Race Report: Carolina Half Ironman 9/29/13

This past Sunday, I competed in the inaugural Setup Events Carolina Half-IM, the first long course race based in (or near) Charlotte, NC. With time to reflect back on it, I've decided I enjoyed it, even though parts of it were pretty darn hard.

My goal was to use this as a training race, to practice and prepare for Ironman Arizona in about six weeks. I intended to just settle in, focus on fueling, and take it easy, without trying to push the pace or hit a time goal. However, after getting on the bike, that old competitive spirit kicked in and I wrestled against pushing myself versus holding back for what I knew was going to be a tough run. I ended up going a bit harder on the bike than I wanted, but still seemed to have enough left to have an OK run. My run was still pretty bad, but I ended up taking 10 minutes off of my previous PR at this distance, which was on a flat course at the 2003 Blackwater Eagleman.

Age Group Results
6:01:05, 15th out of 32

I was surprised to place in the top half of my age group. This is a big improvement over most of my previous events where I was in the lower 40%. I attribute this to following a great coaching program from Jamey Yon. The next guy up was 10 minutes ahead so I'll have my work cut out next year (if I do this one again.)

RECAP:

Taper Week: Went in to see Dr. Bradberry at Greenapple for a mild case of metatarsalgia and a sore hip. Flew out early Tuesday and spent Tuesday through Thursday in Chicago, IL. Swam Tuesday and Wednesday nights at the Buehler YMCA in Palatine. Felt really good all week and concentrated eating clean and not pulling anything.

Friday night we headed up to Boone for Parent's Weekend at Appalachian State and we spent all Saturday on our feet hiking both the campus and some trails. Despite complicating my preparation, I knew where my priorities needed to be. We didn't get home until 10pm and then I had to prep my bike and bags. Didn't get in bed until midnight for a 4:30 wakeup...not good.

RACE DAY:

After 4 hours sleep, we drove to T1, got my packet and racked my bike, then headed to T2. I was definitely feeling the lack of sleep but also the typical pre race nerves and was ready to get it done. Then, a lack of shuttle buses caused me to get separated from Elizabeth and ended up in T1 without cooking oil spray and my whole gear bag.

SWIM:
37:31, 12th out of 32: 

This was my first beach start and I don't know if I prefer it one way or the other over the other kind. Due to the shuttle thing, I didn't get to do a warmup but tried not to think about that.

I felt really good right away from the start and was able to settle my breathing down within a few hundred yards. I didn't feel either fast or slow but kept up with what I thought was the middle of my pack. I stayed with the pack through the two turns, only getting slightly off course twice. After exiting at the boat ramp I glanced at my watch which read 36:34 and immediately thought I must have accidentally paused it. My previous best swim in a half-IM was about 43 minutes.

T1: 

5:22, 14th out of 32

T1 was about 1/4 mile up the road from the water exit and I made the mistake of only peeling my wetsuit top down. It would have been smarter to shed the whole thing. Plus I got a sleeve caught on my watch and that added precious seconds. I could probably shave a minute off next year.

BIKE:
3:00:29, 17th out of 32

I was actually shocked at placing relatively low on the bike leg, normally my best segment. I will say that nobody passed me on training wheels, that is, everyone that passed me had aero race wheels, which I didn't...but I'm not making excuses. The bike is probably the area where my training has lagged the most due to all my mid week traveling.

This was a course with relatively few fast stretches. Lots of turns connected by pretty rough asphalt. Also lots of rolling hills with 2 or 3 out of the saddle climbs, especially in mile 55.

My fueling plan was do the same as on my last few long rides. Lots of Gatorade and Hammer Gel with one or two energy bars. I downed a NOW bar (280 calories) in the first 25 miles then switched to just Gatorade. I need to get a better Bento box and gel flask holder for my bike. Mine didn't work well with all the short segments and turns.  

Eric Banks Carolina Half IM Bike Splits 9/29/13

I finished the bike feeling really strong though and was more than eager to start the run.

T2: 
1:28, 7th place. 

No issues here. Shoes stayed on the bike. Clean dismount. Right out of the traps onto the run.

RUN:
2:16:16, 17th out of 32.

I knew this was going to be tough but didn't preview it so I just mentally approached it as a strong training run. The first two miles around Bailey Park flew by and I was optimistic that I was going to easily break 2 hours. Then the fun started in mile 4.

For the run, I took water and Heed at the first few stops until we entered the Davidson College Cross Country trail system around mile 5. Then my legs started to get heavier and I craved coke and water at the next few stops through mile 7.5, the turnaround point.

Exiting the woods around mile 9, I could sense the finish and was able to crank the pace up a bit. By that point I was taking two water cups and dumping one on my back. Things went well until those last two brutal hills in mile 12 where I had to take a couple of walk breaks.

Eric Banks' Carolina Half IM Run Splits 9/29/13

In summary, I was pretty spent at the end but semi-happy with my results. On the one hand, I was glad to get a PR and to have a really great swim. On the other hand, I was disappointed I still didn't make it into the 5:30 club. Oh well, as they say, there's always next year!

If You Want Success, Follow The System!

I've probably heard this advice over and over hundreds of times in very different contexts, but for some reason, I still mainly try to forge my own path toward whatever goal I've set. Then, I wonder why the path has been so difficult or why I've failed to achieve my goal.

I suppose part of this stems from hearing the Frost poem about "taking the road less traveled" too many times. There is a part of me that believes that I have to "earn" my success through adversity as opposed to taking a tried and true path. In other words, my ego prevented me from "merely" following someone else's system.

But I'm now following a "system" to get me in better shape for triathlons and improving my results and I'm seeing the results of following it.

Switching to a more neutral running shoe, the Brooks Ghost.

I've worn Asics 21xx series for years starting from when they were the 2060's up until my just retired 2170's. These are a stability shoe with a medium amount of pronation control. My running style, if you can call it such, as evolved over the years from a flat footed heel striker to now more of a forefoot striker. I think this is good although being a forefoot striker puts a lot more stress on my calves (soleus and gastrocnemius.)

According to "Born to Run", the book that rewrote...the book, on running, the forefoot striking style is how we were "born to run" so once you're adapted to it, it should work better for you.

What I've found is that my shoes wear, and my feet hurt, right under the 2nd ball joint of both feet. Most people push off of their big toe joint so they have a lot of shoe wear, and callouses, under that joint. I'm a little strange I suppose.

On the advice of my chiropractor (whom I was seeing for a calf strain) I decided to try out a more neutral shoe. After trying a pair of Newtons and an Asics Gel Kayano, I went with a pair of Brooks Ghost. This was on Monday of this week (today is Wednesday.)

I went for a quick 3 mile run on Monday and immediately felt much more stress on my calves. This is because the sole is more flexible than my old Asics. My forefoot felt a lot better cushioned however I still felt most of the impact and push off on my 2nd ball joint. I think this is a matter of my style and I may be able to shift slowly more over to my big toe over time.

I did a 5.7 mile hill workout today and felt pretty awesome so fingers crossed that this was a good shoe choice.

5 Tips For Avoiding "The Bonk" On Long Bike Rides

I don't know if its due to my advanced age (46) or the fact that my nickname should be "Heavy Sweater" but  I've become an expert at "bonking" on long training rides.

By "long rides" I mean those over 30-35 miles and lasting 2:30 to three hours or more. (I'm still building up my fitness and stamina for anything longer.)

My "bonking" usually sets in around the 20 mile mark between an hour and 1:15 into the ride. If it's a hot day, I'll start to feel like my legs just can't turn over as quickly and I'm not light on the pedals. By mile 30 I'm usually well off the pace. By mile 40 I'm barely moving up the hills and may even weave a little.

Here are my sure fire ways to guarantee a "bonk:" 

1. Do not eat anything before the ride.

2. Do not carry any sports drinks.

3. Do not carry any solid food.

4. Do not carry any energy gels.

5. Do not apply sunscreen before setting out on the ride.

So, logically, here is what I've been doing to prevent such misery:

1. Prepare my fueling plan the night before. Figure out what I'm going to eat before and during the ride. Eat at least 200-250 calories before the ride. Drink 16oz of water and S-Caps if it's above 75 degrees and humid.

2. Mix up 2 pretty strong bottles of Gatorade. Put one S-Cap or Endurolyte in each bottle.

3. Make sure I have at least one Clif bar to eat at around mile 20.

4. Carry a full flask of Hammer Gel (Montana Huckleberry or Vanilla) and draw from it every 15-20 mins. 

5. Put sunscreen on the back of my neck, arms, face, etc. prior to leaving the house.

Figure out your own requirements by listening to your body. Spending a little extra time on your fueling plan can do wonders for helping you avoid "the bonk."

I am improving

When I re-started my triathlon training program this past January I guess I thought it was mostly going to help me build stamina and endurance, but I never thought I would be fast. I'm starting to doubt that now...that I will remain slow, that is.

I've never been a fast runner By any stretch of the imagination. When I was doing a few tri races back in the early years of the century I think I got a 5k PR of around 25 mins and a 10k in the low 50's. but being out of shape and not really training for almost a decade has taken its toll on me. In January, the best per mile times I could muster were in the 10:30-11:00 minute range. 

The last two times I've run though I've averaged in the lower 9 minute range which I have to say, seems very surreal to me.

When I look back and assess what's going on, I'm excited to report that I've actually felt like I'm making progress. What I mean is that my pace was the same for many weeks and months as my body adapted to the shock of running. Actually, my body rebelled at the added demands. First, my knees ached so badly that even walking was painful. I applied ice and rubbed the tops of my Tibia hoping that it was just tendinitis. Luckily, it was. Unfortunately I strained a calf muscle about half a mile from finishing a short 4 mile run.  Lots of ART therapy and stretch training seems to have fixed it, but it still is painful.

The Anarchist

“The lenses inside of me that paint the world black / The pools of poison, the scarlet mist that spill over into rage. The things I’ve always been denied, an early promise that somehow died / A missing part of me that grows around me like a cage.”

Who hasn't felt this way at some point in their lives? Whether stuck in a dead end job or a toxic relationship. The frustration of unrealized potential can indeed spill over into rage. As we age, the pain of knowing there is a missing part of you only grows stronger. It's testimony to the importance of finding your self at an early age. I believe true satisfaction is achieved through being self-less that is, to live to give of yourself.

What if I don't fail?

A few months ago I attended an excellent presentation by an inspiring leader in the direct selling business. The gist of it was, get over your fear...take action. Sure, you may fail. But what if you don't?

Yesterday while running that phrase came back to me in a big way. As is often the case when doing something uncomfortable...alright, painful, I have to pysch myself up to keep going. 

I realized I have to keep running instead of stopping. What if I just keep running even though my aching legs tell me to stop?  I will be prouder and happier with myself and feel better about my upcoming triathlon race.

l also realized I can apply that question towards any aspect of my life when facing a decision on whether or not to take action.

For example:

• I'm afraid to call that difficult customer because he might think I'm being a pest. But what if he gives me another order?
• I'm afraid to tell my neighbor about this great new product I'm using because he'll think I'm trying to push it on him. But what if he wants to try it and it helps him?
• I'm embarrassed to share what I'm doing with a close friend because he might ridicule it. But what if he thinks its pretty cool that I'm trying to better myself?
• I'd better not start that business because I might lose my life savings. But what if I don't? 
• I'm not going to sign up for that half-marathon, what if I can't finish it? But what if I can?
• I'd better not try and fix the car myself because I might not be able to figure it out. But what if I can?

Most of our fears are irrational but hold us back. Next time you are afraid to try something, think about the opposite of your fear happening and dwell upon that! Attitude can be a very powerful motivator!