Thursday, May 9, 2013
Katy 5k 5/10/2013
I came close to cancel the event as weather looked ugly; outdoor eating wouldn’t be fun given rain and mud. Then I remembered promising mom the event T-shirt.
_Goal
Earlier in the year, I aimed for sub-20-minute.
The legs weren’t recovered from Irving Marathon. I changed the event goal to PR: 20:27 @ 6:33 pace.
_Race
Rain stopped in time for the event.
The staging went great ‘til the announcer moved the 2 soldiers to the front; they carried full gear and the American flag. I imagined David Goggins and Dean Karnazes would run at 6:30 pace carrying 40-lb backpack.
I lost 40 feet at the narrow start as expected. I didn’t expected a water station volunteer to knock the cup out of my hand then hit my chest after handed me the water. I had to laugh. It was probably the first cup he ever handed out.
I struggled at last quarter mile and failed to go sub 6:00 pace during final sprint.
_#'s
morning weight: 139.4 lb.
time: 20:31 @ 6:34 pace.
Place: 158 / 3563
shoes: Green Silence
_Food
It’s difficult to predict what runners desire after 5k. Popcorn did well. The longest line was in front of patties and hotdogs on a grill.
I was surprised to see beef tartare on bread slice. I ate my registration fee between raw cow and Times Ten Cellars.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Irving Marathon 4/27/2013 (2nd failed attempt to BQ)
Boston Qualifier. Certification #: TX13063ETM
I dismissed the event when first learned of it: weather was unlikely to be ideal; things tended to go wrong at inaugural events; I didn't want to give up spring long run and Texas Road Rash.
_Decision
Casey emailed me 2 days after the 100k day, "The Irving Marathon got certified as BC qualifier."
Peaking for a marathon 20 days after 100k was out of question. My 2008 12-hour and 24-hour skates took over a month to recover.
“Can I PR by 8 minutes without marathon specific training?” I thought I had a chance if weather cooperated. According to VO2-based calculator, my theoretical marathon time was 3:14:06. I need 3:19:59. Minimally, I had a chance for another meltdown, which would become fun memory. Scott Jurek won Western State and Badwater 2 weeks apart. Sometimes bodies would rise enough for the occasions.
_2013 Boston Marathon Bombing. 4/15/2013
My brain couldn’t process a friend’s text that Monday; he thought I was in Boston.
For days running 2014 Boston felt like a calling. I wasn’t the only one. The interest to qualify skyrocketed that week.
_Preparation
Recovery from 100k and tapering for marathon coincided.
Things within my control
1. staying skinny
2. minimum training
3. rest
4. carbo load
_Condition
Forecast was on the money: 67F, 84% humidity at 7:30am.
Casey called 11 hours before the gun: south end of the course was on utility road with sharp rocks. WTF.
_Race
Garmin 305 paced me at 7:33 for a 3:17:57 finish. This leaves 1% margin.
4 distances started at the same time: 5k, 10k, half, full. I loved the timer's expression when he saw the 2 barefoot runners without shoe lace for his disposable chips. He seemed to ponder over the no-shoe-no-service policy but finally approached the 2 runners, "come see me when you finish."
The utility road wasn't bad during the first loop. I avoided the bigger rocks by picking landing spots. A barefoot runner ran gingerly on grass; the other disappeared.
The course was 7 miles of trail; 2 loops; 2 U-turns per loop. I didn't anticipate half marathoners’ moral support when I started loop 2. I also didn't anticipate 7:33 pace would put me in 7th place. I overtook 1 guy at 3rd U-turn and started to fantasize 43-minute final 10k to get on men’s podium, "I just need 1 guy to falter."
14 miles flew by. Legs' unhappiness became noticeable. I increased cadence to make up for stiffness. This worked for another 5k. I started to lose time. I burned a match at every hill. I was hopeful of 3:19:59 finish. I prepared myself to go anaerobic. "Last 10k is gonna hurt."
_"20 miles of hope and 6.2 miles of reality"
I expected 2nd wind or the wall; instead, I got cramps. Left calf and hamstrings shrank the moment I grabbed a Chick-fil-A cup. I kept the pace and ended up limping. I walked a bit then started jogging. Boston was out of reach.
2 guys passed me before the levee. I didn't respond. Footing was difficult on the unpaved surface. Hot spots formed inside of shoes. The laces bit. I walked the final U-turn and saw an Indian dude catching up. I resumed running. “I can still finish top-10.”
A smiling Kristen Rains caught me on the pavement. I stayed with her. She smiled, "we're almost done." She high kicked then sped away. I was Wile E Coyote.
Mile 22 was a funny state of mind. With each step, the finish became farther. I resorted to Ironman shuffle. "Just keep moving."
Half marathoners took breaks from their phone conversations to make eye contacts: "You can catch her!" "You're almost there!" "Looking strong!" I appreciated these lies from complete strangers. I was surprised those hairy Indian legs hadn't caught up.
The last 4 miles felt like 4 hours. I crossed the line within a minute of 2 other guys. We placed 9th ~ 11th behind 2 girls.
_#’s
time: 3:35:06
pace: 8:12
place: 10/220
blister: 2
black toe nail: 1
In addition to $450 prize, Joe Beislver’s 6:25 pace won him 366-day supply of Chick-fil-A.
_Pre-race physical activities:
-20 days. 100k run in 24 hours.
-13 days. 28-mile skate at Road Rash. 5-mile cool down run.
-12 days. 6x800. Sluggish during warm up. Smooth sailing after first rep.
-9 days. 5k tempo. Leg sore throughout the run. I skipped the last 1k.
-7 days. Long run at 8:44 pace. Legs didn’t like it. I shorten the run to 10k and questioned my ability to finish marathon at any pace.
-3 days. 1-mile tempo. The weather and my body peaked for this low-humidity 40F day: I woke up 135.8 lb and pain-free. 6:55 pace felt like jogging.
_nutrition
I carbo-loaded for 3 days and gained 2.0 lbs by race morning. I stapled 4 gels to waste band in addition to the 2 gels in the hat pockets. This worked well. I wasn't even hungry after the race. Gel and liquid went well at 7:33 pace heart rate.
2 lb felt like a stiff penalty for a full tank of glycogen.
_things for organizer to improve
1. The course map was based on a visually pleasing rendering of the trail with weird orientation. Outlines of the river were, err, beautified. I visualized a graphic artist who's never good at reading maps.
2. It was unclear whether racers could sign up at packet pick up. Many wasted $7.5 on active.com.
3. It was unclear whether the trail would be closed to non-event traffic.
4. Volunteers received insufficient training. At one point an aid vehicle impeded my progress. Another volunteer expected me to come a complete stop for water.
5. 1 water station ran out of water the first hour.
6. 300:1 racer-to-porta-potty ratio.
7. Parking. The race was delayed half hour.
8. The delay was announced late.
9. The announcer had different instructions for the start than official literature. I was among "fuck it, I'm starting from the front."
10. It’s uncool to advertise “The course is a paved, 12’ wide trail” when sharp stones on unpaved road were involved.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Texas Road Rash 04/14/2013
2013 was the closest I came to cancel the trip: legs weren’t recovered from the 100k day; I didn't practice pace line in 2013; Jenny’s entire family was sick, including the Border Collies; I tried to recover for the Boston Marathon qualifier 13 days away.
I thought about friends at the events vs. cost. I kept the trip on schedule. Aunt Sherry could use some replacement Pyrex lids.
_Excursions
Casey and I exited the high way when we thought Robertson’s was a restaurant. It turned out ot be a cute little store selling decent sandwich.
Shopping didn’t work out at Round Rock outlet mall. Corning closed its store. Oakley Transitions had a cool demo; I embarrassed a salesperson by asking about the price.
_Boot maker
David and Jennifer Simmons traveled to the race with casting kit. I debated whether to acquire more skates. The 2005 laced boots were all-purpose while Mojos were only suitable for short events. A back up would reduce the risk of last minute repair like 2011. I considered other toys on my list: TT bike frame, power meter, massage chair, pool robot, and kitchen counter. New skates had high ROI.
I research frame options. Simmons wasn’t the best value, but it’d eliminate 1 excuse for height issues. I chose stability over roll and went with 3x110 hi-lo.
I monopolized the craftsman’s time. I explained my Mojo problems. David watched me skate and explained “it’s all in the cast.” He had to say that twice before I grasped the implication. David offered to fix and update the early generation Mojos free of charge.
Jordan showed up. I had a million questions but decided to go with a simple hello. I didn’t need to risk ruining his day with wrong topics. I learned my lesson with KC Boutiette. Olympic was a double edge sword. After all the sacrifices, the bronze medalist would leave the career at age of 29 to face a world where most wouldn't care about his stories. I felt for him.
Casey had his feet molded at Bont booth by multi-tasking Debbie Rice. Casey had to help manning the booth.
_Friends
I was happy to see Candy but not the ankle extrusion. She kept her promise on version control.
Jessica was slightly taller than I remembered.
I was glad to see Luke--always fun to skate with. He didn’t sing at this race.
Shelley brought mom. Her smile was infectious.
It was fun talking to Donnie and Doris over dinner. Doris gave thoughtful answers regarding Popemobile.
Ryan McGee sold his Ninja and was no longer dating Asian southern California females. I hope he’ll be Dr. McGee next time we meet so we can forget about his Justin Bieber past.
I sought vegetarian nutrition advice from Brian Shicoff and Rob Bell.
Mackowski showed up with mostly healed wounds. I didn’t expect to see Jerry and didn’t know his race plan. Timo stayed at his lake house watching The Masters. “Tiger is playing!”
I saw a guy warming up in Ragbrai jersey. I introduced myself to Jamie and didn’t think I’d see him again.
_Wave start
I let the lead pack go. Casey and Tom started at compatible speed; I joined the group.
Casey’s quads radiated excessive energy. We stayed in front. I wanted a safe team skate and arrogantly assumed 3 of us were sufficient to control the pack. I wished I discussed strategy with teammates before the gun.
Doug shouted instructions to his kids, which boiled down to “patience!”
I barked invitations, directions, and encouragements. I was Mike Harris. I missed coach’s presence. The pack grew in size: Bob, Luke, Jamie, and lots of pint-size skinsuits. Skaters sitting in for free ride. I didn’t care. I just wanted a good skate with friends.
I focused on steady pace. Casey was the strong man and pulled the lion’s share. Tom led the long downhill; I wanted him to take no chances but didn’t expect him to skate so hard against wind. A kid with T-shirt over skinsuit couldn’t wait; I let him go. We swallowed him back in--multiple times. We picked up racers with unwise starts.
We lifted the pace at lap 3 then let the half-marathoners go. No marathoner tried to escape. I felt confident about the 2nd half.
Lap 4. I took over after Tom’s downhill pull. My legs didn’t respond. I asked Luke for help on Hwy 79. Jamie also chipped in. Tom showed signs of fatigue. I was no longer confident. I focused on staying relaxed.
Lap 5 was uneventful. Skaters lacked cooperation or incentive to attack. We settled into the slower pace and picked up more racers spitted out by other packs. Casey seemed ready to kick into the next gear.
The pros lapped us. Justin Stelly and Rob Bell worked hard in the pack of 3. The only pro I recognized was Alex. He looked less like He-Man this year.
Final lap. We picked up more skaters, mostly temporarily. Casey made moves. Half the pack couldn’t respond. I asked him to wait. He had no one to race against and didn’t need another cheese grater in “open” category.
Bob Harwell hung tough; he’s my hero. Tom skated with decreased steadiness after his final pull; I stayed with him. A few kids attacked indecisively therefore annoyingly. Candy skated by herself; Gentleman Casey opened a comically large gap to let the famed racer in. Jamie improved my sense-of-direction ranking by making a wrong turn a mile before finish.
Young racers got in position for sprint; you could see gears turning in their heads. Casey pulled them. The scramble for the line wasn’t overly chaotic. Most of us were tired and/or old.
_Post race
I tried to take frames off and stripped a mounting bolt. David Simmons helped me out. If all went according to plan, these Mojos would become my rec skates.
Casey and I ran a lap. It felt good.
Avg: 18.0 mph
Distance: 28.2 miles
Time: 1:33:51.28
Lap 1 15:40.57 18.0mph 4.700 15:40.57
Lap 2 15:51.59 17.8mph 9.400 31:32.16
Lap 3 15:36.84 18.1mph 14.100 47:09.00
Lap 4 15:35.98 18.1mph 18.800 1:02:44.98
Lap 5 15:44.05 17.9mph 23.500 1:18:29.03
Lap 6 15:22.25 18.4mph 28.200 1:33:51.28
Saturday, April 6, 2013
110k Long Run 4/6/2013
Timing wasn’t perfect: I wasn’t recovered from last race. Ultra marathon was a poor way to prepare for Texas Road Rash. But there were limited weekends outside of racing season. This could be my best chance for 100k.
Goal: 100k in 24 hours.
_Logistic
A safe approach was to use the house as the base and return often. This worked well in 2012. Kay and Voon signed up for a White Rock 5k on this Saturday morning; running a 5k with her friend was Kay's fitness goal. I wanted to be there.
_Running to a 5k race
I planned a route to the 8am race using Google map. I picked only familiar paths. I was concerned about White Rock Creek Trail: it cut through car traffic, but 1 bridge could be flooded. I would be easy to rob. Driving would sidestep many issues, but running 19.3 miles to a 5k start was appealing. I memorized the route for 3:30am start time.
I shoved down calories with coffee, wanting to reduce luggage. I played Midori SACD that prepared me for the half marathon 13 days ago. The concerto sounded different.
I had too much stuff to carry and eventually found a way to balance gels, sunglasses, headlamp, iPod, and visor on my head. I organized the Fuel Belt such that using the phone wouldn't require exposing cab fare. I got out the door 10 minutes late. I was down to 20 spare minutes to reach registration before 7:30am deadline.
GPS was set to 11:00 pace. When too far ahead, I walked the climbs to bleed average speed. Weather was nice.
_Detour
I had fond memory of White Rock Creek Trail: the first back spasm, re-learning skate stride, and meeting Texas Flyers. I entered the dark parking lot, turned on the headlamp, and was greeted by the sign "White Rock Creek Trail Closed. Use Cottonwood Trail….”
I didn't know whether the Cottonwood was a trail or a street; I didn't know if it would help me cross the interstate highway. I could
1. whip out the phone to search for a new route, but I didn't want to increase my mug-ability.
2. use car-friendly route, which would add 5k to my run; I didn't have extra 33 minutes.
3. trust the trail to be usable on the other side of the 4-lane highways.
I turned on my sense of direction and ran through LBJ construction then along Central service road. This reminded me of Mackowski's interstate shoulder skate at Tour de Donut. I located the trail 15 feet below Central Expressway.
The detour cost 20 minutes. I started to skip walking breaks.
Over the concrete barrier at the construction site, something resembling police crime scene tape caught the visor and yanked stuff off my head. I looked at $300 of merchandise on gravel and marveled how complicated my running had become. Miraculous, the 5' drop didn't damage the iPod, Oakley, and Petzl. I changed my mind on ROI of Oakley Transitions lenses.
The final challenge was sidewalk-less residential area along Buckner Blvd. I didn’t anticipated wet lawns. Keep socks dry was a priority. I ran on medians and inside car lane against traffic.
_5/15k race
I ran with Voon and Kay averaging 11:00 pace. I gain new perspectives watching runners at this speed. I was amazed at Kay’s efficient strides and conjectured spine and muscle pain shortened the feedback loop--much like running barefoot.
Voon set a 5k PR.
_Weekend morning with friends
I joined Timo and Casey’s 15k’s final mile. It was a nice surprise to see Shelley and other Pegasus Flyers. They skated Tour Dallas.
Casey was my sponsor for the day. He provided sunscreen, replacement gels, and bought me taco plate at Fuzzy's.
Timo seemed surprised that I used shrimp tacos as fuel but didn’t argue with its scientific principal: assuming a skinny Asian could ingest 60 hotdogs in 10 minutes....
_Nutrition
Dehydration was the main concerned. I learned the hard way my body didn't absorb water at sufficient rate. I sidestepped the issue by spreading the miles throughout the day. I carried 2 10-oz bottles in Fuel Belt. 32-oz Gatorade was easy to find.
_Round 2
Running became easier after Casey collected the unneeded gear. Taking off headlamp was a big relief. I held 11:00 pace with no drama for a few miles after brunch.
_Issues
I tallied surprises and mistakes around 50k:
Trail closure
Dropping headlamp, iPod, sunglasses
Losing mileage on GPS due to user error
Forgetting to store iPod in car for 5k
Forgetting sun screen before round 2
Losing 1 headphone insulator when getting it out of visor packet
Long events were engineering as much as biomechanical challenges.
_Detour (part 2)
Cottonwood Trail was easy to identify at the south end. It never came near the detour sign for White Rock Creek. 1 year into the 5-year construction, Dallas had not put up a reasonable sign for trail closure. I felt the city council loathe non-motorists. I fantasized taking that triathlon-friendly J2EE job in Boulder, Colorado.
The trail took me to neighborhood where gas stations’ main traffic was lottery enthusiasts. I felt like an intruder standing in line to pay for Gatorade with Visa. Times like this reminded me that logic and reason were often irrelevant. 非我族類其心必異. Not a comforting thought.
_Undertrained
Beyond the annual long run, I didn't practice the pace, nutrition, walking, and equipment. I was inexperienced in dealing with fatigue beyond marathon.
I lost the will to run somewhere around mile 38. I wasn’t hurting exactly, but without conscious effort, I found myself slowed to a walk—reminiscent of eating donut #18 when I beat Mackowski at the donut race.
_Rest
I made it home by 4pm to discover uncle & aunt dropped off fresh eggs, fruits, vegi, and mochi. It was sweet. I was still a kid in their eyes. The eggs came with feathers.
I made Muscle Milk blueberry smoothie and noticed minutes elapse between sips. I didn't feel tired but dozed off when not in motion. I ate a quick dinner then went to bed after shower. I needed 14.5 miles in 11 hours, plenty of time.
_Round 3
I woke up at 9:45pm unmotivated. I looked for excuses to shorten the run but finally made it out of door by 11pm. “Just run 5-mile loop 3 times. Just do it!”
_Eat and Run_
I sometimes felt the authors tailored their stories for me. I saved _Eat and Run_ for 2013 long run. Scott Jurek articulated the mechanism that made ultras difficult as my average speed dropped below a fast walker.
Jurek and I shared certain social challenges. I faced similar cross roads that led to his conversion to plant-based diet. Maybe long runs heightened my ability to relate to others. There were parts I thought he was reading my mind.
After all these years, it’s still weird to hear Chinese philosophy terms in English. This book included multiple vomits and recipes for guacamole and other dishes.
My natural running pace was now 11:30 min-mile, as opposed to 8:30 pace marathon training’s recovery run.
_Random thoughts
After finishing Jurek’s 8-hour book, I continued with Updike’s _Rabbit is Rich_. Some scenes were incompatible with physical activity. I turned iPod off and let my mind wonder.
Biff would start Ironman Texas 70.3 in a few hours.
Aunt Sherry ate her first Whataburger after 30 years in the US.
Roger Ebert passed away.
Family in Taiwan faced new health challenges.
Ninja’s master cylinder failed.
Endless house maintenance: DE filter pressure gauge, RO filters, door paint, landscape. “Why do I own 4 exterior doors and 4 toilets?”
A tooth seemed to have cracked.
“Aren’t long runs supposed to clear my mind?”
I was mostly walking by now. There wasn’t enough time to finish 100k by walking. I didn’t care. I started to think about food for next 24 hours.
_Wrapping up
I made the final stop at the house to defrost edamame, bacon, crab cake, shishamo, clams, and chicken. Great culinary experience was more about context than best of everything--I looked forward to finish that bottle of awful sauvignon blanc with salty fish.
_Final miles
I listened to David Sedaris for the final loop. Plano cops didn’t hassle me; I wondered how often they saw laughing runners with sun visor 3 in the morning. I wondered what would happen if I flagged the cruiser down and offer to buy coffee and donuts.
5k to go. I tried sub-8:00 pace; it didn’t happen. I had to focus to hold any single-digit pace. I reached home 7 minutes before 24-hour deadline.
_#'s
3:39am 47.4 mi@12:30
11:00pm 10.4 mi@16.11
2:32am 4.8 mi@12:29
total: 100.7 km + unrecorded distance in 23:53:00
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Rock n Roll Half 3/24/2013
_new training program
SmartCoach made my training simple since 2007: I punched the number into Garmin 305 before each training session. The legs would turn in the predicted result on race day, miracle-like.
SmartCoach’s prediction was unrealistic for my 2012 Dallas half. As a sanity check, I entered 2:04:58 marathon time into SmartCoach. It spitted out a training plan for 1:59:58. It didn’t work for Ryan Hall either….
Influenced by Mike Lin's experience, I shopped for online coaching. The big names were Jack Daniels, McMillan, Hanson, Higdon, and Galloway. Prices were similar: $125 ~ 200 per month. The customer would be assigned a random coach of mystery credentials associated with the brand. Considering the effort it'd take the coach to learn my body, short term benefit was unlikely.
Anything cheaper amounted to access to proprietary tools (videos and software). The feedback was done through online forums mostly on topics that didn’t concern me.
I gave up and bought the $29 Higdon 12-wk plan integrated into trainingpeaks.com. First thing I noticed was Higdon did not spell out the actual training and racing paces, which were the reason for my search.
trainingpeaks.com was typical of web apps: every action involved 1 more click than necessary; real estate was not optimized for my screen sizes. I disliked the idea that the vendor could alter/terminate the service at any time while the end users worked under the implicit lifetime-accessibility assumption.
_losing faith
The program was fun the first few weeks: 3 instead of 2 key workouts with low bars. I enjoyed the 400m intervals with my fast twitch muscles surpassing the prescribed pace by a ridiculous margin. A month into it, I became discontent: intervals lacked intensity; tempos lacked specificity; easy runs weren’t easy.
The customer received daily email containing 2 days of workout description. The business chose not to send descriptions in a form that simplified piracy. This 1-day-ahead method introduced annoying uncertainties to my daily planning.
Mostly I resented the vagueness. The daily emails were written for the mass for multiple distances; in one paragraph the author failed to go back and fill in the race distance after copy-n-pasting. The program compensated for its ambiguity by phrases like “hard, but not too hard” and “listen to your body.” If I listened, I’d be eating ice cream in front of the fireplace.
I increased interval intensity: instead of 6x800 at 6:50; I ran Yasso 10x800 at 6:15. I struggled with weekly tempo 48 hours after intervals. Every Thursday, the legs would fall off pace after 1 mile, including the night I got hit by a car.
Numbers from my training log was unambiguous: the modified program made me slower. I tapered aggressively and thought it could be too late.
Lesson: never train this way again unless I get younger.
_race pace
On New Year, I arbitrarily decided on 7:00 minute/mile--a number between my PR and SmartCoach's optimistic prediction.
I focused on running since 2011 Q3. I suffered from plantar fasciitis while flirted with other injuries. I decided to step up cycling and skating 2013 Q1 at cost of running performance.
Lots happened in 2013 Q1: car accident, regular chiropractor adjustment, cross training, local club events, and over-training. I drafted a more modest race script:
Hold 7:07 GPS pace for 8 miles.
Go faster after mile 8 plateau.
Go nuts after mile 12.
Beat 1:33:31 PR.
I started running in 2006. 6.5 years later, I still expected significant gain every training cycle. Human body’s inefficient adaptation made the journey more sustainable.
_weight
When working for Systemware, I made a point to microwave some animal protein daily.
Free food wasn't part of the new job's benefit. My protein consumption reduced drastically due to laziness. This seemed to lower my base by 2 lb.
Other factors came into play; I accidentally reached race weight for the 2nd time in 4 months.
_race morning
The day started smoothly at 4:30. I went through the routine with enough spare time to facetime Taiwan. Midori’s Mendelssohn concerto set the right tension when I made the first coffee in 7 days. Somehow race mornings didn't bring the same fear before long training runs.
The poolful of leaves confirmed the 26 mph wind. Air temperature was perfect--no need to take in water on course.
I followed a Mercedes gull wing flew down Dallas North Tollway; we both braked when Beltronics beeped. Police set up a speed trap at one of the few available spots on the shoulder-less toll way 5:50am on a Sunday. The AMG accelerated its obese rubbers outside the radar range and left my 5-figure Acura in the dust. Should've taken the Ninja.
I was annoyed Dallas closed the main exit to Fair Park--an out-of-box solution to congestion at that exit. Traffic to the official parking lot was slow but moving. Buses to the race start ran well directed by many shivering young volunteers.
I always felt I spent too much stationary time at the start, usually freezingly. For this race I reached corral 1 with 2 minutes to spare. The jog to the start was more stressful than necessary.
_start
21 mph headwind. I decided to take Doug's advice and moved back 2 rows. Sacrificing a minute first 3 miles was better than losing 20 seconds each mile for back half.
I was on pace at 5k. I thought I wasn't breathing hard before realizing my difficulties completing sentences. Legs wanted to accelerate every time I was passed; I stuck to the script. I couldn't wait to cresting the big hill.
_pacers
A girl in black ran crookedly half way into the course. She attempted to remove her pullover like a street performer getting out of straightjacket. She was thinking out loud deciding among 20 different options regarding the iPod which at the time was in the left pocket, which did not have a zipper, though the headphone had a clip to secure the mp3 player in place. The guy next to her agreed with her every thought and was barely working at 7:07 pace, gliding like a kongfu novel character. Relationship lessons were everywhere if you looked.
I chatted with the couple before passed them during the long climb. They slowed to look for the friend to hand over their belongings. I was 81 feet behind Garmin pacer at mile 8. The couple passed me back. I matched their speed.
_negative split
40F, cloudy, downhill, tailwind, sweat-less with race weight. 7:00 pace felt effortless with 5 miles to go. “No unnecessary risk,” I reminded myself.
I flew by mile 9 water station where 1 gel got me in trouble last year.
Hints of side stitch started on both sides. I let the couple go. GPS said I was 300 feet ahead.
A girl with metronome caught me. I lost my rhythm and synced into her steps. “Next time I’ll bring a louder metronome,” I told her after the race.
Other runners passed me left and right. I didn't care; I was on target. I cruised sub 7:00 pace and admired the real estate along Swiss Avenue where I struggled to hold 8:00 pace 12 months ago.
_random thoughts
I faced this question a lot: "what do you think about when running all those miles?" On this day: the 1986 movie "A Better Tomorrow."
I replayed scenes in my head: Chow Yun-Fat planting pistols, Ti Lung driving taxi, Leslie Cheung dumping trash on kitchen floor, the wife’s cello sliding on stage.
A friend recited the line "I haven't been a big brother in a long time" and cracked herself up; I recalled how it felt when she reenacted in each language. I could still see the huge ass rat at the movie theater and +Zn's reaction to it; in 1986 I didn’t think any of my friend would really become a math professor. I remembered mom's reaction when seeing the movie for the first time 25 years later.
I thought about Leslie Cheung's final scene in "Farewell My Concubine." I smiled thinking about John Woo's "Mission Impossible" beach fight because Tom Cruise couldn't high kick without falling.
_mostly conservative finish
I decided to forgo the training benefit of an all-out finish: I woke up 1 lb lighter than expected => less than full tank of glycogen. The breakfast was 450 calories. I took in zero on-course nutrition.
I also wanted to minimize muscle breakdown to recover for the April long run.
It was weird seeing the finish line while breathing normally. Then I sensed some dude at corner of my eye, I matched his speed. The acceleration was exhilarating.
_post-race brunch
I stayed inside of the finish chute hoping to see Casey but missed him when busy grabbing food. We each followed the agreed meeting plan.
The wind made it difficult to wrap the silver blanket properly. My core temperature dropped. My left quad worked less well with each step. There was no line at the massage table. 2 guys worked on me quickly then recommended "some place warmer or the medical tent." Casey waited futilely at the official meet up area where the sign was blown away.
I gave up looking for the meet up area and limped-ran to my car. I reached Casey via cell phone before he boarded the train. The phone conversation was comical in retrospect--I couldn't form some vowels and was unable to pronounce "Grand Avenue." My English improved as the car warmed up. I picked Casey up at the train station then had our long-delayed El Scorcho celebration.
I often felt rich after a good event--I had everything I wanted, including the sushi buffet to look forward to.
_#'s (2013)
5k 22:16
10k 44:28
10mi 1:10:49
Pace 7:03
Time 01:32:14
Overall: 182 out of 10682
Division: 21 out of 724
Gender: 153 out of 4147
_#'s (2012)
5k 22:28
10k 45:03
10mi 1:12:23
Pace 7:15
Time 01:35:00
Overall: 241 out of 11312
Division: 39 out of 752
Gender: 211 out of 4258
For the 3rd straight year, the Competitor Group embarrassed Dallas City by running a superior event. Maybe the city council should hire Competitor to run its marathon.
_remaining 2013 events
Lake Murray with friends.
Solo long run.
Road Rash 28-mile skate.
Katy 5k. 20:00 finish.
El Scorcho 25k. Enjoy a beer with lunch truck food post run.
Hotter n Hell.
Danube skate. Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, Paris,
A2A.
Dallas Marathon: Boston qualifier. 3:19:59 finish.
SmartCoach made my training simple since 2007: I punched the number into Garmin 305 before each training session. The legs would turn in the predicted result on race day, miracle-like.
SmartCoach’s prediction was unrealistic for my 2012 Dallas half. As a sanity check, I entered 2:04:58 marathon time into SmartCoach. It spitted out a training plan for 1:59:58. It didn’t work for Ryan Hall either….
Influenced by Mike Lin's experience, I shopped for online coaching. The big names were Jack Daniels, McMillan, Hanson, Higdon, and Galloway. Prices were similar: $125 ~ 200 per month. The customer would be assigned a random coach of mystery credentials associated with the brand. Considering the effort it'd take the coach to learn my body, short term benefit was unlikely.
Anything cheaper amounted to access to proprietary tools (videos and software). The feedback was done through online forums mostly on topics that didn’t concern me.
I gave up and bought the $29 Higdon 12-wk plan integrated into trainingpeaks.com. First thing I noticed was Higdon did not spell out the actual training and racing paces, which were the reason for my search.
trainingpeaks.com was typical of web apps: every action involved 1 more click than necessary; real estate was not optimized for my screen sizes. I disliked the idea that the vendor could alter/terminate the service at any time while the end users worked under the implicit lifetime-accessibility assumption.
_losing faith
The program was fun the first few weeks: 3 instead of 2 key workouts with low bars. I enjoyed the 400m intervals with my fast twitch muscles surpassing the prescribed pace by a ridiculous margin. A month into it, I became discontent: intervals lacked intensity; tempos lacked specificity; easy runs weren’t easy.
The customer received daily email containing 2 days of workout description. The business chose not to send descriptions in a form that simplified piracy. This 1-day-ahead method introduced annoying uncertainties to my daily planning.
Mostly I resented the vagueness. The daily emails were written for the mass for multiple distances; in one paragraph the author failed to go back and fill in the race distance after copy-n-pasting. The program compensated for its ambiguity by phrases like “hard, but not too hard” and “listen to your body.” If I listened, I’d be eating ice cream in front of the fireplace.
I increased interval intensity: instead of 6x800 at 6:50; I ran Yasso 10x800 at 6:15. I struggled with weekly tempo 48 hours after intervals. Every Thursday, the legs would fall off pace after 1 mile, including the night I got hit by a car.
Numbers from my training log was unambiguous: the modified program made me slower. I tapered aggressively and thought it could be too late.
Lesson: never train this way again unless I get younger.
_race pace
On New Year, I arbitrarily decided on 7:00 minute/mile--a number between my PR and SmartCoach's optimistic prediction.
I focused on running since 2011 Q3. I suffered from plantar fasciitis while flirted with other injuries. I decided to step up cycling and skating 2013 Q1 at cost of running performance.
Lots happened in 2013 Q1: car accident, regular chiropractor adjustment, cross training, local club events, and over-training. I drafted a more modest race script:
Hold 7:07 GPS pace for 8 miles.
Go faster after mile 8 plateau.
Go nuts after mile 12.
Beat 1:33:31 PR.
I started running in 2006. 6.5 years later, I still expected significant gain every training cycle. Human body’s inefficient adaptation made the journey more sustainable.
_weight
When working for Systemware, I made a point to microwave some animal protein daily.
Free food wasn't part of the new job's benefit. My protein consumption reduced drastically due to laziness. This seemed to lower my base by 2 lb.
Other factors came into play; I accidentally reached race weight for the 2nd time in 4 months.
_race morning
The day started smoothly at 4:30. I went through the routine with enough spare time to facetime Taiwan. Midori’s Mendelssohn concerto set the right tension when I made the first coffee in 7 days. Somehow race mornings didn't bring the same fear before long training runs.
The poolful of leaves confirmed the 26 mph wind. Air temperature was perfect--no need to take in water on course.
I followed a Mercedes gull wing flew down Dallas North Tollway; we both braked when Beltronics beeped. Police set up a speed trap at one of the few available spots on the shoulder-less toll way 5:50am on a Sunday. The AMG accelerated its obese rubbers outside the radar range and left my 5-figure Acura in the dust. Should've taken the Ninja.
I was annoyed Dallas closed the main exit to Fair Park--an out-of-box solution to congestion at that exit. Traffic to the official parking lot was slow but moving. Buses to the race start ran well directed by many shivering young volunteers.
I always felt I spent too much stationary time at the start, usually freezingly. For this race I reached corral 1 with 2 minutes to spare. The jog to the start was more stressful than necessary.
_start
21 mph headwind. I decided to take Doug's advice and moved back 2 rows. Sacrificing a minute first 3 miles was better than losing 20 seconds each mile for back half.
I was on pace at 5k. I thought I wasn't breathing hard before realizing my difficulties completing sentences. Legs wanted to accelerate every time I was passed; I stuck to the script. I couldn't wait to cresting the big hill.
_pacers
A girl in black ran crookedly half way into the course. She attempted to remove her pullover like a street performer getting out of straightjacket. She was thinking out loud deciding among 20 different options regarding the iPod which at the time was in the left pocket, which did not have a zipper, though the headphone had a clip to secure the mp3 player in place. The guy next to her agreed with her every thought and was barely working at 7:07 pace, gliding like a kongfu novel character. Relationship lessons were everywhere if you looked.
I chatted with the couple before passed them during the long climb. They slowed to look for the friend to hand over their belongings. I was 81 feet behind Garmin pacer at mile 8. The couple passed me back. I matched their speed.
_negative split
40F, cloudy, downhill, tailwind, sweat-less with race weight. 7:00 pace felt effortless with 5 miles to go. “No unnecessary risk,” I reminded myself.
I flew by mile 9 water station where 1 gel got me in trouble last year.
Hints of side stitch started on both sides. I let the couple go. GPS said I was 300 feet ahead.
A girl with metronome caught me. I lost my rhythm and synced into her steps. “Next time I’ll bring a louder metronome,” I told her after the race.
Other runners passed me left and right. I didn't care; I was on target. I cruised sub 7:00 pace and admired the real estate along Swiss Avenue where I struggled to hold 8:00 pace 12 months ago.
_random thoughts
I faced this question a lot: "what do you think about when running all those miles?" On this day: the 1986 movie "A Better Tomorrow."
I replayed scenes in my head: Chow Yun-Fat planting pistols, Ti Lung driving taxi, Leslie Cheung dumping trash on kitchen floor, the wife’s cello sliding on stage.
A friend recited the line "I haven't been a big brother in a long time" and cracked herself up; I recalled how it felt when she reenacted in each language. I could still see the huge ass rat at the movie theater and +Zn's reaction to it; in 1986 I didn’t think any of my friend would really become a math professor. I remembered mom's reaction when seeing the movie for the first time 25 years later.
I thought about Leslie Cheung's final scene in "Farewell My Concubine." I smiled thinking about John Woo's "Mission Impossible" beach fight because Tom Cruise couldn't high kick without falling.
_mostly conservative finish
I decided to forgo the training benefit of an all-out finish: I woke up 1 lb lighter than expected => less than full tank of glycogen. The breakfast was 450 calories. I took in zero on-course nutrition.
I also wanted to minimize muscle breakdown to recover for the April long run.
It was weird seeing the finish line while breathing normally. Then I sensed some dude at corner of my eye, I matched his speed. The acceleration was exhilarating.
_post-race brunch
I stayed inside of the finish chute hoping to see Casey but missed him when busy grabbing food. We each followed the agreed meeting plan.
The wind made it difficult to wrap the silver blanket properly. My core temperature dropped. My left quad worked less well with each step. There was no line at the massage table. 2 guys worked on me quickly then recommended "some place warmer or the medical tent." Casey waited futilely at the official meet up area where the sign was blown away.
I gave up looking for the meet up area and limped-ran to my car. I reached Casey via cell phone before he boarded the train. The phone conversation was comical in retrospect--I couldn't form some vowels and was unable to pronounce "Grand Avenue." My English improved as the car warmed up. I picked Casey up at the train station then had our long-delayed El Scorcho celebration.
I often felt rich after a good event--I had everything I wanted, including the sushi buffet to look forward to.
_#'s (2013)
5k 22:16
10k 44:28
10mi 1:10:49
Pace 7:03
Time 01:32:14
Overall: 182 out of 10682
Division: 21 out of 724
Gender: 153 out of 4147
_#'s (2012)
5k 22:28
10k 45:03
10mi 1:12:23
Pace 7:15
Time 01:35:00
Overall: 241 out of 11312
Division: 39 out of 752
Gender: 211 out of 4258
For the 3rd straight year, the Competitor Group embarrassed Dallas City by running a superior event. Maybe the city council should hire Competitor to run its marathon.
_remaining 2013 events
Lake Murray with friends.
Solo long run.
Road Rash 28-mile skate.
Katy 5k. 20:00 finish.
El Scorcho 25k. Enjoy a beer with lunch truck food post run.
Hotter n Hell.
Danube skate. Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, Paris,
A2A.
Dallas Marathon: Boston qualifier. 3:19:59 finish.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Extracurricular Activities (between Dallas Half and Rock n Roll Half)
_Chiropractor
My lower back had been unhappy since mid December 2012. I visited the chiropractor office next door to work. The guy was uninformed about endurance sport and tried to obscure the business angle of the transactions. He promised a life changing experience by untwisting my pelvis. I had no faith in the guy but couldn’t argue with the crooked spine on the light box. I also knew this was the only healer of any sort that could fit into my daily routine. I considered the parameters: overhead, insurance, chance of improvement vs. new issues, $, age—it was an easy decision.
The attempt to realign the bones yield immediate result. The adjustment-induced problems were tolerable compared to the benefit. The practitioner lessened my shoulder/neck pain that wasn’t in the treatment plan; he couldn’t leave the tense muscle unloosened.
I often held back during my runs because the hips felt weak, reminiscent of fatigue induced from hip adductor and abductor machines. The pain was below threshold but doesn’t inspire confidence in running.
By mid March, I was down to 1 office visit per week. It had been a successful process given my limited expectation. I was grateful the medical insurance had mostly worked out.
_Local Running Club Events
Many runners liked races but disliked the overhead. The Carrollton Runners’ Club and Plano Pacers strove to solve this problem.
Carrollton hosted 2 monthly chip-timed 5k for $2 each with optional free 1-mile race. There’s a 50% penalty for not registering on line. Reuben got the system down to a science; some members kept the chip and showed up 100 seconds before the gun.
Plano club’s timing system was lower-tech but $2 cheaper than Carrollton.
My first Carrollton 5k was an ego booster. “When you look around and see no sucker at your poker table, you’re it.” Running worked the same way. I started 90 seconds late to ensure someone to follow. One guy remained in front of me after 2k; we made a wrong turn. 2 of us eventually retook the lead after the 300-meter excursion. My legs wanted to go faster but didn’t know the course. My pacer kept apologizing; I replied “it’s OK” but really wanted to say “focus on running; run faster.” I ran away from him toward the end, Wiley Coyote-like.
My first Plano 5k was more humbling. I came ill-prepared and ended running in work shoes. The race wasn’t chip timed; I had to start on time. I kept the leader in sight, determined not get off course. The pace felt fast but couldn’t confirm without GPS. What felt like 10 minutes later, I saw the start. “That was the easiest 5k,” I thought. The course was not out and back. I used up my legs half way into the race. I finished with very positive split. I destroyed the 2008 bungee lace. It was a fun experience.
_1-mile Race
Carrollton 5k had a free optional 1-mile race 15 minutes before 5k. McMillan’s calculator predicted 5:49 pace. I never actually ran the mile; I didn’t have the gear to hold this pace.
I set GPS to 6:00 pace both times. I would lose this pace at a hill and never recover. I started to kick 200m to the finish but it would be too late. I felt I had more to give but didn’t know how to dose the effort. Something to work on.
_Spin Class
A Fly Wheel opened near my house. I skated in one day to find out what “stadium cycling” was; I half expected to be kicked out because of my skates.
The employee was very enthusiastic when regurgitating all the key features and benefit, including power. It sounded a little too good.
“I get to see my wattage? What’s the precision?”
“What’s wattage?” Neither physics nor electricity bill was her forte. No one could give me a straight answer.
I went to the complementary session on a windy day. The stationary cycles were sturdy and had built-in power and cadence meter with questionable accuracy. The 45-minute class was designed around intervals. The music and instruction was canned and loud, which I anticipated since earplug was complementary. The rest period before the final interval was disguised as “upper body workout.” The tension was an analog device disguised as digital. Most key intervals were done standing up, which eliminates many issues associated with other cycling such as fit.
The power output were often posted on display. I had problem keeping up with the female instructor, who tried to bond with a few targeted customers convictionlessly. My trainings didn’t prepare my muscles to run on a stationary bike at 110+ rpm. My calves were screaming; my cardio was somewhat taxed.
I couldn’t say it’s not an effective work out. I just didn’t know what the workout was for other than becoming better at this particular form of exercise. Some clients seemed to think this was the bridge to weight control.
The power was measured in an unspecified unit, which seems to be a nonlinear function of watt. The website claimed I averaged 32.9 mph!
I looked up Tour de France time trials:
2004 prologue winner averaged 33.2 mph. Cancellara held that for 6 min 51 second.
2010 stage 19, 52km. Winner averaged 31.9 mph.
I’ll challenge Fabian Cancellara to Fly Wheel next time he’s in town.
_Limits
I decided not to qualify for RAAM solo. It was a time management decision.
Badwater 135 looked further away every time I reviewed the requirements.
My training focused on cardio and muscular fitness. For other challenges, I assumed my body would rise to the occasions: heat tolerance, soft tissue integrity, hydration, and GI. I did not have a good solution to my foot issue with slow pace.
Logistically, it was becoming difficult to get in the big-name endurance races; I wasn’t the only one going through midlife crisis. “Just get a Porsche and 18-year-old girlfriend,” a friend advised. I hadn’t lusted after a Porsche in a while, but I promised myself a money-no-object bicycle or motorcycle if I qualify for Boston Marathon.
_Balance
I made an effort to have a more balanced athlete life instead of focusing on one event’s performance. I was happy and sad about this decision.
Alberto Salazar’s interview was a tipping point. In the moment of Mo Farah and Galen Rupp’s triumph, he talked about how unhealthy athlete excellent was. I wondered if coaching Lance Armstrong affected his perspective.
I often broadcasted lofty goals to generate pressure on myself. This approach helped me to reach academic and athletic milestones; the flipside was the stress. After exhausting low-hanging fruits to resolve my walking limitation, Badwater felt like a dark cloud hanging over my head.
Tyler Hamilton and other cyclists’ confessions steered me.
Even convinced of his doping, it was hard for me to watch Lance being grilled by Oprah.
I recalled some of my milestones: Ironman opened doors and introduced me to new types of fear. Skating HHH gave me experience facing unknown. Ragbrai was refreshing, joyous, and relaxing—I watched myself becoming the person others wanted to see. I tried to solve Montreal 24 Hour like an engineering problem; I received help from unexpected sources; I watched my body performed outside of expected parameters.
One lesson I remembered about Ironman and Montreal 24 Hour: I lived by numbers for over 6 months yet the race statics became unimportant after the events, but I remembered the obstacles and how I tried to overcome.
Somewhere along the journey, endurance sport became the canvas upon which I documented my life. I experienced what it's like to be outdoors and to feel the red blood cell move. The finish time was only a small part of the empowerment. Maybe it's time to shift the focus from results to playing itself.
My lower back had been unhappy since mid December 2012. I visited the chiropractor office next door to work. The guy was uninformed about endurance sport and tried to obscure the business angle of the transactions. He promised a life changing experience by untwisting my pelvis. I had no faith in the guy but couldn’t argue with the crooked spine on the light box. I also knew this was the only healer of any sort that could fit into my daily routine. I considered the parameters: overhead, insurance, chance of improvement vs. new issues, $, age—it was an easy decision.
The attempt to realign the bones yield immediate result. The adjustment-induced problems were tolerable compared to the benefit. The practitioner lessened my shoulder/neck pain that wasn’t in the treatment plan; he couldn’t leave the tense muscle unloosened.
I often held back during my runs because the hips felt weak, reminiscent of fatigue induced from hip adductor and abductor machines. The pain was below threshold but doesn’t inspire confidence in running.
By mid March, I was down to 1 office visit per week. It had been a successful process given my limited expectation. I was grateful the medical insurance had mostly worked out.
_Local Running Club Events
Many runners liked races but disliked the overhead. The Carrollton Runners’ Club and Plano Pacers strove to solve this problem.
Carrollton hosted 2 monthly chip-timed 5k for $2 each with optional free 1-mile race. There’s a 50% penalty for not registering on line. Reuben got the system down to a science; some members kept the chip and showed up 100 seconds before the gun.
Plano club’s timing system was lower-tech but $2 cheaper than Carrollton.
My first Carrollton 5k was an ego booster. “When you look around and see no sucker at your poker table, you’re it.” Running worked the same way. I started 90 seconds late to ensure someone to follow. One guy remained in front of me after 2k; we made a wrong turn. 2 of us eventually retook the lead after the 300-meter excursion. My legs wanted to go faster but didn’t know the course. My pacer kept apologizing; I replied “it’s OK” but really wanted to say “focus on running; run faster.” I ran away from him toward the end, Wiley Coyote-like.
My first Plano 5k was more humbling. I came ill-prepared and ended running in work shoes. The race wasn’t chip timed; I had to start on time. I kept the leader in sight, determined not get off course. The pace felt fast but couldn’t confirm without GPS. What felt like 10 minutes later, I saw the start. “That was the easiest 5k,” I thought. The course was not out and back. I used up my legs half way into the race. I finished with very positive split. I destroyed the 2008 bungee lace. It was a fun experience.
_1-mile Race
Carrollton 5k had a free optional 1-mile race 15 minutes before 5k. McMillan’s calculator predicted 5:49 pace. I never actually ran the mile; I didn’t have the gear to hold this pace.
I set GPS to 6:00 pace both times. I would lose this pace at a hill and never recover. I started to kick 200m to the finish but it would be too late. I felt I had more to give but didn’t know how to dose the effort. Something to work on.
_Spin Class
A Fly Wheel opened near my house. I skated in one day to find out what “stadium cycling” was; I half expected to be kicked out because of my skates.
The employee was very enthusiastic when regurgitating all the key features and benefit, including power. It sounded a little too good.
“I get to see my wattage? What’s the precision?”
“What’s wattage?” Neither physics nor electricity bill was her forte. No one could give me a straight answer.
I went to the complementary session on a windy day. The stationary cycles were sturdy and had built-in power and cadence meter with questionable accuracy. The 45-minute class was designed around intervals. The music and instruction was canned and loud, which I anticipated since earplug was complementary. The rest period before the final interval was disguised as “upper body workout.” The tension was an analog device disguised as digital. Most key intervals were done standing up, which eliminates many issues associated with other cycling such as fit.
The power output were often posted on display. I had problem keeping up with the female instructor, who tried to bond with a few targeted customers convictionlessly. My trainings didn’t prepare my muscles to run on a stationary bike at 110+ rpm. My calves were screaming; my cardio was somewhat taxed.
I couldn’t say it’s not an effective work out. I just didn’t know what the workout was for other than becoming better at this particular form of exercise. Some clients seemed to think this was the bridge to weight control.
The power was measured in an unspecified unit, which seems to be a nonlinear function of watt. The website claimed I averaged 32.9 mph!
I looked up Tour de France time trials:
2004 prologue winner averaged 33.2 mph. Cancellara held that for 6 min 51 second.
2010 stage 19, 52km. Winner averaged 31.9 mph.
I’ll challenge Fabian Cancellara to Fly Wheel next time he’s in town.
_Limits
I decided not to qualify for RAAM solo. It was a time management decision.
Badwater 135 looked further away every time I reviewed the requirements.
My training focused on cardio and muscular fitness. For other challenges, I assumed my body would rise to the occasions: heat tolerance, soft tissue integrity, hydration, and GI. I did not have a good solution to my foot issue with slow pace.
Logistically, it was becoming difficult to get in the big-name endurance races; I wasn’t the only one going through midlife crisis. “Just get a Porsche and 18-year-old girlfriend,” a friend advised. I hadn’t lusted after a Porsche in a while, but I promised myself a money-no-object bicycle or motorcycle if I qualify for Boston Marathon.
_Balance
I made an effort to have a more balanced athlete life instead of focusing on one event’s performance. I was happy and sad about this decision.
Alberto Salazar’s interview was a tipping point. In the moment of Mo Farah and Galen Rupp’s triumph, he talked about how unhealthy athlete excellent was. I wondered if coaching Lance Armstrong affected his perspective.
I often broadcasted lofty goals to generate pressure on myself. This approach helped me to reach academic and athletic milestones; the flipside was the stress. After exhausting low-hanging fruits to resolve my walking limitation, Badwater felt like a dark cloud hanging over my head.
Tyler Hamilton and other cyclists’ confessions steered me.
Even convinced of his doping, it was hard for me to watch Lance being grilled by Oprah.
I recalled some of my milestones: Ironman opened doors and introduced me to new types of fear. Skating HHH gave me experience facing unknown. Ragbrai was refreshing, joyous, and relaxing—I watched myself becoming the person others wanted to see. I tried to solve Montreal 24 Hour like an engineering problem; I received help from unexpected sources; I watched my body performed outside of expected parameters.
One lesson I remembered about Ironman and Montreal 24 Hour: I lived by numbers for over 6 months yet the race statics became unimportant after the events, but I remembered the obstacles and how I tried to overcome.
Somewhere along the journey, endurance sport became the canvas upon which I documented my life. I experienced what it's like to be outdoors and to feel the red blood cell move. The finish time was only a small part of the empowerment. Maybe it's time to shift the focus from results to playing itself.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Frost Yer Fanny 2013. Duathlon: 2+15+2. 2/17/2013
2-mile run, 15-mile bike, 2-mile run advertised distances.
_”D” race
This was the annual multi-sport race I trained through. It fitted nicely between Dallas Marathon and Rock n Roll Half. My house and Texas Motor Speedway were 37 miles apart. As an efficiency freak, I felt obligated to participate in multi-sport races—I already spent the resources on the equipment and know-how.
_goal
1. Crash free.
2. Faster 2nd run than 1st.
3. Fluid transitions. It doesn’t have to be fast--no hesitation, no collision, and no wasted motion.
_physical preparation
I worried about my bike fitness. The last long ride was in Taiwan in September. I rode trainer in front of TV couple times since New Year. I took TT bike out twice to run errands.
The 400m intervals from hidgon’s half marathon program were applicable to 2-mile runs.
The training focus was March’s half marathon. I skipped 1 long run to race this duathlon.
_butterfly effect
Jeff decided to use disinfectant to clean a smelly gym pad one day. It led to a detached hamstring. I experienced a similar decision 10 days before the race. I changed my training route to save a car trip to the UPS drop off box. I ran through an intersection the same time a tall car turned right. Getting hit by a motor vehicle was a surreal moment and a highlight of my life—contact, airborne, landing—everything moved slightly faster than my neurons' reaction.
Time slowed down for the next few seconds. I was afraid to assess the damage. I prepared myself for the image of bones through skin. The driver made effort not to freak out. I lost my joke reflex and ignored her questions. She rejoiced after I checked each joint.
Hospital or not, that’s the question. Like a typical American, I was terrified of the paperwork and uncertainty related to emergency room visit. I chose to risk my well-being.
All injury was on the landing side: road rash, bruised muscle, no broken bone, no head impact. I was amazed I walked away from the metal-flesh impact. I got out of the bed less sore the next day than the accident night. As he popped my sacroiliac joint, the chiropractor informed that my flexibility and core strength had been worthwhile investments.
The impact was 2 nights before Chinese New Year eve. I considered buying an airline ticket to Taiwan.
_pre-race
Packet pick up was at a Marriott near race site, as opposed to the Richardson Bike Mart option available in 2012. I was unhappy about the 70-mile overhead. The organizer informed me the 2012 sponsors were unhappy that 125 racers chose to go RBM and skipped expo. I thought about boycotting the event.
I prepared the neglected TT bike: tightening screws and oiled the chain. I wondered if I could stay on aero bar.
I arrived at race site early enough to get a rack-end spot on bike rack. I mentally went through each step for T1 and T2.
A racer showed up on a Cheetah. The prosthesis reminded me of Oscar Pistorius’ murder charge. It saddened me.
_race
The wave start wasn’t chip timed. Everyone crowded behind the start line. I stayed near front to avoid the congestion. A minute later I was running on Nascar banked track, picking off runners who started too fast.
I was happy with the sub-minute T1.
I rode conservatively the first half mile—not taking chances with spectators, narrow tunnels, and racers who tried to slip into shoes in motion.
_biked like a runner
I settled into rhythm without speed reading. I used no electronic device for this race. History predicted I would end up 18~19 mph. Racers passed me one by one; each provided a brief draft. Biff passed me wearing Texas Flyer skinsuit. I said hi. It’s hard to carry a conversation given the 15-second passing rule. I followed Biff for a few seconds but decided not to risk blowing up. I was uncomfortable in aero position. The seat felt low. I wished I prepared better.
All the sudden bunch fit young people flew by me using fancy wheels. I was out-equipped and out-legged by the collegiate leaders from wave 2. I followed them a bit just to experience the pace. These kids were probably cranking out 300 watts.
I noticed I pedaled at higher cadence than everyone else. A decade ago, the world looked up to Lance’s high turnover. Apparently that’s out of fashion with all the emphasis on strength training. Pendulum swings. In a dozen years my cadence will be cool again.
Physics enforced its rules. I swapped lead with a road bike every time wind direction flips. A 90-lb-looking rider lost spots every time she entered a downhill.
_cramp
Left calf weakened after lap 2. Right calf joined soon after. I tried different gears but couldn’t shift more burdens to quads. I needed a new bike fit. Exertion management became simple at this point given the clear boundary.
During the final bike stretch, what I wanted most in the world was to be accident free. Unclipping and dismount was scary with cramping calf while stuck in traffic jam at the tunnel. I celebrated raising my upright-to-crash ratio to 4:3 for multisport races.
I ran gingerly to my bike parking spot. I fell when trying to put left shoe on and almost knocked bikes off the rack. I half-hopped to the paddock to put on the shoe leaning against concrete wall. My T2 was 29 seconds slower than T1’s 44.
_positive split
Run #2 was surprisingly drama-free. Cramping subsided after I exited the transition. I control my speed during the sharp turns then passed superior cyclists at steady pace. One guy passed me and became my rabbit. My final 100 meters were sub-5:00 pace. I left too much in the tank.
_#’s
Total Finishers: 316
Men: 207 (01:22:00 avg)
Women: 109 (01:33:00 avg)
Run 1: 12:05 => 6:22 pace; rank 78
T1: 0:44
Bike 51:19 => 18.7 mph; rank 121
T2 1:13
Run 2: 12:37 => 6:28 pace; rank 74
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