neurosis of a triathlete (ironman cozumel eve)

Like Dustin Hoffman in Rain Main, I find myself walking around mumbling numbers –  sleepless and restless, thinking about numbers. What are the target numbers, what’s a stretch goal, what is an optimistic number? Can I swim in average time or am I going to be the last 10% again? Is the condition good to do an amazing fast time on the bike or will the wind damping any numbers there? Run training has ranged from 6:40-8:30 long runs. What pace should I do in Cozumel’s humid and hot conditions – after a 112 mile bike? What time should I get up the morning of the race day? How many calories should I consume – day before, breakfast, during the bike and run? How about electrolytes? What about frogs? I like frogs. Number, number, numbers.

The Scene

El Cozumeleno resort is situated at the northern part of the island. Its classic Mediterranean architecture is dressed in peach tones and pastel stucco of the Caribbean. It sits on top of its own private and well-manicured beach. The northern beaches are very rocky and El Cozumeleno’s beach probably being the least rocky of any near-by resorts. No matter what, the palm tree lined beach with the warm turquois water can’t be beat. Although showing its age (probably dating back to the 80s), El Cozumeleno is pretty amazingly well kept. A legion of staff keeps this place humming all day, from cleaning to preparing for meals to hosting to entertainment. With an all-inclusive, a drink, snack, or meal is at your whim. Everyone is amazingly friendly and helpful. It’s roughly a three-mile walk to downtown Cozumel or an 80 peso ($7 US) taxi ride. From what I can tell, this is probably the best option (amenities, beach, and location) of the race host hotels, which is on the run race course.

Downtown Cozumel also has a bit of past prime feel, but more authentic then say Cancun or Playa de Carmen -- just on the other side of the water. The streets facing the sea are lined with restaurants, bars, jewelry, Cuban cigar, and souvenir shops all designed to attract the cruise ship passengers. Although vocal, the hawkers of goods are not as aggressive as their counterparts in Playa de Carmen. Booze flow freely here and is extremely affordable. It is a key ingredient to the lively atmosphere at places like Senior Frog or Margaritaville. For a more genuine Mexican experience, walk back a few blocks to where the locals live.

Ironman Cozumel is a clear boost to the local economy and the locals will tell you it’s important. More importantly, they celebrate the event as though it is a national holiday. Everything gets a fresh coat of paint and decorations go up. Energy begins to build at the center of town as all the preparation for the races begins a few days before the race. People are genuinely supportive of the athletes. I’ve arrived a week before the race and every bike and run I did was met with claps and cheer as I went by with shouts of “Ironman.” With only a day to go, I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like with the majority of the island descending on downtown Cozumel.

The Numbers

Less than 24 hours now. I’m feeling dazed from several days of sleeplessness (less than 4hrs of sleep each night) trying to force myself to the “Ironman time” with no success – last chance to bring this together tonight (or totally be in a bad state). In my current haze, even the neurosis of numbers begins to wane. So what are my goals? Truly, I would like to set a new personal best time for an Ironman and at each leg. How that would break down is something like this, including transitions:

• Swim – 1:30
• Bike – 5:40
• Run – 4:50

Now on to the final gear check and check-in.

training to be a super hero (road to ironman cozumel)

My nieces and nephew decided one day to do an intervention and asked me why I always wear super skin tight clothes.  Are you trying to be a super hero or something?  I looked into their inquisitive eyes and answered with a resounding yes.  Ages ranging from 5 to 10, I get rolling eyes from the girls and a very energetic challenge from the 5 year old boy to demonstrate my abilities.  Apparently, demonstrating I can out run a 5 year old wasn’t sufficient for him.  Even though, I made it definitive.

Fast forward, I find myself as a mild manner product owner for an amazingly awesome social entertainment site by day (http://live.xbox.com/AvatarEditor/ even if I say so myself) and a super hero in training by night.  The journey for super powers so far has been unsuccessful.  I found it difficult to create a radioactive spider (all squashed by my wife), find a government program for super soldiers, or search Ebay for super hero gear (at least nothing in my price range).  So I reflected inwards and meditated on the great teachings of George Lucas -- still nothing.

Disheartened, this was the year to admit to the kids I didn’t have super powers.  Then there were some glimmers of hope.  In April, after a couple of years of no progress, there was a new personal best at 1:36 for the Race of the Roses half-marathon.  A glimmer.  Stagnant on the bike and not looking to see any improvement on long course triathlon races, I clocked a sub-2:30 for 56 miles (Ocean Shores Half-Iron Triathlon) with pace of near 23 mph (with winds blowing 15+ mph).  With a personal best half-iron run, I took the win in my small age group.  A glimmer.  Then a fateful decision in late July, I will do Grand Columbian Iron-Distance triathlon in September and Ironman Cozumel in November.  From zero to two iron distance races in 4 months.

I was discovering my inner force (thanks George).  Training was going well, even with only 6 weeks to prepare for the Grand Columbian race. I was knocking out the fastest training runs and rides in two years.  Then 4 days before the race, I started to come down with a cold.  Things looked hopeless the day before the race with headaches and congestion, making it hard to breathe.  The weather too wasn’t going to cooperate with winds constant at 20+ with gust upwards of 40 mph.  Even so, I made a go of it.  With only 50 people racing at that distance, it was unique to be able to know where you were within the group.  It was a fun game of counting.  Here’s how my race went: came out of the water in 43rd after a 2.4 mile swim, I had 112 miles of biking and progressed up to 18th, after 10 miles of the run I was 8th overall and tracking all the leaders on the two loops out and back, at mile 12 I was thinking of who ahead would blow up and allow me to continue to progress up the ranks, at mile 15-18 I blew up and was doing the zombie walk from sleepiness (sleeping only 3 hrs the night before), after heavy doses of cola I started running at mile 18 and finish 13th overall after the marathon.  In the end, it was one of my most fun races, even if it’s not my fastest.

With less than 8 weeks between races, including recovery and taper, what would Ironman Cozumel look like?  Unfortunately, I came out of Grand Columbian with a knee injury and my rush to start training again resulted in an ankle injury as well.  Now with two weeks remaining, my knee and ankle are still injured and slowly mending.  Of course, I had to significantly reduce my run and bike volume to allow my injuries to recover, which will make doing an Ironman more challenging.  At least, I had time to get some swim coaching (from Ben Bigglestone from VO2 Multisport), hoping to offset the reduced run and bike training.  With some tweaks to my technique, in training I noted some of the fastest continuous 100 yard times.  A glimmer.  So with only two weeks left until Ironman Cozumel, will the glimmers of strength within win or will the injuries and race conditions prevail.  Oh the drama -- stay tuned.

In the end, I hope I can show my nieces and nephew that everyone has super powers deep inside.  So if you wonder where I’ve been, why I’ve not blogged.  I’ve been training to be a super hero.

definition: super powers – going beyond what you believe is possible.