PPD Beach2Battleship Iron Distance Triathlong Recap I raced the B2B last Saturday for the culmination of my strength and endurance goals for 2014. My goal was to train for and perform above average in both max strength and legitimate endurance. The obvious tests were a powerlifting meet and an Ironman. I completed the Iron distance B2B Tri Saturday as planned... two weeks after a Powerlifting meet. **Note for those unfamiliar with the events: a Powerlifting meet is a max weight back squat, bench press, and deadlift. Iron Distance Triathlon is 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile cycle, and 26.2 mile run. I decided to do the Iron distance tri and a PL meet in the same month back in late May. I just hit a personal goal of matching my squat and deadlift to my 1 mile run time (525lbs, 550lbs, 5:18 mile) and wanted to do go after a more lofty endeavor. The speed work I did to get my mile time down could by no measure by considered endurance. I set out after an Elite total in the PL meet and a sub 12 hour finish in the Tri. I knew both would be challenging. I based both goals on the disciplines definition of above average. An Elite total at your first PL meet is solid and a 12 hour Iron in the Clydesdale division (220+lbs) is respectable. Ultimately, I missed both. Training for both strength and endurance was tricky. Managing the recovery is the most difficult part. Both strength and endurance athletes tend to overtrain. So following a typical program that either type of athlete would usually follow is a recipe for failure. This one thing is the primary why so many have failed to do both. I had a lot of help early on from Alex Viada on how to program. The training requires you to remove and all nonessential work and doing only what keeps you progressing. There was nothing flawed about my training, I just ran out of time. It was less about the events and more that I simply went after something that required more than 4.5 months to prepare for. Most folks spend a year training for their “A” race or meet, so I am not too bent about it. I am also of the thought a goal should not be easy… it should be big and lofty!! There needs to be some guessing to whether or not you’ll hit it. The Triathlon The morning of the I knew my sub 12 was not going to happen, but I was confident I would finish in 12:30-13. I felt good. I was certainly NOT overtrained. We (Melissa Hoff and I) trained less than most do for a half distance Iron. It was not by choice and certainly not a “minimalist” or CF Endurance style training program. We were simply unable to devote the time to the training we would have liked to. I took an unexpected, 4 week business trip in September, when we needed to be training the most. That trip really interfered. The swim was chill. Currents in the channel are in the swimmers favor and make it a fast one. I have a torn labrum in my my right shoulder, so freestyle hurts. I swam most of it with a modified UDT recovery stroke. It is not as fast as freestyle, but very efficient. The only hiccup on the swim was one of the safety guys on a paddleboard made me go around a buoy that I am still unsure we were required to. That change of course added 2 or 3 minutes to my swim. No biggie. That was the end of the fun… while climbing out of the water, I slipped on the ladder and smashed my foot. I knew it was busted, but was hopeful it was only a bad bruise. Not so much… I fractured the second metatarsal (long mid-foot bone) in my left foot just behind the joint with the phalanges. The trot to the bike was painful, but not enough to consider stopping. The bike went well. I originally planned for 6 hours. Some winds, a flat tire, and most of the road course being absolutely crap pavement slowed me to a 6:22. My foot was swelling enough I had to loosen my shoe a couple of times. At mile 111, dismounted to cross the bridge back into downtown and as soon as I tried to walk, I knew I had a really hurt my foot. I could feel the bone pressing out (not a compound fracture, just out of place and pressing out) and it was efing painful. I limped into bike/run transition. I took my bike shoes off and it was pretty obvious I had a broken bone. I could see and feel it just behind the ball of my foot. I had to loosen my laces quite a bit to get my running shoe on over the swelling. I lubed up my crotch, called myself a moron, but hobbled on out. I spent the first 10 minutes of the run trying to decided if I should drop. I figured it was already broken and finishing wouldnt break it any worse. I optimistically thought I might be able to still hit my adjusted goal time of 12.30 or 13 hours. If you have trained with me, you have heard me say there is a thin line between hard and retard. It was at that moment I stepped (no pun intended) across that line. Once over the line, you cannot come back. But you know what? I know people who have done much harder things with much worse injuries. I do not recommend doing something like this. My athletes know I preach health first and not push thru an injury. It was a bad decision and a poor example to set. I walked, limped, ran, walked, walked, and limped the run. I tried to run, shuffle, POSE, midfoot, and heel strike. They all hurt about the same. So instead of 4-4.5 hour run, it took me over 6 hours. I did not come close to exhausting myself. I just was not able to run. When I hit the 25 mile sign, I said to hell with it… I ran the last mile in 7:00ish just because I had so much left. My nutrition was on point. No issues there. I maintained a paleo diet throughout the training and execution of the race. I only increased carb intake by eating more potatoes, rice, and other paleo carbs. I cut out high fiber foods two days before the race to reduce the chances of GI issues. The day before the race I ate as I normally would. The morning of I ate chicken sausages and peanut butter for breakfast. The Competitive Edge Performance PreWorkout is a great fuel for endurance work. I used it until I ran out at the half-way point of the run. After that I used the race supplied Heed, Cliff Gels, Cliff Gummies, orange slices and chicken broth. I took in over 8,000 calories including breakfast. It was enough. Had I ran at potential, I would have certainly consumed more. I didnt have an insane cravings after the race... I just wanted to brush my teeth. And then a burger. The following day my legs were sore, but in weird places. That was likely due to the weird strides I was taking during the run. The day after I went to the gym and deadlifted. I planned on hitting over 500 just to show that not even an Ironman completely degrades your max strength as much as most would think. I only worked up to an easy 485lbs. The foot was not supporting the effort. Looking back I would give myself more time to train and make damn sure I got in more volume. I trained trained less than most do for a half-distance Iron. I did not intend to, it just worked out that way. Life sometimes interferes with hobbies. I learned a lot about training for strength and endurance concurrently. Many of the lessons have great applications to military personnel... or anyone who needs or wants to get a ton stronger than the average endurance athlete and much, much faster than the average strength athlete. The most important things to take away, regardless of not hitting my goals, were: 1.) I was able to increase strength and endurance capacities beyond average at THE SAME TIME at almost 39 years old and 225lbs bodyweight. 2.) I incurred no injuries whatsoever during the training leading up to the meet and race. My programming kept me fresh and recovered and at no point did I have to stop to nurse an injury. 4.) Maximalist shoes are a great for big runners / Should be considered by lighter runners. 3.) Anyone can do these things. There is no reason in the world to think triathletes, lifters, or any other athletes are somehow doing things you cannot. Not all triathons are Iron Distance and few of us lift weights that are half of the world records. The human body… YOUR body, is capable of more than you or I know. It is easy to be apprehensive about something you have never tried. There are tons of coaches out there that can get you into a sport and thru a competition. Stop wondering what it would be like to do “crazy shit” and go do it. You get one shot at this fragile existence… there is no better teacher of this life’s value than an accomplishment that cost you physically.
Posted on: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 14:11:31 +0000
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