3 days ago I finished my 8th IM since 2008. 

July of 2008, I went 10:02 in the pouring rain of IM Lake Placid. I couldn’t even imagine going any faster. I also missed a Kona spot by 90 seconds. On the drive home, I told Courtney. “the next time I don’t go to Kona, it will be by choice, not because I missed the spot”

Fast forward to May 19th, 6:59 am. Treading water, 60 seconds away from starting IM TX. The entire 6 months of training flashed before my eyes. The long trainer rides in January. The early morning 5k swim sets in the pool and the long solo runs where I questioned what I was doing and why I was doing it. 

Boom…guns goes off and I am on auto poilt. 59:16 later me and my Blue Seventy PZ3TX (thanks to B70 for the picture) Climbed the ladder out and into T1. I didn’t swim hard enough. I was never really on the rivet during the swim. That will change in Sept! 

I jumped onto my Blue Triad SL and headed out onto the 112 rolling bike course. The first 27 miles were very fast as I had expected due to the tailwind and mostly flat route we took. 

I did everything I needed I set myself up for a good run. Nailed the nutrition (including about 18 bottles of powerbar perform) Rode a very steady wattage,(that we knew was correct based off training and past race results, not just some random % of 60 minute power).  Both up and down the hills and I was able to keep myself cool with the cold water from the aid station. 

Bike file. 

The run went perfect until about mile 19. Everything felt fine until that point. Then it was all about being mentally tough and continuing to do the little things (nutrition and cooling) that would ultimately get me across the line with a 9 min PR. 

Run File

IM TX is an awesome race! Not the most secenic bike course but the roads are in good condition, which for us  New Englander’s is a nice change!  The run is awesome!! Three loops that you can break down into small segments, so it goes by pretty “quick”

A big thank you to Jesse for getting me to the line healthy and fitter then ever. To my wife, my biggest supporter, without her none of this would be possible. And to everyone who sent a tweet, email or FB message over the past few days. 

Hopefully some pictures will surface over the next few days and I can get them up!

Oh…I’ve had a lot of emails over the past few days about turning down my Kona spot.  While it was NOT an easy decision, I wasn’t ready to spend another two weeks from home and unfortunately I feel that for me to really race in Kona, I need 2 weeks on the Big Island to acclimate to the weather.  I’ll be back though, you can count on it.

Well its no surprise Texas didn’t go as planned.  I knew it was going to be a huge ask of my body to go into a race completely spent from training.  Then toss in heat and humidity and I was pretty much toast from the gun.  I did my best with what I was given for the day, I swam hard (very disappointed with a 29!) Rode the planned wattage and then spent the run trying to get the ol’ legs to move.  Although the weather was less then ideal for someone as heat sensitive as I am, it was non issue as I couldn’t run hard enough to even get my HR up for heat to be a problem.

Everything else about the weekend was a lot of fun!  Was able to meet some new QT2 folks and spend time with friends I only get to see a few times a year.

Once home from Texas it was ALL about getting recovered from the past 4 weeks of training.  I took Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday completely off.  Thursday I swam 15 min and ran 15 mins.  Friday I rode 60 mins very easy.  Saturday was the only planned day that was to have some volume and intensity.

I drove down an met up with Jesse for the old CRW Saturday morning 42 mile group ride.  Jesse has been talking about this ride for a while but up into last year, getting into an all out group ride really didn’t make sense in terms of physiology and race specificity.  This year based off testing and a few key workouts where I was having trouble getting the HR and power up, we decided it was time.  The ride was 1:46 with an avg speed of 23.3.  My avg wattage was 271 with a max of 953.  It was one of the hardest rides I’ve ever done, not being physiologically gifted in short intense intervals, the ride was exactly what I needed!  And it REALLY left a mark for the rest of the day.

Garmin File of Ride

Strava File of Ride

 This includes the 65 minute ride Jesse and I did before and the 20 mins we did afterwards.

Sunday was a 15 min easy run to wrap up the “do whatever it takes to get recovered” week.

The next 14 days are what we call at QT2 the “Over-Load” weeks. Otherwise known as hell.  These are the last two big weeks of training before I start to taper down into race day.  Basically, I pushed my trailing volume as high as I could get it over the course of the past month, recovered, and now I will push it a little bit higher and then have 3 weeks to recover.  Confused yet?  I can’t believe I only have 14 more “big” training days left before IMTX.  It really came up quick!

So, I’ll catch everyone on the flip side in 14 days!

I’ll leave you with some pictures of my trip to TX.

The new QT2 Pearl Izumi kits are awesome!

Why am I not smiling?  FYI….The Denny’s in Galveston was the best one I’ve been to, and I’ve been to a lot of Denny’s!

Yea, thats a first class meal!

Finally, it’s time to grab a few days rest and get myself down to Galveston, TX for the first race of the year!

I am about to finish up a big 4 week block,which, lucky for me, it ends with a 70.3.  It’s been a long, hard road since Kona in October.  I’ve lost 2 people who were very close to me and it’s really caused me some serious thought (while running of course) as to what the hell I am doing with my life.

What will people say about me when I am gone? How am I living my life that has any impact on others?  Did I play enough fetch with the dogs?

Those thoughts always bring me back to 4 things my dad taught me.  Well, he taught me a lot of things, but 4 things I will remember forever

1) Mow the lawn in a straight line!  Man, did we BATTLE over this growing up.

2) Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.  (which until I was about 16, I thought was his quote)

3) You don’t have to prove anything to anyone, except yourself. Life is about effort. Only you know if you gave it your best effort on the day.

4) Win. Although he always down played this growing up, I knew what he meant. If you’re not trying to win, don’t waste people’s time.  If you’re not trying to be your best everyday, don’t show up.

Circle back to Texas on Sunday and rules 2-4 (I’m sure rule #1 will be waiting for me when I get back) will be going through my head all day.  I need to go out there and not give up, to prove to myself that all these hours of training are worth it, and finally, when the gun goes off, I am going for the win. Do I have the talent or training to win?  Nope.  But, starting the race with anything but winning in your mind, you’ve already lost.

Oh and I need to come off the bike before Mary Eggers.  Or I will NEVER hear the end of it.

Wow!  What a busy 3 weeks.  Every weekend was something.

The first weekend was the annual Team Psycho Indoor TT.  It is close to the worst way to spend 23 mins on a bike all year.  I had a pretty tough day on the bike and only managed to ride the same watts as last year.

A few days later I was on a plane heading down to Clermont FL for the 2nd annual QT2 training camp.  We really had it together this year and camp was a great time.  I was able to meet a lot of new QT2er’s and get some good quality training in with some folks who have been around for a while.

I had adjusted my training schedule around so that I would be able to time the 5k we had planned for day 1 of camp. But Jesse started talking smack almost as soon as I walked into his house on Wednesday night, so there I was on the start line of a 5k.  My first time on a track since June of 2008…..

It was a lot of fun as we had 15 campers on the sideline screaming and yelling as we ran by.

Then we pretty much swam and biked our butts off!

Here I am…running the show.

The weekend after camp was the 4th (I believe) annual Boston Triathlon Team Indoor TT.  I was really looking forward to this for a few reason.

1) I knew after FL camp I was in really good bike shape as Jesse, Cait and I rode VERY hard for a VERY long time.

2) I really wanted to beat up Cort Cramer.

Race day came and Courtney and I made the trek to Starbucks for a Venti Pike’s Place with a turbo shot!

7:55 am we get called to the trainers, after a quick calibration, we are off.  I knew within 60 seconds, the legs were ready for a solid ride.  The plan was to build up to 351W around the 5 min mark.  I made the decision to push it and get there within the first 2 minutes.  After which I knew I still had room to go so I pushed it to 355 then 360 and finally 367 with an avg HR of 188.

I was more then happy with the effort as it was a 37W best of last year’s average power.  Even if the computrainer’s numbers are wrong, the SRM doesn’t lie and it showed a 36W best from last year.  So, once again “Rule #1″ (Jesse is always right) was once again enforced.

Hyannis half marathon was 7 days and 31 training hours away.

I knew a few thing would be VERY different from years past when I toed the line down the Cape

1) With the heavy early season bike focus (Ie complete lack of running) I would only have 6 weeks of actual running in my legs.

2) Coming at the end of a pretty big (for me anyways) 3 week training block I was going to be carrying a lot of fatigue.

My plan (hope) was to run within two minutes of last year.  If I did that I’d consider the race a “win”

Long story short, I did just that.  1:18:XX.  Not my greatest day by far, but for where I am in the season, i’ll take it.

Check it out on Strava.

Hyannis Run File

While you’re at it. Sign up and follow me!  I post all my bike and run workouts there.  If you’re interested in the “Magic” of QT2 you can find all my training.

Nice picture of me post race. Completely shelled!

This picture was probably shot 3 minutes before the first one!

Next block contains my 27th birthday (where does time go?) and Texas 70.3!

Once again I went a very long time without updating this thing!  Its been crazy around here with work and training-I haven’t had a lot of free time.

So where to begin?

Training has been going very well so far. I am back into “normal” triathlon training which means my time in the pool and on the road running has gone back to normal. It feels good (sorta) to be back in the water 6 days a week . The plan into Texas will be to swim between 21 and 28km’s a week, not quite Doug Style but I’ll take it. Since I love running it’s nice to actually be able to run more then 90 mins a week. The plan into Texas takes me from around 35-40 miles a week up to the 60′s for a few weeks before I taper down into race day. The bike has come back down to somewhat normal levels, the focus is still on the bike, but its nice to only be riding 300-350 miles a week right now since its 100% inside.

I am calling this my “Crowie year” Just like him people say I can’t ride the bike, and that biking to a plan is not the way to go.

Well, folks, I am coming to IM Texas with a new bike,new position, new legs and a chip on my shoulder. I am done playing it safe on race day. Its no longer about Kona spots or AG placing. I have completed 7 IM’s. Its time to start finding the limit. Does that mean I may fail and walk a good part of the run? It sure does!

Am I okay with that? I am.

Does that mean I am going out there to blow myself up, NO! I am going to ride the wattage I am capable of on race day. I’ll pay attention to HR,power, nutrition and all the little things like I always do. But I will ride the wattage.

To this day, I haven’t ridden the wattage I am ready to ride. I have always been a little low. My first IM in 2008 I averaged 178W goal was 190W. Kona 2011 the goal was 230W, I rode 223W. Why do I always do this? Well, deep down, I know its all about the run, no matter what, first guy to the line wins. I always under perform on the bike to “save” myself a little for the run.

When I watched the pro men coming down from Hawi this year and I saw Crowie in 2nd place, I knew right then and there, I had to change the way I mentally approached the bike. I need to start the bike the same way I start the run. 100% confident that I am about to rip through the field.

This year I will once again have the training to back up that approach, but, now I have my head on right.

“Just remember this: No one ever won the olive wreath with an impressive training diary.”
Marty Liquori

Well…Block 2 is almost over. I am sitting at the beginning of a perfectly timed recovery week as I was really starting to get shelled with all the riding

My grandmother died on Wednesday before Christmas, although it wasn’t a shock that she died as she has been sick for the past 8 months, It was still a blow to get the phone call. My Grandmother was a great person. The “old generation” if you will, where family came first. Where you did your job to the best of your ability because, that’s what you do, its your job. It wasn’t about being “too good” for any job or “over qualified” to work, it was about supporting your family and she did just that.