Ironman Lake Placid 2010 - Let the journey begin!

IMLP Race Report - (Video) - The Finish

2010-08-01T09:37:00.008-04:00

As I approached the finish line I had a smile as wide as could be. My eyes darted around the crowd in hopes to see my family. I waved my hands in the air so the spectators would make some noise and then there they were...waving and cheering for me...my family.

As I came to the line I slowed to a walk pointed to the sky and blew my mother a kiss just like I promised. At that point a guy approached me to place my finisher's medal around my neck. I then realized it was my brother Vince who had finished over an hour and twenty minutes before me. We hugged and I cried tears of happiness. It was a perfect ending to an amazing journey.

Here is the video of my finish:

Up next: Closing the book

IMLP Race Report - The Run

2010-07-31T18:36:00.006-04:00

My longest "run" ever was a 20 miler which was brutal. At mile 10 I started having IT Band issues and I ended up walking/"running" the last 8 miles. It was tremendously painful and a bit demoralizing.

One saving grace was that I saw Sara Thatcher, my PT, on Friday for some last minute stretching. She told me not to worry, I wasn't going to have ITB problems and that the 20 miler was a fluke. I thought she was just trying to give me some motivational BS, which I appreciated, but this ITB thing was on my mind. I knew it was only a matter of time before it showed up. My plan was to go easy and see where that took me.

As I headed out for the marathon I knew a long day was about to get longer. The first descent right out of transition can be pretty harsh so I just took my time and settled into a pace once I got down the hill. My legs weren't turning over as quickly as I hoped and the pace was slower too. I told myself not to worry about any of that and to just keep running.

I made my way through each aid station at every mile and made sure I drank and ate in order to stay fueled. I was so hungry that nothing I ate filled what seemed like a massive void. I ate cookies, pretzels, oranges, grapes and more. At some aid stations I just took water or water and cola because I didn't want my stomach to get upset.

As far as I'm concerned the first loop went well. I saw a ton of people I know and each time it gave me a lift. I saw Vin and he looked strong. As I made my way back to into town it was like the crowd carried me up the climb. I knew in a few minutes I'd see my family and that was all the motivation I needed.

I approached the condo and they were cheering and yelling! On the way back I made sure I stopped and gave Keri-Ann and Noella a kiss and said I love you. I also said, "I'm going to be an Ironman!" and I headed back out for another 13.1 lonely miles.

The last 11.5 miles before the finish were tough. As I passed mile 16(?) I saw Vin heading back. He was at about mile 21/22 and all he said to me was "I just hit the wall". I looked at him and yelled "NO YOU DIDN'T!" and kept on going.

At that point I was still feeling decent and no ITB pain yet. As I passed mile 17 I hit a milestone. 17 miles was the longest I had actually run because I don't count the run/walk 20 miler. Mile 18 came and went as did mile 19 and then the turn around. I was heading home and then I hit THE wall.

Even though I was eating and drinking I didn't have any energy and I was starting to hurt. My left ankle was cramping, my right quad and hip flexor were getting tighter step by the step and I was literally in pain. Ironically, the only thing not hurting was my IT Band! I forced myself to keep running, but at times I had to walk to keep the pain down. I was almost there.

With about 4 miles to go I passed over what appeared to be a timing mat. There was music blasting and a billboard of sorts. The guy on the mic was trying to motivate
us and then made an announcement to make sure we looked at the board to see a message from our families.

I thought to myself what a nice idea, but didn't expect to see anything because I didn't even know about this thing. I looked up just to look up and then I see... 849 - Marty Miserandino - Get it Done! I had no idea how that got up there, but later found out that my wife Keri-Ann had done it. She's the best! The crazy thing is that I had already passed that board on the first loop and didn't even look at it. I probably wouldn't have looked at the billboard if the guy hadn't made that announcement...perfect timing and the fuel I needed to take it home.

I made my way back into town and started to smile as I climbed the two steepest hills. The street was lined with spectators on both sides and I started to pick up the pace. I was almost home. I was greeted by Greg Dombal and Sara Thatcher, I saw Steve and Brandi Dion and then rounded the corner for the out and back. I had a smile from ear to ear and then I saw my family waiting for me. I told them to get to the finish and I started moving.

I passed the final turn around and headed for the finish of my life. On my way to the oval I stopped to give my Aunt, Uncle and other family members a kiss and say thank you for being there. Having them there was truly one of the highlights of my whole experience.

The oval was right there. I was running next to another athlete and we were coming to the point where you either stayed to the left to go back out for another loop or you stayed to the right and became an Ironman. I asked if she was finishing and she said yes. At the point I said go ahead and have your moment. She looked at me like, "Really?" Absolutely... I could have cared less about my time at that moment. All I cared about was soaking it all in, seeing my family, looking to the sky and blowing my mother a kiss.

Up next: The Finish

IMLP Race Report - The Bike

2010-07-30T07:57:00.009-04:00

I made it through transition and got on my bike for the 2 x 56 mile loops that included screaming fast descents and climbs that felt like they wouldn't go away. My hope was for a safe ride and to keep my power down to save my legs for the run. Overall the bike was uneventful except for the screaming fast descents... at one point I hit 46 miles an hour! At that point life was more important so I sat up and just made it down safely.

My main concerns were safety, power and mechanical issues. You never want a mechanical and, as a bike shop owner, that is the LAST thing you want for a customer. Thankfully my bike was flawless. My mechanics Geoff and Mark kept the bike in great shape and Mark went through our bikes with a fine tooth the week of the race. If anything had happened to the bike then it was meant to be. The bike was beautiful!

I headed out of Lake Placid pretty quickly and started the first climb. I kept my power very steady as a stream of riders passed me. I didn't care... let them go. Stay in your bubble. That was the plan. Stay in your bubble.

There are a few points on the bike where you have to go out and back, so you can see where other athletes are and it's where I would hopefully see the other guys I trained with. I'd also see other customers, my coach and most importantly my brother. I needed the piece of mind knowing that he was ok and he was killing it! We'd ask each how we were feeling or shout words of encouragement.

As the ride progressed I started to think about when I'd see my family. I couldn't wait! As I headed into the the final climb of the first loop, a nice climb called Papa Beer, I was just minutes away from seeing them. I started getting a little emotional. I knew my entire family was waiting.

As I came down the flat stretch many athletes stayed in their aero position, but I didn't care. I wanted to make sure they saw me and I saw them. As I passed I raised my fist in the air, pumped away and yelled FORTE!!!! which means strong in Italian. It's a little family saying we have. I could see my family screaming, jumping up and down, and cheering me on. I'm certain they did the same thing for Vin just a few minutes before me.

As I rounded the corner to pass the Olympic Oval I heard over the loud speaker, here comes 849, Marty Miserandino. I thought that was sooo cool.

I made the turn and heard my name being yelled and I saw my friend Kelley, her mom and her kids cheering us on. I had no idea they were there! They drove up that morning to cheer us on and it provided such a needed push. Did I mention she drove up THAT morning and left after the race... 5.5 hours each way... thank you!

The second loop is where I thought I'd make a little move, and I did, but then brought myself back to Earth. I knew if I pushed it too hard I'd pay for it dearly on the run. I saw Vince again on the out back and he looked strong. I was hoping I'd see him again, but I didn't. He was having a heck of a race.

Although there were 2,700+ people racing, an Ironman is very lonely. The last 11-12 miles on the bike course, especially the second time around, is really unforgiving. It's basically a continuous climb back into Lake Placid with few breaks. At that point I wanted to see my family again and get on with the run.

As I passed the fam the second time around I was a little less enthusiastic as my energy was starting to fade, but I managed to blow kisses and smile. I knew I was just about done with the bike. As I pulled into T2 I was a little wobbly off the bike. Unexpectedly my cousin Elena and her boyfriend Kevin were there waiting at the transition and it was a needed boost. After the race she told me that she was really nervous for me because I was as white as a ghost when I got off the bike. I made my way back to my transition bag and headed into the changing tent. Even though I didn't feel that I went to hard on the bike, and my power data confirmed this, I was losing energy. I had that lethargic feeling and my legs didn't want to move. I was nervous.

I entered the changing tent and a volunteer came over to me immediately and asked what he could do to help. The volunteers really make this race. The guy emptied my bags, helped make sure I was ok, etc. I took a little time to pull myself together, took in a Gu Roctane, went to the bathroom, sipped some water and then I was off. I was about to enter the great unknown...I was attempting my first marathon ever and that after a 2.4 mile swim and 112 mile bike ride.

Up next: The Run...

IMLP Race Report - The Swim

2010-07-29T12:51:00.008-04:00

Pre-Race:
Vin and I woke up at 3:45 to start fueling and to get ready for the race. We dropped off of our special needs bags which were filled with things we might need during the day. For example, my bike special needs bag had spare tubes, co2 cartridges, etc. My run special needs bag had extra socks, a few different shirts in case I needed to change and so on.

We headed to the Olympic Oval to drop off our on-bike nutrition, pump up the tires and then headed back to our condo. We were fortunate to have a place across from the swim start and on the bike/run course. When we got back to the condo my wife's family had already arrived and I started to get very emotional. I was just so thankful they were there to support us and see the race.

My sister Ro arrived next with my brother-in-law Clint, and their kids... more and more emotions. My cousins called and they were facing road closures, so I wasn't sure if they were going to make it for the start. I understood, but was hoping they would be there.

Now we were getting close... the crowd was gathering and athletes were walking past the condo to drop off their special needs bags down the street. It was time to get the energy pumping. I brought one of my DJ speakers from home, hooked up the Ipod and started playing music. The first song was the Olympic Theme song...it put a smile on people's face. As the music played we made final preparations... body glide, chamois lube, bathroom stops, and put our wetsuits on. Then it was time to make our way to the swim start.

I wanted a good song playing as we walked away and there was only one choice. My family knows that "Don't stop Believin" reminds me of my mother and it's a song we all love. A few years back for the spinathon I made a video of my mother's progress as she battled a 8-9 month hospital stay due to complications from Diabetes and the "theme" song was "Don't stop Believin".

Every time we hear that song it's like she's with us, so it was only fitting to have that playing as we headed to the shore. Hugs and kisses for the family, last minute pictures, and we walked down the grass slope to the street and over to the swim start.

As I looked back "Don't Stop Believin" was finishing up and we waved good-bye. We could hear music pumping on the main speakers at the swim start and the crowd was massive. All of sudden I heard the first few notes of "Don't Stop Believin"!!!
I turned to Vince and said, "you hear that?" and he said "yup..she's with us". Just awesome...

As we worked our way through the crowd Vin saw my cousin Elena... They made it! The whole family was now here and I mean the whole family!!! (Dad, Keri-Ann, Noella, Ro, Clint, Julia, Gino, Auntie, Uncle, Marisa, Carla, Elena, Elise, Michael, Jim, Taylor, Morgan, Kevin, Nicole, Anna, Vincenzo, Ann, Kerry, Aly, Jimmy, Conner, Ashley, and Mike)

Over the last several months we both got advice about the swim start. It was going to be a battle to say the least. Obviously the 2.4 mile swim is a challenge, but so aren't the hundreds of athletes swimming over you, grabbing you, and kicking you in order to get to open water. Lake Placid has a really cool swim course, in that, there is a cable under the water about 4 feet deep. You don't have really look where you are going if you "get on the line". Well that's the problem. We were told that everyone wants to get on the line, so imagine 2,600+ swimmers converging on the cable. It would be absolute chaos.

One piece of advice we got was to stay back and let the better swimmers go. The other advice was to start to the right and head to the far buoy where everyone would have to converge as we turned left.

Our Coach, Jeff Capobianco, said he likes to start next to the dock and tries to stay left of the line. Vin and I said screw it. We were going with a hybrid approach. Coach had been spot on since day one with every aspect of training, so we went next the dock, but instead of staying back, we went as close to the front as possible...about 4-5 rows deep.

In the scheme of things we were up front and we knew it was going to be a battle. As we floated the cannon blasted and the pro field went off 10 minutes before us. For the next 10 minutes we floated and it seemed like an eternity.

Something interesting started to happen. When we got into the water we found our way pretty easily to where we wanted to be. It wasn't too crowded. As we got closer to the start more and more athletes were floating to us. At that point we could hardly move... we were surrounded! It was getting close... and then BOOM!!!! We were off!

Arm to the head, kick to the body, I was being climbed on and over... My concerns at this point were 1. Try not to get kicked so hard that the race was over before it really got going and 2. Don't lose or let your goggles fill with water. I wear contacts and having water in my goggles is extremely annoying and a contact could fall out. This was a huge concern. I brought extra contacts with me in case I lost one in the swim or on the bike. (Going 40 miles an hour downhill on a bike without glasses on can dry out contacts pretty quickly.)

At this point my goal was to get on that line and swim hard until it opened up, if it ever opened up. I couldn't believe so many people stayed away from the line! After the initial "shock" and "awe" I was really surprised that I had a pretty clear path. It reminds me of a Yogi Berra quote. When he was asked about a restaurant Yogi once said, "It's so busy nobody goes there anymore". I think that's what happened. Everyone is told how crowded it gets on the line so they stay away. I couldn't believe how nice of a swim I was having. Sure, there were some points that I was getting hit, but I knew that was going to happen especially rounding the buoys. I got hit a few times and my goggles filled with water. OH NO! I stayed calm, but the water was really bothering me. I decided to stop for a second and let the water out... a few minutes later I got walloped and it happened again. I stopped, emptied, pressed on.

I exited the water after the first lap, looked at my watch and couldn't believe I saw 32 minutes. I was expecting 35! I headed back into the water for lap 2 and more of the same. I finished the swim in 1:08:25.

As I made my way through the chute the crowd was insane. Just amazing! I was moving quickly while trying to find my family. It was really hard... then I heard "Marty", "Marty"... family, customers, friends... all there cheering us on. Thank you!

I ran through T1 and had no idea where Vince was. Did I beat him in the swim? My goal was 1:10 and I came out in 1:08...I had to have beaten him! As I passed the hook where his transition bags were his bag was missing! He had the swim of his life and I couldn't have been happier! I knew the next time I'd see him was somewhere on the bike.

Up Next: IMLP Race Report - The Bike

The Promised Kiss

2010-07-26T11:27:00.002-04:00

Race Day

2010-07-25T04:44:00.002-04:00

4:44 a.m. and we're getting ready to head out to the bike transition to drop off our nutrition, etc. The sun isn't up yet, but both Vin and I are already up and at em. Everyone else is sleeping. :-) As we head out to the course we just hope and pray for a smooth, safe day. You are with us and we know it!

I'm feeling a little anxious, but overall calm. I slept pretty well until I woke up at 2:00 a.m. to take a Boost drink...the next 2 hours were a mix of tosses and turns. Thankfully I slept well this past week, so I feel good right now.

The last few days were a mix of settling in, some race prep, family time and staying off my feet. I also had a chance to see my PT Sara Thatcher. She is up here watching the race and I was thankful to get some last minute work/stretching. Thank you Sara!

Well, this is probably my last post before we head out. Thanks again for all your support.

On my mind

2010-07-20T06:37:00.005-04:00

You've been on my mind for over a year. I've had hours and miles to think about every aspect of the challenge. I've sacrificed, I've suffered, I've succeeded. I've woken up
in no mood to work out, without any drive, and got through it. I've woken up ready to attack and exceed the goal at hand. I am excited. I am motivated. I am athlete 849.

The last 2 weeks of Ironman prep involve a lot less volume and in a weird way it plays with your body and mind. Although I'm not working out as much my body is tired and
achy. I've been told this is a good sign and that my body is recovering. I will be ready.

Let me take a second and say thanks to every single one of you who has helped make this journey possible. There are too many of you to name individually and many of you I don't even know. My inspiration came from your stories, from my family, from my friends, and from my own insecurities. I've laughed, I've cried, and I've had doubts. As the VP said, "This is a big f*cking deal"... at least it is to me.

Dad, Ro/Clint, Vin/Nicole, Keri-Ann and Noella... I know everyone says "I couldn't do this without you". I wouldn't want to do this without you! Thank you for making your own sacrifices to be with me. You and the rest of the family will be my inspiration along the way. I'm already looking forward to seeing you and the kids, upstairs, and Keri's family along the way. It will be the lift I need when needed.

I can't wait to hug you at the finish line after I hear "Marty Miserandino, you are an Ironman!"

Mom, there isn't day that goes by that I don't think of you. I still lean on you and know that you'll be with us. Your words of encouragement, your life long lessons,
and your strength during dialysis, bypass surgeries and amputation showed me what it means to be strong and fight. You and Dad have prepared Vin and me for this without even knowing. Mom, I am going to be an Ironman and when I cross that line I'll look to the sky and blow you a kiss.

Transformation - Back in the Buff

2010-07-18T09:59:00.007-04:00

With 1 week to go I have a lot on my mind. I'll share more in the coming week, but I wanted to follow up on my post, "In the Buff", from January.

It's funny how I didn't see the physical changes others have seen until looking at these photos side by side...

January 2010 - 158lbs July 2010 - 146lbs

My first impression the second time around

2010-06-29T05:18:00.004-04:00

My first trip to Lake Placid was last summer when Vin and I decided to volunteer and sign up for 2010. My first impression was that I wanted in... I wanted to push myself and see what I could accomplish. While we watched the run I was both excited and nervous. Could I do this? Should I do this? The Ironman seems both insane and impressive and I still wanted in. My first impression was that if I trained properly I could do this, but thinking about this I had this impression based solely on seeing the run. I never saw the swim start and I never road the bike course. Hmmmm...

Fast forward to this past weekend in Lake Placid. I spent the weekend training with Coach cap, his brother Marc, Tom D., Art D. and my brother. I had a second chance
at a first impression. What I mean by this is that for the first time I was going to see the entire course. Let me say this loud and clear...this course is NO JOKE!

Vin and I headed up to LP On Friday morning and arrived around 2:30. After unpacking we headed out for a 13.1 run (1 loop of the two loop run course). Basically I'm the slowest runner of the group so I watched the guys pull away and I was left to run alone. The run course in LP is beautiful, but will be tough after the 112 mile bike ride. It will be easy to go out "fast" if the legs are there, but it will be punishing if that happens. The climbs back into Lake Placid will slap you in the face and then smerk at you as if to say "what are you doing to do about it?" It will be a fight.

Saturday consisted of riding the entire bike course (a two loop, 112 mile route) and a 4 mile run. Coach Cap gave each of us our prescribed wattage and outlined the race plan. On the first loop I followed my plan except for a few stretches where I pushed it. Big mistake. The loop contains some significant climbs, some screaming fast descents, followed by more climbing. The last 11 miles back to Lake Placid were uphill. Great...I get to do this again on the second loop. I heard the stories about the course, but they didn't do it justice. Living it, riding it, losing your legs on it, really made things clear.

Now keep in mind that we had a full training week under our belts and a half marathon in us from the day before. The second loop was going to suck and it did. Although I had energy, I didn't have any power at all. It's as if the legs wouldn't turn over. Long story short, I made it back but I was feeling it. I was feeling it every where. My legs, my neck, my mind, and let's just say the undercarriage isn't very happy.

When I got back to the condo to change for my run, Coach Cap was already there... bike finished, run finished. That boy can move! Anyway, he asked how I felt and I told him I was feeling it. I changed and headed out for the run. Surprisingly my legs were turning over. I had legs! Again, I'm not a fast runner. I just need to run without IT Band pain and the rest will take care of itself. As I ran alone, being the last one, I saw my brother heading back as I was heading out. He said that Coach Cap said that if we were feeling strong to run 6 miles instead of 4. Knowing I had legs I couldn't lie to myself. I had to run the 6 and I'm happy I did. I got through it and I accomplished
something I never had before.

On Sunday we finished with a loop of the swim course. Uneventful...but I know what's ahead. Imagine a fish tank full of Piranhas. Then drop a bloody piece of steak into it and watch what happens. Welcome to the start of Ironman Lake Placid. I'll be kicked, punched, and crawled over. I'll work hard to find a spot and get on the line.

Over all I'm very happy with the weekend. I know when race day comes I'll be rested, hydrated, and ready to go. I have 2 more weeks of hard work to get ready and then the taper begins.

My first impression the second time around can be summed up in one word: Respect
I have the utmost respect for this course, the challenge ahead, the athletes that have completed the event, the athletes that sacrificed to get to the line, but didn't make it.

Theodore Roosevelt said it best:

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

Respect!

5 Weeks to go

2010-06-20T13:23:00.004-04:00

It's starting to ramp up. 17.5 hours of training this week. It would have been 18 hours, but the ocean was freezing and a couple of my rides were 5-10 minutes short. My wife Keri-Ann pointed out that this is like having a part-time job. Today it felt like a full time job. 94 miles in the saddle and a 30 minute run. I'm feeling it. :-)

This past week Coach Cap kept my running at bay because of the foot issue I developed at Mooseman. The week after Mooseman my left foot was really painful, so we upped the bike and swim to give my foot some rest. I've been on my bike the last 6 out of 7 days, swam 3 days, and ran 3 times (1 hour and then 2 x 30 minute runs off the bike). Thankfully my foot is feeling better this week and that is due to my visit with Sara Thatcher. She seriously is some kind of body miracle worker. I'm not just saying that either. When I saw her last Monday morning I could hardly walk..3 hours after our session my foot felt 1,000 times better and my runs this week were much more bearable with a lot less pain. I'll see her again tomorrow for more work to keep my body in "peak" condition.

As I look back at my training and see the progress I've made I can't help think about the sacrifices. Not only mine, but my family's. I couldn't do this without the love and support of my wife Keri-Ann. She never gives me sh*t about a workout, she understands the physical demands, and she's there when I call her at 6:30 in the morning before my race and I'm crying for no particular reason. Ok, sometimes, especially when I'm tired, I get emotional. :-) Thank you hon!

And speaking of my family I'm excited to tell you that Keri-Ann and I will be expecting our second child on 1/1/11. :-) It certainly adds to the Journey and I couldn't be more exited.

My First Video Blog

2010-06-12T18:24:00.004-04:00

I decided to give technology a try and see how this video blog thing might work. I hope you like it. :-)

Athlete 174 - Mooseman Half Ironman

2010-06-07T20:56:00.006-04:00

Mooseman 70.3 - Race Report

Leading up to Mooseman I started to get very anxious, not because of my preparation, but because of the course. There is a big 3 mile climb which gets very steep, but I wasn't concerned about the climb. I was concerned about the descent and safety. It got to the point where that's all I was thinking about because the forecast was for rain. I pictured disaster after disaster which is not what you want to be picturing entering a race.

Unfortunately the mental toll got the best of me and I couldn't fall asleep the night before the race. Friday night I was on my feet most of the day and I only got 6 hours sleep. I though for sure I'd pass out Saturday night and sleep like a baby. Instead I couldn't fall asleep. I saw the clock tick 11 p.m. which meant if I feel asleep right at that moment I would get 5 hours. That didn't happen. I finally fell asleep only to wake up at 2:00 a.m. to drink a Boost Energy drink. When the alarm went off at 4:00 a.m. it was like a slap in the face, but we got right up and got ready. I new adrenaline would take over once the race started.

Swim:
The rain started and stayed with us the entire race. I got off to a solid start in the swim and felt very smooth. I kept thinking about all the things Craig taught me and kept focused on the task at hand. I had a clear lane to the buoys and hugged them perfectly. As I rounded the final buoy to head back into shore my goggles were really fogged up. That caused my one mistake on the swim. I drifted right instead of hugging the buoys. It cost me some time, but I felt great! Just over 35 minutes and feeling fresh.

T1:
My transitions have become pretty solid. Minimize what you need to do and move forward. Off on the bike.

Bike:
This was my main concern for the day because of the rain. My two thoughts the entire time were 1. Be safe.. just get down the hill safely and you'll be fine. 2. Hit your number (watts)...ok, I had one more thought. I wanted Vin to be safe too. Part of me was hoping that he'd catch me on the bike (he started a couple of waves behind) just so I knew he was ok. I didn't see him on the bike.

Overall I thought my effort on the bike was solid. Looking back at my file my watts could/should have been higher. I was working hard though and the conditions were challenging. I could feel my body getting cold, I could feel my leg muscles tighten. I hate making excuses, but I know there are a few reasons why legs could have felt better. With that said the watts don't lie. Coach Cap and I will review the file and go from there. Could have, should have, blah, blah, blah.

T2:
I came back into T2 soaking wet as did everyone else. My sneakers and socks were soaked and the body was cold. It was a bit of a challenge getting my socks on while keeping my balance so I didn't fall in the mud. I slipped into my shoes, grabbed my hat and water bottle and I was
off.

Run:
I had 3 goals for the run. 1. No GI issues 2. Get through it without any IT band pain and 3. finish strong. I run with my Garmin 310xt which has GPS and cadence. I make sure my turn over is over 90 RPM and keep an eye on my pace. It seemed like my pace was all over the place and wondered if I lost the satellite signal. My goal pace was suppose to be about 8:30 per mile, but I didn't want to push that pace just yet.

When I did the Patriot Half last year my stomach was all over the place and I thought I was going to have a very big problem on the run. In addition, with a couple of miles left, my left IT band tightened and I was in tremendous pain. Those two issues where on my mind, so I went a bit easier than planned. I also wanted to have a faster finish. As a decent cyclist and slow runner I am accustomed to see athlete after athlete run past me on the run. I decided to let it be and focus on my race. As I came to mile 10 my Garmin said mile 9.5 or something like that so I started to think that perhaps I had been running faster than I thought and that's when I could start to feel some muscles tighten, but not my IT band.

At that point I knew I had one more climb and then two miles of a downhill and then a flat stretch to the finish. As I looked at my watch I realized I'd have a shot at breaking 5:30 if I moved it. I pushed and pushed, but I felt like I wasn't moving. :-) I was starting to hurt, but I figured the race was just about over... I pushed all the way to the finish.

Finish time: 5:29:49

Post Race Observations:
Besides some soreness I feel 100% better after this Half Ironman compared to last year's Patriot. It's a testament to my training and keeping my body healthy. Outside of the weather, I never felt so ready and prepared.

Plain and simple I thank my coach Jeff Capobianco for his support, knowledge and friendship. I also thank my swim coach Craig Lewin. As I was cruising along everything you have taught me clicked. I felt smooth, comfortable and stayed fresh. I could have easily continued on.

In addition, I want to thank my PT Sara Thatcher for keeping me fresh and loose. I saw Sara today to work out some post-race fatigue and I'm feeling better already. I truly credit Sara for keeping me healthy and pain free.

I really enjoyed my Mooseman experience. As I raced the course I heard customers cheer me on and I did my best to cheer you on too. I'm proud to toe the line and suffer with you. When I was tired you were there. I hope that when you were tired I was there.

Congratulations to all who raced... on to Lake Placid.

One more thing... Last year at the Patriot Half my brother beat me by 7 minutes. This year his dedication and commitment to training and his goal of completing Lake Placid under Coach Cap has been amazing to see. As I've bridged the gap a bit on the swim and bike, his run was just awesome. He beat me by 19 minutes! Vin, I am proud of you big brother. Great effort!

Legs...where are you?

2010-05-23T10:59:00.003-04:00

Who would have thought that a "little" sprint Triathlon would crush my legs more than all the training I've done over the last 6 months? I still feel last Sunday's race and I want my legs back. This week was another solid effort while feeling the stresses of work, life and training.

Highlights...
Thursdays 2.4 mile pool swim in a time of 1:16:54... boring as could be, but I'm tremendously pleased. Certainly wasn't blazing fast, but with a wetsuit and draft I think I could take some time off in the actual race. I now know I can complete the swim. The one thing that made this easier was that my brother was doing the same thing in the lane next to me. I know that he (we) sometimes lose focus during long sets. When I saw him fading I would push a bit. I knew he would pick up the pace and vice versa. Having Craig pushing us from the deck was a huge help too. Thanks coach!

Yesterday was a great day... the 62 Mile Tour De Cure to benefit the American Diabetes Association and then a 1 hour run. I followed that up with DJ'ing my friend's wedding... Keith and Lindsay, congratulations! Standing for 5 straight hours may not sound like a lot, but after the week of training my legs are mush. The only way to do all of this is with support from my wife and the guys at the shop. Thank you for all your support!

The week ahead:
I really don't want to go for a 75 minute run right now, but I'm going to get it done. The week ahead looks very full with several 3 hour bricks and some intensity to boot. I just need to get through this week healthy and rested and then it's time for a one week taper for Mooseman. I hope my legs come back. :-)

And so the season begins...

2010-05-16T21:34:00.001-04:00

Today was a good day...my first race of the season. I headed over to Marblehead for the JCC sprint (250 yard pool swim, 10 mile bike, 3.5 mile run) and it was a perfect day for a race.

I was excited, not because I was training for this race, but because my training has been solid for Lake Placid. Would I finally see if my training was paying off or not? On the one hand I thought I could do better than last year because I am being coached by a guy who has helped me make more gains in 6 months than I've made in 6 years. On the other hand, I wasn't being trained for this race. The intensity level is much higher in a sprint than in an Ironman. In a sprint, as many of you know, you basically go all out because it's relatively short. In longer races the intensity is lower because you need to save yourself for the long day ahead.

Coach Cap (Jeff Capobianco of Breakthrough Performance Coaching) made it pretty clear and reminded me that my training has been Ironman focused, not sprint. If it had been sprint focused my training would have been very different. So I was excited to arce, but didn't set my expectations too high. Plain and simple I wanted to do better than last year where my time was 59:44 and my place was 9th.

In addition to Coach Cap, I have been helped along the way by my swim Coach Craig Lewin of Endurance Swimming. Craig has prepared me well and my hope was to ease into the swim and get out in a decent time.

I truly am blessed to be in the business I am. I have access to the top cyclist in New England (Dean Phillips), the best Mechanics(Geoff Hull and Mark Saffer) and the best equipment. What I lack in an engine I make up in hard work. The bike went really well although I thought I'd be able to push it harder.

I was most concerned about the run. As I progress through my Ironman training my runs are relatively slow and steady. When I say slow I don't mean to offend anyone, but my E (easy) runs are like 10 minute miles. That's really where I've been running for several months without any speed work. The last time I ran a sub 8 minute mile was November or December. Before that it was last summer. I had no idea how the run would go.

Thankfully I've been seeing Sara Thatcher at Body Tuning every couple of weeks and she has kept my body in-line and strong. I really credit Sara's advice and direction
as the key for staying healthy and injury free (knock on wood).

So how did it go? I finished in a time of 57:24... over 2 minutes faster than last year! I came in 7th place overall and I'll certainly take it. Needless to say I am very pleased.

Congratulations to my buddy Kevin Reen who won the race for the second year in a row. Just awesome... My good friend and business partner Dean Phillips came in second today. Dean continues to amaze me. After an off-season of surgery, pain and frustration, followed by a serious TT crash last week, Dean still decided to race. He could have easily passed this up, so it was great to see him out there.

And of course kudos to my big brother Vin who came in 3rd... solid, solid, solid. He's also being coached by Coach Cap and his gains are impressive. Everyone keeps saying "Vin better watch out"... I don't think he has anything to worry about... his run is so much faster than mine. :-)

I also want to congratulate my friend Kelley T. who competed, and completed, in her first triathlon... Awesome job Kel! We are very proud of you.

What a day... surrounded by family, friends and customers on a beautiful sunny Sunday. Up next... the Mooseman 1/2 Ironman on June 6th.

Turn up the volume

2010-05-03T08:10:00.002-04:00

Just under 12 weeks and Lake Placid awaits. This past week was some what of an eye opener. 17 hours of training... it's not just the 17 hours of training, it's owning a business, being a husband and father, and having a life. I'm very happy with how the week went.

Here is some of the work:
Monday: 2:30 bike
Tuesday: 1 hour swim, 45 minute run
Wednesday: 1:00 bike(80% of FTP), 20 minute run
Thursday: 1 hour swim, 40 minute run
Friday: 2 hour run
Saturday: 3:30 bike
Sunday: 3 hour bike (80% of FTP) and 30 minute run

The best part of my week? On Sunday we celebrated my daughter's second Birthday. Happy Birthday Noella!!!!

As we turn up the volume the challenges arise. For example, in order to get in my 3:30 ride on Saturday I had to start at 5:15 a.m. The sun wasn't even up yet. :-)
In addition, sleep and recovery is key. I have to get better at this.

Moving forward this week the volume stays about the same, but we sprinkle some more intensity. This is getting fun!

I know I've said it before, but I do want to thank my coach Jeff Capobianco. He has proven to be an incredible planner and a wealth of knowledge. Thanks Jeff!

It's been a while

2010-04-17T05:19:00.004-04:00

It's about 5:15 a.m. on Saturday morning and it's been a while since I've blogged about my IMLP journey. My training continues to be solid. Overall I haven't had any major set backs, just some bumps in the road. A few annoying aches have shown up, but I'm doing my best to manage them. Sara Thatcher, my PT specialist, has been awesome. We are using more of a preventative approach to my sessions which, I think, has kept more aches and pains at bay. So what's new on my end?

Swim:
Still working with Craig Lewin of the North Shore Swim Club. He says that my stroke is finally coming together. I'm staying long and the catch is developing. One of things I really like about working with Craig is that our sessions aren't all yards and no instruction. Each and every class he constantly monitors us and reminds us of the proper way to do something. I feel the most comfortable I ever have in the water. Am I faster? I certainly will be, but if I'm not, I know it will have taken a lot less energy.

Bike:
The bike is coming together really well. I'm finally back outside, except for today because I have a 2 hour ride and don't want to do it in the rain. I'm very happy with my increase in sustainable power. My 3 x 40 minutes at 80% of my FTP intervals has shown that I'm holding more power for a longer period of time than I ever have. I'm looking forward to my first race on May 16th so I can compare to last year.
In addition, I've experimented with a smaller crank length and I'm going with a 167.5 instead of a 172.5. This allows me to still put out power, but I'm not limited at the top of my pedal stroke. Back to power... if you aren't training and racing with a power meter, you are not training or racing to your potential. Get a power meter!

Run:
My 20 minute Eastern States race was tough. A nasty IT Band "injury" showed up and by mile 12 I knew the last 8 was going to be dreadful. It was run/walk the rest of the way. I got it down, but it was frustrating. I spent the following week with Sara working it out and it's fine now. Just frustrating because it hadn't shown up since last Summer. I've committed to doing a lot more strengthening and stretching of the hips so I know that will help. Overall the run is going well. I'm always working on the run.

Key Workouts:
Swim - Quality stroke work mixed with longer distance sets with some intensity mixed in. A pretty "fun" one was 300 pull set right into 2 x 100 on 1:45, right into 2 x 50 on 1 minute. Run this 3 times through.

Bike: 15 minute easy warm up and then 3 x 40 minutes at 80% of FTP with 5 minutes in between...cool down 20 minutes

Well, that's it for now. I have to go ride my bike for two hours. Happy Spring. -Marty

Excitement, Self-doubt, & Progress

2010-03-21T20:33:00.007-04:00

The Ironman process has been part excitement, self-doubt & progress. I started working with a coach, Jeff Capobianco of Breakthrough Performance Coaching, in November. I had been coached by one of the top coaches in the area over the previous year and made some impressive gains, so making the change was a bit concerning.

Jeff's personality and style of coaching was perfect for me and I was excited from the start. Jeff is a Tri stud who completed Lake Placid last year in 9:48:04... qualified for Kona, etc. etc. He obviously knows how to train and race, so I was really looking forward to working with him.

Over the next several months I experienced a sense of improvement in all three disciplines and that was a great feeling. Then I hit a wall. Times were slower, I wasn't hitting my prescribed power numbers on the bike, and I started to wonder if I was cut out for Ironman.

Then it started to click. You know what was going on? I was getting stronger, but I didn't know it!

On the swim front my times were slower, but Craig said I was swimming better and that it would click. Although I wasn't hitting my numbers on the bike I was pushing harder than I ever had, and I was running distances I had only thought of.

Self-doubt had turned the corner and I've begun to see progress. I've become even more excited! I'm swimming better/faster, I've increased my watts on the bike and I'm running better and longer. I'm pretty pumped!

Up next? A 20 mile run this Sunday..it will be the furthest I've ever run, but I said that last week as I prepared for a 16.

16 was interesting to say the least.... Last Sunday was torrential, so Vin and I decided to run together at the gym. We arrived just after 3:30 only to find out the gym closed at 6, which meant I wouldn't have enough time to finish the 16. At 6:00 p.m. I had run 14.3 and felt that I had to finish, at the very least, to prove I could do it. I decided to finish outside. Mentally I needed to know I could do it. So outside I went in the pouring rain with winds gusting over 40 miles an hour. I ran two miles to make sure I did the 16. The best part about it? My brother followed me in his car to make sure I was safe...only a brother! Thanks Vin.

As I head into another build week, including my first 20 mile run, I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes... "Preparation breeds confidence"... My confidence is building as the preparation continues.

Key Workouts

2010-03-10T19:44:00.003-05:00

Over the last several weeks we've entered a pretty deep build phase. I've accomplished many "firsts" and I'm pretty psyched about that. I remember a few years ago that running 4 miles was a task. In the last 5 weeks my long runs have been 12, 12, and 14...this week I have 16 miles. My longest run ever!

In addition to the increase in running I've increased my 20 minute power and engaged in some solid workouts... 10 x 2 minutes at 125% of your FTP is definitely a workout! Try it sometime. If you aren't training and racing with power you're missing out. It's the quickest way to get better, faster, and race smarter.

I continue to make progress on the swim front as well. My 100 time is coming down a bit and my technique is coming along.

The home front is still solid. Most of my training is done early a.m. (5:00 a.m. forward) so the "damage" is minimal. I know that the weekends will start to get longer, but I'm fortunate to have a wife that gets "it". She is super supportive and I can't thank her enough.

Thankfully the annoying injuries have been kept at bay, but it's a constant battle. I recently switched to a smaller crankset to see if I can take the "kink" out of my hip, so we'll see how that goes. So far so good...

Equipment... Parlee TT, Zipp Disc with PowerTap, 808 front, Aerodrink, X-Lab rear mounted hydration system, Blue Seventy Helix (for now), & Fit Werx kit.

More to come

What do you want to know?

2010-02-19T20:07:00.002-05:00

Ok, I'm not good at blogging. Every time I think about writing I feel like I need to have some motivating, inspiring post with substance. I don't just want to blog for the sake of blogging. I'm not a writer, I'm a lover. I'm sure my wife would disagree... ha ha ha. I guess I'm decent at making fun of myself. Anyway, what do you want to know? Do you want to hear what I'm struggling with? Do you want to hear that I'm kicking *ss during certain workouts? I don't know.... well I do know. I have writers block!!!!!! So that's it... here's my new post. Live life to the fullest...have fun... and work your ass off. It's really that simple. Love baby.. .Love!!!!

A Monkey, Guitar, Flamingo & more

2010-01-16T15:12:00.009-05:00

Tomorrow I'll be capping off a pretty solid week of training. Not a huge amount of hours, but some great intensity. I’ve been asked about my training, so I want to give you an idea of what my key workouts were this week.

Swim:
On Thursday Coach Lewin of the North Shore Swim Club switched things up a bit. We started with our usual warm-up and then he tossed a toy Monkey, Guitar and Flamingo into the pool and formed a triangle of sorts. The goal was to practice sighting and rounding the “buoys”. It was fun and it was a nice change of pace. We still put in plenty of swim time too.

Bike:
Coach Cap of Breakthrough Performance Coaching had us working hard this week. Some solid VO2 Max Intervals. They HURT! Keep in mind, these aren’t every week. If you are concerned or don’t have an understanding of when or how to do these workouts email Jeff.

jeffrey@breakthroughperformancecoaching.com

Bike 5' VO2 Max Intervals
Type: Bike
Planned duration: 1:30
Warm Up: 15' @ 65% FTP including 3 x 1' @ FTP and then 1' all out. Soft pedal for 5' and then get into the main set.
Main Set: 5 x 5' @ 115% of FTP (5' rest @ 65% of FTP)
Cool Down: Remainder of ride @ 65% FTP

Run:
Coach Cap gave us a tough run workout too. If done right you hate life and then love it because you know you worked your butt off!

Run Fartlek Pyramid 1'-4'
Type: Run
Planned distance: 6.0 miles
WU: 2 mile @ E pace, 4 x 20" strides (20")
MS: 1' (30"),2' (1'),3' (1:30),4' (2'),3' (1:30),2' (1') ,1' Run hard! Try to keep effort consistent. Learn to pace yourself and run with good form.
CD: 2 miles @ E pace

Additional Workouts:
Right now I’m also doing weights to build some strength and prevent injury.

Overall… so far so good.

Swim Update - when will it click?

2010-01-02T12:54:00.003-05:00

It's not just mental. I know that I'm getting better at swimming, but it is so frustrating!!! I'm the last one on most sets and I don't understand why I'm not getting "it". Craig says my stroke is getting better, but there are some things I need to work on. I'll get there, but boy is this frustrating. Here is his analysis and the video:

Craig Lewin, North Shore Swim Club:
"Over the water is okay. Not to much to worry about. You need better body roll with the hips and to work on the timing of your rotation. Everything rolls together. Use six kicks and roll, 1 stroke six kicks, and 3 strokes 12 kicks to work on the roll.

Also on your pull notice how you cross over as you extend out and your turn your palm out before you pull. You need to keep the palm down toward the floor not thumb down to the side. This is causing you to sweep out slightly as you pull. The press and release drills and kicking on your side with your arm out front will help you correct this. Once you fix this you will have a better press and a deeper catch and pull. Also you are entering a little too deep so you can bring the hand up a little bit on entry. Your stroke is getting better we really just have to fix the roll and get a little more muscular endurance and power in the lats so you can really start gaining some speed.

Keep up the good work. If you have any questions please let me know."

Video Link: http://www.divshare.com/download/9999549-772

I have to say, Craig is awesome to work with. Super-supportive and he's making me better. It will happen!

In The Buff

2009-12-13T18:01:00.010-05:00

As my base phase of training continues one of the areas I am working on is my weight. This time last year I was about 168 lbs and I wanted to get down to 153. I achieved that and had my best season to date. I have a new plan this year. Right now I'm at about 158-160 and my goal is to get down to 145 by July 25th. This will be the lightest I've been since Junior High.

Why? Two reasons... Carrying less weight means that I can run faster and there will be less wear and tear from the stresses of running. Ok, there is one more reason. Believe it or not I was a fat kid. Yup, I was a fat kid. Growing up in an Italian home we ate. So I've actually battled this weight thing for a while. I'm sure some of you are thinking, "are you out of your mind?". Maybe, but I still look at myself and believe there is more to do.

Over the last year friends/customers and family have made comments like "you're too skinny" or "ok, it's time to stop". Well, the reality is that 1. yes, I've lost some weight, but I know there is more to lose in order to gain and 2. If done properly weight loss and proper eating habits will allow me to stay healthy. Ok, and 3... when I look in the mirror all I see are those damn love handles!!! For God's sakes, I thought if I lost 10 pounds they would be gone...I lost 15 and they were still there! Sorry, I'm losing focus.

My point to all of this? I'm putting myself out there for everyone to see. I don't want to hear the comments, good or bad. I have plan to get race-ready for IMLP for this is part of it. Eating well in order to train and recover properly is the key. This is my commitment and in doing so the results will come.

If you've struggled with weight loss, if you've struggled with body image issues, if you feel you can't do something, you need a plan to follow. Without a plan you are doomed to failure. You will constantly be lost. Put a plan together and stick with it. Commit! You don't have a lot of time to make the changes that are necessary to help you become the person you want to be.

You may not be training for a race, but wouldn't it be nice to run around with your kids? Wouldn't it be great to go up a flight of stairs and not feel winded? Wouldn't it be nice to life the life you deserve?

One of my favorite quotes... Mark Twain - 20 years from now you'll be more disappointed in the things you did NOT do than in the things you did d0.

So here I am... it's out there. I'll keep you posted on the progress.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T12:19:00.003-05:00

What are you truly thankful for? Family, friends, having a job, being active with your kids, the ability to help others if you really wanted to, your faith, etc. etc. etc.

Take a moment and really answer that question...what are you truly Thankful for? If your answer is "nothing" I really feel bad for you. We are born with the opportunity to make a difference in people's lives and I hope you take advantage of that each and every day.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

What I am truly thankful for?
My wife and daughter, my entire family, friends I don't always see, but know they are there, words of encouragement, customers who appreciate my business, those who have made a difference in my life, and the list goes on and on and on. Thank you!

Week 1

2009-11-13T05:27:00.002-05:00

This week I started following Coach Cap's (Jeff Capobianco - Breakthrough Performance) plan and it's off to a solid beginning. He still has me doing my core PsychoFitt program, swimming with Craig Lewin (North Shore Swim Club), and he added some cycling and run specific workouts. We're starting easy just to get the body moving. Thankfully I've been getting up at 5:00 a.m. for a little while now, so the adjustment isn't so bad. I still need to get to bed a bit earlier though.

I also had a chance to visit Sara Thatcher (Body Tuning PT) for a follow up eval and things are looking much better. She sees an increase strength and flexibility. There is still work to be done, but it's going in the right direction. I had a set back a couple of weeks ago with an SI joint/Hamstring tweak, but that seems to be a thing of the past (I hope). I visited my Chiropractor, Dr. Dave Kilroy, and he and his staff fixed me right up. Ultrasound, Electric stim, and a prescription for rest worked out great. I started to run again earlier in the week.

What else? So much!!!! We hosted a Chi Running Workshop on Sunday which was fantastic...I'll share more soon. I don't know... I just wanted to give you an update on my status and let you know "game on." It's time to get cracking.

Next post: in the buff - see what I really look like, my weight loss goals and more

A Day at the Wind Tunnel

2009-10-28T14:18:00.002-04:00

A few weeks back Dean, Geoff and I traveled to the CCNS Performance Center Wind Tunnel for some equipment testing. We had a great session and we thought it was worth sharing our experience and what the wind tunnel can offer.

From past experience we know that the wind tunnel is not a place to be redefining your riding position - it is a place for subtle refinement and equipment testing. We have seen some people who have gone through wind tunnel testing at some facilities and the session focused so much on aerodynamics that the position they arrived at was not at all maintainable or comfortable for the rider outdoors. The results were a very fast looking position, but the rider actually compromising power and comfort so much that they were actually slower. To get the best results from the wind tunnel, you should have a comprehensive bike fit first to establish a solid and biomechanically functional position and then you should spend your time testing minor changes in position and testing different equipment (like helmets, hand angle…). This is what we did.

The Tunnel:

CCNS uses low air speed around 14mph which reportedly gives the same aerodynamic drag coefficient (CdA) results as at race speed. CdA is the product of a rider’s frontal area (A) and a coefficient of drag (Cd). The lower the CdA, the faster you’ll go for a given power output. CdA is generally a fixed value independent of rider speed. Our testing was done without pedaling or wheels moving. They have the capability of testing with rider pedaling, but we preferred the accuracy and precision of the rider sitting still as we were not going to redefine our position and wanted to focus on non-dynamic positioning changes and equipment differences. Knowing this ahead of time we chose to focus on testing equipment and position changes that shouldn’t be effected by pedaling mechanics. We didn’t bother to venture into wheel testing, frame water bottle placement, and anything else that’s more dependent on moving rider/frame/wheel interaction.

: Dean getting ready

Testing Protocol:

Dean and Marty tested about six positions each during the course of the sessions at a 5 degree yaw angle. Based on Dean’s past testing and representative real world wind conditions he sees on most TT courses the 5 degree yaw angle best represented the conditions we were seeking. Each position test included 4 separate 30-second runs, and the CdAs from each of those 4 runs were averaged to give you the final CdA for that position. Accuracy and precision were taken seriously as the wind tunnel drag measuring equipment was checked and calibrated before each run.

Athlete’s Starting Equipment and Kit:

Dean: Cervelo P4, HED Integrated aero bars, long sleeve Champion Systems speed suit, aero booties, Louis Garneau Rocket TT helmet, Zipp ZedTech 1080 front and rear 900 disk, no hydration on the bike except the integrated P4 water bottle.

Marty: Parlee TT bike, Zipp Integrated Vuka Bar, Champion Systems Tri Top and Tri bottom, Louis Garneau Rocket TT helmet, Zipp 808 front and rear 900 disk, no hydration on the bike.

: Setting Marty up for his first run

Testing and Results:

Over the years Dean has refined his position and equipment selection through hundreds of hours of field testing. As record holder of numerous local time trials and triathlon bike courses, his testing results and very aerodynamic position have propelled him to many impressive finishes. If any significant improvement was gained as a result of this testing session we would be happy.

Starting Position:

Dean: Reported CdA values tend to vary from wind tunnel to wind tunnel due to a variety of factors we won’t get into regarding air boundary layer control, air speed measurement, and drag measuring technology. CdA is also impacted by yaw angle, whether or not the rider is pedaling and wheels rotating. For the purpose of this visit it’s not the exact CdA value that matters, but the relative changes to this value that matter. Dean tested his CdA in field testing in the 0.22-0.23 range out of the wind tunnel. The first run resulted in a CdA of 0.240, so we felt we were in range.

Marty: Current CdA had not been accurately determined with field testing, but we’ve estimated his CdA at 0.250 based on race results, and training rides given his body size, equipment, and power output. Starting position resulted in a 0.261 CdA.

Position #2:

: Crunching numbers

Dean:

Helmet Change: Dean switched from the LG Rocket to the LG Superleggera. The Superleggera is the newest version of the Rocket helmet, but has dimples over the top and larger vents in the front. The best TT helmet for a rider tends to be very individual and this was certainly the case for Dean.The Superleggera was clearly faster than the Rocket for him so he kept this on for the rest of the tests: Result = Faster: CdA 0.236

Marty:

Drop: We moved Marty 2 cm lower which resulted in the same 0.261 CdA. If anything the lower position could have proved less comfortable or resulted in some power loss from closing him off too much at the top of the pedal stroke. Since there weren’t any benefits we moved him back to the starting position and moved on to Helmets.

Position #3:

Dean:

Drop: We dropped the front end 2cm lower than his current field tested position. The result was the same CdA, so there was no reason to run any more drop than he currently had. Dean had already tested this in the field and did not see a benefit, but wanted to try it under wind tunnel conditions. Result = Same: CdA 0.236

Marty:

LAS Crono TT Helmet: In Marty’s case the LAS Crono proved slightly faster than the LG Rocket.Equipment can be very individual and this proved the case here. Result = Faster: CdA 0.256

Position #4:

Dean:

Drop again: We raised the front end 2cm higher than the baseline (4cm higher than position #3). We only did 2 data runs because this position was clearly slower, so we didn’t waste any more time. Our conclusion was that he must have passed a critical point where his head was just getting too high in the wind and drag went up quickly. Result = Slower: CdA 0.260

Marty:

Spiuk Kronos Time Trial Helmet: Big gains made with the Kronos. Marty’s starting CdA was 0.261 and the Kronos brought this down to 0.246. Significant savings on paper!

Position #5:

Dean:

Horizontal Water Bottle mounted between the aerobars:We went back to the baseline drop and then added the water bottle between his forearms. Dean ran this system during Timberman and while it felt different he wanted to know the actual difference.

Cervelo tested something similar in the wind tunnel and said it reduced drag, but this definitely depends on the individual setup, and likely yaw angle as well. Result = Slightly slower than fastest run: CdA. 0.239

Marty:

Reach: Marty realized during races that when he held the end of his aero extensions that his head dropped and he felt just as relaxed and powerful. We’d experimented with this in the shop and noticed not only did his head get lower, but his shoulders narrowed a bit with the longer reach. The wind tunnel confirmed our suspicions as the resulting drag reduction was notable. Marty’s CdA dropped all the way to 0.237 .and we knew that Marty had refined his riding technique enough in the past few years to the point that he could maintain this longer position comfortably.

Position #6:

: A view from inside the tunnel

Dean:

Aerobar Angle - We tilted Dean’s Hed aerobars up just slightly - about 5 degrees. He’d tested this in the field without seeing any gains, but had made some other position changes since then. Dean noticed that a slight amount of tilt leveled off the tops of his forearms, lowered his head and shoulders slightly, and was more comfortable. As he settled into the position he figured that if he got the same CdA then he would run this position since it was more comfortable. We were all pretty excited during the first run because there was quite a reduction in drag. After 4 runs including a re-check of the calibration we confirmed a faster and more comfortable position. Result = Fastest: CdA 0.229

Marty:

We tested his aero pads closer together, and it actually increased his CdA to 0.244. We went back to his original pad width and tried tilting the aerobar extensions up 5 degrees just like Dean’s. The upward extension tilt actually increased Marty’s CdA, despite helping Dean lower his, which supports our experiences that aerobar tilt/angle gains tend to be individual.

Final Analysis:

As bike fitting experts we expected our starting positions to be fast, but looked forward to searching out any potential gains in equipment and fine tuning our positions. In Dean’s case the only two things that helped make him faster were the helmet change and the aerobar extension tilt. In Marty’s case a different helmet change and slightly longer reach made significant improvements.

Dean lowered his CdA from 0.240 to 0.229 which at his race power and speed is worth about 17 seconds in a 10-mile TT, 27 seconds in a 13-mile sprint bike leg, and about 1:40 in a typical HIM 56-mile bike leg.

Marty lowered his CdA from 0.261 to 0.237 which at his race power and speed is worth about 46 seconds in a 10-mile TT, 57 seconds in a 13-mile sprint bike leg, and about 4:16 in a HIM 56-mile bike leg.

Take Home Message:

The trip to the tunnel was a blast and the sessions are best used to refine your position and/or look into equipment options. We are excited to try out the tunnel results in 2010 and see how well they hold up in the real world.

Like previous trips to a wind tunnel, our recommendation that the athlete should go through the bike fitting process before heading to the wind tunnel was reinforced. Wind tunnel time goes by quickly and it is not cheap. It does not make any sense to use valuable tunnel time finding gains that are easily identified outside of the tunnel in the bike fitting process while also establishing the rider’s individual biomechanical range that they need to stay in if they are going to maintain power and comfort. By getting fit first, the athlete will be able to use most of his/her time refining details that can only be accomplished in the wind tunnel or carefully controlled field testing. If you have any questions or would like additional information on our fitting services please contact us directly.

Disclaimer: Our testing session at this wind tunnel was done at only one yaw angle, there wasn’t any pedaling, and the wheels weren’t turning. Actual CdA values for riders pedaling on moving bikes in a range of real world wind conditions may be slightly different but will be in the same ballpark. We are looking forward to racing in our new positions next season, and of course field testing things against them in our continuous quest to find faster positions and equipment for the athletes that work with us!

Swim with the fishes

2009-10-14T12:20:00.007-04:00

Swim with the fishes usually means someone is dead, but not in this case. It's what I hope to do more efficiently as I prepare for IMLP. I've been working with Craig Lewin of the North Shore Swim Club and I'm excited share my initial evaluation with you. Lot's of work to be done, but I'm working with the right person. If the swim is an area of weakness and you want to improve Craig will get you there.

Marty Miserandino Stroke Evaluation by Craig Lewin - North Shore Swim Club - enduranceswim@gmail.com

Your stroke has come a long way since we started working together at the beginning of the summer. Your freestyle looks much better and you are starting to grasp the concepts needed for an efficient stroke. There are still some aspects of your stroke that need correcting to have an efficient stroke to help you fly through the swim using as little energy as possible. This efficiency will make your Ironman Lake Placid experience much more enjoyable because you will exit the water with a fast swim time and you will feel warmed up and ready to go for the bike. You will get on the bike feeling fresh and you will feel as though the swim was effortless. You will have the energy you need to put together solid bike and run legs to finish off the race.

The first major correction that needs to be made is in your hip rotation. As of now you still need some work rotating from one side to the next. The roll from the lower back up through the shoulders is good but the hips and legs remain flat. You need to get the hips to match the roll of the body. The body rolls as a unit, so think of the body as a log. A log cannot roll in segments, it rolls as one large unit and that is exactly how your body needs to roll as you go from one stroke to the next. This body roll is going to allow you to reduce your drag in the water so you will move faster and smoother in the water. The way we are going to go about correcting this problem is through the use of a couple of drills that focus on body position and balance in the water. We will start with fins until you get the hang of it and then from there we will drop the fins so that it will be closer to what the body position should feel like when swimming without any equipment. The use of the fins with these drills also helps to fix the dynamics of your kick and will actually make you a better kicker as well. The drills that we will be using to help correct these body roll issues are: head lead kick on stomach, head lead and hand lead sweet spot on the right and left side, Six Kicks and Roll, One Stroke Six Kicks, and the Kickboard drill. These drills are a progression that will teach where your balance point is in the water. Each drill will build on the one before it so that by the last drill you are swimming with better body rotation.

The second issue that needs correcting is in the recovery phase of your stroke. When you are entering the water, you are entering thumb first with your knuckles facing in and you are entering too shallow. The most efficient stroke is when your knuckles are aiming in the direction that you are swimming in. You also want to aim for the bottom of the T at the other end of the pool as you enter because this will ensure that your hand enters at the proper depth. This deep entry will eliminate the possibility of a shoulder press in the stroke. We want to avoid the shoulder press in the stroke when entering the water too shallow for two main reasons. The first is that having this shoulder press will lead to some major pinching in the shoulder and will result in a very serious shoulder injury. The second reason is that this motion only lifts your body up it does not move it forward. Everything in swimming is linear so any motion that is not a forward/backward motion is inefficient and a waste of energy. As your hand exits the water at your hip, you want to lift your elbow to the ceiling and drop your forearm so your hand is within a couple inches of your torso. This relaxing of the forearm and hand will naturally cause your knuckles to face the end of the pool that you are swimming toward. Once your hand is just beyond your head and inline with your shoulder you want to drive your finger tips down eight to ten inches deep. As you do this you are rolling into the stroke so that you get full arm extension and can catch more water during your catch phase. The drills that we will use to correct this problem of entering thumbs first and too shallow are: shark fin drill on your left and right side, stop-stop-switch drill, double entry drill, and catch-up drill. These drills will help get your arm in the proper position when starting the recovery. They will help keep the hand close to your side with your knuckles facing the proper direction. They will allow you to focus on entering deep and fully extending as you roll into the stroke making for a very fast and efficient stream line stroke.

The third issue that needs correction is your catch phase. Currently you drop your elbow and do not catch much water on the pull through. After your hand enters the water finger tips first and goes eight to ten inches deep, you want to fully extend your arm out as you continue to roll on your side. Once you are ready to pull you need to press down slightly with the finger tips and forearm. As you do this slight press you pop your elbow up. This will anchor in your arm and allow you to actually grab the water. Once you have popped the elbow up you want to pull through. Getting your elbow up and pressing your hand shifts the muscle group being used to pull from your shoulder to primarily your lats which is exactly what you want to do. Your shoulder muscles are not made for the constant contraction experienced when swimming. Your lats are much bigger muscles and they can handle this constant contraction and relaxation. Not only can they handle this but your lats can produce more power so that you can actually move faster with every pull, which is essentially the goal of swimming. This is why it is so important to get the elbow up when you start your pull and to keep it up throughout the pull. When you pull, you want to move your arm through the water as a unit once you have pressed your hand and forearm down and popped the elbow up. Your elbow should always be higher than your wrist during the pull phase of the stroke. Then as you pull you are rolling from one side into the next stroke on the other side. This pressing with the hand and forearm and popping the elbow up is what is missing in your stroke. To fix this problem area the drills that we will be using are: Hand lead sweet spot focusing on keeping the arm in line with the shoulder, Press-Release drill on each side, Press-Release-Press-Pull drill, One Arm Swimming, Catch-Up stroke, and Semi-Catch-Up stroke. These drills will help slow down your stroke enough so that you can focus on the slight press of the hand and forearm and the popping up of the elbow. You should be able feel the contraction in your lats as you do the slight press and continue to feel it as you pull the arm through until your hands exit at your hips.

The plan for the rest of the fall is to correct your technique while maintaining your fitness level as well as some speed. I want to really focus on making these corrections now and really reinforcing them before we hit base phase come January. This way you will have a proper stroke and you will not even have to think about what you are doing anymore. You will be able to really focus on the purpose of the sets rather than both the purpose of the sets and correcting technique. Once you get to that point we will really be able to get some big yards and fast swims in without having to worry too much about any shoulder injuries. You just have to remember that fixing these technique flaws is easy speed. Becoming more efficient makes you faster with less effort and that is why the speed comes easy. Combining this technical approach to swimming with some speed and distance workouts is going to lead to big drops in time come the 2010 triathlon season. This is not an easy process but it is essential in the sport of triathlon when the swim is only the beginning of your race. Swimming fast while saving energy in the swim through proper technique is what will lead to a successful day out on the race course. By the time the triathlon season comes around you will be swimming fast and efficiently and the 2.4 mile swim at Lake Placid will be the easiest part of your day!

Up next: The bike

It starts today

2009-10-05T05:17:00.004-04:00

Today is what I consider to be my first day of Ironman prep. Steve Prefontaine had a great quote my brother told me about... "preparation breeds confidence" and boy is that true.

Over the last several weeks I've focused on getting my body ready for the miles that will pile up and, as I start my actual training, I will keep focused on building strength and adding in some swim technique work.

I'll be working out at B&S Fitness in Salem. I'm starting a conditioning program called Psychofitt which focuses on full-body strength, cardio, agility and core. In addition, I'll do a third day of full body work at Paradise Gym in Swampscott. Rachel at Paradise has been putting my through the paces over the last few weeks and I feel stronger already.

In addition to full body strengthening, I'm jumping back in the pool tomorrow. Craig Lewin of the North Shore Swim Club knows his stuff and we'll be focused on technique. I need this badly as my swim is an area where I can make instant gains. Craig coached me last year and I had my best swims to date, but I started late, so I didn't have the base phase of pure technique and that's what we'll be starting tomorrow.

Thank you for coming along...

Topics to follow: Nutrition and my trip to the wind tunnel

What's wrong with me?

2009-09-16T20:41:00.003-04:00

Over the past several years I've had nagging injuries that have hindered my performance and made me question my abilities. This past year was much better as I reached new heights I never thought possible, i.e., a half Ironman. I was very pleased, but still had this lingering feeling that something was wrong with me physically. I decided to contact my friend and Physical Therapist Sara Thatcher from Body Tuning Physical Therapy in Marblehead... Sara is part of my Ironman Team and is helping me prepare for IMLP. Here is what's wrong with me:

Marty’s Power/Wellness Screen. 9.14.03
After a thorough screening of your strength, flexibility and mechanics, I found that you have a lot of strength in certain areas and other areas that are weak links. I am excited that I had an opportunity to look at you early in your training and focus on prevention of injuries. All too often, as a physical therapist, I see people suffering through injuries in the middle of the race season. Many of these hang ups can be avoided if you know what areas may be susceptible to breakdown and incorporate a strength program tailored to the needs of each endurance athlete.

Overall, your range of motion in your trunk, hips and legs is within functional limits. You have some stiffness, especially segmentally in the thoracic and lumbar spine. When the segments of the spine are not gliding and moving the way they should, it can lead to increased stress on the hips and pelvis as well as on the shoulder and neck. The most marked asymmetries in your posture lie in the pelvis and your foot position. The left foot pronates, or flattens, when you are standing. This causes a slight internal torsion on the left leg which is in essence like wringing a towel - there is a twist that occurs from the foot up through the pelvis which can lead to extra wear and tear. When training intensity and volume increase, these stresses can result in IT band syndrome, SI joint pain or shin splints. The main finding today was that you have weakness throughout the hip muscles. This is probably the root of your past problems with your SI joint. The hip muscles do not have a proper firing pattern nor the strength needed to stabilize the pelvis.

You're in a great position to build up your training program for Ironman Lake Placid. You're motivated and reflective; you listen to your body. You didn’t always know what to do with the aches and pains or signals of “fatigue” but now we have gathered some data points. We can target your strength and conditioning program to build a solid framework for the upcoming year of training. You've most likely been relying on your strong quads and hamstrings to power through your run and bike. Once you build up strength in the hips, you will not only avoid injury but also become more powerful and build up incredible endurance. I am excited to see what will happen when you are at full strength. With all cylinders firing, this will be, without a doubt, an amazing year! Sara Thatcher

Oh my Lord!!! So that's what's wrong with me???? Thank you Sara... I've already started the exercises and I'm looking forward to seeing you at my next eval. If you have a nagging injury or are unsure have Sara do an eval... It's time to get to work!

I can only imagine

2009-08-30T16:52:00.004-04:00

Inspiration is all around us and you need not look any further than Dick and Rick Hoyt. If you haven't heard of the Hoyt's they are the father and son team that competes in endurance events such as marathons and triathlons...even Ironman distance triathlons.

What makes this team truly special is that Rick Hoyt has finished over 1,000 events with his father Dick pushing him in a wheelchair.

Below you'll find a link to an inspirational video of the Hoyt's. The song featured in the video has a special place in my heart. After my mother had her right leg amputated because of the ravages of Diabetes I imagined what it would be like to walk with her again. I now imagine what it would be like to see her at the finish line at Ironman Lake Placid. I now imagine what it will be like when I am with her again.... here are some of the lyrics:

"I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By your side

I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face
Is before me
I can only imagine"

Grab the kleenex and watch this video: I can only imagine

Every single day

2009-08-19T21:23:00.002-04:00

I've thought about Lake Placid every single day since we signed up. I've thought about the training, I've read incredible race reports from this year's athletes (truly inspirational), I've thought about special needs bags, nutrition, who will be there, hills, hills and more hills. I've thought about Lake Placid every single day.

I've come to the conclusion that in order to be successful I will have to think about Lake Placid every single day and I love it. It shows passion, excitement and commitment....the cornerstones of success.

The Whistle

2009-08-09T20:44:00.003-04:00

Today was my last race of the season...the Gloucester Triathlon. I was very happy with my time and place...40th overall out of about 800 athletes, but that wasn't the best part.

When we were kids playing in the neighborhood and it was time to come home we would hear my father whistle. It's a distinct, unique whistle so whenever I hear the sound I expect to look around and see my father. Today was different.

Last night I had asked my father if he was going to the race and he wasn't sure. Since my mother's passing last year he doesn't sleep as well. Sometimes he'll wake up in the middle of the night, watch tv and then fall back asleep. When this happens he may sleep in a bit, so I didn't know if he'd get up to Gloucester.

As most triathletes and spectators know the pre-race routine can be hectic and you're really focused on what you're about to do, so I wasn't thinking about my dad. The race started and when we excited the swim it was a long a run to the transition area. There were hundreds of people watching, athletes running to their bikes, basically chaos. I was focused on getting to my bike and then I heard it! The Whistle. I smiled immediately! I had no idea where he was, but I knew he was there. I heard it!

As I ran out of the shoot with my bike I heard The Whistle again, this time louder, so I knew he was close but I still didn't see him. I put my arm in the air with a thumbs up so he'd know I heard him.

When I came back from the bike and transitioned to the run I heard it again. This time I saw him and pointed at him as if to say, "Dad, I needed that". There he was with a smile on his face, cheering on his two sons.

The day ended well for my big brother... 25th overall. And the day ended well for me. I was very happy with the result, but the best part was The Whistle.

I love my father so much and he's a great guy. He made huge sacrifices for his family over the years including coming to American when he was 26 without knowing a word of English.
When my mother was at her worst because of the complications with Diabetes, he was at his best. My father Vinny is truly an inspiration for me and I am so thankful to have him as my father. Thank you Dad!

I know it will be an emotional moment in Lake Placid, but I can't wait to hear The Whistle.

What does it mean?

2009-08-05T20:28:00.002-04:00

What does it mean to be an Ironman? Does it mean that you can endure pain? Does it mean you are mentally tough? Does mean that you are better than someone else? Stronger than someone else? Are you crazy? Does it mean that you are willing to sacrifice the things that you love in hope that you'll know the glory? Do I get the tattoo if I finish? What does it mean to be an Ironman? Preparation breeds confidence (Steve Prefontaine) Know the Glory!!!

The end is near

2009-08-02T20:34:00.000-04:00

Well, my 2009 Triathlon season is coming to an end next week with the Gloucester Triathlon. I've made some solid gains this year, including today's Witch City Tri where I came in 16th out of 300 and 2nd in my age group. My first podium! I realized that with hard work and dedication the results will come... and that's one of the reasons I'm so motivated for Ironman.

Over the last week I thought a lot about the coming year and I'm excited and a bit nervous at the same time. It feels great telling people we signed up...I get a mix of reactions from "that's awesome" to "are you out of your mind?". I like the "are you out of your mind?" answer better because it helps me remember the enormity of the task at hand. Focused Ironman training will start very soon. Until then I'll focus on getting stronger physically and mentally... In the end, there's always a new beginning.

Not in a million years...

2009-07-29T20:13:00.000-04:00

In 1998 I traveled to Florida to support my brother Vince in his first Ironman quest...the Great Floridian. I wasn't a triathlete at the time. I was focused on my professional career and I couldn't understand 1. why he would want to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 and then run a marathon and 2. how he could physically do it. At the time I thought to myself I couldn't do this nor would I do it in a million years. He accomplished his goal in 12 plus hours and is an Ironman.

Fast forward to 2009... I am a triathlete, but not an Ironman. I am the Co-Owner of the premier Road and Triathlon Bicycle Shop in the Northeast, if not the Country, Fit Werx 2 (www.fitwerx.com) in Peabody, MA. My goal is to become an Ironman on July 25, 2010 at Ironman Lake Placid.

I created to this blog to chronicle my training in hope that I'll inspire someone, not to become an Ironman or triathlete, but to make a positive change in their life. You'll come to know me and my family and understand that I am not super-human, I am just like you. I will struggle, I will fall, but I will get up. I will build on my successes and I will become an Ironman.

I now realize that I don't need a million years to become an Ironman.... I need one year. This is my year.