How to go faster without training more™

Two years ago, after my 2010 Ironman South Africa, I jotted down some thoughts as to how to go 55 minutes quicker without training more (than 10 hours on average a week). Patience and strategy (and writing tactical lists) were in abundance as I took the year off from Ironman racing with the arrival of my daughter, Em. 55 minutes, based on my ho-hum 2012 results, was what I required to go sub-10.

Below are my 2009 and 2010 results, and my 2012 guesstimates for ease of reference.

2009 IMSA    2010 IMSA   2012 IMSA

59 swim          58 swim         57 swim

5.06 T1           2.51 T1         3 T1
5.50 bike         5.42 Bike      5.26 Bike

4.43 T2           2.07 T2         2 T2

3.58 run           4.06 run        3.30 run
10.58 Total      10.55 Total   9.58 Total


Here are the points I noted:
Swim (save 1 minute)
• Technique, technique, technique!

• Better swim suit. Easier shoulder movement.
• Better goggles. More relaxed.

T1 (save a few seconds)
• Unitard; race number under wetsuit

• Food and shoes on bike
• No Socks (meths on feet)

Bike (save 16 minutes)
• New Bike frame and flightdeck

• Aero Position. Reduce drag. Bike Fit.
• Aero helmet.
• Legal pacing from 60k’s.
• Peeing on the bike


T2 (save a few seconds)
• speed laces
• shammy cream at start of race means no changing into run shorts

Run (save 36 minutes)
• Bricks, long runs and all other runs at race pace of 5m per k

• High cadence, lean forward, knees up, kick butt, hands gentle, elbows back
• Walk aid stations for 1st half. Keep heart rate in check.
• 10 steps at aid stations for 2nd half. Keep heart rate in check.
• Ignore HR for last 14k's.
• Be prepared to suffer with 10k’s to go
• No-one overtakes me in last 10k’s.
• Heat-seek runners. Overtake. No mercy.

With 5-ish weeks left to IMSA, I am practising fuelling before and during the ride, pacing, bike set up and attire is all in line with race day. There is still hard work to be done so now is the time to keep on top of key sessions, sleep and deleting invites off the social calendar.

I'm a bit like Arnie in the clip below (mainly because we wear the same colour Speedo):

 
Getting ripped and ready to roll,
~RobbyRicc

Dust and Sweat and Blood

Last night I went to the club's AGM (there's only one View - Bedfordview) and Peter van Kets gave a talk on his recent 888km race to the South Pole. I was lucky enough to sit next to Pete at the dinner and get a better insight into his expeditions. He is a true scholar and a gentleman, with some exceptional stories on his CV. And, very importantly, he reads great books. We exchanged our recent literary exploits and at one stage commented on how this was just like book club.

Below is a brief snippet of Pete at South Africa's FEAT (Fascinating Expeditions and Adventure Talks) in February 2011. Since then he has done a triathlon around the borders of South Africa and completed his South Pole race in early 2012. An action packed year.



And here is Pete's Theodore Roosevelt quote from Teddy's "Citizenship In A Republic" speech (full text here) delivered at the Sorbonne, in Paris, France on 23 April, 1910:

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.

Mar your face with dust and sweat and blood,

~RobbyRicc

Blur - a day in the life of an Ironman athlete

 

When I returned to Johannesburg in 2008 for good, I was amazed that athletes set their alarms for daily training at 4.30am and were back home by 6.30am to start the day. "Madness" I said out loud to no-one in particular. In London, mid-week training was incorporated into the daily commute. You'd wake up at 6.30am and then bike or run to work in time for an 8.30am shower. Far more civil.

The difference between the two cities is that whereas in London you have sensible drivers and lousy weather, in Johannesburg you have sensible weather and lousy drivers. Dodging traffic in London seems to work pretty well and everyone tends to respect the rules of the road. In Joburg, cyclists who dare mingle with rush hour are the equivalent of novice contestants on Fear Factor. 

So now I too get up at 4.30am. The closer we get to 22 April (Ironman ZA) the darker it gets, so we either hit the turbo trainer or put lights on the bikes. And we're back home just in time to put on the kettle, wake up the kids and start the day.

In the UK, I would run between home-station-office and often squeeze a nap out on the train. Nowadays that'd be a luxury, so all naps are negotiated for weekends. 

Lunchtime is for swimming. Savy precision logistics are essential to get this excursion done in an hour. Kit is prepped the night before. Speedo is worn under one's suit to save precious time. At first it may seem peculiar, especially for one's work colleagues, but wearing goggles, swim cap and fins at your desk will save a handful of minutes. 

And then after a few hours more work, it's time to hit the bars. Wearing your aero helmet helps save time for the next day especially if you have a time trial session to perfect on the bicycle.

And for those of you who thought this post was about the band, Blur, here's one of my favourite tracks from the legendary London band which you should listen to before getting out of bed each day.

What a difference a day makes,

~RobbyRicc

I was reading this book while running the other day....

Time, so they tell me, is precious.

As a father of three awesome, motivated and active kids; as a generous and loving husband (collector of more hubbie points than anyone in my neighbourhood); as a busy and very important lawyer (in certain respected and well-spaced circles); as a member of an elite crew of crazy Cow people; as an inspired sportsman; as the 78,065,385,909th person (more or less) to have ever lived on planet Earth; I find that I don't have much free time, let alone experience spare time to read.   

Sure when I lived in the UK it was easy. Lock me in a tin can called The Tube two to three hours every day, give me access to a postal system that drops bundles of books at your front door within 24 hours of purchase, and I tend to make my way pretty rapidly through quite a few books.

However now I reside in the playground called Johannesburg (South Africa of course - look at the bottom of the African continent) with my rabble of children who require my undivided attention, and I find that ingesting literature is a luxury. I have a sorry stack of books next to my bedside table which look at me longingly and with disdain. As they gather dust. And sulk.

Not to be overwhelmed by my current state of affairs, with surrender an unlikely option, I have embraced my technological age and allowed for an iPod to be acquired for me. This gadget coupled with my sporting engagements, which involve lots of sweat and time for reflection, has allowed me once again to re-enter the literary world.

There are plenty of books out there. Some are horrible and, although I hate unfinished business, if the author fails to keep your attention for the first few chapters (100 pages at most) then alas that book should be jettisoned into a heap and set alight. Even blogs should fit into this category. Except don't set them alight - that'd be logistically tricky and potentially dangerous. If you can't get through the first 5 paragraphs of a blog without a glimpse of enlightenment then you should banish the blogger to the cyber bin. And that goes for this blog too. Unless you are my friend. Then you should stay on. It's the right thing to do.

So word-of-mouth recommendations for books is an absolute necessity. A sieve to ensure that you maximise your reading pleasure. Here are my recent books I have had spoken to me via my iPod whilst running.

11/22/63 - Stephen King
I was never a Steven King fan during my youth. This was mainly because my brother Stef could never get over watching The Shining and seeing all that blood seeping out of the walls. That stuff affects your childhood. 11/22/63 came recommended by my online bookshop. They've seen what I've read and knew I'd like this. Very clever people. The story is about a guy who travels back in time and decides he is going to stop Lee Harvey Oswald from assassinating JFK. It's like Back To The Future mixed with the History Channel. Faction at its best.

When you are Engulfed in Flames - David Sedaris
A good friend of mine from New York, Blair Fethers, a photographic artiste of note, recommended David Sedaris to me several years ago. Blair knows me well. Since then I have read everything Mr Sedaris has to offer. I have an automatic notifier every time he releases a new book and, to date, I have never been disappointed. WYAEIF is another pearler of a book. He writes like you think Hemingway would write, before you actually read Hemingway. He shows a humorous side of the world and an introspection that is bee-oo-tee-ful.

Flanagan's Run - Tom McNab
This book was inadvertently recommended to me from a runner's Ultra Marathon race report on the Barkley 100 Miler. If ultra guys remember the name of the book, chances are it's a good read. Flanagan's Run is a bit like Chariots of Fire goes Cross Country. It helps if you like running or books that make you google whether it actually happened or not.

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage - Alfred Lansing

The same Barkley runner spoke about Lansing's "Endurance". For all you polar sadomasochists out there, this is a must read! It has everything from ice caps to frost bite to imminent death at every turn of the page. You'll never complain again about the cold or hunger after this book. And this confirms what I have thought for some time now, Man is getting soft the more he evolves. 

Boomerang - Michael Lewis

My brother Stef recommended Boomerang. It's an informative read about the world's economic crisis that makes you feel intelligent and provides you with an arsenal of anecdotes that allows you to speak to bankers and economists at dinner parties with ease. You'll never look at Iceland or Greece again without thinking of this book. 

Happy reading and happy trails,
~RobbyRicc

Recent Races

The picture above is from the 2003 South Coast Classic Triathlon - Nikolai, Brettsky and me. The Wonder Years.

Race 1

Quick race update: I was first (of the non-podium finishers) in my age group (40-44) at the Central Gauteng Triathlon Champs at the beginning of February.

There was very little ego-stroking after the race which was unfortunate. I enjoy the results lists which they usually pin up post-race. Everyone gathers around the tiny illegible names and numbers, comparing, pointing, and uhming and aahing. Of course the lists are a good idea only if I have done well. Otherwise it's a silly idea (see Race 2).

It was a good solid scrap of a race. I wasn't firing on all cylinders, or feeling as though I was bullet-proof, so I was apprehensive as to how I would fair against the other racers. As it turns out I shouldn't worry too much about how I feel but just RACE. Adrenaline masks the weak mind rather well.

As it happens my good friend, Nikolai, was racing. We were all buddy-buddy (think subterfuge) before the race, but when the siren went, boy did it get ugly. OK - I admit I'm exaggerating for effect - but after Nick stormed by me on the bike I realised that he was about to kick my butt all over Germiston lake. Nick is, let's not forget, a Northerner. It would be the ultimate insult if he beat any East Rander, let alone me.

Nick sent me some interesting information. Here are our 2003 London Triathlon results:

RobbyRicc TOTAL 02:14:11 Swim 00:23:57 T1 00:02:59 Bike 01:07:48 T2 00:01:34 Run 00:37:54
Nikolai TOTAL 02:33:47 Swim 00:21:36 T1 00:03:26 Bike 01:12:52 T2 00:02:50 Run 00:53:05

Here are the recent Germiston triathlon 2012 results:

RobbbyRicc TOTAL 02:08:31 Swim 00:24:47 Bike 01:01:28 Run 00:42:15
Nikolai TOTAL 02:09:07 Swim 00:25:36 Bike 00:59:10 Run 00:44:21

Consistency eventually turns to speed I guess. And Nick has been closing down the gap for almost a decade...

Race 2

At this last week's Prestige Ultra Half Ironman race, Nick finally had his come uppance and destroyed me in the process. He podiumed in 3rd (with a blistering 4.26 PB) while I hobbled to the finish line in 8th in 4.50. Good things, so they tell me, come to those who wait.

It was a great race. My swim was immaculate and I, despite nearly being steamrolled by Nikolai on the bike (sound familiar?), had a solid ride. That was until air expelled itself from my front wheel with 5k's to go of the 85k bike course. Unless I see proof of a tack or sharp needle, I usually blame poor equipment selection when people puncture. In this instance, I had fairly new gear and could only look in wonder as the air, a bit like my will to continue, slowly deflated. I like to think it took me 14 minutes to fix the tyre thereby earning me a bike split faster than Nick's, but alas it was probably closer to 8.

The run was a bit like my flat tyre. My left calf which has of late been going Greece on me, failed to hold up in the run, forcing me to switch off the engine and limp home. Even with all guns blazing, I doubt I would have been able to track down Nikolai who had a pearler of a day. It would have made for an epic battle however, and I'm sure I could have eeked a few more minutes out of Nick if he saw me gunning for him. I apologize for not giving him the satisfaction of crushing an uber-RobbyRicc. I know he needs that extra bit of motivation.

Nick's times: Swim 00:32:13 Bike 02:13:56 Run 01:40:33

Rob's times: Swim 00:30:31 Bike 02:26:17 Run 01:53:15

Below is my I'm-coming-for-you-Nikolai! pose.

My next race maybe the Big One. I think. Racing tends to dent me somewhat (my off button is defaulty in matters of adrenaline) so I would prefer to fix up the chassis and have all guns blazing for Ironman South Africa on 22 April.

I'm still untrusting of Nick who said he's not racing Ironman. That sounds like a crafty manoeuvre I would pull.

Onwards,

~RobbyRicc

The Art of Running

I managed to take a picture of Irvette Van Blerk (pictured above) at the 5k mark of the Dischem Half Marathon. She won in a time of 1.17.08. Note the drive from her right knee and the straightness of her trailing leg. Good running style.

Christine Kalmer was second lady in 1.21.57. I'm no guru (thousands may beg to differ), but I think she could be leaning forward a little with her shoulders a touch more in line with her hips. She appears to be leaning back slightly.

Which is a perfect segue into this post on running.

Many moons ago I used to play soccer (footie for my UK readers). And a lot of soccer at that. And with that came two traits which I carried through to my running despite my efforts to rid of them. Tight hamstrings and wide running elbows. The hamstrings were a result of the extensive kicking; the wide elbows - a defensive mechanism to fend off my opponents. After hanging up my boots (in some smokey pub which was home to Merton Rangers) and whilst running on a gym treadmill and staring at myself in front of a mirror, I realised two things:

• I looked as though I was stashing invisible TVs under my arm pits.


• the tightness in my hamstrings gave my the stride length of a hobbit.

Since that day in front of the mirror, I worked on a few things to make me look more like a runner.

I think of playing the piano every time I run. This relaxes my fingers which in turns relaxes my wrists which relaxes (and brings in) my elbows and helps prevent my arms swinging across my chest. It was peculiar at first, as though I was running passively and without sufficient aggression, but in time - with increased speeds - it appeared my strategy was going to plan.

As for my short hobbit stride, it appeared to me that this was caused by tight hamstrings which would be great for sudden quick accelerations on the pitch, but not necessarily on the road (unless you needed to sprint away from an oncoming van or ex-wife). So I thought of how you make pasta. The thick dough needs to be worked over with a roller until you have a long smooth piece of pasta. All the knots and tough bits need to be worked out. So I began a process of hammy stretching and, although it appeared to go against the obvious, shortened my stride even further. It made sense to me that my hammies were preventing me from really extending my stride. So I decided to give them a break and focus on running form: run tall, slight forward lean, relaxed elbows, legs extended out the back, and allowed gravity to do most of the work. This allowed my hamies to get comfortable with the idea of running and over time eventually allowed themselves to relax and be stretched out like the rollers on the pasta.

The pictures of the ladies shown above make me realise that my work is not yet finished. As a point of comparison, here are some running pictures from my last race.

Below I was transitioning out the water to the bike racks. This is me at a run-as-fast-as-you-can-without-hootching-up-your-breakfast pace. No-one overtook me here. Note (1) the hammy still looks tight out the back, and (2) check the weird angle of the right foot before it hits the grass.

Below is me going flat out. It's me at my absolute maximum output. At the time I was trying to outsprint Piers Pirow. That's as fast as I go. The trailing leg seems to twist out the back instead of going straight out. There is still work to be done.

A couple more observations from the comparative pictures: some people look better in two piece outfits than others. Either my tri suit is too tight or I'm getting a little chunky in my old age.

Time to skip a few pies,

~RobbyRicc

Getting to the Finish Line

Sometimes it is more important that we finish, rather than how we finish.



ESPN: The Finish Line 2 - Short Feature from Evolve Digital Cinema / IMG on Vimeo.

Always aim for the finish line,
~RobbyRicc