The Sufferfest: They Way Out Video Review

The Sufferfest releases The Way Out

 

 

Overview

Over the past three years I've come to love The Sufferfest videos - they make the trainer fun, they are to the point, and they get your heart racing. As a coach, I will only have my athletes ride these videos after the base phase unless they are absolutely antsy. Why? They stress the VO2 Max system at a time where the Northern Hemisphere is typically base training.

People have seen great gains when properly implemented, but what about those who are "recovering" or wanting to tax the fat burning system rather than the sugar burning system? In a non-Sufferfest type of workout - they did exactly that with The Way Out.

The Way Out is that perfect video that works you, but keeps you right below the edge. It's a 60 minute ride that has great landscape, music, and various workout queues to keep you on track. As a coach, this video is an essential for one of my athletes to have.

Workout

It's a "sweet spot" workout. What this means is that you are going to be working hard enough to see fitness gains but you will not need a whole lot of time to recover. Efforts (with the exception of two) sit just below Threshold, so no lactate is going to build and stay in the system. Over the course of time, as you continue to work sub threshold, you are really recruiting muscle fibers to rebuild faster and stronger. In addition it also allows the blood vessels to provide better oxygenated blood deeper into the tissue. Below is the exact breakdown of the workout.

 

Serious kudos to The Sufferfest this time around - the warm-up is pretty sufficient. Notice the first Climb as well - no where near threshold. So really we are looking at an 11:30 warm up. Much better than the usual warm-up in their videos.

 

Review

The video starts as all Sufferfest videos do - make sure you are cleared to ride, don't copy or pirate the videos. We also see short clips of real life cycling footage. In the video, the opening credits seriously feels like a movie production not a workout video - I almost felt like it was a murder mystery drama T.V. show or film. The opening credits seriously have improved and definitely sets the tone for the upcoming workout.

 

Another nice update they have done is screen directions/information. We now see the next RPE schedule in the workout, sit/stand que, Cadence, Perceived Effort, how much time is left of the interval and what is coming up next. As you are warming up, they cover what each area means.

 

 

 

As the workout begins, you are instantly settled in France - you actually ride a stage of The Tour de France. Crisp views of historical land markers, villages, and someone cooking. This seems to be a theme of recoveries showing people cooking and eating.

 

 

With that, we begin a story background of what is expected of you, what not to do, what is going to happen. The Sufferfest really does a good job to get a new rider informed while keeping a veteran interested.

 

Throughout this video, you'll also notice there isn't any real race footage. You are following endurance cyclist Michael Cotty. It's actually quite educational as if you are receiving a tour from within your own home. As the commentator continues to speak, various landscape views are shown, efforts change and you continue your workout. You never feel the need to truly push it which is key in this video/workout.

 

 

As calm as the video is, you also end just as calmly. No sudden attacks or long hard effort. This is truly well made recovery video.

 



 

 

All in all, I'm actually a fan of this style of video. I am unsure how much it will sell, but the Knights and Dames of Sufferlandria did request a recovery video for in-between days and The Sufferfest delivered.

 

 

Verdict

Overall I'd give it a 10  out of 10. It provides its purpose, mixes it up, great scenic route, educational in terms of geography and more, and it does keep you interested riding on a stationary bike.

 

As a coach, I would recommend my athletes to download this and ride it on any Z1 and Z1/Z2 type of day no matter what phase in the plan we are in.

 

 

(Coach Chad is the Head Coach at C2 Endurance, an affiliated coach with USMES and Triple Threat Triathlon where he is also on the team. He is also a Knight in Sufferlandria where you must have cycled 10 Sufferfest videos back to back in a day.)

What's Essential for Triathlon: Part 1

What is Essential for Triathlon: Part 1 - Training

You've found the sport of Triathlon and have soon realized - this hobby can get SUPER expensive.As a fellow age grouper and Triathlon coach, I get asked - what do you really need to compete? Do I need the expensive bike, wheels, technology, gear, etc to race? Over the course of this week, I will be discussing what is really needed for Triathlon from the swim, bike, run, training essentials, and the nitty-gritty.

To start - do you know how to swim? Have goggles? Do you know how to bike; own a bike? What about some running shoes? If you have said yes to these questions - then you are ready to race. Plain and simple.

However, we'll start before that - training.

Training for Triathlon

Swim

With the winter months coming, it's hard for most of us to find a lake and continually open water swim. A membership to a local pool, YMCA, or fitness center that has a pool will be your first expense. This can range from $5 a swim to $150 a month membership (depending of course what kind of fitness club you will belong too and if you have a family membership). If you do belong to a fitness club that has more than just a pool - say treadmills, spin classes, core classes, machines, or more you are in luck. This potentially is your central hub for all of your training.

Typically you'll see Master Swim sessions available for you to hop in with a group of people who swim often. If you your pool access has this, definitely take advantage. It will help prevent solitary training when on a trainer or running. They also typically provide structured workouts that will help your endurance, speed and strength. All essential from Sprint to 140.6 events.

Master Swim Class

To aid your swim, you'll want (don't need) to pick up some training tools - if your fitness club doesn't have them. These would include:

1. Paddles
2. Pull Buoy
3. Kick board
4. 2 tennis balls or 1 cut in half.

These four items for the pool will help form, strength, and speed. If you are part of the Master Swim club, then your workouts will incorporate all of these if not more. However, if you are on your own - paddles work your shoulders. You'll have a stronger catch and follow through allowing you to swim faster. The Pull Buoy will allow you to keep your legs up in the water and focus on arm form - where does the hand enter the water, determine your stroke phase and also work your upper body. When it comes to the kick board, it will work your legs and kick form. As for the tennis balls, you grip them in your hands and swim normally. This will allow you to really grasp how well your stroke is throughout all of the phases.

What are the essentials? Goggles that you can pick up for $20 and access to a pool or pond (monthly expense)

Bike

This is where can get quite expensive, but that will be in a later post. What is needed for training? A bike ($25-$15,000), helmet ($10-$500), water bottle holder ($5 - $150), a bike trainer ($100 - $2,000) (optional in some climates) and a tune up for your bike ($20-$175).

When it comes to biking, the engine matters most and showing up to a sprint with a mountain is something that is becoming more and more common. Just this past year, two people raced Ironman Wisconsin on Fat Bikes - something you'll typically see on snowy trails in January.

Photo from www.slowtwich.com

 To work on that engine, owning a bike trainer is pretty important for both the off season and in season training. What makes trainers so useful is being able to really nail your workouts - for example 2x20 minutes at a certain constant effort. You can ride without worrying about cars, stop signs, animals, or lights. If you are going to ride outside as much as possible and use the trainer sparingly - then you can afford to go with a less expensive one since it will not burn out as quickly. I'll go into what I ride in a later article.

Racermate CompuTrainer

As with your fitness center membership for the pool, attending spin classes is a fun way to get in speed workouts. If you are new to the sport or spin classes, the first few classes can be intimidating. People know the routine, it is typically loud, and people working hard. Stick with it though, it will truly pay off especially for those who are doing Sprint and Olympic distance triathlons. They typically are twice a week and will focus on repetition and interval work. Classes will also mimic hills as well to give you that "road" feel so you are prepared for the outdoors.

Spin Class

Another key aspect for the bike is to be able to hold some form of hydration and nutrition (depending on the distance). Having a water bottle holder for any distance is important for training and racing as it'll help prevent dehydration and cramping.

Run

As for running, a decent pair of running shoes is important. Try not to go "cheap" here as it may result in shin splints. Here a decent pair of running shoes would start around the $60-75 dollar range. Also, you'll want some form of watch. This could be a simple $9.99 watch with a stopwatch on from a local store or use your phone. Assuming you have socks, and workout clothes, you are good to go.

If you do belong to a fitness club, you'll most likely have access to a treadmill and possibly a running club. Both of these can be important. If you do not have access to bike path, trails, quiet streets/sidewalks - then running on a treadmill would be a great alternative. Speed workouts are also essential and you can, like a bike trainer, nail the distance and times down.

Focus on just getting out the door

The can be the toughest sport of the three as a lot of people don't enjoy running. You can battle that with music, running in nature, or focusing on your goal. You'll also focus on most of your running coming off of the bike or a second workout of the day (if you get to that point).

So now you want to start, but there are way to many options out there. What goggles should I wear? Swim suit? Race attire? That will be Part 2 of What is Essential for Triathlon!

Ironman Chattanooga 2015

Ironman Chattanooga 2015

 

This race was no where on the radar since starting last December - my attention had been on Ironman Lake Placid.  The training, the races, the workouts - all for Placid. Placid is a distant memory (write up to come later)

 

When I pulled the trigger to race IMCHOO, it was sold out. So I decided to raise funds for the Crohn's and Collitis Foundation of America. Here is a little bit about the CCFA from their website: Since our founding over four decades ago, CCFA has remained at the forefront of research in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Today, we fund cutting-edge studies at major medical institutions, nurture investigators at the early stages of their careers, and finance underdeveloped areas of research. In addition, our educational workshops and programs, along with our scientific journal, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, enable medical professionals to keep pace with this rapidly growing field. We are very proud that the National Institutes of Health has commended us for "uniting the research community and strengthening IBD research." 

 

I had 9 weeks to train between Placid and CHOO. I've never done two in a year let alone two in essentially 2 months. After a light week of recovery, I was full into training again. I knew I could get in about 6 quality weeks of work - but, it's not always that easy. I spent 10 months training for Placid. That means 10 months of little to no weekends of "fun" for my wife and son. The race from Placid still affecting me mentally and trying to figure out nutrition. So I decided to approach this race much different than usual.

 

The goal for 2015 was to qualify for Kona - it was my last year in the 25-29 age group. I obsessed over the 2014 results from Placid. The "what do I need to bike to make up for my swim?", "how can I buy some minutes in transition", "how much do I need to bury myself on the run". For Chattanooga, I never looked. I knew from Placid I'd need to go around 10 hours to have a sniff at a chance, but I was going to do what I knew I could do. The goal was: swim 100% bi-laterally, pay attention to 10 second average power and NP on the bike and then just look at the HR on the run.

 

The 6 quality weeks leading up to the race, I focused on maintaining with little gains. I knew I had done enough long rides for IMLP that I focused on really doing 2 prior to CHOO. What was weird was I would be super motivated for CHOO one week, then have absolutely zero motivation to train the next - those were tough weeks! I did swims at lunch - nothing too long since there was the down river swim. Run workouts were tempo based and some long runs including a 16 miler.

My typical week between IMLP and IMCHOO was as follows:

Monday: Swim (2k with some 100s and mainly drills)
Tuesday: Ride (Either 20 minute efforts or climbing work. Typically 90 min) then a run for 30 min (brick)
Wednesday: Swim (3k of hard work. Either 200s, 300, 400, or 500s). Then would Run in the evening (about 60 min)
Thursday: Ride (This would focus on speed work/Intervals. About 90 min to 2 hours)
Friday: Swim and Run. Typically the longest swim of the week and would run at night for about 40 minutes
Saturday: The long ride. 100% of my riding was trainer. So this would be approximately 4-6 hours on the trainer. This would include 60 min warm up, either 20 minute efforts for 2 or 3 hours, or ladder or speed work. I'd then hop off the bike and run for about 30 minutes. Often including pickups or gradually get faster.
Sunday: Long run. Typically 90 min to 2.5 hours. 

Race Weekend

Friday

What I was excited about was seeing some old friends from back home including a college roommate! Being my 4th Ironman, I wasn't too concerned about getting there on Thursday or right away on Friday. Prior to leaving a member of the Facebook Page - Ironman Chattanooga 140.6 had asked if anyone could bring a bike for a Shirpa so I volunteered. A road bike, Tri bike and an a bike shop was packed into a Ford Focus. I left Charlotte, NC around 6 a.m. on Friday with a planned arrival of 12 noon. I was also meeting with a teammate on the Triple Threat Triathlon national team I'm on - David Fernandez (he'd go 9:51). As I was driving, I stopped for gas and I decided to check Facebook. Found out a person needed a ride from the Atlanta Airport to IMCHOO as I would be passing Atlanta the exact same time. So I volunteered again to pick up this stranger. Little did I know, I'd be picking up Ben Collins from the airport for his debut Ironman race (he'd go 8:29!)! This weekend was turning out to be something. After picking him up and stuffing the Focus, we had to get to the Pro meeting in about 90 minutes. We were 2 hours from race site. I'll just leave it at we pretty much made it in time!

I get to check in, and the village is a SWAMP. Rain had been coming for the past 36-48 hours. Not sure why Ironman didn't move it to the Convention Center where the awards were. But nonetheless, I go to check in and luckily get VIP access as all CCFA and foundation/charity athletes do. A quick in and out and I'm all checked in. But wait a minute, I remember that I didn't see my helmet at all between loading up and getting Ben's items in the car. A quick look and nope, no Rudy helmet. So I go over to the Rudy tent and buy a Wing 57. Then I run into Ben Collins who also happens to be a Rudy sponsored athletes and says his wife would bring one down! Karma?! Not knowing if the tent would take returns, I walk back over and luckily they do. Crisis diverted and still married!

After that I head over to Cheeburger Cheeburger to meet up with my buddies. That place is great - greesed slippery floors, old style kind of place. Food is amazing!

As we check in to the hotel, we start unpacking everything. I open my clothing bag and guess what pops out? My helmet....

Workout: None

Saturday

We get everything ready the previous night. All the stickers and transition bags (I personally do not use any special needs bags). As we begin to leave, my buddy tries to get his bike computer to work. It's not working. I pump up my tired - BANG. What are the odds? Thankfully I brought an extra Garmin and had extra latex tubes (if you have never ridden latex - they are WORTH it!).

After about an hour of this - we were finally off on our way. Checking in our bike and gear was seamless and easy as usual. My Dad and Aunt had arrived for support and was great. I know that everyone says their parents are huge supporters, but I'm not sure anyone can beat my biggest fan - Dad! Was great to see both of them!

After racking, dropping, and our routine stretch out at the tents we were off on our way to find some grub.Ironman now gives each athlete a $25 meal voucher - so much better than the pre event pasta dinners. We went to Il Primo. Fast service, great food, and the presentation was great. I'd highly recommend and definitely would go back next time I do IMCHOO.

After very little walking and hanging out, we were relaxing back at the hotel getting that mental game on.

Workout: 30 minute easy run (8-10 min miles)

Sunday

Race morning - I was so dang excited I woke up an hour earlier than expected (4 am). Ate 2 pieces of plain bread, 2 bananas and 16oz of Gatorade Perform.

With a fully charged Garmin 920xt, I double checked my configuration:

Swim: Backlight On. Distance Notification 1400yds. Data Screen: Distance and time
Bike: Backlight 8 seconds. No Notifications. Data Screens: First Screen - Distance, Time, Normalized Power and 10 second average. 2nd Screen - MPH and HR
Run: Backlight 8 seconds. No Notifications. Data Screen: HR, Lap Pace, Lap Time, Distance

My dad picked us up and we were in Transition around 6 a.m. Transition closed at 6:30 with the race starting at 7:30 and Age Groupers at 7:40 a.m. We all hopped on the bus at 6:35 a.m. Steve, who did IMCHOO last year had explained we had no worries to getting to the start line. We all were not worried about the 2:20 cut off so we were just relaxing at the end of the line.

We get to the line and it was about 3/4 of a mile long to the end - also no bathrooms. For us, seeing people go to the bathroom in the woods is normal - for others probably not.

The swim was also wetsuit optional meaning that if you did wear a wetsuit you couldn't qualify for Kona or Age Group awards. My father and I stopped at the Roka tent the previous day and bought a swim skin - talk about a sweet swim skin! Thing felt like a wetsuit, I'd totally recommend one!

As we closer got to 7:30 a.m. the line began to shorten and the anxiety in air began to thicken. Tony, Steve, my Dad and I were all hanging in the back and talking about what to expect from the current, beautiful views and if we saw each other towards the end what we'd do. Little of this panned out, but was great to talk to them pre-race.  I hung out in the back as long as I could and was the last non-wetsuit athlete in the water.

IMCHOO Swim Start

My goal for the swim: Swim as straight as possible and bi-lateral breathe the entire way. I would always swim one sided in open water - come to find out I believe I was just using way to much energy. I hoped in and the water was actually quite nice at 77 degrees with the swim skin on. I immediately began passing people and found myself more towards the center of the river than the swim markers. For me, this was fine since there is more current. So I kept swimming and would sight every 3 minutes or so while keeping an eye on the markers every time I breathed to my left. It seemed to workout great! The river is very clean and can see my entire entry into the water - something I'm not always fortunate to have. I had also set my watch to buzz every 1400 yds to keep me in check. It was pretty nice to feel the buzzes on the watch to keep track on where I was at.

As I kept swimming, I wasn't passed by more than 2 wetsuit eligible individuals. It was nice to draft off of them as long as I could without additional energy output and noticed my watch. I could potentially break an hour! There is so much room to swim that if  you swim into someone its either: you caught them or you aren't swimming straight.

I see the final red marker and just keep swimming normal. I'd usually kick it up here, but finally realized it's not worth it. I get up the stairs and hit my watch - 59 minutes! I just busted my PR by 15 minutes!

Swim: 59:38
Division Rank: 24th
Swim Satisfaction: 10/10

T1

A normal transition. IMCHOO features a very nice concrete path along the river then up a pretty steep hill but has a very nice ramp with carpet. Getting through T1 was quick and easy and as always the volunteers are awesome. They are truly the life on Ironman.

Bike

This is where I really wanted to focus on since it killed IMLP for me. I would listen to my numbers and not how I felt. The goal here was to have an NP of 200 and a Avg Power of 190-195. I was pretty confident in my nutrition plan and race plan - I just needed to prevent the excitement and execute.

I have only seen the elevation map on the course but didn't pay much attention - I was so focused on power. So I really didn't know what to expect, what scenery to expect, or anything. Since I was the last one in the water, there were still a lot of people ahead of me. Within the first 5 miles there were water bottles, co2, nutrition, tubes, tires, and tool kits splattered all over the roads - there were some pretty bumpy roads. Ironman did do a pretty good job in marking, but the bike shop laid out for the first 5 miles sure helped with seeing where the bad patches were.

As I began to get into the country side, I was passing people left and right. I swear I felt like I was just saying "Left......Left....Left....Left" for the first hour. There was also a ton of drafting, but it seriously couldn't be prevented this early on. I had no idea how fast I was going, but after looking at my splits it somewhat made sense. I was averaging 25 mph!

The course was pretty spectacular. You could fly on it, but had to be patient - once you hit the hills they would eat you up. I could see those who this was their first Ironman event get caught up in the first loop and struggle the second very easily. As you bike, the views get better and better as you enter the valley. Traffic was pretty respectful and I only had to pass about 3 or 4 cars on their left in a passing zone. A triathlete passing a car in an Ironman event, something wrong there.

About halfway through the first part of the loop, you see one of the biggest hills you see all day. Don't push it, just relax - many say that the race doesn't even start until mile 80 or 90 on the bike. I relaxed, hitting around 300 watts, but still at 202 for NP. I knew I had some room with the downhills coming.

As I passed the first Special Needs bag in Chickamauga, I saw my dad and aunt. Boy was it great seeing someone familiar out there! I was on perfect pace - 200NP half way through!

Typically the further you get into the bike, the less drafting you see. This really wasn't the case. I saw draft lines about 6 to sometimes 10 people deep. In some cases - it wasn't preventable. Either someone was truly passing a competitor. I saw an official about 4 times out there - this was twice as less than IMLP.

At mile 80, I start getting stomach rot and lower back pain. I hit mile 80 at IMCHOO with absolutely no issues and felt actually fresh. Could this be? Could I actually finish the bike with no gut or back issues? Only time would tell.

Around this point I found a good group of riders where we'd use each other and sling shot constantly - no drafting. The legal way to pass in Ironman. 5 bike lengths, get in the draft zone, use them for 15 seconds and sling shot around. We kept this up for the last 20 miles on the bike course. It was perfect!

I came into T2 feeling ready to go and just crushed my bike PR by over 20 minutes, counting the extra 4 miles!

Time: 5:20
NP: 200
Avg Power: 190
Nutrition: 6 package of Gatorade Chews, 5 Powerbar Gels, 130oz of Perform and 60oz of water
Pee'd 3 times on bike
Division Rank: 5th
Bike Satisfaction: 10/10

T2

Got into T2 and found my shoes were tied! Rookie mistake. After untying the shoes, I was ready to roll. I came out of T2 in less than 6:30 total race time.

Run

I felt like I was running comfortable and slow, but I found out I was running sub 7s! Looking back, I almost wish I hadn't been wearing a watch. I was feeling great, but forced myself to slow down. In addition, I decided to use the course nutrition so I wouldn't have to carry anything on the run - mistake.

The course is deceivingly hard. You start flat and know you have a downhill finish, but there are some false flats that you'll ask yourself "why is my HR in Z4?!"Once you cross the river heading to the loop, that's when the hills and make or break happens. The crowd support over here is second to none. It's pretty similar to Wisconsin support. The aid stations over here also help as well - very excited and get  your adrenaline pumping!

I forced myself to run the entire first loop - 13.1 miles no matter how slow I would go. I ran through aid stations taking in about 2-4oz of Gatorade and 2 oz of water per aid station. At about min 45 and 1:30 I took in GU Gels - terrible decision that led to my stomach issues at mile 14. I had walked the entire mile 14 to 15 trying to recover. I thought, if I sacrifice 1 mile to recovery, it's better than 10 of trying to run and walk. At about this time I had saw my wife's aunt and uncle - was a nice boost and felt like I had to force myself to run in front of them. It was a great pick me up. Then I began walking and running while dry heaving around mile 16. . I kept doing this until mile 22 when I had heard I was 5th in my age group off the bike but now was in 6th. Only a few more hills to go and I was done, so I forced myself to just run - I shaved 5 minutes per mile off my pace. I think I had learned a valuable lesson doing this - stop running slow and just run. By opening my legs up, I felt like I "unbinded" them of a slow running march and used different muscles - something I am definitely going to remember for next time!

Crossing the pedestrian bridge for the final time and turning for the finish is something that will never get old. You can hear the crowd and announcer - it makes you forget what you had just done all day. I looked at my watch and knew I had done it. I knew I had broke 11 hours - something I didn't think would happen after mile 14. My previous best was 12:36 and finally ran a race I knew I had in me.

 



Avg HR: 153
Avg Pace: 10:13
Time: 4:23
Age Group Rank: 6th
Run Satisfaction: 6/10

All in all, I'm very happy with my race. Going from a 12:36 to sub 11 is a huge feat, especially in 9 weeks! I would recommend Ironman Chattanooga to anyone out there who is thinking about it. It would be a pretty good first outside of Ironman Wisconsin as well. The city is great, the spectators are always great and the volunteers are fantastic!

Swim is non threatening, the bike and run do pose challenges, but I think that's what makes it fun.

Lastly I'd like to thank all of the sponsors that helped make it happen!

Triple Threat Triathlon
Roka
The Sufferfest
Under Armour
Rudy Project
XX2I Optics


Until next time, stay safe out there!

Challenge Knoxville 70.3

2015 Season Opener

The time has come to see if all of the training has paid off. For the past 6 months its been pools, indoor trainers, treadmills, or icy/sleet/snow covered roads. Has all of the hard work, late nights and tired days of training truly paid off? Today was the day to find out.

Race Week

My family moved from RI to NC the Monday of race week - long drive, house closing, unpacking, organizing (who am I kidding - wife did most of that!), and getting settled into a new area/home. This move also meant no pool - so all run and bike this week. Will have an affect on me come race day?

Monday - Rest day 

Tuesday - 30 minutes run (4x90 second strides)

Wednesday - 60 minutes (few spin ups)

Thursday - 20 minute run (2 min hard/3 min easy)

Friday - Rest

Saturday - 15 min spin/10 min run

Saturday

After the workout, my Dad and I headed out to Knoxville (about a 4 hour ride). Luckily we had a hotel in the host Holiday Inn (talk about a great place and great location!). The mountain drive was scenic, the drive was quick and before we knew it we were running into Cameron Dye! 

This was my first Challenge Family race, and it wasn't anything less than impressive. In order to get o transition, we needed to walk through a festival Challenge puts on just for families! They really do mean Family in their name - arts/crafts, triathlon related activities, obstacle courses, vendors and more!

The process to get checked in, SWAG bag and into transition was a breeze (more markings could have helped to direct people the right direction) and the racks were simple and well laid out. 

Race Day

4:45 am and the alarm goes off. Bagel, Banana Nut Muffin and water and head to transition. We were told no pumps were allowed in transition and that the bike mechanics would be there at 5:15 a.m. when transitioned opened. When I arrive at 5:30 am - no bike mechanics or pumps available. I look over my bike - have a flat on my front wheel. Everything else checks out.  5:45 arrives and the mechanics finally arrive. I change my tube out, get the bike set up - at least I thought I did and start getting ready for the day.

At 6:58 and the Professionals take off - 10 minutes until my wave takes off! Nerves finally are settling in. First open water swim of the year and it's at a race! The countdown starts and the gun goes off - wild waves, arms everywhere, people kicking and we are off! 

The swim was upriver, two right turns then back down river. With the exception of the first 1,000 meters, I didn't get knocked around, the course was very well marked (buoys every 50-100m) and the length was spot on. Definitely helped me be able to swim in straight line and sighting was a breeze. Well done Challenge!

There wasn't anything special about the swim other than a guy yelling "Get off of me!" Immediately I thought of Napoleon Dynamite!

There was no ladder or stair to get out of the water - we had to pull ourselves onto the dock after a 1.2 mile open water swim. That was terrible! On top of that, it was pouring raining when the gun went off. From pulling myself out on to the dock, it was a quick run across the street into T1.

Getting into T1, I quickly find Black Magic with a breeze. I always make sure to know where my bike is before I leave transition the previous day. Get my wetsuit off within seconds, and start running to the mount line. As I run, I hear the front wheel scrape the brake pads - awesome! I stop and fix it before I take off - way to add seconds! 

I fix the front wheel and I'm off. Currently I'm 12th in my Age Group - not surprising as the swim is my weakest sport. The course features a lot of rolling hills, with it raining I wouldn't really be able to take advantage of the downhills so I knew I had to push it up the hills more than I had wanted too. 

Speaking of wheels, this was the first race riding on the Tokyo Wheel 88s. I also used the Aero Jacket featured by Wheelbuilder. These wheels are based in Japan and are a mid range priced wheel. They handled the rain and steep downhill with ease. I also didn't feel like I was heavy/slow on the uphills either with a very aero wheelset. I would definately recommend them to anyone! More about these wheel set in a different post!

Another upgrade I made this year, thanks to The Rudy Project and my new team, Triple Threat Triathlon, was the helmet. The past two years I've been wearing the Giro Selector. It was heavy, warm on cool days and HOT on warm days. The helmet I'm wearing now is the Wingspan TT. It fit like a glove, felt comfortable, very light, and well ventilated. This helmet is top notch!

The course was very very well marked, aid stations were plentiful, and the volunteers were awesome! I saw the officials a total of 4 times on the 56 mile journey - more than what I've seen in the past. There wasn't any reason to need to draft unless you wanted to cheat. Meaning, there was a good number of riders on the course, but it wasn't congested.

Over the first hour, it featured some tough hills and maneuvering out of the city. With any race, I love the beginning of the bike. It's where I can pass a lot of individuals who are starting to get in the groove or may not be the best cyclists.  About half way up the 2nd large hill, I met a guy from Florida - he wasn't having much fun with the hills. He had told me he thought he did enough hill training in Florida, but I kept thinking....there are hills in Florida?

First hour numbers:

NP: 245

Avg HR: 163

Avg Speed: 21.7

Avg Cadence: 90

As you may notice, the second hour was much "flatter", which my NP took a small beating. The hills on the 2nd half were much more windy (whine-d) than the first hour - most of where the accidents took place. A lot of braking down hills and the wheels took that like a champ! Very very pleased how they performed. Very scenic - which was enjoyable. Towards the end of this hour, the passing of people started to dwindle and a small group started to form. Luckily there were no secret "drafters" and we all used each other - definitely kept the pain off the mind.

Second hour numbers:

NP: 224

Avg HR: 160

Avg Speed: 22.1

Avg Cadence: 92

The last half hour featured one more major hill - by this time I didn't even notice it! There were already enough hills that it didn't matter anymore.

Getting into T2, I was suprised how fresh my legs felt! I was definately excited for the upcoming run.

A quick transition, and I'm off with my rain soaked shoes and sockless feet (big mistake later on). I wanted a heart rate of nothing over 180 so I set out my pace based on that. My first few miles were a little quick - sub 6 minute pace. I knew there was no way I would be able to keep this up so I backed off and see where my HR would be at the 7 minute range. I'm hovering around 170-175 and then as I passed mile 3, I saw Cam Dye flying towards the finish (he went sub 4 hours!). I was only 9-10 miles away from the winning professional - I'll take it!

Getting into mile 4, the first hill hit, on an everyday run it wouldn't be much - but racing a 70.3 on it made it brutal! Wanting to keep my HR in check, about 3/4 of the way up I ended up walking as my HR was getting to 180-190. Crest the hill and take off, however by this point, I really started to feel some blisters - back of each achilles, inside part of the arches and the inside part of my big and middle toes.

By miles 5 and 6 I had finally had a good pace going. I was passing competitors, but wasn't getting passed so that was a good thing. I also never saw anyone in my age group - maybe I passed them? But I kept chugging along (in reality I was 1st in my Age Group). At mile 6.5 I was just under 45 minutes. This was perfect - with the exception of the feet. I could see blood stains start to come through the shoes.

At mile 7, I really started to slow down and my mind started to concentrate on my feet and try to change my stride and gait to avoid the blistered areas. I gave it a mile and decided to run barefoot. With the shoes off - I could hold a more consistant pace, though not fast. I got passed by two guys in my age group and thought to myself - think of it as I'm in 4th - no podium. Have to stick with them! The paths were great to run on - with shoes. Barefoot, a whole different story but my feet felt fantastic. Cruising at around 8 -9 minute miles I tried pushing the pace and by mile 12.5, I had reached the final road leading to the finishing sidewalk.

The road had glass, nails, rocks, and more! I decided to put on my shoes and just go with the pain. It was only a half mile away or so - I can handle it! I made the final turn to get on the sidewalk and pass T1/2 and saw individuals coming in from the bike - took my mind off the pain for a moment! They had a half marathon to go and here I am complaining I have 400m to go in my head. I reach the final hill and charge up it as much as I can and I see the finish line. Big events like these will never get old!

I cross the line in 4:59:28 - the last finisher under 5 hours. As I get my finisher medal, I'm also handed an "up to date" place card. Says time, place overall, and place in your age g
roup. I read over it and says I'm 3rd in my age group! I'm beyond esctatic! I go up to the computer screens just to check again about 45 minutes later and I was bumped down to 4th in my age group. The timers had made a mistake!!! Finished 32nd overall (non pro).

This was nearly a half hour slower than I had wanted, but then again this was my first 70.3 I've raced. The last 8k or so was barefoot, the bike had slippery and dangerous roads (would be perfect if the roads were dry), and it was my first open water swim of the season. I'll take a sub 5 hour day!

The venue, event, and feel of the day was great. Challenge-Family brand really suprised me in what they do and how great of an event they put on. There wasn't many vendors and it wasn't as packed as an Ironman event which was a nice change. Getting into transition in the morning was a breeze and even getting out was simple and fast at the end of the event.

Overall Metrics:

Swim: 35:44 (1:51/100m) 12/17 in age group. 108/288 overall
T1: 2:57
Bike 2:36.30 (21.54 mph) 4/17 in age group. 34/288 overall
T2: 1:02
Run: 1:43.15 (7:46 per mile) 4/17 in age group. 34/288 overall
Total: 4:59.28. 4/17 in age group. 34/288 overall



































 

Age Grouper Comradery: Pathetic Triathletes

Age Grouper Comradery: Pathetic Triathletes

A Triple Threat Triathlon Exclusive

Triathlon is a sport where complete strangers can come together and instantly become best of friends – almost family. Whether getting into transition, body marking, or even out on the course the comradery is something that I love about the sport.

Social media has allowed triathlete, or really anyone, to continue that new found friendship or bond past race day – especially Facebook. One person, Zach Rose, has done just that on Facebook with his Pathetic Triathletes Facebook group.

A page dedicated to everything triathlon where Age Groupers (or Professionals someday soon?) can discuss just about anything in an environment where there truly is no judgement (at least written) – terrible training/racing mishaps, life lessons, Oreo’s, and general Age Grouper to Age Grouper guidance. The group ranges from Kona qualifiers to those who are just looking to barely finish a sprint tri. I had the pleasure to interview Zach in this Triple Threat Triathlon exclusive with Zach!

Triple Threat Triathlon (TTT): Can you tell us a little bit about the Pathetic Triathletes group? Where was the inspiration to start it?

Zach Rose (ZR):  I was getting tired of the other Facebook groups that can sometimes have a super serious vibe. It is understandable though - this sport has such a wide variety of experience levels, and there can be negative results by randomly throwing 10,000 triathletes into the same place if the expectations are not made clear up front. We created a place where it was all about elevating the lighter side of triathlon and for that matter, celebrating how ridiculous this lifestyle can be! We all love it and keep at it non-stop, but every single day there is something laughable that happens to each and every triathlete, even the pros.

TTT: The group is at nearly 2,100 followers! When you first started the group, did you know it was going to grow into what it is today? Where do you see it going from here?

ZR: We are actually at almost 2,400 as of today (June 11^th, 2015). I had a feeling that there was a massive gap on this side of the sport, especially since all of my tri-friends are goofballs (to say the least). After we got almost 200 members on day 1, I realized that there was something pretty cool about to happen. From here we are going to keep building the community and will be exploring some options outside of Facebook as well. There are already some shirts and stickers representing our focus on the fun side of the sport, and the members are really getting excited about it all.

TTT: There must be some “bad apples” that post/share/comment on status’s, what are some challenges you see or face every day being an administrator to such a large group of people?

ZR: The group is really good at self-policing. Of the 3 or 4 people that have ever gotten banned, they were all brought to my attention by a member that flagged the post in question. The PTG (Pathetic Group) members treat this group like it is their creation, because in reality it is. When bad apples pop up, it is a direct threat on what we have all created together, so it is in everyone's best interest to get them out as soon as possible.

TTT: On the same thought, but different side of it –what have been some memorable posts/comments/shares on the page that you’ve seen?

ZR: The body transformations always have a strong impact - there was a post recently about someone who lost like 200 pounds training. Others are those that have ditched alcohol or drugs and now are applying their previously destructive patterns to super positive lifestyles. Also, the fund raising efforts are always moving, especially when people really put themselves out there and start to see great results.

TTT: You just gave away a Garmin 920xt to a lucky member – how did that idea come about? Should the members prepare for more give-a-ways?

ZR: Like I mentioned before, there are some products that the members are really digging into. I thought it only be appropriate to "give back" using the small margins on the shirts and stickers as a way to really engage with everyone. Of the 2,300+ members, almost 500 entered the drawing and the lucky winner was beyond appreciative. Even to see that over 200 people liked her thank you note to the group was such an awesome feeling. It really brought everyone together and attracted a lot of new faces to the mix.

TTT: You’ve done some racing yourself, most recently Ironman Eagleman 70.3. How did that race go?

ZR: That race is coming up this Sunday and will be my first half, but leading up to this I've podium’d my last two races, both shorter distances. Training has been nuts for the half but I feel ready and can't wait to cross the finish line. I will most definitely be wearing my PATHETICs T-shirt!

*** Editor update: Zach raced Ironman Eagleman 70.3 and was the last sub 6 hour finisher at 5:59.54. He mentioned that his sauna training had “paid off big time” for his success.

Tokyowheel - The next Zipp?

Wheelset: Epic 88s with Silver Mirror Accents

Bike: 2012 QuintanaRoo CD0.1

Tires: Continental 4000s 700x25

Previous Wheelset – 2011 Bontrager Aeolus 6.5 (bought used for $1,300)

Additions: Lighter Ceramic Upgrade, Sapim CX-Ray Spokes and SILS Nipples,  WheelBuilder Disc Cover

https://www.tokyowheel.com/

Quick Review:

A wheelset that stands out in price, performance, and looks. With more marketing in the USA, don’t be surprised for this company to be a head turner. Stiff, fast, and light with great aerodynamics. Sound familar? If you can get over the "Zipp" fantasy, Tokyowheel will be just as fast!

Longer Review:

I got the 88 set about 4 months ago and wanted to really test them out in multiple environments – trainer, sunny, rain, wind, hills and flats. If you aren’t one to enjoy long reviews – then stop reading. If you love in depth reviews, keep reading.

I ordered the 88s and, being from the States, I thought it was going to take forever to ship. This wasn’t the case at all. It wasn’t more than 5 days before I got the new wheel set! The tracking was spot on, there were no customs issues, and better yet the box was somehow flawless. They truly mean fast shipping!

Upon opening the box, I found the set very well and securely packed. These guys aren’t messing around. The top layer features a “shelf” like hard cardboard piece protecting the top of the wheels. Here you’ll see two sets (yes, 8 brake pads!), the skewers and information about the wheels.  After taking off the top layer of cardboard, the wheels were packaged with bubble wrap, cardboard surroundings, and placed in cardboard slots to prevent movement in shipment. After taking the wheels out, there were no fingerprints on them –I found this pretty impressive.

The Silver Mirror color pops very nicely. It gives it a little punch and looks exactly the way it does online. It takes up a lot of the wheel – but the font makes it look pretty dang sweet.

After self-installing the cassette, and changing out the brake pads – I through the wheels on the trainer. I wanted to get that initial feel for the wheels out of the way. I gave it a good push to see how long the wheel would spin before it stopped.  There was no issue in getting the wheels up to speed and it took approximately 30 seconds for the wheel to stop spinning on the trainer.

Performance Review 1:

Weather: Sunny and in the 80s.

Wheel set up: 88 front, 88 back with disc cover

Effort: Recovery ride with some pushes

Roads: Flat roads with minor climbs. Mixture of finely paved roads, continual bumps and potholes

The first test ride outside was nothing short but a little terrifying. It was a VERY windy day and I had gone from 60mm wheel depth to 88 in the front and a “disc” in the back (the 88 with Wheelbuilder Disc Cover). I found myself getting pushed a lot (I’m 150lbs) and kept getting out of the aero position to regain control. The wheels responded very well, they were stiff, and FAST.  By the end of the ride, I had found myself controlling the bike in the windy conditions and was able to hit the 50mph range.

Going at about 20 mph on a flat road, I was able to roll for nearly a 300m before I found myself needing to pedal again. The ceramic hub with the 4 bb’s rolled smooth!

 

On the same hills I rode with on my 60mm depth wheels and 88s, I found there was no real power difference. There was maybe a +5 wattage difference – nothing to truly note since they’ll end up being faster an any other part of the course.

The braking surface needed some breaking into (do not forget to take off the braking warning stickers off the braking surface!). Once the pads broke in, I found they take a little longer to stop than my past Bontragers. This isn’t really an issue since the time it does take to stop is minimal, but should be noted for potential weekend rides or T2. You’ll also notice that the breaking surface will quickly fade and will have a “stressed black/silver” look. To me it looks pretty awesome, but if you are the type that wants the surface to remain BLACK, then this could be a potential nuisance.

Performace Review 2:

Weather: Rain – drizzle, steady, and down pouring at parts

Effort: 70.3 race

Roads: Hills (3000ft of climbing in 56 miles), smooth, bumpy and no traffic

Wheel set up: 88 front, 88 back with disc cover

I recently raced Challenge Knoxville which featured a decent amount of climbing for a tri. This provided some great thoughts on feedback or these wheels. The weather conditions were very very wet – pouring at times.

I found the wheels were able to brake just as well in the rain as it does in dry conditions which was very satisfying since I’d have be breaking down some technical hills. After long descents, I also found the wheels didn’t overheat (could have been the cool temperatures as well). In addition, I found that I could brake harder after “riding” the brakes for a long period of time.

Over long periods of climbs, I didn’t find the 88s drastically different than my  Bontragers. In fact, I was climbing just as fast, if not better, than my previous wheelset. The power I was able to push was better received on these wheels.

 

The overall feeling of the wheels during bumpy roads was also surprising. I could feel the difference and the bike road much smoother.

Overall Feeling:

For $1100, these wheels are a FANTASTIC deal! They are light, fast, look good, and the warranty is the best in the industry. There is honestly no surprise why there is nearly a 5 star rating on them. If you are thinking about upgrading your wheelset – think Tokyowheel!

Stars: 5

2015 Tour of Sufferfest

Copyright The Sufferfest

2015 Tour of Sufferlandria

You may have recently read my review of Nine Hammers from The Sufferfest and may have even purchased a video or two since. You are right in time for the best “free” world wide cycling tour there is, Tour of Sufferlandria! Starting on January 24^th, Sufferlandrians, Knights and Dames will be riding through 9 stages consisting of a total of 12 videos.

Now when I say best “free” tour there is, The Sufferfest runs the tour as a fundraiser where you can choose to donate and ride or trainer or ride your trainer at no cost. This years tour is benefiting the Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinson’s. 

If you choose to donate, you get entered into an AWESOME, seriously you'll need to check it out. The prize pool worth over $10,000! Prizes range from bike tours, carbon wheels, signed pro prizes, bike frames, and schwag.

Peak your interest? Awesome! Let’s check out the course, how it works, and how to participate in the social aspect of the tour.

Stages:

                Stage 1, Saturday, January 24^th: Elements of Style* + The Long Scream
                Duration: 1hr 10 minutes

                Stage 2, Sunday, January 25^th: Blender
                Duration: 1hr 40 mins

                Stage 3, Monday, January 26^th: Fight Club
                Duration: 1hr

                Stage 4, Tuesday, January 27^th: Nine Hammers*
                Duration: 1hr

                Stage 5, Wednesday, January 28^th: Angels**
                Duration: 1hr

                Stage 6, Thursday, January 29^th: Local Hero
                Duration: 1hr 25 min

                Stage 7, Friday, January 30^th: The Rookie
                Duration: 1 hr

Stage 8, Saturday, January 31^st: Revolver + Violator + Half is Easy (Dame Alissa Memorial StageDuraiton: 2 hrs 25mins
For Fellow Knights and Dames, this one hits a little closer to home as Dame Alissa was struck by a truck during a ride. This stage has been dedicated to her and is the hardest stage ever in the tour.

Stage 9, Sunday, February 1^st: ISLAGIATT*
Duration: 2hrs

How does it work?       

  

First, you’ll watch the prescribed video for the specific stage you are riding. Hop on the trainer and go at it!

There is no registration for this event, however if you do want to be eligible for prizes you must donate for the tour. If you do choose to donate, every $10 you’ll receive 1 ticket that makes you eligible for all the prizes.

Also, The Sufferfest doesn’t keep track of when you ride or how hard. You are a Sufferlandrian and will ride on Honor and Glory!

Each tour is one Sufferlandrian day, which means you have 50 hours. This mean that in theory the tour could last two weeks. This tour is meant to challenge you mentally and physically and even with the 50 hour window, it surely will!

Social Aspect

What tour or event isn’t complete without the social, comradery and let’s face it, trash talking! The Sufferfest has that all covered for you on Facebook!  Join the fun as the King himself, Sir David McQuillen (the guy who started it all) interacts with all of the Knights/Dames and Sufferlandrians throughout the tour. Follow other participants, cheer each other on and even see photos of pain caves, faces of death, and holy water (sweat)!

On the fence? Thinking about buying the videos? Click here or our banner ad to get the videos! Get off the couch and start your training. 

Get your legs moving, feel the pain again and have the 2015 Tour of Sufferlandria kick start your training!