INGNYC Marathon (a parenthetical analysis)

Man, what a blast! I'm in a parenthetical mood (so here goes).

 As usual, I was completely under trained (and yes, this excuse is getting old). I was able to consistently run one time per week from mid August, when I raced Timberman (which is another post waiting to happen). My job is cyclical and the busiest time of the year is in the fall. I pulled eight and ninety hour work weeks immediately prior to the race. The "big" running week was twenty-five miles, shorter than the race I was preparing for. I had two twenty miles runs, and two seventeen mile runs (one of which I bonked hard enough to end up on my hands and knees waiting for my father to come pick me up in his car). My training basically consisted of one run on Saturday or Sunday of the weekend. Not ideal training for my first marathon. And to all of the above, I say this: There are no excuses, only choices (Chris Thomas).

Race day logistics were pretty challenging, but I survived IMNYC, which was a great preparation for any race day. I had the identical support team in place- which I am so thankful for. My wife, my cousin Julie and her husband, Mike and I all stayed in a local Marriott the night before the race. I had a similar meal (Pho noodles) the night before, and I got to bed early (a trick I learned at Timberman).

I'd place the INGNYC as one of the best race experiences I've ever had. I'm not talking about performance, but actual overall race experience. Everything I had heard about the crowd for the marathon was absolutely true. For three years, I had been part of that crowd, loosing my voice each of the three years. So perhaps I paid it forward for three years-  but whatever it was- the crowd was absolutely amazing!

I will say that bonking ferociously during one of my runs helped me learn so much about what I needed to do. I'm not sure if it's the triathlete in me, or maybe it's the tape worm that lives in my stomach, but I learned that I need a few gels to get me through a marathon; like twelve or so gels to make sure I don't starve during my little run. I used my Nathan hydration pack during all of my runs, which would house my two gel canisters. I even practiced with the gel flasks in the back pockets of my jersey, but what I didn't know was that the pack was holding the containers from flying out. It became very evident that my jersey was not going to be able hold my gels, so I ended up holding a flask in each hand for the entirety of the race. No big deal; I found that holding the flasks actually kept my hands warm (I made the game time decision to not wear gloves, and I ditched my hat after crossing the verazano bridge and ran on the cold side, which I highly prefer over running hot).

I must have literally given two million high fives to the crowd, at the very least. My pace was pretty consistent through the race (read: I failed at the elusive negative split), and I left enough to give a little extra juice for the last two and half miles. By the end, considering my (lack of) fitness, I was thrilled to be safely under a 3:45 for my first marathon (not including the IMNYC run). I checked another box of my bucket list by completing the INGNYCM. Probably the best takeaway is that I've  continued to run consistently. I will say that I was more sore after the marathon than I was after IMNYC. I'll chalk that up to not being in shape for the race and for actually racing a marathon (as opposed to just completing a shuffle-like death march).

I'm trying to use the marathon fitness I acquired as a base for a few longer running events in the spring (I even purchased a pair of moon boot-like Hoka's to get into the ultra spirit).
I'm signed up for an Olympic distance in NJ in July, and Timberman in August. I'll definitely be at more races- either as a volunteer or a last minute entry. I have some big racing plans over the course of the next few years, and I promise to keep this blog thing more up to date than it has been in the past (which shouldn't be too hard considering how little I've written).

Brooklyn Half- and other musings

I'm dusting off this blog. I still have an IMNYC race report to retroactively post. I've written it, read it over, and feel that it was far too self-absorbed. Well, enough on that tangent. Let me pen my thoughts about the Brooklyn Half that I just finished recently.

My prep for the race was far from ideal. I was able to fit in no more than two runs per week for the few months leading up to the race. I'm (relatively) fit, but not overall conditioned for any one distance of race. However, I wasn't going to let any excuses preclude me from the opportunity to race through Brooklyn. Two co-workers of mine told me about the Brooklyn Half sometime earlier in the year and I signed up with them on that day. I literally forgot that I was signed up for the race until about three weeks prior to race day. While I have let my overall fitness drop significantly from my training days leading up to IMNYC, I've still been lucky enough to find time to swim about twice a week, run two times a week, and occasionally fit in a bike workout here and there. The hours I spent in the pool training for IMNYC are starting to pay off and I'm noticing some measurable improvement in my swim ability. I've been trying to preserve my run somewhat by running a speed workout per week, coupled with a long run on the weekend.

The week before Brooklyn half, I was invited to race a local 5k the night before the race. It was a cancer benefit and about two miles from my house. I love both of those attributes for a race so I signed up the morning of the race. I was able to run hard (but not so smart) and finished in 20:56, which I was very pleased with considering my lack of conditioning. It was the inaugural race so it wasn't ultra competitive, allowing me to finish 7th overall with my time. Thanks to all you fast runners for not showing up :) I felt this was a good speed workout for my Brooklyn half, but I used the early morning opportunity to fit in two more workouts afterwards. I followed that 5k race with a hard 75 minute computrainer bike (it was raining hard all day), and a 1000 meter swim, which left me with an endorphin high for the rest of the day. On Sunday I went for an aerobic trail run for about eighty minutes just to give myself confidence by getting some miles under me. This was by far the most miles I had logged in all of 2013.

I've only done a few half-marathons-three to be exact. Two were part of Timberman 70.3, and the third was to pace a friend to finish at 1:45 ( I finished at 1:44, and my friend bonked and finished in the 1:50s. I guess I suck as a pacer) at the Fairfield Half. That being said, I had no idea what I could really run for a half marathon. I knew I could run faster than a 1:45, but probably didn't have the speed in me to run a 1:30 (yet). I thought a 1:37 would be a fair goal because one of my Ironman training partners had run a 1:37 at the Fairfield Half.

The night leading up to the race was eventful. I headed over to DUMBO after work to pick up my bib and schwag. NYRR did a fantastic job with the pre-race party. I would have stayed longer if I wasn't so tired from a long week of work. I ended up getting so lost on my way to meet my cousins back in Manhattan. I ended up walking and circumnavigating miles and miles more than I should have. So much for resting the day before:)  While I was frustrated from being lost (I have the worst sense of direction), I also made sure to not make it a big deal. I felt really lucky for the opportunity to race the next day.

I wore my Team Continuum race bottoms from IMNYC, but opted for a better fitting Trifitness tri top. This was ideal; I could rep both of the organizations that have been very important to me in my endurance racing exploits. I also opted to wear the same shoes that I wore in IMNYC, an older pair of Sacouny Kinvara 3's. It goes without saying that I wore my compression socks. I need to ween myself off these things. Seriously.

The goal was to negative split, which I thought would be easy considering the course profile. It appeared like the course would be a slight downhill for the second half of the race. Well, come race day it certainly didn't feel like it was downhill. In fact, it felt like a slight false flat. I was able to latch on to a stronger runner than me and we literally ran the entire race together. We pushed each other, talked a bit, and signaled to each other if we were going to utilize the aid stations. I made it a point to thank every volunteer that I could on course. Sometimes I didn't have the breath to do so, but I always try to acknowledge the work that the volunteers do that enable all of us to race. My first three 5k splits were so similar to each other- all in the 23 minute mark. My last 5k was slightly faster. I fell victim to a false finish line twice. With about one mile to go there was a large overpass that became visible, which I automatically assumed was the finish. I started my finish stride only to realize that it was not the finish.  A little after the underpass I could see a timing clock and timing mats. I once again mustered enough energy to sprint/stride to the "finish" only to see my fellow racers make a right turn to continue down the boardwalk. Lesson learned; know the course- or at least the finish. I still had a little more to go before the "real" finish line. I tried to muster up a third sprint but it was not to be. In all, I was pleased with my performance. My borrowed stopwatch told me I was definitely under 1:40. While on the train back to Manhattan, my friend in LA (dude you get up early) texted me to tell me that my time was sub 1:36. I was pretty stocked, and surprisingly tight and sore for the next few hours and days. I usually recover quickly, but I think I really wasn't well prepared for this event and my body was subsequently stubborn in recovering. Pics from the day can be found on my twitter

I spent the next day playing in a member-guest tennis tournament (in the rain) at nearby country club, followed by a surprisingly strong swim later that evening with my friends at Trifitness. Man, what a fantastic weekend! Life is good.

The Obligatory Thank You Post.

My journey has only been five weeks long. I enter my sixth week injury free ready for another week of workouts at Trifitness.net under the careful eye of my coach, John Hirsch. I'd like to thank everyone that has already pledged support to my cause. The people I share a lane with at the pool, sweat next to on the computrainer, or even run next to on the treadmill- they are all part of my journey and deserve thanks, too.

However, this post is about the person I'd like to thank the most: My wife, Heather.
Day in and day out, Heather makes it possible for me to dedicate the hours that a 140.6 mile race deserves. Whether it's walking the dogs in the morning so I have time to bike and run before work in the morning, buying food at the grocery store, buying food and medicine for our two pugs, or simply just letting me sleep in on the weekend after a long week of work and training- Heather simply simplifies my life so I have time to train. How she manages to workout at least three times a week, plan lesson plans for her art students at a bi-lingual school, take post grad courses and cook amazing dinners is beside me. All in all, thanks Heather!

Why I chose Team Continuum

I wanted my first 140.6 to be connected to something bigger than myself. There were multiple charity foundation options available and I narrowed my choice down to three that were connected to battling cancer. First, The Hole in the Wall Camp, which I raised money for in the past while I was a senior in high school, is a charity that has expanded to help young kids with serious illnesses regain their childhood. Second, Team in Training- probably the most visible charity partner in endurance sports. My cousin has a form of Leukemia which made this foundation a finalist for me. Third, Team Continuum, which helps cancer patients and their families. Cancer research receives a lot of visibility and funding, but my personal experience tells me that taking care of cancer patients is more than just funding the research and treatments. This is how Team Continuum is unique. This charity helps cancer patients and their families with a variety of everyday life things like paying bills, providing toys for young patients during the holidays, and friendship and moral support because "there is a lot more to cancer than finding the cure."
The icing on the Team Continuum cake was access to a professional triathlete, John Hirsch, as a coach! This distinguished Team Continuum from the other amazing charities.

John and I spoke on the phone earlier in December and he crafted a detailed training plan- specific to my fitness and schedule. I'm in my third week of mostly two-a-days. I'm super excited to work with such a dedicated and talented triathlete/coach. Check him out here!
Team Continuum has just been awarded more spots for IMNY! Join the team. Click the link to the right, "donate" and then click on the Team Continuum Icon for the main page to sign up!

Winter Training

I used to live in San Diego, the birth place for triathlon. In fact, I lived in Solana Beach, where the Zoot tribe meets to start their training runs. Nytro was right down the street in Encinitas. Ironically, I wasn't interested in triathlon when I lived there. I was really into surfing and snowboarding despite having some classmates in my masters' program that were elite triathletes. What an amazing place to be able to train outside all year round. Epic biking and running outlets, not to mention the triathlon training community that exists out there. San Diego is arguably one of the greatest places to live- whether you are interested triathlons or not.

I now live on the B(east) coast- and while I know I'll live in San Diego again before I die, I'm very happy living very close to my family. We live near the sound so I have an easy time getting in open water swims when the weather is warm. The cycling is also relatively good here, too (I've only been hit by a vehicle once- but hey, I lived to type this!).

Obviously, where I live presents the challenge of where to train during the winter months. Surprisingly, there are multiple options in my area. There are TWO excellent indoor training facilities within minutes of my house (by car and bike). Target Training is highly visible as it sponsors some of the country's best triathletes, including Jordan Rapp. The staff at Target Training include Eneas Freyre and Pro triathlete Dominic Gillen. There is no doubt that Target Training is an awesome place to train! Plus, it's about a ten minute bike ride from my house and the swim classes are held at the high school I attended, about seven miles away from my current home. There isn't anything bad that I can say about Target Training and I'd be lucky to train there!

Having said that, you'll see my sweat pooling on the floors at TriFitness. It's a good 25-30 minutes bike ride away from home, and the swim facility is a good 20 minute drive from my house. However, it's the first triathlon training center I encountered when I jumped into this triathlon thing a short time ago. I met one of the coaches at Trifitness by the name of Valentin Lopes(who by the way was 1st overall amateur at Ironman Lake Placed 2010). Valentin invited me on some group rides where I eventually met the owner, Pascale, who is also an amazing triathlete and coach! I dropped in for masters swim classes over the winter and even did some group open water swimming with Trifitness during the summer in preparation for Timberman 2010. I've been stoked with all of the people I've met at Trifitness and I look forward to logging in many hours on the computrainer and pool with them!

Cheers!

Thanks for the early support and I'm hungry

First, a big shout out to my brother-in-law, Chuck, for being the first (of hopefully many) to donate to my fundraising efforts. Another fist bump goes out to my cousin in Chicago, Marena, who also contributed. Thanks so much guys! It really means a lot to me. You are directly helping cancer patients!

I'm a good 240 days away from the big day but not a day goes by without me thinking about what race day will be like, what I need to do to get there, and what the heck am I going to eat today?

I recently went gluten-free and this so far has been a big challenge. You know I'm a huge foodie if you've seen some of my tweets. Becoming gluten-free has made me more aware of the food that I put in my body and how my body reacts to specific foods.

One of my best friends in life is a, for a lack of a better word- Healer. He's a doctor but practices medicine in a very different way. To make a long story short, he did some allergy testing on me and I showed a slight sensitivity to gluten.

My typical breakfast use to include a granola bar (along with fresh fruit and juice). I always noticed that the granola bar, as "healthy" as it was, would stay in my throat for quite a long time. I'm now eating mostly fresh fruit- bananas and raspberries and a Lara Bar for breakfast. I've also been able to make some scrambled eggs a few times this past two weeks.

I write this post at 5am from the city of Abu Dhabi, UAE. I slept for most of the 13 hour flight. I made sure to stay hydrated and I wore my compressions socks to make it easier to jump on the treadmill for a short sweat right after arriving. I want you to know that I'm dedicated to this Ironman thing and I'm going to give it the preparation that it deserves. Going to try to get some sleep.

Donkey Kong

It's on!

I'm signed up for the inaugural Ironman NY. More importantly, I'm part of Team Continuum and fundraising to help cancer patients and their families. It's a cause that hits pretty close to home as my Aunt has been battling various forms of cancer for a number of years now. I feel very strongly about this cause and I saw it as a sign from the universe above when I saw team continuum's advertisement while browsing one of my favorite websites. Here is the obligatory link to my fundraising page.