Englewood Sprint - "Down Goes Fraa-zier"

Yesterday's Englewood (FL) sprint race was quite an experience. This was a 400 m. ocean swim, 14 mile bike and 5K run. The swim was great but I will never get used to the sprint swim where everyone is punching and kicking to get around the first buoy. I came out of the water in 6:10 which is darn good for me and a validation for extra swimming lessons I am taking.

Being a small, regional race (~300 people), I was near the front in the first few miles of the bike. I held 24 MPH for the first 6 miles when I saw the first 2 competitors coming back at me and then it hit me..."I am in 3rd Place"...overall! This is a very novel feeling for me.I slowed down, made the turn, hit some gravel and then BAM...I was down. Another first. I have never crashed a bike. One foot came out of the clip, the other stayed in. I probably crashed at 12-14 MPH which is crazy when I think of some of the other friends who have crashed...Like David who went down at 25 MPH last year. I can't even imagine. Two officials came over and the guys in 4th-10th passed me...one guy said, "GET UP, You are okay"...My knee was road rashed, my elbow looked like a softball and my aero bar pad was broken in half...I paused to assess the damage and sure enough, I was okay...

Crashing is surreal. It happens in slow motion. One second you are fine, the next second you are going down and that "shock" feeling hits...I clipped back in and headed for home. I remember Lance had a crash a few years ago and it made him pissed...he sped up the hill and smoked everyone. I had that feeling for like 3 miles...I was committed to catching the guys who passed me...but no such luck. I actually went into anaerobic mode and it hurt me on the run.

It was crazy coming out of T2 with blood running down my arm and leg...an official stopped me to assess and then let me go. I had an okay first mile...but got passed by two fast runners. But then I caught 2 other runners and held strong...Kept it at 7 minute miles the whole way. Came in 3rd in my AG...Missed 1st by 20 seconds. But it was another podium finish and that feels great. To crash and still podium is something I could never imagine. There is a bit of an asterisk as this was a much smaller, low profile race...But still. I made it through my first crash with minimal damage...

I have an elite racer friend who once said early on in my training...There are two kinds of bike riders..."Those who have crashed...and those who are going to crash"...I certainly can attest to that!

"Peak" Training

It's been an action packed 3 weeks of training. What a culmination last week.

It started with a Thursday morning ride of 95 miles which took 5 hours on the button. I felt "bonky" on the ride in the heat but pulled it together in the end with a great transition run...all TR miles were sub 7:30s.

I then left for a 10 day excursion to Philly, DC, Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina. This was very scary for me. No coach. No bike. No team for mental support. No comfort zones where I knew I could reserve time for training. Just wing it and smile as much as possible.

So with the help of my coach...I pieced together a plan and stuck with it as best I could. I ran and lifted on Friday...Rested on Saturday and then ran in the Sister Blister 5K on Sunday with the entire family...We were late (of course) and I was scrambling to get to the starting line. The gun goes and I am running to get Benjamin into his stroller and quared away. I started the run 18 seconds late and scrambled to get around all the walkers. Still finished in 20:50 on the clock and then ran south towards Ocean City.

Little did I know that as I was completed a Sunday "long run", my sister was on the podium getting her first award for coming in FIRST in her age group - she PR'd with a time of 24:55. So proud of her. She was non-chalant and "just happy to be there"...Mel and JJ started the race late. JJ was tired and had a tough day...But we were all psyched to be in shape and run the race together. Dad picked me up at 1:55. I had run through Stone Harbor, Avalon and Sea Isle City...A total of about 12 miles...AFTER running the 5K. We feasted at Bob's Grille and had a great Sunday.

We headed south to DC and I rushed to fit in some pool / lap work at BA's pool in McLean. I also got in some short runs around her neighborhood...she has some great hills. In Winchester, I worked out at an awesome local gym...did some great stationary bike work for over an hour.

Headed to Luray Caverns and Roanoke, VA...Got in a great Pool / Run work-out at the Roanoke Athletic Club. This was a tough two hour work-out at 9 PM after a full day of driving. Rested on Friday to get ready for the Hot Doggett Road Race on Saturday...

I rented a Cervelo Soloist from a great Bike Store in Asheville called Biowheels. Great aluminum frame...good Ultegra Gruppo and just an awesome "feel"...this plan to race in Asheville really came together...I had a choice...the Devils Fork Metric Century (64 miles) or the Full 100 Mile Century Ride. Crazy as I am...I chose the 100-miler. My first Century Ride.

I didn't really know what 9698 feet of climbing really meant. Well now I know. After seeing over 100 churches that serve a population of what couldn't be more than 2,000 people...after being chased by dogs, seeing incredible brooks / streams and almost all of the Bridges of Madison County...after seeing subsistence farming at its finest...after crossing the Appalachain Trail twice...after meeting some of the nicest volunteers in some of the coolest fire houses and after climbing 5 mountains at an average speed of 4 mph...I finished....2 hours after the winner...in 7 hours, 42 minutes. That's an average speed of 12.92 MPH.

This was a spirtual experience for me. I teared up when the odometer went from 99.99 to 100 miles. I raised my arms after the last climb and screamed, "thank you God!"...I went for literally 4 hours without seeing one human being...but feeling like I was being watched by mountain people...I saw hawks and eagles and deer and some of the most incredible vistas I have ever seen in my life. I clutched the breaks on descents and literally saw my life flash in front of me...I hit 40 MPH on a fricking bike! It was almost an out of body experience.

I was blown away by my physical state at mile 100. I could have gotten off and ran. I didn't. But I could have. I also never panicked on the ride. I always knew I could make it. There were times when I did my first 50 miles and 65 miles in Fort Myers where I was so done...totally broken...ready to quit. Not on this one. Every climb was met with determination to make it to the top and then "enjoy" the descent....I never felt like quitting. I never felt overwhelmed (physically). I can taste the "Iron."

Sunday was another physical feat. I went to the local running store - Jus Running - and asked them to direct me to the coolest trail run in Ashville...one that would challenge and inspire me...a 13 mile run. They sent me to the top of to a "local legend" mountain and said, "follow the white dots...6.5 miles to the Art Center...6.5 miles back...if you can do it without walking...you are a stud"...

Boy do I love these kinds of challenges. The 13 miler may have been tougher than the century ride. Several climbs and descents on a single track trail. Poison Ivy everywhere. The time flew by. I finished in 2 hours and 5 minutes...but I did walk for 40 seconds. There was a climb that had to be 6 degrees that lasted for over a mile....I just couldn't make it. My guess is that my HR was approaching 180-190. I also stopped to fill my water bottle a fresh water stream.

Mountain training is incredible...in small doses. I would not want to do this on a regular basis. I loved the cool temperature, the vistas and the variety that comes with the peaks and valleys. I love the nature and the beauty. But I suck at descents on the bike. They scare me. I get no thrill from that kind of speed. The climbs are grueling and great for building the cardio / core engine...but I don't think I could do that on a regular basis. There is not the feeling like, "well if I practiced I would enjoy it more..." None of that.

This kind of training felt like a Utopia for extreme athletes and athletics. Great to visit. But great to be back. I could feel the strength in my bike trainer on Tuesday. I struggled in the heat in the pool and track today...amazing that 10 days away and my body got used to training in the cooler temperatures...

Recover week this week. Race on Saturday. And another build next week.