July 8, 2012 - Maneesh's race report for the Orange county triathlon

After racing the American Zofingen in May, my original plan was to not do another race until Ironman Canada. While I love racing, when I do, I put my heart into it and it takes a lot out of me. Even racing an Olympic distance sets me back a week because that’s how long I need to properly recover. But my big lesson at Zofingen was that I needed a better nutrition strategy for long course racing and I needed to be able to test what I’ve been using in training, in a race setting to see if more changes were necessary. 

Separate from training through this race and trying out my nutrition strategy and new race wheels, I also wanted to dedicate this race to my cat Mooky.  I adopted Mooky in March but he suddenly passed away from liver failure only the day before. He was the cutest little fluff ball and was only 7. He passed away in my arms at the vet’s office so at least I got to say goodbye. But Mook’s short life reminded me to live in the moment … and in the case of triathlon to push through the pain because pain is temporary.

Ok, on to the race. I was pretty tired going in after riding 80mi on Wednesday and running 15mi on Thursday morning.  I wanted to get in a long warm-up to wake up my tired body but didn’t get a chance for anything because the swim was point-to-point and we had to walk a mile to get to the start. And second, while trying to get my old wetsuit on before the race, the zipper broke. After 4 seasons of heavy use, it shouldn’t have been a surprise. At the last minute, as the gun was going off, I got two guys waiting for their wave to help me rip it off and jumped in a few seconds late without it. Triathlon is all about dealing with obstacles, what’s a little wetsuit failure to start the day.

That aside, my swim felt ok. A warm up would’ve been nice but without it I knew I had to start very controlled to not blow myself up early. With a very strong current, I was out of the water in 17:16 after the 1500m swim and in 15^th overall. A poor swim place for me, but with a late start and no wetsuit, not terrible.

Without a wetsuit I was in and out of T1 faster than anyone else in the field and picked up a number of places. The bike course had a short quarter mile section to warm-up before turning out of the beach area and towards the hills. The first 6 miles of this course was uphill before settling into rollers and then coming back into town. A pretty challenging course overall, but beautiful. On the bike I prefer hilly courses anyways since I’m a weak but light rider and that helps me hang with the stronger, but often heavier riders.

Maybe because of the early hills it took a while for my legs to settle into the ride and my heart rate stayed elevated until passed the halfway mark. I tried racing a few guys who passed me early but knew it would be dumb to try and hold that faster pace throughout the ride knowing the run was hilly too.  My legs were also dead from the prior week’s training and I was feeling it on this ride. A 1:17 bike for 25 hilly miles.  Off the bike, in 17^th place and then pulled off another fast transition (overall fastest of the day out of the entire field) to put myself into 15^th at the start of the run.

  

Coming off the bike, my running legs immediately felt great. I wasn’t expecting that but was happy for that as the course turned straight uphill for almost the entire 3miles out before the turn around.  I was telling myself to cruise the first half and go for broke on the way home.  Even at cruise pace I passed 3 guys quickly and they didn’t even try to go with me. On the way back into town and now coming down the hills, I picked it up and my watch was saying 5:40-5:50/mi pace. I passed a couple others as I was redlining it home. Eminem’s “8 mile” playing in my head and Mooky reminding me to live in the moment. I crushed myself in the final stretch but ran out of ground closing in on 9^th place and an AG win.  Rounding out with a 40:59 run, the fourth fastest run in the field and 2:16 overall - I was happy with a top 10 placing.

Overall, I was very happy because the nutrition strategy (racing on Carbo Pro for the first time) worked very well and that too on a hot day. Considering I’d been having so many problems with my swim technique this year, it was also nice to jump in without a wetsuit and feel good in the water for a change. My quads were very fatigued on the bike but on the flats I felt strong and fast.  And the run, that what was the icing on the cake today.  A good test before one last big training block heading into IMC.

Ironman Lake Placid 2011 Race report

What a glorious day for a race for Lake Placid: beautiful weather, a bit hot at times but not too bad, a bit windy as well but not a big problem.

After a nice breakfast with eggs and peanut butter and banana rice cakes and coffee I walked slowly the mile to reach the beach along mirror lake among 100 others. It was quiet and the lake looked so still.

The clouds cleared up very quickly.

The race organisers told us the water was too warm and wetsuits were not allowed if you wanted an AG award or a Kona spot...so no wetsuit for me...you have to try right? Josh and Roger did not wear one either...It is actually interesting to have a rule and allowing people not to follow it. I think everyone should have swam without a wetsuit...

After the usual body marking, checking bike, bathroom waiting line...we had to jump in with 2600 swimmers! Nice lake but not with 2600 other swimmers next to you, treading water with no wetsuit for 10-5mn is not that pleasant!

As soon as the start was announced it was chaos for the whole first part and I can tell you it is harder to come back to the surface when you are pushed down by others when you don't have a wetsuit.

Anyway the second part and second loop were a bit better and I managed to stay inside by the famous cable that takes you straight from A to B and B to A. If I could have done that on the first loop.

After the swim there was a run to transition, lined up with tons of people cheering, quite cool really.

I grabbed my swim to bike bag, went in the women's changing tent and got ready for the bike ride, sunscreen and everything.

The bike ride was great, hard but so beautiful. The first loop was so busy though, at some points on the flats near the river it was like being in the Tour de France, packs all over the place everywhere, no way to go.

I am guessing the course is not designed for so many riders at once.

The second loop was better with less riders everywhere.

I was so happy about the long descent, I was worried about it but surprised myself to actually loving it and I went pretty fast going down with no worries whatsoever.

After the first loop you go back in town and the atmosphere is just great with so many people cheering. I loved that part.

My bike felt great, my legs not too tired, I ate well, took my salt tablets, drank tons. From 12 position in my AG I was 2 at the end of the bike. Pascal managed to inform me at the beginning of the run.

When I came off the bike I felt ok, a bit tired but not too much, but I knew that the marathon was coming. 26.2 miles to run is a long way to run. I had to think 2 loops only 2 loops of so many miles.

I started well, saw people I knew, was happy.

I was actually very happy to see Erin, so I was waving.

And then troubles started, I was very hot and thirsty, and started to stop at each station. One 50 years old woman passed me Carmel, she was fast...then another one, she had passed me at Rev 3 in June. I was not happy.

I am running in the middle, it was only mile 2!

So for the whole run I kept passing the Rev 3 lady and she would pass me at each station (she did not stop) until she did not pass me anymore ;-)

But I never passed Carmel! (I actually don't know Carmel, just saw her name passing me).

And there was another one right in front of me, Pascal told me...1 more minute I could have passed her but not Carmel.

3rd place.

Next time, there is always a next time, somewhere else to try.

What a great race: the finish was the best finish in an old Olympic stadium. I wish  I had a picture to show you.

Overall I can recommend this race to anyone. It is hard but so exciting and beautiful.

See you all out here.

Go tri!