Giddyup

So happy to have that race behind me.  Clearly as it has taken me almost a full week to even sit down & update my blog.  Race was so tough.  I just remember thinking I couldn't believe how just plain tough it was.  During training, the knowledge of having completed 2 other IM's is very helpful but as soon as that cannon fires, it feels like all that goes out the window and you just have to find a way to grind through 140 miles of SBR.  

Sand Hollow was quite cold but thankfully conditions otherwise were perfect - not a breath of wind & very pleasant air temps.  The swim was supposed to be a deep water start but for those of us who took their time getting down to the water, that was not the case.  I was 1 step away from the waters edge when the cannon blew and there had to have been a couple hundred racers behind me.  I had a great swim really.  When I finished, I was pretty disappointed in my time as it was about 7 minutes slower than my goal.  During the swim I felt just fine though.  Only problem I had was numb feet that stayed that way for 60 miles on the bike. Swim was 1:17

Had a pretty quick transition.  Would have even been quicker but I decided not to wear my race kit in the swim so I wouldn't be so cold.  Got out of there in under 6 minutes. 

As there is quite a disparity between the strength of my bike vs. my swim I am always passing people like crazy coming out of the swim.  I finished the swim in 822nd position and I finished my bike in 221st position.  I was riding quick but I wasn't really pushing.  Riding was pretty easy coming into SG and out into Ivins to the Highway heading up to Gunlock.  As soon as we took the right hand turn onto the Highway out there, the road was pretty rough, it just rolls up and up and up (as opposed to roll up then roll down) and there was a massive headwind coming straight on.  Speeds dropped like a rock and I was lucky to make it to 40 miles with a 20+mph avg.  The ride goes past Gunlock res. and through the town of Gunlock then to the town of Veyo familiar to all SG Marathon runners.  Before getting to Veyo, however, there were 2 particularly henious hills.  One was actually short in distance but very steep.  One rider was actually walking it on the first loop.  The second hill is much longer but less steep.  Still though, I saw at least 2 riders walking up this one on my 2nd loop.  Plus, as this hill is a switchback, you made a 180 degree turn at the base of the climb so the wind was at your back for the whole climb.  Once into Veyo, the ride followed the SG Marathon course back into SG.  This part almost made up for all the pain of riding up the backside.  With a nice, smooth asphalt surface, a downhill slope and a pretty good tailwind you could really haul.  Speeds were easily in the high 30's almost the entire 17 miles and even topping out above 50mph coming down the hill above the top entrance to Snow Canyon (mile 15 of the SG Marathon).  Once back into SG, you take a right turn @ Snow Canyon parkway and go do it all over again.  On my 2nd loop, I pulled a move very typical of me and after having forgotten to eat almost the whole ride was famished at mile 90.  I immediately pounded 2 full power bars, several pulls on my ensure water bottle and a whole bag of Powerbar chews.  All very good food but I should have eaten much more to that point.  I drank a ton of water and was good about salt capsules too.  My run, however, was evidence to me that I waited way to long to put down those calories.  Bike was 6:02

T2 was right in SG at the Tabernacle building.  I had a super fast transition in 1:38.  The run heads out and immediately backtracks the SG Marathon course - up Main St., out Diagonal and up Bluff.  They did take you up a short and steep .25 mile out and back before turning right on Red Hills Pkwy and running out East above but parallel to SG Blvd.  There were 2 good climbs before the turnaround and you also had to make a loop through Pioneer park up there.  At the turnaround you just go the same way back into SG and do it all over once more.  I started out just a little slower than I hoped.  I was doing about 8:30's.  I hoped to take a few miles to recover a little, get up the hills then drop down closer to 8's.  I was very steady with 8 to 8:30's for the 1st half but then I immediately dropped down to 10's beginning my 2nd loop.  I just couldn't pick them up and since nothing was hurting or even really sore, it was evidence to me I just didn't have any gas in the tank.  Halfway into the 2nd loop (about 17 miles) the aid stations brought out the Chicken Broth and I could not have been happier.  I was taking at least 2 cups at every AS, it was so good to me.  I began to eat a little more again and by the time I made the climb out of the last turnaround I really felt better.  After cresting the final hill around 21-ish miles I was able to start running again.  I ran right back down to 8 min/mile and maybe below for a little while.  Everything still felt good - no pains or sore spots of any kind.  By then the damage was done though - I kept holding out to tuck in under 4 hours but I ended up at 4:03 for a total time of 11:30. 

Great race - not signed up next year but will definitely do it again.  Was very tough to get all trained up through the cold winter months here.  But it is great to have such a race so close to home now.

Huge thanks goes out to all the volunteers too - there were about 4300.  They really all did such a great job.

Finally getting out for a run.  Everything is working just fine - even surprisingly so.  Can't take it too easy as I've got Ogden coming up.  I'll run on Sat but maybe not before then.  Just a b loop this am.  Felt great.  Really, really done with the cold weather.

Decent run today.  Had plenty of hills and downs too.  Was able to push the pace pretty good but also backed off so as to not over do it.  At about 11 miles felt the little pain in my right knee cap.  Don't really like the idea of a little pain like that so slowed way down and pointed it for home. I'll have to be careful next week, maybe a few short 3 - 4 milers and maybe one a little longer.  Not sure exactly how best to simultaneously recover & get ready for a marathon.

2 solid runs today.  Bridge loop in the am - tried to take it as easy as possible, all parts felt ok.  Not great but ok.

Fort Rockwell loop after work - fastest time ever.  Surprise to me.  Did go out to see where the high gear was and was very surprised to see 1st mile 4 seconds faster than previous fastest time + ~30 seconds faster than average.  2nd mile was another 3 seconds faster - 10 seconds faster than previous fastest time + 25 seconds faster than avg.  3rd mile was quicker than average and usual speedy 4th mile was 1 second under 6 min (although fastest 4th mile is another 5 seconds faster).  Last mile didn't break any records but overall time & avg. min/mile did.

1  6:18

2  6:15

3  6:34

4  5:59

5  6:32

Not exactly sure how far this am - I'll just take a 5.  Ran the shoreline North for a change.  Much more technical in that direction but we pushed a pretty good pace.  Me, D, T, & B.

Easy road run this am - have a couple sore spots in a few places on my legs.  Shouldn't be anything too serious.  Hopefully get in a good recovery today and tomorrow and be ready to go on Sat.

Only 2 words to summarize this race: Fade Out. 

I figured going into this race that I would be solid at least through the half then given the geography, I thought I could stay steady but probably over 7min/mi through 18 until the Canyon.  But I didn't really know what would happen around 19-20 and by that I really mean I guessed I was probably conditioned to have a similar fade as I did last SG when I had run Wasatch 3 weeks prior.  Sure enough that is almost exactly how my race went down.  I felt great through the half hitting it at about 1:30 or maybe 1:31.  Slowed down after that to recover a little and get up the rise @ 14 miles.  Picked up the pace a little to the Canyon but coming down the Canyon and hitting 20 miles, I just couldn't pick it up anymore.  Felt exactly as I did @ SG.  Maybe slightly better as I don't think I faded quite as much.  I held out hopes to stay under 3:10 but I always seem to take for granted how long that .2 takes.  I stopped my watch at 3:11:00 straight up - never saw the official results but I'm thinking maybe I had at least a 1 second net chip time difference.

Just saw overall results - tucked in under 3:11 by 11 seconds for a 3:10:49.  I'll take it!  Surprised to see 12th in AG.

Smoked my Fort St., 13th east velodrome loop tonight.  Didn't have a lot of time so had to hurry - averaged 24.9 for 4 loops.  Weather is so nice now.  Felt good, really pushed to see where I am.

Have had some acute soreness in the bottom, inside half of my left shin 5" above my ankle so haven't run at all this week. Everything has felt fine otherwise.  Ran a b loop this am, shin felt ok but definitely not gone, wouldn't say it has even improved all that much.  Probably the kind of thing that will have gotten a little worse before it gets better. Not really a big deal, thankfully wouldn't really even call it an injury, just soreness.  Just me & D this am.

Probably not the best idea to run 5 miles after 5 days off then run a 20 the next day.  Wasn't really sure how far I wanted to/could go when I started out at about 1pm.  Left shin was still sore but wasn't really bothering me and soon went away.  Took an easy pace and was very consistent with the miles.  Approaching 10 decided I could do 13 for sure which turned into just over 16.  Then threw in one loop around the Draper Days 5k + a loop around the park.  Legs were getting kind of sore so I was glad to be done.  Took an ice bath which I have become a fan of. 

Morning bridge loop - shin hurts...stress fracture?  Hope not.

Not completely sure on the final time as I was trying to pick off one more runner in the final stretch.  Also had no watch for the race as I left it at home so I just ran as fast as I could.  Pleased with breaking 19 mins on this course that has 2 good hills - even though you go up & down both.  Also, was a faster time from the last time I ran this race in '08.

Since I was able to run the 5k on Sat with no pain in my shin, I've dismissed my stress fracture paranoia so I felt comfortable throwing in this 1/2 as a tune up before UV in 2 weeks.  Did ok, was pleased with my effort, but time was 2 mins slower that current flat-course PR.  Wasn't a huge race but probably about 200-300 runners showed up.  Was into 7th place by 2nd mile then 5th place by 3rd mile.  Picked off 4th place runner right after halfway point which was also the only time I was within striking distance of 3rd place guy but he was not going down without a fight.  He stayed very steady and if I had to guess, he was probably managing negative splits as he seemed to be slowly pulling away from me.  

Was a good race - have never placed so high overall and makes the second 1st place AG finish this weekend.