but I also learned to adapt and be ready to use the swim, bike or run as a strength.  Again, my log blabber is over here if you want to take a look at more of my notes but this race got me really pumped to get out and RACE some triathlons next year and find out right where I was at in my form, mind  and motivation.

Official times -
s-27:47/1.1mi, t1-2:05, b-2:18:00/56mi, t2-1:10, r-133:26/~14.(long)mi =4:22:29

Me and Paul Amey who took the overall win at the finish line.  Hope to see you out there at the next one!