A recap of my race in Taupo

So it’s another 2nd at Ironman New Zealand to kick off the year. Not what I came out here to achieve, but all in all it was an okay result.

We headed out at 6:45 on Saturday morning. The lake was calm and the wind was down. I knew all I had to do was sit on Kieran Doe's feet and we would have a good swim. But this was easier said than done!

John Key fired the cannon “BOOM” and we were off. Doe and I quickly got a gap on the field. The only problem was that I was giving it far too much effort to sit behind Doe in his wake—so much so that I think I strained my abdominals halfway through. I had to sit up and take a few deep breaths as the pain was agonizing. I actually thought my race was over. So I slowed down and pulled through the water more gently, with the gap to Doe boy in front getting bigger and the gap to Cameron Brown behind being eaten up quickly. I couldn't wait for the end of the swim so I could start using some different muscles.

The swim ended soon and the deficit behind Doe was only 1 minute. I pushed through transition to keep every second I had over Brownie, because I knew I was going to need it as the day went on.

Jumping on the bike I felt great and I quickly caught up with Doe. Well, I actually think he was waiting for me. Soon I was on my own out in front, riding way too quickly—something I was going to pay for later in the day. My watts and heart rate were not too high, but it just shows in an Ironman that even being a small percentage wrong in the effort levels will cause you to struggle eventually.

Soon I was up to 4 minutes over Brown, then it went to 5, then 6, then 7 minutes. After one lap I was back in town and had an 8-minute lead over Cam Brown, Kieran Doe, and James Bowstead (an up and coming 23-year-old who suffered similar problems to me during the race but will be a great athlete in the years to come). Now the wind had started to pick up and the glycogen in my legs was running out. My muscles were fatiguing quickly and this is when I realized that I had timed everything wrong. I set out to try and get 8 minutes over Cam going into the run. But I didn't need this time at 90km. I managed to hold on to 7 minutes of this by the 140km mark, but once we turned into the headwind for the final stretch home, every pedal stroke was an effort. The gap quickly came down and soon we were back in town jumping off our bikes—and I only had a minute up my sleeve. BUGGER!!!

I was curious to see how I would run with all the fatigue, so I set out to do what I thought I could—not going too fast and just sticking to a good rhythm. Cam showed his class when he came past me at 6km flying, although I soon figured out this was just a ploy to mess with my head as once he got his lead of 30 seconds, the gap didn't change for the next 15km.

In Ironman the 20km point on the run is when you really start to struggle. Your legs are sore and there is part of you that is unsure if you will even be able to run the last 20km. Thankfully there were great supporters out there and they kept my spirits high. Soon I only had 7km to go. The gap to Cam had grown considerably, but I also had a good gap on Doe in 3rd.

The last 2km took care of themselves with the crowds cheering so loudly that it didn't even feel like I was running. Then I was home and it was all over: the pain, the cheering, the relief. I could now sit down and shut down.

A big congratulations to everyone who competed on Saturday. The conditions were tough, but we all persevered. And a huge THANK YOU to all the spectators. We couldn't have done it without you.

Cameron Brown and Jo Lawn, you guys rocked and proved that you will own Taupo for yet another year. It was a privilege to race alongside you both. Gina Crawford, Kieran Doe, and the rest of the Pro's, thanks for helping to make this race so exciting.

Also thanks to the many people who have helped me out and supported me through the last few months.

My new ride for Ironman New Zealand

Less than one day until I line up for Ironman New Zealand down here in Taupo.

Check out my Felt bicycle for the weekend.

Hope you enjoy the eye candy!

A brief update on my triathlon training for the 2010 season

Twenty Ten is well under way. It feels like Christmas was just last week, but we are already at the start of March and I am lining up this weekend for my first Ironman of the year: Ironman New Zealand, down in Taupo.

The start of this year has been hectic. First Kelly and I moved into a place for the summer. Then we went to Melbourne to film a K-Swiss advertisement and to watch the start of the Aussie Open—which was awesome. Finally, we took a quick trip down to Christchurch last weekend for a wedding. On top of it all, there was the change of bike sponsors to American-based Felt Bicycles (www.feltbicycles.com). The change is proving to be awesome. Felt is a great company to deal with and the bikes are super fast, super light, and freaking sexy. I can’t wait to unleash it this weekend in Taupo!

My triathlon training in preparation for Ironman New Zealand has been going well. After a long six-week break at the end of the 2009 season, I had a slow start. My 8kgs of excess weight slowly started to come off, and then my fitness picked up quickly. I think I have timed things perfectly, because I am now in great form and feeling comfortable in all three disciplines. We have had three expeditions down to Taupo in the past two months to scout the course and practice getting close to what Ironman is going to feel like this weekend.

All in all, I am loving the taper—happy to ease up on the training and get all the sleep I can. My form is good, my weight is perfect, and my equipment is ready to function at 100%. Thanks to everyone who has been training with me over the past few months. Your company and motivation on those long days has been much appreciated.

You can follow updates during the race this Saturday, March 6, (Friday, March 5, in the US) at www.ironman.com. I will also try to do some Twitter updates (http://twitter.com/terenzo1) during the race so you can get a proper sense of how I am feeling. And here is an article from the Herald this past Sunday, in case you feel like doing more reading. I’ll be in touch after the race.

Endurance sports nutrition advice for vegetarians

Some endurance athletes are vegetarian for ethical reasons, others for health reasons, and still others because they just don’t like meat. Whatever your reason may be for going vegetarian, you will want to pursue it in a way that helps rather than hurts your marathon training or triathlon training. Luckily there are many successful vegetarian endurance athletes who offer proof that performing well on a meatless diet is possible. For example, Spanish triathlete Eneko Llanos went vegetarian as a teenager, and it did not stop him from winning two XTERRA World Championship titles and placing second in the 2008 Hawaii Ironman.

The key to working vegetarianism into a successful endurance sports nutrition plan is to make sure your diet includes abundant plant (and supplemental) sources of a few key nutrients: protein, calcium, iron, and vitamin B12.

Protein

Meats, fish, eggs, and dairy products contain much more protein than plant foods. The proteins in animal foods are also more complete and readily used by the body. The protein needs of endurance athletes, however, are relatively low: up to about 20 percent of total calories. That amount is sufficient to promote muscle recovery and enable the muscles to adapt to training. As a lacto-ovo vegetarian, you can easily get this much protein by eating fish, eggs, and/or dairy foods.

If you are a strict vegetarian, though, be sure that your diet includes higher-protein plant foods such as beans, nuts, and seeds. Soybeans are the best protein source among plant foods. Also consider drinking soy protein shakes after workouts, when your protein demands are the greatest because of the need for proper muscle recovery.

Calcium

The recommended daily intake of calcium is 1,000 to 1,300 mg. The average adult consumes only 500 to 700 mg daily. The major consequence of this common deficiency is weakening of the bones, which increases the risk of stress fractures in runners and other athletes. Some research even suggests that calcium deficiency contributes to weight gain.
 
As everyone knows, dairy foods are the best sources of calcium. If you do not include dairy foods in your diet, you need to be sure that you get enough calcium from other sources. Alternative natural food sources of calcium include spinach, collard greens, salmon, and tofu. Many breakfast cereals and bread products are also fortified with calcium. For insurance, consider taking a calcium supplement to meet the recommended daily intake.
 
Iron

A study by researchers at Ball State University compared iron levels in vegetarian and non-vegetarian runners and found that iron levels were much lower in the vegetarians. The reason is that animal foods and plant foods contain different types of iron (heme and non-heme, respectively), and the heme iron in animal foods is much more bioavailable. Iron deficiency is common in endurance athletes, and if you are a vegetarian you may be at even greater risk.

Apricots, baked beans, peas, and spinach are among the plant foods with relatively high concentrations of iron. But again, they are all non-heme iron sources, so they may not provide enough. It’s a good idea to get your iron levels checked by a physician. If they are normal, you can continue eating as you have been with confidence. If they are low, your doctor may advise you to take an iron supplement.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is important for red blood cell formation, and, of course, endurance athletes need as many red blood cells as they can get for oxygen transport during exercise. Animal foods contain plenty of vitamin B12, while plant foods contain almost none in its active form. Therefore, vegetarians are bound to be B12 deficient unless they eat fortified foods such as cereals and breads or take a B12 supplement. The daily requirement is 2 to 6 micrograms.

How cyclists can improve performance, reduce injury risk, and speed muscle recovery with alternative forms of training

Most of today’s elite cyclists, runners, and swimmers do more than just log countless miles (or meters) in their chosen endurance sport. They also lift weights and engage in alternative forms of cardiovascular conditioning. Why? Simple: Cross-training enhances performance in their primary sport, reduces their risk of injury, and helps promote proper muscle recovery.

You too can get these same performance and fitness benefits—and even maximize them—by choosing cross-training activities that best complement your main endurance sport. So which specific activities should you add to your training regimen to reap the most performance rewards if you are, say, a cyclist? What about if you’re a runner—or a swimmer?

That’s what this 3-Part Cross-Training Primer is all about. Here, in Part 1, we discuss the best cross-training activities and strategies for cyclists. Then we’ll post Part 2, which will cover cross-training advice for runners. Finally, in Part 3, we’ll focus on cross-training tips for swimmers. So, cyclists: Read on for your cross-training primer. Runners and swimmers: Stay tuned for future posts.

Learn from Lance

Lance Armstrong is a role model for cyclists in many ways, including his approach to cross-training. There are three types of cross-training that Armstrong relies on heavily to stay injury-free, fit, and motivated: strength training, flexibility work, and alternative aerobic activities.

• Strength training. Power-to-weight ratio—or the amount of sustained pedaling power a cyclist can produce relative to his or her size—is the key performance metric for cyclists. Strength training helps cyclists generate more power by increasing the strength of key muscles beyond the level that on-the-bike training does. Armstrong’s strength-training program focuses particularly on his core, because strong core muscles add power to the pedal stroke by enhancing the transfer of forces between the upper body and legs. Core muscle strengthening also reduces the risk of low-back injury, which is common among cyclists.

• Flexibility work. Tightness in particular muscles, such as the hip flexors, is a common problem for cyclists because of all the time spent in a forward-flexed position. When the hip flexors and other muscles become too tight they lose the ability to relax and stretch efficiently, which predisposes them to injury and inhibits the functioning of the muscles they oppose. (For example, tight hip flexors inhibit the hamstrings.) Lance Armstrong devotes time to stretching every day to keep his muscles in balance so that they work efficiently and are resistant to injury.

• Alternative aerobic activities. When he’s not focused on major cycling events such as the Tour de France, Armstrong mixes up his road bike training with mountain biking, running, and swimming. Why mountain biking? Mountain biking feels refreshingly different from road cycling and it’s just plain fun. It can be used to inject some variety into training in the off-season and the competitive season and keep motivation levels high. Why running? Running enables cyclists to get a great cardiovascular workout in less time than it takes on the bike. And as a high-impact, bodyweight exercise, running provides a stimulus for increased bone mineral density (BMD), which cycling does not. But because running fitness transfers over to cycling only to a limited extent, it is best to rely on running mostly during the off-season. Why swimming? Swimming combines an excellent upper-body workout (which cycling does not offer) with an aerobic challenge. And because swimming is gentle on the musculoskeletal system, many cyclists like to use it as an active recovery modality between rides. Plus, maintaining a base of swimming fitness gives you the flexibility to jump into a triathlon every now and then—as Lance Armstrong plans to do at the 2011 Hawaii Ironman!

Marking the end of the season for many athletes, Ironman Arizona is the last North American Ironman of the year. Four ARX-Sponsored Timex Multisport athletes finished their season in Arizona on November 22. Among them was first-year team member, Eric Bean. Bean, a medical student at the University of Wisconsin, was competing at his first Ironman-distance race of the year. With a tough school load ahead of him, Bean’s goal was to qualify for Kona in this one shot.

The swim being his only weakness, Bean had some catching up to do on the bike. Lucky for him, he is a category 1 cyclist. After a 3rd-fastest bike split of the day, Bean found himself roughly 9 minutes off the lead and sitting in 10th place overall. A strong run closed out the day, earning him a 6th-place finish and a well-deserved Kona spot.

Bean joins a large group of Timex athletes who have already qualified for the 2010 Kona World Championships, including Tamara Kozulina, Brian Schaning, Tim Hola, and Christine Anderson.

Several members of the ARX-sponsored Timex Multisport Team stood atop the podium at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship awards ceremony this past Saturday in Clearwater, Florida. Among them were Mary Beth Ellis, Chris Thomas, and Christine Anderson. Mary Beth, who came to the Timex Team after taking an impressive 2nd place finish at last year’s race repeated her success with another 2nd place finish overall. Beating the likes of Sarah Groff, Michellie Jones, and Laura Bennett, only the great Julie Dibens of Great Britain bested her time of 4:03:49.

Chris Thomas, who was in Clearwater to defend his world age group title, did just that. Not only did Chris defend his title, he managed to finish with over a six-minute margin of victory. Chris also finished second overall among age group athletes.

First year Timex athlete, Christine Anderson, finished off her amazing season with a 2nd place age group finish and a time good enough for 15th place overall. Christine will be taking her speed and dedication out to the lava fields of Kona next year—and we can’t wait to see the results.

My last race of the season has come to a close. It was not the day I was hoping for, but I am glad I made the trip out to Clearwater to compete.

The competition this year was amazing and a lot of the pros brought their “A” game. The pace of the swim and the bike would have blown up the competition every other year, but for some reason 40 guys managed to hold on for those disciplines. It was spectacular. We were riding at 47km/hr (29miles/hr) for the 90km bike—and this was not because of the drafting. It was a relatively clean race, but the advantage of riding 10 meters apart is still an advantage, but totally legal. It was not until the run where everyone started to pay, including me—and pay big-time I did!

I tried to make a move with 30km to go on the bike, but I guess I had a big target on my back and was not able to sneak away. My apologies to the other 3 guys (Philip Graves, Fraser Cartmel, and Andrew Starykowwicz) for getting stuck with me. They were riding strong and I am sure a break would have lasted under different circumstances.

I was still in contention for a strong top-ten finish with 5km to go. The mind wanted it, but the body just wouldn't respond. I suppose Kona was still a little in my legs and the lack of quality speed work was not ideal given the speed of the field.

I eventually groveled home because there were no cars in sight to hitch a ride with and the spectators and volunteers kept my spirits high. My position at the end of the day was, well, worse than I thought it was, so let's just not talk about it.

Instead we should talk about Michael Raelert of Germany. His older brother Andreas finished second to me last year at this event and went on to a third-place finish at the Ironman World Championships in Kona this year. Michael had a great race today, which he finished off with a 1:09:05 half-marathon run that gave him a finish time of 3 hours, 34 minutes—6 minutes faster than my world record last year. Congratulations to you both and everyone else who made it to the finish today.

I have now packed my bike and sent it off for a courier, as it is vacation time for the next 2 weeks. Thanks to everyone for all the support over the past year. For me it has been an exciting 8 months that would not have been possible without all the help and support from a large number of people. You all know who you are, so thanks big-time!

So tomorrow is the Half Ironman World champs here in Clearwater Beach, Florida. I am entering the race as defending champion with the race number 1 on my back.

Recovery after Kona has gone well and I have managed to get a few speed workouts done, so my body should be in shape and ready to go when we kickoff tomorrow.

We start at 6:45 Eastern Standard Time, which is the middle of the night back in New Zealand. You can follow the race on www.ironman.com or my Twitter at http://twitter.com/terenzo1. I will also get an update posted as soon as I can after the race.

Well, this is the last race of the season for me, so hopefully I can go out with a bang not a bomb!

The ARX-sponsored Timex Multisport Team came to race at this year’s Ironman Florida on November 7th. There were only four members attending the event, yet the team produced three top-ten finishes. Tamara Kozulina, fresh off an injury that prevented her from finishing this year’s World Championships, pulled off an amazing day. After a solid bike split, Tamara finished the day with a second-fastest 3:06 marathon, earning her second place overall. Also racing in the women’s field was Gabriela Loskotova. Gabriela put forth a solid effort, good enough for 9th place. The day’s big surprise was Timex celebrity, Tim Hola. Racing as an age grouper, Tim pulled off an 8:47:23 finish, earning him a spot in the top ten overall. Like Tamara, Tim also competed at this year’s World Championships just weeks earlier. Check out the Ironman Florida photo gallery at http://triathlon.competitor.com/ for several great shots of Timex athletes in action.

Later this week is another Florida race, the 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater. Representing the Timex Team will be: Andrew Hodges, Kyle Marcotte, James Cotter, Bruce Gennari, Chris Thomas, Lisa Mensink, Mary Beth Ellis, Emily Herndon, Trista Francis, and Christine Anderson. We’ll fill you in on all the exciting results.

Why a planned weekly rest day should be part of every marathon training plan or triathlon training program

Want to reap all the benefits you can from that tough workout you did today? Then make sure you follow it up with some rest. That’s because the cellular changes that ultimately increase your fitness level actually occur during the period of relative inactivity after the workout—not during the workout itself. If you don’t allow for this post-workout muscle recovery period and you do another hard workout too soon, chances are your body will not have the opportunity to recover from and adapt to the first workout.

Consequently, every endurance athlete, whether in 10-K training, marathon training, or Ironman training, should have one designated rest day per week. When planning your rest day, keep in mind that the whole point of it is simply to subject your body to much less training stress than usual. So maybe you’ll do a super light workout, try a cross-training session, or actually take a zero for your rest day. It all depends on how much you normally train on non-rest days.

Looking ahead to the Half Ironman World Championships in Florida

I am currently back in beautiful New Zealand. It is great to be home, even if it is only for a short time after a busy year of training and racing on the road. My debut at the Ironman World Championships was 3 weeks ago in Kona, Hawaii. The conditions out there are like nowhere else. The winds can blow you off your bike, the temperatures can hit triple digits with 80% humidity—and let’s not forget the sharks!

I had spent the 7 weeks leading up to Kona training on the island with the 2007 World Champion Chris “Macca” McCormack. His knowledge was invaluable and we had a great time drilling each other into the ground. I was as prepared as I could be.

When race day rolled around, everything started unfolding great. I came out of the 3.8km swim in a good position, road the 180km bike well, and came off with the main group of guys. Then it was onto the 42km run. I ran the first half in 7th place and was on the verge of cracking into the top 5 when my body started to shut down, and I started to run backwards. The fluids and foods I was taking in were not going through my body. Instead they were just sitting in my gut. When I eventually crossed the finish line in 11th position my whole body had swollen terribly. All in all, I had a great time in the race and learned a lot that will help me in future years to achieve my goal of being the World Ironman Champion.

2009 has been an interesting year. I started off the season with the New Zealand Ironman down in Taupo. This was my first time racing the full Ironman distance. I had a great day and came in second behind 8-time winner Cameron Brown. From there I went to train and compete in the United States to escape winter in New Zealand. Between April and July, I competed in 5 events in the U.S. (3 firsts, a second, and a something else) and another Ironman in Germany, which also doubled as the European Ironman Championships. The competition in Germany was great—probably the second toughest Ironman outside of the World Championships. But the spectators where even more amazing. Hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets, and there was seldom a quiet moment out on the course. I ended up having a tough day, but still finished 9th.

After a good rest following Ironman Germany, I was ready to prepare for the big race in Kona. So after 4 weeks at home, I was back on the road and off to the Philippines. This was one of the highlights of my year. It was an inaugural event, yet the entire experience was world-class, and we were all treated like rock stars. The temperatures were a little hotter than the Ironman in Hawaii, so it was good preparation. Among the top competitors racing where Cameron Brown and Chris McCormack. I managed to have a great race and come away with the victory.

Now I’ve been home from Kona for 3 weeks, and I’m preparing to leave for my final race of the season: the World Half Ironman Championships in Florida. I am returning to the event as defending champion, but with only 5 weeks between this race and the Ironman World Champs, I am a little unsure of my expectations. I will be sure to fill you in on my return. In the meantime, here’s a 3 News interview (http://www.3news.co.nz/Bozzone-eyes-up-next-ironman-title/tabid/317/articleID/127671/cat/70/Default.aspx) I did while back home here in New Zealand. Enjoy.

Six members of the ARX-sponsored Timex Multisport Team attempted this year’s Ironman World Championships in Kona. While it was a low attendance for the team, those athletes produced some great results.

Of the four age group athletes racing, three of them had podium finishes. Mike Lavery and Jackie Arendt, both racing their first ever world champs, placed 5th and 4th in their respective age groups. Tim Hola once again placed with a time of 9:17:13, fast enough for 5th place in his age group and 59th overall.

Tamara Kozulina and Sergio Marques represented the team in the pro bracket. Tamara flew through the swim and bike to only make it 5 miles on the run before pulling out due to a stress-fractured foot. Sergio was hit with an unfortunate drafting penalty and couldn’t recoup. He “jogged” a 2:59 marathon to close out his day.

Next stop Florida, for the 70.3 world championships. A dozen Timex athletes will converge on Clearwater including defending AG world champ Chris Thomas and runner-up in the pro women’s field, Mary Beth Ellis. Look for a very strong showing from the crew in orange.

A brief update on my 11th-place finish at the World Ironman Championships

It was an amazing day and I loved it from the start to about halfway through the run—then I started to blow up big-time. My pace dropped and every stride was a struggle. Until then, I was working my way through the field and had top five within reach. Unfortunately, the rest of the guys didn’t struggle home as badly as me and I dropped just outside of the top 10.

It was an unbelievable experience and I learned a great deal. I left everything out there on the course. And when I crossed the line in 11th place, I was exhausted both physically and mentally. Not to mention the swelling: I looked like an Umpa Lumpa, as most of my body swelled up due to my insides shutting down. Thankfully the swelling has gone, but chaffing and sore muscles are making up for it.

Congratulations to everyone who competed. It was a tough day and just to get through it is a major achievement. And thanks to everyone for the words of support and encouragement. I’m already looking forward to next year.

After a string of impressive victories in 2009 at the half-Ironman distance and a second-place finish at Ironman New Zealand back in March, ARX-sponsored triathlete and Ironman 70.3 World Champion Terenzo Bozzone is about to make his first appearance at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. This Saturday, October 10th, Terenzo will be competing against a stellar field of top Ironman athletes from around the world including Craig Alexander (last year’s world champion and 2007’s runner-up), Chris McCormack (2007 world champ), Eneko Llanos (runner-up in Kona in 2008), Timo Bracht (winner of Ironman Germany this July), Cameron Brown (8-time Ironman New Zealand winner), and Andy Potts (who in his debut in Kona last October placed a noteworthy 7th).

Expert insiders think Craig Alexander is the man to beat again this year—although few are ready to write off Chris McCormack’s chances for repeating as world champion. But all of us here at Faster Tomorrow think Terenzo is likely to surprise many with a big debut performance at Kona. Terenzo has been in Kona training with McCormack since his exciting win in August at Ironman 70.3 Philippines—where he beat both McCormack (who took second place) and Cameron Brown (who came in third). There is something to be said for peaking at exactly the right time, and Terenzo seems on track to do just that come Saturday.

We know we’ll be logging on to www.ironman.com throughout the race for all the thrilling details. The race starts at 6:45 a.m. in Hawaii, which is six hours behind EST. Best of luck, Terenzo!

Just counting the hours until competing in the Ironman World Championships

So here we are, just days away from the biggest race on the triathlon calendar: The World Ironman Championships, here in Kona, Hawaii. Kona has transformed over the past week from a quite, relaxed town with no traffic into a small Triathlon City with hundreds of athletes running up and down Ali’i Drive and cycling along the Queen K Highway—in their lycra and compression socks! I can see the locals thinking “what the hell?”

Preparation has gone well over the last 2 months and the last 10 days have been mostly about recovery with a few small hard workouts to keep the engine running. I am fortunate to have one of my massage therapists from New Zealand, Ian McKellar, up here with me looking after my body and making sure my muscles are ready to go come Saturday. He assures me my body is in a better place than before IM Germany! My coach Jon Ackland arrived on the weekend with my folks and girlfriend Kelly. It is great to have Jon’s help and expert advice leading into the event. And having my folks and Kel fussing over me and making sure I don’t have to worry about anything is the best.

Also a big thanks to Chris “Macca” McCormack for inviting me out to Kona in August to hang out and train. He is a great athlete and top guy who didn’t have to think twice about sharing any information with me.

There are a great number of supporters from back home and around the world coming over to cheer me on, so thanks guys. I have also done interviews with TVNZ and TV3, so that should screen sometime this week.

You can follow the race at www.ironman.com on Saturday October 10th. We kick off at 6:45 a.m. Hawaii time, which is six hours behind EST (and Sunday at 5:45 in New Zealand). Hope the coverage is great and you all enjoy it.

Last month, several members of the ARX-sponsored Timex Multisport Team had impressive showings at Ironman Wisconsin, an event that offers up the first qualifying spots for the 2010 Ironman World Championships in Kona and draws an eager crowd of up-and-coming triathletes on both the pro and age group levels. Timex’s very own Will Smith of Wisconsin started the day off with a dominating bike, punishing the field, winning the Timex Bike Bonus, and eventually coming off the bike in first position. A strong runner, Will looked to gain even more ground on the field and take the win; however, at mile 2 of the run, cramping kicked in and literally dropped Will to his knees. He never fully recovered from the cramps but struggled through the pain to finish the race.

After two failed attempts trying to qualify for Kona, Brian Schaning was determined to finally get a spot—and he did just that. Brian finished 4th in his age group with a time of 9:55 and happily accepted a 2010 Kona spot. Also qualifying for Kona was Christine Anderson. Christine pulled in at a time of 10:45, good enough for second place in her age group. By the way, this was her first Ironman race.

How to cope when being faster tomorrow can no longer be the primary motivation behind your triathlon training or marathon training

An interesting commentary on aging and the endurance athlete was published recently in the Wall Street Journal. The article’s subhead neatly summarized its message: “After 50, Avid Athletes Find That to Stay Healthy, They Must Let Go of the Need to Win.”

Author Kevin Helliker is a 50-year-old former competitive triathlete who gave up the sport when his cardiologist ordered him to limit himself to moderate exercise after discovering an aneurysm in his heart. After several years away from the sport, however, Helliker decided to participate in the Chicago Triathlon. But he did so slowly, without a competitive thought in his head—and he had a blast.

Helliker makes his transition from young competitor to middle-age participant sound smooth, but his article rightly notes that it is a very difficult process for many. Nobody likes to feel age slowing them down, but for endurance athletes it is especially difficult because the slowing is so measurable and can affect the primary motivation behind their marathon training or triathlon training. Competitive runners and triathletes often discover that aging gracefully in their sport is a far greater challenge than any marathon or Ironman.

Two-time Hawaii Ironman winner Scott Tinley wrote a memoir on this theme, whose lovely title, Racing the Sunset, captures the futility of the quest to keep getting faster throughout life. In the latter part of his career, Tinley fought bitterly not to slow down despite advancing age. Perhaps he fought too hard, as he fell off his performance peak at a younger age than many elite endurance athletes do. (Tinley’s peer Dave Scott, a six-time Hawaii Ironman winner, finished second in that event at age 40 and fifth at age 42).

Some endurance athletes are able to accept the slowing effect of aging and transform themselves from racers to participants with poise. Those who are not, as Helliker points out in his article, often compound the emotional pain of the experience with physical pain, as their efforts to reverse time by increasing their training cause injuries and sometimes serious health issues.

Some athletes don’t think much about passing the summit of their abilities until they get there. I am not one of those athletes. I have looked ahead to it with some dread since my mid-20s. I am now 38 and in all probability on the summit, poised to begin descending any day. But while I still do not look forward to that moment in which I realize that my fastest days are behind me, it’s not such a big deal to me now that I am at the threshold as it was years ago. Perhaps it’s because I have spent so much time anticipating the decline that I’ve become psychologically prepared for it.

I think the key to getting through the transition is finding a substitute meaning for training and competing to replace that of getting faster. For me that new meaning will probably be discovery. Throughout my life as an endurance athlete, learning about my body and how it responds to triathlon training and marathon training, mastering the art and science of building race fitness, along with other related forms of discovery have been among my favorite elements of the experience. So in that sense, the journey of discovery is not a new meaning for me at all. But as age slows me down, I think it will replace the thrill of getting faster as the primary source of meaning in my training and racing.

One is never too old to learn, so I am confident that this meaning will keep the spark alive in my pursuit of endurance sports for decades to come. But first, in the next year or so, I think I may still have one or two more PRs left within me!

Something to think about when your marathon training or triathlon training goes off course

I am in Ironman triathlon training, and it’s not going well. No fewer than four overuse injuries are affecting my training in all three disciplines. Plantar fasciitis in my left heel and a strain in my left Achilles tendon have limited my running mileage to zero for many weeks. Pain in my right shoulder blade kept me out of the pool for two weeks recently and continues to severely restrict my pace and yardage. And last weekend, I developed patellofemoral pain in my right knee while cycling.

Injuries are frustrating to every endurance athlete, and I am no exception. My current bodily collapse has brought my attitude down with it. I have been by turns angry, despondent, bewildered, and self-pitying. But then the other day I read about Kyle Garlett, a heart transplant patient and cancer survivor who will compete in the Hawaii Ironman in October. The suffering that Garlett has been through makes my injuries look so small by comparison that it’s outrageous to compare them at all.

Now 37, Garlett was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease when he was only 18. He had an allergic reaction to the chemotherapy treatment he received and nearly died of lung failure. When he was 22 the cancer returned, and this time chemotherapy damaged his heart. Three years later he developed lymphoma, which was also caused by chemo, and three years after that he had shoulder and hip replacements because of damage caused to these joints—again by chemo. In 2006 he received a heart transplant.

What is even more impressive than the fact that Garlett has completed triathlons despite all he’s been through, is the positive attitude he has maintained while being sick nearly his entire adult life. In a recent interview for Triathlete Magazine, Garlett said, “If you go into it and treat it like you’ve gotten a raw deal, it’s hard to get through. You’re miserable and constantly complaining. But the way I saw it was, people get cancer. People get diagnosed with cancer all the time. Why am I special? It’s like you get thrown into the water, and you have to swim or sink. I chose to swim.”

If Garlett isn’t complaining about his misfortunes, I asked myself, why in the world am I complaining about mine? So I’ve given myself an attitude adjustment and I’m focusing on the positive. Although I cannot continue my Ironman training as I want to, I can still train some and enjoy it. Although I might not be able to achieve my original Ironman triathlon goal, I can still participate in and finish the race, treating it as a reward for a lot of hard work. And a funny thing has happened in the week or so since I changed my attitude about my injuries and accepted my situation: My body has begun to heal much faster.

Injuries and other setbacks are bound to befall every athlete in marathon training, triathlon training, or any endurance sport. And it’s normal to rail and pout a bit when they do. But it’s important not to indulge in any more negativity than necessary, because it not only makes problems seem worse—it actually makes them worse. The example set by people like Kyle Garlett can help other endurance athletes put their worries in perspective and overcome them faster.

Racing the Waikiki Roughwater Swim while training for the Ironman World Championships

We are about 3.5 weeks out from the Ironman World Championships and training in Kona has been going great. Chris Macca McCormack has helped a great deal in my preparation and has been showing me the ropes—what to do and what not to do come race day. Hopefully it should cut the amount of learning years down by a couple!

Last weekend we headed over to the main island, Oahu, for the infamous Waikiki Roughwater Swim. It is the original 3.8 km open water swim race from which the Ironman was invented. So this world-famous event has a lot of history and hype. We all crashed at our buddy Tim Marr’s place, sleeping on couches and blow-up beds. Maybe not the ideal pre-race routine, but we made it to the start line.

I felt like I had a great swim. Actually, I did have a great swim. Unfortunately I didn’t achieve my goal of beating all the girls out the water—the first woman passed me at the last buoy and got 20 seconds on me. I finished about 10th in 47 minutes, just at the back of a big pack. Now, I’m an okay swimmer. I have been brought up in the water and I come out in the front bunch in most triathlons. But to illustrate the talent of the competition: The young Australian who won was 4 minutes in front of me. That’s 1 minute for every 1 kilometer. That’s 6 seconds per 100 meters. I take my hat off in respect!

I have just finished a big week of training and my tan is coming along nicely. I have a few easy days before a big workout this weekend, which will be a good indicator of where I am fitness-wise. Macca has left the Island for the mainland for a couple weeks to catch up with his girls. I think he was struggling too much to keep up! One of my training partners from New Zealand, Mark Cross, arrives tomorrow. I’m looking forward to hearing the good old Kiwi accent again.