Last year was my first go at the Ridgfield Tri.  Taking 3rd place last year was great but now i wanted more.....  !  On a beautiful sunny May morning the race went a little something like this...



SWIM
-No need to warm up, the gun goes and so do I !
-Draft for the first 200yrds and lose my line just long enough to lose the feet in front of me.
-This would prove to be a key move for this partcular swimmer as he had collegiate swim skills!
-Out of the water 5th place, not great but in the hunt.

T1
-Quick in and quick out with the shoes on the pedals. 
-1min faster than last year where my wetsuit got stuck and I took a "nap" in transition!


BIKE -Excit T1 with 2nd place leader from last year.  Good.
-Pace off of him as he can run but I can bike perhaps a touch quicker.
-Crusiing at high speeds through turns we are both cranking it sucking for air and recovering on the down hills.
-4th place is right behind me and looking good
-1st place swimmer and stil first place biker is the guy to beat 30' ahead.
-Sip some water and gatorade.  Gurggling!!  So hard to drink at a Heart Rate of 170+bpm
-ease up on the bike after playing cat and mouse with #2

T2
-Quick in and out in 35 sec

RUN-Up up up the first 1.5 mi.  I lose some serious ground as the hills slow my "larger" frame.
-Cant seem to find a rythem...
-legs start to stretch out at mile 1.5  just as we start to run downhill.
-I can see 2nd place past for first in front of me!
-Is there enough time for me to run down second from my third position?
-Gut check, here we go it hurts
-Really hurts! 
-I pass and take 2nd place in the final 1/4 mile!  WOoohooo

FINISH
-2nd overall; 1hr 03min 10sec
-Smile : 
-Now I feel warmed up.......  man that was such a short blurr of a race!
-Thanks to my family and support crew.  CONGRATS TO ALL TRISTAR ATHLETES AT THE RACE!!!!

        

Stay tuned for Brandon's race report...  we had to post this because Brandon flew on that course!  He ran 1hr 20min...  geeeez.

        

Run Run as fast as you can!  That's all i was telling myself for my first Selden Half Marathon.  This was my first "race" back after last years Ironman Arizona and it feels good to be racing.  I have been working on some faster stuff in terms of my run and this was a chance to build some early season speed before starting my long distance training later in the year.  The weather was rainy and cool but that didnt slow me down  : )  Click here for results and splits via google maps.

                                                                   13.1mi  =  1hr 21min 32sec
                                                             


Here is how it went.

-From the start I go out fast..... way too fast   5:27 = first mile. But maybe this will be insurance for later...
-2nd mile still fast but better, I can feel my heart rate spiking as I go anaerobic.
-I run with the first 5 guys for the first five miles.  This seems to be going well.
-Crest the first hill back towards starting area and head towards the longer out and back
-Daydreaming I get passed by three runners.  Back to business.
-Mile 5-6 grab some water.  One paper cup full from a military official who says he has run out of water.
-Mile 7 no water here either, and actually no water anywhere on the course!  I can hear people behind me moaning as the volunteer empties her own bottle of Poland Spring to fill the needs of 100s of runners!  Ahhhhh. Good thing it was cool.
-Mile 8 up! up! up! the long but shallow hill...  pace dips to 7:48/mile
-Mile 9 digging in grit my teeth i manage to wave hi to KIM and the crowd only to be passed again by another runner. 
-Damn time to focus less than 4mi to go.
-Find a rabbit (someone to pace off of) and hang on to his feet as I tuck in and run behind him.  Breathing very hard and muscles are sore and screaming! I pass the pacer with .25mi to go
-Under the arches 1hr 21min 32seconds.  A new PR by 15 seconds




                                                  
                                  Final Results: 9th overall, 2nd Age Group. Final Results: 9th overall, 2nd Age Group.

Even though I was coming into the race a bit "heavy" (~ +8lbs) I was happy to pull this one off.  Im fit to run for now and now its time to focus in on Wildflower.

See you soon,

GO TRAIN!

All the best,

Coach Cliff

www.TriStarAthlete.com

        

        

Knowledge is power and power is the driving force for triathletes and cyclists alike.  How we use power in our training and racing will greatly affect our physical ability and the subsequent outcome of our race performances.  The following concepts will help guide your thinking when using the power meter. 

POWERMETERS AND RACING

As a coach I am constantly asked whether or not an athlete should use a power meter to  race an event.  Depending upon the distance my recommendations will vary.  My response has been to train athletes with power but when it comes to raceday trust their instincts and confirm it with heart rate. (Especially so for long course triathlon) 
I am a big proponent of data collection during races and thus I do invite athletes to cover their wattage and rather race with a specific intensity and only confirm that intensity with a heart rate monitor.   Why should this be so?  During longer events such as an Ironman, the long day energy needs must be respected.   A heart rate is a key indicator of this energy balance when considering the lactic threshold and the heart rate at which an athlete can perform most aerobically for a long event.  The lactic threshold wattage and lactic threshold heart rate are not directly correlated and heart rate may vary on any given day and event.)It is the variability between the two that we actually best determine cycling fitness during training and racing. 
Even during training we know generally what power we can hold for a long distance event based on testing.  Yet pacing with power may increase the chances of giving too strong and too early an effort (vs heart rate) or our late stage efforts not strong enough.  Take for example the effect more specifically in a 70.3 event or an Ironman where the heart rate soars out of T1 and onto the bike where an unchecked heart rate can lead to greater energy loss as you try to maintain a specific wattage.  (A constantly jumping and changing target as pressure applied and removed from the pedals can create troughs and spikes in power)  Similarly, once into the ride it may also occur that power again holds an athlete back from their raceday potential.  When you fully taper for an event, you may be capable of more on that day and if you stick to the prescribed power numbers you may miss your true potential for the day!
Another disadvantage to the power meter is that it takes you out of the flow of a race.  The “art” of racing allows you to listen to your body and go for it when you need to and best adjust to the demands of the course.  A heart rate will give you a better global picture of how hard your body is working yet still allow you to put out a good effort without compromising race speed.
This speed may not be realized when using a power meter especially if the course is more dynamic, technical or hilly.   For many athletes rolling hills represent opportunities to ride faster that cant be fully appreciated when plugging in a specific wattage during a race.  Understanding that all “Power is not created equal” on a course will help you to learn where to put your efforts; herein lies the true sophistication of the power meter when used during training versus racing.
So why all the rage with power meters and the touting of their benefits if its not going to help me with my race?

HOW TO TRAIN MORE EFFECTIVELY WITH POWER

-The long ride:  Using power to make sure a steady/easy ride is… well, steady and easy!
 The use of a powermeter during the long ride should really drill into you how to “go easy” and smooth out the profile of the ride. When you ride and keep your watts at an endurance pace you notice hey, my easy ride is easy and this is due to the fact that hills get neutralized and the flatter sections of a course get utilized!  If you keep your workload the same at “X” watts it doesn’t matter if you are on a hilly or flat course you will have a similar effort (Note not speed : )

-How to take a hill:  A difference between racing long and training: 

 As you ride up a hill and note your wattage it is clear that the workload has gone up dramatically in order to carry your weight up the hill. During a race if the hill is fairly long it is best to carry as much momentum from the previous hill or flat into the hill by working the gears, peeling them off as you go up.  As the workload increases sit and pick a steady pace to the top.  However if the hill is rolling go ahead and stand the hill and power over the top of it with a little extra effort.  Note: if you were racing by power the powermeter would not allow you to do this and take advantage of the potential energy and speed stored by your weight carried over and down the backside of the hill. By racing with heart rate you would see that the short time it took to power you over the hill had minimal effect on your heart rate and thus was not as costly to your longer pacing strategy. 

-Gold on the backside of the rainbow: Found on raceday as well as a long training ride: 

 As you crest the top off hill out of breath and ready for some downtime on the backside of the hill, look at your power and you will notice that it was cut in half or more.  Why stop there?  Keep going!  When you reach the top of the hill carry your effort over the top and stand on the pedals putting your weight into the downward section of the hill.  Your weight on the top of the hill represents potential energy that you need to capitalize on.  Any extra “sauce” you put on the front end of the hill will be more costly as the more energy will not equate to greater speeds.  However, gassing the backside of a hill until you are up to speed will hoist you in front of the pack and catch up to any hard workers who wasted their energy on the front end of the hill you cruised up. (This does not suggest dogging the hills but rather approaching them with prudence and strength.)

-Working the dowhills:   No fear and an application for racing and long ride training:

 Now that you are applying power on the backside of the hills you will find your speed picking up.  There reaches a critical point at which the economies of pedaling faster have a diminished return and you are better served to rest and stop pedaling in order to conserve energy.  At a speed of 30+mph on the downhill it would be better to save the energy for other slower parts of the course. 

-Intervals!  Love em or hate em the power meter is your carrot to boost your performance.

One of the best reasons to own a power meter is the fact that with each session you can quantify exactly what you are doing from one session to the next and week after week.   A “watt will always be a watt”, what?  Opposed to your heart rate which may be influenced by many factors, (ie sleep, stress, heat ect) power will always deliver the same reading from one rider to the next and these numbers are measureable and absolute.   During interval training each week you can ratchet up your intensity and see true fitness gains based on the work you are doing in your training program.  One key idea with interval training that is important for those new to power meters is noticing how slight increases in power from one workout to the next (and week to week) does not have to be major!  An increase of 10 watts may be sufficient and increments of 20-50 watt jumps in intervals can be a lot of work. 

-Calibration:  all that stuff about accuracy well…..

If your machine is not calibrated you can forget about most of the sophistication we just talked about above… because your results will be flawed!  Make sure to calibrate and zero your power meter before each ride.  Simple, yes, power-full you bet.
To learn more about training with power for your next triathlon program give TriStar Athlete coaches a call and make your training work for you!

All the best,

Coach Cliff

        

A few weeks ago our little training group of Billy Edwards(www.billythekidtriathlete.com), Carole Sharpless(www.carole-sharpless.com), Joanna Zeiger(www.joanna-zeiger.com) and myself were at the pool doing our Saturday AM swim workout. Usually it is some form of torture that JZ has come up with. Anyway, I am not really sure how it came to be, but a swim challenge between Sharpie and myself developed. I think JZ said that Sharpie could "kick my ass" in a 1500 meter swim. I love it when my coach has 100% faith in me! Probably pay back from when she was drinking something out of an Ironman Arizona glass and I said; "Sure ya can finish that?" Clearly you have to have thick skin in this group.

Anyway, the TIMEX/TRISTAR challenge is set for the second Saturday in Jan. It will be a 1500 short course meter swim race at altitude in Boulder! I am calling it the TIMEX/TRISTAR Challenge because Sharpie races on Team Timex(www.timex.com/gp/node/n/242470011and) I race for Tristar(www.tristarathlete.com).

My background is running and Sharpie is one of those "fish" people. In 2007 she came to support in Kona (she is the worlds best cheerleader!) and was out for a ride with Billy and JZ and had a horrible crash. Broke both wrists and and really busted her already "not so great" back as well as some other stuff. Basically she was messed up pretty bad. Long story short she is on the mend and as the rest of us proceed to get fat in the off season, Sharpie seems to be getting fitter as each day goes on!

Right now we are very similar in the pool. I know she HATES that I can keep up right now! However, with her swim background, I could be totally screwed by the second weekend in Jan. Swimmers don't loose their mojo. They just put it away for a while and with her new found motivation to humiliate me at the Flatiron pool, it is clear she is polishing up the swim mojo to be nice and shinny!

Lets not forget to mention the fact that I think both her and JZ are trying to sabotage me. First, I show I up to our lifting session and Sharpie is all bubbly and hands me a loaf of pumpkin banana bread that weighed around 12 pounds. "Happy Holiday honey!" Then I go over to JZ's for one of our group training rides because it is as cold as witches fart outside and JZ hands me a basket of homemade chocolate truffles. I know what's up. They know I have no self control and they are trying to fatten me up before the race. Clearly it is working because I ate both treats in one sitting. JZ called to inform me that she made more but this time I stayed away from the house! I'm on to you both!

Regardless of how fat I get from now until the second Saturday in January the race is on. I really think that a swim race is a wonderful idea for triathletes. We rarely do that and in my mind you NEED to race to get better. I think we should race once a month in the pool to get that burn and use it as a marker for where our swimming is. Plus, the race has been a great motivator for the both of us. Sometimes in the winter months (I have been in summer for the last 3 years so I am talking out of my ass) you need that extra motivation!

This race is not just for bragging rights. If I win (which I will!!! OHHH!! YEAH!!!) Sharpie has to scratch my head for 30 min while I lie back and make uncomfortable sexual type groans. If she wins (Whatever!) I have to clean her car inside and out. I might just do it for her anyway cuz that is the kind of guy I am....Awweeeeeee. NOT! Take that shit to the car wash and get back to scratching my head! Haha!

Seriously though, both Carole and I have been working really hard at our swimming and general training. We have the best crew and are so fortunate to be living in Boulder. I think we may film the race so I will try to post some clips if we do that. Even if I get my ass (and mouth) handed to me, I know the effort will ultimately help both of our swimming and that is the real goal at hand.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday. I will be sure to post a blog after the Beer Mile and New Years party at JZ's. I have a feeling there will be plenty to write about!

Cheers,
bdc

        

Well the race here in KONA has come and gone. I wasn't very good about writing prior to the race (actually I wrote nothing at all) so I will make sure I keep this short (yeah right).

          
Going into this race I had to be very careful not to mistake what I really wanted to do (my ideal) and what I was going to be capable of doing for where I was with things (my reality). Last year I had a pretty good race and a successful season that included many other races. This year was very much the opposite. Less "success" with almost no racing. Ultimately this has all been an effort to get rid of a long standing injury in my foot. In the end, I think my choices this season have been wise and my race in KONA was a step in the right direction.

The one thing I really noticed this year was that I was much more relaxed going into KONA. I never really got that nervous about it so when race day rolled around it just felt like another training day. In fact, I was actually excited to race because I felt like I had just been sitting on my ass for weeks. And that wasn't even true as my taper was only 5 days. The decision to make the taper short was due to my lack of a season and how horrible I felt in the 1/2 I did a month before where I tapered a bit more. Anyway, I was very eager at this point to get it going.

My bike spot in T1 this year was in the coolest place. I was the first bike you saw when in transition. I had number 97 as that was my place last year. 97 racked first in the isle that was closest to the T1 exit. I was the last male number before you started the pro women (how ironic lol). There was no 98-100 so those spots were left empty and then you had 101 which was the number of the new Queen of Kona, Miss Chrissie. I have the strangest feeling that she won't be handing over that crown any time soon (flat or no flat). Since I was in the age group wave that started 15 min later, my bike was going to be standing there all by itself. I would have all the room in the world and not far to run with my bike.

Before the race I was in the same area that I was last year, right near that giant blow up Power Bar Gel. This year every person in my group had a Power Gel in their pocket due to the fact that I didn't have mine last year. It was kinda funny but nothing really comical happened so I might as well fast forward to getting in the water.

I had decided that my swimming was strong enough where I could hit it pretty hard and try and get in with a slightly faster pack. I swam an hour flat last year and wanted to be in that 57-58 group this time round. My plan was to go line up with Scott Davis and use his feet to get me out in the first 400 meters and then I could settle in knowing that he is ultimately too fast in the water for me.

We swam out and got right on the front line dead center. They had us roped in a tighter line this year so it seemed a bit more crowded than last year. As we all floated around nervously awaiting the cannon I started asking people nearby what their projected swim times were. I heard times that made me feel confident that starting where I was would be a good idea (note to self- it was a DUMB idea).



We kept waiting and waiting and finally I looked at Scott and said "When do you think this race is gonna sta...BAAAM!" That always happens to me LOL! I started swimming as fast as I could. And when I say as fast as I could I am not exaggerating. I felt like my life was in DANGER! Never in my whole experience of triathlon has anything like this happened to me in the swim. It was a disaster. I was being engulfed by people, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't take a real stroke I was fucked. That's the king of bad language- but that's what I was. I tried to stay calm even though I have a huge issue with claustrophobia, HUGE! I began to tell myself "this will only last for another min and then it will clear up. I was in shape so just put your head down and swim". Well that was too late. I started to panic. And when I say panic I mean I started to PANIC. I was gonna be that guy that dies in the swim.

Once that feeling kicked in I stuck my head up, stopped swimming and looked both ways to see which was the shortest way out of this mess. I just wanted out of the swim and to be in clear water. This didn't go so well with the rest of the people in the race as I was now in their way and getting pounded by fists. At least my head was out of the water and I could breathe. I did what I had to do and climbed over a lot of people to get to the side. Once there I had to pull myself together fast or I might pull the plug entirely.

Luckily when I came to watch this race a few years ago I was one of the guys on a surf board and had pulled a pro out of the water because he began to panic. That guy decided not to finish the race and I was now in that exact situation. I tried to get that guy to keep going but he decided against it.

I took my own advice that I gave a few years ago and started swimming at a very relaxed pace and tried to find my breathe again. I was so far away from anyone that it was easy for me to do this. The next two buoys I came to, I passed with them on my left. Technically they are supposed to be on your right but we were going in a straight line so it didn't shorten the course at all. There was no way in hell I was going to go near anyone yet. Plus I saw plenty of people ahead of me do that and the officials seemed fine with it.

Slowly I got my confidence back and found some feet. I thought for sure my swim was now blown but it didn't phase me that much. I was just happy to be calm again and before I knew it I saw the turn around boat. This was a bit of relief but I also knew it was going to get crowded again. Sure enough it did and things got physical. I was fine now and did my best to just let my hands glide off anyone I made contact with. Unfortunately some dick head in front of me thinks it is okay to violently kick his feet if he gets touched. His violent kicking came so close to really knocking me out. I understand that some people swim on you to draft and you can get annoyed but in a situation like this, purposely kicking that way could have really hurt someone (me). There is no excuse for violent kicking. I'm having rubber wrist bands made immediately LOL!

The best part of that swim was when I got to the pier I thought, "Boy, this was a piece of cake minus the panic. You aren't even tired!" In all my Ironman swims I always get out of the water being very thankful that it is over. This one felt like a 1/2 Iron swim.

Transition was SOOO crowded. Last year it was pretty empty but this year it was standing room only. I felt like I got out pretty fast and decided to put all my stuff on near my bike. And sure enough it was just me. I looked like I was a pro that really sucked!

Heading out on the bike was business as usual. I passed a few people that I knew straight away and though "that's odd?" thinking they would be miles ahead by now. Then I passed Mark Pietrofessa in the exact spot I did last year. We both commented on it. The bike was turning into dejavu. Lots of people all riding a very uneven pace.

Out on the Queen K there were draft busters all over the place and they were handing out yellow and red cards like a fat geeky hall monitor on a serious power trip. I get that they were trying to fix the drafting issue but doing it in the first 10 miles of the race is a bad place to do it. There are too many people and I don't think anyone was drafting to "get ahead". This race does need some time to thin out a bit and if we can't achieve that after an hour or so then something needs to happen.

Knowing that the motor bikes were hovering around us I tried my best to stay back from other riders but again, people would jump into my legal zone. It was frustrating and equally frustrating if you made a pass and then 5 seconds later they passed you back. There was a gap between myself and another pack up the road. I wish I had the strength to put the hammer down and dump these guys that were around me but I wasn't willing to do it. We came through the 40K mark in 1:04 and that felt pretty easy. I felt good that I was riding well and then WHAM "Number 97! YELLOW CARD!" I looked over and the draft buster was telling me that I got a yellow card. Me and my big mouth had to say something and turned that yellow card into a red card. It was so unfair. Now I had to stop at the next penalty tent and stand down for 4 min. When I got to the tent I couldn't believe how many people would go by in four min. It was killing me! Not to mention that as they went by it looked like giant pelotons. I was so pissed.

Once I was released all I could see were hundreds of bikes up the road. The wind was howling and I was having a hard time shaking the penalty. Staying in the game mentally was my biggest challenge of the ride. Not only was I now much further back than I wanted, the wind had picked up and I wasn't making any ground. I kept getting passed by people and couldn't understand what the hell was going on. Where was my power?

I climbed up to Hawi at a snails pace due to the wind and was again a bit discouraged when I saw where the riders that I wanted to be riding with were. They were miles ahead of me. The only thing that kept me going was to say that they will all implode on the run.

The decent from Hawi sucked donkey balls! I am so glad that I only had 404's on because the wind was not taking prisoners that day. I had gotten out of my aero bars because I felt like I couldn't control my bike. A guy rode up to me and said to get aero and put my weight on the front of the bike. Good advice but it was Kevin Moats giving it and I couldn't keep up. Kevin is in his 50's and I am being dropped. Fun. Well wait, it gets better! I saw a 70 on another guys calf. Funner!

Clearly I wasn't having the ride I wanted but it didn't "feel bad" I just wasn't going anywhere. When I finally got off the decent and made it back to the Queen K I thought I felt fine so maybe now I can try and put out a little more power. The wind was bad the whole ride and any extra power I put out didn't show. Ultimately I decided to just keep riding and hope it wasn't as bad as it seemed.

The last 20K of the ride felt great minus the issue I started having with hot feet. I haven't had hot feet in ages and for some reason they were both burning up. Possibly the scorching KONA sun?? It was just one of those things that I had to block out. For some reason pain like that works well for me. It helps me focus. I have run some of my fastest runs with blisters that felt like cattle prods.

As I got off the bike I wasn't able to get my shoe open so I just clicked out and ran towards the tent. As soon as I made the turn and hit the AstroTurf I went a sailing! My cleat slipped and I went right down on my side and into a a guard rail. That must have been comedy to anyone that saw it. I wasn't too happy but luckily I wasn't hurt. I took the shoes off and ran the rest of the way in my socks.

The next 5 min were chaos in the transition tent. People everywhere and my brain just couldn't really think. I was happy to get out of T2 but as I started running I had this feeling like "this isn't going to go well." I had to think back to a training run I did off the bike where I felt like passing out and then had some sugar and was fine. I knew not to judge things until I had gone about 15 min. Maybe I just had left over issues from the bike. Lord knows I didn't ride very fast so I shouldn't be that affected on the run.

Things did start to open up for me. My legs felt as if I was out for an easy run. I had my Garmen on so I could tell what my pace was. I wanted to know that so I didn't run too fast. Last year I had a 5 mile section that was really bad. I wanted this run to flow the whole way and not have any evident "dips". My goal was to run 3:05 or faster and not have another IM run in the teens.

I had been thirsty all day on the bike. My nutrition plan went out the window because all I wanted to do was drink Gatorade. I only had 1/2 of my gels but went through I don't know how many bottles of drink. On the run it was a similar situation. I just wanted coke. From the first to last aid station all I took was coke. No gels. Just as much coke as I could get in. I did have some water but not very much. It was a gamble but it tasted so good and seemed to give me a nice lift every time I took some.

As I ran down Ali'i Dr. I was passing people with every step. I'm not sure why all these guys rode so hard? They exited transition on pace to run a 4 hour marathon. But I guess that is what happens when you start the run so far back.

I noticed up the road a pro female that seemed to be clipping along at my pace. I figured that if I caught up to her I would have someone to run with, so I picked it up a tad and settled back in when I caught her.

We were moving along at a nice steady pace. I said hi and we had a quick chat about the race. I asked her if she could keep this pace up and she replied with an enthusiastic "oh yeah". I didn't know who she was and when I looked at my watch I became a bit skeptical of the pace. So I waited a bit and then slipped in "soooo what is your fastest IM run?" She responded with 3:00 and I was sold! This was my girl. She knew what she was doing so I thought I would just run with her.

It was really fun to have a buddy on the run. She would drop me in the aid stations as I was having issues with running fast through them and getting in all that tasty coke. But I would catch back up. One aid station I was able to keep it rolling and we made note that it was my best one yet! lol

It was really hot on Ali'i and my shoes were soaked from all the sponges I was grabbing but I felt totally fine and comfortable. I told my new found run buddy that last year when I got to the top of Palani, things feel apart a bit for me. It came out of the blue so I was a bit tense that it might happen again. She reminded me that we were just out for a run and this pace wasn't super fast.

Once we made it up the hill and started our trek out to the Energy Lab, I realized that it wasn't going to be that far. Last year I felt like it took forever to get there and that it was a never ending road. While in Kona this time, I studied that section of the course thoroughly and found it to be mentally short. That made all the difference in the world.

I still managed to drop the ball a bit. About 1/2 way up I was pounding coke and when I looked up my run buddy was now a bit further up on me. This was my worst aid station and I got dropped. That was a crucial mistake. Once the link was lost it was harder to keep moving. I should have made it so that my life was dependant on staying with her. I still kept it going and didn't loose too much time but she ended up running 3:01 and I did a 3:06. Had I stayed with her I would have been around 2:59-3:00 (I caught her about two miles in). But that wasn't the case and I now had to do the rest of the run on my own. We exchanged words when we passed at the turn around in the Energy Lab. She wasn't that far ahead but I didn't have the ability to bridge the gap.

The biggest issue I faced on the run was the weakness in my hips and issues in my foot. My core has been very week from an old injury that prevented me from working on it and at the end of all my runs (last 4 miles or so) I would feel the hip area break down. Since my longest run this year was only 16 miles I could feel the breakdown happening at about mile 18. I knew all I had to do now was just suck it up for less than 10 miles and I could stop.

Running back on the Queen K went by a lot faster than I thought it would and the only slow down I was experiencing was still from muscle breakdown. I wasn't really "tired" and I knew the pace wasn't fast. Once I saw Palani I knew I had made it. Not only had I made it, I looked down at my watch and realized I just might hit my 3:05 run goal. And if I don't, I will still be really close to it. I was so over running outside of the :00's. No more :10's and above for me!!! It put a smile on my face and made dealing with the hip/foot pain easier. Honestly my feet at that point were so bad I actually thought "screw it. Just run em to the nubs and you never have to do this again." I was in the "negotiating" phase of the race LOL...

When I crossed the line my body was done. I saw my dear friend Linda Bless from Bike Works waiting with a towel. I just grabbed the two closest people as my legs went on strike as soon as they crossed. For some reason, even if I feel great after an IM, my legs just stop. I guess they have that right.

Anyway, the race was not really where I wanted to be in regards to placing and the time was slower than I wanted. But I have to walk away from it knowing I had a good swim and solid improvement on the run. I learned alot form the race and dealt with some of the days adversity well. Now it is time for a rest and a plan to fix some things in the gym! I am actually pretty geeked up to race IM again. The biggest thing I take away from this race is confidence. Something about the distance and pressure of racing it clicked in my head. I think the best is still yet to come!

Thanks to everyone that supported me and congrats to all that raced! It was an awesome time and I look forward to next year!

Cheers,
bdc                                                       

click this link to watch Brandon Finish

        

Hello from Tempe Arizona!

To finish off the 2008 season I chose to race in the desert; Ironman Arizona.  After some average to good performances during the early part of the year I wanted to finish the season sticking a hopefully "excellent" long course performance.

From the end of August through the fall I trained smart,  I trained hard and  I focused on my recovery. The end result a slot to the Ironman World Championships for 2009.  : ) 

Here is how the day went

SWIM 57min




[Photos courtesy of Ryan Scherb Photography.  View: from atop Mill Ave bridge]

-Standing on the banks of the man made Tempe Town Lake, I leap into the 65 degree water and the darkness. 
-Swimming under the Mill Bridge to the front of the swim I position myself dead center in the front and just in time as it took me almost 5min to get there!
-Bang, and were off.  I push HARD for the first 5min hoping to catch the wave of fast swimmers.
-The sun comes up and we continue to swim as a large pack for the first half mile.
-1.2mi and I turn back towards the start of the swim.  Feeling good I relax my stroke and hang in for a good draft.
-2nd half of the swim I continue to back off and keep a solid draft in order to save energy for the long day.
-Climbing out of the water I glance at my watch to see a nice swim time of 57min.

T1 4min 48sec


BIKE  4hr 48min




-Once onto the bike I focus on RELAXING and getting my HR down to less than 150bpm.
-The early sections of the three loop course go by quickly as I work to pass the faster swimmers on the bike
-Turning onto Beeline Highway the wind picks up and is a headwind slowing my pace.
-I put it in an easier gear and spin saving my legs.  (1st loop effort = easy)
-The sun is shining and the conditions seem good. (Wind is manageable and heat is low for now)
-Turning around at Shea BLVD  the wind is at my back and the disc acts like a sail throwing me down the desert valley back to Tempe.  Many sections I am cruising at 34mph!  I'm feeling great and this is going to be a good day...
-Loop number two, effort is moderate and HR is still low.  At this point I pass most of the pro woman and a few male pros having a bad day.  I think to myself..Am i going too hard? (First 2 loops averaging 23mph +)
-I continue to drink lots and eat lots. ~20oz every 40min and 400 calories / hr.
-For a bit of time I ride with Age group legend Joe Boness. ( I rode with Joe last year at IM FL and realize that my pacing is on track. as Joe can bike.)
-Loop #3 I know I need to hang tough.  Climbing up to Shea BLVD one last time with the wind takes a bit out of my legs.  I start to worry that running the marathon I might blow up. 
-the last three miles my legs are feeling BAD and I want off this bike!
-I roll into T2 with a bike time of 4hr 48min!  A tie with my previous personal best.

T2 -2min 21sec

RUN -3hr 24min


-Oh man... the first steps onto the run course do not feel good.  I start really slowly.  
-As the food digests I pick up the pace and start to feel more comfortable. 
-I continue to get calories in sipping from my camelback. 
-Looping back towards transition my brother (Ryan Scherb) and Brandon Del Campo (TriStar Coach) let me know I am the 2nd amateur!
-"Just hold the pace Cliff and keep eating" says Brandon.
-I pull my hat down grit my teeth and keep moving.
-I continue to keep the pace "easy" and shuffle up the long hill on the backside of the course.
-Nature calls and I have to stop at the restroom.  (#1 is no prob while running but #2...!)
-Back on track, grabbing sponges and Gatorade at each station.  My HR continues to drop to 140bpm.  Gotta get it up!
-I push harder and focus on my run form and quick foot turnover.
-Just when I needed it, a bit of motivation Hillary Biscay with a giant smile says "Cliff... your still running!  Looking good!"  I muster up a weak "Thanks". 
-As I pass my brother for the third time he yells, "You are 3rd in your Age, and two guys are nipping at your heals, get moving!"
-The next six miles turn out to be my fastest of the entire marathon!
-As I come to the last mile Jeff Zink (a TriStar Iron guy) confirms it.  "You got it Cliff take it home!"
-On the final mile another friend on this spectator friendly course (Paul Bashforth of True Motion)  high fives me. I manage to punch his hand in jubilation only to hit his watch. Sorry for putting a hole in your hand Paul  ....my bloody knuckle can be seen in the finish shot.  Oops.
-Down the finish shoot, happy as a kid in a candy store, fists pumping I break the tape in 9hr 17min.  Sweeeeeet. Hawaii here I come. 






Post race analysis
-8th amateur
-3rd in Age Group
-Avg HR 143bpm
-Total calories burned 8500
-Calories consumed 3752

Special thanks to my family, brother and many friends who cheered me along and belived in me!

Its a great end to another fun season, for now its time to eat Turkey and rest.  Happy Thanksgiving see you next year!

For more race photos click here

        

ITPMan Sept 29th 2008

For many in the Northeast the ITPman is a nice end of season race.  For me this was the start to my fall build up for Ironman Arizona.  The six weeks leading up to this race were dedicated to some quality speed training in the pool and on the bike. I think it paid off.  My run training leading to this race was behind the ball as a foot injury prevented me from proper training.  Here is how the day unfolded.

Swim
-A cloudy day with no sun made it easy to sight the first buoys on the course. 
-Being in the 3rd wave I didnt get a chance to go with the M30+ (Some faster swimmers) and thus I made my way past waves 2 and 1 minus a draft. (Bummer at least it was a short swim!)

Bike
-All out for this
-HAMMER... and watch out for traffic and blind turns.
-Gasp gasp gasp its all anaerobic!
-At last I settle in allowing capilaires in my arms to shut down and open up in my legs.
-Heavy on the gas as I sip some water at mile 10.
-Pass Tim Walton (Fellow TriStar Athlete - Strong biker) who takes on the challenge to ride strong with me.
-Tim passes me back!  Woah Tim... we are putting down 315W! 
-Into T2 feeling like im am warming up.

Run
-This could be trouble....  legs are firing s l  o  w  l   y
-Up hill for the first 1.5mi
-Ahhh downhill and some gatorade for the next mile.
-Is it me or am i running slow.  Really slow! Like slower than my pace for an Ironman Marathon! Ahhh.
-Just keep pluggin
-On the small loop heading towads home other athletes pass me going the wrong way.  "Where are you guys going?" I ask.  Guess they decided to reverse the loop : )  Same distance, different view!
-All down hill to the finish...  YEA BABY.
-Down to the finish and the lactic acid bath is done.  Good training and able to net a 3rd place finish.  Sweet.



Mom and Coach Clff.  Two Red Sox fans....  one die hard and the other to keep the peace at the dinner table with the rest of the Yankee family!  Thanks for your support Mom!

**Next stop NC moutains to start training loooooooong for IM AZ.  See you Nov 23rd in Tempe.

        

  
The first year of the Westchester Toughman will be known for many things and one of those will be the challenging swim that greeted athletes in the form of a pea soup fog on raceday.   It will also be known for its challenging and beautiful bike course as well as an equally challenging and scenic run course. 



The course sitauted 8miles north of Tarrytown, Croton On the Hudson, was chosen for its protected swim cove and access to great biking routes and a run on a hilly trail course.  Race morning featured a swim with dense fog that delayed the start by approximately 15min.  As the race was underway many athletes found themseleves lost in the Hudson, unable to find the next buoy or even the shore from which they came from.  At several points many athletes in a panick called into the fog asking for help from the Kayakers who couldnt find the swim course as well.
Many athletes abandoned the swim and returned to the start as others swam aimlessly down stream in the current.  Looking at the swim times its hard to tell exactly who did what.  In the end everyone made it out of the water, a little shaky but happy to be on solid ground and ready to bike.

 

The bike course was scenic and challenging with rolling hills.  With minimal wind on the day the bike splits were fairly strong.

     

Run: Lots of differnt terrain made the run course exciting and challening.  With one out and back along the Hudson before heading East uphill to the trail section along the dam and trails.

  

In his own words; Scott Harrison: "They didn't call it Toughman for nothing given the combination of foggy swim, challenging but fair bike and a 'Scenic' run.  This is a 'must do' race for future years.


  

Congratulations to all the athletes and especially the TriStars...!

-Brian Maiolo (2nd AG)
-Stefan Kusurelis (3rd Overall)
-Scott Harrison (3rd AG)
-Haluk Sarci (2nd place relay)
-John Farnham (2nd place relay)
-Coach Cliff (2nd place relay)