As predicted Syracuse IM 70.3 was a learning experience for the young bull. TP was able to put together a good race but not quite good enough to take down the old bull. It's all about the run.....
Out of 1,610 finishers on the day, I was able to place 442 overall. I had to dig out of a hole getting out of the water in 971st place with a time of 42:04 which is a 2:00 100M pace, my average in the pool. My PR is a 1:45 100M pace in Australia. I struggled during the T1 as I could not feel my hands or feet, numb from the swim. The water temps were lo 60's at best. I actually think that I was becoming hypothermic as my motor skills out of the water were lethargic.
On the bike I began climb back up the ranks with a 19.8 MPH pace on a hilly Syracuse landscape. It wasn't the hardest bike course, however it wasn't the easiest either. Top speed was a little over 52MPH on a misty 1/4 mile descent. With an overall time of 2:49 coming off the bike I was 476th overall and my T2 was brisk 1:46. Speaking of brisk, I never felt my toes on the bike as they did not thaw out from the swim. It actually was about at mile 4 or 5 on the run that I got back feeling in my feet, except for my last 4 toes on my left foot which remained numb the entire day.
With my ever unreliable spotter on the course attempting to provide me scouting advice on the young bull it looked like I was about about 35 minutes behind total time and clock time 23 minutes or so. Or at least that was my glycogen deficient calculation, which on my worst day is better than my ever unreliable spotter.
I came off the bike and ran the first 2 miles hot, which served me up a nice full abdomen set of cramps. This forced me to take very shallow breaths at which time I decided to walk and get my HR down and take deep breaths, pushing out my diaphragm to rid me of the cramps. It actually did the trick - a minute or two investment - paid dividends as I picked back up my pace. At mile 6ish my spotter told me that I was still 23 minutes behind the young bull - race time - not total time - which made no sense to me other than all I could think is that the young bull had decided to go for it early in the run. I was confident that if he was pursuing this strategy that he would inevitably blow up and be reduced to a slow walk at some point around mile 8 or 9 and I would surely catch him.
My strategy at mile 6 was simple - run as fast and as hard as I could without blowing up. 6 miles in the scheme of things was a 45 minute drill in my mind - and surely i could push it to the limit for 45 minutes. In the end I ran a 7:46 mile pace on a hilly run course that was touted as a flat or downhill course - which was absolute bullshit - Young bullshit!! My run place was 321 overall out of 1,610 finishers, top 20%, good but not great.
At the end of the day I finished at 5:22:47, while the young bull completed his first 70.3 in 5:38:45 - not bad for a swimmer. The weather conditions were overcast, light drizzle on the bike and overcast 60's low 70's on the run - perfect conditions for a good old fashion upstate NY ass whoopin!!
So like the song asks the question .......... Where do we go from here ..........? My answer San Francisco on another young bull hunt :)
Daley if you're reading this ........ you better be bringing you're A game to the North Face Endurance 50 mile Trail Race. This distance isn't for boys ......... there is a good deal of strategy involved. To boot, nutrition and mental discipline plays a major role. Go hard early, pay dearly for it late in the race ......... don't go hard enough you may not be able to make up the time to catch me ........... eat too little you'll create an unrecoverable glycogen deficit.............eat too much you'll get to see your nutrition on your shoes......a lot to consider. Having successfully completed the Silver Rush 50 Trail Race in Leadville at an average elevation of 11,000 feet I've gone the distance and have a good idea just how hard to push it.
Lot's to think about........and so little time.
Headed out for a run.......
Cheers!!!!
GREAT PICS:)
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