Ironman Perspective

This is why we do what we do.  This is why we go the distance.  This is who we are.  These words are what define Ironman athletes alike.

• Goals - We all set goals.  My long standing goal was to make it to Kona but what I'm finding is that my goals are continuing to evolve.  I've shared my five year goal with a couple of people already.  Sorry, just not ready to share with the world yet. 
• Belief - Believe in yourself. Always have a positive attitude and there is no harm in dreaming big. 
• Desire - You have to want it.  You have to have the desire to push adversity.
• Character - No action goes unnoticed. 
• Dedication - 4:30 wake up calls, 7 hour bike rides, 24 mile training runs.  
• Friends and Family - The backbone to our success.  
• Love - Our love for our biggest supporters, our love for the water, the bike and the open road.
• Endurance - Pushing the physical limits of the body
• Sacrifice - Making the sacrifices necessary to make lining up at the Ironman World Championship obtainable.

Last weekend I was blessed to watch Ironman Louisville unfold from a spectators perspective.  Watching the race made me think about how hard every one of those athletes has worked to get to mile 140.6 also known as the finish line.    But in all honesty, through experience I've learned that "Ironman" has nothing to do with the race or the finish line for that matter.  Ironman is about the journey and defining ones self.  I find that a lot of Ironman athletes are alike.  Most of us have similar qualities about each other and to this day I've yet to meet an Ironman athlete that doesn't fit that bill.   

Our trip to Louisville last Sunday was mainly to support a friend who has all of these traits plus a laundry list of about 100 more.  What I saw on Sunday in Louisville was indescribable. What I can say about Sunday was that I saw amazing acts of strength, desire, pride and the willpower necessary to finally punch a ticket to Kona.  You can read the full race report here  but what I wanted to do was give you my perspective from mile 21 on.  As you'll read in the report, Jeremy and I watched the last five miles unfold stride for stride as we biked near our friend, Matt Mauclair.  At mile 21, he was in trouble.  He may not recall, but once he heard our voices at mile 21 he put on the brakes, hunched over at his waist and grabbed onto his knees.  The 95 degree Louisville heat had broken him.  Chewed him up and spit him out!  Still five miles from the finish line his race could have been over right then and there.  But fortunately, Matt's mind had other plans for that hot and humid afternoon.  Knowing it was against the rules in Ironman to "pace" someone on the run, we hung about 30 yards back on the bikes patiently watching how the next step would fall after the next.  "Shit, he stopped again.  C'mon man.  How bad do you want this", we screamed at the top of our lungs.  60 more seconds of running would only lead to another 30 seconds of walking.  Kona was so close, yet so far away.  These are the times when you have to dig deep.  You have to visit those dark places and you have to push through the pain.  These are the times when you have to have the desire to want it more than everyone else.  The death march would continue like this all the way back and although his body had shut down miles ago, something else was keeping him moving.  Through perseverance, pure grit and a little help from above, Matt dug deep and finished the line in 8th place in the M30-34 AG which was enough to get him to the big island.  After all we've been through the past couple of years, I couldn't imaging heading to the big island without the guy.  Nobody deserves it more.  Congrats again Bigg Dogg and Aloha.   

Ironman Rest and Recovery

One of the biggest things that most athletes tend to neglect, especially in Ironman training, is rest and recovery. Without these two important items, chances are your body will not be able to absorb all of your training and reap the benefits of all of your hard work. After qualifying for Kona in Lake Placid I knew that these two items were critical to my build back to a state of normalcy in preparation for the big island. The week following IMLP, I did a lot of self massage and took essentially a week off from training with the exception to some easy active recovery workouts. I believe that it takes at least three to four weeks to fully recover from an Ironman race if done properly. First thing to remember during this transition period is that you do not and should not test yourself. Even if you are feeling good 7-14 days post Ironman, you’ve still done a lot of damage to the body and you need to recover and repair.

On the second week post Ironman, you can begin to get back on to a normal routine with swimming and biking. Keep your rides and swims “aerobic” in nature and again, do not test yourself.

Three weeks out (if you’ve gone easy for two weeks) you will start feeling back to normal, but you aren’t quite there. Remain to keep all workouts aerobic during this week. You can begin to increase the volume while listening to the bodies warning signs.

The other aspect that Ironman athletes tend to neglect is massage therapy. By getting weekly massages, I believe this has helped me recover after those long rides and 20 mile runs. This past week while visiting my therapist, Greg Babiak, CMT, from Lone Serenity Massage, he shared with me an article in the New York Times along with his perspective on the article.

Link to NY Times Article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/18/health/nutrition/18fitness.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

Here is some additional information that Greg passed along of which I’d like to share. As you can see, getting a regular massage tune-up is a little more involved than simply calling your local spa and making a generic appointment in my opinion.

First you need to realize that massage applications require specific modifications based on a number of variants.

• Varying techniques for timing of competitions. Massage has various physiological effects on the body. Skilled sports MTs (Massage Therapist’s) must develop an acute awareness of which techniques are appropriate before and after competition.

• Vigorous techniques on clothed clients. Sports massage frequently demands stimulating circulation, muscle tone, and a fight or flight nervous response. Vigorous techniques such as compression, tapotement, and Swedish gymnastics are core ingredients amongst various other specialized techniques.

• An awareness of overtraining, overuse, and injury. Athletes and their support teams must identify indictors of overtraining: decreased performance, loss of appetite, mood changes, prolonged muscle soreness, tightness to muscles that the athlete does not feel, identifying hidden trouble spots before they sideline the athlete, sleeplessness and more.


A good massage therapist needs to have an understanding of common injuries, progressive muscle imbalances associated with particular sports and positions, and specific movement patterns. Sports massage therapists often apply different techniques such as deep tissue, myofascial release, trigger point therapy, and integrating techniques to address these issues.

Tips for sports massage success!

• Integrate range of motion and stretching techniques into the massage.
• Practice working at medium and vigorous paces on clients.
• Recognize the signs and symptoms of overtraining.
• Understand muscular imbalances and injuries associated with specific sports.
• Work with your therapist. Guide the therapist to what needs addressed. Some therapists feel they know more than the client. A pitfall you want to avoid.
• Find a therapist that listens and works with you.

Yes, massage can really put a dent in your wallet, but if you’re serious about performing at your best, then in my opinion regular visits are a must. If you live in the Pittsburgh area, feel free to contact Greg at loneserenity@comcast.net to schedule your next massage. Greg keeps his prices low for athletes at $40/hour to help them get what they need. He’ll also run discounted specials at certain times given his own appreciation for their sport and loyalty. You the athlete, invest a lot of time and finance into the sport of triathlon so why not perform to your full potential?

Felt DA - Shimano Di2

For Kona 2010, I'm going to be riding Shimano Di2 on my 2007 Felt DA.  This bike was already fast, but the clean shifting and streamlined setup along with the new Shimano Pro Missile Aerobars makes this already fast bike, FASTER!  Now let's hope this puppy gives me around a 5 hour bike split on the Queen K!

Clean look of my Felt with the battery mounted on the rear chain-stay and the cables cleanly run through the frame and my new Dura Ace 7900 Drivetrain.

Video of how clean the bike shifts.  This setup is really amazing!

Video of complete rundown of the electronic Di2 system including the custom splice job to get the cable ran through the frame.

The cockpit

Special thanks to Dan at Spoked Wheelz in Mt. Pleasant PA for the awesome custom job he did.    I highly recommend his work to anyone in Western PA looking for top notch bike repairs.  Dan has done bike support in Kona and also bike support at the Tour of California so needless to say he knows his way around a bicycle.  Look him up or call Dan at 724-547-8886.  You won't be disappointed!

I'd also like to give a big thank you to Wayne Stetina and my friends over at Shimano.  I'm proud to represent your product in Kona this year!

Headed to Hawaii: Holderbaum again qualified for Ironman

by Bill Hartlep
Sports Editor
August 12, 2010

Source: http://www.yournorwin.com/norwinstar/article/headed-hawaii-holderbaum-again-qualified-ironman

A career that begin in 2003 came to a peak in 2007, when Chad Holderbaum competed at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.

For four years, the Penn-Trafford graduate trained and worked to get to the pinnacle of the triathlon world. Once he did, he thought he always would make it back.

That prediction proved to be more difficult that expected, but after several near misses, the Irwin resident again has qualified for a trip to the Big Island after finishing second in his age bracket late last month at the Ironman Lake Placid in New York.

"It feels great. It was a long time in the making to get back," said Holderbaum, 30. "When I qualified in 2007, I got a roll-down spot. The stars aligned, and I had Lady Luck on my side. Since then, I kept at it. I wasn't happy with my first time in Hawaii, so I wanted to make it back. I've been working hard the last couple years to do that."

The journey back to Kona started in 2008 at Lake Placid. The previous year, Holderbaum finished the 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run in 10:18 to finish sixth in his age bracket and earn a berth to the world championships.

In 2008, on the same course, Holderbaum finished in 9:59.57 but ranked 11th place in his group. It was the first time a sub-10-hour time didn't advance.  The next year at Lake Placid, he finished fifth in his age group with a time of 10:07.24, but only the top four qualified, based on a percentage of total competitors.

He then competed the next month at Ironman Louisville to make one more run at qualifying, but Holderbaum again came up just short, as the top seven moved on, and he was ninth with a time of 9:54, just two and a half minutes away from a Kona spot.

Even this year featured another close call, as he took fourth place in his group at the 70.3-mile Eagleman half-triathlon in Maryland, but only the top two finishers advanced.

Finally, Holderbaum was rewarded for his hard work and dedication to his craft.

On July 25, he returned to Lake Placid and completed the course in 9:42.22. "Come race day, it just felt like everything clicked," he said.

Holderbaum opened the race with a 57:21 time in the swim around Mirror Lake. He then spent 5:20.38 on his bicycle before putting in a 3:18 marathon time to finish second in the 30-34 age division.

His time was good enough for 26th overall and 11th among amateurs in a field of 2,611 participants. More importantly, he was second in his age bracket and advanced to the Ironman World Championships.

"The biggest thing I attribute it too is experience," he said. "This was my 10th Ironman. It's just lessons learned throughout the years."

Ironman No. 11 will be another big one, as Holderbaum heads to Hawaii to race against the best triathletes in the world.

He will battle the winds coming off the Pacific Ocean, as well as the overwhelming heat beating down on the lava rocks along the Hawaiian course.

"Kona is such a different beast. The course is so brutal with the heat and winds. The elements chewed me up and spit me out the first time around. It was very humbling," said Holderbaum, who finished in 846th place in 2007, with a time of 11:06.38.

"My goal for this race is under 10 hours. I'd like to place top 20 in my age division. I think to go top 20, you'd have to go sub-10, around 9:45. I think it's doable." The 34th annual Ironman World Championships will be held Oct. 9. For more information, visit ironman.com.

Ironman Lake Placid Race Report - Back to Kona!

Where to begin?  My return to Kona has been a long time in the making to say the least.  Since my last trip to the big island in 2007, not a single day had passed where I didn't think about re-assessing my goals.  I often would wonder again and again if making it back to Kona was even possible.  Near miss after near miss would only add to my frustration over the years.  It was also these near misses that made me respect just how hard it is to qualify for the Ironman World Championship.

Every day for the past two years, I would start my day off by reading a quote that is hanging up in my office cube.  It reads, "It's the disappointments in Triathlon that snap us back.  They remind us that starting is no guarantee of finishing or qualifying for that matter.  The disappointments drive home the reality that every athlete has suffered, sacrificed and striven.  The disappointments help us to understand that dreaming is not enough, that Kona is not Disneyland and that you don't get to the big island by wishing upon a star".

I know I've made a lot of sacrifices over the years in order to fulfill my dreams but it was also those sacrifices that have helped define me as a person.  When the dust settles years from now, I want to know that I lived my life to the fullest and triathlon brings me that feeling of fulfillment and satisfaction that I can't explain in any amount of words.  Over the years, the sport of triathlon has brought me so many great memories.  Without triathlon, I would have never met my soul mate, best friend and my loving wife Jennifer.  Without triathlon, I would have never met my closest friends that I have to this very day.  You guys know who you are.  Simply put, without triathlon, I would not be the person I am today. 

It's hard to explain, but you can't make it to Kona alone.  You can't wake up one day, read a glossy cover of Triathlete Magazine and think getting to Kona is easy.  Even the best athletes in the world have to work for it.  You need a support crew of friends and family that back you one hundred percent.  Every person in my crew has played an important role in getting me back to the big island.  I didn't get there alone that's for sure.  

One crew member that comes to mind is my coach, Luis Vargas.  I began working with Luis Vargas (Mark Allen Online), in January of 2009 and this is when I believe my journey really began.  Come race day this past Sunday, I knew I was ready.  I knew that Luis had prepared me for every possible situation out there and it was my time to seize the day. The hard work was complete and the rest was up to me.  

Race morning came fast.  I was up at 4:00 AM and didn't even need a wake up call.  It was if my body knew it was race time.  A calm sensation came over me race morning and I wasn't the least bit nervous.  Kristen and Matt had Good Luck cards waiting all racers.  This was a great way to start off the morning.  Matt and I have worked very hard together this year to get to where we are and I wouldn't have qualified without him.

(Good Luck Cards from Matt and Kristen)

Body marking and final bike / transition preparations went down without a hitch and it was time to relax and wait for the start of the race.  Before I knew it, it was time. 

(Jocelyn and Chad before the race)

This was the moment that I've been ready for all year.  The start of my tenth Ironman and that extra dose of desire to make it to the big island.  I headed into the water to secure a good starting position.

(Athletes heading into the water)

The swim start was pure chaos.  I haven't recalled a swim start this massive and this crazy in all of my years racing triathlon.  Knowing that my long swims under the MAO program have paid off, this year I had a new confidence level when entering Mirror Lake.  No more was I just okay in the swim, but I was one of the better swimmers in the race.  This is a long cry from where I was just two years ago before working with Mark and Luis.
  

( Right before the cannon sounded)

The cannon sounded and we were off.  Arms thrashing and legs kicking all over the place, I hung on for dear life.  I went out fast and furious but didn't seem to be making much progress and couldn't find a open space in the water to save my life.  I was swimming on top of people as other people were swimming on top of me.  Then it happened.  BAM!

(The Ironman Swim)

I took a direct kick right in the eye from the swimmer in front of me.  I thought my goggles were going to permanently be stuck in my eye socket after that blow.  Right after the massive blow, the guy behind me kept grabbing my ankle and pulling me backwards.  It was very frustrating.  Luckily the adrenaline was high that the pain only lasted for a few seconds.  It took about 10 minutes before the madness settled down and I was able to find my rhythm.  The first I knew that I was in a good spot is when I exited the water in 28:30 minutes for the first lap.  A simple doubling of that time put me on pace for around a 57 minute swim.  Calm and steady I thought.  This is a long day.  Remember what Luis said.  Patience. 

(Exiting the 2.4 mile swim)

The remainder of the swim was a breeze and before I knew it I was peeling off my wetsuit and making the long run into transition with a swim time of 57:21 which put me in 12th position in my age group.  Nice and steady through transition and I was out on the bike slightly ahead of my predictions.

(IM Lake Placid Transition)

On to the bike, everything was going according to plan until mile three.

(Out of transition and onto the bike course)

For some unknown reason, I felt awful.  My legs were heavy, I was breathing too hard and my hamstrings were tight.  I thought to myself that this race is over.  Yet again another year where things didn't quite work out.  Much like last year, I couldn't settle my heart rate down into where I knew I needed to be.  Every little hill my heart rate would spike into the upper 160's and I knew that I was burning precious energy that I was going to need later for the run.

 (Finishing the first 56 mile lap)

Stick to the plan, I mumbled to myself.  I said to myself that things will get better.  Stick to your nutrition.  Hydrate and then hydrate some more.  Talking with Luis, he told me to let everyone go.  Believe in your run and know the competition that passes you early in the race, will come back at mile 20 of that marathon.  By the second 56 mile loop, my body began to respond.  My heart rate was finally where I wanted it and best of all I felt fresh.

(Pushing it hard down the six mile descent into Keene)

At mile 60 I got passed by a guy in my age group wearing the same uniform as another guy near by.  This guy was flying on the bike.  Maybe he couldn't run I thought to myself.  I biked next to the other guy in the same uniform and asked if he knew whether or not that guy that just passed me could run?  His response was not what I wanted to hear.  "Oh that guy can run all right!  He can run a 2:36 open marathon."  It was out of my control and again I heard Luis saying in my head, race your own race.  I powered on and let the guy go.  The second loop was a breeze and I felt as if I was holding steady the entire 112 miles.  On the final 10 mile climb up past Whiteface mountain, I dropped the 10 guy pack that was around me without even trying.  It was right at this point when I knew "this was it".  This was my race to win!

(Finishing the 112 mile bike)

I came into transition with a bike split of 5:20:38 which put me in contention and 7th place in my age group.  I knew going into the race that there were going to be either six or seven Kona spots.  There was no way that I was going to let this opportunity get by me.  I flew out of transition and began the marathon. 

(Feeling great out of transition in my Newton's with tons of spring in my step)

In previous Ironman's I usually would know right away what type of run I was going to have based on how bad the first couple of miles hurt (or didn't hurt) and how fast my cadence was.  Within the first couple of steps I knew this was going to be good as I was able to keep my cadence over 90.  It was as if I didn't even bike 112 miles.  I opened up my stride and went for it.

(The marathon)

I approached the mile 1 mile marker and glanced at my watch and I saw that I just ran a 6:13 mile even though my Heart Rate was still aerobic.  Whoa-Nelly!  I knew I needed to back off of that pace if I even wanted to see the second half of the marathon, but I didn't want to.  I felt great!  I pushed on and even though I slowed my pace down, I was still running sub 7 minute miles effortlessly.  There was no stopping me now.

 (Making my move through the leaders)

I quickly began doing the math in my head on what type of run I needed to hold on to.  On my first loop into town, I got to see all of my friends and family members that were cheering me on.  Thinking I only passed one or two people in my age group I asked around if anyone knew what place I was in.  My dad responded, "you're in 3rd place".  I couldn't believe I was doing it.  13 more mile is all I have to run and I'm going to Kona I thought in the back of my head.  I stayed focused and continued to take in calories.  Everything I was drinking was being absorbed and my energy level remained high.  On the second loop I began to pay for the sub 1:30 half marathon pace that I set the first 13.1 miles.  I hit mile 19 and even though I was still feeling okay, my pace began to slip but only one person passed me and he was in a different age group.  It was also at mile 19 where I was able to catch a split and see my closest competition.  He was around 2 or 3 minutes back and he was gunning for me.  I knew I had to dig deep.

(Digging deep at mile 24 with Matty Mo & company cheering me on)

I pressed onward on the ascent back into the town of Lake Placid.  On my run up the final hill I saw some friends who said that I was in 2nd place.  With one mile to go I knew I was going to Kona!

(An end to a perfect day - clock still set on pro time that started 10 minutes before the cannon)

Running a 3:18 marathon off of the bike and crossing that finish line in 9:42:22 was something I've been dreaming about for a very long time.  I couldn't have done it without all of you.  I'm looking forward to meeting Madame Pele once again in October on the Queen K Highway.

After the finish, I was swept into the medical tent.  Don't worry, this was all part of the plan.  I knew my recovery started the minute that race was over and I also knew I did some serious damage to my muscles.  In addition to the muscle damage, I had lost a couple pounds and that needed to be replaced as soon as possible.   Once in medical, I expressed interest in getting an I.V.  Post I.V., I felt great.  Once out of the medical tent I saw my dad who was waiting for me.  He was extremely proud of my accomplishment and gave me a giant hug.  All of the pain went away at that moment and he knew how hard I had worked for this.   Like I said previously, I couldn't have done it without family support.  From an early age, my parents taught me that athletics was important and I truly believe that it is athletics that helps builds character, discipline and leadership. 

It didn't take long for reality to set in.  For the next four hours my Blackberry rang off the hook with calls, text messages and Facebook posts as I sat with my friends and cheered the other Ironman athletes home.

(Cheering home the Ironman Finishers)

It was also after a couple of hours that I wanted to head home and get a shower and eat some food.  Later on that night we drove back into town to celebrate and to watch the final finishers cross the line.  I had a beer, two cheese burgers and a hot sausage sandwich.  I struggled to remember the last time I ate like this, but it was well worth it.

The next morning Jen and I along with Jeremy and Jocelyn headed to town to pick up our Kona spots.  Unfortunately Jocelyn did not sleep very well that night because she finished third in her age group and there was a small chance that there were only two Kona slots.  Jen and I arrived minutes behind them and the smile on Jocelyn's face said it all.  She was going to Kona too!

(Here we are with our Kona Certificates)

When we returned home to our rental house, thanks to the Rychlik's, Champagne was waiting for us and it was time to officially celebrate!

(The three Kona Qualifiers)

  We opted to stay for the awards ceremony later on that day since both of us made the podium. 

(Men and Women 30-34 Age Group Winners)

This was a fantastic end to a fantastic journey but also the beginning to my next chapter.  I can't wait to see how the next three months unfold! 

Kona Bound

Aloha, I'm going to Kona!  This past Sunday, I qualified for the Ironman World Championship by finishing 2nd in the Men's 30-34 age group and 11th amateur overall.  I posted an Ironman time of 9:42:22.  The IMLP race report will be out later this week!

(The clock was still set on the pro wave that went off 10 minutes ahead of the age groupers)

This is my new favorite picture. The guy in the background is my dad!  How cool is that.

24 Hours Till the Cannon Sounds

It's less than 24 hours before Ironman Lake Placid and I feel ready.  We awoke this morning around 7:00 AM, ate some breakfast and headed to Mirror Lake for my pre-race workouts.  First on the list was a 10 minute swim.  

It seriously takes longer to get ready for these swims than the actual duration of the swim takes. 

Jocelyn and I were the only two swimmers this morning that were doing the race and everyone else either did another one or two loops of the Ironman swim course.  I felt smooth and fast the entire swim and wanted to keep going, but I knew better and need to hold back for tomorrow.  

After the swim we headed back to the house and I headed out on the bike for 15 minutes and followed that up with another 15 minute run.  I was cruising on the bike very comfortabily at 25mph and all I could think about was how I was going to tear up the course tomorrow.  As for the run, again I felt great.  My legs were turning over fast and I wanted to push it even harder than I was, but I held back.  Sub seven minute mile pace felt easy.  All systems a go for what's to come.  

The remainder of the morning I spent relaxing and packing up my transition bags.  It's a little after noon and we're going to head over to transition soon to drop off the bikes and T1 and T2 bags.  The anticipation builds.

Less than 48 hours till Ironman Lake Placid

Another day has passed us by and I'm another day closer to Ironman Sunday.  Even though the weather has been in the 90's the past couple of weeks in Pittsburgh, a different forecast is unfolding upon us up here in the Adirondacks.  The morning temperature is going to be in the low 50's which will make most folks racing slide on the arm warmers and possibly even break out the jackets.  Jocelyn and Bill are going to go out in style this year for the coolest looking arm warmers west of the Mississippi.

After packet pickup the remainder of the day was spent sitting around doing a whole lot of nothing.  Today was an off day and I took full advantage of it.  I cleaned up my bike and relaxed.

Later in the evening we had our 2nd annual Lake Placid Party with matching M-dot cakes.

In Matty Mo style, what's a party without Lil Wayne?  It still doesn't top the blue tuxedo from last year. 

In addition to the Ironman cakes, we actually did eat pretty healthy tonight with a colorful spread of greens, fruit, chicken and pasta. The food was excellent.  Great job ladies! 

An in depth talk about Ironman Strategy going on at this table. 

We had a great time as always and I was sad for the night to end.  

The IMLP 2010 Race Crew Pictured Above

Ironman Lake Placid - 3 days out (well 2 now)

Yesterday morning Jen and I finished our drive into Lake Placid where we stopped at our favorite little restaurant, Chair 6.  After that, we went on our way to do my final workouts of IMLP training.  

The water was a little overcast to start the day which was perfect for sighting and swimming.  

Here we are before heading into the water.

 Bill and I ended up doing 1.2 miles (1 loop) while Jen and Matt who are not racing Sunday did the full 2.4 miles. 

The water was a little warmer than last year but still wetsuit legal unlike much of the other races I've done this year.  After the swim and much needed food, Matt and I headed out on the bike for about an hour.  I felt pretty good on the bike but I was also holding back.  We were pushing close to 30mph on the flats with a HR in the 140's so that was a good sign.  I tried not to push it today in hopes of a great day on Sunday.

This is the second year in a row that we rented a house in Lake Placid.  We're located about 3 miles outside of town which is great because after doing nine Iornman's, it's great to get away from the Ironman Madness that happens in town.

While outside we were greeted by a neighbors dog.  This was the same dog I do believe that walked in the doggy door last year into the house which freaked us all out!

It was also Jocelyn's birthday yesterday!  We were all glad to be a part of her special day.

A birthday card isn't complete without making it triathlon related right?  The padded pants wedgie pose is our favorite.

The rest of the day was spent chilling in front of the TV watching the tour.

Here's Bill's water jug a.k.a. his middle of the night bathroom.  So far today has been uneventful.  Jocelyn and I went to packet pickup and then we got off our feet again.  I've never done this little two days out.  Taking it easy today will pay off on Sunday!  Tonight is the Lake Placid Party at our rental house.  We're expecting 30-40 Ironman guests.  I'm really looking forward to the festivities tonight.  If you're in Lake Placid and would like to stop by for a warm cooked meal, please give me a call.

The Ironman Taper

The Ironman taper can be just as tricky as the Ironman training in itself. Just like any taper, the goal is for you to taper down your workouts and recover to the point at which all of your stored energy is at its max on race day.

I've found that a 4 week Ironman taper works well for me and this year things are going just as planned.

Five weeks out from race day I did a relatively big block of training which put me at around 21 hours of training for the week. Now just because your taper starts four weeks out doesn't mean you relax and do nothing. For me, four weeks out meant a weekly volume of 18 hours with two big bike and run sessions (6 hour bike and 19 mile run). Three weeks out I continued to cut back and my weekly volume reduced to 14 hours. Two weeks out is when my taper kicks into overdrive. I included two off days, but kept my weekly volume still at around 14 hours.

This is the week where you should feel like garbage and trust me I did. My swims were off and I couldn't keep my HR below my aerobic threshold to save my life. I was tired, moody and wondered how in the world I was going to have a good race. I only wondered this for a short period of time though because I knew that this was all part of the process. I knew my body was going into a "hyper-recovery" state and I was going to start reaping the benefits of months of hard training.

By this past weekend (7-8 days from race) things started to click. My swims were getting faster and my bike and run sessions started to feel effortless.

Now for race week. Knowing that there are no gains in fitness this week the primary focus is to stay loose and relaxed. All workouts should build to a steady tempo, you should break a sweat and that's it.

Yesterday (6 days out) I treated myself to a 40 minute aerobic run and my legs felt awesome. I also got a massage last night to hopefully flush out the last bit of toxins. This morning (5 days out) I hit the pool for a easy 2000 yard swim. I'll do another aerobic workout tonight and then Wednesday is a off day! I'll arrive in Lake Placid Thursday morning, get in my scheduled workouts by noon and then start to get my head in the game.

This is going to a great race. I can feel it. I know what I have to do.  Follow me live on race day, this Sunday at www.ironman.com