Paul returns to Triathlon after 8 Years of Focusing on Job and Kids

I thought I would share this race report from on my clients, Paul Fedor, who recently returned to triathlon after taking an 8 +/- year break to focus on his job and kids.   Ten or so years ago, Paul and I used to ride together quite frequently.   Luray International on 8/14 was Paul’s first race back and the first step in getting him ready for his first Ironman-distance race in 2011.  I enjoyed reading his report and thought he took away some valuable lessons learned for anyone new to the sport or returning after a hiatus, too.

Here’s Paul’s race report:

Luray International Triathlon

Date: August 14, 2010

Distances: Swim – 1500m / Bike – 25 miles / Run – 10k

Websites: luraytriathlon.com

Results:

• Finished in 2:39:35 (86th overall)

• Swim: 30:50; Bike: 1:16:52; Run: 48:09

Race Report:

“Why are all these people in my way?”

“If you don’t stop pulling on my ankle, I’m going to turn around and smack you!”

“I can’t believe I’m actually swimming further away from the next buoy to get around this huge group of slower swimmers. Come on folks, let’s move it!”

“If I’m forced to swim the breast stroke one more time, I’m never going to get out of this lake!”

These were just a few of my thoughts during the frustrating 1500m swim, but I quickly let it go as soon as I began the “jog” to T1 to get on my steel-frame DeRosa road bike for the bike leg of the race – my comfort zone.

I have been back in training since Sept/October 2009, so I was really looking forward to my first race since the early 2000’s when I decided to take a number of years off to focus on being a new father and on a major change in responsibilities at work.

But, my frustrations didn’t end at the lake. I made the mistake of swimming shirtless as the water in Lake Arrowhead was too warm for wetsuits, so I wasted what I’m estimating to be 1+ minutes in T1 putting on a heart rate monitor strap and tri shirt. And, for about 15 miles of the bike course I couldn’t get out of my biggest gear (see Lessons Learned section below). But, my coach (David Glover) always says races rarely go exactly the way you plan, so you need to be flexible, improvise and move on as best you can, so that’s what I did. Other than that, the bike went ok for me. I did remember several times to take a quick moment to look around and admire the beautiful location as I cranked away in zone 4/5 and to be thankful that I can race in a triathlon. Many are not that fortunate. I also remember thinking over and over again that I wish I had my new Trek Speed Concept, but honestly, I’m not sure how much time that would have bought me? Also, just as a test, I tried to hold back a little bit on the bike toward the end (never did that before) to see if that would help me get to cruising speed more quickly on the run – evidence is inconclusive.

As I was coming down the dismount lane just before entering T2, I heard, “Go daddy go!”

Now there were lots of dads racing today and lots of spectators, but this little voice sounded really familiar. So I looked over as I slowed on my bike and saw my wife, Steffany, and my two girls, Sara (6) and Taylor (3). It was Sara’s voice that I recognized. They weren’t supposed to be there, so it was a pleasant surprise that they drove down that morning to support me and definitely helped keep me motivated on the 10k run.

The first lap of the 2-loop run was anything but comfortable. I couldn’t seem to get my breath, but I did what I always have done. I just kept telling myself to keep my legs moving as fast as I could and eventually, they would come around. And they did, although I had hoped they work turn over a little bit faster.

The sun came out during the first loop, and I remember thinking it was starting to get warm. I grabbed a cup water or HEED at each station (thank you volunteers – they were awesome!) and either took a gulp (all I could take before having to take another breath) or poured it over my head. I also vividly remember Eric Sorensen (overall race winner @ 2 hrs 11 min) passing me about 1+ mile into my first lap (he was on his second) and thinking how in the world can someone run that fast right now? As it turned out I was running 7:45 min pace and he was running a blazing 5:42 min pace!

I also remember a few of the teenaged athletes passing me and telling myself, wow, do I need to get faster on the run. Tom Impelliteri was a race volunteer (also a triathlete), and I remember him yelling, “If you don’t puke at the end, you’re not running fast enough,” as I made the 3.1 mile turnaround.

Then, Paul Willebeek-Lemair, who I met at the Luray Race Prep Clinic the prior weekend, call out my name from across the road about ½ mile after the last turn around at the bottom of the hill. I acknowledged with a half-wave but was too focused and tired to say anything. He finished a few places behind me in the overall standings.

The last mile was tough. A couple of athletes whom I had been following for about half the run actually started to walk. There was no way I was going to follow suit, so I went right past them. The lactic acid in my legs was definitely building, and I was very tired and hot, but I kept repeating to myself a Lance Armstrong quote that I saw on David’s Endurance Works Website, “Pain is temporary…If I quit, however, it lasts forever.” I didn’t want to let my coach, my wife or kids or myself down, so instead of slowing, which is really what I wanted to do, I picked up the pace as much as I could and held that until I crossed the finish line. A 48:09 10k in the last leg of an international distance triathlon is nothing to write home to mom about, and I hope to get much faster with a lot of hard work and commitment, but it was still my best triathlon 10k time, so I was happy!

Thanks for the motivation, training plans, guidance, support and encouragement, David!

Next up – Patriot’s Half in Williamsburg. I plan to continue to train hard and with discipline.

Lessons Learned:

1. Never have my bike tuned up before a race without doing at least one 1+ hr training ride between the tune-up and the race.

I had my bike cleaned and tuned up before the race and literally picked it up just before leaving for Luray on Friday afternoon. This was very poor planning and a bad decision on my part. For about 15 miles of the 25 mile race course, on and off, I could not get my bike out of my biggest gear combination (largest chain ring / smallest cog). At one point I was convinced I was going to DNF the race, because, there were hills coming up that I simply could not get up in that gear combination. Fortunately, I was able to mess the shifters for both chain ring and cassette enough to get out of my largest gear and at one point decided I would no longer use that gear for the remainder of the race. Unfortunately, I could have used this gear going down some the remaining hills.

2. Do not attempt to put on a tri shirt and heart rate monitor strap during T1.

Given I expect many July, August and September races in this area to be non-wetsuit-legal, I will be purchasing a tri suit from DeSoto. The water was too warm for wetsuits, and I was concerned about my tri shirt being a bit too loose for the swim. God knows I of all people do not need any additional drag when I swim, so I swam shirtless. I then wasted time in T1 trying to put on a heart rate monitor strap and tri shirt. I would have done that if I were wearing a tri suit that I could swim in. Also, if I decide to continue to wear a heart rate monitor (which I actually used in this race a few times), consider wear the wrist band during the swim. (could there be that much drag on a Garmin 310XT wrist band?)

3. Start the swim on the outer-most “lane” of the course.

While I might end up swimming a tiny bit more swimming wider, I think that would have resulted in a faster swim time for me at Luray. There were NUMEROUS times where I had to breast stroke, because I had a row of slower-swimming people in front of me that was 5 or 6+ people wide, and I had difficulty finding a lane where I could get by them. I had to literally swim 90 degrees left or right for a few strokes then turning back toward the next buoy. I also tried to swim over top of several people, and although successful eventually, it didn’t happen quickly. This had to have added at least 1-2 min to my swim as it happened that often. Next time I’ll try the outside and see if that helps.

4. Minor, but wear my timing chip band on the smallest part of my leg/ankle.

I put the band on too high. It then slid down my leg during the first 500 meters of the swim and felt like it was going to slide off my foot. I could have stopped to tighten but didn’t want to lose too much time, so I just hoped it stayed on. It seemed to be constantly on my mind and annoyed me for most of the swim.

5. Remember to put anti-fog solution on swim goggles.

I forgot to put anti-fog on my goggles, and they fogged up immediately. It made sighting a challenge. Tried to rinse them at times but they fogged up again.

6. Don’t try to put on gloves while starting the ride.

Being a heavy sweater, my hands slip on the handle bars if I don’t use gloves, so I need to figure something out whether it’s using sticky tape as David suggested or try some other alternative to spending time putting gloves on either in transition or on the bike – either way I lose time.

7. Think of transitions as part of the race, not as transitions – meaning, get through them quickly!

Repeat from above, I lost at least 1 min in T1 trying to put on a heart rate monitor strap and tri shirt. Should have been out of T1 in just over a min. T2 should have been about 20 sec faster.

Congratulations, Paul, and welcome back to triathlon!

Live strongly and boldly!

David

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David B. Glover, MS, CSCS
Coach, Athlete and Writer
Author of Full Time and Sub-Nine: Fitting Iron Distance Training into Every Day Life
Web: enduranceworks.net

© 2010 David B. Glover