Houston Area Triathlons (and duathlons) - 2015

I'm in the process of updating this list. If you see a 2015 date, it's been updated. Many date for the tris later in the year just haven't been set yet, but they are typically the races are on or about the same weekend. The only big change so far is that the Sugar Land is much earlier.

When I first decided to get into triathlons, I found it hard to find a complete listing of Houston area triathlons. Some sites will give you all of Texas, but Texas is big. Nothing was as good as the Houston Running Calendar site is for runs. So below are races within a 40-50mi radius of downtown Houston.

As you can see there is something almost every weekend outside of the winter. Of course, if I forget something, feel free to comment.

• March 1st, 2015 - Du the Polar Bear - Bear Creek Park in West Houston - Duathlon (2mi R / 15mi B / 2mi R) - Outloud Productions
• March 28th, 2015 - No Label Triathlon - (300m PS / 14mi B / 3mi R) - Finish at the No Label Brewery - I Tri Events
• April 4th, 2015 - Tri-Color Super Sprint - (200m PS /8mi B / 2mi R) - Fulshear TX - new for 2014
• April 12th, 2015 - Kemah Triathlon - Olympic and Sprint (600m S/ 12.8miB / 5k R) - OnUrMark Productions
• April 26th, 2014 - Galveston Ironman 70.3  - Half Ironman - Be prepared for the wind - WTC
• May 2nd, 2015 - CB&I -  The Woodlands - (500m S / 15mi B / 5k R) - Woodlands Township
• May 3rd, 2015 - Memorial Hermann Sugar Land - (300m PS / 10mi B / 3mi R) - One of the long standing tris in the Houston region - Andy Stewart
• May 9th, 2015 - Springs Back - Olympic & Sprint (400m S, 15mi B, 5k R) - Fushear TX - - I Tri Events
• May 16th, 2015 - Ironman Texas - The Woodlands - WTC
• May 31st, 2015 - Tejas - Sugar Land - (600yd S, 12mi B/ 3mi R) - Outloud Productions
• July 12th, 2015 - Shadow Creek Ranch - Pearland - (500m S / 16mi B/ 3.2mi R) - Troika Promotions
• July 13, 2014 - Texas Tri Star - Montgomery (300m PS / 10mi B / 3mi R)
• July 27th, 2014 - Jeff & Brede's Intergalactic - Katy - (300m PS / 12miB / 5k R) - Houston Racing
• July 26, 2015 - Cypress -(formerly Bridgeland) Sprint (500m S / 12.8mi B/ 5k R) - OnUrMark
• August 23rd, 2014 - Clear Lake - International (1.5km S / 46k B/ 10k R) and Sprint (0.5km S / 23k B / 3.4k R) - Outloud Productions
• September 7th, 2015 - Towne Lake - Cypress - Olympic and Sprint (400m S/ 12.8mi B/ 3.1mi R) - OnUrMark Productions
• September 14th, 2014 - Onalaska Half - Half Ironman, Onalaska, TX - I Tri Events
• September 19th, 2015 - Triathlon Grand Prix - Angelton, TX - (two loops of: 250m S / 4.76 mi Bike / 1.42 mi Run)
• September 21st - Hannah's Tri (formerly Houston Oaks Tru Tri) - Cypress - (300m S / 12mi B / 5k) - This race was new for 2013 but is now postponed indefinitely- Tru Tri Sports
• September 22nd - Galveston 5150 - Olympic and Sprint (400m S/ 12.5mi B/ 3.1mi R) - Same course location as the Ironman 70.3 in April - WTC
• September 29th - Katy Firethorne - (500m S, 13.7mi B, 3mi R)
• October 4th, 2014 - Du the Bear - same as the Du the Polar Bear in Feb
• October 12th, 2014 - Oktoberfest - Olympic & Sprint (400m S, 15mi B, 5k R) - Fushear TX - I Tri Events
• October 18th, 2015 - Try Andy's Tri - Sugar Land - (300m S / 10mi B / 3mi R) - same bike and run course as the Sugar Land tri in June, but has an open water swim instead of a pool. Andy Stewart
• October 25th, 2015 - Fairfield Tri - Cypress - (300m PS / 10mi B / 5k)
• November 1st, 2015 - Oilman - Lake Conroe - Half-Ironman - Be prepared for hills - Outloud Productions

Notes

• Race information is structured as follows: Date - race - general location (if not obvious by race name), distance, comments and production company.
• Pools swims are denoted by PS.
• WTC = World Triathlon Council

First Half Marathon

On Sunday, I completed my first half marathon, the Houston Aramco Half Marathon, which was part of the Chevron Houston Marathon. So me and 25,000 other people raced that morning.

My race goals were like Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs. First, don’t poop my pants. Next stay injury-free, then finish, then 2:15, then 2:10. Originally 2:00 was a stretch goal, but in recent training I realized that it was not achievable. I think I’ve actually gotten slower over the last year – less speed training, and less training volume overall. So my plan was to run at a 10 min/mile pace for about 9-10 miles and then try to speed up for the last 5k, which would put me at about 2:08. The plan began well: the first 5k was at 10:01, then 10:06, but at mile 7, my legs started getting heavy and my feet were getting sore. I just couldn’t keep up the pace. Come mile 10, I really wanted to speed up, but couldn’t. I wasn’t out of breadth but just couldn’t move my legs any faster. I’ve read this is because:  “When muscle glycogen stores fall low late in long runs, the muscles rely increasingly on breaking down their own proteins to provide an alternative fuel source.” Continued long-distance running will help train my body to conserve glycogen.

 

I got more long runs in compared to 10 for TX, where I got only two runs longer than 8 miles.  Since 10 for TX (October 11^th), I did following distances twice:  9, 11, and 13. So in 13 weeks, I got six long-ish runs in. The missed weeks were a combination of being out of town, awful weather, and being sick. One should expect that this training level would allow for a respectable performance, but not anything earth shattering. 

While I missed my goal, on the plus side, when comparing my first 10 miles to 10 for Texas, I shaved 7:52 off the time, which is pretty solid. I know I gave 100% both times.  My average HR of 178 validates that (when compared to a LTHR of 184 or a max HR of 195).

I’m interested. One thing I could do is lose some weight. I’ve put on about 10 lbs over the last 18 months. According to sources on the internet, 10 lbs  gain results in 20 seconds/mile slower pace.

Official Splits

GPS Watch (hit lap at each mile marker, withstanding #1)

2014 in Recap

This blog suffered the most in 2014. The year started pretty good. While I was still nursing Achilles tendonitis, I finished the "Du the Polar Bear" dualthon which included the 1st 2 mile split at a pace under 8 min/mile. Bouyed by this result, I attempted a 5k in March in order to break 8 min/mile. While the weather wasn't in my favor that morning and I didn't meet my goal, I did still hit a PR at 25:55 or 8:22/mile.

I trained hard for the CB&I triathlon in May and was eager to improve on the previous year's results. The weekend, I did a practice half-ironman open water swim, and I had been swimming 500m in the pool in about 9:30. And then everything fell apart. On the Wednesday before the Saturday race, I got strep throat. Only partially recovered, I still decided to race. The swim was the only highlight. I still managed to break 10 minutes at 9:54, but I was exhausted by the time I hit the bike. The bike course was shortened to 10.6 miles, but I only managed 18 mph. The run was tough - while the official time was a reasonable 26:47, I am confident that course was only 2.9 miles.

After that, returning from a short break was hampered by the fact that my swim group changed times and location, reducing how much I was able to swim. At the last minute, I decided to race Shadow Creek Ranch triathlon to do it with a friend, but I was underprepared. The swim time dropped to 12:08, the 17 mile bike was at 17.74 mph and the run was searingly hot. I decided that I wasn't getting enough fluids so I walked the aid stations in order to consume more liquids. This reduced my pace to 10:46/mile. Given that a guy died of heat stroke at Towne Lake a few weeks later, I didn't have any regrets.

In June I "won the lottery" to race the Houston Half Marathon in July, so I began trying to get some longer runs in. I started with about 6 miles and was diligently adding 1/2 mile per week until I was at 8. Then I ran with another group and ended up doing 11 miles. While I was tired, I ran two days later and hurt my calf. It was feeling better a few days later so I decided to run. I initially dismissed slight twinges of pain for it being psychosomatic - this was a huge mistake. By the time I decided to turn around, I was a few miles from home. The injury kept my out for two weeks and I missed my most important runs. I was signed up for 10 for Texas and only managed one more long run of 10 miles beforehand. I started out okay, but for the last several miles, while I wasn't out of breadth, I just could move my legs any faster. My lack of long runs result in a 10:56/mile overall pace.

In late September, we had a silly parent's volleyball tournament for my daughter's school. After playing, I woke up the next day with a sore should. I figure it was a movement I hadn't done in a while so the muscle was sore. While I still found it hard to lift my arm a week later, I knew I messed up my rotator cuff.  After not healing in 2 months, I started physical therapy. While I have been improving it is not better enough to restart swimming. This has dampened my visions of grandeur of doing the Galveston half-Ironman in April. I'm not signing up for it if I won't be ready. I did sign up for CB&I again as I imagine I will be able to muster 500m by then.

In the meantime I've been diligently training for the Half marathon in a few weeks. In the last 6 weeks, I've managed 4 long runs of at least 11 miles, getting 13 twice, though I've been very cautious about reinjury. My legs are still limiting my speed at the end, so I'd like to get one more in before the big day.

Lastly, do you know what I got for Christmas? Fat. I got fat for Christmas. The new year will begin with an effort to curb eating. While I've been exercising, I'm consuming too many calories.

2014 totals
Running: 79.8 hours, 393.4 miles (up 39% from 2013)
Biking: 49 hours, 686 miles (down 54% from 2013)
Swimming: 20 hours, 48,400 yds (down 56% from 2013)

Houston Area Triathlons (and Duathlons) -2014

When I first decided to get into triathlons, I found it hard to find a complete listing of Houston area triathlons. Some sites will give you all of Texas, but Texas is big. Nothing was as good as the Houston Running Calendar site is for runs. So below are races within a 40-50mi radius of downtown Houston.

As you can see there is something almost every weekend outside of the winter. Of course, if I forget something, feel free to comment.

• February 9th - Du the Polar Bear - Bear Creek Park in West Houston - Duathlon (2mi R / 15mi B / 2mi R) - Outloud Productions
• March 17th -  C Different Triathlon- Sugar Land - Sprint (500m S / 12.6 mi B / 5k R) & SuperSprint (150m S / 6.3mi B / 1.5mi R) - This race debuted in 2012, but haven't seen info for 2014.
• March 29th, 2014 - No Label Triathlon - (300m PS / 14mi B / 3mi R) - Finish at the No Label Brewery - I Tri Events
• April 6th, 2014 - Galveston Ironman 70.3  - Half Ironman - Be prepared for the wind - WTC
• April 19, 2014 - Tri-Color Super Sprint - (200m PS /8mi B / 2mi R) - Fulshear TX - new for 2014
• April 27th, 2014 - Kemah Triathlon - Olympic and Sprint (600m S/ 12.8miB / 5k R) - OnUrMark Productions
• May 3rd, 2014 - CB&I -  The Woodlands - (500m S / 15mi B / 5k R) - Woodlands Township
• May 4th, 2014 - Springs Back - Olympic & Sprint (400m S, 15mi B, 5k R) - Fushear TX - - I Tri Events
• May 17th, 2014 - Ironman Texas - The Woodlands - WTC
• June 1st, 2014 - Tejas - Sugar Land - (600yd S, 12mi B/ 3mi R) - Outloud Productions
• June 22nd, 2014 - Memorial Hermann Sugar Land - (300m PS / 10mi B / 3mi R) - One of the long standing tris in the Houston region - Andy Stewart
• July, 2015 - Houston - Originally scheduled for 2014 as a new event, with both Sprint and Olympic distances, this has been postponed. OnUrMark Productions
• July 13th, 2014 - Shadow Creek Ranch - Pearland - (500m S / 16mi B/ 3.2mi R) - Troika Promotions
• July 13, 2014 - Texas Tri Star - Montgomery (300m PS / 10mi B / 3mi R)
• July 26th - Jeff & Brede's Intergalactic - Katy - (300m PS / 12miB / 5k R) - Houston Racing
• August 3rd, 2014 - Bridgeland - Sprint (600m S / 12.8mi B/ 5k R) - OnUrMark
• August 23rd, 2014 - Clear Lake - International (1.5km S / 46k B/ 10k R) and Sprint (0.5km S / 23k B / 3.4k R) - Outloud Productions
• September 1st, 2014 - Towne Lake - Cypress - Olympic and Sprint (400m S/ 12.8mi B/ 3.1mi R) - OnUrMark Productions
• September 14th, 2014 - Onalaska Half - Half Ironman, Onalaska, TX - I Tri Events
• September 21st - Hannah's Tri (formerly Houston Oaks Tru Tri) - Cypress - (300m S / 12mi B / 5k) - This race was new for 2013 - Tru Tri Sports
• September 22nd - Galveston 5150 - Olympic and Sprint (400m S/ 12.5mi B/ 3.1mi R) - Same course location as the Ironman 70.3 in April - WTC
• September 29th - Katy Firethorne - (500m S, 13.7mi B, 3mi R)
• October 5th, 2014 - Du the Bear - same as the Du the Polar Bear in Feb
• October 12th, 2014 - Oktoberfest - Olympic & Sprint (400m S, 15mi B, 5k R) - Fushear TX - I Tri Events
• October 20th - Try Andy's Tri - Sugar Land - (300m S / 10mi B / 3mi R) - same bike and run course as the Sugar Land tri in June, but has an open water swim instead of a pool. Andy Stewart
• November 3rd - Oilman - Lake Conroe - Half-Ironman - Be prepared for hills - Outloud Productions

Updates

• October 27th, C Different Tri has been cancelled due to low water levels and won't be planned in future years
• October 6th, Dark Horse Duathlon was new for 2013, but doesn't look like it will repeat.

Notes

• Race information is structured as follows: Date - race - general location (if not obvious by race name), distance, comments and production company.
• Unless otherwise noted, I've listed the 2013 date, though most races happen on the same weekend year to year
• Pools swims are denoted by PS.
• WTC = World Triathlon Council

Renewed Motivation!

There was quite a bit of downtime in October, November, and December, especially when it came to swimming. I only went 6 times in those three months.

I'm training again for CB&I, and I have a new goal; for swimming, under 10 minutes. I was 10:53 last year, so this new goal has given me motivation to get to the pool.  I definitely hit a plateau last summer. As I was training for an Olympic, my swims were often longer slower endurance sets, which did little to improve short-end speed.

I've been focusing on improving my form and improving my stroke rate (which is tied to lung capacity.) Coincidently, I just started reading info about USRPT (Ultra Short Race Pace Training), curtesy of Tim Floyd. I think these faster shorter sets have been paying off (although I wasn't exactly following USRPT protocol).   Back in early December, my time for 550yd was 11:00. I've watched it drop over the last several weeks: 10:44, 10:17, 10:10, and today, 9:47!

I'm not ready to call it go to go. 9:47 in the pool doesn't account for swimming the wrong direction, sighting, and the time it takes to get out and cross the sensor. I've seen the best improvement in my back 400. Instead of dropping to a 2:00/100yd pace, I have been keeping it at about 1:50. If I could maintain my first 100yd pace of 1:35, I could be looking at 8:43. Applied to the times last year, that would put me at 7th/80 for the swim (I was 28/80 last year.) That's motivation right there.

Maybe my goal should be under 9 minutes?  I'm not going to podium, but it is motivating to be more competitive in one discipline.

2013 Annual Totals

I haven't updated this in awhile, but frankly I haven't done much.  I took some time off from running or biking in November to heal my Achilles, but it still isn't 100%. I tried to do other activity in the meantime, like weight lifting, but I enjoy the cardio more. With kinesio tape, I can run at least 3 miles without any pain, and I'm not sure if I have the free time to do the long distance stuff, so I'm not too worried about it.

2013 Totals
Swim: 43 hours, 109,000 yards
Bike: 106 hours, 1504 miles
Run: 72 hours, 360 miles
Other: 4 hours


Thomas Gerlach, a pro whose blog I follow posted his totals. I'm about 25% of the training time and about 15% of the distance (I'm slower!). Given that I have a day job and two kids, I'm pretty happy with that.

Achilles Tendonitis

As mentioned before, I starting suffering from achilles tendonitis starting in late July. I first thought it was my lower calf (soleus muscle) before doing some internet research where it was clear that most runners don't actually get a soleus injury and it tends to actually be tendonitis.

I decided to visit a sports chiropractor, Chase Banks, because I needed guidance on how much to rest, how best to recover or how much I could exercise. I found the visits to be much more informative and helpful than originally anticipated.  After doing a bunch of tests, he linked the real root cause to poor flexibility in my popliteus muscle in the leg, which is behind the knee and is used for unlocking the knees. He also thought it could actually be an injury to plantaris muscle, due to the higher location of the injury, but the treatments are essentially the same.

Overall, I think there were several causes:

• Too much volume - I amped up my training in July. I went from running 6-7 miles/week and biking 30 miles/week to running 15 miles/week and biking 55 miles/week
• Going to fast - I run with a group and our pace put me in zone 3, where my coach had dictated zone 2 workouts. I found it hard to say "hey guys, let's slow down." Of course, I didn't want o go on my own, because it is the group that gets me out of bed a 4:50.
• My shoes - I really loved my Newton Gravity, but after doing his tests, he said I was borderline too inflexible for a 3mm drop shoe.

This Runners Guide to Achilles Tendonitis is a good comprehensive article on dealing with achilles tendonitis. Chase has also recommend the eccentric heal drops, in order to increase flexibility of the tendon as it recovers. He also recommended this Return to Running Program.

I am now on two weeks complete rest, so we will see how that helps. I hate being sidelined, but if I am going to take some time off, this off-season period is probably the best time.

Tour De Donut

The Tour De Donut is a timed charity bike race that supports the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The twist of the race is that for every donut you eat, you get 5 minutes deducted off it. It is billed at 28 miles, but the distance was actually 31 miles.

There are two donut stops, one at the 12 mile mark and another at the 20 mile mark. There, you eat as many donuts as you can stomach and volunteers will mark your race bib with the number of donuts you eat. The volunteers at the first stop were a lot of fun, trying to con you into eating more.  The median amount of donuts eaten was 4, with the average of 5.1. The highest was 30, but the winner had 27. I managed 9 total, which put me in the 82nd percentile of donut eating.

The ride itself was rather well supported, but there is no lanes blocked off. Usually, there were cops at major intersections. At the I-10 / 359 intersection, there wasn't a cop, so I had to sit at a light for a minute or two. The only other interplaces that didn't have cops were right turns.

The course map is below, you started at Katy Mills Mall (near the Sun & Ski store) and headed south towards Fulshear. There was an easterly wind of 11 mph, so the ride east on 90 was challenging. I felt a little shortchange on the wind since the section where I got tailwind was shorter and the ride up from Fulshear was more of a crosswind.

I found myself riding alone for most of the ride. On 359 headed west toward Fulshear, a group caught up with me and I was able to then keep up with them, but it was only for a few miles as I hit the first donut stop and they were doing the 55 mile ride. On 90, I really tried to find a group to share wind duties with, but I couldn't. I would come across a few solo people, but they were riding too slow. One group of three riders decked out in Sun & Ski gear passed me. I desperately tried to hang onto the back of them, but I got dropped.

All-in-all, I had a good time. My post-donut time landed me 12th out of 168, which is far better than I finish in the cycling portions of tris.



Tour De Donut - Donut Race Route



Start of the Race



Volunteers giving out donuts



Cyclists at the 2nd donut stop



Me at the finish

Galveston 5150 (err.. 5000) Race Report

This was my first Olympic distance triathlon. I had been battling achilles tendonitis since late July, so I've hardly ran since then trying to rest and recover. My bike training also took a hit for a couple weeks. I knew I could finish the race, so I didn't want to drop down into the Sprint.

I stayed overnight at Moody Gardens and brought the wife and kids to cheer me on!  The nice thing about staying at the hotel is you can wake up later, unfortunately I still woke up early and then had trouble sleeping.

Swim (or lack thereof)

Due to storms the previous two days, the wind was high (20 mph) and they cancelled the swim due to the chop. I understand why they did it, but there went my strongest part (relatively speaking) and the part I was able to continue training on with the achilles injury.

Bike

The bike was a time trial start. Everyone waited by their bike at the rack and the race official came by and started everyone, 10 seconds apart. We left from Moody Gardens and headed south on 83rd street to the seawall blvd via Stewart. The first mile or so was somewhat technical with sharp turns and uneven pavement. Then you hit a straight shot onto Seawall Blvd (well paved), ride down to Jamaica Beach and do a U-turn.

Wind had sustained winds of 20mph from the NE, meaning the first half of the bike I felt like Lance Armstrong on steroids (or just Lance Armstrong) cruising along at 22 mph. Then we turned around, where it was even tough to maintain 14 mph.

On the way out, I found that I had to ease up to keep the HR under 175 (my LT), but on the way back it was tough to get it up above 170. I would pedal harder, but feel the lactic acid built up in the legs before getting out of breath. I did hold back a little, trying to keep my legs fresher for the run.

Overall, I averaged 17.43 mph on the bike, which put me in 63rd out of 69 people in my AG.

Run

The run was two winding laps through Moody Gardens, which is actually good for spectators. My wife and kids could stay in one spot and see me 6 times.

The first couple miles felt good and time was decent 8:44/mile and 8:54 mile (assuming the mile markers on the race were posted correctly). However, my legs and feet started getting very sore which continued to get worse. My achilles felt fine - it was my legs and feet that were hurting. I wasn't out of breath, but I just couldn't move my legs faster. My heart rate averaged at 177, while my LT is 184.

The lack of running over the last 8 weeks has shown. This was actually only my fourth time running over 6 miles. I had done some 40/2 bricks, but not anything longer.

The best part about the run was that my wife and kids were out there cheering me on.

Overall, I ran at 9:43/mile, which put me in 54th of out 69 in my AG, so I passed a few people.

Overall

I am pretty happy with the race given my injury. Sure, I was 61st out of 69 in my AG and 430/605 overall, but I knew I wasn't going be fast given my lack of training. I finished and I feel my times are respectible, so I am happy. Additionally, an Olympic distance attracts the better racers. If I had done the Lonestar Sprint, even at the same paces, I would have been in the 50th percentile of my AG. I haven't been so tired after a race before and my legs are SORE today. I think I'll need a week off anything.


Race Management

Good, but not great race from an organizational perspective. When I first rolled up to Moody Gardens, there were no signs as where to go. The course was well marked and there was a lot of volunteers, but the communication regarding the weather was poor. They said they would send out emails and post stuff to the website, but nothing ever happened. T

he Expo and the after-party was very weak - I expected a little more for something associated with WTC. Race club tents were not allowed, leaving the after party looking barren. The location at Moody Gardens makes for a nice destination race. It is nice to walk downstairs from your hotel room to the start.

Galveston and Beyond

Galveston 5150 in 3 days! I've been checking the weather report and getting mentally prepared. One thing that this race will inform me of, is whether I want to try for the half-Ironman. The Galveston 70.3 is on the same course as the 5150... you just bike further down the island and run two more laps around Moody Gardens.

My training plan for Olympic distance was pretty intense and I struggled to keep up with the volume.  I know I wouldn't be able to go on a 80 mile ride every weekend AND a long run every week, plus do everything in between.  It's not that I'm lazy, but I want to try to balance work, family, and working out. I can be active healthy by running 5k & 10ks and going on 25mi rides. I don't need to put in 80 mi rides to be healthy. Still the allure of the half Ironman is there, because I feel I could finish it without too much more effort. What's the least I could get away with? We're talking just being under 7 hours. Maybe three, rides 65 miles or more?

While I'm not interested in doing the MS150 this year, I think some of the training rides would be fun. There are a lot to choose from:

 2013-2014 rides: The List
Description of 2012-2013 rides Fall rides, Jan-Feb rides, Mar-Apr rides

Potential Things of Interest

November 3, 2013: Tour de Doughnut (Katy)
November 10, 2013: Bike for Little Heroes (Waller)
February 9, 2014: Bike for Little Heroes (two rides but I like the charity's cause)
February 23, 2014: Sun & Ski Sports Spring Breakaway
March 1, 2014: Woodlands Half Marathon
March 16, 2014: Tour de Houston
March 23, 2014: Bluebonnett Express

T minus 6 days

My first Olympic tri is on this coming Sunday and nerves are starting to build. I've done 1500m+ in a pool multiple times, but I know I'm going to look at the course and think "Holy shit that is far".

I had a good workout yesterday, a 31/2 brick. I kept the pace largely in zone 2, but I was feeling well after the 2 mile run. It gave me confidence that while my time is questionable, I know I will finish.

With family watching for the first time, finishing is my main goal. I originally had a goal of 3 hours, but after my bout of achilles tendonitis, I was trying to forget that, but it is hard. There is nothing magical about 3 hours, but it seems like a benchmark to hitting a respectable number. I think "best case scenario" is 2:50, and worse case is 3:20. There are a lot of variables which could impact this, such as

1.  how well I sight,
2. if there is chop,
3. how bad the wind is on the bike
4. how hot the run is.

I'll actually be pacing my effort based on heart rate, so if I meet those goals, but my time suffers due to wind or chop, then I should be happy.

August Totals

August was dismal for training. I battled achilles tendonitis, my go-to pool was closed, and I spent a week on vacation. I couldn't run and couldn't even bike hard for several weeks. The only upside is that I took the opportunity to get and learn to use clip-on aerobars. I am hoping that whatever I lose (or not gain) in endurance, I can gain in improved aerodynamics. The good news is that I ran today for the first time since Bridgeland tri, and I didn't have any pain afterwards. Run: 0h 34m, 3.6 mi Bike: 16h 44m, 229 mi Swim: 2h 49m, 7,100 yards

The Evolution of My Bike

As I've gotten more comfortable on my bike, I've been able to get more aggressive in the position:



November 2012: As Purchased

May 2013: Partially Lowered Handlebars

  



June 2013: Fully lowered handlebars



Aug 2013: Flipped Stem, Added Clip-on Aerobars

Sep 2013: Bike Fit (before & after), Replaced seat tube to move saddle forward, raised up handlebars on stem somewhat in order to elongate my back. 

Relearning Bike Handling Skills

Last summer, I wanted to get into triathlons, but I needed to get a bike. Rather daunting was the fact that I hadn't been on a bike in 19 years. Yes, my last bike was a fixie with coaster brakes. It was a little daunting to get a new bike. Is the old adage about riding a bike true? Would I crash a lot? Could I handle a road bike with a much more forward body position? I'm glad to report that I still could ride a bike, but I did forget bike handling skills. The first time I got on a bike again, I was a bit shaky and my hands were glued to the hoods. I remembered saying, "look Mom, no hands", but even several rides later even if I attempted to take a hand off for a split second, I would swerve. I could even ride in the drops. From getting the bike, it took 8 weeks, 8 hours of riding, and about 100 miles to attempt riding in the drops. After about 3-4 rides purposely practing, I was able to reasonably go from the hoods to the drops. I was still shaky taking a hand off, so I had to slide my hand down the side of handlebar. It would be about another 4 weeks, before I could even take a hand off for a quick nose wipe, but I was a long way from being able to grab something from a pocket. I got a Speedplay, so I could drink on the go, so I didn't focus on it exclusively. A month ago, I was able to eat food from my "Bento box" while riding. A week ago, I tried just using a regular bidon in the downtube cage - so pickup, drink, and put back. Today, I successfully grabbed a bidon from my seat tube and refilled my Speedplay, all on the go. It feels great to re-obtain mediocre bike handling skills. I feel like a baby who learned how to walk. So why is this important? For one, safety. At first I couldn't signal or let other riders know of a pothole. Second, if I was on a longer ride, like an Olympic distance triathlon, I'd have to physically stop to refil my Speedplay from another water bottle, which could be a huge time drain. Granted, I am going slow while refilling or drinking (10-12 mph), but this is much better than having to stop. Lastly, I can try out aero bars, something I thought would be impossible for me. It took 80 rides, 77 hours, and 1,100 miles, but I am ready for aerobars!

The Effect of Temperature on Running Pace

Despite 3 more months of training, I have not replicated my PR 5k time of 26:34 at the CB&I triathlon. I think the weather is largely to blame. CB&I was perfect running weather... probably 55 or so by the time I started running. Despite a best effort over the weekend, I only managed 28:58. This was a drop in pace of 0:50/mile. The heat was tough. The weather at run time was 85 F, but it felt like 95 F (that is what the weather report said it felt like, not just me).

How much doesn't the weather impact run time then? My heart rate for the run averaged at my Lactate Threshold of 184, so I don't feel like I was slacking. An online calculator shows a change of 0:19/mile from 60 F to 85 F and only goes up at total 0:27/mile at 95F.

What about real life data? I compared participants in the 30-44 male age groups from CB&I to Bridgeland. Including myself, there were 38 people that did both races. The median differential was 36 seconds per mile, with the 20th percentile at 18.4 seconds and the 80th percentile at 50.6 seconds. As with any statistics, there are outliers on both ends, but you never know the circumstances: e.g., if someone had stomach cramps at CB&I.

So real-world data indicates a higher impact of temperature than the calculator. Is the calculator wrong? Well, maybe the study that produced the data for the calculator only included only professional or elite athletes, who may have higher tolerance to the heat, or a variety of other reasons. My 50 seconds may be higher than the average, but it's not tremendously out of line, and doing this comparison has made me feel better about it.

Race Report: Bridgeland Triathlon

The Bridgeland triathlon was a 600m open water swim, a 12.8 mi bike, and a 5k run. It was originally billed as 550m/13mi/5k, but there was some last minute changes.

Swim: 12:56 (2:09/100m)

This was my first open water swim since CB&I back in May. I was in a later wave, so I didn't start for 32 minutes after the pros went off. Overall, the swim went pretty well. A couple times I found myself significantly off course, but since I sight rather frequently (about 14 strokes - counting both arms), I don't think I added too much distance. I did start to get hot at about 300-400m or so. The water was warm, the sun was coming up, and the swim cap keeps the heat in. I tried drafting once or twice, but it was a failure. The visibility in that lake is about 0.00001mm, at best, so that made it harder. The water was warm, so I started getting hot after about 300m, with the swim cap on. My time was 0:02/100m faster than CB&I and my time was a little outside of the top 3rd for my AG which was very consistent to CB&I.

T1: 2:42

The ground was a bit muddy from rain the night before, so I took a few seconds to wipe off my feet. Overall, though I didn't make any major mistakes. This race had a longer run in transition to my bike, which increased my overall time. GPS data shows that I was at my spot for 1:18, but I barely eeked into the top 75% of my AG. I need to work on this.

Bike: 41.28 (18.5mph)

I was happy with the bike. Per my coaches instruction, I was to not go too fast the first couple of miles. After that I was usually over 19 mph for most of the ride. Sometimes my mind would wander a bit and I would slow down slightly, so perhaps I need to focus more. At Sugar Land, I hammered the bike as hard as I could and average 19.3 mph, but I thought that was a cause of my poor run, so I deliberately spun at a lower gear before the finish for longer. I definitely felt like I could have continued at that pace for longer, so I'm feeling more confident for Galveston. Despite an improvement of 1.7mph over CB&I, I was still one of the slower bike - 100/129, but it was an improvement of 5 percentile.

T2: 1:39

Per my GPS, I only spent 39 seconds at my station, the rest of the time, I was running.

Run: 28:58 (9:19mi)

Chesty Puller said that "Pain is weakness leaving the body." Well, a lot of weakness left today. My run time was 2:24 slower than my PR, but it hurt the entire time. The weather was brutal. My wave was one of the last, so starting a half hour later in Houston in August is the difference of 3-4 degrees. According to the weather report it was about 84 for the run, but it "felt like" 95F, and yes it sure did. I normally run at 5:15 in the morning before work, which is usually the coolest part of the day and is about 76 and no sun. I found heart rate training to be helpful here. I know my LT was 184, and if I could stick to that, then I knew I was actually putting in a good effort and I didn't have to question whether I was "wussing out" over the heat. What to do differently? Carry my own freezer pack? I wonder if I could keep some freezer packs in a small cooler, and then grab them on the run. Twice on the run, there was someone with a hose which was helpful, and at the Mile 2 station, they handed out iced sponges. Both of these were welcome reliefs, but I could have used more. My relative rank in my AG was right at the same, so many must have been impacted by the heat.

Total: 1:27:45 Overall I was pretty happy with my performance - 78/129 - very consistent with CB&I. Despite the heart rate data, I still question whether I could have done better on the run. I'm sure every athlete does. At least for me, it's not like I'm getting 4th and miss the podium by 10 seconds. I'll keep striving for improvement, but it does ease that anxiety knowing that I am just comparing the difference between the 60th and 55th percentile.

July Totals

July is done and I hit my highest totals ever by a long margin: thanks to getting a coach and her setting an aggressive training plan for an Olympic distance. Swimming would have been a record had the pool not been closed this week (and next month) for maintenance. Some of the bike was on a trainer, but based on data riding outside, I can calculate distance based on time and heart rate.

Swim: 5h 29m, 15,060 yds (record: 16,528 yds)

Bike: 14h 20m, 213.6 mi (old record: 146.5 mi)

Run: 9 1m, 50.2 mi (old record: 38.3 mi)

The Benefit of a Coach

I recently started a training plan with a coach. I sat on the fence for a while but I have an Olympic distance race coming up and I was adrift. I had a feeling I wasn't doing enough volume, but I didn't know how much to do.

1. Pushing you to higher volumes
2. Giving guidance on the right paces or intervals to do different workouts at
3. Accountability - the coach can look at your data from your GPS watch and know if you are slacking
4. Accountability - you are paying for it.

 

Pre-coach average weekly volumes:

• Swim - 3000 yards
• Bike -  30 miles
• Run - 7 miles

 

 Coach prescribed volumes (approximate as it varies by week):

• Swim - 6500 yards
• Bike - 90 miles
• Run - 18 miles

Bike Wheels & Tires: Speed Improvement

 

So my bike, a KHS Flite 300, came with Kenda Kontenders and Quasar Q2 wheels. Professional reviews gave decent marks to both, but I was curious as to how much difference upgrades. Were we talking 0.1mph or 1.5 mph?

 

I started doing some internet research, learned about rotating weight vs static weight, the coefficient of rolling resistance, etc. It lead me to conclude that the benefit would be much more than 0.1 mph.

 

I  made three changes:

• Lower handlebars on stem - improve aerodynamics
• Bought Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheel - reduce rolling weight. The alternative would be a more aerodynamic wheel that isn't necessarily lighter. Even though I live in a flat area, where a more aero wheel might be more preferred by many, since I am a bigger guy, a low-weight wheel would offset my disadvantage when I am on hills.
• Bought Mavic Griplink/Powerlink tires - reduces rolling resistance

 

Overall, I reduced the weight of my bike from 23lbs 5 oz (w/o saddle bag) to 21lbs 8oz, a drop of 1 lb 13oz!

Results
At my race in May (15 miles), I rode at 16.8 mph. In June (10 miles), it was 19.3 mph. I would say 0.5 mph was due to the lowered handlebars, 0.5mph were due to the shorter course and training in between races, and 1.5 mph was due to the wheels and tires.

 

Reference:
http://www.rouesartisanales.com/article-1503651.html
http://www.biketechreview.com/tires_old/images/AFM_tire_testing_rev9.pdf

Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Triathlon

The Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Triathlon consisted of a 300 meter pool swim, a 10 mile bike, and 3 mile run. The race sees a wide range of participants from professionals to first timers.

Swim (5:58)

I had done some recent time trials at 5:52-5:53, which was quicker than the 6:15 that I put down on the entry form, so I was expected to pass some people. I caught the woman in front of me within the first 30m, then I caught three more people over the course of the swim. I was originally worried about passing and the potential for head-on collosions. I did see one almost head on collision while waiting to start, but it was always clear for me. I touched the person in front of me's toes and then I sighted to make sure it was clear.

My time was 5:58, but that includes getting out of the pool and dealing with other swimmers, so I was very happy with the swim.

The biggest problem was getting under the lane lines. I had practiced this beforehand, but it didn't go according to plan. The first lane crossing, I had caught another woman at the wall, so we were both trying to go under at the same time. There was also less of a grip at that side of the pool, which messed up my second try.

T1 (1:53)

Everything went smoothly this time, except that I forgot to put on my 2nd bike glove. It didn't end up bothering me. I also didn't hit the button to end the "transition" period on my watch, so I didn't get any bike data. 

Bike (31:05 - 19.3 mph)
It felt really good. I was 16.8 mph in my last race so this was a huge improvement, at largely due to some bike changes: lower handlebars, new wheels and tires, as I had only rode 175 miles since. I passed probably 15 people, while only about 5 passed me.

Based on my run performance, perhaps I over did it. I thought I could hammer throughout the race since it was shorter - so I was pushing the pace, riding out of the saddle up hills, etc. I probably need to do more bricks to figure out how hard I can go on the bike and still run effectively.

I also normally spin out at a higher cadence prior to hitting the bike in, which helps to clear blood from the legs, but I was caught off guard - I turned a corner, and there it was.

T2 (1:29)
Except for racking my bike on the wrong rack and having to move it, it went pretty well

Run (27:38 - 9:09/mile)

The race was going very well up until this point. My legs felt heavy and it was hot. The run was definitely a mental battle, which I wasn't winning.  At my last race under ideal temperatures, I ran at 8:31/mile. I bet I lost about a minute on my overall time due to the temperature and minute because I didn't try to push hard enough through it.  My average HR was 178, which is about 4 less than my Lactate threshold, so I know I wasn't pushing hard enough.