Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon 10K Training - Week 19

The countdown to race weekend keeps getting smaller and smaller.  This was probably our best weather week yet in 2014.  My fingers are crossed that we've finally turned the corner.  I'm pretty happy with how this week went.  I was off this past week and took advantage of the free time to get in some solid training.  How do I know it was solid training?  I lost 5 pounds this past week, which makes for a total of 16 pounds lost this training cycle.

My primary focus this week was both brick work and weight training.  Doing this type of training provides me with several benefits.  Not only does it help me prepare for multi-sport races, but it also helps a lot with my running.  My plan of attack for this coming week is to begin extending some of my runs.  I will be focusing on the 10K distance and finishing endurance for miles 5-6.2.  Hope everyone's training is going well and you're taking advantage of this nice weather.

Mack joined me for part of my run this Sunday.  He's getting really good and is ready for more miles.  Maybe even a 5K someday. 

Monday:  Rest day

Tuesday:  22.13 mile ride / 3.19 mile run

Wednesday:  5.29 mile run / weights

Thursday:  4.22 mile run / 16.30 mile ride / weights

Friday:  3.25 mile run / 18.23 mile ride

Saturday:  6 mile run

Sunday:  6.23 mile run.

Total Miles:  84.84

Calories Burned:  8,581

BEAL

Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon training: Weeks 3 and 4.

If I had a quarter every for time that I was thankful this winter for not doing a Spring distance race.  I'd be rich.  This continues to be the worst winter for training that I can remember.  I've managed to still be productive despite the conditions.  Look for a post later this week on ways you can still improve fitness while training indoors.  

My goal each block of two weeks is to build about 10% over the prior block.  Once I can get outside, I'll start to focus more on speed.  The past 2 weeks I did a much better job balancing running and riding, but I need start fitting in some swims.  I also need to mix in a day off once in awhile.  

Class photo from last Saturday at Psycle.  It was the instructors 1st and she's only 17!  Such an inspiration. 

Week 3

1/20:  6.66 mile run followed by a 18 mile ride brick.

1/21:  23 mile ride. 

1/22:  6.66 mile run.

1/23:  21 mile ride.

1/24:  21 mile ride.

1/25:  Speed work:  15 minute warm up.  6x800 at 7:53 pace.  400 rest.  10 minute cool down.

1/26:  23 mile ride.  

Week 4

1/27:  18 mile ride. 

1/28:  22 mile ride.

1/29:  4.23 mile run.

1/30:  20 mile ride. 

1/31:  Speed work:  15 minute warm up.  6x800 at 7:53 pace.  400 rest.  10 minute cool down.

2/1:  25 mile ride. 

2/3:  27 mile ride. 


Totals

15 workouts

246.46 miles

15,258 calories burned. 

Lost a 1 pounds and only 22 till 2014 race weigh goal. 

My 2014: The Chase

For most of the year we are very busy and often don't see friends who are training for different disciplines or on different training cycles.  So, the holidays are always a great time to catch up with everyone.  You can always script conversations.  They are divided into 2 parts:  How'd last year go and What are you up too this year?  This past year has been really good to me, except for a horrific bike wreck.  I put my main focus on completing a half ironman and I am happy to say that not only did I survive it, but I finished 2nd in my age group.  I will spare you further details on last year, because I want to talk about 2014 today.

I was lucky enough to be asked to share my Spring training experiences for a 4th year now for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon.  For those reading my blog for the first time, I'd like to introduce myself.  My name is Matthew Beal.  My friends know me better as "Beal" and a few who don't know me, probably think my name is Bill.  A few years back I weighed over 330 pounds and almost drowned because I was too out of shape to swim to safety.  It was the wake call I needed and began living a healthy lifestyle.  Since that day I have lost over a 100 pounds and have completed in over a 100 races.  Marathons and Triathlons used to be things that were only dreamed about, but with hard work and dedication.  I now do them regularly.

My 2014 Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon blogger profile.

Enough about the past.  Lets talk about the future.  My plan for attack this year wasn't an easy decision.  I was targeting an Ironman in 2014 for the past 2 years, but after doing a half last year.  I needed a break.  Training 15+ hours a week crushed my social life.  I don't want to fall into that same trap this year and I want to keep my New Year's resolution of putting myself out there.  Unlike last year.  So, I will be pushing off the Ironman till 2015 and focusing on shorter races this year.  

2014 will be "The Chase" for me as I will be chasing the HFP Racing Age Group Championship this year.  I'm stealing the whole "The Chase" motto from the Ohio State football team, but it really fits.  We are all chasing something.  Some of us are chasing a goal, some a new distance, a personal record, weight loss, or a healthier lifestyle.  Regardless of what your intent this year is.  Chase it down.  Don't let anything stand in your way of what you set out to do.  

Ok, back to the HFP Championship.  There are 6 pre-selected events and I will need to compete in at least 4.  I will get points for where I finish in my age group.  The final race is in Akron this September and pays double points.  I can't think of a better way to finish off the year than head to my hometown and compete for a championship.  

I will be doing a lot of racing this year and have listed a schedule of events I plan to attend.  I will also be doing the 10K this year at the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon as it will fit in better with my program.  So, much last like year. I will be talking about running, cycling, and swimming.  Focusing on  how those activities will help you for your race experience at the Cleveland Marathon.  

Who else is ready for 2014?  Are you ready to join me in The Chase?  If you're ready to lay it all on the line this year and work harder than you ever have before to achieve your goals.  Then join me in The Chase this year.

Fellow marathon blogger, Jessica McCartney joined my in The Chase today.  Check out her blog to hear how spinning has helped her running.  Also, I regularly spin at Psycle and Harness Cycle if you'd like to join the pain fun. 

2014 Race Schedule

1/18:  Harmes Garage Sale 5K
1/25:  Blue Balls and Glass Cutters 5K

2/15:  Chili Bowl 5K

2/22:  Snowball 5K

3/15:  St. Malachi 5 miler

3/22:  Barry-Roubaix 36 mile bike race

4/22:  Buzzard Duathlon

5/10:  Nordonia Hills Duathlon

5/18:  Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon 10K

5/25:  Clays Park Triathlon

6/1:  Deer Creek Triathlon

6/8:  Sunday in June 100K

6/14:  Maumee Bay Triathlon

6/22 Bay Village Triathlon

7/6:  Lorain Triathlon

7/13:  Caesar Creek Triathlon

7/19:  Ice Cream Odyssey 100K

7/26:  Bay Village Triathlon 2

7/27:  Fairport Harbor Triathlon

8/17:  Vermillion Triathlon

9/14:  Portage Lakes Triathlon

2013 Clays Park Triathlon

Today I am continuing to take a look back at this year's multi-sport races.  This past May I competed in the Clays Park Triathlon.  This race continued the tradition of poor racing weather this year as the temperature this morning was a balmy 37 degrees.  Yep, a triathlon with an air temp below 40.  Luckily this race took place on a shallow inland lake and the water was fairly warm.  I had a lot of nerves going into this race as I wanted to do well for several reasons.  I wasn't off to a good start to this point with a DNF in Knoxville and a 2nd place in Sagamore.  Plus, my relatives live in this area and this would be the first Triathlon they've watched.

I got to the race early to get set up so I could point everything out to my parents and sister.  Due to the air temp being as cold as it was.  There was a thick layer of fog over the leg and to make matters worse.  I tree had fallen onto the race route.  As a result, the race ended up being delayed 90 minutes.



Swim
The water itself was pretty pleasant compared to the air temp.  My wave was the first to go and each following wave was separated by about 5 minutes.  I really enjoy being in the first wave as its always fun being up towards the front during the bike leg.

The horn blew and the race got off to a furious start, which is typical for sprint races.  It quickly became hard to navigate traffic as a lot of people went out too fast and were stopping to take breaks.  This lake is very shallow and when you tired you could just stand.  It was easy to see this was the first outdoor swim for many.  I made it do the turn around point, which was across the lake.  I to went out too fast as my shoulders began to burn on the way back.  Sucking it up, I made my way to the beach and exited the water.

Time:  400 yards in 4:22

Transition 1
It was a bit of a run up a hill to the transition area.  I made the quick decision to not put any additional clothing on to ride the bike.  Not sure what I was thinking, but I decided to gut it out in a TRI kit.  I ran into a bit of delay getting my shoes on as my feet were wet and numb.

Time:  2:05

Bike
This was a point to point course with no major climbs, but full of rollers.  Due to all the rollers it was hard to settle into a rhythm.  About halfway through, I began to regret my decision not to put on additional clothing.  My feet were completely numb and my skin was pink from the cold air.  I was so cold that it became hard to breathe.  Luckily it was only a 12 miles course and I was happy for it to be over with when I got back.

Times:  12 miles in 36:06

Transition 2
I was able to get in and out fairly easily as I had a spot on the edge of the bike rack.  We were separated by our divisions, so it was good to see nobody else in my group was back yet.  I quickly put on my running shoes and took off.

Time:  51 seconds

Run
This run was a 5K on a 2 loop course.  It isn't the easiest course to run as it was rolling too and consisted of gravel and road.  It also takes place in a camp ground that is full of people celebrating a festival.  Most of the people were still drunk from the night before and/or busy getting drunk that morning.  It was pretty funny getting cheered on by them.  The only annoying thing was they built camp fires on the side of the road for us.  I was already on the verge of hyperventilating due to what felt like the onset of hyperthermia.  The smoke made things really tough and I had to pull up and walk a few times to regulate my breathing.  With a mile to go, I finally regained feeling in my feet and ran hard to finish strong.

Time:  5K in 29:32

Smart wardrobe choice for 37 degrees. 

Finish
This was hard, but fun race.  The frigid temps really compounded things.  Luckily, all my hard work paid off as I finished first place in my group.  My total time was 1 hour 12 minutes and 58 seconds.  Good enough for a 4 minute lead over 2nd place.  I was so happy to win this with my parents and sister present.  I think they were in awe of the sport.  Triathlons can be pretty crazy and it was cool to share this experience with them.

Vermilion Harbor Triathlon

I competed in the Vermilion Harbor Triathlon this past Sunday.  It was my 2nd ever Triathlon and my first Olympic distance.  It consisted of a 1500 yard swim, 26 mile bike, and a 6.2 mile run.  That's double the distance of my first Triathlon and half the distance on my next race on 9/9/12.  I haven't said much about it, but since the Cleveland Marathon.  I've been training for Rev3 Sandusky Half Ironman on 9/9/12.  My plan was to train for the event and compete in a sprint distance as well as a olympic distance.  After surviving the Olympic distance, I would then register for the Rev3 race.  Well, that didn't work out so well as there was a price increase of $50 dollars on 8/1.  So, that kinda forced my hand a bit and I registered.  My worry all along wasn't the bike or the run as I've been able to ride/run that distance since completing the marathon.  My issue is swimming.  I've spent most of the summer in the pool and at the lake improving my swim.  I've made great strides and have come a long way, but still struggle at times.  Going into this race, I was very worried about swimming 1500 yards in race conditions.

This was my first trip to Vermilion and I never realized how far away it is from Stow.  Being roughly 60 miles away, made for a very early Sunday morning.  This race consisted of a variety of events to choose from including sprint and olympic versions of Triathlons, Duathlons, and relays.  My race was scheduled to start last, which was about 45 minutes after the first event.  I arrived extra early to ensure decent parking and a rack spot if necessary.  I made my way to the registration and to my surprise, they were already out of S,M, and L race shirts.  I was very disappointed as I was guaranteed a shirt for pre-registering and I was there 2 hours before the event.  They did say I will get it in the mail, but we'll have to see about that.  Still, very poor in my opinion.  Things continued to go South as I arrived at my assigned rack along with what seemed like the whole race in my row.  We were packed like sardines.  Everyone made the best of it and we worked it all out, but our row was by far the most crowded.  Once getting everything set up.  I tried to relax and finally got the courage to look at the Lake.  For those of you not familiar with Lake Erie.  Its a fickle beast and its truly like a box of chocolates.  You never know what your going to get.

Swim

From the beach the Lake appeared to be as calm as I've seen it in awhile.  The swim itself began on the beach.  From there we would swim out about a hundred yards make a left and swim about 400 yards or so then another left back to the starting area.  The sprint group would make 1 loop and I would make 2 loops.  I was a little nervous as this would be my first "you can't touch the bottom" race.  I was equipped with the security of my wetsuit, but this would be my first can't touch experience since the drowning incident a few years ago.  As I mentioned earlier.  I've come a long way and can easily swim over this distance, but if you compared it to running.  I'm still run/walking.  I need some breaks to calm down and reset.  Well, this wan't going to happen today.  I lined up in the back of my group, which consisted of clydesdales and men in the 30's.  My swim started out pretty good, but the swells were already throwing me off.  Making the left and heading down the backstretch.  I started to panic.  I wasn't ready for these conditions and not touching.  I tried to swim best I could making it to the next turn.  I took this part a little long, ensuring I could touch.  I felt tired and was not looking forward to the next loop.  At this point, I decided to quit.  I wasn't having fun and didn't want to be in the water any more.  After completing the first loop, I deciding to forge on as I didn't want to dnf my first race.  About half way through the 2nd lap.  I freaked!  I was tired.  My stroke was off and I got water instead of air a couple times.  To calm myself, I flipped over and did the backstroke.  I began to settle until someone started to swim of top of me.  I freaked again.  Swimming for my life.  I made the final left and headed back to shallower waters.  I was wore out and grossly underestimated the difference between swimming in an inland lake and swimming in Lake Erie.

Time:  27:49

Before things got crowded.

Transition 1

I managed this much better than races past.  I had no issues this time and even remembered to take off my Garmin before removing my wetsuit.

Time:  1:51

Bike

I went out aggressive on the bike.  I needed to make up for a crap swim and wanted to take advantage of the flat roads.  Or so I thought.  According to the race, this course was 386 feet of climbing.  Well, thats true if you were judging from the low point to the high point.  This course was full of rollers and it involved a lot of climbing.  To make things even more technical.  All the large descents had turns at the bottom.  This was a hard course and it took a lot of concentration.  A few roads were chipped and you had to search around for smooth parts.  Around mile 5, I had a major fail.  I recently purchased a aero helmet on eBay.  It was working out well, but a screw came loose and my sunglass shield separated on on one side.  I quickly move it behind me to save it, but only flapped around.  I had no other choice than unscrew it and toss it into someones yard and spent the next 21 miles riding with no eye protection.  I managed to ride pretty well.  Some riders tried to pass and then would squat right in front.  This was fairly annoying.  Luckily, I caught a second wind and rode away from everyone to the end.

Time:  1:17:12

Transition 2

The ride into transition 2 was really cool as it was a flat road surrounded by townspeople on each side cheering me on.  I had another great transition and even got my socks on with ease.

Run

The plan was to establish a nice endurance pace for the first 3.1 miles.  The route was a little annoying as it was on grass the first few tenths and I was paranoid about twisting an ankle.  I ran the first mile in 8:50 and felt pretty good.  I didn't realize how well I was doing until I started to get passed repeatedly by racers in team uniforms.  They were all really supportive and I continued to clomp along on my 9 minute per mile pace.  It was a fairly flat route and had a ton of water stops.  It was really nice to have.  I didn't have any issues until mile 4 when stomach cramps began to set in.  These cost me a few minutes towards the end.  Once arriving at the last turn, I saw my buddy Alex video taping the finish. As I turned, I almost made a Tosh.O moment as I tripped over a rock.  After recovering from the near disaster, I sprinted to the finish for a time of 2:46:21

Time:  57:48

Summary

This race was insane!  A lot harder than I had expected it be.  My thoughts were that it would be comparable to running a half marathon, but it was harder than that.  I can't say enough good things about Vermillion.  The town support was the best I have ever seen and there were more volunteers here than any race i've done.  It was really nice and allowed us to concentrate on racing.  I was pleased with my overall time.  It was good enough to win my clydesdale group.  Better yet, my time was good enough to beat all the groups that chose to race by weight over age!  The only problem was the swim.  I feel like I dodged a bullet on that one.  Being in open water with out the being able to touch is not fun for me.  That kind of ruined the day for me and I wasn't a happy camper after the race.  I'm not sure what I am going to do about Sandusky now.  I emailed them about doing a shorter event or deferring to next year and they said no.  Hopefully after another 3 weeks of hard swim training.  I'll change my mind, but right now.  I have zero desire to step foot in that lake again.  Its a shame I feel that way because I wish I could celebrate what was a great accomplishment, but I can't get over the fear and panic I felt.

Christmas Ale and my winner's medal!