2014 IM Switzerland Race Report

For my first Ironman, it only made sense to pick IM Zurich. I wanted to share the experience with my family and childhood friends, and also wanted to make a vacation out of this event. What an incredible race: amazing course, amazing scenery, amazing people, incredible organization, and most importantly, amazingly memories! I couldn’t be happier with my overall time, beating my target by 21 minutes, but one thing is certain, I underestimate the emotion and memories I brought back to New York. The following report is long, but hopefully it’ll give its readers an idea of what I went through and how much fun I had!

For those already bored of reading it, here are my stats on the big event

Race day

Breakfast

3:30am and I slept much better than I thought, probably got 5+ hours of sleep, which I considered to be really good. I made oatmeal (no clue about the portion, but it was a lot!), mixed it up with cold milk, sugar, and a sliced banana. I had a large cup of coffee with sugar and a glass of water. I ate it all, which was another good sign that mentally I was in a good place. Transition set-up

I got to my bike around 5:10am, and we could tell that it was going to be a cold bike ride. I think the temperature was in the low 50s, high 40s, and did not warm up until later in the day. The speaker announced some light, scattered rain in the first part of the ride. It then was supposed to dry up, and warm up in the afternoon. I could hear people complaining already about the cold and wet conditions, but I was HAPPY! I like the cold; I like the hills, so things were lining up perfectly.

I walked to my transition bags and added my gel and Coke to the T1 bag, and my sunglasses. I went to the T2 bag and put my nutrition belt in, my running shoes, and my socks.

5:45am, I’m ready. Let’s get out of here and go for a quick warm up both on land and in the water.

Swim (1:02:14) Oh boy! I did not expect to get elbowed and pushed around while lining up on the beach. I questioned why they’d push on the line up. Most of the first wave will be in the water for a good hour. 30s to me would not make a big difference. What is it going to be like in the water?? And the gun goes off! I got in the water and for a good 4 minutes it was a “well-balanced” mix of elbows to the nose, heel to the head, slapping in the head, with 3 athletes literally swimming over me.It “eased down” a bit after the first buoy, but I made the rookie mistake of using my training goggles. I couldn’t see anything after maybe 30s into the swim, except bubbles from all the kicking happening in front of me. I could touch feet, but couldn’t see them. At least I “knew” I was swimming in the right direction. The biggest surprise was to realize that the swim was crowded for the entire first loop. I still felt good in the water; though I knew I was a bit slow. The swim was a 2-loop swim, with a short run over an island and back in the water for the second lap. As I neared the end of the first loop I could finally see something after 25+ minutes guessing where I was going. I ran up the ramp and immediately cleaned my goggles. I could SEE! I looked at the watch and saw 29:46, which was disappointing. I targeted 28:30 on the island, but with the hectic first loop I had, it could have been worse.  The beginning of the second loop could not have gone any better. I managed to draft off a guy who had a good pace, forcing me to work on my swim. I lost him after the first buoy. I tried looking for a good pair of feet to draft off of, but unlike in the first loop, swimmers were scarce. Not so say I was fast, but I was in this middle pack, probably 5-8 minutes behind the “Nemos” of this race and the rest of the pack. No luck. My goggles fogged up again, and finding my way and the buoys became impossible again. Frustrating!  I felt so good in that second loop. After passing the bridge I started to think about T1.  2.4 miles done. I looked at the watch and to my disappointment it said 1:02. Disappointed but not defeated, a good swim will come with more practice. I just wish it happened today.  Regardless, I am done with the swim and on T1. T1: 3:15 Will's saying was again running through my mind: "slow is smooth, smooth is fast." Helmet first, and then I decided not to ride with my shades as it was drizzling already. I ran passed my support crew. They were so loud! It gave me energy and a big smile on my face. It was also a good reminder that, though I was the one having fun that day, they were all key parts of my race and my training. I was glad to see familair faces in Zurich. Bike: 5:06:48 Equiment: Bike: 2012 Cannondale Slice 4 Wheels: Hawk Racing Veyron V55 (Front ) and Hawk Racing Veyron V80 (Back) I feel really good, and the most important now is to bring the HR down to normal bpm after the swim and T1. The first 18 miles around Lake Zurich were good. I was cruising at around 23.5 to 24mph And the climbing begins... We made that left turn at the roundabout after 17 miles and off we are on the first climb of the day. The first water station was right after the roundabout. The gradient got more serious past the penalty tent. A nice, long, and steep first 2 miles to warm up the legs, followed by a 3-mile “flatter” section set the tone of the course. I could see people pushing hard, and I could certainly push harder, but we were only 22 miles into the first loop. I feel good and continued to focus on both my wattage and nutrition. I knew that was only the first climb of 4, and not the hardest. With the cold temperature and the rain that picked up a bit right after the first climb, I did not want to risk it. The roads were getting slippery. I was enjoying the 45F temperatures we were having at the top of the first climb, and the rain as well, as it essentially helped control my HR.  With rolling hills come descents, but with wet conditions, braking with carbon wheels is not ideal. I had to be extra careful and held back on most of the descents in the first loop. I think it helped me have a better idea of what to expect on the second loop. At this point I have no clue of where I stand in the race, nor do I care. It stings to let athletes pass you, but I feel like I’m racing smart so far, so let’s keep it that way. The Beast carries its name well… The gradient increased rapidly and after a sharp right turn we faced a wall for about 2 miles. I felt good, and definitely wasn’t complaining about it. If anything I was enjoying it. There were still a few cyclists passing me, and I thought they were probably pushing a bit too hard so early into the race. I really thought that, for me, the race wasn't really going to start until halfway through the run. This is when I anticipate to no longer be racing against the clock, but rather be competing against my dark thoughts of walking the run and throwing in the towel. To have a chance to get to that point though, I had to race smart Onto the 3rd climb... A 3-mile steady climb / false flat, but you could already feel it in the legs. I thought to myself that this could be a key section on the second loop. I tried to find a good rhythm. It was easy to push harder than necessary on this section because you feel like you’re at a standstill. All of us were barely moving, but I knew that being patient was key.  The rain made the descent extremely dangerous. I could barely slow down and though it was tempting to let the wheels spin and pick up a nice speed, I did not know the road well enough to anticipate any sharp turn. Back to the flat and fast section along the lake... The flat section was about 10-12 miles long. I started to get my cadence back in the 90s, lowered my HR to a comfortable 145. We had a bit of tailwind on that section, which made for a quick and easy ride back towards T, cruising at around 23-24 mph. What a great sensation! The bike was fast, the mechanics worked well At mile 47 I saw the first pros already on their second loops. They were probably already 60 miles deep in their rides. They looked so calm, focused, and efficient on their machines, making it look effortless, but you could tell they were moving. We could hear the roaring sound of their disc wheels, like a trembling train passing by. Mile 50: Heartbreak hill I was looking forward to this climb. I have not seen it, but everyone doing the race knows that the climb is a replica of a summit finish of a tour de France stage. If anything, along with crossing the finish line, this could also be our 2nd moment of glory. At mile 50 the course makes us make a right turn and the road quickly goes up. For over a mile, you are on your small chain ring and on the smallest gear possible. After a slight right turn follows a left turn, and here we go: people from different countries lined up on the side of the road with signs, Vuvuzelas, and other stuff to make as much noise as they possibly could. As you climb to the finish the road gets narrower, with people closing in on us to touch us, encourage us 2nd loop. Back on the flats around the lake... 56 miles in, and the nice 17-18-mile flat section along Lake Zurich turned out to be much harder with the headwind. I focused on my nutrition, and again, had my eyes riveted on my computer. The first climb of the second loop went well, and I still was feeling strong. I figured I would feel the fatigue the most in the Beast climb. By now the road is completely dry, and I was excited about the descents. Let the brakes loose and give the legs some relief. As the sky cleared up, the beauty of the region took over. After that first climb, I had a group of three in sight again. I knew that if I could keep up with them while keeping my power in check, I would be in a good place off the bike. They seem strong and that gave me a target for the last 40 miles. The Beast x2 Here we go. You take the first right at that tiny roundabout (everything is smaller in Helvetia!), and the gradient starts going up. I see more folks on the climb, and recognize some that were passing me in the first loop. If anything, that was encouraging because that meant that I paced myself well thus far, avoiding pushing too hard too soon.  I popped my first salt capsule in the middle of the climb as I started to feel that my calves were working much harder, and I wanted to avoid any cramping.  The rolling hills before the 3rd climb felt harder than the Beast. That’s probably because I started feeling the 80 miles of the bike course. That false flat section after a long descent was treacherous. That’s where I passed the last athlete of the race. She was escorted by a motorcycle, about 35 miles into her ride when I was already 80 miles in. I was only hoping that she’d be able to reach T2 before the cutoff. She had 10 hours to do this. I gave her a word of encouragement as I passed her. My wheels, after all that climbing and braking were just as smooth and comfortable as in the first mile. On the perfect road surface I felt no resistance with the road. They still felt sturdy and I had absolutely no problem controlling them. In fact, I was extremely surprised to see that, after that last steep downhill, the braking sensation was still smooth, continuous, and controlled. I expected it to be a bit choppy, discontinued and less precise, but none of that. The wheels responded incredibly well. In short, if you haven’t realized by now, I’m super satisfied of my Hawk Racing V55 and V80 tubulars. Thank you Sven for talking me into getting the Ts instead of the clinchers. Heartbreak hill x2 Heartbreak hill X2 was hard. I’m now riding with a pro woman who looked shattered. She got up on the pedals, starting throwing her bike left and right with her head bouncing around. She gave me the impression that she was not in control, which to me was a sign that she may be cooked. The downhill was uneventful until the last left turn where we had to go over a bump. That pro woman lost control of her trajectory to end in the wall across the road. She T-boned it at high speed. A paramedic ran to her, I slowed down and asked if she was ok, but she shook her head no. She looked in shock and in pain. I continued as I knew the paramedic was there. I was hoping she could rally T2 and complete the race. The flat section that brought us back to T2 was short, but at that point, I just wanted to rack my bike and get on the run. I unstrapped my shoes in the 112th mile in anticipation of the T2 “Bike dismount” sign. There! I can see it. I approached it and dismounted my bike. 2.4-mile swim, 112 miles on the bike, let’s do this! Let’s tackle that marathon run leg. Equipment: Newton Running Distance Garmin 910XT watch My Stats: Time: 3:24:31 Pace: 7:49min/mile Avg Heart Rate: 140 bpm 4 loops of approximately 6.5 miles. I ran out of T2 and heard my support crew screaming my name again, encouraging me, and making noise. I felt great, and was ready to tackle this marathon. 1st loop... The legs, after spinning 5+ hours, felt loose and light. Had I not restrained myself to a 7:10-7:20 pace in the first 4 miles, I would have probably blown up shortly after that.  After the transition, they made us run over that overpass to get to the other side of the road. The first water station had everything one needed. Water, sponges, dry fruits (apricots, dates…), oranges, bananas, and Coke. I grabbed a sponge, water, and a hand full of quarters of orange. My form was in place, my strides seemed good, and my HR was under control. I wasn’t pushing too hard at that point. The loop made us run through a park, through the trees, up a hill and back down before getting to the lap control. 1st bracelet on at approx. mile 3. Right after that we ran through the underpass to get between the road and the lake. There was a long, shaded stretch along the lake right before getting to the tip of the lake. The run felt easy at that point, and though few passed me, I did not get side tracked and stuck to my race plan. I was averaging 7:20ish at that point, and was hoping to maintain that. More people were on the side after we passed the tip of the lake, where the ferry station, and essentially where the city center started. They all looked at us, encouraged us, but seeing a good crowd was great. The section after the ferry station was under the shade and on gravel. Not much there, a bit of a no man’s land where you’re just waiting for that U-turn to come. Heading back towards the transition, I really felt good and had a good form. I saw Mariesa, Sam, and the family right before the finish line and waved at us. I knew I had a good pace and focused on not doing too much. I passed the finish and looked at it for a good 10 seconds before re-focusing on my run. I told myself I already covered 120 miles, and had 20 more to go. 20 could seem like a lot, but looking at the bigger picture, it was not that much, but the hardest was to come, for sure. 2nd loop I knew that if I could run that second loop without any injuries or feeling of exhaustion, I would only have to push through the last 13 miles. I focused on hydration, but lost 2 of my bottles in the span of 3-4 minutes. Roughly 300 calories wasted, which was not ideal, but the only thing I had to do was to deal with it. I focused more on getting my nutrition from the aid station, and get a better idea of what they had in each station for the next loops. I still had 3 gels in my pouch, but I was very reluctant to taking them. I figured I’d keep them if I really needed them, but I knew it wasn’t the right approach to have. I have a hard time taking gels on the run, though I practiced a lot in the past 3 months. It doesn’t get down the hatch, even when I try to wash it down with water. That’s a huge part I need to improve. I remembered the stretch along the lake being nice, and was looking forward to getting to that U-turn. That, to me, was my landmark. Getting to the U-turn would send be back to T, and onto my 3rd loop. I felt good, but the legs started to be heavier. The finish line is in sight, and as I ran passed it, I knew I was halfway done with the marathon. 2 loops done, 2 more to go. 3rd loop... If I could sum it up in few words, I’d say “Bonking fear.” Running over the overpass seemed much harder, and the thought of having to run what I just ran put a dent in my momentum. I was feeling the impact of each stride in my knees and lower back. It was not painful, but I could feel it. At that first aid station I took a sponge, cleaned my face, and grabbed water. I threw my hands in the dry fruit and orange plates and kept going. It was important that I got more food in, because I could feel that I was running on an empty tank. No bueno! The toe strike I was having changed to heel strike, and I knew I was going to get some tough miles. I paced my run down a bit, to around 8:30min/mile. A significant drop from where I started, but it was necessary. Being my first 140.6, I did not know what these signs were about. Had I decided to push through it and maintained my 7:30ish pace, I may have lasted another 2 miles and completely bonked. I approached the park and that small climb seemed huge. I did not want to look at my watch, but I was slow. I picked up the pace again without panicking. Some may think going downhill allows for some resting, but going down that path was painful for the knees. I got that 3rd loop bracelet at the lap control, and Mariesa and Co. could see the toll IM Zurich was taking on me. That long stretch after the underpass felt longer than on the first 2 laps. I managed to get my focus back into the race and after 3-4 very difficult miles (more mentally than physically), I felt like the legs were turning over again. That U-turn took forever to come, but after passing it, I knew I was running back towards Transition, and for what will be my last loop! 4th loop… At that point I was already 20 miles deep into my run, and 134 miles into the race. Nothing would stop me from finishing high and proud. I knew it, and worked hard for it. I had to get through the first 3 miles, and get the last bracelet, and the rest would be fine. I managed to maintain a decent pace, avoided to watch my watch too often to not get discouraged by the 7:50ish pace I was running at. I’m saying this because I thought I could maintain a 7:20 pace when I was training, but that was when I was only running 19 miles on Sundays, without swimming or biking before. Stupid me! Gosh I have a lot to learn, and I sure learned a lot during this race. I found myself in this “no man’s land” place, that stretch that went form the underpass to the U-turn. Mentally it was just me and I. I started to look for a distraction that would help me disconnect from this ordeal. That’s when I looked at my wrist and thought about Glenn’s accident. He sure would not want to hear that I did not have it mentally to finish strong. I had no injury and not a single pain in my legs, aside from the sore and stiff muscles. Glenn, on the other end, is fighting his way to recovery after a terrible bike accident. He would give anything to be in my shoes right now. I did not have the right to throw in the towel. Team 2N’s is in Switzerland and we’re racing for him too! I started pushing a bit, and back in the race I was. Plus, I knew folks like papa bear, Will, and Kevin were following my progression online. I had no valid reason to slow down or stop. None. There was only one way to go, and that was forward. Last few miles before the finish I passed that U-turn and the run became emotional from there. I had 2+ miles left and started thinking about what I was about to accomplish. I saw the 140.6 miles at first, but then I started to have flashbacks of the past 7 months. Lots of downs, few ups, and a lot of determination, motivation, and drive got me to that mile 138.6 mark. It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions and Mariesa always put me back on the right track, always believing in me more than I believed in myself. I only hoped she’d be proud of me at the finish, because it’s going to be her big W as well. I passed the last water station and few minutes later my parents stood at the same spot I saw them in the 4 loops. Mom was taking pics, and dad high fived me. I could see his eyes glowing, and see how proud he was. That was a powerful moment. He taught me this drive, the discipline of giving 100% when you start something. I saw him fight hard on a MTB when I was younger, and saw him leaving home early and coming home late to train when I was a kid. I wanted him and mom to see what I’ve been training for in the past 20 months. Their legacy of hard work and focus was on display. After I passed them I started to have goose bumps and the pace picked up. It was going to be over in few hundred yards. I could see the finish and hear my brother screaming, and Mariesa’s “I love you” very distinctively. It lifted me up. I felt incredibly light, happy, relieved that I managed 140 miles without a single issue, neither mechanical nor physical. I looked around, and started my own celebration in my head. I made that 180 degree turn and the finish line was there! Blue carpet, stage on each side with the clock showing 9:38ish. I could not believe it. I was going to crush my target by over 20 minutes. I tried to show how happy I was, but the beating of the race took over. My smile looked more like a candid expression of pain. I really thought I was smiling, because I was a happy dude. I did it! 9hrs, 39 minutes, and 12 seconds after the gun went off few hundred yards from here, I completed 2.4 miles in the water, 112 miles on 2 wheels, and 26 miles in my Newton shoes. The sensation was so strong it was hard to keep it all in. I pumped my fist in the air towards my support crew as a thank you for their support before getting my medal. I’m beat, but I’m happy. It took me a few minutes to let it sink in. I walked away from the finish and found my crew. Mariesa was at the finish to greet me, and the emotion was too much at that point. All the sacrifices she made to allow me to be there is surreal. This performance was hers as much as it was mine, if not more. I pushed hard in the last miles thinking about her, and about how much she changed her life around to be with me, how much she deals with the whole training thing without a single complaint. She’s my number one support and I’m only hoping she knows how much I love her. My brother, my mom, and my dad all had red eyes. My mom cried, but I was really glad I could share this experience with them. It was another strong moment of the race, one I’d never forget. In short... My first Ironman is in the books. The disappointment of not qualifying for Kona was real, but if anything I can only be proud of what I accomplished. With the best girlfriend a triathlete can hope for, with the best coaching services I could get this season, the incredible support from Hawk Racing and from Hilltop Bicycle for anything bike related, I was well surrounded. Add to this some incredible Physical Therapy treatments from Josh at Clutch PT, and amazing friends like Papa bear, Will, and co. who always took the time to calm me down when I had my moments, I couldn’t not deliver. I will continue my progression for 2015 and come hungrier, and more motivated to hopefully get my Kona slot. And a huge Thank You to Kevin Danahy & TriCoach for taking me onboard, and Kevin for his incredible work with me this year. I had high hopes and he delivered by giving the right training, providing his expert eyes and being a good support when I had my downs Papa bear (aka Jared Tootell), because he’s always been highly involved in my progression and believes in me. He never shies away from giving advice or sharing his experience Will, because he’s the one who got me hooked onto the sport. Just like papa bear, he is always here in time I need him, and always believes in me. I’d be curious to know how far/fast he thinks I can go? J Glenn, because he was my training buddy, and has been a huge inspiration after his tragic accident. If anything, he showed me the path to overcome the tough moments during the race. He’s an example to me, and to a lot of folks. He has shown incredible spirit despite his condition, and I’m sure he’ll be back soon. I cannot wait for this day to happen! My training partners, Matt, and everyone I got on bike rides, runs, and swim. Everyone involved and interested in my progression, because talking to triathlon is just as fun as training for one or racing one! And to the below folks, as they hugely contributed to a great 2014 season already!

2014 Ironman Switzerland - Zurich - AG Swim Start

Pretty cool video of IM Zurich swim start. You don't see it but can imagine the frenzy in the water: a balanced mix of elbows to the nose, slaps to the head, and some occasional athletes swimming over you....but we still love and ask for more!

I am an Ironman!

Mariesa made it to Zurich! Ironman weekend officially begins

A year ago today, I had my first date with her in the lower east side. We were supposed to get Tapas in that tiny restaurant called “Bar Jamon,” but she decided otherwise when she walked in the “wrong restaurant” next door. To her defense, that restaurant also serves Tapas.

A year later, I find myself extremely lucky to have her by my side. She’s my number 1 support. The amount of patience she has is unbelievable, and she’s been key to my training is so many aspects it is hard to describe. She’s been extremely supportive, to a point where she most certainly believes in me more than I believe in myself (and eventually it rubbed off on me, making me believe I can achieve some cool stuff in the sport). What a lady, and what a lucky man I am to have her! 

And she arrived in Zurich...

I picked her and Sam up at Zurich airport. After stopping by the apartment, we drove back to Zurich for dinner. Sam was kind enough to let us go on our anniversary date. She went on her own, wandering

around in the city and grabbing dinner. We kept it simple. I had gnocchi and she got delicious Roesti (I'd strongly recommend that you try it yourself. You can find the recipe here), a traditional Swiss dish. Nothing too fancy, and most likely not to the calibre of a 1^st year anniversary dinner, but with the race being in two days, I could not veer off track too much, and decided to keep it low key. I know it probably wasn’t to Mariesa’s taste, but as usual, she accepted it without a single moaning or complaint. She got her glass of wine, but unlike when we go on a date, she opted not to have dessert. I think she said no to dessert so that I wouldn’t feel tempted to have one either. I’ve been imposing so much on her already, and having to do that wasn’t best, but I’ll promise to make up for it sometime soon. 

Race Week - Arrived in Zurich

This is happening!

I just arrived in Zurich and I'm starting to get butterflies in my stomach. the excitement is kicking in now. The first impressions are awesome.

The city
The city looks amazing. It has this specific swiss charm of a city established at the border of Lake Zurich, with the Swiss Alps for backdrop. To top it all off, the weather is nice, sunny, and warm, maybe a bit too warm for my liking with about 33 Celsius (91F)at around 4pm today. I'd certainly prefer to race in 55F weather, but you can't control it. Seeing the Ironman flag flapping in the wind right next to the Swiss flag was pretty cool too. It shows how big the event is to the city. The water is incredibly clear, and the water temperature was around 22C (71F), which should make for a wetsuit IM swim. I'm almost excited to swim.

The race site

The transition area is being set up. Volunteers and Ironman employees are being helped by massive fork lifts to set up the transition and race site. fences, and the Ironman store are being worked on. This is crazy. I signed up for this race on July 29th of last year, and thinking that I will be lining up on the beach of Lake Zurich on Sunday at 6:50am is surreal. 

Open Water Swim in Lake Geneva (Evian, France)

Thunder and Lightening while swimming...

We planned a 30-min swim in Lake Geneva in Evian, France with Mariesa and Gab. Sam, Mariesa's friend, planned on 6-mile walk on the boardwalk as she is training for a crazy 60-mile walk relay.

L to R: Gab, me, Mariesa

L to R: Sam, Mariesa, Gab

The day started off well with sunshine and a decent 68 degrees air temperature. The water must have been around the same, or slightly below that, but with the wetsuits, it did not feel cold at all. Gab, on the other end, must have been cold, though he said he was fine. He swam 10-15 minutes in shorts, with no goggles and no wetsuits. With the cold temperatures they've had in the past weeks (mountains around here had snow), you could feel the water being much colder when you dip your feet deeper. The water was colder during the pull phase of my stroke, so I can't even imagine how cold it must be a foot or two underneath the surface.
The water was clear and felt clean without a single wave on the surface. It looked like a giant mirror, ready for us to break it and have fun. I was excited. Mariesa came with me and had a great swim as well. Gab was great sport and swam with us before our 1 1/2 hour bike ride (in monsoon conditions!). Great support, great crew, we just had to go and enjoy the day.
All the training done in the pool in the winter and spring will hopefully bear fruits at IM Zurich, and those OWS are important for me to build up confidence in the wetsuit, as I rarely get a chance to have quality swims with it. Lakes in the state of NY are highly patrolled, and you can't "swim at your own risk." Here, you can simply put on your suit and swim across the lake if you wish, and if you want to tackle the appox. 8 miles that separates us from Lausanne, CH.

Evian Rowing Club House

We arrived early at the Evian Rowing Club house and brought the bikes close to the water for a quick and easy brick training. That's the perfect spot to start. Easy ramp out of the water, no boat traffic around, and an easy access for us with a parking spot that no one uses.

30-min swim

Mariesa showing the guns

The first half of the swim went really well. I'm starting to feel better swimming in the wetsuit, getting a decent pace and rhythm. I sighted a white boat anchored in the water about a hundred yards from the shore, and thought that it could be a good turnaround point. The sky was still clear, though it got a bit harder to tell as my goggles started fogging up a bit. I turned around after 15'07 and headed back to the beach. I pressed the lap button because I wanted to see if I could up the tempo a bit on the way back, while maintaining a pace I could maybe hold on the IM swim. The pace was very good. I felt in control and with a good form. I could feel I was pushing the water in the pull phase, and felt I was finishing my stroke around the hip. I can't say for sure, but it felt that way. I take it!

On the way back I was able to up the pace a notch, a pace I don't think I could hold for 60 minutes. No worries, though, as I changed my mind and I decided to swim at a pace that would be too fast for me, a pace I wouldn't be able to sustain for 2.4 miles. After swimming at a comfortable, yet faster pace for a little bit on the way back, I ramped it up to a point where I would be uncomfortable in my wetsuit. Success! My lungs started to burn and my legs where "asphyxiated." They felt incredibly heavy and slow, slowly sinking deeper and deeper after each stroke. It gave me the same sensation as when I push hard on the bike and my muscles generate too much Lactic Acid, more than the body can flush. I knew what pace I can sustain in the pool, but I now have a better idea of my threshold with a wetsuit.

I genuinely feared and sprinted for my life

I started to see the beach from afar and estimated it at about 3-4 minutes away. I was still maintaining that fast pace, yet with a good form. My confidence level is getting back. Hopefully this will be the case at IM Zurich, and I can have a great swim after I maneuver the hectic, frantic  mass start. It only took a fraction of a second to shatter the great swim I was having.

As I took my breath on my left side (I can't breathe on the right side), I saw a lightening strike the water on the swiss side of the lake. I freaked out. The adrenaline kicked in big time, and the thought of getting struck by a lightening rush through my head so quickly I could not think straight. I needed to evaluate how far I was, I estimated it at about a 2-3 minute swim from the Rowing club house. There was no second guessing in my mind at this moment. I started to literally sprint for my life. My legs miraculously cooperated with me, and my turnover was probably around 40 per 100/yards (I average 22-23). I barely took any breath. All of a sudden, you realize that the sky got darker, the sun was gone, and thunders resonated around you. I finally got out of the water and rushed to dry land, away from the water. We waited for 15 minutes as my brother went to pick up Sam.

It sounds stupid and if you read this, you may scratch your head thinking "what where they thinking?" I couldn't argue with that. However, we did look at the weather forecast and lightening was not expected until later in the day, in mid-afternoon.  However, as we got to the lake, there was no sign of it at all. The outcome could have been worse. You can never be too cautious about it, especially in a mountainous area. The weather changes in a split second.
We talked about it with Mariesa, and realized that we could have been one of those kids people make fun while reading the cover of the local news paper "A stupid kid struck by a lightening while swimming."

5am ride in LSP today

When nothing goes as planned, 3 weeks before IM Zurich...

What a frustrating 4^th of July weekend...

We decided to spend 3 days in Springfield, VT in order to get some high quality, high intensity training in 4 weeks before Iornman Zurich. We chose VT because the roads are nicer (less potholes, tranches, or bumps on the side), with less traffic (no honking or aggressive drivers trying to push you off the road when passing you), and with more climbing.

One important aspect was swimming. With this big weekend of training, I needed to find a place where I could easily hop on my bike after a long swim, which is not possible here in Jersey City. Stevens Swimming pool does not open in the am. The Edgar May  Rec Center was perfect: it opens its doors at 5am on week days, 7am on Saturdays, and 9am on Sundays. They were even open during 4^th of July.

In preparation for the weekend, I subscribed to mapmyride’s MVP for Mariesa so she can live track my progress and know where I am. I played around with their “Genius route” tool as well to create rides and have an idea of where to go. It lets you create routes based on various criteria. I have to say, it is not 100% accurate. The intuitive tool omitted to avoid dirt roads. I would stick to Strava, even though I am not sure if they have the feature to create or search for routes (I’d be surprised if they didn’t).

Slight injury leading up to the weekend

All set to go, minus a slight pain in my gluts / Hamstrings. I changed shoes as my old pair was completely worn, and made the mistake to change them right before an intense workout. 45 min into my run, I started to feel a slight pain in the gluts / hamstring area. I immediately stopped, and walked home (2 miles). That was the first concern of the week, and the pain persisted as we drove to VT. 

We arrived in VT around 10pm, after our 4 hour drive turned into a 6hr drive because of traffic. We stayed at the Holiday Inn in Springfield. The room was nice, and the bed was big, with a lot of room for our bikes and training equipment. 

A mechanical ruined my plans

Friday was not a good day, to say the least. It started off well, though. We had a great swim at the Edgar May Rec Center on Friday morning, and had a good breakfast after. 

As I was prepping up for my ride, I realized that my crank was loose. Furious, I tried to look into it, only to realize that the screw that I needed to tighten up was completely rounded. I couldn’t do anything. You should have seen me in the room, furious and pissed are understatements. I cursed, threw things around wrongfully hoping that the crank will magically get fixed. I could not believe it. We drove around on Saturday to try to find a bike shop to get it sorted out, but of course, being the 4th of July weekend, the mechanics were not around to help...they advised to come back on Monday (maybe not). The 90min tempo ride of Friday and 6 1/2 hour ride of Sunday are now gone, and with my leg not being 100%, I knew my long run was not going to be a quality one. 11+ hours of scheduled training done the drain in the most important week of training. 

In Hindsight, I am ashamed of my reaction, especially with Mariesa being around. I should be able to control my nerves better. After all, no one died, but on the spur of the moment, I just couldn’t. I trained so hard for the past 6 months, and marked this week in the calendar as being the most important training week of the season. I was prepared for it despite the leg issue. Being stopped by a mechanical issue, knowing that I brought the bike to the bike shop twice in 4 weeks, did not help. It was the icing on the cake. I think a combination of accumulated fatigue, stressful days at work, and a series of misfortunes made it such that I could not contain it any longer. I am not trying to find any excuses for my reaction, but I just could not contain it. 

The rest of the weekend…I’ll share it with you when I have time to write it up, because it’ll take a while…

IM Zurich in 21 days now