A year in the making, so to speak. We started a year ago, volunteering at IMAZ 2014.
Recovery and Training.
Since Challenge Penticton, I have had good training, but nothing compared to in the summer. It felt really hard to get out for long rides, so the biggest we did was 90km. Training partner Norm Duval and I rode HIghway 22X to Bragg Creek, then north on 22 to the traffic circle and back. It is exactly 90k, and makes for a great ride.For swim training, Bruce Hagel and I did one really cold swim in Lake Bonavista, 2 weeks after challenge. It was good, but hardly swim training. I did a weekly swim of between 1500m and 2200m.
For running, I did short runs of 10-16k a couple times a week, no hills, no speedwork.
I continued the twice weekly Triathlon Resistance training at Eau Claire YMCA, and our trainer, Ian Colburn kept the focus on endurance.
Travel to Phoenix
Pre-Race, and writing on the arms.
Race
Setup
There Early, apparently I am a morning person. Oatmeal for Breakfast, 2x coffee. Rob cooked me a couple of eggs and toast.Travel to site OK, Found a farther out parkade, after getting worried about parking. Look further into parking for next year.
All filled up bike tires and were able to pass the pump to Helen outside. Well executed
Setup was good, but forget water for wetsuit. No warmup means I had to get ready for cold water early. Found some water for wetsuit, want to try cold water on face before swim.
Swim
Water was cold. Crowded. kept bumping into people. pretty ungainly getting into the water off the bleachers. Had trouble breathing, despite like 6 hits of Ventolin. Was getting negative thoughts, and then thought, What would I do to make it better. Decided to focus on form and technique. After a few minutes, sure enough, it got better.
Thought I was way behind the swim, thought what if I donèt make the cutoff, oh well, we would be OK, we tried. Followed this guy with copper armed wetsuit, then realized that it was a sleeveless, his arms were copper.
Got out of the water in 1:34. only 4 minutes longer than average
Transition 1
Slow. Cold. Long. Met Stephen Achilles in the change tent, Only time I saw him all day.
Bike
Got to learn how to pee on the bike. Seriously. Had to go like a racehorse after first lap, could not do it. Stopped at first aid station, only small lineup. From Erin and Helen, I understand that the trick is to get a bottle of water, and spray it on your junk. You will pee whether you wanted to or not.
Didn;t like the taste of the nutrition in the cold, not fueling well. Too cold to drink a lot of water. Worried about dehydration even in the cold. Lots of salt tablets. Switched to Gatorade for fuel. At each aid station, I took a Gatorade, and drank as much of it as I could get down by the throw away zone. Got enough hydration and fuel, but had to pee lots,
Not bad, faster than Penticton, not the 6 hours I wanted. It rained for the last lap, so 2 hours of rain and cold
T2
Cold Cold Cold, and slow. No place in the tent, I asked a volunteer to find me a seat. Lots of Joking. Cold. Hypothermic.
At exit. They were making rain ponchos out of garbage bags, The volunteer who helped me yelled to get running, get my core warmed up.
Run
Ran for First three miles.
Stopped to eat at each aid station. At the exit, I looked at my arm, said "You came here to run". and started running.
My quads and hamstrings were shot. I ran with Glutes and Calfs and did well
I remember giving a guy an earfull. As I went past on second lap. Told him he was doing well, and he said, no I'm done. I turned back to him, told him he was not done. He had to just keep walking like he had somewhere to go, and just keep going. He would get it done.
Back to running, 4:54 run Wow
Finish
Cold, didn;t get warmed up on massage. Got clothes on and started to warm up. Had a pizza sandwich. It was awesome. I loved having Norm and Rob there, and Helen and Erin.
Results
Swim: 1:34:13
Bike: 6:21:37
Run: 4:54:50
Overall: 13:22:50
T1: 16:16
T2: 15:54
