Kansas City Triathlon 5150 Series- Race Preview

Sunday, May 20th will mark my first triathlon of 2012!  The Kansas City Triathlon, part of the 5150 series put on by WTC (the "Ironman" brand), will take place at Longview Lake in Missouri.  I will be doing the Olympic Distance, which officially is a 1.5km swim, 40km bike, and 10km run!

Although not my A-priority race (Ironman Kansas!), I still want to perform well in my age group. With the race being put on by WTC, the top 15 in each age group are qualified to race at the Hyvee Triathlon 5150 US Championships in September.  The "Ironman Branded" race has brought in significantly more athletes when compared to previous years.  Last year, I heard there were about 700 people doing both the Olympic and Sprint distances.  This year, the totals should be almost 1400.  Quite the increase!  And this will be the biggest race I've done!

Packet Pickup:
Packet pickup went really well for me. I purposely arrived at 3:30, in the hopes of avoiding the 'afterwork' crowd.  This was a perfect plan!  There were actually more volunteers than athletes, which is kinda rare...

The packets themselves contained the usual ingredients:  Swim cap, race bib, bag/tote, lots of coupons and other race information, Gatorade water bottle, and T-shirt.  The shirt wasn't "tech", which clearly pissed off some lady in front of me, who apparently was really hoping for a new tech shirt.  I could care less, but they did say they would have tech tees for race participants, so maybe the psycho chick was justified.

I ball so hard 24/7. 356!!!
PS if you are racing and see this, slow down please...

I was more irritated from the lack of information contained in the packets themselves.  If you follow Ryan, aka the Godfather of KC's multisport blogging scene, you are quite aware of the problems with the Race Director/staff communication to athletes.  In the race packet itself, there was no race day information WHAT SO EVER!!! That's just crazy to me!  I've had to rely on a few briefly worded emails from the RD, and their Facebook page!  Thank goodness I spend most of my free time on some type of social media outlet!  Okay, that's enough ranting, but I just hope this isn't a sign of things to come raceday.  I just seems incredibly unorganized for an event this size.

After picking up my packet, I practiced transitions. My girlfriend made fun of me...

Practice makes perfect, daaayummn...

Race Goals:
I have a few goals that I'm hoping to shoot for in the race.

1.  Most Important- I don't want to re-injure my hip... and it hasn't been feeling great since my last 10 mile run on Wednesday... I have been icing, foam rolling, and stretching like crazy, but I'm hoping a 6 mile run won't re-aggravate the injury.  
2. Swim- I would like to see <1:45/100y average, but honestly, I wouldn't be against something slightly slower.  I care more about sighting better, holding a straight line to the course markers, and  drafting efficiently. 
3. Bike-  Although this will be my longest race to date, I would like this to be my fastest bike split at a race.  Currently, my bike split PR in a race is 18.02 mph (average over 9 miles) at the Shawnee Mission Triathlon last year.  The race Sunday will be just under 25 miles, and I hope to break 19 mph, depending on wind conditions and needing to slow down/speed up around other athletes.  I would REALLY like to see something close to 20mph, but I'd settle for 19 mph if it set me up for a good run!
4. Run- See goal 1.  I have a time goal (keeping it to myself), but I want to have the mental strength to back off if I start to feel my hip hurting.  I have a LONG race in June that would SUCK to do injured... Another problem with my specific run goal deals with the amount of people on the run course.  The gravel path the run course takes place on is about 5 feet across, and MOST of the 1400 athletes should be hitting the run around the same time. Could make for some intense traffic jams...
5. Transitions- I will be wearing a wetsuit for the 2nd time in a race, and hope that my first transition (T1) is faster than my first go around.  My T1 time from last year while wearing a wetsuit was 4:41.  I need to be that SIGNIFICANTLY faster. My second transition (T2) usually goes smoothly, mainly because I wear no socks.  Under 1:15 for sure!
6. Overall Time- I need to have a time goal, right?  I'm shooting for 2:37:00.  I wouldn't be surprised if I went faster or slower, depending on what's going on in the race, but that's what I'm gunning for!

That's it for my goals!  I would like to say that I want to qualify for Hyvee, which I do, but that depends on the other athletes. If I do what I know I'm capable of, I should be close to qualifying.  I will say, though, if I see someone in my age group close to the finish, I will be hunting them down... But I definitely would anyway (like a lion...)!

Other than my somewhat achy hip, I feel pretty good heading into the race.  I know finishing won't be a problem, which should allow me to push a bit harder, especially on the bike.  My training has been fairly consistent, and I'm ready to see where I'm at!

Follow me on Twitter for my race status and results!  If not, check back soon for a race report!  

Thanks for reading, and wish me luck!

Westport St Patty's Day 4 Mile Run Preview!

Nothing much to say, other than it's MY FIRST RACE IN 2012!!!!

That's right!  It's the first time I will be having some pre-race jitters since last October!  Ah, seems like it was such a long time ago... The 4 mile race will be the shortest race I've done! (yep, no 5k yet.  Still working on building my endurance! Maybe after the Half Ironman....)

The race will be tomorrow (Saturday) at 10:00am, by far the latest start time I have seen in my short endurance career!  I'm excited for that!  The run course will be taking runners through the Westport area of Kansas City, Missouri.  I have ran through most of the course already, but it should still be fun!

While I'm very excited to get the blood pumping in a race atmosphere, I'm kinda bummed.  My left IT Band is still giving me problems, even after a complete week off of running (but a super heavy bike week, and still swimming...).  Stretching, yoga, foam rolling, and consistently icing have made a HUGE difference in the pain, but I still have it.  So my 'race' will be a fun one, and I will be running with Rachel!

I definitely think I'm about a week away from being recovered, and I don't want to take a step back in my recovery. So I'm content with starting the year off with a fun run, as opposed to the sub 27:00 4 mile run I originally wanted.

Oh well!  In the big scheme of things this year, this race literally means nothing to me.  I'm more concerned with the Rock the Parkway Half Marathon in April, and the looming Triathlon Season!!! Time to get healthy!


Back with the race report this weekend!

Thanks for reading!

P.S. Go Jayhawks!

Waddell and Reed Kansas City Half Marathon Preview!

The day has come!  Well, almost...  Tomorrow will be my last planned race for 2011.  The Waddell and Reed race is my first half marathon and longest running race to date, something that I not long ago thought was impossible.  I set the bar high for myself when I signed up for this race in July, and am now ready to go! And Rach is doing it too!!!

Prior to signing up for the race, my longest run to date was on May 21, 2011, which spanned a MASSIVE 7.93 miles, at a blazing average pace of 9:08/mile.  I remember this run, and thought I had a decent pace.  Now, this is probably around the pace for a recovery run for me.  I am amazed at how quickly I gained the endurance and speed I currently have.  Consistency in training was key, as well as having a good training plan.

Today marks one of my favorite days devoted to each endurance athlete: CARBO LOADING!!! And I do it right!  In fact, I have taken it upon myself to enlist the services of a Carbo-Coach.  Sure, he may be my future brother-in-law, but he know's his stuff.  Today's choice for lunch was Chipotle, and the training plan called for an entire fajita burrito:  DONE.

Mark 1, Burrito 0

Packet Pickup:
Rach and I went to pickup our packets today, and we were both quite blown away.  This is the largest race we have either done, and were excited when we walked through the expo doors.  Clearly, we inadvertently left our self control at the door.  Rach and I both purchased new shorts and a new shirt.  Mine will be making an appearance at the race tomorrow! We got some pretty good deals, and plus, it was payday...

We got there around 2:00pm, so it wasn't too crowded.  We both tried a fitness test for free personal training classes. They were using a TRX suspension training system, which was tough!  I recently made one at home that didn't cost me $200 (future post!), and got a quick lesson on some different lifts using it!  Sweet!

After wondering around for a bit, and Rach and I headed home, to continue the carbo loading! Pasta Dinner tonight!

Bib and shirt (which won't be worn tomorrow), ready to go!
Please note the Beer Ticket.

Race Goals:
My goals for the race are going to be a bit shorter than other races, as I am starting with a pace group.  In fact, my only real goal is to average under an 8:00 mile, bringing my finishing time to 1:44:59.  I'm soooo ready to get this done!  I was really nervous about this pacing goal a month ago, but the Cerner KC15k race gave me tons of confidence.  I know this course is going to have 2 MASSIVE hills to conquer, with one lasting about 1 mile, but hey, this is it.  This will probably be the last race in my first multisport season.  I'm going to "war", and am going to see what MY BEST is on 10/15/2011. And to help with some of the motivation around mile 9, I'm going to remember this is waiting for me when I get home...

Ahhh..... Beer....

I actually think I may see some people I know! I will be keeping my eye out for Ryan aka Man vs Triathlon, Scotty, Reese from BT, Jon, and a few other BTers I am hoping to meet! Hope to see everyone there! If not, thanks for reading, and have a great weekend! Be back with a race report SOONish...

Cerner KC 15K Pre-Race!

Sooo.... I have a race tomorrow....  This kinda snuck up on me a bit.  This week has been pretty crazy, as far as my schoolwork load, but I am actually pretty pumped for the race!  I have had a great September so far with training, and am looking to see what I can do this last race before the KC Half Marathon in October!

I swung by Livestrong Park to pick up my packet today, as I am expecting it to be pretty crowded tomorrow morning.  Pickup was uneventful, as I was the only person there at 1:45 pm.  The bag itself was "lacking" in some of the usual goodies, like samples/gels/coupons.  In fact, the only thing worth mentioning was a $50 "gift card" to the most expensive hotel in Kansas City.  Probably something I won't be using (if you want it, it's yours... GIVEAWAY! haha).

The shirt was pretty cool, and had a similar design to the Topeka Tinman one I got back in June.  I am a sucker for the free tee!

The Shirt!  And it's TECH!!!

Race Goals
The goal for tomorrow is simple:  I'm treating everything the same way as I would the half.  Same nutrition, same pace, same hydration, everything.  But here are some specifics...

• Maintain an average pace of 8:00/mile.  I'm not going to get too hung up on this, as I think it is definitely manageable, but I still want to "feel" like I could hang on for 4 more miles. I never tapered for this at all, so if I need to slow the pace, I will, but at the same time I want to push and maintain.  And I want a strong finish at the end!!!
• Keep foot under control:   Yes, my right foot is acting up again. This same thing happened RIGHT before the North Face 10K, and I still managed a good time and result.  It again started hurting during my intervals, and I will probably get it checked out soon.  I will be trying a metatarsal foot pad to help limit some of the impact. 
• Keep Nutrition in Check:  For the half, I'm planning on taking 2 gels and gatorade the first 9 miles, then water after.  So for tomorrow, 2 gels, gatorade, and see if I can stomach any water.
• Enjoy the run!:  Tomorrow is supposed to be great, weather wise, and I am excited to get a good run in! I am hoping to meet some fellow BTers there, as well as seeing some coworkers! Plus, little Max will be making his first trip to a race! Yeah!

Max's Race day "outfit".  Like the socks?  He doesn't...

I hope you enjoy the weekend, and check back here soon for a report! Thanks for reading!

Shawnee Mission Triathlon Preview and Prep

Had a good day at my clinical!  My supervisor is awesome, she is an avid cyclist and MTBer, and brought me some replacement cleats for my shoes and a couple of new tubes she got from her friends at BikeSource!  I love free stuff, thanks Laurie for the hookup! It definitely got my weekend off to a great start!  I work tomorrow, which is a downer, but on the upside, RACING SUNDAY!

Although not an "A" race, I'm actually getting really excited for the race.  Word on the street is that it is sold out, around 700 crazy people expecting to race!  I know the organizers are probably ready to get the race in, especially after the weather interrupted the completion of the race the last 2 years.  As of today, Sunday is going to be clear with a high of 98!  HOT!  I'm getting excited to tackle the Dam Hill some more. My legs are fully recovered from Scott and I's bike re-con a few weeks ago!  

Packet Pickup-  I went to the Friday pickup at BikeSource, mainly because I work tomorrow and would have missed the pickup at the Park.  I normally like to go to the pre-race meeting with the race director, but just won't be able to swing it.  Packet pick-up was pretty uneventful, other than the guy haggling about the $10 race insurance because he didn't have a USAT membership. They were having a drawing for some things there that racers were able to sign up for.  I entered and am hoping for some ZIPP Race Wheels!  Walked around briefly, Rach checked out some expensive bikes, and I daydreamed about my future Cervelo P4 WHICH they didn't have. Only 3 Tri bikes in the entire place, and all were Specialized...

Packet was standard, except for the sweet tattoos to be worn for the race!  No more waiting to get marked up on race morning!!!  The shirt was TECH, color was bluh, but better than the Heritage Park one from this year.  Also appreciated the Jar Opener (Purple thing below). Random, but thanks Coventry Health!

Race packet, minus the small bag of popcorn... I feasted...

Gettin' some ink Saturday night!

Race Goals:  This may be the first race where I am planning somewhat conservatively, as far as my anticipated goals and pace goals for the race.  It's hard to go off of the Tinman race, especially for the swim (definitely shorter than a 400), and the bike (just read my race report...)  Add decreased training, and I am on my way to an average race.  My biggest goal is to use the Garmin at the race without completely ruining it.  Okay, not my biggest goal, but still important.

Swim:  500 yards, and judging from the race course, it's going to be a 'J' course.  I would like to get the swim done in 8:00, and I think is pretty doable.  My heat is second to last to go, starting at 8:00am, which is an hour after the first heat starts.  Warming up might be an issue...  I will also have to plan on dodging some slower swimmers from the groups in front of me.  Just hoping to get into a groove early and not have too high of a heart rate heading into the bike.

Bike: The plan on the bike should go as follows:  Lap 1:  Get up the dam hill, leave some in the tank, and hammer the downhills.  Scotty and I hit 41mph at one point, and I will be trying to hit that mark again.  Lap 2:  Hammer down, all the way.  I am planning on getting out of the saddle for the second go around with the HILL, although there is still quite the incline for the next mile.  I'm guessing the bike course is going to be PACKED, just hoping not to get hit or be hit.  Time: 31:30.

Run:  I haven't ran the course, but know I have to get up the Hill one more time.  I am guessing it's going to be a tough run.  I am going to push for a 7:30 min/mile average.  And a strong finish! Time: 18:00. 

Transitions:  3:00, some extra time putting on the watch at T1!

Total Time: 1:00:30

Screw that. Under an hour!  Let's do this!!!!