Lesson Learnt From A Weather Bomb (Part 2)

7)    As tempting as it was, I avoided drafting other than during the climbs. I saw too many drafting situations, however what is the point of cheating yourself of your potential?

8)    The headwinds at the Broadlands stretch are notorious; they sneak up on you in the return leg. You may post one hour on the first 45K, but suffer a 2-hour return. Going aero is the only way for both headwinds and tailwinds – just ‘tuck in, and suck in’ and let your legs move. Just another day of windy riding on a blue-sky day.

9)    I had a tragic swim, lethargic ride, but a strong run. I did not walk except for aid-stations; chased down my buddies, succeeded except for one (our Fearless Swim Leader, Matthew) because I ran out of real estate on the run. Felt like Rinny chasing down Chrissy last year in Kona. I enjoyed the tough, hilly, half-marathon, and was glad for a 1:50 time after all the biking brouhaha. I, successfully, earned an average of 5:13 minute/K pace - a pace that would have given me a sub-4 hour (3:50) marathon in a Ironman. The hilly, 2-loop, run route made it harder on the ascents although I did not adopt the 'walk uphill, run hard downhill' strategy at all.

10)    Friends say I share too much about my training regime on my blog, so I will cease and resist for a while until the next race (in July). Haven’t trained for five days since last Sunday’s race, so I may see you at the Aviva Singapore 70.3 race on 18 March.

Photo-credit: Brightroom, official photographers of Ironman NZ 2012

Lessons Learnt From A Weather Bomb

Last Saturday, a ‘weather bomb’ befell the town of Taupo shattering all windows of opportunity for 1,600 participants to do Ironman New Zealand. Winds of about 120-140kph and punishing rain compromised the safety of participants, volunteers and spectators. Although painful, race-officials made the right call to cancel the race on Saturday, but instead held an alternative half-Ironman race on Sunday. These are lessons I learnt from racing in the inaugural, 70.3, triathlon format.

1)    Despite the use of a wetsuit, I found it too cold to swim well in 15-degrees Celcius water. The cold knocked the wind out of me. Hypothermia is a serious threat to weaker swimmers, as over-exposure can drain your body of heat or fatigue you prematurely.

2)    I took about 10 minutes to complete Transition 1 yet think it was worth the delay. A 400m run up the slope to T1, removing my wetsuit with cold hands, putting on two layers of clothes, and using socks during my ride. Still cold during the ride, but bearable.

3)    I took only Hammer Nutrition ‘Perpeteum’ powder as my main source of nutrition. Suffice to say, it met my energy needs and filled my stomach without gastro-intestinal (GI) issues. Just add water, sip the ‘paste’ and chase it with water.

4)    If you got to pee, you got to pee. System check: I was well hydrated. My body responds to the cold air (low 10’s) and headwinds the same way it does to caffeine, by seeking refuge at a porta-loo.

5)    No caffeine on this race, except for the last 5K with flat Coca-Cola. I did it as Macca suggested in his biography. Sweet as hell, but beats the ‘bonk’.

6)    I suffered cold cramps on the 70K mark of the ride, and thereafter during my run. Imagine getting cramps about 300m away from the finishing-line! I did my best Crowie impression by stretching my hamstrings – did not do much except to irk the spectators to cheer me on – I gritted my teeth and pushed on, painfully. Four days of sore thighs suggested the extent of damage from the cramps. (Note to self: take more Endurolytes, like 3-4 per hour on hard rides)

Race or Training Day?

Yesterday, I completed my 12th Ironman event at Lake Taupo, New Zealand. Our 226K-triathlon was cancelled, and in its place we had a contingent half-Ironman triathlon. 
Due to a 'weather bomb' that hit New Zealand, Lake Taupo suffered strong overnight winds and rain. As race organisers judged it dangerous for all 1,600 participants and more than 2,000 volunteers the race was scrapped for the first time in 28 years of the event's history. 


About 1,400 decided to race yesterday morning at 7.55am. The professionals, comprising multiple-Ironman NZ winners Cameron Brown and Joanna Lawn took off from a 'wet start' at 7.45am for the single-loop 3.8K swim. At 15 degrees Celcius, the lake swim was cold for many, especially equator-dwelling participants like us. Most of the Team Singapore raced in what looked like the original event.


It was, nonetheless, a tough day. Call it a race or label it a training day, it was still a hard hit for us. The swim took the breath out of me, and being swam over by strong and competitive swimmers was troubling and anxiety-building. The 90L ride was smooth and uneventful for the first-half, yet the headwinds on the return leg made it harder to attack the ride with the same relentlessness as found earlier. I cramped a little at the 70K mark, and I attributed it to cold cramps - which was to plague me later during the 21K. I found good success in my nutrition with Hammer Nutrition Perpeteum (a soya-protein based energy drink) which caused no stomach distress, and gave a sense of fullness. I wore adequately to keep warn, although this extended my usual transition time in T1: I had to use socks, arm-warmers and gloves.


I enjoyed myself on the run, focusing on recovering my lost time on my race-buddies. I started with a 5:45min/K pace for the first 5.25K, and then throttled it up to a 4:43min/K for the last 6K. I made up some ground, but ran out of real-estate to earn more time. No PB for me this time, and more like a PW; however, I was pleased that many of friends did well and they deserved their personal victory. In the end, for a shorter format race, the strong swimmers and riders determined the race. I learnt many lessons from this alternate race, and will use it to prepare for my next full-format race in July. I am not a cold-weather athlete, and excel in hot climates. I will decide how to handle such chilly races in future.

Early Days of IMNZ 2012

Good day to all!
Day 2: Auckland City, en-route to Lake Taupo - home of Ironman New Zealand. It will be just under five hours before we arrive. The main posse has staked their claim there, mainly Matthew, Wilson, Clifford, Chris and Winston.
I bumped into Winston on business class, as I made my dainty way to the rear of the plane. He is recuperating from illness and last weekend's Tokyo Marathon, and he hopes to complete the 226K triathlon. Chris Smith was at the last row with his wife, in positive spirits.
I am fully recovered from Monday's deep-tissue massage, and my calves are released from tension (incurred from Saturday's final spin, and Sunday's tempo run). Coach has prescribed my tapering week's program, more short sessions to tune up my body. Friday is a rehearsal of all three stations, necessary for preparing the body for the assault on Saturday. I have found that a short session prior to the race, enhances my body's readiness to race. Hong Kong Marathon 2011, where I scored a BQ/PB, was made with a treadmill/bike session about 12 hours before the race!
Tomorrow morning, I will do my wet-suit swim with various intensities. It is supposed to my rest day. I will fix up my bike and bring it for a ride later this evening, and do a short run (with some short bursts in-between).
More on the race fair tomorrow.
.

10 Considerations In My Final Tapering Week

Tomorrow, I will fly off to Auckland before heading out to Lake Taupo on Wednesday. Then, final preparations begin for my race-readiness at 7.00am, Saturday, 3 March.

With one week to go, I still have to taper properly. This is a crucial week that can sabotage your efforts, if you are not diligent. This week, I had gradually-reduced mileage, including short runs, rides, and swims. Today, I ran one hour (90-94rpm cadence @ 5:15-5:30K/minute pace) along the beach route, and did a 45-minute pool session (pool-buoy sets and sculling). Yesterday’s 2-hour ride is a weaning off the 4-6 hour sessions that I completed weeks ago. My calves are now sore, as my easy ride included 40 minutes at half-Ironman race pace. Thanks to Nicholas who kept me company over several Saturdays. Hopefully, tomorrow morning’s sports massage session will help release residual muscle tension and knots in my legs.

Some cumulative, positive signs in my third attempt at this series include:

1)    I completed about 75 percent of Coach’s weekly training prescription. And, he is happy about that.

2)    I finally completed a few 13-15 hour training weeks, which are achievements for me. I am, naturally, averse to physical activity - but I enjoy racing.

3)    Swimming much more regularly, with strength-specific, sessions. Thanks to support from triathletes (buddies of Ironman 70.3 World Championships in 2008/2009), Marco and Kenneth!

4)    I feel more confident of my swim fitness and technique in my open-water, wetsuit swim last Saturday. I progressed to the middle of the pack with more upper-body control.

5)    I am more patient and mindful of my marathon pace, opting to use both intuition AND my Garmin 310XT  monitor and stick to my race pace of 5:15-5:30K/min at a cadence of 90-92rpm. I take more, smaller, steps now, without being winded and still maintaining my race-pace.

6)    My switch to Hammer Nutrition (Coach’s suggestion) after weeks of experimentation led me to my confidence in its products. I will use mostly Perpeteum endurance drink, gels and Endurolytes (salt replacement) as my main source of nutrition. I will carry less nutritional load, but nutrition-loaded supplements.

7)    My ride sessions (with strength-based training, short time trials, and race-pace sets) have given me more confidence on my bike. I can take hilly routes better now.

8)    Unlike 2010, where I lost swim and ride fitness due to a car accident (I was hit from behind by a taxi), I am more race-fit and determined to do my best. Third time lucky?

9)    The fact that I got my replacement Elite Custom Razor frame in (I thrashed mine when I hit a stationary truck) four weeks ago means that I have a custom-crafted and custom-fitted bike to allow me to ride comfortably and accentuates my fitness. Only concern is that I rode roadie style for four weeks and did not do much by way of the aero-position.

10) I am almost race-packed, so none of the troublesome worries that comes about from poor travel planning and preparation.

I will post more upon my arrival. 

Splitting The Difference

Today, I did a double session: a strength ride session, and a swim session. Both emphasised strength even though I am on my final tapering days towards the next 226K-triathlon challenge. I had to postpone my session on Wednesday due to work, and Tuesday was a rest day after last weekend’s inception of tapering. Last Saturday, I completed three hours with seven (K) loops of Selarang (a popular route with cyclists). This evening’s swim with two Ironman 70.3 finishers and one Kona age-group world champion was a motivating one. I will receive personal instruction for my swim when I prepare for Ironman Switzerland on 15 July.

Some of my team-mates for Ironman New Zealand have been keeping active, too, although with a less structured routine. The simple approach is to reduce mileage (distance) and maintain intensity (if not increase it slightly). Coach has me doing short intervals as my main sets, using half-Ironman pace. The purpose is to challenge the body to accustom itself to varying bouts of intensities during race conditions. Also, I need to fully rest and recover before the big dance at Lake Taupo.

Updates on IMNZ preparation: I had my custom-made Elite Custom Razor bike built up. It does not look spiffy (yet), and looks like a prop from the Rock Horror Show. Yet, it retains most of the parts of the last bike, save for the damaged frame and aero-bars. You could say that it looks constructed from washing-machine parts (with a respectful nod to the ‘Flying Scotsman’). I hope that tomorrow’s two-hour ride will have me settle quickly into the seemingly, aggressive aero-position. I was riding roadie-style on my back-up Orbea Vitesse since my bike crashed, and road mostly upright on the bullhorns.

I will follow up with a brief report on the Duathlon race happening tomorrow on the East Coast. I am giving it a miss, although I would love to race. A dropped bottle-cage cost me a podium finish, and I was left with a sixth position in my highly competitive age-group last year. Stay focused on IMNZ, I will.

Updates on IMNZ 2012

I am doing much better: My injuries, sustained during a freak accident, seem to be healing. I can swim, ride and run with less discomfort. Overall, my fitness is enhanced; I have achieved some of my goals like hitting an average running cadence of 90-92 footfalls per minute, holding the pace during my time trials (with heavy gears), managing the short intervals during swim-sets, and adjusting to my renewed nutrition plan.

Last week, I missed my last long ride and still have a 90K, tapering ride to do this weekend. On Monday, I swam 3.1K (main sets being 20X100m with pull-buoy) followed with an hour running at 11kph pace (my desired Ironman marathon pace). On Sunday, I rode 100 minutes on the stationary-bike, followed immediately with 20 minutes on the treadmill at race-pace. So far, all systems go! With two and half weeks left, my taper has to be precise and safe until I reach Lake Taupo.

Coach Craig ‘Fox’ Holland has been encouraging and directive with my weekly training program, culminating this week as the beginning of the tapering weeks. Dhubai-based David Chambers has been supportive from afar, with his constant e-mails and status of his quest for endurance glory. My donors to my charity, CF4Kids have also been my motivator, placing their faith in my personal challenge and cause.

It has been said ‘Third’s time a charm!’ I truly hope so, as this has been my toughest preparation for the 226K-triathlon format since IMWA 2006. I look forward to my 4K swim this evening before my club’s AGM. I have still more to do, before I sculpt the great statue from the block of stone! I just need to remove the unwanted bits and pieces before revealing the wonderful statue from within.

Preparing for Personal Bests

This evening, I completed a 90-minute ride, followed immediately with a 30-minute run. Last night, I completed my first (fast) 10K tempo run in two months. Last week, I completed 15 hours worth of triathlon training time. It is six weeks out to my next Ironman triathlon. The total hours of training dedicated to the 226K-triathlon may be deceptive, as consistency matters just as much as pure distance. The ability to complete twice-a-day workouts, or back-to-back disciplines counts towards the final race-day tally. Faster or slower, in daylight or in darkness – your preparation means a lot to your ability to complete or compete.

Last year, I did not take too much of a break after the Singapore Marathon. After completing Ironman Lanzarote (my second time), and canceling Ironman Canada (my first) I focused on running. I earned personal best times in my 10K, 10-mile, 21K, 30K and full marathon. I also earned my first Boston Qualifier (BQ) at the Hong Kong Marathon last February. I also experienced my first bout of foot injuries, despite a successful training regime of 3 weekly run workout that did not exceed 50K in total.

I earned some personal achievements including winning the veteran’s category in a half-marathon, several top-6 placing in duathlons and runs, and a BQ/PB in a marathon. I also maintained my top-1 percent national ranking as a marathoner.

Ironman NZ will be my biggest challenge to date, as I will attempt to earn PBs in all three disciplines, as well as an overall best timing for the full Ironman distance. I trust my Coach, I am committed to my training, and I have faith that the process will work (as it did for others). Six weeks may not seem like much time but every workout, every resting moment and every meal will add to my capability and confidence.

Which will be your next challenge and attempt for a PB?

Sponsoring My Charity As Part of Ironman

Hello, Friends! It is that time of the year where I race another Ironman triathlon and raise funds for charity. I am supporting the same charity as 2010, and it is for kids stricken with cystic fibrosis. This charity provides resources for these brave and positive children to exercise and breathe better and naturally. I certainly hope that you can assist us in our collective cause. Breathe Life Fully! 

My fund-raising page ‘Iron-Team Varella’ is up. I am supporting Breath4CF, part of the New Zealand Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. My mathematics is simple: 100 multiplied by $30 each or 300 times $10, will do the delightful and meaningful deed. Or will Pareto Law persist? Let us see if we can budge paradigms and social phenomenon.

Thanks to David Chambers, from NZ, who reminded me to consider this initiative we did in 2010. Back then I closed with a whopping NZ$2,083.00, and David did better. Both of us got to meet the charity organizers and the kids after the race – it was a touching moment to meet both parents and children of CF. My target this year is NZ$3,000.00. I hope to raise funds as close to this amount. I would deeply appreciate your participation and involvement in this cause. I than YOU in advance for donating or spreading the word!

It feels good to do something helpful and useful for others. I am fortunate that I can enjoy a lifestyle that includes endurance sports. Children stricken by cystic fibrosis have difficulty in breathing because the experience large buildup of phlegm in their lungs. Exercise discharges this fluid and allows the kids to enjoy their childhood and stay alive. In this case, exercise can sustain lives!

*****

After a tumultuous week wrestling with a second bout of flu, and a sprained lower back I managed to complete my sessions. I skipped Thursday as I was quite knackered and my lumbar region was making it hard for me to ride the double sessions. Yesterday, I swam with my group in the open-water lagoon, followed by a short run. After Friday evening’s 2-hour long run intervals in the evening, I crossed the 'imaginary finish-line' in third after two tough-working veteran runners, Jimmy and Vincent. It was a fun way to cap the week's training commitment.

Total training time this week: 11.0 hours (3 sessions for each discipline)

Identifying With Your Group Branding

Our Monday evening’s swim squad has an official shirt to accompany our strong identity. This marks a weekly commitment by the core group for the sponsored, two-lane, swim at Buona Vista Swimming Pool. Any member of the branded Triathlon Family or friends of members can join us in these once-weekly session led by coach Dion, or any of our seasoned swimmers like Julius. On alternate Saturdays, we have our open-water swims at Sentosa Island (lead by our fearless leader, Matthew); which is, sometimes, followed by a short 4.5K run, when a biathlon is near.

This evening, after teaching class I proceeded home for an hour of swim drills comprising catch-up drills, fist swimming, bilateral breathing and kicking. Then, I was off for a management committee meeting; after that, I set off for the Changi International Airport, Terminal 1 to send Matthew Wong and Clifford Lee off. Both were travelling this evening to Germany for Ironman Regensberg. Both were decked in the t-shirt that Richard Leong designed, so they looked casually official. More friends like Conrad, Angeline, Chris and Mano will be flying off tomorrow. I arrived just in time to get a couple of snapshots with my two training buddies. This will be Matthew’s second Ironman triathlon, and Clifford’s twelfth; as of now, we both stand equal at 11 completions each. We will both be part of the Singapore contingent at Ironman New Zealand 2012.

Meanwhile, I have a few key races lined up before the Singapore Marathon: mainly varied distances from 5-21K, and an inaugural long-distance triathlon on 11 September. I look forward to Sunday’s 5K, trail-run time trial with the Macritchie Runners (MR25). I hope to run sub-22 minutes, and qualify for a higher individual ranking, which is based on a faster-running animal. My short-term case of plantar fasciitis has almost cleared after I laid off the long runs, and resuming running with Vibrams and doing my core stability work.

Photo-credits: Desmond Chow & Clifford Lee, 2012