Dave's Duke Blue Devil Report
From my buddy Dave:
Some of you have waited a long time for the race report. It’s a little long but very comprehensive. It’s more than just any race report. It’s a SuperSized comprehensive documentary of the “Blue Devil Experience”. Enjoy
For me personally, the 2004 tri season grew to be my most successful yet. I’m still amazed by the abundance of races that we [North Carolina residents] have to choose from every year. Friends of mine who live in the midwest or west coast have nowhere the choices we have and according to the Set-Up, Inc. web site, 2005 will be the most incredible year yet for race venues and additional events. For us the limiting reagent is not race availability, it’s our race registration coffers as well as our ability to recuperate from the beating that competitive triathlons take on our bodies. For me, this season was a carefully planned one in which I arranged races to complement my overall training goal to race strong in my first Ironman-distance triathlon ever. If you’re interested in examining this season plan just check out Team Bourdon.com . To summarize, after a solid base (but not enough leg-strength training in the off season) I began in March in the Appalachian foothills with the Valdese Tri (sprint), then the Metrolina AIDS Project Tri (sprint), Surf-and-Turf (sprint), and the White Lake Half-Ironman. The ‘White Lake Half Curse’ hit me hard…early season, heat, and poor race nutrition (my fault). Even though it was my second half (Duke Half being my first) this race was a near-death experience for me but what I learned from it and how to pull myself back out of a serious condition in the heat and finish was invaluable knowledge gained. Bouncing back from White Lake with Over the Mountain (Olympic) and Triangle (sprint) boosted my confidence and speed in preparation for my 3rd Half-Ironman, the Spirit of Racine (Racine, WI) Triathlon in late July. This race was probably the best preparation for my Ironman debut in that the confidence and fitness gained from preparing for this race lasted for the rest of the season…all the way up to the Blue Devil. A strong finish at Racine (5:03:28) demonstrated that what I had learned from White Lake was in fact valuable and race-proven. My IM-specific training began the Monday following the Racine Half. In the three months between Racine (July 25th) and the Blue Devil (October 16th) I squeezed in 4 additional races:
- Bandit’s Challenge (Olympic): Aug 14
- Lake Norman (sprint): Aug 21
- Wilmington (sprint): Sept 18
- Pinehurst (Olympic): Oct 2
These races actually fit nicely with my training plan, the Gail Bernhardt 13-week IM training plan, which can be found at http://www.winningmag.com/training/ironman/index.shtml. An amended version can be found here on my site. These races improved my speed and still enabled me to put in the increased volume required of Ironman training. At this point general nutrition, sleep, and flexibility/massage where crucial to keep myself injury-free up to, and through my first Ironman.
Whew…what an introduction. Okay, now for the good stuff…
2-week taper prior to race: I was starting to go crazy! You spend months training intensely (10-15 hours per week) and then suddenly you cut your training by 60%...you’re bound to bounce off the walls; but don’t train more, trust your taper! At two weeks out, intense training will not improve your Ironman performance on race day. That fitness was built and honed months ago with the finishing touches at 3-4 weeks out. Conversely, training too hard during your taper will destroy glycogen reserves as well as your long-awaited day in the sun.
Thursday: Since this was my first Ironman and wanted to be as relaxed as possible so I took both Thursday and Friday off from the lab. At midday I picked up my packet at Falls Lake and visited with triathlon buddies. Even at that point my pulse began to increase as memories of the 2003 race (I volunteered) resurfaced. As many can attest to, even volunteering for an Ironman race can be a very inspirational experience. If you’ve never raced an Ironman, volunteering for one will surely convince you to race one ASAP! Thursday afternoon I went out for a last-minute brick. Not to worry, it was only a 20 min bike and a 10 min run…just to make sure the bike was is in tip-top working order and my legs fresh and ready. That night I had good meal (whole grain pasta, chicken, broccoli, and milk) and plenty of rest.
Friday: After a solid breakfast I took Coco for a walk and drove back to Falls Lake for bike check-in as well as to attend the pre-race orientation which discusses race logistics. I was back home by 5pm and in bed by 6:30pm…it was going to be a long day on Saturday, beginning at 7 am. Falling asleep was a challenge but within 40 minutes I was out.
RACE DAY
As with all races, I wake-up 4 hours prior to the race start time for breakfast and stretching. However, this morning my body clock preceded the alarm clock (and two backups) I had set for 3 am. By 2:30 I was so anxious that I couldn’t stay in bed and was up blasting my selections from my pre-race music. By this point I had gone through my packing lists and transition bags (for an Ironman you have separate T1 and T2 bags) ad nauseam, just as I had done for my bike the day before. My canine ‘partner-in-crime’/training buddy Coco knew something was up (and it certainly wasn’t her, or the rest of Orange County at 2:30 am), but little did I know that her wagging tail would be my most welcomed site after the first 5.2 mile lap of the marathon (read below). After a solid breakfast and stretching I spent 20 or so minutes going through my race plan and other notes I’d made from all of the advice I gathered from training buddies, books, magazines, and the like. I just had to keep telling myself that it’s natural to be so nervous and excited at the same time. With any other race, even half-IMs, I’ve gotten to the point that the butterflies are a thing of the past…not this morning! Leaving the house at 4:30 I arrived at Falls Lake by 5:20 and to this day was able to snag the best parking spot I’ve EVER gotten at a race…EVER! Literally, my Pathfinder was no more than 50 feet away from my bike, the Porta-Jons, and the changing tents….talk about convenience! Since this was my first Ironman race I had not become accustomed to not warming up too terribly much for a race. Even prior to all of the half-IM races I’d done I’d always go for at least a 5 mile bike and some running. However, after talking to Jon [Shepherd] about it I concluded that a 2.4 mile swim would provide ample opportunity to warm-up both the upper and lower extremities. Anything more than that is just burned-up calories that I’d probably wish I’d had later that morning. Although the word warm wasn’t something that seemed possible at 6 am on this morning when the temperature was still quite ‘brisk’ and fleece jackets and socks seemed like a necessary comfort item I’d have to forfeit today on the bike (see more below). With all participants convening at the swim start area at 7 am Bill Scott made the final race announcements as well as the generic ‘no drafting’ statement from head USAT official. After a very beautifully sung national anthem at sunrise and a nice send-off from Heather, the race began without a hitch at 7:18 am.
As I had planned I took the swim very easy. Since it’s a tremendously long day there’s no need to try to be first out of the water. I kept my heart rate around 120 bpm. During the swim I tried to hold back greatly...just as I've read in many places. You need to feel like your just creeping along because you're actually going faster and the race really doesn't begin until mile 18 of the run. It amazed me how many people were climbing all over each other and gunning-it…those were probably the same people I saw looking exhausted at T1 or biking poorly as I passed them at mile 90. The Blue Devil is unique from other IM-length races in that the 2.4 mile swim is broken up into two laps. After the first lap you exit the water and run along the beach for ~100 yards and pass over a timing mat which records a split as well as verifies that you’ve completed two laps. Upon entering the water I quickly fell into my groove of long, smooth, low-effort strokes and it paid off well. I exited the water for the first 1.2 mile lap in 38 minutes, grabbed some Gatorade at the aid station next to the timing mats and jumped back in. During the terrestrial jaunt my HR spiked a little but my pre-race jitters were now gone and the second lap was even more enjoyable, exiting the water at ~35 minutes. Seeing such a large group of spectators cheering for you after being in the water (and in a relatively quiet zone) for so long was quite an adrenalin rush. Getting a quick pat on the back and some wetsuit assistance from Bobby Biles I jogged up the hill to the transition area, passing the wetsuit removal area and entering the changing tent. Within minutes I was out of the tent with arm warmers, gel shorts, tri top on, and helmet in hand…a quick cheer from Kristin Villipoto of Amante’s and I was out of the park to begin a chilly 112 miles on the road.
The bike was on a beautiful course of rolling hills. For the extended bike time I used gel-chamois cycling shorts which helped reduce fatigue immensely. In years past the canine encounters have spoiled the flow of the bike ride. Fortunately this year all of the ‘problem dogs’ were fenced and the only dog I saw was actually pretty damn cute. At about mile 30 I saw a Pointer mix sitting next to a mailbox wagging his tail…I think he was cheering for us J ! I followed my race plan completely. Here’s the plan I followed (published on www.trinewbies.com):
Miles 1-30
· Overall Goals: Settle into a comfortable cycling rhythm, establish food and drink strategy.
· Effort Guidelines: Pace should feel easy.
· Heart Rate Guidelines: Once the heart rate has settled from the swim, typically upper heart rate Zone 1.
· Notes: You should be holding back through this whole segment.
Miles 31-60
· Overall Goals: A continued emphasis on nutrition and hydration, as well as an overall assessment of how the day is progressing.
· Effort Guidelines: Pace should feel easy.
· Heart Rate Guidelines: Typically, Zone 2 effort.
· Notes: The goal of this stage is to maintain a steady effort at goal Ironman-distance bike pace.
Miles 61-90
· Overall Goals: This is the meat of the ride. Here is where early ride pacing pays off or takes
· its toll. Goal should be to work a little harder than goal effort. Athletes that have paced properly will begin to move up the field.
· Effort Guidelines: Pace should feel steady. Hills and rollers will see efforts up to moderately hard intensity. Avoid hard intensity.
· Heart Rate Guidelines: Typically, upper Zone 2 effort with short periods of Zone 3 effort when climbing.
· Notes: This is the key stage and where you will have to concentrate to maintain your focus. Early ride pacing starts to pay off and athletes receive a mental boost as they start to move through the field.
Miles 91-112
· Overall Goals: Athletes should maintain their cycling momentum and continue to eat. Almost all athletes will have lost their appetites and continued nutrition is essential for a strong run.
· Effort Guidelines: Pace should feel steady to moderately hard. There will be fatigue and stiffness associated with the ride. However, these should be manageable.
· Heart Rate Guidelines: Zone 2 effort with periods of Zone 3 effort when climbing.
· Notes: Athletes should maintain their focus on pacing, nutrition and aero position. Race fatigue can cause the mind to wander. Athletes should maintain a task orientation. If you have paced the bike correctly you should feel like you are "racing" the bike while those around you just want to get off. Take these good feeling with you off the bike and into the run course. Ideally, you should get off the bike feeling as if you could have gone 5-10 minutes faster. Keep this fact in mind: it takes quite a bit of sustained effort to go 5-10 minutes faster on the bike. But walk one mile of the run and you give this all back. It's OK to feel a little cheesy when you get off the bike. A 42k run is a long time to make up for riding too slowly.
During the first 30 miles I focused on getting my legs warmed up and keeping my HR low. Within ten miles of T1 I made a deliberate effort to begin fluid and food ingestion according to my calorie plan; and keeping my heart rate (HR) in zone 1. A good tri-buddy of mine said that for the well-trained triathletes, an Ironman race comes down to the nutrition…and it certainly does. To a certain degree the bike section becomes a controlled eating contest…consistent refueling. Once you get to the run, you don’t want to have to rely on nutrition to get you through the marathon [At that point the aid stations should be a backup instead of a mandatory nutritional stop…more on that below]. My plan for the day was to use my NeverReach with water is my main hydration source. [side note: the NeverReach system is awesome! It's nice at shorter distances but is a lifesaver at this length]. Since I was eating solid food and taking Endurolytes, Gatorade was not necessary. If it had been hotter and/or more humid (as is the case with White Lake) I would had changed to Gatorade and more E-caps. During the bike I ate Powerbar Bites, Clif Bars, Chex Mix, bananas, and some Hammer Gel. According to my heart rate monitor (HRM) I was burning about 1,000 calories per hour on the bike so it was a real challenge to try to balance the expenditure with nutrition intake. Several have asked about bodily functions on the bike. Fortunately I only had to pull off the road once for a bladder break. If anyone wants more details than that (especially on the run, ask me personally). It’s funny how regardless of when you stop for (restroom break, aid station, etc.), if you’re keeping a consistent pace (with a gradual increase from beginning to end) you end up cycling with the same people all day. The only killer of the day was the wind! It was a constant headwind of ~17 mph. For this race I chose to race on my HED3 tri spokes instead of my normal race wheels (Spinergy Tilium Carbons) and to this day I’m not sure if that was a good decision. When the wind would come from the sides is was a chore to stay on the road. Although it was much worse in those I passed who were riding disc wheels. I should probably shut-up because compared to Jen’s adventures in Kona with constant 30 mph crosswinds, the Blue Devil was probably a cake walk. Overall the bike was amazing! The weather was gorgeous…cool in morning with a gradual warm-up all day…sunny and dry. Now at mile 56 the UNC Triathlon Club rocked! You guys even had a sign for me!!! After Mr. Pomerantz relayed my race number to the “pit crew” I stopped at the Bike Special Needs station and was serviced like a NASCAR driver at a pit stop. Within a minute I was back out on the road with food, drink, and an emotional boost that felt great. Thanks guys/gals! My only complaint on the bike was that I became bored (tranquil at first, lonely later) and my feet started to ache from being strapped into carbon-soled shoes for so long. After 6 hours of cycling you get so very sick of your bike...no matter how much you may normally love it and riding through such scenic country. At certain points I was a total zombie...at other times I was on cloud 9. By the time I reached the last 20 miles prior to highway 55 on the return I was pretty psyched. I was cruising at a speedy clip and began refocusing on my race plan for T2 and the marathon. At the same time it was pretty amazing to think that I started at ~7am and it was now 2:30 or so and the ‘race’ really hadn’t started yet.
As I re-entered Falls Lake State Park it felt wonderful to see all the people and know that I was soon going to be able GET OUT OF THESE CYCLING SHOES! By the time I reached T2 it felt absolutely wonderful to put on some regular Desoto Tri Shorts and my Asics. My T2 was a quick on by IM standards but I wanted to spend more time stretching. As soon as I started running I made an even more conscious effort to control my HR. The first lap (5.2 mile each; 5 lap run) felt very good but I held back on the pace. The course is much more hilly than I had imagined but that also makes it even more rewarding upon completing it J! Emotionally the first lap was amazing and I seemed to have an excess of glycogen (although I'm sure I didn't). As I approached finishing area (which we ran through at the end of each lap; this is where the grandstands were, most of the spectators cheered, and the announcers would call out your name) I saw the most welcomed sight of the day and I still remember it very vividly. Up to this point in the race I had seen numerous training buddies, Kristin Villipoto, UNC Tri Club buddies. But as I approached the crest of the hill and ran through lap number one I saw Erik and Heather with Coco, my number one ‘partner-in-crime’ who has been with me from the start! Those of you who know me well, my Chocolate Lab Coco is my most cherished member of the family (well Mom and Dad too, but you know what I mean J). She also serves as my Swim Coach/Water Entry Specialist…see Team Bourdon. Heather had been there since 7 am to cheer me on and Erik brought Coco as the marathon started. Seeing Coco (wagging her tail like there would be no tomorrow), Heather (with her big smile), and Erik (thinking 'man, what a wimp, I could do that' ;) was such an emotional recharge. Being out on the road for 6.5 hours with complete focus and no break can be sort of nerve-racking. Completing the first lap and experiencing all of the cheering leaves you in an emotional high...at that point I was still on my emotional high and to see her at that point I could hardly contain myself. I think I was still 200 yards away when I starting yelling Coco’s name and began to run much faster (almost like a scene out of a Lifetime made-for-TV movie where two long-lost friends reunite). Coco began to jump and bark as I approached. At that point everything else around me was a blank. Erik and Heather later told me that Coco was the star of the show in the spectator area and the drama of her and I was some good entertainment. After and minute of visiting (and hugs; from Heather, not Erik...no love Erik :( I started on lap 2. Each lap after that had its ups and downs but seeing Coco and the crew reminded me that each lap would have a wagging tail, hugs, and high-fives waiting for me!
Now, as concurred by Sean and Whitney my first lap was a manic state for me (Sunny-D was in the house!). Sean said to me “hey man, don’t waste it [energy] on that.” He was right. Unfortunately by lap 2 and into lap 3 the nausea set in and it was difficult to tackle and that was sort of an emotionally down time. Coincidently co-worker Michele Wing came out and cheered me on in the 'marathon DMZ' where the light was lacking and it got rather lonely. At one point Michele actually called my parents to give them a play-by-play update. I stared walking the steep hills and through the aid stations to refuel as much as I could handle. During that period my pace slowed down and tried to take in some flat Coke for caffeine. At this point my HR started to drop slightly as I could feel that I was running out of gas, even after all of the nutrition I had taken in throughout the day. Not until the end of the marathon after some late race food digested did my HR start to pickup again (see below). Since this was my first Ironman I wasn’t sure how conservative I should be on the run. While I was out there I witness a handful of very strong-looking competitors who went from 80% to 30% in a matter of a lap or so because they were running on fumes and glycogen debt had set in so quickly there was no way to recover efficiently. Now that I know how my body feels (and responds) during an Ironman event I will approach my run a little differently as I will at the 2005 Blue Devil. Midway through the run I also had to visit the Porta-Jons several times but my GI tract started to behave again into lap 4 where my pace and consistency improved. I pulled myself back up and by lap 4 I knew that I was in the home stretch and could pickup the pace for the approx. 11 miles...but the sun was beginning to set rather quickly. I think the cool temperatures late in the day are what caused some people to loose their appetite (it did with me) which then impacts your glycogen levels. Originally my goal was between 11 and 13 hours and it looked like I was very close to the sub-12 hour mark. Unfortunately even though I picked up the pace after my nausea subsided it wasn't enough to break 12 hrs. By lap 4 I started to think about the magnitude of such an event (Ironman that is). That morning we had started the swim at sunrise...had been out all day with no breaks except for one bladder break on the bike (but otherwise in motion all day)...started a marathon in the mid-afternoon...and was going to be rolling in after sunset. At that point I began to run with no intention of 'leaving anything in the tank' but by then there wasn't much. Because the temp started to drop, my appetite had decreased and as mentioned above I had witnessed fast guys just shutting down due to inaccurate sensing of the nutritional needs...in other words glycogen crashing. Because I wanted to avoid that I was rather conservative on laps 2 and 3. My last 2 miles were run like my ass was on fire (pardon me ;). [If I had known that I would have that much left at the end I would had spent it during laps two and three. Hopefully that kind of thing will be perfected in my next Ironman (same race next year)]
As I approached my last couple miles the sun had been down for probably 25 minutes. To this day I don’t know if the sunset or the emotions of knowing that I was almost with the race were what made that last several miles so enjoyable. I love running a night and I know that my running performance is almost double at night as compared to an identical run in the morning (even after breakfast). In any event, my last several miles were awesome! I started to pass numerous people and this ability to crank it up a notch at the end is what I need to work on for next year. My goal is to be able to spread out some of that reserve so I can improve upon my overall run split throughout the marathon. As I approached the spectator zone for the last time the stadium lighting began illuminating my target…the finishing chute. With more light as came more cheering spectators. I’m still amazed at the number of people who cheered so enthusiastically for me. If I had a dollar for every time someone said GO CAROLINA I’d be a rich man. I entered the chute with such elation that my long day was completed…injury free and finishing strong. Team Bourdon finished in 12:08:07 with the following splits:
Swim (2.4 mi): 1:14:46 (31:09 per mi)
T1 – 5:57
Bike (112 mi): 6:19:00 (17.7 mph)
T2 – 3:24
Run (26.2 mi) 4:25:02 (10:07 per mi)
36th overall | 8th (30-34 age group) | 1st (Clydesdale)
The Duke Blue Devil was an amazing experience and I look forward to doing it again next fall. I've already started thinking about what I do at the Blue Devil in 2005 to make it even better! . Bill Scott of Set-Up, Inc. organized an outstanding race that I would highly recommend to anyone. I’ll be there again next year. The course was excellent, it’s close to home, the registration is relatively inexpensive ($300 versus $425 for an official IM-sanctioned race), and most importantly all of the proceeds go to cancer research. I must also mention that Coco Bourdon will be at the finish line giving cheek licks to anybody wearing a UNC Tri Club jersey…that’s priceless J ! Also, the volunteers were absolutely amazing! I don't remember myself being that "Sunny" last year when I volunteered but I think the energy one exudes while working at an Ironman is addictive and contagious. Without the hundreds of volunteers the race would not be such a wonderful event.
Last but not least…thank you to all my friends and family for their endless support throughout this endeavor. Erik, Michele, and Dayle, you guys were a great cheering section. Heather, you're awesome...you were there with me from the start to the finish and many hours in between. The hole Blue Devil experience created memories that I hope to build upon for many years to come.
See you at the races,
David
posted by M.Coburn @ 4:34 PM
