tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35018624744506080782024-02-18T23:02:11.248-08:00IronmarcusMarcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-81514464174824949292013-10-07T10:02:00.001-07:002013-10-07T10:02:28.185-07:00A string of good fortuneIt is not often that you get to say
this, but all the gods seemed to be on my side in the Barcelona
Challenge in Calella. The trip, the preparations, and, most
importantly, the race went down almost perfectly.<br />
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During the week ahead of the race, I
felt so calm that I was almost getting anxious about not being
anxious. The only worry I had was a very sore back, which was
probably due to muscle tightness and, likely, a small rupture.
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I had not very high expectations for
the race, because it was clear to me I can't perform much better than
in the Ironman Copenhagen in August. My goal was simply to be able
to do a better run.
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The trip to Barcelona went perfectly,
not least because I had borrowed a very handy Bike Box. Not only was
it much easier to pack, thanks to its four wheels it was also much
easier to carry than the old Natsa bag I have been dragging around,
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Unknowingly, I had some good luck when
my plane arrived in Barcelona late on Friday night. The plane had to
wait fifteen minutes or so before it could land due to some heavy
thunder around Barcelona, but afterwards I heard the planes arriving
later were directed to Mallorca. That would have been very awkward,
considering I had precious little time before the race.</div>
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I tuned in for the race with some short
intervals. There was quite much testosterone in the air, as guys were
outsprinting each other on the bike course.
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As I had suffered from stomach problems
in Copenhagen, I had decided to try something different altogether.
Instead of eating solid food, meat or anything that could possibly be
hard to digest, I ate mostly yoghurt, juice and other liquid foods
the day before D-day.</div>
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My hotel was right next to the swim
start, while the bike park and transition area was located about 1.5K
further north. I decided to try an unprecedented solution, as I
readied my bike in the transition area the day before race day –
and did not visit the bike park in the morning before the start. I
use Vittoria Triathlon tubulars, which remain pressurized for several
days, and I figured I can fill my aero water bottle at the first
service area. That way I could get an hour of precious extra sleep
and time to prepare myself without stress, thus saving energy for the
race.
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It was raining quite heavily in the
evening, but the sky was clear in the morning. There was hardly any
wind, either, and the sea was calm.
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The start happened in waves, which I
definitely prefer to mass starts. I was in the 8.41 wave, which meant
there was already plenty of daylight and good visibilty for spotting
the buoys.
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I felt super strong during the swim,
and I caught a lot of guys that had started in the waves before me. I
get into trouble easily if the water is cold, like it was here in
Calella during the Half Challenge in May, but it was so warm I was
cooking inside my wet suit.
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I could maintain a good stroke, but the
swim felt very long indeed. I thought I would have a good split time,
but when I got out of the water and saw the race clock I realized it
was a disaster. 1.16 was only 10 minutes slower than, for example, my
time in the Ironman Copenhagen in August. Also, my back hurt quite a
bit as I was running through the transition area. </div>
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The winner Sergio Marques had a swim split of 56.59, which is telling for how slow the swim was. Some people said it was because of the strong current, which may be true.</div>
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Before the race, I had made a plan with
my coach Yan not to go as hard out on the bike. Try to save a little
more energy for the run. Yeah, well – I forgot that in the 25
seconds it took to run with the bike to the end of the transition
area and start of the bike course.
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I was flying during the first half of
the first 70K lap, using a high cadence and keeping my aero position.
I didn't feel any pain in my back either. The bike course in Calella
runs along the shore, which means there is usually quite strong side
wind. Except for the first few kilometers, it is entirely flat.
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On the way back to Calella, the first
of the draft trains caught up with me. A bunch of twelve to fifteen
guys were flying past me, drafting each other. I hooked up with them,
but was careful tp keep a 5-7 meter distance not to break any rules.
Anyway, the race marshals didn't seem to mind. Every now and then,
one of the marshals would pull alongside on his motorbike and tell
them to split up, but to no avail.
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It was not fun anymore, and I wasn't at
all able to ride my own pace. Luckily, the bunch split a bit at some
stage during the beginning of the second lap. I was riding alone,
maintaing a steady average speed of 36 kph, until the end of the
second lap, when another bunch caught me. I stayed with them, and
eventually pulled clear of them during the last, 40K lap.
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Big minus for the organisers for not
being able to enforce the rules. It's hard for the competitors that
want to race fair, too, because when you get caught in a bunch you
can't really escape them. Ride faster and burn energy – they'll
stick with you. Ride slower and get dropped – not an option.</div>
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The weather was warm and humid, but the
occasional rain shower cooled us down. Just as I was heading for the
transition area in Calella, with a few kilometers to go, another
heavy rain shower hit us. The narrow streets near the transition area
got very slippery, and some guy ahead of me went down quite hard.
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On top of that, my front wheel started
wobbling in a funny way and soon I found myself riding on a flat
tyre. I was incredibly lucky it was no more than a couple of hundred
meters to go before the transition area, and I was quite easily able
to ride to the bike finish without losing more than perhaps a few
seconds. It is entirely possible to ride on an empty tubular for a
short distance, but it would not have been possible with clincher
tires.
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The bike split was a decent 5.01. That
is one minute slower than in Copenhagen, but in practice it is the
same.
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There is always the brief moment of
anxiety as you dismount your bike, wondering what your legs will feel
like. This time, they felt good – and I didn't feel any pain in my
back. Even my stomach felt fine.
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I set out with a pace of 5:30/K, which
is realistic in my current form. I was able to enjoy the first two,
10.5K laps, inhaling the atmosphere and the noise of the crowds.</div>
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I was being careful not to eat too much
during the run, but that strategy backlashed. At the turning point
during the third lap, I felt my energy was running low. I was
struggling to even run downhill and I totally lost my focus.
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At the service area, I emptied a bottle
of Coke, but I immediately felt it was not enough. My blood sugar was
like zero, and I was ready to abandon the race. It was some 5K to the
next service area, and those kilometers were a mental battle. My
solid rock forehead and my routine from sixteen Ironman races kept me
going, as I knew it is only a matter of getting fuel. I was trying
not to think about how much time I was losing. When I finally, after
running at a crawling pace for what felt like two eternities, reached
to service area, I stopped and walked through the service area,
eating and drinking anything they had to offer – Coke, gel,
energy bar, isotonic drink, water.</div>
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There is another minus for the
organisers, because 5K is far too long between the service areas. In
Ironman Nice, for example, there is a service area for about every
2K.</div>
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It was hard to start running again, but
as I started absorbing the energy, the dark cloud overshadowing my
mind faded away. Re-energized, it was no problem at all to run the
last lap at a decent pace. I didn't suffer from any bad muscle pains,
either, and was able to enjoy the run to the last sip of it. The back
didn't bother me.</div>
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I finished in a time of 10.39.35. Still a
far cry from my personal best, but more than satisfying at this
point. Most importantly, I enjoyed the race. It was fun, racing
without any problems. Of course, there was a dark moment during the
run, but an Ironman is supposed to be tough.
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Strangely enough, my back didn't bother
me anymore. Neither would it be sore the next day. So if you suffer
from back problems, an Ironman is a good way to cure it.
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However, I had not been very wise when
I planned my trip. My flight was due to leave 10.15 a.m. the
following morning, which meant I almost immediately had to get back
to the hotel and pack my bike and other stuff.</div>
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After stuffing my face with pizza
slices and other unhealthy foods in the finish area, I went to pick
up my bike. I was a bit surprised, to say the least, when I was able
to get my bike from the transition area without showing any ID or
anything. That is a major minus for the organizers. Anyone could have
gone into the bike park and walked out with a bike of his choosing.
For example, in Ironman Nice they use chips attached to the bike,
while in Ironman Zürich they use pictures to identify you.</div>
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The bus for Barcelona was due to leave
at 6.10 a.m. and I had set the alarm for 5.45 a.m. Or, at least I
thought so. No alarm, but for some reason I woke up at 6 a.m. sharp.
I got the bus in a hurry, but was stopped by the hotel portier: "You
need to pay for your room". Sure.
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Well, it's not like you would sleep
much after a race anyway. A guy from Finland I saw on the plane to
Helsinki hadn't slept one minute.
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All in all, Challenge Barcelona is an
ok race. The organisation is not utterly professional, like races in
the Ironman series. But the course is fast and the weather is usually
warm and nice without being too hot.
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Unfortunately, I heard that the race day was not so kind for everyone. One of the M40 competitors died from a heart attack during the swim. Sad to hear. </div>
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For me, the season ends here. In the
winter, I will work on my running and swimming. Next season, I will
aim for the Ironman Nice and the Ironman Copenhagen. Nice is a
sufferfest, Copenhagen is a place to chase a good time.
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Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-8419122276058590102013-08-19T05:34:00.000-07:002013-08-19T05:34:23.239-07:00Play for the full 60 minutesThere is a stupid saying in ice hockey about the need to play for a full 60 minutes instead of only 40 minutes, which in fact means that the better team usually turns the table and wins the game during the last period. That is how I felt in the Ironman Copenhagen, letting the game slip through my fingers in the third quarter.<br />
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My expectations for the race were not sky high, I was not aiming for a personal best. I am not yet fit enough for the run, after missing almost an entire year of running due to injury. Realistically, I was expecting a time of around 10.10-10.20. However, stomach problems and inadequate running shape smashed those expectations.<br />
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Arriving in Copenhagen two days before D-day, the city did not reveal its beautiful side. Rather, it was pouring down rain most of the time – and the weather forecasts for Sunday were not exactly raising my spirits.<br />
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Also, I had som mechanical issues which caused a lot of extra anxiety and stress. One of the screws that are used to adjust the rear wheel on my Cervelo bike had been twisted during the flight, which made it impossible to install the rear wheel. I had to carry the bike to the expo area, which was, thankfully, only a couple of hundred meters from my hotel. The mechanic was able to fix it, but Friday, which was supposed to be a rest day, turned out to be one of quite stressful.<br />
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The day before the race, I got out of bed around 5 am in order to warm up before the race with a short bike and run session. It was dark and literally pouring down rain – at that moment I didn't feel very enthusiastic about the race. Also, the traffic in Copenhagen is a bitch – even at 5 am on a Saturday.<br />
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However, the rain stopped and the sun came out, and it was quite warm by the time I took the metro down to the beach in order to check in my bike and my gear at the swim start. Meeting the other guys, club mates, breathing the atmosphere, and familiarizing myself with the swim start really got me in the mood again.<br />
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The alarm clock was set for 4.45 a.m., but I probably wouldn't have needed it. My choice for the alarm sound was – Rob Zombie's Dragula. Always gets me in the mood for flying.<br />
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I had the good luck to meet some triathlon colleagues from Norway at the hotel reception, as I was leaving for the metro station. Guys had ordered a cab and invited me to join them. A much more comfortable way to get down to Amager strand, which lies around 5 km from my hotel at Radhusplatsen.<br />
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The swim happened in waves, as is usual in the Challenge Series races. The race in Copenhagen was a part of the Challenge Series, until the Ironman company WTC bought the race organizer YWC Sports in July and turned it into an Ironman race with 50 Kona spots.<br />
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I very much prefer wave starts to mass starts, it's much easier to get into a good rhythm and get a good swim without the crowds. As the start signal went, I ran into the water and immediately got into a good flow. I was flying. Of course, the shallow water – the depth was around two meters throughout the swim – gives you the impression that you are swimming fast. Thanks to the big, fat wave breaker the water was very calm as well, making it technically easier. So I only swallowed about 0,5 litres of salt water, less than usual.<br />
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One thing I really liked about the swim in Copenhagen was the big signs, telling you how much you had completed and how much was left of the swim. Usually, you have only a vague idea about the distance during the swim. <br />
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The swim was my best so far this season, a decent 1.06, about the same level as 4-5 years ago, when I hit my personal records. The transition to cycling was made a lot easier thanks to the splendid volunteers, which helped you get the wetsuit off and put it in the bag for you, saving you a lot of precious time and energy.<br />
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I went out hard on the bike, as usual. I felt like flying, thanks to the quite strong tailwind during the first 20-30 kilometers. The speed hovered around 40 kph all the time, but I knew it would come back to bite you at some point. The route was magnificent, taking you out of Copenhagen and into the Danish countryside – not that I had time to see much of the scenery. The infamous cobble stone segment in Copennhagen proved to be exaggerated by the organisers – uncomfortable, but not exactly the Arenberg forest.<br />
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The first of two 90 km laps was fast, but during the second lap the wind gusts were getting stronger and stronger and at some point the wind was leading the bike more than I did. Also, I felt the first warning signals of the stomach cramps ahead.<br />
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At one service point, a volunteer gave me a bottle of Cola instead of water. Unknowingly, I poured the content of the bottle into my aero tank before I realized it was Cola. Suddenly, I had nothing the drink but Cola – a sure recipe for stomach problems.<br />
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It deserves to be said there was very little drafting, even though it was a flat, windy race, tempting to cheat. I saw only a few cheaters, but none of those large groups you sometimes see. Most competitors were willingly dropping back when overtaken. <br />
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I completed the bike with an average speed of little more than 36 kph, but the bike route was actually about 1,5 km longer than 180 km. I had secretly been hoping it would be a couple of klicks shorter, á la Ironman Kalmar 2012. Nope.<br />
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The second transition went quickly as well, the volunteers took care of your bike and got your run transition bag for you. I had cut it out nicely for me, exiting the T2 area around six hours after the race start. Usually, that should be more than enough time to go sub 10 hours, and it would have been if I had the same fitness level as 4-5 years ago. But I haven't been able to find my running legs this season, so I knew I had to start out easy.<br />
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As often before, the alpine skiier became a slalom pole as I was overtaken by faster runners. Me, I felt like a caterpillar. And I got stomach aches, which forced to me to take one quick stop about 10 kilometers into the run. After that, I felt much better, stronger and quite optimistic about my chances of reaching my target time.<br />
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But just about halfways into the run, heading towards the third lap out of four, the stomach cramps were back with a vengeance. Also, I was starting to get really dehydrated, having head aches and feeling ill. The pain made it almost impossible to continue, at least it would be impossible to focus on the run. I had to stop again at a toilet, this time for a couple of minutes longer. I really do hate that, because the clock runs all the time. I do it only in extreme emergency (only time before was Ironman UK 2007). <br />
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Having gotten rid of the brick in my stomach, I could get back to running. Or more, get back to caterpillaring. Due to the lack of energy caused by the stomach problem and my poor running shape, I was starting to drag my legs. Also, my right vastus medialis muscle was starting to hurt (it is the part of the quadriceps, or front thigh muscle, which lies on the inside, right above the knee, and it absorbs a lot of the shock when your foot strikes the ground). Towards the end of the run, my running technique would probably have been approved in a 50km walking race.<br />
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Luckily, the spectators were really great and kept you going when you wanted to just lay down and die. There were also a lot of countrymen from Finland along the course, now and then reminding you to keep your head up. The organisers said there were around 200 000 spectators along the run course, which windled through the city centre, but that obviously includes tourists and natives strolling the streets and spontaneously stopping to watch the race unfold.<br />
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The last kilometers felt like forever, but stopping is never an alternative. I kept myself going with the help of some Red Bull energy drinks, now that my stomach could take it. I finished in a time of 10.47, which was not exactly what I had expected, but an Ironman is never quite what you had expected.<br />
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The successful swim and bike were encouraging, now I only have to improve my running. I think it has a lot to do with strength and muscle condition. Working together with my new coach, Yan, I feel really motivated to start working on my weaknesses.<br />
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I have not yet decided whether to attack the Challenge Barcelona later this year, in October, or whether to look ahead for next season. Thing is, I will not be able to work any miracles before October, but I would like to get an optimal performance – without stomach problems. I just might.<br />
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<br />Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-46936044033938988752013-08-05T11:04:00.006-07:002013-08-05T11:04:48.638-07:00My new favourite distanceScorching heat, a broken toe, a time penalty for a transition area infringement, a wrongly adjusted rear shifter – none of those things could stop me in Otepää. Finally, after many hardships, I was able to perform well and to my own satisfaction.<br />
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Ever since the Tristar series was introduced I have wanted to try the 1-100-10K race distance, and this Sunday I finally got the chance. The 1-100-10K race in beautiful Otepää, renamed Trismile after the Tristar series was buried provided the opportunity to try out a race where I could happily bike my legs off without getting killed during the run. Theoretically, the distance should be ideal for me, who usually is stronger on the bike, but a weaker runner.<br />
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The distance is quite challenging in the sense that the swim and bike legs must be seen as entirely separate entities. In a normal triathlon race, you can do the swim at a slightly higher intensity level than the rest of the race. But a swim as short as 1 000 metres means you must go flat out all the way.<br />
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On the other hand, the bike requires a slightly different approach. It is not possible to maintain a level of effort above your lactate threshold for more than 2 hours, so you will have to slow down.<br />
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Finally, the run is only 10K, which means that you should go fast. But by then, after 100K of cycling fast, you already feel the weight of accumulated lactate in your legs.<br />
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My preparations were far from ideal, as I had accidentally dropped a heavy object on my foot one week earlier and suffered serious bruise damage to my fourth toe on the right. It didn't prevent me from running, but it was awfully sore and swollen. In order to relieve the pain, I bought a pair of new, one size too big Zoot race shoes from the expo area before the race. Not exactly what the beginner's guide would instruct you to do.<br />
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Me and the other guys from Helsinki Triathlon were staying in the spa, right next to the race centre. There was no need for setting the alarm clock, since the organisers started playing disco music at ear deafening volume at around 8 am.<br />
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It was really hot already in the morning, and I waited until the very last moment to pull on my wet suit. Pearls of sweat were running down my cheeks as I eagerly awaited the start signal in the scorching sun.<br />
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We were starting in waves of some 150 at a time, but it got quite chaotic and crowded in the small lake when the start signal sounded. I got hit with an elbow in the jaw, sending my head backwards, right into someone's hand that struck me in the back of the head. It only got my adrenaline running, and I managed a satisfying, if not quite as fast as I had expected, swim split time of 17.43.<br />
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I entered the transition, bursting with adrenaline, and ran like a bull through the zone, collecting my gear and my bike as I went for the transition line. Unfortunately, in my excitement I jumped on the bike a couple of inches before the pink line. Realizing my mistake as I heard someone blow a whistle, I desperately tried to correct it by putting one foot to the ground. Too little, too late, as I would later discover.<br />
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My friends who had done the race before told me that the bike leg would be really flat and fast, and me, in my naivity, believed them. The bike course consisted of three laps of 31K, with an extra 10K lap to begin with.<br />
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The extra lap turned out to be quite hard, with several difficult hills with sharp gradients and technical descents. I was really pushing the gears, refusing to shift down even in the sharpest hills and ignoring the burning lactate. My heart rate was constantly pushing 170, which would be a heart rate I could maintain for a 1 hour sprint race - not for a 3.30-4 hour race.<br />
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The rest of the bike course was not entirely flat either, with one especially mean, several kilometers long, false ascent. During the second lap, I got into a better rhythm and felt more comfortable. My heart rate fell to a more normal rate of around 155.<br />
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As usual when racing in Estonia, there were a lot of good cyclists, which means I found myself in the unusual situation of being overtaken more than once or twice during the bike leg. Especially some of the relay guys, who started ten minutes after my wave, were coming awfully fast.<br />
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Luckily, there was were little drafting. At least I saw little of it. However, club mate Petteri Grönholm got caught in a group and unjustly got penalized. There are always those who try to cheat, and sometimes it is the wrong guys who gets punished.<br />
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It was steaming hot, and I started to feel badly dehydrated, despite drinking about 1,5 litres during the bike leg. As I approached the transition area for the last time, I was convinced I would soon be a slalom pole for the faster runners. Only the relatively short distance would prevent me from losing too many placements.<br />
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I finished the bike leg in a time of 2.41, with an average speed of little more than 37 kph. My legs felt like timber when I ran through the transition and picked up my run gear, including my brand new Zoots. I felt a slight tingle as I pulled them on, having no idea how it would feel to race with them – not to mention how my bruised toe would react to a 10K run.<br />
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However, I felt surprisingly strong as I went out for the run. And I soon discovered there were a lot of athletes out there who had really outdone themselves on the bike. Even I, usually a weak runner, could overtake several rivals. The heat was punishing, but I was self confident a mere 10K would pose no problem. More importantly, my toe was not causing any problems.<br />
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But after 3K, the mishap in the transition area would come back to haunt me. As I approached the penalty box, the officials shouted out my number and I had to stop. 30 seconds is not even half of a pee break, but it felt like an eternity when you are just standing there and doing nothing but watch your rivals you just overtook run by.<br />
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When I finally got running again, I was more motivated than ever to hit back. I quickly caught up with the guys who had passed me while I was in the penalty box and kept going.<br />
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The run course was psychologically easy, with a 3K back-and-forth lap followed by another, 7K back-and-forth lap in the other direction. There were a couple of hills, but I suffered more on the subsequent descents, as I had to be careful with my bruised toe. It didn´t hurt to run, but it was sore when the toe was pushed towards the front of the shoe.<br />
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I finished with a run split of 48.57, which includes the 30 second penalty. My total time was 3.54.18, which would give me a 14th place out of some 150 in my category. Fortunately, I didn't lose any placements due to the time penalty.<br />
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After finishing, I immediately felt some chills and realized I was badly dehydrated. During the following hours, I drank some 2.5 litres of waters – but it wasn't until some five hours later that I had to empty my bladder.<br />
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Even so, I felt absolutely great after the race. No muscle pains, cramps or any other problems usually associated with a triathlon race. That is of course due to the shorter-than-usual run – maybe this is my new favourite distance.<br />
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Still, it is the ironman distance that is the real challenge. Hopefully, I can build on the success in Otepää in the Ironman Copenhagen two weeks from now.<br />
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<br />Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-33582788249804302882013-07-20T13:36:00.003-07:002013-07-20T13:48:00.972-07:00A mirror imageFirst of all, those were not waves. I'll get back to that.<br />
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I was totally unprepared, or, rather, overprepared, for the Finntriathlon half distance race. I am in the middle of intense preparation for the main event this season, which would be the Ironman Copenhagen on 18th Augusti.<br />
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Thus, I was putting in some hard training right up until the eve of the race. Even on Friday, I did some really hard running intervals and some easier swimming. Perhaps not the recommended preparation for a half distance triathlon, out of the beginners' guide.<br />
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The background is that I, after much consideration, finally came to the conclusion that I am far too partial and, I admit, too convenient, to be my own coach. Somewhere along the road, I became tired of dwindling results and injuries. So from now on fellow triathlete and triathlon coach Yan Busset will do the thinking for me as far as training programs go.<br />
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After only a couple of days I realize that I have done way too much lopsided, single speed, volume training – and far too little running and swimming with good quality. And my results are a mirror image of my training<br />
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And my performance in Joroinen, a little fatigued I might have been, really is the problems with my training thus far in a nutshell. It was actually the slowest time I have done on a half distance in years, not counting the hilly Half-Challenge Barcelona in May earlier this year.<br />
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It was really unbelievable to see the 1 000 participants on the beach of the Valvatus Lake and their bikes in the transition area in Joroinen, almost like an international race. The organisers had, wisely, it would turn out, chosen to have the start done in waves by category.<br />
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During the swim, though, it didn't seem to be a wise decision, because you immediately swam into the slower swimmers from the waves ahead of you. There was also some turbulence in the water, but it was like swimming in a bath tub compared to some rough sea swims I have done in the past. It might have cost a few seconds, but I don't agree at all with those who claim the swim was somehow difficult due to the waves. I think my swim was in line with my performances earlier this summer – 35 minutes. <br />
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The transition was super slow, even by my standards. The weather forecast was rain and +15 and I was being a sissy, pulling on a jersey and long sleeves.<br />
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I felt comfortable on the bike, however, and thanks to the wave starts there was not as much traffic as usual on the roads. In fact, there was amazingly little drafting and riding in groups this year, compared to earlier years. I perform best when I get to ride at my own pace (not least because I am one of those who actually respect other competitors and drop back if I get overtaken). I was easily able to maintain an average speed of 37,5 kph, despite some heavy winds at times. Easily, as my heart rate hovered around 145, and I didn't have to put in any effort to speak of.<br />
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The transition to running went a bit faster, with the help of a lot of baby powder in my shoes. I knew that people always rush out at the start of the run, but I was determined to maintain my own pace and do my own race. After all, this was intended as a practice run.<br />
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The run went according to plan, although considerably slower than I was able to run a couple of years ago. I have enough aerobic capacity, but my neuromuscular capacity is restraining me – i just can't run fast enough at the moment. Still, a little faster than in Barcelona, and feeling a little better.<br />
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Finishing the race, I was already looking forward to Copenhagen and, as well, to next season. There is much room for improvement, with some smarter and more variated training than before.<br />
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<br />Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-89120351386663142222013-07-12T13:44:00.000-07:002013-07-12T14:10:07.313-07:00A good practice runI have always had a thing with cold water. So I wasn't exactly thrilled to learn the water temperature in the Swedish lake Vättern was around 15 degrees two weeks before the Swedish championships long distance race in Motala.<br />
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If you are not perfectly familiar with the terminology of triathlon, the international long distance is a bit shorter than the famous ironman distance – however, the swim is a bit longer, 4K instead of 3,8K.<br />
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In the days leading up to the race, I was actually kind of hoping the water would not get any warmer, thus forcing the organizers to shorten the swim. Fat chance.<br />
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Somehow, race organizers always seem to be able to find the right spot in the water to measure the temperature. A couple of days before the race, the water temperature amazingly rose from 15 degrees to 16 degrees to 17 degrees.<br />
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My anxiety wasn't relieved by the fact my travelling companion, Kim Harju is a swim freak who thrives in exceptionally cold water. For me, comfortable temperature for a wet suit swim is around 20 degrees.<br />
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I got so desperate I got me one of those really gay and unaesthetic neoprene hoods, which you are allowed to wear under your swim cap. It really helps keeping your body temperature high, because, contrary to popular belief, you lose most heat via your head, not for example your fingers and toes.<br />
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On the race morning, the water temperature was 16,5 degrees while the air temperature was 15 degrees. Thus, the real water temperature was 16 degrees – precisely at the limit.<br />
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The start happened in the water, but I waited until the very last minute to jump into the lake. Besides, the organisers warned that there is a lot of glass on the bottom of the lake, so I wasn't about to be standing around in the water anyway.<br />
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It felt cold. Awfully cold. Fingers and toes disappeared after a couple of minutes. Good thing was, it was easy to navigate, because you could use landmarks, like a bridge and buildings on the shore, for navigation. Bad thing was, after one 2000 m lap I could not straighten my fingers any more – I was just dragging my limp hands through the water.<br />
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After a swim that felt like it would never end, I came out of the water and entered the transition area, mostly lucky to have made it without suffering hypothermia symptoms (done that, too). This time, the transition went quite fast, because I had, for the first time during my fifteen years of doing triathlons, tried to apply vaseline to my ankles. Thus, the wet suit came off quite nicely.<br />
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I went out as hard as I could on the bike and I was really flying, but soon I had to settle into a more gentle pace. Even though the course was quite flat, it was somewhat windy, and there were some rather technical corners which slowed me down.<br />
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Most of the traffic was redirected, but there were a few segments where there was plenty of traffic and it could have gotten really ugly. There were a couple of roundabouts, where you had to cross your way around the slower cars. Needless to say, the drivers didn't seem to care about the race happening all around them.<br />
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It was noteworthy to see how little drafting there was, compared to most races in Finland and, also, most Ironman races around Europe. The draft zone was exceptionally 12 meters, and I didn't think I saw anyone breaking that rule. Of course, there were only around 250 athletes on the road, and it was a 4 times 30 km bike course. But I think it is a matter of respect – as soon as you overtook someone, they fell back and didn't hang on to your draft zone.<br />
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Except for the wind, the weather was really good for racing. I soon got warm and was able to raise my cadence and speed during the second and third lap. Of course, a thunder storm was rising and soon cold rain was pouring down. The temperature dropped to around 10 degrees, and I praised myself for having to foresight to don long sleeves.<br />
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The rain was intense, but short. As the bike leg was nearing the end, the wet asphalt was steaming in the sun. My heart rate was approaching 150 beats per minute, up from around 135 at the beginning of the bike leg. I finished the bike leg with an average speed of 35 kph, which was perhaps a little bit less than expected.<br />
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Still, 120K felt like quite a trip, and I couldn't escape the thought it was merely a third of an ironman bike leg. As I approached transition, though, I was more acutely worried about how I would manage my first 30K run in almost two years.<br />
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Returning to the transition are, I found my running shoes and gear soaking wet. As I set out for the run, I heard a splashing sound from the water in my K-Swiss shoes.<br />
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As expected, I felt stiff and uncomfortable. But as the rule of thumb goes, it is normal to feel awful during the first 1-2 kilometers, but after that, as your neurological system, your blood flow and your muscles adapt to running, it gets easier.<br />
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The false high usually hits you after 5 kilometers, when you start hitting your stride and do not feel any fatigue yet. That is when you manage to pace yourself – otherwise it will come back to haunt you later on in the race.<br />
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I didn't. And it came back to haunt me.<br />
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Problem is, at the moment I am a much faster cyclist than runner. Consequently, I overtook dozens of competitors during the bike leg, only to turn into a slalom pin at the beginning of the run. And, although you know you should race your own race, it is hard to fight your instincts to put up a fight when someone overtakes you.<br />
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First 15K went well, but then the backlash hit me. The only really positive thing at that stage was that the run course turned out to be a 3 times 10K affair. Somehow I had gotten the perception it would be a psychologically challenging 4 times 7,5K.<br />
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And then another thunder storm hit us, like the wrath of the viking gods. Suddenly, it was freezing cold again and my shoes and socks were all covered in mud as the run course swirled through a park and a forest area near the shore of Vättern.<br />
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If the last 5K of the second lap was a battle, the last 10K lap was mayhem. I was at the stage where people seem to be walking by you and every single step hurts a bit. And then, you may have guessed it, yet another thunder storm hit us. And this was bad. The wind was whipping rain into our faces as we ran along the shore towards the finish line.<br />
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But it is always fun to race in Sweden. The atmosphere is really good, spectators and competitors are supportive. Of course, you may feel a sting of hurt pride when someone overtakes you and quips "good job, keep going". But compare that to, say, last weeks Helsinki Triathlon Cup sprint, where somebody actually hit me during the swim after I had accidentally touched his toes.<br />
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Somehow I battled my way back to the finish area and crossed the goal line in a, somewhat disappointing, time of 7.46,34. However, as I stood in the goal area, champing strawberries, I comforted myself with having accomplished the most important goals for the day.<br />
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One was surviving the swim and proving to myself I can manage cold water. A second was to complete the 30K run, as a preparation for the Ironman Copenhagen in August. It hurt, but it was a good workout ahead of Copenhagen. Hopefully, the weather will be more pleasant in Denmark.<br />
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<br />Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-70628448410513891082013-07-12T12:46:00.002-07:002013-07-12T12:46:34.594-07:00Return to actionWatching the two meters high waves crushing into the shore, I realized my first race in 1,5 years could be a difficult one. The bike course had been changed as well – instead of the familiar, flat route along the coast, the bike course consisted of one 90 km lap in a beautiful, but hilly natural park near Calella.<br />
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The season before had been spoiled by a stress fracture in my heel bone, and my winter training had been punctuated by difficulties and small setbacks. I was especially unsure of my running, not even having been able to run a single road race.<br />
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Of course, I chose to make my comeback in a half ironman race. Accept no less. I chose a familiar race, the Barcelona Half-Challenge in Calella, a bit north of Barcelona. There were more participants than ever before, since it was simultaneously the European Championship race. Consequently, the organizers had a really hard time keeping their time schedules – I had to stand in queue more than one hour in order to get my race kit. <br />
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Come race morning, the wind had calmed down, but the waves were still killer size. As is the practice in the Challenge Family events, the start happened in start waves of approximately 300 participants. As the start signal was fired, I run into the water – only to be thrown backwards a couple of meters by the first wave. It was a battle to get to the first buoy, but then, further out to the sea, swimming parallel to the shore, it was a bit easier.<br />
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Another surprise for me was how cold the water was. I was struck by the familiar ice cream headache immediately when I started swimming, and by the time I got within sighting distance of the transition area my fingers and toes were all numb. I would guess around +15 degrees – I never realized the Mediterranean could be that cold.<br />
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I finished the 1,9K swim in 37,21, which is horribly slow even for me. In order to further complicate issues, my fingers were so numb and weak it took me minutes to get my wet suit pulled over my ankles. <br />
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Shivering, I went out as hard as I could on the bike in order to get warm. I overtook dozens of competitors, which is not unusual.<br />
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The climbing started early, and there were three hard climbs. One of them reached 700 meters, the two other climbs were merely 500 meters. I had no option but to be humble and rely on the small chain ring.<br />
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Moreover, the descents were really nasty. Not dangerous or fast, just technical and slow. They weren't the usual type of serpentines you will find in the mountains, where you can accelerate, brake, and accelerate again. Rather, the road was circling it's way down, never allowing you to get your speed up. Also, because of the long, slow descents, I was never really able to get warm.<br />
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I didn't fancy the bike course very much. Maybe someone found satisfaction in the beautiful forests and the silent roads, but for me, I felt this particular type of terrain doesn't suit me. I wasn't able to get into a good rhytm, which is also proven by my heart rate – i finished the bike leg with an average heart rate of 133.<br />
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My bike split time was a ridiculous 2.53,01, which is not at all comparable to the 2.22 bike split I had back in 2011 on the old bike course in Calella. On the positive side of things, I had saved a lot of energy for the 21K run.<br />
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I felt fresh at the start of the run leg, and felt comfortable with a pace around 4.55 min/km. The first 10K lap went smoothly, but somehow I knew the shortcomings in my run training would catch up with me. During the last 10K, i managed to keep the pace, but I got a lot of pains and cramping in my legs.<br />
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I finished in a very mediocre time of 5.26,10, which would be the slowest half ironman I have ever done. But times are not comparable, since the circumstances were very different to any race I have done before.<br />
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All in all, it was a decent return to competition and a good drill for things to come. More than anything, a good workout.<br />
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<br />Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-22455355396419362902011-08-22T13:07:00.000-07:002011-08-22T13:07:01.541-07:00Too short long distanceThe European championships in Tampere went down so much better than I anticipated, so I'm not really in the mood to complain. But it's a little bit unfair, the shortened bike course.<br />
The ETU/ITU so called long distance is to begin with a distance that favours strong swimmers and runners on the expense of better cyclists. The swim is longer than an ironman swim leg, 4000 m instead of the usual 3800m, the bike is a lot shorter than the ironman bike leg, 120K instead of 180K, and the run is 30K instead of a marathon, 42,2K.<br />
And due to safety reasons, the bike leg was shortened even further in Tampere. It was a measly 114,6K – too short for me to gain enough time on those of my rivals who are better swimmers and runners, but weaker cyclists than me. Uhm, now that I think of it: all my rivals are probably better swimmers and runners.<br />
Still, after doing two ironmans this summer, the last one not more than two weeks ago, the long distance felt incredibly, relievingly short. So...humane, compared to the ironman distance.<br />
As I mentioned, my expectations were not top shelf before the race. I felt very fatigued after competing the Kalmar Järnmannen on 6th August, I have suffered from nagging minor pains, and, on top of it all, I had a minor flu during the week leading up to the race. I was still weighing my options, changing my mind twice a minute, on the day before the race, because I still suffered from a sore throat and dizziness.<br />
As well, the start list was, to be fair, a bit of a disappointment. Little more than 200 competitors, all categories counted, and representing not much more than a handful of countries. I think most of the competitors were Finns, just like in Säter in Sweden back in 2005, when most of the competitors were Swedes.<br />
Not improving things, my room mate Esa Ollikainen was also suffering from a minor cold. And he had trouble sleeping the night before the race. And, let's say as politely as possible, it didn't go unnoticed.<br />
But rarely does one get to sleep 11h before a big race, and one night of shortened sleep does not affect your physical performance. On the opposite, you may feel more adrenalized and on the edge. <br />
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Besides, if I felt drowsy the absolutely shockingly cold water in Pyhäjärvi was bound to wake me up. I felt like dipping my head in ice cream when I took a few warmup strokes. I was not alone. The look on the Spaniards face when told by the officials to take off his neoprene socks, because they're against the rules.<br />
Strange though, the water didn't feel cold at all once I got underway. The lake swim was really easy, after racing in Barcelona, Nice and Kalmar earlier this year – all with more or less rough sea swims. The buoys were easy to spot, and there was none of the crowding, elbowing and kicking seen in bigger races. There were no difficult currents either, except for the last couple of hundred meters heading up the canal towards the Ratina stadium. Ugh, the canal was dirty and smelly. Tried not to swallow any water.<br />
Swim split a little over 1.13. That's ok for me.<br />
The transition took some five or six minutes, because, due to some strange ETU rules, we were not allowed to wear compression socks or any other garments under the wet suit in addition to the national race suit during the swim. I'm all too used to wearing compression socks, but they are quite difficult to pull over wet calves. I felt like wearing extra sleeves and leg warmers for the bike leg as well, which I did not regret once.<br />
I though the bike leg would feel monotone and somewhat boring, going six laps á 19.1K. But it was actually quite fun, totally different than the races in Nice and Kalmar. Nice: all climbs and descents. Kalmar: all long flats. Tampere: criterium race in the city with lots of technical turns, then a few kilometers along a highway, then some more criterium along the streets of Tampere. The turns made the bike a bit slower, but I still managed to keep an average pace of 36.8kph. Not counting the transition, my bike split was 3.07 something. That's perfectly ok for me on this distance. I suspect I had one of the three or five best bike splits in my category, not counting the transition, but it is very difficult to say, because the organizers didn't record the transition times for T1. <br />
Maybe it was the lack of sleep, but I forgot to prepare any energy bars or gels for the bike leg. I usually attach energy bars to the bike, from where they are easy to grab, but this time I just forgot them in my bag. Had to rely on the energy gels and bananas which the organizers provided.<br />
Saw a familiar face coming into transition: Henrika Malmström, competing in the female elite category. At that point, I knew the bike had to be short. Normally, I would have caught her on the bike (even though the female elite started 8 mins before the male age groups), and then, depending on the time margin, she would have caught me again on the run, or I would have stayed ahead. <br />
I felt strong, going out for the run. I kept an easy pace of 5.15 min/km. I learned a bitter lesson in Kalmar, where I started out with a 5 min /km, which was probably too much for me on an ironman distance right now.<br />
The run was nice, I think. It was a 7K, four lap course, back and forth along mostly gravel roads. Lots of familiar faces along the route, and plenty of spectators spurring you forward.<br />
There was this guy, Hannu Hult, competing in the 30-34 age group, whom I overtook right before the end of the bike, but who, in turn, overtook me right at the start of the run and got away from me. Then I caught up with him when he stopped in order to water the flowers. Then he got away again. Then, after two and a half lap (the laps were about 7K, 3.5K back and forth) he got into trouble and I caught up with him again. Then, right at the end of the third lap, he caught up with me again and, once again, got away. This time, I could change into a higher gear, overtook him again one fourth into the last lap, and didn't look back. Whoa. I usually overtake a lot of guys on the bike, but usually I only focus on maintaining my lead on the run – rarely do I get to beat anyone running. It is small battles like this that makes the end phase of a triathlon exciting. My time on the run leg was 2.37 something, not so bad considering the little run training I've done this year. <br />
I finished 13th in my category, quite ok. The results can be found here:http://www.team226.net/etusivu/tuloksia Didn't beat Esa Ollikainen this time either. Got closer and closer during the bike leg, but he ran so much faster than me it wouldn't have mattered if I had caught up with him. I might have placed higher with a longer bike leg, but I feel satisfied. Also, this race should encourage me to put more work into improving my swimming and running, not just focus on cycling. In triathlon, you need to be good at all disciplines. On the other hand, I'm more than little interested in the new Tristar series events, with distances like 1K+100K+10K and, especially, 2K+200K+20K.<br />
It's great to finish the season with a succesful race. Leaves a good last impression and gives plenty of motivation to put in the work during the off season. Yes mum, I will work on my swimming and running.<br />
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Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-74537876168413958652011-08-09T03:50:00.000-07:002011-08-09T03:50:21.073-07:00UnderperformingSheesh, look at that guy – how can one run that slow? But why am I not getting any closer?<br />
That's the classic situation during the final miles of an ironman run leg, when you get tired and run out of gas. And it describes precisely how I felt last saturday, during the last 14K of the Kalmar Järnmannen. Luckily, most of those guys (and girls, I admit, boohooohoo, I admit!) were one or two 14K laps behind me.<br />
Still, I was disappointed with the result. I had moderate expectations for the race, knowing that I have not had a lot of quality running this year. Still, knowing Kalmar is a flat and potentially fast course, I realistically expected to finish within 10.10-10.20.<br />
I had some problems leading up to the race: I hurt my hip during one of those final-I'm just doing this last workout–could as well be resting-just a little reassurance before the race–brick workouts. It really hurt my preparations, because I wasn't able to do much anything at all during the last four five days, and felt unsure about even being able to run come Saturday. As it turned out, it was probably just a minor overuse of some muscle. <br />
I didn't get a flying start to the race, swimming like I had a rusty anchor tied to my wrists. The water was only 18 degrees, which may not bother some people, but is a factor in play when you have a 5 body fat percentage. A single 1.9K swim would be ok, but my toes and fingers went numb and my legs started cramping during the second 1.9K lap. I don't think the swim in Kalmar is very fast anyway, with lots of seaweed and spots with disturbingly shallow water. The waves wasn't an issue for me, even if I heard some complain about it.<br />
The bike start was horrible and it took me at least 30 minutes going straight into the brisk headwind to find my legs. Luckily, it was a warm and sunny day, even if the wind speed was close to 10 meters per second. First 30K – 52.29. Bollocks. Second 30K – 48.00. Better. I decided not force the issue, but maintained this pace for the second 60K lap, overtaking, well, a whole bunch of mo'fuckers. During the last lap I dropped a couple of minutes but still managed to finish the bike leg in decent 5.04. I could easily have gone 4.55, even on a bad day like this, but I didn't want to repeat the mistake I made in Nice.<br />
It was great to see how the competitors showed respect for each others and for the rules. I saw practically no drafting at all. The referees, there were plenty of them, seemed sharp, but I think the biggest difference compared to other races was the attitude among competitors. Nobody accelerated when you tried to overtake someone, and they always eased off and dropped back when you overtook them. Just as the rule book says. I wish all the cheating fakes competing in the largest triathlon event in Joroinen, as well as the organizers enforcing the rules, could see how things can be done differently and fairly.<br />
That said, the referees were being very harsh when they hit the ultimate race winner Pontus Lindberg with a 4 minute time penalty – because he had lost his race number. He had to serve the penalty before crossing the finish line, but had a large enough marginal to win anyway. I would say it's the organizers responsibility to supply the competitors with race numbers that are of good enough quality not to fall off.<br />
The run started off good enough, I kept my strides short, my step frequency high and a pace of 5 min/km. During the second 14K lap, the lack of quality running was getting to me.<br />
And the last lap was a battle. My right quad started cramping, and I tried to alter my stride to minimize the pain. Still, you don't quit an ironman with 10K to go unless you're really, really hurting. There was a strong sensation of deja vu, as I ran along the same course which I had seen so many times before. <br />
There were positives: my stomach felt good and I was able to consume enough energy. I actually took mostly energy bars, one half at a time, during the run.<br />
Part of the reason why I collapsed during the run leg was probably the lack of quality long runs this season, but I still feel like I underperformed. Anyway, I think I know what I need to do ahead of next season. Here are my results with split times: http://kalmar.r.mikatiming.de/2011/index.php?content=detail&fpid=list&id=0000170FF638F50000013EB8&lang=EN&event=KLM&ageclass=<br />
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This race was not one for the ages for my part, but it is always a positive when you finish an ironman in somewhat good shape. And the race in Kalmar is really well organized, the town is nice and people are friendly.<br />
It was some ten years ago when I raced in Kalmar for the first time. Since then, the race has grown exponentially – from some 150 competitors to more than 800.<br />
Still, it is striking how disorganized the transition area was. We checked in the bikes in the morning, contrary to most big races where you leave your bike in the guarded bike park over night.We had no transition bags – rather, we put all our gear, running shoes, towels, even change clothes next to our bike.This must surely change if the organizers go through with their plans to turn Kalmar into a WTC-licensed Ironman race next year.<br />
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Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-73581740152347582102011-07-16T12:53:00.000-07:002011-07-16T12:53:06.100-07:00A half ironman on water aloneThat was the first time I have ever actually warmed up for any race longer than a sprint. But there was no parking space near the lake Valvatus when we arrived with club mate Ville Heistman about 45 minutes before the start of the half ironman finnish championships.<br />
Got a little anxious there, jogging through the woods to the start. You know, there are things to do before jumping into the water. Like, pumping your tyres, getting marked with your race number and slipping into your wet suit.<br />
Luckily, we got there in time and made it to the start. Perfect - almost.<br />
There should have been an alarm sounding somewhere in my brain when someone asked whether I had done the Ironman France this year. Yeah sure, great race, I replied, wondering how he knew.<br />
Two minutes before the start senior club mate Jari Aaltonen, the master of irony, taunted me: special kids wear special swim caps. Oops. In the haste, I had grabbed the wrong swim cap from my backsack, one which I got from Nice, and which had the totally wrong colour, wrong race number, and the Ironman France logo. Embarassing - nah.<br />
Fast forward to the start. The swim felt easy - too easy. Suspect I'm just not pushing myself hard enough in the swim. I was faster a couple of years ago. Lazy? Don't know. More likely, after doing an ironman distance race just three weeks ago, I'm kind of stuck in the diesel, full distance mode. Note for the future: never eat pickled cucumber for breakfast before a race. Comes back to haunt you.<br />
Bike: Felt super. Or kind of. The rain which was pouring down earlier in the morning had stopped, but I still felt chilly. I had decided to wear a longsleeved tri-suit and didn't regret it.<br />
Heart rate unusually low, but I had decent speed. I maintained 40 kph for the first 30K lap, but slowed down to an average speed of some 38.5 kph. Again: stuck in the full distance gear. Mentally, after doing a mountainous 180K bike three weeks ago, 90K, mostly flat with some small thingies which weaker cyclists call "hills", felt very easy. But would have wanted to go faster. Couldn't. I noticed I had a 7s faster bike split than club mate and long time rival Esa Ollikainen. Great. He was two mins ahead of me after the swim, and he's a better runner.<br />
Others wanted to go faster than they could, too: some club mates told me after the race that during the last lap I was pulling a large group of some ten or more cyclists. Drafting is illegal in a triathlon, of course, but race marshals can't see everything with more than 700 competitors racing.<br />
My stomach felt a little nervous too, so I decided to go on water for the moment. I rather go on diesel that than eat and having to slow down if my stomach revolts. <br />
I had an average heart rate of 151 during the bike. That's quite low for me, even for me. That's right, the full distance gear.<br />
Transitioning to run, I kept to drinking water. I felt strong, but not a hundred per cent sharp. But compared to, for example, the Ironman France three weeks ago, or the Half-Challenge Barcelona in May, I held my position much better during the run. Oh, and the run was 5 mins faster than in Barcelona.<br />
I think it is possible for me to pull off a half ironman without any extra energy, going on water alone, still with decent speed, because I have been doing a lot of moderately paced aerobic training on water alone. I feel this improves the most important ability of all in ironman racing: the ability to go fast for a long time, using mostly fat for energy, without going over the limit where your body starts burning a lot of carbon hydrates and producing lactic acid. In the later case, you don't go fast for very long. I don't recommend anyone to try this water thing in a race before doing some practicing, though.<br />
The results for my category M35 can be found here: http://www.championchip.fi/tulospalvelu/01e1c502-b8b4-4dbe-b8d2-2fe7d1b48536/Miehet+35 Oh, it was the first time I was racing in a "masters" category. Feel old. But I beat quite a lot of 20+ year olds today, didn't I?<br />
All in all, I have to be satisfied with the result, because it was only three weeks after an IM (might have mentioned that before in this blog post) and I approached it much like a training session.This week was much like a normal training week, albeit less running:<br />
mon 1.05h/3.75K swim<br />
tue 4hbike+1h run<br />
wed 1.5K swim, inc. 750m fast + 10K bike TT/14.42.<br />
thu bike 4h/144K, inc. 2h/36.5kph<br />
fri rest day.<br />
sat race day.<br />
sun 8h bike! No, that was a joke.<br />
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Half ironman distance races are fun in the way they make you feel more good afterwards, whereas you mostly feel bad, your body aches everywhere and you'll lose your sleep for three days or so after a full ironman. After today, I feel really motivated to take on the Järnmannen Kalmar in three weeks from now. After that: the long distance European championships in Tampere. And then: think I'll take a month-long break.<br />
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PS. I wish to thank Antti Hagqvist and the volunteers making the Finntriathlon happen. Another great race, and it keeps getting bigger every year. I certainly hope the triathlon boom we are experiencing right now is sustainable. Also, thanks to all the people cheering along the course, as well as to all competitors.Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-68372131330778237402011-06-28T13:10:00.000-07:002011-06-29T06:29:52.310-07:00Almost as plannedUsually, it spells trouble when you stop sweating. Luckily, I was only five kilometers from the goal line at that point. <br />
I might just have forgotten how much it can hurt to do an ironman. Maybe that's what they call it an ironman. If it would be easy, it might be called tennis. Or football.<br />
The Ironman France is of course not your ordinary ironman. Just check out the profile. That would be ok for a bike race, but something extra when you are supposed to run a marathon on top of it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjol_Y4rwdNAKEkeA8erdFW7vM4_U9M4_SwvaZusXMUz34K_8N0tJ2oO6Hyo5FrKU4iT4jnXXkzZ6LkzagGp73sW_FhU3CEdOPefaC3Amr32bxgIZfPYi0OWXxlEe2nW-rX5UQZD6FaJGo/s1600/imfr2011_bike_d%25C3%25A9nivel%25C3%25A9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjol_Y4rwdNAKEkeA8erdFW7vM4_U9M4_SwvaZusXMUz34K_8N0tJ2oO6Hyo5FrKU4iT4jnXXkzZ6LkzagGp73sW_FhU3CEdOPefaC3Amr32bxgIZfPYi0OWXxlEe2nW-rX5UQZD6FaJGo/s640/imfr2011_bike_d%25C3%25A9nivel%25C3%25A9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>It was my third time in Nice. The first time I was really worried about the climbs and the heat and took it really easy. The second time I had a fresh hip stress fracture going into the race and knew I wasn't going to be able to run. So I had some unfinished business in Nice.<br />
My plan: swim something like 1.05-1.10, go out hard on the bike, knowing that the second half of the bike leg is quite easy, come into transition #2 with a total time of 6.30, then do the run in something like 4 hours.<br />
How it went down: the swim was chaotic, with 2 600 competitors all starting at once, and none of them with a clear idea of how the swim course was drawn. According to the race briefing, there were supposed to be three buoys during the first 2.4K lap. There was two. And they were so small that you couldn't use them for navigating, so everybody was just swimming in the general, assumed direction of the next buoy. The race officials were waving and blowing whistlepipes from their canoes, trying to get people in the right direction. The second lap was a bit easier, measuring just 1.4K. But still, the swim took me 1.13. Might have been 4.5K though.<br />
I went out hard on the bike and hit the climbs selfconfident as Mr T. I was overtaking, like, everyone, and felt strong as ever even as I went into the red zone. Nearing the top of Cote de Gattieres, the pace and the heat was getting to me and I was already doubting whether I would make it through the day.<br />
The course is really easy after that, with only one 7K climb, flats, and mostly downhill. But I was totally drained. But, just as I had planned, I was able to use the descents to recover, drink and eat before the run.The bike split was 5.27, just as I had planned. Didn't feel exactly fresh, coming into T2, though.<br />
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The run almost came to an end before it even had started, because I fell at a loose rug in the transistion area and hurt my ankle. I thought that was it, but the pain went away as I headed out for the run along the Promenade d'Anglaise.<br />
What a promenade. The run isn't the best part of ironman Nice. I mean, it's great with lot of spectators, and you can't really complain about the scenery either. It's just that when you run back and forth along the beach promenade four time, without the slightest shade, sooner or later you will wish it was a loop course. Or wish it was all over.<br />
The heat was killing me. And not only me, I heard some 450 competitors DNF. I kept the pace for some 15-20K, but then the sun started taking its toll. My head was spinning and my legs felt like I was wearing shoes made out of concrete. But I decided: never gonna stop, never gonna quit. During the last lap, I was so trashed I couldn't even nod to any of my friends. I wasn't sweating anymore, a clear sign of dehydration. Usually, during the last 5K, you feel like you're flying because you know it'll be over soon. Now, it felt like even the last kilometre was one klick too much. Crossing the goal line, I wasn't celebrating much. I was more like, moaning out of pain. The run took me something like 4.25. Amazing that I'm able to run that slowly, because I didn't walk. For some reason, I didn't have to stop for peeing either, after drinking some ten litres during the day. Finished 100th among some 550 in my category, M35. Have to live with that, being among the top fifth in a highly contested age category. <br />
After the race, I was shivering despite it still being hot. Another sign of dehydration. But I was able to drink and eat (they had some good pizza slices and soup in the finisher area, which wasn't bad at all after going an entire day on cola, sports drinks and energy bars) and soon felt fresher.<br />
Now, two days after the race, my right ankle is the size of a tennis ball, and my thighs hurt so much I wouldn't dream of running. Went out for a supereasy spin on the bike after assembling it, just to get moving. Life goes on.<br />
This year I have been doing a lot of long bike rides, which, instead of the usual ironman steady pace all the way, have been partially in the upper aerobic zone and lower anaerobic zone, with the Nice bike course in mind. It seems to have paid off.<br />
But I had a brief layoff with my run training due to the accident in march, and never quite got back to it again. Mostly, it was the lack of long aerobic runs that came back to haunt me during the run in Nice.<br />
Next up, if there are no setbacks with my recovery and the ankle, I will race on half distance in Joroinen 15th July. Sheesh, the distance will feel easy. Then, I am planning to race the ironman distance in Kalmar in southern Sweden. It's a flat course, and I doubt the heat can be as bad as in Nice. Somehow, I don't think I will be back for a fourth time in Nice. But you never know.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-38409707524999997922011-06-10T11:39:00.000-07:002011-06-10T11:39:58.947-07:00New way of thinkingIt might have been reflective of a new approach to training, when I skipped the our club <a href="http://heltri.net/">Helsinki Triathlons</a> traditional cup sprint and opted for a long, intense workout last tuesday. In my opinion, that kind of 4-6 hour workout at or close to ironman race pace is the single most important workout to improve in long distance triathlon. Note the difference: at or close to ironman pace means fast, not long and slow. I never like to do long and slow. Waste of time.<br />
That said, sprints are important as well in order to improve the speed reserve and feel more comfortable at ironman pace. On thursday I did a 20K flat out bike on my own, and friday I ran 3K on the track.<br />
But last year, I was like doing anaerobic training every other day, cycling tempo rides, running stairs, running intervals. This year, I have been doing more aerobic work, and done about one anaerobic workout per discipline a week.<br />
I have also been riding more in the zone slightly above the aerobic threshold, between ironman pace and half ironman pace. That's a pace where my body burns a lot of stored glycogen and some lactic acid is produced in my muscles. But it is still a quite comfortable pace, which I, for example, can maintain on the bike for some two hours.<br />
This is a typical, great workout for improving your ironman bike speed: 4h bike, beginning with a heart rate of 135 for 1h, increasing speed to a heart rate of 140 for 1h, then 145, and, finally, a heart rate of 150 for 1h. That is based on the assumption that your ironman race pace is around 145 bpm. But BEWARE. The increase in heart rate should not be due to increased fatigue or loss of liquid, so make sure you actually increase your speed. Ok, sorry, I know. This is totally paleolithic. In 2011, everyone should have a <a href="http://www.srm.de/index.php/gb/technology">power meter</a>, not some silly, unreliable heart rate monitor. I usually trust my speed gauge more. But then you have to take into account wind and other weather conditions as well. Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-32400212167965747832011-06-06T09:17:00.000-07:002011-06-06T09:17:48.163-07:00Return to competitionI should have had a flock of humming birds in my stomach, but instead, heading for the start in Calella (that's 60 km north of Barcelona, all of thee geographically uneducated) I was calm as nerves-of-steel-hockey goalie Tim Thomas running on tranquilizers. In fact, so calm I was worried being too calm.<br />
After all, it was less than two months after the crash that sent me in an ambulance to hospital. I had been cycling since mid-March, but running and swimming much less.<br />
Maybe it was a good thing we arrived three days ahead of the Barcelona Half Challenge, a rare luxury as long as the location is within the same time zone, plus or minus 1 hour. I was fearing boredom, but we used the spare time with Henrika Malmstroem (note the international spelling) for familiarizing ourselves with the bike course and getting used to the sea. I did a solid preparation 20K race-paced ride on friday, two days ahead of the race.<br />
We were lucky as well in getting our bikes and luggage without delays, as some of our friends leaving Finland on friday didn't get their stuff due to an unannounced strike on the Helsinki-Vantaa airport. In fact, I tried to get tickets for Finnair's friday afternoon flight, which we took last year, travelling with senior citizen Peter Groenholm (note the international spelling), but, since it was fully booked, opted for Lufthansa's thursday flight.<br />
I had no idea what to expect before the swim, but the sea was calm at the 8.25 a.m. wave start and I could find a good lane and felt strong throughout. 33 mins exiting the water.<br />
Felt strong as ever on the bike. Last year, the route was a little bit too short, some 85K, but this year it was a full 90K. I finished with a bike split of 2.22, which translates to close to 38kph on the average. The course, of course, was totally flat. Highest point 25 meters above sea level.<br />
Only two guys overtook me on the bike – Finnish native Pablo Erat, and some other guy on a Cervelo P3 just like mine, except painted in world champion rainbow colours. No problems there.<br />
It seems the 1/2-IM-specific bike workouts which I have been doing have been working well. I have done lots of, for example, 3-4 h rides where I do the last 1h at a forced, half ironman pace. <br />
On the run, on the other hand, at least two dozen guys ran past me during the first kilometers. Tells me something about my strengths/weaknesses. Haven't been running much fast tempo runs this year, whichs shows during a distance as short as 21K. The upside: I didn't get fatigued, and could pick up my pace towards the end, catching quite a few of those backs which I saw disappearing on the horizon during the first 5K. Two guys surprised me by sneaking up on me right before the finish line (I would like to see a shot of the finish camera, because I would like to contest them being ranked before me in the final results). Anyway, I finished 38th among a field of 226 contestants.<br />
Next up is Ironman Nice. A little different bike course, but otherwise this was good rehearsal. Sea swim, and some Mediterranean heat during the run as well.Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-52597721210811109412011-05-05T10:44:00.000-07:002011-05-05T10:45:33.272-07:00Bricks are goodInteresting, to say the least. Who said brick runs are no good?<br />
I have done nothing but brick runs since february, before my accident and a trip to the hospital. All of my running has been on top of a bike workout. And all of it has been endurance. No fast running at all.<br />
Still, my first track session today went really well. Hadn't lost much of a step. Well, I admit, I'm not such a great runner anyway, so there never was much fine-tuning in my stride.<br />
It was also a great relief to find I can still run, because my self confidence has been quite low after the accident and the forced rest. In fact, I was worried. A collapsed lung isn't something to fool around with.<br />
I had a similar experience last week, when I did the first wednesday's Pepen tempo, a 10K time trial. My time was very much ok, and it felt very comforting to find I can still ride a bike at about the same speed as before.<br />
Swimming? Not so great. But I'm getting there, hopefully. I have been swimming, what, four or five times since the crash. Took a while before the pain in the ribs subsided.<br />
Had a good two weeks of training with the Eastern holiday and a week of vacation on top of that. The weather was splendid, so I got a little volume on the bike.<br />
The two weeks 18.4-1.5.2011: <br />
Swimming: 2.15h/6.6km <br />
Running:7.35h/86km<br />
Cycling: 38h/1234km <br />
Total: 47.55 hMarcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-83894518778312726652011-04-17T09:02:00.000-07:002011-04-17T09:03:28.640-07:00First week of trainingMaybe the week that was could be seen as my first week of actual, serious, down-to-business training since I crashed in early march. Got out cycling, got my feet wet in the pool and ran some faster miles. Saturday was a good workout. <br />
<br />
monday noon: warmup + 20K hard effort on the tri-bike. um. not fast. 32 mins. yesterday's 180K ride seemed to weigh in on my legs.<br />
afternoon/evening: 3h/99K ride on road bike.<br />
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tuesday: hill intervals: 15*1.30-1.45. total bike time 1.30h<br />
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wednesday: 3h/99K road bike + 1h/11K run. my back is protesting against the drop bar rides.<br />
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thursday: swim 10*100m/1.30-1.40. total 1.5K. first swim since the crash. and I felt it. boy did I feel it.<br />
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friday: 55 mins bike, inc. 20K hard ride/32 mins. + run 25 mins/6K. first running/cycling in shorts this year.<br />
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saturday: 3h/102K ride on the tri-bike +1h/11K run. this was a good workout. felt the fatigue working evening shift afterwards.<br />
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sunday: 55 mins bike, inc. 20K hard ride/32 mins. felt like having flamingo legs.Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-7522613197121824052011-04-12T11:12:00.000-07:002011-04-12T11:12:20.346-07:00On the road again!A lot of firsts last week: first ride outdoors since I got hit by a car six weeks ago, first ride with a road bike this year, first ride with my new gir's carbon ride. <br />
It all came back to me – what I love about the sport of cycling and triathlon. There's nothing better than the speed and thrill on the road.<br />
Began easily, as I am known to usually do, with a 6 hour ride on sunday. Great fun. Didn't even let the 17-meter-per-second-wind gusts ruin my day. <br />
Next day, I had to try my triathlon/TT bike. WOW. Can't beat the feeling, cruising down the road at 45kph. 55kph sure feels good too, but that's a little harder for me to sustain...<br />
But, after, initally, two weeks of inactivity, then three weeks of indoor cycling on the bike trainer, I must reiterate what I have always been saying: the indoor bike trainer just isn't the same as riding outdoors. It's just too easy on your legs. Great cardiac training, sure, but not enough strain for the legs.<br />
Now, I will have to ride lots and lots of miles to find my legs. And then, there's this thing of me needing to get back to swimming too. <br />
Last week was a good start. 20h15mins, of which 17h15 mins cycling and 3h running. More. More. More.<br />
The first race of the season in Barcelona is coming up awfully fast. I have only one week of running since the crash, and no speed work.Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-51265452415308734932011-03-27T13:13:00.001-07:002011-03-29T10:56:29.136-07:00Recovering - I thinkSlamming into the pavement at 40 mph, I somehow knew I wasn't going to feel the same. In fact, I knew it would hurt as soon as I saw the lady in her car curving in front of me.<br />
Nice 3h cyclocross workout before going to work for an evening shift turned into ten hours of medical examinations, x-rays, endless waiting, emergency surgery and a night at the hospital. In fact, spent the following three days at the hospital with a tube stuck in my chest.<br />
Initially doctors were talking about a couple of fractured ribs, but the x-rays confirmed the worst of fears – a collapsed lung. Must be the scariest words I have ever heard: You seem to have suffered some degree of lung damage.<br />
A lung may collapse due to a tiny hole in the lung sac or lung itself, which lets air into the space between the lung and the lung sac, causing pressure on the lung. Thus the medical therm: pneumothorax. It causes pain and makes it hard to breath.<br />
Not a very good thing for a triathlete. The good news is, all the doctors assured me that I will recover completely and that the injury will not hamper my lung capacity in the future.<br />
Fast forward three and a half week. I began riding on the bike trainer last week, and towards the end of last week I tried to increase the intensity.<br />
I have done some amount of ergocycling. Last week, I racked up some 15.45 hours. I found new ways to make it interesting, writing detailed programmes with climbs and intermediate sprints for every ride. <br />
Today I did a performance test on the bike trainer. I felt good, and had no issues with breathing or pains. I reached precisely the same power level as a few weeks before the accident: 360 watts. I should be able to reach 375 watts, and my maximum heart rate is 195, not 185, but I always quit too easily when I'm doing performance tests on my own.<br />
I have still not dared to try running and swimming is still not possible, due to the pains in my ribs. Hopefully, I will not suffer further setbacks and get back on track with the other disciplines in the coming weeks. I have set my sights on doing a short brick run on saturday.Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-22900488837036134332011-02-28T11:37:00.000-08:002011-02-28T11:37:31.620-08:00Dry asphaltHad almost forgotten what cycling is all about – it's supposed to be fun, fresh air, and not just staring at the wall. After riding nothing but the bike trainer for three chilling cold weeks I hit the road with my cyclocross bike on saturday and sunday. Saturday was a little rough, with some 7 meters per second headwind going home, but sunday was just great. Dry asphalt...Sweet. <br />
Last week was a good week, all in all.Good performances in swimming and running sessions. But today, monday, I'm feeling pretty wasted and having a day off training. This week will be easier.<br />
<br />
21.2-27.2<br />
mon 3 h run/33km. nice and easy pace. first long run in a while. no problem despite that.<br />
tue 3 h walk in deep snow. great stuff. average heart rate 124, so not very intense, but a little different workout for the hip and thigh muscles.<br />
wed swim 50 m pool (2*400m/6.31/6.30 +300m/5.05+200m/3.10+100m/1.25). the 400 m was a season's best. did the second half using paddles.<br />
thu 3 h bike trainer/245 watt + 1 h run/4.45/km.<br />
fri run interval session indoor track. 5*1000m 4.15-3.30-4.15. I think it was my best running session this winter. some upper body strength training as well.<br />
sat 4 h cyclocross/112 km. tough wind. but warm.put some effort into it for the last hour, into the headwind. <br />
sun 5 h cyclocross/140km + 30 mins run. even warmer.today as well, I put the pedal to the metal for the last hour.<br />
<br />
total 21 hoursMarcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-35296718492242197332011-02-20T11:23:00.000-08:002011-02-20T11:23:37.139-08:00Tougher week-easier weekCut down the volume this week, due to a range of different factors. Logged some good hours the week before (see below) and thought an easier week with focus on doing quality work and feeling strong for every workout would be timely. Also, the weather was bizarrely cold which disencouraged me from doing any bricks before sunday. And then, this usual problem – lots of work getting in the way. <br />
Been training a lot on the bike trainer. Or, not a lot, but it feels like quite a bit, because the trainer makes for much more intense training than riding outdoors. I do think it's smarter than going outdoors in -15 celsius for skiing or, for example, commuting with the bike.<br />
<br />
7.2-13.2 <br />
mon swim 50 m pool 2*(400m+300m+200m+100m) <br />
tue 45 min bike trainer inc. 20 min gas gas/325 watt. hurt. <br />
wed run track session 10*1000 m/pyramid scheme: 4.25-4.15-4.00-3.30-4.00-4.15-4.25. +squats/leg extensions.<br />
thu 4 h bike trainer/245 watts + 1h run<br />
fri rest day<br />
sat 4 h bike trainer/245 watts + 1 h run<br />
sun 3 h bike trainer/245watts + 1h run<br />
total: 16h30 min <br />
<br />
14.2-20. <br />
mon swim 50 m pool 2*(400m+300m+200m+100m)<br />
tue 45 min bike trainer inc. 20 min gas gas/325 watt. hurt. much so.<br />
wed run track session 10*1000 m/pyramid scheme: 4.25-4.15-4.00-3.30-4.00-4.15-4.25. +squats/leg extensions.<br />
thu 4h bike trainer.steady 245watt. contrary to popular beleief, this is not one of my favourite workouts.<br />
fri swim 50m pool 20*100 m/1.30/start every 2.00. <br />
sat 1.05h h bike trainer inc. 20 min afterburner/325 watt/avg HR 174 bpm. ouch, that really, really hurt.<br />
sun 3 h bike trainer 245 watt + 1 h run. felt quite strong today. felt good to get out at least ONCE this week.<br />
total: 12.05 h.Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-86442608771864351202011-02-09T10:37:00.000-08:002011-02-09T10:37:41.904-08:0031.1-6.2tried to do some outdoor cycling this week, but I probably chose the worst day. so come sunday, it was back to working on the bike trainer. only one swim this week, typical. if I have a rest day, it's always at the expense of swimming. the weekend took a toll. <br />
<br />
<br />
mon kicked off a new week with a rest day.<br />
tue 45 mins bike trainer inc.20 min FTP test/326 watt avg, HR 174 avg. + 45 mins run.got assailed by some drunk asshole. nice. the FTP test was 1 watt better than last week.<br />
wed run track workout 10*1000m/3.30-4.15. + strength work/squats + leg raises<br />
thu bike trainer 3.55 h. aerobic pace/245 watt.what? m-o-t-i-v-a-t-i-o-n.<br />
fri swim 2*(400m/6.35+300m/4.55+200m/3.10+100m/1.25) + strength work/bench press+back+triceps. the 400 m was 1s faster than last week.<br />
sat cyclocross bike 4.25 h avg speed 29kph. heavy, wet snow. dirty. fun. + run 30 mins.<br />
sun bike trainer 3h/245watt+ run 1h<br />
<br />
total this week 15h, not including strength training.Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-3021064737894353762011-02-04T09:34:00.000-08:002011-02-04T09:34:10.269-08:00Thoughts on nutritionI've been thinking (yes, I do that too - occassionally). I have always thought the metabolic requirements of ironman triathlon and the use of carbonhydrates are largely misunderstood, and after reading Jonas Colting's Den nakna hälsan I'm even more convinced.<br />
The key to competing in ironman triathlons is learning to swim, bike and run as fast as possible without having to go into the red zone, i.e. burn mostly carbon hydrates as energy. Because if you go there, you'll end up walking pretty soon. So why do so many triathletes train to eat and drink carbs every 10-15 minutes? Quoting Colting here – did the paleolitic man ingest power gels every 15 minutes when he chased down prey for hours, or days? No, he was starving and running on reserves (fat and protein). <br />
It is a myth that one needs to keep ingesting carbonhydrates in order to maintain an intense effort level. That is true only if you have adapted your body to consuming sugar all the time.<br />
It is surely possible – and necessary – to do an entire race on glucose (blood sugar) and glycogene (carbs stored in muscles and liver) - if it is an olympic distance or shorter race. Not an ironman. The glycogene reserves are at tops 500 g, which is 2000 calories. It takes some 8 000 - 10 000 calories to do an ironman. Simple maths. Even I can do it. <br />
I have for years been training long sessions using mostly water. For a 5h brick, bike+run, I might eat one energy bar (40g carbs) split into pieces. Some people eat at least one bar an hour. And they would find it impossible at first to run on water. During races, I might have two bars during the bike (5h) and perhaps 40-50 grams of carbon hydrates consisting of a mix of bars and gels during the run. <br />
I'm not a world champion but still, I do at least as good or better as friends with similar aerobic capacity who eat the "recommended" 60g carbs/hour. You just have to learn to burn fats. <br />
During some phases of a long race an energy gel can be very useful in order to get a quick boost (did that in Zurich last summer). But once you have ingested one energy gel you will have to keep eating them every 20-30 minutes or so, because the quick boost will result in a glucose dip and eventually cause your blood sugar to drop even lower than it was before.<br />
Also, a lot of the energy products out there on the market are merely junk. Glucose syrupe and citric acid. You can save a lot of money by just buying candy instead.<br />
I prefer musli bars. For example Vitargos Energikakan or High 5:s energy bar containing fruit and fructose deliver more longlasting energy. (Not sponsored, just my opinion.) <br />
Some say training on reserves is detrimental for your recovery, and eating a lot of carbs during a workout makes you ready for another workout quicker. True, you can probably fill your glycogene stores faster. But that is not the key factor limiting your training schedule. The main limiting factor is your hormones and the time it takes to repair the muscle damage a workout causes.Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-87501888925496120362011-01-30T08:41:00.001-08:002011-01-31T08:58:33.506-08:00money in the bankI deposited a lot in the bank this week, racking up some serious training volume. When we train, it's investing in the future. Like putting money in the bank. When we compete, we make withdrawals. I have a lot of depositions in my bank, growing interest.<br />
Also, I have developed a pretty solid forehead by now from all the bike trainer workouts. Because I have been doing all my bike training on the indoor trainer lately, I have been forced to do pretty much aerobic intensity too. That requires some degree of patience.<br />
All in all, this was a pretty good week. Improved some benchmark times and felt good. <br />
<br />
mon swim (50m track) fast 2*(400m/6.36+300m/5.00+200m/3.10+100m/1.25).the 400m was 3secs faster than last week-progress!<br />
tue bike trainer 1.25h inc. 20mins/325watts/HR 174=pretty much flat out.3watts better than last week-progress!!<br />
wed 3h bike trainer/245watts+1h run.didn't even listen to music.the stare.<br />
thu run 10*1000m "pyramid scheme" - beginning from 4.20,progressing down to 3.39, then easing down to 4.20 again.fastest split 1sec faster than last week-progress!!! + strength workout,squat+leg press<br />
fri swim 50m track 20*100m/1.33/start every 2.00.first 10 normal free style,the rest with paddles (no pull buoy).<br />
sat 3h bike trainer 245watts+1h run<br />
sun 3h bike trainer 245watts+1h5mins run<br />
<br />
total: 15.30hMarcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-89090354591828199612011-01-24T11:28:00.000-08:002011-01-24T11:28:51.077-08:0017-23.1pretty solid week. had to really bite myself in the tongue not to get excited and keep those 3h bike trainer rides purely aerobic. the strength training really, really tightens up your muscles. ouch.<br />
<br />
mon bike trainer 35 min inc. 20 min/322 watt average HR 172 + gym workout, squats, leg press<br />
tue swim 45 mins 2000m 2*(400m/6.39-300m/5.00-200m/3.10-100m/1.25) threshold pace <br />
wed bike trainer 3h/245 watts + run 1h<br />
thu bike trainer 45 mins inc. 20 min/323 watts avg HR 174<br />
fri run track session 10*1000m "pyramid scheme" 4.15 -3.30.4.15 + gym workout, bench press, back<br />
sat bike trainer 3h/245watts<br />
sun bike trainer 3h /245watts + run 1h<br />
total 14.30hMarcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-39534724737877756062011-01-21T09:58:00.000-08:002011-01-21T09:58:02.248-08:00On trackIt seems to be possible to improve, or at least maintain a reasonable performance level, in running without running much. Lately, I haven't been doing much else than riding the bike trainer. Much high intensity and – behold – with good cadence and pedal stroke.<br />
But not much running, most of the times off the bike and purely aerobic. No intensity work at all. Last time I ran fast was a miserable 10K in a snow blizzard in early december. <br />
Still, running a 10*1000 m workout on the track today went quite ok. I started out at 4.15 and worked myself down to around 3.30, with a 1.00 rest. Felt easy, no pushing at all. My heart rate peaked at 183, nowhere near 195 which is my max.<br />
<br />
Got some sparring from a group of army recruits running the cooper test. Not much sparring though. At least, they won't be running away from the frontline in case a war breaks out - they wouldn't get far. <br />
<br />
Below I presented my race calendar for 2011. Well, it's quite useless if one doesn't define any goals, is it not? Therefore:<br />
Barcelona Maresme Half Challenge, 29th May. Total time sub 4.32. (I would say 4.30, but the sea swim is slow.) Top 15 in my category. <br />
Ironman Nice, 26th June. Sub 10.20. (It IS a tough course, believe me). Category top 30.Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-25319616299671989402011-01-18T10:57:00.000-08:002011-01-18T10:57:06.364-08:00Maintaining focusIt might be a tough two weeks come july-august - I´ll be racing the full ironman distance in Nokia on 31st July and the Kalmar ironman race 6th August. Might be tight with the supercompensation.<br />
If not, of course, the race in Nokia is postponed for three weeks. It all depends on whether ETU and the Finnish Triathlon Association can reach an agreement regarding the ETU long course championships due to be held in Finland in late August. I suspect it will not happen, but in that case I will be doing Nokia, Kalmar, and ETU long course. Sweet.<br />
The main goal for this season is, though, the Ironman Nice 26th June. I have some unfinished business there, and by that I don't mean I left the hotel without picking up the bill last time.<br />
The first race for the season will be the Barcelona-Maresme Half Challenge 29th May. It certainly feels good to have a goal relatively early on in the season, to keep motivated during the winter.<br />
Right now the weather has made it all but impossible to do any effective bike training outdoors. I've been riding some 10 hours a week on the bike trainer. Even running is hard outdoors because of all the snow and the occasional really cold days. Keep focus.<br />
Recently, I've found some inspiration in reading Michael Phelps autobiography No Limits - The Will to Succeed. Great motivational reading!Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501862474450608078.post-21588938388840561182010-10-27T08:30:00.000-07:002010-10-27T08:30:56.922-07:00Black iceI was somewhat stupid to go out riding last night with nothing but a tiny LED light and cross tyres. Turned out it was pitch black. And then I realized, when I saw the road salt car, that the wet pavement may freeze. Had a helmet though.<br />
Nah, did a good 3h, with the last 90 minutes pushing the pedals slightly above aerobic threshold pace. No fear.<br />
No fear today either, when I went running in the stairs in Helsinki's Malminkartano. They were covered with black ice. And I forgot to bring my spiked sneakers. I managed not to slip and did my best time, 1.28, during this fall.<br />
Stairs do me so good. Power, vo2 max, power. Just what I need.<br />
But I don´t need the winter. I hope it won't be like last year, when the temperature hit -20 degree celsius for a couple of weeks – and the snow just wouldn't stop coming.Marcus Lindqvisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11818165508488245829noreply@blogger.com0