the double header. Crit at noon, TT start time at 2:43:30. a busy day was ahead of me. I awoke around 7 or so. Breaky, coffee checked out of the hotel and drove out to the TT course to give it a run over. Nice course, wind would make the slight downhill’s hard in the first half and the hills on the way back… still hard. Sweet! At 8888 feet and 1 crit in the legs this should be pretty interesting.
Back into town. Sign in, warm up a bit more and its crit time. Only 50 minutes but I was still worried. After 10’ minutes or so I became more confident as I was cornering well recovering well and with the small field I was able to move up relatively easily. I would have liked to give a cash prim a try but I was always out of position. I moved up with a few laps to go and as the group was chasseing a break with 1 lap to go I gave it everything I had. I managed to stretch the pack and bring the break into striking distance but I just didn’t have the gas to break the elastic and/ or get all the way to the break. I finished in the pack but I very satisfied with my riding. We avg. around 26.8 mph. on a flat, 6 turn course with a bit of wind. Not to bad I thought, especially with only 40 or so guys in the field. Ok, recovery time. I downed some recovery drink and extra water. Spun for 15’. Back to the car, change the wheels, change the break pads, mount the aero bars. “Looks good” I thought.
I hadn’t ridden in my aero bars since last July. Never mind do a workout or an actual Time Trial. But I wasn’t worried. This was training and I was feeling confident after the crit. TT.
The Trihydro High Altitude time trail is the highest, flat time trial in the US. A service road off of I 80. A very picturesque place acutely. With some rather bother-some winds. I felt good after the crit and was ready to go. squeezed into the skin suit and put on the long sleeve. It was only 58 degrees up there, And started with a short warm up. Instantly I felt horrible. “ok ok, don’t worry its just the crit. The garbage will come out of the legs any second now.” … “any minute, ok any time now….” start time.I figured I would take the first 1.5 miles easy. These were down hill a bit so I figured I wouldn’t push it to hard and build into it. I did that and road a pretty steady, solid race. A steady, solid, slow race. I just could push harder than tempo or the legs would fill with lactate and I would practically come to a stop. I did pass my 30” man a bit before the finish but it tock a lot.
Monday, June 26, 2006
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Dead Dog stage race
I wasn’t excepting much today, but I was excepting more. We rolled out real chill for a few miles. But soon it was all on. One of the teams that had lots of numbers went to the front and caused some pain. That provoked a small break but with some more attacking they were back in the fold. After 27 miles or so we hit “the climb” 20 miles give or take the first rise was a mile or 2. Not so bad. I kicked up to 8% after a bit and there was an acceleration. A drifted back and then slid back then moved up again after the attack not wanting to accelerate to much. I knew this would be a tough go for me. After the first dig I was working hard but I felt confident. Another one came and I was now going backwards. I pushed on the pedals a bit more, nothing. HR was at 200. and my legs felt worse. We came to the top of the first rise where there was supposed to be a short down hill. Well down hill in WY means flat apparently. Bamb gone. I was off the back. And the real climb didn’t even start yet. I road steady and actually held the lead group for longer than I thought one should. But after a bit longer they pulled away. Far far away.
So what ever I wanted to race, good training this will be. I set some rules for my self. 80 rpm’s or higher. And at or under threshold. I had a long ride ahead of me. The climb had some steep sections but nothing crazy, 8%, maybe a bit more in places but 20 miles yo! I plugged along passing some then I got passed. At he top 10,500 feet just so you remember, we went down To the turn around, back up to the summit and down the long long decent.
The views at the summit, yes I was taking them in, were great. Only in my climbing days have I seem mountain views like this, along with snow on the side of the road in late June.
ok so down the climb. I descended as fast as I could no major turns but the head wind on the decent made it impossible to catch any sized group. back on the plans now I settled in for a 27 mile TT bake to the finish. A 27 mile into a strong and worst off very steady head wind. I kept eating realizing that despite my horrible performance I was still using lots of energy. With 10 miles to go a group of 4 came up, I hoped on and we rode a pretty solid pace to the finish.
”Very, hard training today… very, very hard training”
Victor Hugo Pena
Stay tuned for more tails form the hematocriticly deficient.
So what ever I wanted to race, good training this will be. I set some rules for my self. 80 rpm’s or higher. And at or under threshold. I had a long ride ahead of me. The climb had some steep sections but nothing crazy, 8%, maybe a bit more in places but 20 miles yo! I plugged along passing some then I got passed. At he top 10,500 feet just so you remember, we went down To the turn around, back up to the summit and down the long long decent.
The views at the summit, yes I was taking them in, were great. Only in my climbing days have I seem mountain views like this, along with snow on the side of the road in late June.
ok so down the climb. I descended as fast as I could no major turns but the head wind on the decent made it impossible to catch any sized group. back on the plans now I settled in for a 27 mile TT bake to the finish. A 27 mile into a strong and worst off very steady head wind. I kept eating realizing that despite my horrible performance I was still using lots of energy. With 10 miles to go a group of 4 came up, I hoped on and we rode a pretty solid pace to the finish.
”Very, hard training today… very, very hard training”
Victor Hugo Pena
Stay tuned for more tails form the hematocriticly deficient.
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Lake Auburn RR, Aurburn, ME
I will be back in NE to race before the end of the year but still getting ready I had a sense of “this is it” about the whole day. waking at 4:45am in northern Maine so I could be ready in time was no fun but I felt all right. Some coffee, food ect… I dropped of my buddy at the exit off of 95 (his wife came to pick him up) I was already changed but still running late. Get my stuff ready, borrow some sunglasses from Ben (my team mate), decide on the combo of clothes (its 55 degrees and raining) ohh wait sorry pouring!
off we go! I rolled up to the waiting bunch as they tock off, just in time. I sprinted down the road and up to the back of the pack with some pointing and howls from the spectators. A break went away in the first few miles. It was large and we had 3 guys in it. After seeing someone crash them selves in one of the most dramatic crashes I have ever seen I sat at the back. I felt all right but I was starting to get gapped on most of the turns which was getting tiring. Combined with the steady fast tempo being set by the IF team it was no easy task “sitting in”. I was still felling good with 30 miles to go the break had been caught and things were heating up.
On the most difficult/ longest climb I noticed 3 men off the front. One of them was a Kenda/ Raleigh teammate. I thought “It would be great if I were up there too”, but didn’t want to promote the whole pack in attacking up to them. I shot off the front and only one followed. I put in a huge effort and closed the gap quite fast. Further more I seemed to recover fast and fell right into the pace line pulling through every turn. As we settled in Josh Dillon bridged up. A great effort by him. It must have been a long way as the pack was completely out of sight now. I looked around and became pretty happy with my self. Josh Dillon, Joe Moody, Toby Walsh, Barton and Connor form Boston Scientific. I was in good company. These are the strongest armatures in NE right now. I knew how I would play out the finish for Joe but keeping us all together to the finish would be difficult. With about 10 miles to go on the long climb again Dillon accelerated. I felt good at the moment and went straight to the front of our group. I laid down the best pull I had. We held him for a bit. I buried myself. If we could bring him back after an effort like this I was sure Joe could win. And even if he couldn’t I wasn’t gona let someone ride away without putting in 110%. After I through down another big pull we hit the short but 15% climb with the feed zone at its top. One of the Boston scientific drilled it and I was gone. I couldn’t respond, I had worked to hard to bring Josh back and was now paying for it. I got myself going again and actually held them not far ahead of me. I crushed it for 3- 5 minutes but they weren’t slowing down. After a few misjudged turns in the still pouring rain they were gone. The wheel car came by, said the pack was 90 seconds back. I still had 7 miles to go on some very heavy roads. I put my head down, grabbed a cliff shot and went in TT mode. I was really suffering but I was inspired by my solid riding and feeling strong in a group of real players. With 2 miles to go someone caught and passed me. Right on a short hill, I couldn’t grab his wheel. “FU#*!!!! Ok…ok… stay smooth”, almost there, I thought, . With 1 k to go I turned onto the finishing rd. people cheering out of the saddle now and there were 2 more guys playing cat and mouse a few hundred meters behind me. I gave it everything. I really did. At 200m I stood up and gave my best, been in a break-a-way for 30 miles got dropped and have been alone going full tilt for he last 7 miles, sprint. They both shot by me with 20m to go. I was pissed, yeah I was but again a good ride by myself. Joe got 4th or 5th and we had 2 more teammates in the top 15 giving us a big payout for the day. so I can’t be too upset I guess. a solid day and the race played out really well. Very pro. Leaving the strong men at the front to fight it out.
off we go! I rolled up to the waiting bunch as they tock off, just in time. I sprinted down the road and up to the back of the pack with some pointing and howls from the spectators. A break went away in the first few miles. It was large and we had 3 guys in it. After seeing someone crash them selves in one of the most dramatic crashes I have ever seen I sat at the back. I felt all right but I was starting to get gapped on most of the turns which was getting tiring. Combined with the steady fast tempo being set by the IF team it was no easy task “sitting in”. I was still felling good with 30 miles to go the break had been caught and things were heating up.
On the most difficult/ longest climb I noticed 3 men off the front. One of them was a Kenda/ Raleigh teammate. I thought “It would be great if I were up there too”, but didn’t want to promote the whole pack in attacking up to them. I shot off the front and only one followed. I put in a huge effort and closed the gap quite fast. Further more I seemed to recover fast and fell right into the pace line pulling through every turn. As we settled in Josh Dillon bridged up. A great effort by him. It must have been a long way as the pack was completely out of sight now. I looked around and became pretty happy with my self. Josh Dillon, Joe Moody, Toby Walsh, Barton and Connor form Boston Scientific. I was in good company. These are the strongest armatures in NE right now. I knew how I would play out the finish for Joe but keeping us all together to the finish would be difficult. With about 10 miles to go on the long climb again Dillon accelerated. I felt good at the moment and went straight to the front of our group. I laid down the best pull I had. We held him for a bit. I buried myself. If we could bring him back after an effort like this I was sure Joe could win. And even if he couldn’t I wasn’t gona let someone ride away without putting in 110%. After I through down another big pull we hit the short but 15% climb with the feed zone at its top. One of the Boston scientific drilled it and I was gone. I couldn’t respond, I had worked to hard to bring Josh back and was now paying for it. I got myself going again and actually held them not far ahead of me. I crushed it for 3- 5 minutes but they weren’t slowing down. After a few misjudged turns in the still pouring rain they were gone. The wheel car came by, said the pack was 90 seconds back. I still had 7 miles to go on some very heavy roads. I put my head down, grabbed a cliff shot and went in TT mode. I was really suffering but I was inspired by my solid riding and feeling strong in a group of real players. With 2 miles to go someone caught and passed me. Right on a short hill, I couldn’t grab his wheel. “FU#*!!!! Ok…ok… stay smooth”, almost there, I thought, . With 1 k to go I turned onto the finishing rd. people cheering out of the saddle now and there were 2 more guys playing cat and mouse a few hundred meters behind me. I gave it everything. I really did. At 200m I stood up and gave my best, been in a break-a-way for 30 miles got dropped and have been alone going full tilt for he last 7 miles, sprint. They both shot by me with 20m to go. I was pissed, yeah I was but again a good ride by myself. Joe got 4th or 5th and we had 2 more teammates in the top 15 giving us a big payout for the day. so I can’t be too upset I guess. a solid day and the race played out really well. Very pro. Leaving the strong men at the front to fight it out.
Friday, June 09, 2006
Montauk Half Ironman
Montauk half Ironman:
With a full summer of road racing at the pro level in me I had nerves of steel, strong lungs and arms that resemble a 14 yr old girl. I hadn’t run since January for any length of time, let alone for 13 miles. It was easy to say I was biting off more than I could chew, and some did say that. I had some very, serious strengths going into this race but as with every strength there are weaknesses. And mine were huge.Stats: Time: 4:56.00, 2nd age group, 24th overallSwim: 31’ (36th)Bike: 2:30 (12th)Run: 1:50 (66th)Ave Hr. for entire race: 169 (max 200, bike threshold 185)http://www.longislandtri.com/index.cfm?ID=4Training:I had four weeks. three after I recovered from my last stage race. I looked at the calendar and figured what would be ideal. It was then up to the body to tell me if it would be possible or not. After a few trips to Walden pond I realized that the swim wasn’t going as bad as I thought it might be. Running went slow at first just trying to get some tech. work in. with 2 weeks to race time I was able to run for 1 hr. Some long, hard riding, one brick and I was wasted from a hard week of training. With 1 week to go I was kept busy with work and life but I managed to get in 2 shorts runs and started to feel pretty good.Race day:The run had me worried the most. 13 miles! And there were hills everywhere. I was improving every day all I had to do now is play on my strengths and hope for the best. Early rise and I was wide awake. I laphed with my fellow races about my dream of missing the start, running out off T2 with my helmet on etc.. Funny yes but it could all come very true.Swim: I felt good, hydrated, feed and ready to go. The gun went off right after my buddies goggles broke. I wanted to help but there wasn’t much I could do. I was hoping to draft off him as he was a little faster than me in training. With in one minute I was in full panic mode, water in my mouth gasping for breath, and trying dodge flaying arms and feet. I went into a side stroke and tried to relax. I got some breaths, attempted to gain what rhythm I had and went back to work. By the ½ mile mark I was pretty much alone. Two or three guys were right in front of me who I tried to stay with. I was swimming a good line or so it seamed and as I rounded the second buoy with ½ mile to go I started to really push. I could see what I thought was the whole world out in front by a ways. The shore came faster than I thought and I was very grateful. Lots of cheering as I came into T1. as I tried to change out of my wet suit and into my skin suit. I quickly realized that I couldn’t feel my hands, they were useless, and my arms were worse. Totally swollen, they felt like pieces of wood. After that struggle I did a double check to make sure I had everything and headed out for the bike.Bike: After .5 miles on the bike you hit a hill. Not huge but with the panic of the swim still in my head, water in my ears and the blood still in my arms my HR shot up to 185 pretty fast. Or just stayed there from the swim. I took some deep breaths on the decent and tried to find my rhythm. It wasn’t long before I past a few competitors and then one slowly one passed me. What?! I couldn’t believe someone was passing me and so soon!? I picked up the pace slowly being sure not to push to hard to soon. After a few minutes the passer was caught and dropped, but I was feeling the effort. I tried to keep time checks on the leader to see if I was holding him, gaining time or losing ground. there were 3 or 4 out and backs so this was possible in a few places. I wasn’t long before I realized that I wasn’t that far down. I figured I would be mid pack after the swim but there wasn’t that many people in front of me. My fueling plan worked perfectly. In the last 10 miles or so I slowly caught a smooth and fast competitor. We rode shoulder to shoulder for what seemed like a long time he would pull ahead sometimes on the flats, me on the hills. In the last 5 miles I was going so hard I thought for sure not finish the race. I was now passing more people and quickly. The last few hills bit into my whole body but pushed the only way I know how. All out. Coming into T2 I was very concerned. I was worried about the run to begin with but the bike felt forced and my average speed was slower than I had hoped. 22.5 or so. Was I on my way to coming completely unglued?Run: In T2 a friend yells to me how great I was doing. “Ek your doing awesome, your kicking but! You rock, blah blah b… your in the top 20!” what! I stopped dead stood straight up and looked her, “no I’m not.” “yes you are!” she said. I couldn’t believe it. Not knowing where I was out of the swim I thought I had a bad bike because I wasn’t passing that many people. I know that I didn’t feel great on the bike but top 20!? I grabbed my secret gu flask and tock off.Mr. hammer time from the bike was right behind me and caught up fast. “nice riding man” he said with an honest tone and no glance. He soon drifted away up the road but no one else. No one was passing me? I felt as I was going very slow but not that much slower than others. I kept my steady pace breathed deeply and took in water. No cramps, in the legs or stomach. My legs were tired but I felt good. Energy to burn and I would need it all.¾ through the first 6 mile lap I was mentally starting to fade. So long I thought, I have to do this again. A few people passed me. The bonk was coming. I could feel it. I tock half on my gu flask. 70 kcals maybe, as I came through the finish area I grabbed a big cup of water and cytomax, walked, as I did on every hill, and drank it all. Picking up the pace again I grabbed a gel at the next feed and I was going good now. With a good blue print of the run course burned into my head I attacked the second lap and last 6 miles of the race. Before the hill bit again I tock the last of my flask and dug deep. Around this turn up that hill and I was on the finishing straight, I glanced out over the swim course and thought I swam today? It seamed so long ago. A passed a few people before the finish and as I turned into the finish area erupting in cheers I was in disbelief to see that I had broken 5 hr. on the drive home I realized that every thing had worked perfectly. My training my nutrition, my training, and the way I attacked the race with my strengths and used them again to get through my weaknesses.
With a full summer of road racing at the pro level in me I had nerves of steel, strong lungs and arms that resemble a 14 yr old girl. I hadn’t run since January for any length of time, let alone for 13 miles. It was easy to say I was biting off more than I could chew, and some did say that. I had some very, serious strengths going into this race but as with every strength there are weaknesses. And mine were huge.Stats: Time: 4:56.00, 2nd age group, 24th overallSwim: 31’ (36th)Bike: 2:30 (12th)Run: 1:50 (66th)Ave Hr. for entire race: 169 (max 200, bike threshold 185)http://www.longislandtri.com/index.cfm?ID=4Training:I had four weeks. three after I recovered from my last stage race. I looked at the calendar and figured what would be ideal. It was then up to the body to tell me if it would be possible or not. After a few trips to Walden pond I realized that the swim wasn’t going as bad as I thought it might be. Running went slow at first just trying to get some tech. work in. with 2 weeks to race time I was able to run for 1 hr. Some long, hard riding, one brick and I was wasted from a hard week of training. With 1 week to go I was kept busy with work and life but I managed to get in 2 shorts runs and started to feel pretty good.Race day:The run had me worried the most. 13 miles! And there were hills everywhere. I was improving every day all I had to do now is play on my strengths and hope for the best. Early rise and I was wide awake. I laphed with my fellow races about my dream of missing the start, running out off T2 with my helmet on etc.. Funny yes but it could all come very true.Swim: I felt good, hydrated, feed and ready to go. The gun went off right after my buddies goggles broke. I wanted to help but there wasn’t much I could do. I was hoping to draft off him as he was a little faster than me in training. With in one minute I was in full panic mode, water in my mouth gasping for breath, and trying dodge flaying arms and feet. I went into a side stroke and tried to relax. I got some breaths, attempted to gain what rhythm I had and went back to work. By the ½ mile mark I was pretty much alone. Two or three guys were right in front of me who I tried to stay with. I was swimming a good line or so it seamed and as I rounded the second buoy with ½ mile to go I started to really push. I could see what I thought was the whole world out in front by a ways. The shore came faster than I thought and I was very grateful. Lots of cheering as I came into T1. as I tried to change out of my wet suit and into my skin suit. I quickly realized that I couldn’t feel my hands, they were useless, and my arms were worse. Totally swollen, they felt like pieces of wood. After that struggle I did a double check to make sure I had everything and headed out for the bike.Bike: After .5 miles on the bike you hit a hill. Not huge but with the panic of the swim still in my head, water in my ears and the blood still in my arms my HR shot up to 185 pretty fast. Or just stayed there from the swim. I took some deep breaths on the decent and tried to find my rhythm. It wasn’t long before I past a few competitors and then one slowly one passed me. What?! I couldn’t believe someone was passing me and so soon!? I picked up the pace slowly being sure not to push to hard to soon. After a few minutes the passer was caught and dropped, but I was feeling the effort. I tried to keep time checks on the leader to see if I was holding him, gaining time or losing ground. there were 3 or 4 out and backs so this was possible in a few places. I wasn’t long before I realized that I wasn’t that far down. I figured I would be mid pack after the swim but there wasn’t that many people in front of me. My fueling plan worked perfectly. In the last 10 miles or so I slowly caught a smooth and fast competitor. We rode shoulder to shoulder for what seemed like a long time he would pull ahead sometimes on the flats, me on the hills. In the last 5 miles I was going so hard I thought for sure not finish the race. I was now passing more people and quickly. The last few hills bit into my whole body but pushed the only way I know how. All out. Coming into T2 I was very concerned. I was worried about the run to begin with but the bike felt forced and my average speed was slower than I had hoped. 22.5 or so. Was I on my way to coming completely unglued?Run: In T2 a friend yells to me how great I was doing. “Ek your doing awesome, your kicking but! You rock, blah blah b… your in the top 20!” what! I stopped dead stood straight up and looked her, “no I’m not.” “yes you are!” she said. I couldn’t believe it. Not knowing where I was out of the swim I thought I had a bad bike because I wasn’t passing that many people. I know that I didn’t feel great on the bike but top 20!? I grabbed my secret gu flask and tock off.Mr. hammer time from the bike was right behind me and caught up fast. “nice riding man” he said with an honest tone and no glance. He soon drifted away up the road but no one else. No one was passing me? I felt as I was going very slow but not that much slower than others. I kept my steady pace breathed deeply and took in water. No cramps, in the legs or stomach. My legs were tired but I felt good. Energy to burn and I would need it all.¾ through the first 6 mile lap I was mentally starting to fade. So long I thought, I have to do this again. A few people passed me. The bonk was coming. I could feel it. I tock half on my gu flask. 70 kcals maybe, as I came through the finish area I grabbed a big cup of water and cytomax, walked, as I did on every hill, and drank it all. Picking up the pace again I grabbed a gel at the next feed and I was going good now. With a good blue print of the run course burned into my head I attacked the second lap and last 6 miles of the race. Before the hill bit again I tock the last of my flask and dug deep. Around this turn up that hill and I was on the finishing straight, I glanced out over the swim course and thought I swam today? It seamed so long ago. A passed a few people before the finish and as I turned into the finish area erupting in cheers I was in disbelief to see that I had broken 5 hr. on the drive home I realized that every thing had worked perfectly. My training my nutrition, my training, and the way I attacked the race with my strengths and used them again to get through my weaknesses.
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