Author Archives: admin

Previously, on Beyond Defeat

Posted on by Posted in All, Fitness, Training: Cycling, Training: Running, Training: Swimming 2 Comments

The year 2011 was one hell of a year for me in many ways. Some were triumphant, others heartbreaking.

I set off the year with the Goofy Challenge. Saturday’s Half-Marathon portion was ran with my mother who chose to celebrate being 20 years cancer free. I had been coaching her for the 3 months prior to the race and we finished together in 3:01:25! My mother had seized the day. As for Sunday’s Marathon, well, I wanted to seize that day. I ran with all of my heart and finally broke 3 hours, finishing in 2:58:16. It was and is to date the only marathon I have actually screamed with joy as I crossed the finish.

In February I met (through the Runner Army) my girlfriend Abbe and we have been connected at the hip ever since!

I made a very big athletic decision in March. My training schedule has always been unorthodox and random, and I wanted to get my butt in gear for Ironman Arizona. I needed guidance. That’s when Sonja agreed to coach me for the season! (she is still my coach for 2012) Hiring her to essentially kick my ass every day was one of the best decisions, evidenced by my performance in Arizona.

The New York City Half Marathon was a bit of a wash for me this year. I ran it with food poisoning (I barfed my brains out an hour before the race) so I guess my race nutrition was sub-par. I ran a 1:27 and was so happy when it was over.

In April my Mom and Step-father visited and so since my Mom was now a runner, I had the Bridges Crew set up a Bridges Run for us! My Mom was thrilled to meet all of my Runner Army pals and could finally put a name to a face since she sees everyone comment on the blog.

May set off with the NJ Half Marathon, (1:23) and the Healthy Kidney 10K (37:02). This month was also going to be the Reach the Beach Relay and I was on a team with 10-20 of my friends (the Runner Army). The morning I was to leave for the race I got a distressed call from my Step-mom. She told me my Dad (who was diagnosed with Lymphoma 2 years prior) had gotten sick and I needed to get home as soon as I could. Based on the tone of her voice I knew this would be the last time I would see my father alive. I watched him go from pretty bad, to really bad to being on life support in 4 of the most traumatic and heart wrenching days I have ever lived through. The whole story is here for those interested.  

Back in New York City, I had the Great Hudson River Challenge to finish off May. The Runner Army (you know who you are) decided that they would all surprise me at the end of the race to help support me. It was quite amazing of them. Thanks guys.

My training had been escalating dramatically up until my father’s death. I pretty much dropped it almost completely in June. We did, however, organize the first ever Run for Bruce, a 5 mile run down to PJ Clarke’s. The turnout was amazing and even though it wasn’t a race per se, my youngest brother Jeff won.

I also got talked into the Alcatraz Sharkfest Swim from my buddy Todd. A 1.6 Mile swim from Alcatraz to the mainland, sure why not. Looking back on the mayhem, it was very awesome. It was also very challenging because there were no sighting buoys.

In July I started picking up with training again and getting out of my funk. I ran a couple 4 Milers in the Park and a 10K.

August was the annual Fire Island 5K. I came in 2nd Place overall again this year with a 17:52.

In September I finally was able to apply AND get into the Boston Marathon! One of my big dreams (before I heard about Kona that is).

Rev 3 South Carolina was in October. Jim, Ed and I road tripped down there for the race and had one hell of a time. I raced the Half Iron distance in 5:12 and felt ready for Ironman Arizona.

But first…

I had a lil race called the New York City Marathon to conquer! This was my 3rd time, and far from my last, racing it. Home turf, all my running pals, and the epic crowds of NYC cheering you on… it’s a day one never forgets. I had a course PR of 3:00:48 (because I stopped to pee again) and didn’t break 3,  but was still very excited to make that time. As usual we celebrated hard after, but not too hard as Ironman was in 2 weeks.

My whole year was a build up to Ironman Arizona. It was also a mystery. I had never raced this distance, what would happen? I’ll tell you what happened, I made some memories that have yet to fade. I finished in 11:13 and was completely satisfied.

That pretty much capped off my year, except for one last item. I signed my first ever sponsorship contract with Kompetitve Edge! I don’t think I have ever had more of a smile on my face than when I left work after hearing the news.

So yeah, 2011 had it’s roller coaster moments, but it ended on quite a high note. I always like to use the phrase ‘There are only possibilities.’ In 2008 I ran the NYC Marathon pretty much on a dare. Whenever I am reflecting, I always wonder what I would be doing with myself had I not started running?

 

 

 

 

RACE REPORT: 070 Ted Corbitt 15K – 59:26

Posted on by Posted in All, Race Reports, Running 1 Comment

How do you prepare for a 15K? Do you ever have those races where you know your plans the night before will be consequential to your performance? Me too. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow.

Friday night before the Ted Corbitt 15K was a blast. I left work to meet up with Abbe and her best friends Drew and Danielle at Tortilla Flats down in the West Village. SIDENOTE: Danielle and Drew were visiting from out of town, so racing took a back seat while eating and drinking the front.

Arriving at Tortilla Flats for guactails I was presented a celebratory shot of tequila. I had just heard about the Kompetitive Edge sponsorship and was beyond excited. From there (after a handful of margaritas) we went to Empillon, a fantastic new mexican restaurant. I proceeded to drink margaritas, but this time washed them down with spicy fish tacos. Very logical before a 15K, I know but… celebrate we must!

RACE DAY

I was up at 6:30AM (start was at 8AM) and fueling up with some Cafe Bustelo. My stomach was totally wonky and I had no desire to eat breakfast, other than being a bit ‘cloudy’ I felt okay to race.

On the way to Central Park I thought it wise to stop and grab a banana from a bodega even if I didn’t feel hungry. Looking back, I’m very glad I opted to eat something.

Up in my corral I quietly waited for the gun. Somehow I was toeing the start mat, which I didn’t plan on as there are loads of faster guys that will be passing me by. It was brisk out, maybe 35 degrees and sunny.

As the gun went off we all set off at a pretty manageable pace, a 15K pace I suppose you might say. I was not wearing a watch. My legs felt good, but not as good as when I did my speed workout 2 days earlier. Smooth move Baker.

The course was 2 loops of the Park, the 4 Mile followed by the 5 Mile extension. I hit Miles 1 and 2 at a 6:10 pace and knew I couldn’t hold it. This was my last race in the 9+1 series so I really just had to get it done so my stress levels were low. Coming up the East Side of the course at Mile 3 I saw my friend Alex (who was volunteering as Course Marshall). Other than Alex, I saw no other Runner Army personal which I found strange. The Park seemed lonely for the first time in a long while.

The second loop was less than stellar because I started burping up acid from the spicy food and margaritas. My chest was burning something fierce and I thought about quitting. Actually, I’m pretty sure I think about quitting during every race. I have never quit a race, and I wasn’t about to start. I thought about all the races I have completed where conditions were much worse or simply a greater challenge like a marathon and tried to dumb down this race mentally. Then, I started up with one of my mantras, ‘There is no pain, only glory’ which is kinda funny in a Braveheart meets 300 kinda way but it works.

I was pushing 6:30s the last few miles and fading pretty fast. My 15K PR was 59:23, but really I would be happy to finish under an hour. Making some calculations off the course clocks things looked good. As I was coming up to the finish (a straightaway followed by a left turn and another 20 meters) I saw the clock hit 59:00. I had 23 seconds to PR!

Moments like these are wild, because time actually seems to slow down, yet that clock keeps on ticking away.

Sex/
Age		 Bib Overall Place Age
Place		 Finish
Time		 Pace/
Mile		 AG %
M33 128 73 17 59:26 6:24 69.6%

I missed the PR by 3 seconds, but had finished under an hour. I was happy.

I’m a Sponsored Athlete!

Posted on by Posted in All, Fitness, Training: Cycling, Training: Running, Training: Swimming, Triathlon 3 Comments

In 2008 when I decided to take up running and attempt a marathon, I had no idea it would take me this far. Running and Triathlon are an everyday piece of my vocabulary now and my world revolves around races. Is it even possible to immerse myself even more into the sport?

Yes.

It’s with great excitement that I would like to announce that I will be a sponsored athlete on the Kompetitive Edge team for 2012!

Kompetitive Edge will be my support throughout the race season, providing me with the best of the best gear to fulfill my race goals. If that wasn’t reason enough to be excited, I get to be a part of a very serious and talented team of athletes! Lookout 2012!

Baker’s Funtastic Four Miler

Posted on by Posted in All, Race Reports, Running 7 Comments

Abbe and I were chatting last night about her possible Jingle Bell Jog 3.7 mile race the next morning. She was excited to test her speed at a shorter distance race, but unexcited to travel to Brooklyn early in the morning to do so. I suggested that I time her as she run the 4 mile loop of Central Park.

Then was born… Baker’s Funtastic Four Miler. It’s part of New York Rogue Runners, a secret group of runners who create their own races. Unlike New York Road Runner races, these races have prizes! My race had a lovely bottle of cabernet sauvignon up for grabs.

RACE DAY

Abbe and I set out to the start (72nd Street and East Drive) to arrive by 10AM. It was a beautiful and brisk day.

Slowly our competitors showed up. This was kind of last minute so I didnt expect many. Abbe, Susan, Bojana, Elyssa, and Stephan donned their hand made bibs and prepared to start. I gave them race instructions in my best Peter Chacha impersonation.

Using my iPhone stop watch synced with my trusty Rolex I sent the runners off!

It’s weird not racing. I just kinda hung out and drank my coffee, watching other runners go by. Waiting…

First in was Susan!(soon after our friend Ali came to cheer. She was a little late but assured us she would race next time!)

A few minutes later Bojana!

Then, Abbe and Elyssa cruised in.

Finally, Stephan arrived!

Everyone had a good race aside from them all missing my secret aid station at Mile 2.We had a small awards ceremony where Susan won her bottle of wine and a hug.

Congrats to all the racers! Times posted below!
1: Susan 28:56
2: Bojana 31:57
3: Abbe 32:56
4: Elyssa 32:58
5: Stephan 39:50

 

 

 

RACE REPORT: 069 The Voices 5M – 30:21

Posted on by Posted in All, Race Reports, Running 3 Comments

After 2 weeks off (and I mean off) from Ironman, this weekend was a swift introducing back to the world of running.

Saturday, Claire threw her 3rd annual Beer Run. It’s an event not to be missed, kind of like a runner holiday party. Here’s the skinny… run to a bar, drink… then run to another bar… drink; rinse and repeat. Sound like fun? It is.

There were 40 of us this time and by the 3rd bar we were all ‘loosey goosey’ making the running between bars that much more interesting. I got to see all of my runner friend’s from the Runner Army minus one or two who couldn’t make it due to religious obligations. As always it was a blast, thank you Claire for organizing!

This made for a good warm up for Sunday’s NYRR sanctioned race.

RACE DAY

I left my apartment with plenty of time to spare and walked over to the Park. There, I ran into Annalise and Lisa (who were also racing). New York really is a small town.

I jumped in my corral and hung around, thinking about what I was going to do. ‘Should I race this thing, or just run it?’ My legs didn’t feel quite lucid yesterday during Beer Run so I was worried that my speed was lacking.

Out of nowhere Sebastian, Robert, Antonio and Helen showed up! Oh, I also got to finally meet Joe G in person! Nice to finally meet you! We all chatted about… you know… running. Gotta say, making running friends the last few years has been really special. The fact that all of us were just hanging out on a Sunday at the Start talking shop is so cool. You not only feel like part of the running community, but of the community in general.

The gun goes off and we set it off, like getting shot out of a canon. It was pretty crowded the first mile as everyone eased into their paces. I hit Mile 1 right around 6 minutes and said to myself “F-it I guess I’m racing this thing.”

Around Mile 2 Robert and Antonio passed me. They were on a sub 30 minute mission and were killing it.

I wasn’t wearing a watch so at Mile 3 I tried some quick math and figured I was running 6:30s or so. Why are numbers so puzzling!

I felt pretty good as far as my legs were concerned. I mean, I was exhausted from running hard, but overall I felt healed from Ironman and was happy. I had been leapfrogging with a gal from Warren Street (Robert, Seb and Antonios team) and at Mile 4 she saw I was fading. She ran along side of me and said “Come on!” This helped tremendously (thank you) and I just focused on keeping my pace steady.

I came in at 30:21 and actually wasn’t concerned with the time at all. Abbe even asked me, moments later, “Was that a PR?” “Naw.” I responded, as I chowed down on a raisin bagel. Sonja actually emailed me later and told me it was. Oops.

Sex/
Age		 Bib Overall Place Age
Place		 Finish
Time		 Pace/
Mile		 AG %
M33 131 136 29 30:21 6:05 71.14%

There were kids races after and Joe had brought his family to race! Too cute man. Oh, and Robert and Antonio broke 30, congrats guys! Yeah and Seb came in 6th overall with a 26:01. That’s a 5:13 pace, killer!

It was a fantastic weekend for racing. It was so great to see all my running friends! I was also very happy that I had my legs back after the Ironman.

 

 

 

RACE REPORT: 068 Ironman Arizona – 11:13:56

Posted on by Posted in All, Race Reports, Triathlon 22 Comments

My hunger for endurance sports started in 2008 when I ran my first race, the NYC Marathon. Since then it has literally changed my life, inspiring me to chase goals that at one point may have seemed impossible. One of these goals was to race an Ironman.

Earlier this year I began my training for Ironman Arizona, which always takes place in late November. After a few runs and a bike here and there I started to think that maybe my lofty ‘train when I feel like it’ plan might not cut it on race day. That’s when I recruited the help of Sonja, a 6-time Ironwoman, to coach me. her and I have similar outlooks on racing and life in general so I thought she would be perfect. I was correct. She whooped me into Ironman shape and although it was far from easy, it made all the difference on race day.

—

I arrived in Arizona on Thursday night before the race. It was late and I needed to rent a car and get to our hotel. Did I mention that the last time I drove an automobile was over a year ago? One of the pros and cons to living in mighty Manhattan, you don’t need a car! Exhausted, and quite excited to see some desert terrain the next morning, I went to bed.

Waking up to a dessert sunrise is amazing. I had some coffee and watched the news before setting out for the athlete check-in. SIDENOTE: Ironman isn’t as important to the people of Arizona as one might think. The news cast went something like this… “Tomorrow looks to be an exciting day here in Tempe as ASU gears up to play! Sunday is the Ironman race so watch out for traffic delays.”

Check-in was relatively painless and within 15 minutes I was all set. The Expo was bumpin’ and very full of energy. It’s very different from a Marathon Expo, I don’t know why. Actually, I’m lying—I do know why. I have a breakdown for endurance sports, but it might offend some people, but that’s life. Remember, I do all 3 of the sports I am about to bust on.

Level of laid back, most sportsman like in order:
Bikers = Total assholes
Runners = for the most part, very cool, with 50% being anti-social jerks
Swimmers = laid back hippies, always friendly and willing to chat before a race
Triathletes = 99% laid back friendly with a 1% asshole ratio because there are bikers involved

Next I went to ride the bike course! From my hotel it was a straight shot out onto the Beeline Highway, where 80 percent of the ride takes place. I was in awe of the scenery! There were lots of other riders looking very serious, but here I was with a huge smile looking this way and that, trying to find the perfect cactus (I’m such a city slicker). One thing I did notice was the heat. I could tell that even though I wasn’t sweating, I needed to keep hydrated.

 

Back toward the hotel I was feeling a bit hungry so I went in search of food. What did I find? A deli that made a hero-style sandwich that was very close to New York City standards! I gave it 8 out of 10. After which, I chilled out at my hotel before picking Abbe up from la aeroporta.

On Saturday, we both went for a leisurely run (me having a leisurely bike ride before of course) before heading out to pick up one of my best friends from college, Alex. We then dropped off my bike and transition bags before hitting a local venue for some tacos!

After lunch I just had to drive them out onto the bike course, it was THAT cool! We went out to the Red Mountain (the turn around on the course) and explored a bit.

The rest of the day was spent by the pool before we headed out to Old Scottsdale for some pasta!

In bed and asleep by 9PM! (I’d be lying if I didn’t confess that there were a few beers thrown in to help me sleep!)

RACE DAY!

I awoke without my alarm at 4AM and set about making coffee, oatmeal and preparing my Special Needs Bags for the bike and run. We were out the door by 5:15 and I was in Transition by 5:30.

SIDENOTE: I look like crap. An Ironman? Really?

The energy was beyond amazing. It was pitch black out and everyone was going about their business setting up T1 and dropping off Special Needs Bags. I was done with those tasks by 6 and had an hour to chill, so I busted out my oatmeal and people watched. One thing I noticed was how disorganized some people were, cutting it really close with all the drop-offs! I mean, c’mon people, it’s an Ironman, punctuality should be the least of your problems!

Thirty minutes before the start I went into Transition and started changing into my trusty wetsuit. The water was 61 degrees, but from swimming in the Hudson in early May every year I was ready. We all huddled together (very March of the Penguins-esque) and slowly moved to the swim entrance.

The Pros went off at 6:45 and we had 15 minutes to get in the water and swim the 200 meters to the Start Buoys. Some people were questioning whether we would set off on time. Personally, I wasn’t too concerned, knowing that the water was icy cold, the less time before the start gun the better even if I was in the back. I was actually extremely calm and relaxed.

I jumped off the dock into the lake and was hit with a cold water shock. Knowing that I simply needed to generate some heat I started calmly swimming up under the bridge. I was to the right, midway back, right where I was supposed to be. I floated on my back to conserve energy and because I was really happy. In my head I thought, “This is really happening, I am at the start of the Ironman…”

Without warning the cannon (yes, a cannon) fired and the piranha attack began. I put my head down and started easing into the masses. I was almost immediately kicked square in the eye socket and had to fix my goggles. Arms and legs were everywhere, a giant swimming ‘Rush Hour’ if you will, where the only place to go is forward. I have been beaten up pretty bad in a swim before, but never like this. I was also in no way scared, which is night and day from my childhood swimming experiences. For the whole swim I was elbowing or being elbowed, shaking off hands from my feet (thank God I’m not ticklish). Within 300-500 meters, I found a groove and stuck to it. I knew that my swim time would be the worst, but I also knew it’s part of the protocol and had to get done, so that’s what I did.

We were swimming into the sunrise and it was a very beautiful thing. The light was almost like a blinding guide to the turnaround point, which actually came quick.

This (I think, anyway) is where my swim turned to garbage. As I made the giant turn to come back home I felt some slight fatigue set in. It also didn’t help that people were swimming over top of me. In fact I was so annoyed at one point that I literally pushed someone on my right with my foot and sent them 5 feet to the right, Ninja style, punk. You can’t train for that move, can you?

The bridges at the Start just weren’t coming fast enough. I felt slow and sloppy. I had been swimming for 1:30 now and the cold had now set in and was affecting my performance. “Get it done, Chris,” I told myself. I even thought about quitting for a hot second, before flashing back to what happened to my Dad. He sure as hell didn’t quit his fight with cancer. This was just a silly race—a race I chose. So I swam.

Popping up onto the stairs, I went right to the wetsuit strippers. My guy yelled at me, “Lay down man!” and in one swoop had me stripped of my wetsuit. Wow, if only I had that at every triathlon! Thanks guys!

Running along I suddenly realized  that I was shaking from the cold. Run, just run and get the legs warmed up. Arriving in the T1 tent I was happy to see it was heated. I slowly pulled my arm warmers on as a volunteer checked on me. “Hey man, how we doing you okay?” “Y-y-yes. J-j-just freezing.”

TIME: 1:44:01   PLACE: 2293 out of 2500 (yikes)

Riding out of T1 I saw Abbe and Alex (who snapped this amazingly timed picture!). A gal next to me looked over as we were getting moving and said, “So. Cold. So very very cold.” I, also freezing, yelled at her, “Hang on, we are almost in the sun!” Hours later we would all be wishing for that cold back as the dessert is no moderate place to race.

The bike course is a 3 loop out and back, and when I say out I mean it! You ride 19 miles out into the dessert to the Red Mountain! SO sinister sounding right? The beauty of the course is that it is relatively flat.

The mighty Red Mountain!

My body was hurting for the first trek out to the mountain. I even said to myself, “Wow. That swim kicked my ass.” I couldn’t get comfortable and my lower back hurt right from the start. I just followed our plan and kept my heart rate up and steady, drinking my EFS every so often. I was told not to focus on passing people, but I was passing everybody.

Arriving at the Red Mountain is something out of Mad Max. Here you are riding along this desolate (very desolate) dessert highway and then, ‘Blam!’ you round a corner and it’s like an aid station party in the middle of nowhere! People cheering and handing out everything possible. As I turned around I dropped it down to a low low gear and blasted back toward Tempe. The return is more of a downhill, so you can really crush it. I think I was pushing 35 MPH.

Somewhere along here I ran into my friend Michelle who races with Tri2Be. We had a quick chat before I kept going. I saw many Tri2Be racers out there and cheered them on every time I saw them, yelling “Tri2Be NYC Go!” I even yelled to their coach, Ramon, and said hello, confusing him. (I looked into joining their team a year ago so I had emailed with him a few times.)

Back in sunny Tempe, Arizona I was roughly 2 hours into the bike, 1:50 to be exact. The crowds were thick (as thieves) but I was soon out of their sight as I looped around and headed back towards the sands. I really had to pee so, remembering what a few Ironman friends had told me, I started peeing. I would have lost 10 minutes easy by pulling over to pee. That’s right, I peed my pants on the bike. The funny part is (not to anyone around me) is that I was moving at 20MPH. That’s right, lets put the facts together. Peeing your paper thin Tri Shorts while moving 20MPH… it sprays EVERYWHERE behind you! The funny thing is I didn’t realize it was leaving a wake until I looked back and was like, “Oh my god!” I chuckled and thought, “It’s the Ironman, could be worse.”

Back on the Beeline Highway heading North by Northwest I felt 100 times better than I did the first lap. I was drinking my EFS, water and munching on Clif Bars, maintaining my pace. Every now and then a group of the Pros would blast by at like 25MPH. Totally bad ass.

As I rounded the turn about, this time I pulled over, grabbed a water bottle and jammed it into my aero bottle. Also in my peripheral was this box of mini-Powerbars. I grabbed one. I emptied it in and sped off with speed, much like a Formula 1 racer might do at pit stop. I was quietly proud of myself.

As I prepared to enter Mach 3 on the downhill portion of the bike, a new factor presented itself… the Mighty South Wind! It was easily gusting at 20-30MPH and slowed me down to 17 MPH from 29. It angered me. In fact, the wind always angers me when it rears its head because it’s this invisible thing. Where does it come from? How does it start? Is the jet stream this constant roller coaster of air? I don’t know because I went to art school, but I sure can decorate a house.

Bike Special Needs is your opportunity to refill on any goodies you might have used up on the previous 3 hours of the bike. You pull over by your number and they bring you your bag, which you hopefully filled with something appropriate. Mine had 2 fresh water bottles and a Clif Bar. I swapped out the old stuff with the new and took off, excited to drink more EFS! It’s so good, especially the 3rd and 4th bottle of it! That was an example of sarcasm.

Back in sunny Tempe, I (once again) turned around and headed back toward the dreaded (once mighty) Red Mountain. I needed to destroy the One Ring in the fires of the Red Mountain, wait, wait, different race. I did however have to pee again and—no joke—peed right on the same stretch as before. I’m like a cat.

Out on the Beeline for the last time I changed my strategy. Instead of taking it steady up the highway, I blazed a path, knowing the wind was at my back. It worked and I made up a lot of lost time as evident in my quicker split.

Looping around for the last time I had never been happier to be returning to sunny Tempe. My ass hurt and the wind was really pushing me back. I wanted to run. I had drank all of my EFS, loads of water, eaten a Clif Bar, Powerbar and a Honeystinger Waffle. I felt great as far as nutrition was concerned.

Pulling into T2 a nice volunteer grabbed my bike and said, “I got it, go!” Before I could tell him to be careful, she is a delicate (and yet ferocious) bike, I was off barreling towards the changing tent. My volunteer laughed when he saw I had 2 different colored New Balance running socks, but before I had a chance to tell him about my Laundromat’s Sock Vortex, I was gone.

TIME: 5:43:57   PLACE: 1139 (catching up!)

The sunscreen girls would not let me leave before smearing me with zinc oxide saying, “You Sir, are a prime candidate for the sun screeners!”

Passing the 1st aid station, I grabbed loads of water and a sponge in which I attempted to clean my messy self up with. My legs felt a bit worn out, but I knew it wouldn’t be until mile 5 before they would kick in. I was running my 7:30 pace as Sonja and I had planned, taking it easy compared to a normal marathon pace. This was also a 3 loop course and I wasn’t sure how I was going to deal with the monotony. I was consistently passing people now and would never get passed (unless looped by a Pro). In my head I thought about my poor swim and my semi-decent bike, wondering where I could improve for next time. Then I almost said aloud, “Lookout people, we’re running now, you’re on my turf!” But I didn’t. That’s unsportsmanlike, after all.

At aid stations 4 and 5 I thought it wise to get some salt in me, so I slammed down some Ruffles with Ridges (seriously). They were delicious and my body immediately felt better. SIDENOTE: The aid stations in Ironman are like giant buffets. Each mile marker has one and they are identical. Sponges-Water-Gatorade-Powerade-Poweraid Gels-Potato Chips-Pretzels-Cookies-Bananas-Apples-Powerbar Gels-Poweraid-Gatorade-Water-Sponges. It’s an all you can eat aid station buffet around every corner! (Sometimes with a DJ, sometimes with hot girls dressed as cops)

At Mile 4 and 8 Abbe and Alex were cheering me on! Abbe asked how I was and I told her I was doing well. They had a great spot by one of the bridges where they could see runners on the out and back.

As I finished up the first loop I started to feel good. Not great as if I woke up from a nap on the beach, but I was feeling peppy. My hat was bothering me as I never run with a hat, but seeing as how I’m really pasty and have a crew cut I though it wise. Oh yes, and it’s the desert!

Miles 10-12 were uneventful aside from the fact that I was longing for the 13th mile so I could be halfway done. My nutrition was on par and all I was taking in at this point was water and Gatorade. Right around this point I saw Hillary Biscay cheering and I yelled to her, “Hillary, I love reading your blog!” like a good dork blogger should to which she replied, “Thank you! Good luck!”

When I saw Abbe and Alex on the second loop I gave them my heart rate monitor which had been annoying me. I also told them I wanted an In-N-Out Burger when I was done! I also yelled, “It’s about to get REAL.”

As I came back around to the start to begin my 3rd loop something strange happened. I kept telling myself that when I hit my wall at mile 17 or 18 (when it happened like clockwork 2 weeks prior in the NYC Marathon) I would walk to ease the pain. Guess what? I never hit that wall. In fact this would be the only marathon I have ever run where I didn’t walk! Instead I had this crazy sense of urgency to finish. I was rocking an 8 minute pace, far from my typical running times, but this was Ironman and I’ll take it. The pain in my legs seemed to dissipate as I cruised forward passing groups of people. I had heard about the ‘Ironman Carnage’ and now I was seeing it. 90% of the marathoners were walking. I am by no means criticizing, because it’s every man’s individual race, it was just wild to see the end of a long day and what it did to all of us.

Sonja had warned me of people trying to draft me once I was cooking and it happened at mile 18. This big 6 foot fall dude I passed sped up and was shadowing me. I don’t like to be shadowed, I live in New York City for god’s sake. Maybe this fella was gonna try and pinch my wallet. I punched it and was kicking some 7:30s again and before I knew it he was an after thought.

I had also heard the phrase, “Once you start on Coke, you can’t stop.” I am referring to an endurance race and not a night club. Seeing as how I had 6 miles to go I figured why the hell not, and so I had a shot of Coke. It made me feel amazing, maybe because I never drink soda! I had a shot the next 2 aid stations and then started thinking… “They shouldn’t ever give this to kids! Holy cow.”

The last 4 miles were easy. I’m serious and I’m not trying to sound like a jerk, they just were. My legs were on autopilot and mentally I was somewhere else. I would be lying if I didn’t say I was emotional. I was thinking to myself, “This is really happening, I’m going to complete an Ironman.” I was also thinking of my Dad and how six months to the day I was telling him as he lay dying that every race I do from here on would be for him.

Running the last mile I encountered lots of crowds. The sun was down now and the course looked just as it did when we started the swim 11 hours earlier. I cruised into the finish chute and held my hands up high. As always with me, the finish itself isn’t as momentus as actual key points in the race. Abbe and Alex were there in the stands and I yelled and waved to them!

TIME: 3:33:42   PLACE: 458

I finished in 11:13:56. I was very happy with my time. In fact I really could have cared less about my time as it was my first Ironman and finishing was my goal. A woman threw on my space cape and asked me how I was. “I’m good! Wow, what a day right?” She walked me over to where you get your pictures taken and once she deducted that I wasn’t going to pass out if she left me. I saw Alex in the crowds and told him to meet me by the bikes.

I cruised through a very quiet transition and made my way out to Alex and Abbe. I got a huge sweaty hug from Abbe (I was sweaty, not her). We made our way to the car and over to the hotel where I wolfed down my In-n-Out burger, chased with a beer! My throat was dry and sore from the dry desert weather and it was tripping me out. After some conferencing with Abbe and Alex we decided to go across the street to Duke’s to have dinner and some beers. I wore my medal and seriously, nobody batted an eye. The bartender did buy me a shot of Jameson once Abbe and Alex force fed her the Ironman news.

In-N-Out Burger after the race. So good.

Back at the hotel we were all asleep by 9PM. I wanted to go to the midnight finish but just didn’t have it in me, nor did I want me cheer squad to endure any more Ironman torture!

—

It’s been a really hard year for me. I always considered my family (who I am really tight with) immortal. Two great-grandmas who lived past 100 and my current grandmas and their brothers are still kicking it at 90. My grandma has a boyfriend for god’s sake (yeah, she’s awesome)! But my father lost a two year battle with cancer in the span of 1 week. One week from hell that I will not soon forget, as it haunts me constantly.

I was in the middle of training for Ironman when he suddenly died. I had taken on a coach for the first time and my volume was increasing in a way I had never experienced. His death set me back physically and mentally. Sonja, said coach we are discussing, told me to chill and let me know when I was ready to hit it again.

As my Dad lay in an altered state, breathing tube in his mouth, IV in his jugular, heart rate irregular, with no hope in sight (and believe me it goes against all I stand for to say hope is lost) I told him  that every race from here on was for him.

This race, this Ironman distance triathlon, was for him. At every point in which I thought I couldn’t stand the pain, I thought of what my Dad endured just to try and live another 10 years with us. He suffered day and night at Johns Hopkins, looking for a cure, a cure that doesn’t exist. Still, he fought, and I thought to myself, “If Dad suffered through days and nights of pointless chemo, then I will endure this race and the pain I feel as I am alive and must be thankful for this.”

I held tears back during the race as these thoughts flooded my brain on the swim, bike and run, then my tough guy alter ego kicked in and I forged ahead. My Dad never got to see me race, but I’m pretty sure he was there cheering for the first time at my first (and not last) Ironman.

Big ups:
Coach Sonja: for setting me straight. I now see what all of your tricks were for! Couldn’t have done it without your supreme coaching.
Coach Sean: for my swim moves, even though they need some work.
Alex: for kicking it mafia style in Arizona with Abbe and I. Your presence was needed.
Abbe: for being the best girlfriend and Ironman Support Crew a guy could ask for.
Dad Posse: for being my die-hard triathlon teammates
Runner Army: for being awesome and killing it with PRs at the same time I was in Arizona!

The Ironman. If you’re looking for something to believe in, why not believe in yourself?

 

Music to Live by

Posted on by Posted in All, Fitness, Training: Running Leave a comment

Music plays a huge part in my life, and I am always surprised to meet people who are ‘indifferent’ about it. Anyone close to me knows I am very picky and critical of music. If someone doesn’t like, or know of Led Zeppelin for instance, I might make a sour face and perhaps never take them seriously again, possibly even un-friending them.

Just kidding… or am I?

Although my tastes run the gamut, when it comes to running I only have one genre I stick with. Drum n Bass (or Jungle as it was called years ago) happens to be my favorite for running. I used to go to D n B shows when I was in college and even threw a few ‘Rave-like’ warehouse parties showcasing DJ friends of mine. Being the old geezer I am now, I can’t stay up late. Wait, maybe it’s because I run now? Basically, now I get my Drum n Bass fix in the daytime, out on the streets.

It has a high-paced aggressive nature that seems to fit right into my run pace.

People have often asked ‘Who’ I listen to? From DJ Hype to A-Sides, (and many more) really depending on their latest mixes. Lately though, I have been listening to a guy named Komatic. He is one of the Bassdrive DJ’s and has a 2 hour show that is download-able. These mixes have gotten me through probably the last 3 or 4 of my marathons.

I was inspired to write about this today because he just released his November 2011 Studio Mix and it is amazing! Below is the link.

http://soundcloud.com/komatic/komatic-november-studio-mix

What do you listen to when you swim-bike-run?

RACE REPORT: 067 NYC Marathon – 3:00:48

Posted on by Posted in All, Race Reports, Running 22 Comments

The New york City Marathon is the single greatest marathon on Earth. I tell you this having only run 6 marathons total, 3 of them in New York.

2 million people come out to spectate along the course and the only time there aren’t any crazed fans screaming or banging away on cowbells is while going over the Queensboro Bridge.

—

Since April I have been training for Ironman Arizona, which happens to take place 2 weeks after the NYCM. As the race approached, Coach Sonja decided that the NYCM would be raced, instead of used as a training run! This both excited and terrified me as I would be held accountable for my performance rather than just take it easy.

Saturday night Abbe made an amazing dinner of Shrimp Fra Diavlo, one of my pre-race staples. Her friends Bradley and Chrisitin were in town for the weekend so they joined us as well as my brother Jeff and my soon-to-be sister-in-law Ali. I think I was in bed by 10, which was really 9 due to the time change that would take place in the middle of the night.

Thank god I slept well Friday night because I certainly did not Saturday. I woke up every hour on the hour. This was due more to shear excitement rather than nervousness. I love NYCM more than Christmas, so the faster it arrives the better. Instead of presents, you get pain! Super.

I met my neighbor Kelly at 5:45AM out front and we popped a cab to pick up Meggie. It was the most desolate I have ever seen 2nd Avenue.

We boarded the Ferry at 6:15 and soon found out Susan, Betsy and Megan also were on board. We linked up and formed an Army, a Runner Army.

Once we were at Fort Wadsworth I said goodbye to my friends as I was in the Orange Camp while they were in the Green.

I sat down in a sunny spot and proceeded to eat my steel cut oats, basking in the warm morning air. Previous NYCM’s were a bit cold and windy, or maybe, just maybe I’m getting tougher! Naw. You crazy Baker.

Having 45 minutes until Corrals opened I just kinda walked around aimlessly, saying hi to a handful of runners I knew, and using the port-o-potties when I passed them. At 8:20 they announced the opening of Corrals and since I was pretty much full of oatmeal and bored to tears I thought it appropriate to move into new scenery.

Arriving at my start Corral, there were maybe 100 people stretching and sitting around. Since I am anti-stretching, I just walked up to the front and started chatting with the race volunteers who were actually organizers and in charge of ‘stuff.’ Time passed and then they instructed us front guys that we were going to lead the Orange Corral out to the Start. “Whaaaaa?” “Are we the lead Corral for Orange?” She informed me that yes we were and she needed us to lock arms to prevent others front running past to try and get a better position. This was really cool.

Right before we walked out I heard them announce (in the distance at the Start) the Footlocker 5-Boro Challenge runners and my friend Elizabeth! I smiled and clapped and looked around wanting to tell someone, “Hey, that’s my friend Eliz! How cool!” until I realized all my neighbors spoke terrible English being from France or Italy or Ohio. Ha I’m kidding, just wanted to throw a dig at Ohio.

Slowly walking out to the bridge, of course there were some schmucks (from Italy) who ran around to get in front of us. They were yelled at by the organizers. I mean really guys? You are already like 4 rows from toeing the Start. I was right on the Start mats in the sun with 30 minutes to go. It was awesome. What was not awesome was all the dudes peeing on the right side. I don’t really care about seeing that, hell puke if you want to, I just don’t want to think about HAVING to pee.

The gun went off and in a hot second we were bookin’ it up the bridge. Knowing that even though I may be fast, I am no 2:45 marathoner like many of the guys behind me, so I moved far right. It was so cool having no one in front of me as I was crossing the Verrazanos. I will never forget it.

I will also never forget this: As we approached the apex of the bridge, to my right a few TV crew cars were passing, filming something behind me. Well duh, they were filming the Professionals coming up from the rear! SIDENOTE: Pros start in Blue and are situated like 500 yards behind Orange based on course turns. All of us running were freaking out. As the Pro group came up on our right we all started cheering for Meb. Lots of guys were yelling stuff about being on TV but I hardly think we were more interesting then the fellas cookin it at a 4:30 Per Mile Pace.

I flew down the bridge taking advantage of the downhill.

Mile 1: 6:26
Mile 2: 5:42

Sure enough as we hit Bayside and started making our way North I had to pee. Thanks a lot to the guys in my Corral peeing all over the place. I pulled over and jumped into a port-o-pottie, losing an easy 2-3 minutes JUST LIKE LAST YEAR. SIDENOTE: Last year I ran NY in 3:02:00 and attribute my pee break to not breaking 3 hours.

Today I wasn’t concerned with breaking 3. I broke 3 in January and that has satisfied my speed needs for now. I wanted to run a great race with what I have learned this year. Mainly, nutrition and how I can use it more efficiently. I was told by Sonja that eating ‘Race Burritos’ was out of the question. Instead I was going to go mind over matter and use a few Gu’s.
Onward! Picking up the pace and kicking it up I switched my Garmin to only show me my heart rate. I was maintaining a 173 and felt that it was a good rate.

Mile 3 – 6:09
Mile 4 – 7:15 (pee break)
Mile 5 – 6:12

Running up 4th Avenue I was very strategic on liquids, listening to my body very carefully to see if I needed Gatorade or not. I probably hit every other aid station.

Up ahead I saw a familiar form. This guy running topless, completely jacked, my height and on even pace with me. I had not only run along side of him in 2 other NYC Marathons, but had seen him at many local races. We both nod at each other (think Darth and Obe Wan before Darth kills Obe Wan) but in a friendly way. As I rolled up along side of him we fist bumped and say hi. We had a brief chat about pace in which he stated he want to go Sub3. Looking at my Garmin our pace was well beyond that and I assured him we were doing well.

We ran quietly side by side, overtaking many a runner, for the next 10 miles. We were a force to be reckoned with.

At Mile 6 I said, “Yo, names Baker, never caught yours in all these years of running.” “Names Rowland. Cool to finally meet you Baker.” It’s really fantastic to run with an experienced runner because you both know to shut the hell up and just run, chatting only when needed.

Mile 6 – 6:21
Mile 7 – 6:27
Mile 8 – 6:29

Cruising past Atlantic Terminal and onto Lafayette (and into Fort Greene) I mentally told myself Sector 1 was over, 3 more Sectors to go. (I break up races mentally by course logistics) I was still feeling really good, but knowing that Williamsburg and Greenpoint lay ahead (2 of my least favorite parts of the course) was bringing me down.

I’ll tell you what helped adjust my attitude! Bryan’s ‘High Five Station!’ SIDENOTE: Bryan and Deeds used to live in NYC, recently moving to Boston.  They invented the ‘High Five Station’ during a local race where I got to actually cheer and participate ringing the cow bell and high fiving runners It’s awesome. Well, just as I round a corner is Bryan with the ‘High Five Station’ set in place. I was on the opposite side of the street so I just waved as he yelled my name. Then, something inside me said, “No way. That just aint right.” I stopped and ran against the flow for a couple yards, almost hitting a German guy dead on. I jumped up and gave Bryan a sick high five, screamed, then went on my merry way. If you aren’t having fun out there then why the hell run in the first place right? Right?

Mile 9 –   6:30
Mile 10 – 6:25
Mile 11 – 6:35
Mile 12 – 6:19

I really hate the Pulaski Skyway too. It sucks. It’s hot, a crazy incline and a pre-cursor to the Queensboro Bridge which is just a mile away. Rowland told me we were hitting the halfway point at 1:25:00. I’ll take it.

Mile 13 – 6:32
Mile 14 – 6:40

Entering Long Island City I saw 2 familiar faces, Amanda and Stephan Walker, cheering me on! Soon after I ate the 1st of 2 Gu’s I would eat all day. I washed it down with some delicious water. Then, the Queensboro reared it’s mighty head and for the first time all day we were in darkness, ascending in pain. I felt like walking, but I held on. Many people passed me as I slowed my pace to a 7:45.

Descending toward mighty Manhattan the sound of the crowds ever so slightly grew until the noise emulated that of a football game. My pace quickened and as I rounded the corner onto 1st Avenue as I was overwhelmed with energy, the crowds 5-10 deep. I tried to not let it affect my speed, maintaining some sort of logical pace as I still had 10 miles to go. For those that have never experienced this moment in the race, it really is an overwhelmingly proud time to be a New Yorker, having your entire city route for you.

I had broken the final 10 miles into 2 Sectors, miles 16-21 up 1st Avenue into da Bronx and 21-26 down into Manhattan for the finish.

My crew (Abbe, Mad Dog, Stryker, Jeff, Ali, Phyllis, Jon, Billy, Shamin, and a few more) were waiting for me at 83rd Street. My heart rate monitor happened to be annoying me to I took it off and tossed it over to Abbe.  I also saw my super, Charlie, who was cheering people on as well! He yelled to me in his 80 year old Italian accent, “Chris! Go get em!” Rowland was gone since there was no reason for him to say hi to my friends, so I was off running on my own again.

Mile 15 – 7:16
Mile 16 – 7:57 (Bridge alert)
Mile 17 – 7:17

Getting up 1st Avenue takes forever. I was trudging along, trying to keep my pace in check, but knowing that I had lost some steam. My quads were on fire, which is not normal. It’s always my calves that seem to hurt during a distance race.

It got me thinking… what DOESN’T hurt during a marathon? There are no excuses. Pain, fatigue, upset stomachs and mental anguish are all foreseen factors. The question is, will you stop or will you dig deep and push forward knowing you have trained properly and have the courage to face the task at hand?

Mile 18 – 6:50
Mile 19 – 7:20
Mile 20 – 7:34

The Bronx wasnt as bad as I remember it the last 2 times. You’re only there for like a mile anyway. Mile 21 was like an angel greeting me back onto my island, sending me home.

Pushing through Harlem the blinding Autumn sun is right in your face. I saw Stu, Claire, Heather and Anna cheering me on right around Mile 22. Oh, and Marcus Garvey Park showed up right in the middle of Fifth Avenue as usual. I hate going around this park, such a time killer. When I’m Mayor I’m moving it between Avenues, a more logical setting. I ate my second and last Gu at this point, wishing for some speed.

Mile 21 – 7:46
Mile 22 – 7:29
Mile 23 – 7:42

The absolute worst part of the course is Mile 22 ½ to Mile 24. Its a steady uphill during the end of a marathon, not cool. I saw Amy here yelling at me to, “Go Baker go!” I tried. I did manage to hold a steady pace and as I neared the entrance to the Park where the incline leveled out I looked at the time. I had 15 minutes to travel 2 miles in order to break 3 hours. It was like some twisted math problem, and I hate math.

I thought to myself, “Hmmm, should I make an attempt? It is my backyard after all, I know the rest of the course like the back of my hand. I only have to go DOWN Cat Hill!” Sure, lets try and break 3 with 2 miles to go. I threw in the clutch and punched it.

I saw Erica and Jess followed by Annie and Moses, sending me good cheering vibes. I was passing people and any pain I was feeling was masked by rushing adrenaline. Could I run this hard for the last 4 Miles? No, but 2 miles, yeah I got this.

Mile 24: 7:30

Mile 25 was breached and I had 7 minutes to go! I kicked it up again, lungs burning. As I turned onto 59th Street it looked like an infinite distance to Columbus Circle. I was timing the distance between the Avenues, trying to make the numbers work.

Up ahead I passed a gal who yelled, “Hey! Baker!” As I turned I saw Elizabeth from the Foot Locker Challenge! Unable to speak, I simply waved 3 fingers in the air and pointed forward, knowing that she, a seasoned runner understood. We could chat later.

Mile 25 – 7:01
Mile 26 – 6:29

Passing Mile 26 the clock said 2:59:19. I had 41 seconds to run 400 meters, seemingly impossible and still I pushed it. (We always underestimate that 0.2 of the 26.2, it’s pretty far!) I passed many people, but time seemed to speed up as my running slowed down. I cleared the Finish with 3:00:48 on the clock! I felt great (aside from my quads being literally on fire) and was very happy with my time.

Sex/
Age		 Bib Overall Place Age
Place		 Finish
Time		 Pace/
Mile		 AG %
M33 2332 1202 241 3:00:48 6:55 70.1%

I had given it all I got that day and that was good enough for me. It was a 2 minute course PR.

In the finish chute I met up with Rowland who achieved his 2:59 goal. We walked and chatted about our races before splitting off. I jumped in the 86th Street crosstown and headed back to my neighborhood. The rest of the afternoon was spent with friends celebrating the run. That night Abbe cooked me a celebration meal and I was in bed by 8! I was pretty exhausted this time around (compared to previous marathons) and I think it had to do with my lack of sleep the night before.

Thanks to anyone I might not have mentioned that was out there cheering me on. It’s so great seeing all my friends out there supporting one of the greatest marathons! Thanks to Coach Sonja too for helping me through all this and getting me more fit! Now it’s time for Ironman!

‘Professional Athlete Simulator’ day

Posted on by Posted in All, Fitness, Training: Cycling, Training: Running, Training: Swimming 4 Comments

Training for your first Ironman is anything but easy, especially when your Coach is dedicated to making you the best athlete they can. The last few months have been 10-15 hour training weeks, which have hopefully resulted in improving my endurance.

—

Seeing as how NYC Marathon and Ironman Arizona were coming up fast, Coach asked that I take a day off work to get in a solid all-day training session. “No prob! Sounds fun!”

I have always dreamed (or at least the last 3 years) of being a professional triathlete or runner, my 9-to-5 job being to exercise. What fun to wake up and swim, bike and run all day! You can wear tri shorts and a sweaty tee, eat healthy, and get faster all day! The grass is always greener isn’t it.

My Wednesday morning started off with a coffee and a bagel. I then got my trainer ready, jumped into some gear and started workout 1 of 4.

ONE (2 Hours)

(I’m going to keep the details kind of vague since it is Coach’s secret formula)

A trainer ride starting with a series of ‘spin-ups’ getting my heart rate elevated. I had my iPod on and was rockin’ out having fun, for now. Next was 1 hour of increasing heart rate drills, the max being 155 and very intense. Next I did a series of single leg drills, which at the end my legs were jello. I think that was the goal. I was a sweaty mess.

TWO (1.5 Hours)

Walked over to Asphalt Green while eating a banana and drinking Gatorade, trying not to look like a wierdo since I was already sweaty and red.

In the pool I executed 3500 Yards in a series of different drills. I made friends with a lot of old ladies (remember it is 11AM on Wednesday). This was quite refreshing as there is normally a lot of jerk faces floating around the pool at night training for the 40+ Age Group Olympics.

Back at my apartment I wolfed down a huge plate of shrimp scampi I had made. Seriously, I was starving. I also had just enough time to run out and get my Halloween costume.

THREE (2.4 Hours)

It’s now 3PM and I am half way done my ‘training day.’ Back on the bike trainer, thinking I was unstoppable, I soon found out that my legs were not in a good mood. I was warned that this workout would be PAIN but I had no idea. Heart rate drills were followed by ‘grinding-climbing’ repeats, lots of them. I was seeing stars at a few points. Never in my life have a sweat so much. Luckily, the workout was over before I lost consciousness.

FOUR (1 Hour)

I met Abbe in the Park for an easy run. The legs felt pretty good but were in no shape for speed! Abbe said to me a few times, “You an take off at a faster pace if you want?” In my tough guy voice I was like, “No, no this is fun. Let’s just run together and talk about stuff.”

We ended our run at MXCO for some guacamole. I also had a burrito because my stomach and body needed some serious calories after my fiasco of a day.

—

What did I learn from my ‘Professional Athlete Simulator’ day? Respect. Respect for what the Pro’s do day-in and day-out. Even though it’s a cool career and is glamorous, it’s a lot of hard work and dedication.

I think I am ready for Ironman Arizona. Coach also said I can ‘race’ the New York City Marathon (which is 2 weeks prior to IMAZ) instead of taking it easy. This is terribly exciting as my legs have been itching for a good running race!

RACE REPORT: 066 Rev 3 SC Half Ironman

Posted on by Posted in All, Race Reports, Triathlon 8 Comments

Revolution 3, South Carolina would be the second Half Ironman I have ever attempted. It fit perfectly into my full Ironman training and also be a nice gauge to see where I was mentally and physically.

—

Jim (from Dad Posse) drove the bikes down Thursday and visited family while Ed (also from Dad Posse) and I took a plane the next day. Our flight was 20 minutes late getting off the ground and we had a connecting flight in Charlotte 30 minutes after we were supposed to land. This wasn’t a good start.

I’m no aviation expert… but it seemed like our pilot gunned it the whole time as we almost made up for the lost time. Ed and I looked at each other, knowing we had less than 15 minutes to get to our plane once we hit the ground, and said “We can do this.” Ed got on his sneakers and I looked at the airport map. As we left the gate there was some old guy in a suit who was going to E33 as well, “E33? C’mon! Follow us!” as Ed and I full sprinted down the terminal. We all made the flight, but my man in the suit just walked it. Running is lame.

We took a propeller plane! too cool!

Jim and his brother Brice (also doing Rev3) picked us up and took us to a bar called Carolina Ale House in Greenville for dinner.

The next morning we all went to one of the 5,000 Waffle Houses in the area. It was to be my best meal in South Carolina. I ate so much food, knowing we would be doing test runs of the course shortly after.

We checked in at the civic center and spent some time in the expo buying things. Gotta hand it to the Rev 3 folks, its always so easy and such a pleasure to check-in.

Woo hoo, got a new Rev 3 hoodie! (Ray Bans sold separately.)

Next, we headed over to the swim course for a practice swim. It was on Lake Hartwell, a huge lake that was picture perfect. I threw on my new wetsuit (a TYR Hurricane Cat5) and jumped in. We all swam to the first buoy in kind of like a flying V formation. Brice’s friends Dave and Doug were now with us. The sun was out, we had Waffle House in our bellies, and the water was fantastic. I felt great in the water and the new suit was amazing. The only thing it was missing was an outboard engine.

Did I mention that Brice has a Ford F150 filled with bikes? Ed sat in the back and guarded them on the way to drop them at transition.

 

Back at the cars, we jumped on our bikes to make sure everything was working properly. We rode a few miles of the course before heading down to Transition to leave the bikes for the night. We then did an easy run to get our legs loosened.

Since we were all starving by now, we made our way to Logan’s Roadhouse for lunch and to watch the Clemson game. Sidenote: Clemson is 5 miles from the Rev 3 course and Jim is an Alumni. I was also following Kona very closely, especially since Coach S was racing! She did very well by the way finishing with a 10:08!

We left Logan’s and hit the local Publix food store to get some gear for the morning. Cafe Bustelo, Oatmeal, bananas, beer, and to-go cups were on the list.

After a quick rest back at the hotel we set out for our ‘pre-race’ meal… pasta! The first place we saw was an Olive Garden to which Ed, Jim and I all exclaimed ‘Noooooo!’ Passing countess steakhouses with names often ending in…’Roadhouse’ we came across a seafood place. Shrimp Scampi? Linguine White Clam Sauce? These were valid ‘pre-race’ meals. We sat down (our silverware wrapped in plastic) and saw that everything was fried! No pasta at all! Back on the road we were coming to the end of the strip, hope seeming to fade. Up ahead was ‘Tony and Charlee’s Southern Italian!’’ Jackpot! As we pulled up there was only one car in the parking lot. Perhaps the chef? Every other restaurant in town had a wait, and this place was empty, sweet!

I was elected to ‘check it out.’ As I entered, I approached the woman at the front desk and asked if they served pasta. She simply pushed a menu my way, as if pasta was some made up food group. The menu consisted of all meat dishes most of them fried. It also had Buffalo Wings! Don’t get me wrong, I love Buffalo Wings, but on an Italian menu I think not mon frere. I simply smiled at her and said, “Can I go check with my friends before sitting?” practically running out the door.

Guess where we ate dinner? Olive Garden and it was good! People were even smoking in the restaurant and I didn’t mind!

Sidenote: I am convinced people in South Carolina don’t like Italian food.

We were back at the hotel and asleep by 10PM.

RACE DAY

I naturally woke up at 5AM (cause I am weird) and queued up the Bustelo, made the guys oatmeal and put on my race numbers. I felt well rested and not nervous at all, ready to set it off.

We arrived at T1 40 minutes before my age group was to start. In T1 I ran into my friend Daniel who moved to Charlotte from NYC this year. We caught up and I introduced him to the fellas. The sun was starting to rise and the race coordinators told us we needed to get to the water.

We watched the Pros go then took our place on the beach. As the gun went off, I let a row of fast swimmers take lead. I jumped into the froth and started digging in, remembering not to overdo it at the start and get all worked up. I have done this enough times that fears of drowning are far from my thoughts. Falling into a nice rhythm and focusing on my form I made my way to the first buoy. I felt very fluid.

Moving at a steady rate, I took notice of the beautiful sunrise happening every 6 strokes. I was really enjoying myself out there and maybe should have had faster arm turnover. Even though I may not be the fastest fish in the pond, I am damn good at sighting and was precise with all my buoy turns. At one point someone was on my feet, which is normal, but this guy started climbing my body. Here I am just mindin’ my own business and this speedster is just gonna swim OVER me when there is plenty of water to swim around? Not on my watch. As his arms started pushing down on the back of my knees I gave a swift ninja kick to his chest. I wasn’t groped for the rest of the swim.

Exiting the water I was full of energy and my legs seemed to be functioning properly. I jumped into T1 (was caught by Ed who was racing the OLY) and made my way onto the bike course. Jim was right behind me and Ed snapped him in ‘speedy transition pose.’ (he was standing still, that’s why its funny.)

My legs were out of whack for like the first 10 miles. My quads were burning something fierce. Fierce! The scenery was nice and I kept wishing for the sun to come out. It did.

Once warmed up I tried to pass as many bikers as I could. By the end of it I would overtake 70 or so, but it was a slow and steady game. This is kind of my M.O. for triathlons since my swimming is slow.

There were so many cows and horses out there on the course. Well, not ‘on’ the course but in the fields around us. I kept imitating the cows (blank puzzled stares on their faces) as I passed them. “Bessy, look at them fellers. I heard about such a thing yars ago… I think theys call ‘em BI sickles.” There were also quiet a few dogs that went bat shit crazy when we rode by.

Somewhere around mile 15-20 I caught up with Daniel. We rode together for awhile before I pressed on. We both noted how windy it was! There were 30 MPH wind gusts all day. At times it felt like you weren’t moving at all.

The last 10 miles were tough. My only goal for this entire race was to ride the bike in under 3 hours so I pushed hard on the ending hills. I started thinking about Abbe and where she was in the Chicago Marathon. It was her first Marathon (and her birthday!) and I was really hoping she was having fun.

By now we were mixed in with the Olympic riders who started a few hours behind us. This helped my legs as I stopped picking people off due to not knowing which race they were in. I came in off the bike at 2:50 and was very happy.

Slapped on my sneaks and bolted out of T2. My legs were Jell-o.

Experience plays such a big role in the triathlon world. I was running 8 minute miles for the first 15 minutes, my legs burning and wonky like baby giraffe, but I knew they were reset any minute. We were running these windy switch backs, runners from both the Olympic and Half Iron all over. I like to have fun out there so I tease the volunteers asking them if I can take short cuts. Most of them, new to triathlons, assured me it was probably a bad idea and I would get in trouble. Agreed.

At mile 4 the Half Iron runners veered off to a new section of course, an out-and-back. It was here that I got my legs in full swing. I was decreasing my pace and would end up holding a steady 7 minute mile for this portion of the run. I felt good all of a sudden. I started picking off runners one at a time. We were running down a highway for this section and t was pretty dull. As mile 7 passed I kept wondering, “Where the hell is the turn around?” It soon came just past mile 8. My stomach took a turn for the worse right about now as well. I have never had stomach issues in any race. I eat burritos during marathons for god’s sake, so why now is it freaking out? Was I pregnant?

Looking back, I think I may have had way too much ‘course Gatorade.‘ As mile 10 approached I pulled over, sacrificing my pace, and started slamming water. As I walked forward, the sharp pain in my stomach slowly dissipating, I jogged. Slowly my pace picked up. Soon I was facing runners coming the other way, a few of them screaming, “Where is the turn around?” at me. I feel your pain. Then, I see Jim coming down the highway and he runs into my lane and gives me a high five while yelling, “Rocket Fuel!” This gave me a huge burst of energy and I sped forward. The last few miles would be sub7.

Sidenote: At the Fire Island Hotel they make a drink called Rocket Fuel. It’s a pina colada topped with 151. We love them, especially Jim.

At mile 11 the Halfers get mixed back in with the Oly runners. Up ahead I was like, “Is that Ed?” I yelled out to him, “Ed! You better hustle!” He laughed and turned giving me a slap on the arm, “Go Bakes!”

After a few more twists and turns I crossed the finish. My final time was 5:12, a 13 minute PR.

Sex/
Age
Age
Place
Overall
Place
 Swim
1.2M		 T1 Bike
56M		 T2 Run
13.1M		 Total
Time
M33 9
94
 43:51 2:46 2:49:33 1:34 1:35:14 5:12:58

I waited for Ed to cross, then he and I waited for Jim and then Brice. We were all successful in our own races, celebrating with a delicious ice cold beer in the warm sun.

That night we all celebrated with a big dinner followed quickly by bedtime. The next morning Jim, Ed, and I set off on our 13 hour drive back up to NYC. (we had breakfast at Waffle House again it was awesome again!)

—

Am I ready for my first full Ironman? Yes. (Coach S still has me on a steady training regimen.) Is it going to hurt? Yes.