Started first 5k in September 2009; felt like almost dying at end. Last real run was back in high school. Now I have meta morphed from a pure jogger into an ironman triathlete. Follow my journey as I try to determine if my body is worthy of Kona, Hawaii competition. facebook; twitter
I've been running since 2009 doing various endurance races including multiple Ironman and ultra trail running mostly in Asia. While I consider myself an 'average' runner, I wanted to push my limits by racing in the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB). In 2012, I pre-registered for a lottery slot as this race is considered very popular, but unfortunately my luck wasn't so good and had to re-enter the following year. If you don't get accepted; then your odds double the next year and so, the second time your odds are much greater. You need to keep also in mind that you need to get official accredited points based on previous affiliated races that are greater than 42km.
To prepare for this race, I wanted to start the year by adding more load prior to my 100km races which included both Vibram Hong Kong 100km and Translantau 100km. This effort was named HYPERMANwhich would include 10km swim, 300+km bike, and 100km trail run. Both run events were obviously slower but I was able to manage to complete both of them in under 21 and 24 hours respectively. Moving on the momentum, I decided to include 2 full Ironman races during the late and early spring in Australia.
Unfortunately, 3 months idle from summer commitments back in the United States prevented me from much long training. With only a month left; I planned to complete an Ironman 70.3. After this race, my plan was to do as many 30km runs as possible without breaking the system.
Quickly days past and I found myself in Chamonix, France with hours toeing others at the start line. The pre-race excitement was at its high with many sporting companies at the expo. This also included my sponsored shoe sole company Vibram which have been with me for over 4 years during my trail running adventures. They set me up with gear and apparel for the race which included: * Compressports Socks
Unfortunately, this race became my first solo DNF, 7.8km from finish; the sad thing is I would have technically been DQ'd at 139.7 because I was 1 minute over the time limit. So, happier I was able to at least completed 161.5km.
Learning Points: 1. I am very very poor climber 2. Always get water and nutrition prior to leaving CP otherwise it will haunt you. 3. For more stability, don't run downhill with your poles.. 4. Don't stay too long at CP (5-10 max) 5. Don't make this a team run, it's a solo race 6. If it rains, check feet no matter what; see foot doc if required. Don't wait until it's too late. 7. Extra phone, pictures, video, goPro WILL slow you down 8. Force yourself to shuffle on flats, walking eats time! 9. Get a watch that actually can hold a proper charge 10. DNF stands for Duke Nukem Forever!
Here are some segment Highlights: The Start - rain, rain, rain! Downhill to Saint Gervais: 343 runners passed Downhill to Les Chapieux: 201 runners passed Downhill to Courmayeur: 170 runners passed Uphill without water/food to Catogne: 106 runners passed I couldn't have done the downhills so 'fast' if it wasn't for HOKA One One + Vibram sole = Tor Speed WP. This shoe was meant for the trails with a sensational aggressive grip. With the muddy rocks and slippery sections of UTMB, Vibram soles provided great control and offered faster downhill speed. I've tried an older model of Hoka at UTMF (Mount Fuji) and found myself falling on my butt multiple times. It's really a stupendous shoe! This has cushion and grip. In hindsight, it's obvious that my (lack of) training in the summer really hurt me. This is really a difficult race. To give you a comparison, my fitness certainly hasn't decreased much in 2 months; and when I did HYPERMAN this early year; my HK100 and Translantau 100 was under 21hrs and 24hrs respectively. The first 100km of UTMB was over 25hrs :(. The most important thing is that I didn't get hurt and can do this again sometime in the future.
Background
My purpose for this summer is to complete 2 Ironman's within 3 weeks apart. Ironman Lake Placid and Ironman U.S. Championship. So, I decided early on to do a 50 Miler and 1/2 Ironman to get me ready. My biggest concern was whether my injuries have subsided and this would be a great test. Unfortunately, my training has been minimal because of taking care of my rental property; but that's not really a good excuse...
Pre-Race
It's about 5 1/2 hours from where I currently live in New York to Syracuse; so, I decided to drive up 5:30AM in the morning to give enough time to obtain a wetsuit rental (forget my in Hong Kong) and check in my bicycle and stuff. Well, I have to admit; I didn't read the paper well and I figured everything was in one place. WRONG. lol. When we arrived at the lake, the police wasn't allowing us into the park even though there was literally 3 minutes before 10AM. What gives? When I talked to some of the early people, they already had their bike sticker and I figured I made a little mistake. So, about 10 minute away by car - registration is in the Crown hotel. With a lot of time to spare we headed over to find that the pre-race meeting was going on in hotel building one (by accident) and then figured out that the race packet was in the next building. It seemed a bit much; but I had to come into the city to head over to Syracuse Bicycle shop to obtain my wet suit rental.
Swim
The IRON-GOD was good to me and the water was wet-suit legal by a degree or so. So, that was good news since spending $40USD for a rental would kinda suck if I couldn't use it. The only peculiar issue with this race setup was that in the race papers, the swim would be heading along the shore and back in a rectangular fashion. But, the course was setup heading out from the beach directly to the other side and then creating a rectangular box. Well, not a big deal. With the swim being completely wakeless; I was pretty stoked. Granted I am a terrible swimmer and needed all the help especially since I haven't done any swim since 3 months.
I love to not do more work than I have to, so being next to the left of the buoys is where you can find me on any swim race. Unfortunately, I don't do the 3 strokes and look - so I easily meandered outside and probably could have cut off a minute if I was more straight. Finally, I broke sub 50 minutes on the swim (Yes, I told you I am a terrible swimmer; especially being that I learned how to swim less than 2 years ago for the very first time).
Out of the water, and the volunteers pulled me off the ground as I struggled to remove the wetsuit from my body. And off I went passing my brother as he cheered me on to the bike transition.
Bike
The first few km out are easy flat and then you make a turn onto the first hill. During that period, I lost my salt nutrition :(. In the past, in every single race, I would cramp up quite easily. Luckily the humidity was low and the wet-suit helped me in terms of less kicking power to stay afloat and I didn't require it at all. But, if this was in the humid southeast Asia, I would have died!!!! The first hill, I was seeing terrible things ahead. People getting off their bikes, people pushing their bikes.. I was thinking?? Is it that steep? But as I was being passed by faster age-groupers, I pushed the cranks and kept on moving.
This course has a series of hills that increase in elevation up to 500m taking about 18km. Each hill takes a bit out of you but not so bad compared to Ironman Nice, France! Once you hit the top, you know it and the bombing starts.. At this point, I hope to add a few more pounds as people who were heavier were passing me at ease and I was gunning it full crank all the way.
I don't know the hill name, but there is one place where you can go down in less than 1 minute for 1km and then unfortunately, you get it by a wall of hill (probably the highest grade). It's never too good to be true!
One thing I want to note. I lost gears when coming down a few hills. How can I fix this??? Please PM me if you know! I hate not being able to go faster!
Run
The run is 2 loops and a bit hilly in 3 sections. When I started out, a little cramping occurred in my muscles above the knee. I was able to eat the pain and it subsided. After turning left off the main road, there is a bit of incline. I'm talking to myself and saying, "DO THIS! Don't give in. If you walk it you will be over 2 hours". Yes, I know, my mind is too weak and yes, I walked it. Overall, this is considered one of my better runs. No major cramps! No major walking. At the end, I put it into the next gear only to find out I ran out of steam about 50m from the finish. I like to push it hard at the end to make it look like a 'strong' finish.
Hi Endurance Athletes + fans! It's been a while, yeah? Well, after being injured last November, my blogging has plummeted - but I have endured and did some races; just not blogged about it.
Well, I decided to run The North Face 50 miler as a pre-race for the upcoming summer Ironman races. I felt like it was the right race to do since I used to live in Virginia and why not hit a race there since it would be a nice way to meet my old friends and get a good run out of the way.
Unlike Hong Kong where stone and cement is replaced by Virginia's lush green trees and dirty trails; where hot humidity is replaced with cool dry weather; where pollution is replaced with pollen, it would be my first debut to run a race on American soil since 23 years ago. Unfortunately, my training hasn't been consistent because of injuries; but I felt pretty good going into the race and had ample servicing at the physio and sports massage bench.
The race started at 5:00AM with about 45 minutes of night running. A headlight was required and so, I wanted to wear my camera since I didn't know when the light would be ample for the camera. I held the headlamp in my right hand and used it more like a flashlight. The course started/ended at the same place. It runs past Trump International golf course east into Great Falls where there is a 3 loop run. It's about 20km to the drop bag location which includes a few steep hills through the forest. The initial 20km was a mud fest and very slippery. If you ever thought about doing a mud run, there are many in America. I just wasn't planning to do one this year but the rain was torrential the day before stirring up overflowing streams.
As always, Jogger style; I went out pretty fast and then cruised about 35km afterwards. My biggest problem is that it's hard to not go fast initially. I think I should concentrate on 10-20km races as I might be better at them, but anyways; I'm not trying to be the fastest.
I think the overall going to the physio and doing many strength training and more stretching help a lot on this race. There was no occasion where my legs cramped up like previous races; but I did have a bit of cramping in my lats around 60km.
I saw probably around 4 other people wearing the new Spyridon LS Vibram Five Fingers. The shoes really were meant for these trails and the mushy soft mud felt like velvet. There were some rough rocks in a very small section of the race; but overall, the run was quite comfortable compared to the other old VFF KSO versions.
Overall, I'm very happy with my time based on my preparation and happy to see that I am back on track for a decent running season. I think the most important learning experience to tell is keep care of your body and please see a professional person whether it is in physio, chiro, accupuncture, voodoo or whatever your religion might be. Just don't be a hero and think you can heal the body yourself. That's just my opinion from a 9 months disability.
And if you get a chance to run in America, there are definitely fine places to race off road. Take a look at TNF and if you need more distance; I'm sure there is a race right around the corner if you search for it.
Vibram Five Finger Spyridon Quick Report. Meant to go out for a quick 10k, but ended getting a bit lost and doing 28k taking close to 4:00. Here's the report:
Asphalt: [v] check
Pot Hole: [v] check
Sidewalk: [v] check
Gravel: [v] check
Monkeys: [v] check
Diamond Hill: [v] check
Concrete Staircase up: [v] check
Concrete Staircase down: [v] check
Single Track Trail: [v] check
Large Stones on Trail: [v] check
Trip over Root x 2: [v] check
Trip over Speed Bump: [v] check
Climb over Fence: [v] check
Summary: Of all the shoes I've worn, this one is PERFECT for Hong Kong! Very stiff and sturdy on the toe tops and arch support. Wearing toe socks make it even more comfy! I feel the LS version really beats the velcrostrap hands down. Everything I hit over or ran by felt like a knife cutting soft butter.
I think everyone will agree that Shui Sham Po, Monkey Long a** hill, Diamond hill, Shing Mun Reservoir Trail, Raleigh Wilson Trail, and sections of MacLehose Trail - I've covered all bases. I would have definitely raced with these if they were available before the HK100.
As an 'official' Vibram Team Tester, I give my full approval with this shoe type for most terrain in Hong Kong. The littered stone you might find on KOTH: Lantau or HK100: Section 4 might still have issues, but we'll see...
I think it's a good shoe to wear for my Ironman 70.3 Singapore. The feet feels quite tired on asphalt.. I think this could help!
Too bad I won't be doing any more trail races until fall...
Yes, if you are reading this. I'm actually quite late on this race report!
Since I'm now training for Hong Kong 100, I really like to do this local race as it will prepare my body for the stairs and trail running. As always, I registered for the full marathon which is usually more than 30km. Trust me, even though it's not exactly 42km, the body feels like it did 2 marathons afterwards. Unfortunately, I am not able to compete in all of the KOTH races even though I'm enrolled for it, but I hope to also hit one more KOTH before the big HK100 6 days earlier.
The weather was perfect for running. It was quite cool in the morning. I stayed back a bit from the front and really pushed it initially. I really didn't have much knowledge of the course beforehand, but within a kilometer, the course is all steps leading up. I felt like I was getting past by a lot of racers on the hills. I suppose it's never been my strongest. This race I decided to run in my Solomon shoes.
The latter leg of the half heads down to the finish of the half marathon and this requires pure concentration as you weave in and out of brush and trees on a single track.
As the half marathoners finished their race, the second part for me was fairly flat. Around the 30km mark, I had some serious quadriceps spasms. Luckily the total race was under 36km.
I've been on vacation mode and haven't provided a much reporting. Since I consider Ironman my A-race for the year. It would be a shame to not report.
My objective for this report is to give those who (especially coming from Asia Pacific region) are interested in Ironman Western Australia some information that might help them out for 2012.
Air Travel
I chose Cathay Pacific and luckily for me the rate was on special. Unfortunately, my weight for luggage was a measly 23kg. My bike and box is 18kg so it doesn't leave me too much room to spare. So, I filled the bike to 28kg, and then had to tear up my luggage to bring it down to 25kg which then they let it through without cost. One important thing to do is to make sure that you take your time packaging your bike and other essentials. You don't want to pull the wrong thing out like CO2 cartridges or scissors.
Accommodations
Perth is the closest city to arrive to Busselton via international travel. In most cases, you'll probably have to sleep over at least one night before you head down 220km south. There are many choices you can choose but, if you want to take it on the cheap; here are an idea:
Choose a backpacking hotel
I decided that I would save my money and spend about 6 hours close to the train station heading down to Busselton. My flight arrived around 10pm and I crashed at a motel called The Emperors Crown $33AUD/night. It is less than 500 meters to the train station. But getting there from the airport will cost you in 2011 around 40-50AUD, but at least it means you don't need to hail a taxi in the morning if you choose this route. If you choose this method going back to Perth, your choice is only by bus and it will not stop at the train stop. It will stop at the bus depot which is about 4-5km away from the mentioned hotel; it's around $20AUD for this distance at night..
Transportation to Busselton
There are three choices: bus, train/bus, or rent-a-car.
I decided to take the train, but it only has room for 2 bikes; so you have to book in advance or be lucky on arrival. I did the latter. The cost is around 25AUD + 10AUD for bike. It's the same for the bus, but you have to get to the bus depot which is around 4 km away and you need to be there around 7am unlike the train which leaves at 9. The train will head down to Bunbury and then you'll wait for about 10 minutes to take the bus. The conductor on this trip loved to rhyme the city with some other dumb saying like: "The weather is fine in Serpentine." It was amusing for the first one, but 11 times?? It's a little annoying.
Busselton Hotels
All I have to say is BOOK early. I think the best place to stay if you got the dough is Esplanade Hotel. It is minutes from the carb loading/awards tent and super close to the Jetty where the start of the race is. If you aren't so luck, prices can range from 60-300AUD. If 4.5km isn't an issue then you can try Restawile hotel; it's tricky on day of race since who really wants to walk when you have 220km+ that day. You can try to hail a cab, but book early and it'll cost around $20 AUD
Eats
Busselton isn't cheap! For an omelet and orange juice, it'll cost around 23 AUD. Lunch and Dinner is usually more than 30 AUD. The waitress don't accept tips since they are paid hourly 20AUD minimum. You'll get used to the fare hike if you live from the South Asia area especially Hong Kong where an honest meal is around 7-10AUD for breakfast. There is pizza at the Fat Duck Cycles and Espresso Shop which is the official bike repair shop. I was somewhat disappointed that basic repairs aren't free compared to other Ironman 70.3 and Ironman Nice. But, it makes sense when you think they have to eat breakfast too.
Communications
Australia cities don't seem too kind when it comes to Internet access when you are a tourist. You are probably better to get a plan from you local area. If you are in Hong Kong, it appears that data only for an Ipad can be sought for around $10AUD. Three has a good international package and around $15UAD if you have text/data like an iphone. Make sure you figure out the roaming setup so you aren't surprised. Another choice for voice is to buy a $30AUD pre-paid sim card at the POST
Tourist
If you aren't a wine tasting type, there is MTB trails down in Margaret Rivers. I tried it the day after the race and it was pretty amazing course. Tell Rob from Dirty Detours that JoggerJoel sent you ;) And if you like skydiving, there is a local airport nearby Busselton. I wanted to do it but the weather turned sour.
The Pre-Race
Schoolies as they say "Down Under" just get out of school, so you might find some young drunks early in the week. This means - be very careful when you ride your bike around town. Traffic is more congested than normal (I hear). I arrived on Wednesday and left the following Tuesday. If it is your first time to Busselton from an International arrival; you'll want to buffer 2 days for travel. So, I wasn't in a hurry like I am in closer cities where I arrive on Friday and leave Monday. For some who are lucky, Monday is winner's night... Those who aren't it's nice to be part of the scene - come on, you're an Ironman! I pretty much swam for the 3 mornings when they had life guards in boats, from the beach and bridge. Don't be too concerned, but after I left Busselton, I heard there were a few sharks in the area and someone did get attacked. Also, there was a dolphin in the area that week, but I missed it.. The bike course is a little hard to complete with traffic, but they are bicycle aware since most of them are for the race. Although, it is still pretty scary on the main roads which I went to Dunsborough and back (~40km). Don't be too excited there as there is just a small mall and beach.. For running, the beach is awesome - it's easy to do 5-10km and the road near the beach is used for the course which is pleasant. I will warn you that there are a lot of flies and they are a big swatting nuisance; also the night flies are thick as well.
Swim
If you read my other blogs, you'll quickly understand my background as a swimmer. I just want to get through it before the cut-off time. Well, I'm a little faster than that, but not by much. In the beginning of the race, the water looked so calm, but as I was heading toward the jetty point, I was being pushed to the left and into the buoys. After the jetty turnaround - around 1.9km; the jetty or bridge helped break up the waves, but unfortunately in the end, my time was about the same as Nice, France. Actually, it was a little slower but I will blame it on the video!
Bike
Obviously my time should be faster than Ironman France since it was very hilly and this is not. But, Busselton shouldn't fool you - the track is fast because it is flat as a pancake, but the wind can really slow you down. And as the day goes by, it gets even stronger! A few things to note about my ride: After 90km, my aero pad holding my forearm was tightened too much (not by me) and it broke. I had to come up quickly with an ingenious plan and I used electrical tape and GU packet to help me the rest of the way. The other issue was the wind, it caused my eyes to become very blurry and it took a few kilometers on the run to see again.
Run
Supposedly, I should be stronger as a runner than a cyclist and swimmer. But, after those two disciplines, well; I'm not. It takes me an additional hour to run a marathon than a 'regular' marathon. So, I was about 5 minutes slower on the run than in my first Ironman - Nice, but I will point fingers to my bike as I road much harder and faster. With mountains, you get to rest on the downhill. In Busselton, there are not hills!
Ironman wrap up
I'm overall happy with my first two Ironman participation. I know that I still have a lot of work today, but now I have a base to work off of. I hope to continue participating in at least 2 full Ironman distances a year and several half Ironmans. I hope you find my report useful and feel free to keep in contact by 'friending' me on facebook.
This would be my last swim/run combination before the big Ironman Race down in Busselton, Western Australia happening a month later. I joined this one right on the deadline thinking that it would be a good drill since I would be on vacation for a week with less fitness.
This race didn't have many competitive athletes since most of them went to Taiwan, Ironman 70.3 and also my heat was 40+ males and women. But, I knew I was far from winning any placement.
I had to take a cab and the funny thing is that the cost of the cab was more than the race. Once I arrived it was still dark and the HKTriA was just starting to begin preparations.
The transition was on the beach. I basically just put my bag containing street clothes in the basket since I was not going to do any transition stop today. My goal was to see how VFF would stand up to an beach aquathon.
Today's event consisted of 4km (really 3.4km) run + 540m swim (270m x 2 swim + run along the beach) + another 4km (really 3.4 km) run. I'm not sure who measures the distance but 800m is quite significant.
For the first section of the run leg; I just wanted to give all I got and deal with my slow swim later.. Apparently when the gun went off, I was first place until the top of the hill which lasted for about 2 minutes. On a side note, I believe VFF isn't really good going downhill, I find myself breaking on my toes. It's actually interesting to watch on video because as I peak to the top, I gained 30 meters (2 seconds) from the runner who won it, only to lose speed and position coming back down from the other side. As I was foot striking, he was heel striking. At the bottom of the hill my gap from the rest of the group was around 7 seconds behind me as I grabbed my first band and turn around. Apparently, I had a very explosive first 1km; probably the fastest ever if it is correct with a 3:31 minute kilometer. Unfortunately, my speed at this level was unattainable and dropped to 4:18 for the 2nd kilometer. Before I made it up to the peak of the hill, I was passed and in 3rd place with another right behind my tail. Once I reached back to the bottom of the hill and turn around; I already moved back to 6th place. The second loop, no one passed me and I headed toward the beach without stopping passing 3 people to place me in 3rd.
Once I hit the water, I knew my times would slow immensely with packs of swimmers passing me. The runner behind me was able to catch me in my 12 strokes. Approximately 8 minutes later for a 270m swim and one minute of beach running, I would go back into the water and do it all over again. My second swim was 8 minutes and 13 seconds.
After getting out of the water; I was able to pass 3 swimmers. It would be harder to catch up to other runners by this point. As I passed the finishing line to complete 2 more laps, the second place finisher passed me :(. But, each kilometer; I went a little faster than the previous one and was able to finish knowing that I gave the first run leg all I could give.
I ran this race last year; and my only goal was to beat my time and of course beat the morning sun. I decide to wear my old solomon trail running shoes and notice severe wear and tear on the outer edges of the sole. This race is not for those who are interested in running with VFF. It is a very rocky course and I'm glad I didn't think twice in wearing them.
I actually don't know how some of the runners can run without any hydration pack. Although the air was slightly cool; the humidity appeared to be quite high. This year I decided to start at the race line because the gate is quite small. After sprinting out of the court; I didn't feel comfortable being in front since I actually forgot the way to the trails. No worries because there was a pack behind me upping the pace. Once we headed into the trails, the fast group sprinted off into darkness. I felt happy with my time so far, but I'm sure I went faster out than I wanted. The next 14km is total darkness and undulating with rocky sections more on the western side of the peninsula. Around 9km into the race, my arch was giving me some pain in my right foot and I also notice that a pool of sweat was splashing around inside my solomon gortex shoes. This was my first indication that I should take a salt tablet. Luckily, I had 3 tablets. I drank all of my water by the time we arrived at CP1 16km later.
After a water refill, the 200m ascent climb would start to the next Checkpoint. I had plenty of water at this point so there was no reason to stop, but unfortunately the time I gained by passing it was lost with a wrong turn, I lost 3 minutes only to realize that I had the compass on my garmin watch showing me last years route.
I started to get in a rhythm again with 2 others quickly walking up the hills and jogging the descents for 5km. We ended all together at CP3 which is near Tung Chung Rd. There is a steep paved road downhill connecting back to a trail which passes a monastery and then some long inclined paved path to Ngong Ping entrance connecting us to the based of Lantau Peak trail.
Every time I climb this peak, it never appears to be easy. Again 700m ascent with little downhill is never a walk in the park. I was able to pass just a couple people this year only to get passed by a different others. Finally reaching the 'summit', Vince Natari was there to greet all the Moontrekkers with camera in hand.
Starting the climb down from the peak, my legs spasmed forcing me to dead stop and take a stretch. I didn't have any salt at this point. Another runner passed me but I was not going to get left behind and my time at this point was 25 minutes faster than last. Eventually after the descent became easier on my legs, I was able to keep a decent pace and pass the runner again. As I knew I was close to Tung Chung Rd and very close to finishing. I heard someone behind me making giant leaps down the stone path. I gave it one more push, turned the corner and barely beat him as I was forced into the road.
This year my legs are much stronger. I haven't done a lot of trail running, so I actually feel very happy with my time. I shaved off 37 minutes from the previous year. My official time was 5:45 minutes.
Morning
Today is the final wrapup of Triathlon in Hong Kong season. I've been working hard on the bike and somewhat on the run. So, at 4:00AM, I woke up and wanted to prepare myself for a hilly day. I ate oatmeal which is quite unusual nowadays. But, it certainly was needed since I decided to bike at 5:00AM from West Kowloon to Tai Mei Tuk where the race course was moved this year instead of Walt Disney.
Swim
I noticed once I got toward the water that the left buoy was not orange. I knew my sighting would be an issue today. Once we entered the 'chilled' waters (76F?), and headed toward the buoy, not a second later and bam: siren horns. I wasn't quite ready and so off we went. The first lap was overall pretty non-eventful. It was the second lap that I stupidly followed two guys who of all people were breast stroking to the 3rd buoy and not the 2nd. I realized quickly and headed back on course; but lost at least 50m. Then, thinking I was close to the buoy, I 'sighted' and found myself backtracking and swimming the opposite way to reach the second buoy. I had another mistake and followed a guy to the right of me and he was headed off to the first buoy and not the last. So, I had to re-align myself and finally made it to shore. I'm pretty sure I would have had shaved off 5 minutes from my swim-time. Oh well, I need to start sighting better and not rely on others.
Bike
The bike course is quite hilly and once you get out of transition; there is a big incline for about 300-400m. As I pushed hard and passed a cyclist, he asked me 'Do you know this a hilly course?" I guess he doesn't know that I've been training over here. The course is out and back 4 times. I started to lose track of the number of times I went around it and even became more concerned when my watch showed a shortage of distance. I actually thought I might have not completed a lap. However, it just appeared my watch had a malfunction.
Run
The run course is very flat for the first 2km and then a gentle incline and back down. We had to run it twice. I didn't pass as many runners as I thought. Is it possible that my cycling is getting better? Overall I was pretty happy with my time for such a hilly course!
What a difference one year of solid training will do! I'm very happy with my overall sprint triathlon. The course is similar to the one last year for two exceptions: rough waters and a stronger me. Unfortunately, I almost DNF because of I lost my goggles when I jumped into the water. Luckily Danny was able to locate them quickly in the choppy sea :). Also, I got donkey kicked about 600m with a bruised eye..
I reviewed my blog from the previous year's similar event, and 11 minutes extra in the water. Yes, I am still considerably slow but much improvement has been made. This includes a 23k bike ride over Tai Po Road before the race started.
But it is not just the swim that I was faster. My bike time increased by over 4 minutes and the run by a whopping 30 seconds per kilometer with a consistent 4:14 average.
I however did get lapped by the stronger athletes, but considering that I've been only doing this for a year. I am happy with my results.
For those who think they could have tried a little harder today. No worries, commitment and desire will prevail!
It's been a few months since I've competed in a local race. This triathlon race has a unique format of super sprint times 2: 300m swim, 12km bike, and 3km run. The week earlier I had a nasty cold virus which prevented me from exercising about 6 days. On top of that, the night of the race as I was retrieving my bicycle from the window, I stepped down hard onto an electric plug. I drew blood and it really hurt. Luckily in the morning, I was able to walk on it and only penetrated near the arch.
Although I doubt that I really save much time, I decided to wear Vibram Five Fingers throughout the race without changing in transition. Actually, I'm glad I did because my sore at the bottom of my feet was stinging when I entered the water. The transition between the bicycles seemed around 200-300 meters and being in barefoot on the stony asphalt would increase my chance of more issues with my feet.
Unfortunately, since the waves are spread out so much to accommodate the traffic, our age group start would be at 8:40AM. This meant a hot/humid run for the second leg. I biked over from my house to the starting line which takes around an hour (35k). I've raced over here multiple times so I knew what to expect; although the second time would be much slower.
Swim (7:11; 24/47)
The swim started in the water supposedly behind the pier. I enjoyed this swim because it was relatively quick. Once again when I exited the water, I wasn't last. Out of the water, I was able to pass around 16 people in my squishy VFF. I put away my camera and quickly went off on my cervelo.
Bike (25:16; 16/47)
This bike leg, I felt pretty fresh and was able to increase my place by 8. The first turn around came quick and I saw an injured guy on the road. I also had to slam on the brakes!
Run (17:14; 13/47)
The run leg, I felt pretty good as well but tiring at the end. I was able to pass another 3 people. But, once I hit the water.. I felt really sluggish. At the point, I was only 7 minute back from the winner Luke Wimbush.
Swim #2 (10:31; 17/47)
I lost a lot of steam on the second swim. Adding an additional minute per 100m. I also didn't have the camera for the second swim. I did notice and confirmed with others that there was definitely an increase in current.
Bike #2 (29:27; 17/47)
Usually I'm able to pick off some riders, but with the age group competitors being so slim and the fact that I was getting tired. I was able to keep my placement, but was neck-in-neck with a guy named Kevin Lam.
Run #2 (19:39; 18/47)
This is probably the first time I got picked off on the run and lost placement. But, personally; I was happy I could run at all with the troubles I had earlier in the week and the night before. Although, I wasn't able to pass Kevin and he beat me by 10 seconds.
definately more Video and pictures WILL follow: 340 visits in 2 days tells me you want MORE.
subscribe to my videos as I will be going turbo on Ironman - next stop (before I'm 90) qualifying for IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS!
The experience of participating in any triathlon (Ironman Full/Half; Sprint, OD) is all about the ride. Just coming off from Ironman France - 7 weeks later, I felt very strong. I did a string of half marathons, brick runs with speedy 20k loop, and even some sprints on the bike; although I totally didn't go to swimming class. I loaded up on Magnesium, flax seed and other multi-mineral supplements. I felt that this race with all I've done would be under 6 hours. WRONG! 3 weeks back, I had a spill in the rain and bruised my right hip. I went to the physio and she said that my muscle was weak from the accident and couldn't keep my hip aligned causing a clicking sound whenever I bent my hips. Fortunately, it didn't really hurt but was annoying.
Registration
Initially, I was quite concerned about travel arrangements once I arrived at Legaspi which is 80km from the venue. But, after calling them, I was more comfortable to hear that a bus would be arranged. So, I headed out late on a Friday for Manila Philippines and would arrive around 1AM and re-board at 6AM. It's not ideal as I would have preferred proper sleep at a hotel. I couldn't really sleep in the airport, so I did a power nap on the way to Legaspi. After landing, I was really surprised by the welcoming committee. They had the banners and lei in the airport and outside a band with cheerleaders. Way cool. Once arrived, my good friend I met in Singapore 70.3, Ebbie, was able to get a villa at Camarine Sur Watersports Center. It was really close and convenient to registration and transition. I grabbed some grub as I had very little to eat and assembled my bicycle as I waited for Ebbie to arrive. Ebbie really showed me great hospitality and got a car for us to recce the bike route. At 45k, the turn around point, we stopped and grabbed some snaps of us painting the dot M. It was great painting the town red!
Pre-race
I got up at 3:30AM and prepared my final steps. I took my tire pump and other gear to the bike transition area. I went through the usual laundry list. The funny thing is that my run bag was in the bike area, so I removed my KSO VFF shoes out of the bag to save some time. I had nothing in my bike bag as everything was mounted and ready to go on the bike. I was really feeling good about transition time as this sometimes can easily creep up to 5 minutes based on location from the swim and locating the bags. There was a big bullfrog in front of my bike. I wasn't sure if it was the triathlon 'gods' telling me I would have a decent race. I headed back to the villa and Ebbie had some guys from CMC to deliver hot water. It was nice since I could have my morning oatmeal breakfast. Afterwords, I did a double check on the bike setup and then headed to the man made wake-boarding lake.
Swim (0:53:43)
The swim is comprised of two segments. The first lake is bigger and at a distance of 1.25km; and the second being smaller was 550m meters. I saw a lot of swimmers holding onto the ropes while swimming. As usually, there was much jostling for space; but it wasn't just at the beginning but the whole race. Many swimmers seemed to constantly push on my legs and feet. My camera wasn't really adjusted properly, so I wasn't able to finger out anyone particularly - next time; I will make sure and create a most wanted for swimming worse than me. Once I came out of the water, I completed the first lake in 34 minutes. Doing the math, it would be another 15 minutes until I completed the second, or that's what I would think. The second lake was really murky and brown. There were a few times where my hands could touch the sand, I think it would have been faster walking.. It turns out my total time was 53:43 minutes. Boo hoo. I will blame it on my go-pro and my ability to swim like a rock! As a note, my pool time without wetsuit is around 45:00 minutes...
T1 (1:45)
This required only belt and helmet, no transition bag. Off I went...
Bike (2:48:56)
The transition into the bike segment was great. Under 2 minutes to get my stuff and onto the bike. The initial road out has a lot of twists and turns, but once outside of the complex, it was easy to keep the speed. The weather looked good with a cloudy overcast. I was really happy with my first 20km. Kilometer #4/#5 were exceptionally fast (maybe downhill); both under 1:40km/hr. The next 10km has somewhat a uphill to it and I was 30km/hr for most of it. The next part until hitting back to the small hill was on average 1:55km/hr. I remember a lot of back-and-forth between the other cyclists. During this part it was heavy rain all the way through. Somewhere around 60km, my garmin turned off. I mean - come on... This is a race and it's the 310XT - water proof but not with rain? Anyways, everything changed after 80km: I decided to start overtaking a guy in front and headed toward the middle of the lane. I saw another cyclist 100m in front on the other side of the road and didn't take too much of thought until my wheel hugged the uneven slope in the middle of the road. It kept on hugging and I tried to get out of the 'groove', but I couldn't hold on and the bike tilted left. Take a look at the video! I think it should explain what happened next.. It appears after I fell, as it should be obvious; my time was around 30km/hr on a very flat final finish. I did have a small abrasion on my left hip and arm, but no blood. Overall, I am glad that the fall went so smoothly. But, that's what it's all about - triathlon is about overcoming problems and moving on with your life.
T2 (1:50)
Transition here was seemless. It didn't take too long to put on my KSO Vibram Five Fingers. I decided to use this version of VFF because the sole is a bit thicker and I heard that there were some dirt roads meaning more rocks. I am glad I did!
Run (2:22:26)
The run went rather good for the first 10km. My first split was 4:30, which is pretty fast. I told myself to slow down and overall maintained around a 5:30/km for the next 9km. Then I smelled trouble.. my quads above the knee were in spasms and I had no salt because it was washed out by the torrential rain on the bike. Next time I will make sure to carry more than required salt tablets. My time slowed down ferociously to a walk-shuffle pace. There were plenty of drinking stops; every 1.5km and the local crowd was quite amusing especially them shouting out 'camera'. At the end, I passed a local Hong Kong triathlete woman that I wouldn't expect to beat. I guess she was having a harder day than I.
Physiotherapist
I went to see the therapist 5 days later to fix my injury to the right hip. Wow, it's cool to know about your body... It appears from the fall, it created some stress on my lumbar area - this is probably the reason why I my shoulder became very tired after 12km. So, the fall had an impact on my performance... Sometimes finishing is considered a WIN.
Epilogue
Camarine Sur Water Complex is a great venue. I would definitely do it again and beat my time. I was really hoping to get low 5:30-5:45. Hey~~ I'm cool with my time. That's the great thing about being a wannabe professional amateur triathlete. (This is someone who trains like a professional, but has no pressure from sponsorship)
- JoggerJoel
Also congrats to those who participated from Hong Kong...
