Howdy and happy New Year to all! After three months of non-Iron things, I’m looking forward to get crackin’ on 2014. During the off-season, I’ve been dealing with a nagging running injury to my left leg. Looking at the positive, it’s allowed me to get stronger on the bike and spend quality time doing normal human things.

The 2013 season was a great one. I continued my upward trajectory as a triathlete that I started in 2009 and set myself up to keep it rolling in 2014. Here are some highlights, things learned (always plenty) and goals for 2014.

Quick Stats:

• 6,000 miles swam/biked/ran/stumbled/poked
• 500 hours staring at black, white or yellow lines on the ground
• 80 hours of Netflx with Ali
• 615 coffees/espressos
• 27 pounds of peanut/almond/Nutella butter (conservative)

Top wins of 2013:

1. Another great year with old and new training buddies. Notable training events:

• M2 Amgen Tour of California Stage Ride
• M2/Ultra-U Tahoe Training Camp
• Mt. Shasta Century (M2 training weekend edition)

2. Raced competitively within a schedule of world renown top-tier races:

• USAT Ranking (25-29M): 3rd in California; 17th in US
• Age group podiums in every race except IM Tahoe
• Top 10 amateur at EFA, Wildflower, IM Boise 70.3

3. Became a more “complete athlete” instead of a runner-triathlete:

• Won Boise AG on bike
• Dropped swim time at SVIT by over 5 min
• 2nd and 3rd amateur runs @ EFA and Oceanside respectively

4. The best training block of my life in the “second half” of my season:

• Ironman Lake Tahoe build after 70.3s and Olympics.

5. Completed the hardest Ironman I could have chosen for my first:

• IM Lake Tahoe – started off calculated, finished gutty.

Top learning moments of 2013:

1. Unforced errors in races. All scenarios that could have been avoided with better planning and patience during the race.

2. Stomach shutting down at Boise 70.3 and IMLT. A lot of variables at play, but closer attention to nutrition will be a good start.

3. More strength, stability and flexibility throughout season. M2 TBT (total body training) at the beginning of the year and I was healthy through mid year. As volume increased and time for training stayed the same, injury prevention took a back seat and I paid for it.

4. I can go faster: Must swim with faster swimmers; bike gets better every day, continue to challenge myself; I can still run faster, goal is to get 10K down to 31 min.

5. Balance: My training was at an all time high this year, but it’s tough as a full-time working person. I learned a lot this year about how I can do this better next year.

2013 Season in Review

Escape From Alcatraz

A race I’ve always wanted to do and finally got in via lottery. The course is one of the most challenging short courses in the world and competition is premier.

Highlights:

• Fumbled swim
• Took “new watts” into the race, biked well
• Ran into podium finish
• Great way to start the season 

2013 Races, Results	Date	Type	Time	Age Group	Overall	Notes
Escape from Alcatraz	3-Mar	Tri	2:29:17	3	36	2nd Amateur run, Sand Ladder

Ironman 70.3 California – Oceanside

Another race that I’d been chomping at the bit to do, Oceanside is another incredibly competitive race, attracting California’s best. A fun weekend with guys in a house by the ocean, this set up for a fast race and fun times.

Highlights:

• Competitive swim
• Solid bike, but could have been more aggressive
• Ran into an “IM” AG podium (4th)
• John and Vince bread eating challenge

2013 Races, Results	Date	Type	Time	Age Group	Overall	Notes
Iron Man 70.3 California (Oceanside)	30-Mar	LC	4:24:10	4	63	PR @ Half, PR Swim, PR Run, 3rd amateur Run

Silicon Valley International 

USA Productions puts on great races local to the Bay Area that attract a lot of local talent. For perspective, the overall winner was age grouper Yoni Doron-Peters (a stud by any classification).

Highlights:

• Swim +5min faster than last year
• Biked hard, but couldn’t respond as well to moves as would have liked
• Same run as last year (34min), dropped by Vince when we’d planned to turn up the pace

2013 Races, Results

Date

Type

Time

Age Group

Overall

Notes

Silicon Valley Tri

21-Apr

Oly

2:01:53

3

9

Woof

Wildflower Long Course

One of the most storied and classic races in the world, the Woodstock of Triathlon was true to itself: hot, hilly, naked Cal Poly co-eds and campfire beers.

Highlights:

• Swim to be improved
• Solid bike that trailed off in the last few miles
• Studying course elevation profile pays off en route to running down AG podium and top 10 amateur spots
• Congratulating Jesse Thomas on his 3-peat & Virgilio on beating me, shortly before dry heaving by food and being ushered to med-tent

2013 Races, Results	Date	Type	Time	Age Group	Overall	Notes
Wildflower Lake San Antonio	4-May	LC	4:41:48	3	34	10th Amateur

Ironman 70.3 Boise

Traveled alone to and survived a logistical pickle at this unpredictable western race. Despite a late start (1:00pm) and some killer headwinds, it would be my first AG win at an Ironman race.

Highlights:

• Swim through the masses as the last wave of the day
• Assert self on bike through headwinds, stomach queasy by end
• Fought stomach and poor mojo on run, but strong bike allowed to hold off pursuers

2013 Races, Results	Date	Type	Time	Age Group	Overall	Notes
Iron Man 70.3 Boise	8-Jun	LC	4:32:44	1	30	9th  Amateur

Ironman Lake Tahoe

The Bay Area went into a frenzy when California got its first Ironman and it was in Tahoe. I’m sure many people were second guessing their decision on race morning at 30 degrees. A day on a challenging course at altitude had an extra wrinkle on race day.

Highlights:

• Swim was warmer than air temperature; swam slower to set up a solid day at altitude
• Transition one was a nightmare with a full change in a crowded tent
• Biked according to plan, but altitude bells rang in Martis Camp; slowed final 10 miles
• Transition two wasn’t much better
• Run started off well, wheels fell off at mile 13 and it was all guts to the finish

2013 Races, Results	Date	Type	Time	Age Group	Overall	Notes
Iron Man Lake Tahoe	22-Sep	IM	11:23:12	8	118	Ironman Plus. Wow.

Non-tri races

Berkeley Hills Road Race:

7th

First cycling road race, Cat 5. Played domestique to Virgilio’s podium race and nabbed a 7th place for myself. Very fun change of pace from tri racing.

JP Morgan Corporate Challenge:

8th

Fitbit represented itself well among 11K runners from companies all over the Bay Area.

Competition was stiff and the 3.6 mile race was a good ole-fashioned, elbow bumping road race. I traded surges with the chase group for an 8th place finish in 18:12.

2014 Goals:

1. Get left leg better, sustain strength to run healthy.
2. Sport specific goals: swim with faster people, get 100m down; up watts on bike by 10%; get run to 31 min 10K.
3. Age group podiums are great, but trajectory means overall amateur podiums, higher USAT national ranking
4. Ironman 70.3 World Championship Mont-Tremblont
5. Strike balance across training, relationships, work

If all goes according to plan, this is the tentative schedule for this year:

RACE DATE	EVENT	PRODUCTION	CITY	STATE/COUNTRY	Notes
3/29/2014	California 70.3	IRONMAN	Oceanside	CA	Pending run status
4/20/2014	Silicon Valley International Triathlon	USA Productions	Morgan Hill	CA
5/3/2014	Wildflower Long Course	Tri California	Lake San Antonio	CA
5/18/2014	Morgan Hill Sprint Triathlon (23rd Annual)	USA Productions	Morgan Hill	CA
6/1/2014	Escape From Alcatraz	IMC	San Francisco	CA
6/7/2014	Boise 70.3	IRONMAN	Boise	ID
6/8/2014	Folsom International Triathlon	USA Productions	Folsom	CA	If no Boise
6/8/2014	Folsom Long Course Triathlon	USA Productions	Folsom	CA	If no Boise
6/29/2014	California International Triathlon	USA Productions	Pleasanton	CA
7/13/2014	Vineman 70.3	IRONMAN	Santa Rosa	CA
8/10/2014	USAT AG Nat’ls	USAT	Milwaukee	WI	Maybe
9/7/2014	70.3 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP	IRONMAN	Mont-Tremblant	Quebec	Goal
10/5/2014	Rancho Cordova International Triathlon	USA Productions	Rancho Cordova	CA	Maybe
10/20/2014	Oceanside Olympic	Lifetime	Oceanside	CA	Maybe

 

Thank Yous

Friends and family – Thanks to the Ohio gang, Ali and all my friends and family for your ongoing interest in and support of my progress. It fuels me to keep rippin’!

M2 – I would not have seen the progress I have seen had I not started training with M2 and the crew. Studio sessions and weekend training are all hugely imperative to development and super fun with such a great group.

GU – Thanks to GU for the products to help me to fuel and refuel this successful year. Racing for you in Boise was a great and I was happy to bring home some hardware.

SFTri Club – It was great seeing all of you out at races this year. Being a part of the community is stellar always, but especially on race day!

Fitbit – The crew at Fitbit HQ was very supportive of my racing this year, either in the office, on the after work runs or on the bike (track cycling!). Using our products allowed me to keep on my activity beyond the workouts, monitor my rest and stick to my race weight.

So that’s all for 2013! It’s been a great year and looking forward to training with my buddies and getting better with the M2 group in 2014. Health, happiness and PRs to all!

– MV