26.2 Miles Closer to Madison

2009 Grandma’s Marathon Race Report

19 June 2009, I arrived in Duluth at about 11:00 AM Friday morning. I was staying at Spirit Mountain Campground for the third year. It is convenient (about 15 min from downtown) and relatively inexpensive at $30 per night (2-night minimum). The campground is full of runners for the weekend, so there is usually a lot of like- minded chatter around. This year Gordy (my running mentor, 12th in his age group this year) had the adjacent site, and I was sharing a site with Jay and his son Jason, in all we had a posse of 7 full-marathoners and 3 half-marathoners with connections to the Tool (Wilson Tool International, where I’m gainfully employed) in this year’s event. Jay was towing his pop-up camper up so I had little setup to worry about. So after a quick check of email and the latest forecast I was off to the DECC (Duluth Entertainment Convention Center) for packet pickup and the expo. I was hoping to catch a couple guest speakers before heading over to Pizza Luce for our traditional pre-race meal.

After picking up my packet and a few GU energy gels (Strawberry Banana and Vanilla, oh yum) I settled in to listen to Joan Benoit Samuelson and Dick Beardsley speak. Both are amazing American runners, and both had interesting stories to tell. I’d like to share the story that Dick concluded with about a Special Olympics Athlete named Bruce.

Dick was at the event as a guest speaker and was helping do some announcing. The next event up was the mile. The gun sounded and the race started. Bruce was the last out of the starting blocks and only ran about 10 yards before falling to the ground. Bruce got up and started to run again. He ran another 10 yards or so and once again fell to the ground. At this point the rest of the field was more than half way around the first lap but Bruce paid no attention. He pulled himself up and continued on. When the rest of the field finished the race Bruce still had two laps to complete. Bruce would run, fall, get up, and run some more, obviously determined to finish what he started. Bruce fell again just as he started his final lap but this time he was just lying there. The announcer working with Dick said we need to stop this; he is going to hurt himself out there. Dick looked and Bruce was struggling to get up, his teammates, and other Olympians now standing around the track began to clap and call out his name. Dick said to the announcer there is no way we’re going to stop this race. Bruce pulled himself up once again and began running. The crowd joined in and starting cheering for Bruce. It took Bruce 45 minutes to run the mile that day but at no point did he ever give up. He gave everything he had without reservation and completed what he started out to do. On that day Bruce demonstrated to everyone who witnessed what it meant to be a true Olympian.

20 June 2009, 03:30 AM, Saturday morning; race day came early. Our plan was to leave the campground at 05:00 AM to catch the bus to the starting line in Two Harbors. Jay made oatmeal, a hot breakfast was nice. As we piled into the car the sun was coming up over the tree tops and there was not a single cloud in the sky. We all knew it was going to be a warm, sunny day but did not dwell on it as we drove off. We parked in the ramp at the DECC (a little known secret, absolutely no waiting) and the traffic going into the open field parking was backed up for a half mile or more. We were directed to get on the train (something new this year). As we loaded we thought this is kind of cool, a few minutes into the ride we were passed but I guy on his bicycle, and after the hour and 20 minutes, to go 26 miles up the north shore, cool is not the word we were thinking. It was 7:15 AM when we finally arrived; the agonizing ride was finally over and we had 15 minutes before the race was to start, not nearly enough time to properly prepare. We all did make it to the starting line on time albeit a little frazzled. After the singing of the national anthem and the F16 fly-over the race started and we were off.

When the race started the red flag was out indicating a high risk of Heat Stress. The red flag indicates that all runners should slow their pace and those with previous heat stress problems or heart disease should consider not running. When I passed through the water stop at mile three I noticed that the black flag was out indicating that the risk of heat related problems was elevated to the highest level. I had adjusted my goals before the race ever started and knew that today was not going to be a PR day.

For the first 20 miles I focused on keeping my heart rate under control, which meant slowing my pace as it climbed. I wanted to maintain zone 3 (70 – 80% of maximum), staying aerobic as long as possible. I wanted to practice my nutrition plan and keep the big picture in focus, Madison in September. The weather definitely helped me do that. If it had been a better weather day I would have struggled not to go out and push harder than I should have at this point in my training, a blessing in disguise!

In the end the day did produce a new Grandma’s PR for me (about 5 minutes better than last year) but 5 minutes shy of my PR at Twin Cities last fall. The last 10k was a struggle and I thought of the story Dick told of Bruce several times as I witnessed thousands of courageous runners pick themselves up and finish what they started out to do earlier that morning. I congratulate them all!

I found the following quote by Hal Higdon, a running writer and coach, fitting of this year’s Grandma’s Marathon: "The difference between the mile and the marathon is the difference between burning your fingers with a match and being slowly roasted over hot coals."

VO2 Max...VO2 What?

According to Wikipedia, VO2 Max (also maximal oxygen consumption, maximal oxygen uptake or aerobic capacity) is the maximum capacity of an individuals body to transport and utilize oxygen during incremental exercise. The name is derived from V - volume per time, O2 - oxygen, max - maximum.

VO2 max is expressed either as an absolute rate in litres of oxygen per minute (l/min) or as a relative rate in millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min), the latter expression is often used to compare the performance of endurance sports athletes.

Measuring an accurate VO2 max requires an all-out effort (usually on a treadmill or bicycle) performed under a strict protocol in a sports performance lab. These protocols involve specific increases in the speed and intensity of the exercise and collection and measurement of the volume and oxygen concentration of inhaled and exhaled air. This determines how much oxygen the athlete is using.

An athlete's oxygen consumption rises in a linear relationship with exercise intensity -- up to a point. There is a specific point at which oxygen consumption plateaus even if the exercise intensity increases. This plateau marks the V02 Max. It's a painful point in VO2 max testing where the athlete moves from aerobic metabolism to anaerobic metabolism. From here, it's not long before muscle fatigue forces the athlete to stop exercising. The test usually takes between 10 and 15 minutes and requires an athlete to be completely rested and motivated to endure the pain long enough to find the true VO2 max.

VO2 max results vary greatly. The average for a sedentary individual is close to 35 ml/kg/min. Elite endurance athletes often average 70 ml/kg/min. One of the highest ever recorded, was cross-country skier Bjørn Dæhlie measured at an astounding 96 ml/kg/min. Cyclist Lance Armstrong's VO2 max was reported at 85 ml/kg/min.

To put this into perspective, thoroughbred horses have a VO2 max of around 180 ml/kg/min. Siberian dogs running in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race have VO2 values as high as 240 ml/kg/min.

I had my first test performed in February 2008 at Tri Fitness in White Bear Lake, MN. If you're ever in the neighborhood I strongly suggest stopping in and checking them out. A great little store, with everything tri, and good people to boot! In addition to finding out your VO2 Max, the test will inform you about your metabolic heart rate training zones, which was my primary motivation.

There are some very simple formulas (like 220 minus your age) for determining your max heart rate. Your maximal heart rate is the anchor point for determining your five training zones, which are simply percentages of your maximum. But simple in this case is not better (in my humble opinion). Heart rate training is the basis for my Ironman training plan.

The test, in addition to producing your VO2 max results will determine your metabolic heart rate zones, including your AT (Anaerobic Threshold). In an attempt to oversimplify, your muscles can "burn" glucose (fuel) two ways, aerobically ("with oxygen") and anaerobically ("without oxygen"). Your AT is the point where your body switches between aerobic fuel burning to anaerobic fuel burning.

When your body is working aerobically, your primary fuel source is fat. Even the leanest of athletes have an abundance of fat that can be used for fuel. For the endurance athlete this is a primary key to improving performance in ultra endurance events like Ironman. By raising your AT you increase the range of your aerobic zone. The greater the aerobic zone the longer and harder the athlete can work.

Tomorrow I'm having my VO2 rechecked, as I move into the final 12-weeks of my Ironman training, my purpose is primarily to reestablish my heart rate zones. This final 12-week phase has a focus on AT threshold interval training. This training is designed specifically to raise my AT in preparation for my race in Madison. Rechecking my AT at this time will ensure that my training is on target and will help train my heart to perform at its optimal level come September.

Buffalo Triathlon – Race Report

Buffalo, MN is about 40-miles northwest of downtown Minneapolis off MN-55 and MN-25. Buffalo got its start in the 1800s as a resort town for wealthy day-trippers from the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. There were several resorts located around Lake Pulaski, one of the two largest lakes in Buffalo. Visitors would take a train from the Twin Cities and arrive in Buffalo only an hour later.

The Buffalo Triathlon, now in its 6th year, is second in the state only to the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon in the number of participants. This early season race is a sign that the outdoor triathlon season is now open in the state of Minnesota. The triathlon kicks off Buffalo Days, a week-long celebration featuring a carnival, medallion hunt, royalty coronation, street dance, fireworks display, and much more.

For the last several years Race Director Brett Oden has brought in professional triathletes to race along side the amateurs and/or first timers. Participants get to meet them at packet pick-up, rack their bikes in the same area, and stand along side of them at the swim start like they were just another participant, which is really cool. Previous years have seen the likes of Chris Legh, Natascha Badmann, Becky Lavelle, and Brian Lavelle on race day. This year will be no exception with reigning Ironman 70.3 World Champion Terenzo Bozzone participating in the race.

Pre-Race Preparations

We arrived in Buffalo about 06:20 AM after the 90-min drive from Cottage Grove. The sun had been up for about an hour although it was nowhere to be seen. The bank thermometer just behind where we parked flashed 48 F. A light mist fell as I unstrapped the bike from the car and grabbed my transition bag. I headed off to get setup and left Charlene with the car as Alexandra was still sleeping in the back seat. After I put my bike in the rack I went and picked up my race packet. This is an exceptionally run event. There is a very good number of volunteers which make the whole day better for all of the participants. I made every effort to thank as many of them as I could throughout the day. Without their support these types of events would never happen.

As I finished laying out my bike and run gear it became even more obvious that it was going to be a chilly day out on the bike. I laid out my bike jacket and gloves, still not sure if I’d wear them later. The mandatory pre-race briefing started at 08:15 AM. Terenzo Bozzone was introduced along with a local racer who is battling Stage IV melanoma. After the athlete’s prayer and national anthem I headed back to transition to get ready for the swim. Lucky for me, Charlene was just outside of the transition area to help me get my wetsuit zipped. I have not figured out how to get that thing on by myself. I headed down to the beach to get in the water for a quick warm-up.

The Swim

I was in wave 7 of 8 for the Olympic distance race. There were 25 waves for all events. The race was scheduled to start at 09:00 AM with 2 minutes between waves. I was shaking, almost uncontrollably, as I waited for my wave to be called. It was much warmer in the water than it was standing on the beach. The water temperature was announced as 70 F but I’d guess it was slightly cooler than that. But either way it was about 20 degrees warmer than the air temp.

When they announced my wave I made my way to the water’s edge and readied myself for the start. The water level of Buffalo Lake (like most area lakes) was down significantly, so when the horn sounded I did several more dolphins than normal before finally settling in to my stroke. The 1500 M (0.93-mile) swim course is a rectangular shaped counter-clockwise single loop. Counter-clockwise is ideal for me since I naturally breathe to my left which makes sighting the buoys (big giant inflatable yellow duckies) much easier. I ran into significant traffic from the previous waves prior to making the first corner. Open water swimming in a crowd takes some getting use to (a very funny triathlon swim start training video). It’s hard to describe, but it always reminds me of a spillway full of carp fighting for scraps of bread thrown in by the passerbys. The swim is by far my strength. I did not push too hard today but felt good about the effort. Coming into shore I always try to swim until my hands scrape the bottom. With the water level being down I was still 25 or 30 yards from shore when I stood up to run the rest of the way in. I was able to have my wetsuit down to my waist before exiting the water and making my way into T1.

T1

My goal today was to shave about 1-minute off last year’s T1 time. I had recently watched a training video on youtube on how to get out of your wetsuit faster. The concept basically was to peel it down to just below your knees before stepping on it and pulling your opposite leg up to get it to your ankles and then rip your feet out one at a time. It basically worked but nearly caused a calf cramp. Putting on the long sleeve pullover wind/rain jacket, which turned out to be well worth the extra time, cost me 30 or 40 seconds. I opted not to wear the gloves. The result was adding 28 seconds to last year’s T1 time. Transitions are definitely an area that I need to make improvements.

The Bike

The 40 K (24.85-mile) bike course is primarily a single loop. There is a short out and back section starting at about mile 12 that concludes at about mile 16. The course is moderately hilly but nothing too steep or long. The hills are more rolling in nature. The roads were wet, there were periods of misting, and the wind seemed to be in my face more than it was at my back. I purchased a new bike earlier this year and felt that I needed to have a good showing to justify the purchase. Probably not the best motivation on a day that was less than ideal for setting personal bests. The ride overall was uneventful other than the near miss with a fellow rider with about 3 miles to go. He was waving at one of the leaders on the run and nearly took me out as he swerved from the right to the left side of the road (where is the horn when you need it?). In the end my bike split was 6 seconds slower than last year’s time. There were a couple of bright spots in the effort; my average heart rate was down nearly 10-beats per minute, and I averaged a cadence of 97 rpm; two things that will be significant later this year in Madison.

T2

Again the goal was to improve from last year. I had targeted about 30 seconds which I thought I could get from better organization of my run gear layout. Getting the long sleeve pullover off didn’t help, but in the end I managed an 18 second improvement. A small accomplishment but I’ll take it on a day that was proving to be tough to yield any gains.

The Run

The run is an out and back with an extra little ½ mile out and back branch between mile 3 and 4. The first half of the run is a gradual climb with a steeper incline just before mile 3 at the cemetery turnaround, which means coming back is basically down hill. I had pebbles in my shoes (turned out to be in my socks) which were annoying, a slight ache in my lower quads, and that almost-cramp feeling in my calves. I pushed as hard as I thought I could without causing further issues. My Garmin did not start when I thought it did so I did not get any data for the first mile. But as I came into the finish I knew any overall improvement for the day was going to come from this run.

The Result

Although it did not end up being the day I had hoped for, there were a few bright moments (and they did not come from the sun poking through the clouds). All of the 6 minute improvement in my overall time came on the run. I’m no Dick Beardsley (nor will I ever be) but I’m happy with the progress I’ve made with my run. The run had been my weakest discipline but appears to be climbing out of the cellar. Additionally, based on my heart rate data, I did not have to work nearly as hard as in previous years, indicating that my training is heading in the right direction. So I’ll take what I’ve learned and see if I can apply it and make some additional improvements for the rest of this season.

One final bright spot, with the help of Gary and Walt I will be making a $140 donation to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation in memory of our friend Mike.