First Race of 2009

Bath Y - Tri 5/31/2009 - 1:04:15 ---- 525 Meter Swim, 11 Mile Bike, 3.1 Mile Run (5K)

First race of the year went well and I felt strong throughout. I finished with a 1:04:15. Over a minute better than last year. While I was running however I thought that I was going to beat that by more. I guess I felt stronger but really wasn't going much faster. I placed 5th overall out of 155 starters and second in my age group, the mens 45-49. Although I am only 44 under USAT rules you race as to what your age is at the end of the year, which will be 45. Next weekend is my 3rd Half - Ironman ever and the first and probably only Half - Ironman for this year. This will be a good early season test to see how my winter training has paid off. It is down in New Hampshire and is called the Mooseman. I will be leaving early Saturday and returning Sunday evening. Until then. 

Week 15 Training - Rocky Coast 10K

Well on Saturday May 2nd I ran in the local Boothbay Rocky Coast Road Race. It was 6.2 miles or 10 Kilometers. I finished second overall and improved on last years time by 20 seconds with a 42:10. Pretty happy with my finish although a much smaller turn out than last year. 

Anyhow I am in week 15 of my 29 week training schedule and just thought that I would write my daily workout routine as this is a bigger week as far as training goes. So being Monday and I am just getting going here goes.

Monday May 4th - 

90 Minute Bike Ride - 32 miles in 1:40 with average speed of 19.3 MPH

1 mile swim at Y pool with 1/4 mile warm up then 5 x 50 with 20 sec rest

 5 x 50 with 15 sec rest

 5 x 50 with 10 sec rest then 1/4 mile cool down

25 minutes of stretching/yoga 

Then the Monday evening triathlon class that consisted of approximately 1/2 mile swim,

30 minutes on the bikes with various cadence and resistance, and about a 3.5 mile run. 

Tuesday May 5th

1 Hour Weight Workout 

Followed By 30 minutes stretch/yoga 

Wednesday May 6th

18 mile Run in 2:35 

Average 8:34 min/mile

Thursday May 7th

Another Hour Weight Workout 

Stretching/Yoga/Foam Roller self massage

Friday May 8th

8 Mile Recovery Run

In 1:01 Average 7:42 min/mile

Saturday May 9th

2.5 mile swim

with 4x1/2 mile intervals at roughly 16:30 each 

with 1/4 mile warm up and 1/4 mile cooldown

Sunday May 10th 

Supposed to ride 120 miles but only made 60.  Boo Hoo. 

But did do the 120 on Wednesday May 13th. Yee Haa

It's all in the Training

People from time to time have been asking me what I do to train how and what my nutrition plan is etc. This year I stumbled across a 29 week training plan at Ironman.com. It is sponsored by powerbar so they basically are trying to get you to use their product. I use their gels and sometimes their bars. Point aside, you can click on the link here to see the plan. http://ironmanpower.com/training/guide.aspx

I am currently on week 10. My mindset is that you always need to be flexible because with life in general there is always something that comes up that does not allow you to get everything done that you would like. There are not enough hours in the days. That being said I follow this training plan to the point that I try to get all of the things listed in the week done in that week although not always in the order or days that they have listed. For instance it may say to bike 80 miles on wednesday and 60 on saturday. Since I cannot even ride outside yet. I have my bike in my bedroom on a trainer, much to my wife Marnies dislike (actually she is a pretty good sport about it) , I have to ride on either my trainer, a stationary at the Y or at a spinning class at the Y or my monday night triathlon class at the Y. I figure when I usually ride outdoors I average about 20 miles an hour so if I am supposed to ride 140 miles in a week that breaks down to 7 hours. So in the period of the week I try to ride a total of 7 hours. Usually I have to break it up into an hour here two hours there etc. So I may not get the exercise effect of  a four hour ride that the plan suggests I still try to get the hours in each week. I do pretty good but have had a couple of weeks that I have not got everything in that I should. Soon, hopefully in early May the bike will go outside and I will start doing 100 milers about once a weeek  on my days off. I also do 2 weight workouts each week (or try to) which are right around an hour and focus on not getting big but strengthening the muscles used in swimming biking and running. So here is a sample week I will give you what I did last week (Week 8) a pretty heavy week and then week 9 (this week) a bit of a rest week. Also to note I keep track of everything I do. Week 8 and 9 were the same on the plan due to an error I believe so I modified week 8.

Monday (usually my biggest day) 3/9 - swam 2 1/4 miles w/ 4x400m with each 400 getting faster (Y-Pool) this includes the 30 minutes of swimming in the Tri class I have Monday nights. 

3/9 - I hour (20 miles on stationary at Y- level 10 random) 

3/9 - Biked an extra 30 minutes (10 miles approx) and Ran 3.5 miles (Tri-Class) 

3/10 Ran 6 miles - 2 easy, 2 moderate, 2 strong (45 minutes) 

3/11 Weight workout

3/11 20 Mile bike (hour spinclass at Y)

3/12 Run 8 Miles (Track at Y) Finished strong

3/12 Swam 1 mile (was supposed to do 1.5 not enough time)

3/13 Biked 40 miles (2 hours) at home stationary

3/13 Weight workout

3/14 Swam 2 miles Y pool. (1 hour 7 minutes) then changed and went for 

3/14 10 mile run outside - Back River/Dover/Adams pond loop from Y - 78 minutes 

3/15 off work sunday brunch. 

So that is what my training is like. Click the link if you want to see more of what I have coming. I only print out 2 weeks at a time so I don't even know what is coming. My base phase is almost over and my specific/build phase is about to start. 

Now people have often asked about nutrition/eating and in triathlon this is considered the fourth discipline. I do not have specifics, I eat a lot and basically try and eat healthy. Lean proteins, fruits, vegetables,  and whole grains. I usually do a couple to 3 cups of coffee while I am doing stuff like I am  doing now, waking up, face book, checking news and weather on my computer. Then before getting going on my workouts I eat a breakfast of a sliced banana in a bowl with a oatmeal or rice dish that I make in large quantities that last me the week this I top with strawberries and nonfat French Vanilla yogurt and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole grain bread. Once in a while I will do scrambled eggs etc. Lunch is chips and salsa, a huge salad with veggies, avocado, nuts, tomatoes if on hand etc slice of bread with butte. Dinners range from large pasta outings, spag with veggies, veggie lasagna, to lean meats, post roasts etc. Not to get into all the scientific mumbo carbs are the dominate fuel in endurance exercise so focus is on lots of carbs. When I workout I drink Nunn with is an elecrolyte replacement as well as a carb drink. Right now I am experimenting with several. Infinite, Cytomax, EFS, Gatorade endurance, etc. I also often drink a water bottle mixed with Recoverite after intense workouts to help with muscle recovery(protein and glutamine). Well not to bore all of you too much but some of you asked. You can click on the training link I provided you to see what I have coming as far as my training. I can't wait to get outside on the bike. Winter is finally receding in Maine and snow is melting. Well it is time to eat that breakfast I had talked about and play with my daughter. My workout today Monday again my biggest day usually will begin at about 3 p.m and go until 7. I will probably write again soon and post my race schedule for the season. Limited racing this year with bigger races more work to try and save some money this summer. I really want that bike the Ridley Dean. Click here to see my dream machine http://www.racycles.com/store/images/large/Ridley_Dean_606.jpg

I won't tell you how much it costs.

Training Setbacks and Success

Well the new year started off great with a good attitude and motivation. Then a weekend in Minneapolis to "party" and see some music led to a flu bug and a week off and out of training. It is interesting to note that even a week of inactivity and in bed for about three days really can set you back. I got on the bike today for 45 minutes and felt like I was back to square one. Also the bike being my strongest of the three disciplines I started to think about running... ouch. Well setback as that may be I can only move forward. I am starting to put my season together as far as racing and training. As a step-father of three and father of one and trying to balance schedules with my wife I sometimes wonder why I am attempting an Ironman. The usual doubts come to mind. I don't have the training time. I shouldn't subject my family to this, time away training, relying on older siblings to baby-sit while I train. Sometimes I wonder why and what I am doing. Then I thought about something. When I was on the bike today even though only for 45 minutes I felt so alive and felt the best that I had since falling ill 5 days ago. I realize that I always feel the most alive and at my best when I am exercising hard. If I can balance that with family, work and personal time then that will hopefully make me feel alive, healthy and happy. One cannot ask for much more than that in life. To test my own physical being in an Ironman distance race could be one of the greatest feelings of elation I could have. I think often and try to visualize what this Ironman race would be like. Suffer through the swim without a wetsuit but still do ok. Get on the bike and ride for 5 to 6 hours in blistering 95 degree heat with 90% humidity and then try to run a marathon. It seems daunting and the heat of Louisville in August scares me. But all of these things that make for a great challenge make for a much greater feeling if and when I cross the finish line and that is also something that I envision and that is the vision that keeps me training, racing and coming back for more. Until next time. 

2009 Iron Dreams and Bigger and Better Things

So begins 2009 and for the most part feeling that 2008 was a great year for me. At least for my triathlon accomplishments and job in Boothbay. As far as a career, well in Boothbay waiting tables is probably about as lucrative as anything else although not quite as glamorous as a full blown carreer. With 2009 here and Fiona starting school in the fall, it is a year of reflection, renewal and perhaps yet another career change. However, this is a blog about my triathlete and triathlon accomplishments and not about the rest of my life so I will refrain from personal reflection. In the fall and after what I thought to be an incredible year for me in triathlon and racing I decided that the next logical step was a full blown Ironman. This is a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike followed by a full 26.2 mile marathon. This is a daunting and intimidating distance. I registered for the Louisville Ironman in September of 2008 and really thought that I would not follow through and cancel based on monetary and financial obligations. But as the new year rolled around and self evaluation continued I recently made a commitment by purchasing my plane flight, hotel and rental car I am almost committed to making the trip and competing in what would be the realization of a three year dream which I call the Iron Dream. Now all I need to do is commit to the training, which is the biggest time consuming factor of it all. It is a hard balance training, keep family obligations and family, personal time, and time with Marnie and work time while trying to put in the time needed to complete something as big as an Ironman. As I progress towards this Iron journey I will try to keep this post updated. I have a couple of smaller Triathlons as well as the Sugarloaf Marathon again in my sites for this year before the culmination of the Louisville Ironman. If you wish you can find more information here at http://ironman.com/events/ironman/louisville and until next time. Feel free to follow this blog and write me if you have any questions about training, racing, or anything triathlon. 

Happy 2009 and all the best from our family to yours. Sincerely,

Cameron Mitchell

2008 Races and Results

   

So began the year 2008. Let me just say out front that the person I have to thank the most for allowing me this personal growth and perhaps some selfish interest is my wonderful and beautiful wife Marnie. Without her sacrifice and constantly going out of her way to allow me to train and race, and her consistent support none of this would have be attainable. And although she was not able to make it to many races she is and was always supportive of my efforts. Thank you and I love you. Well, on to 2008. As I said in the last post 2008 began with a couple of running races. The first being the Rocky Coast Road Race here in Boothbay Harbor. It is a 10k (6.2 miles) and this was the second year I had done it. I finished with a 42:39 improving on my previous years time by about a minute and a half. I finished 5th overall out of 59 finishers and 4th overall men and 2nd in the male 40-49 age group class. Next it was off to the Sugarloaf Marathon. I was very nervous and had never run 26.2 miles in any training or running races. It was a beautiful day in late May and although running with a knee brace felt good about my level of fitness at this point. The race is mostly downhill through the Carabassett Valley with a little uphill from mile 8 to 11 before dropping into a mostly downhill for the last 14 miles. About mile 17 or 18 the legs really begin burning and slowing. However, I finished and for the most part felt great about my first marathon length run. I now knew that I could at least finish a run of that length. I still have doubts that I could do it following the 112 mile bike and the 2.4 mile swim. I finished with a 3:33:01. This was 11th place in the 40-44 age group out of 21 and 60th overall out of 185 starters. Just within the top third. Not bad for a first timer. 

A couple of weeks later it was on to my first triathlon of the year in Bath. The Bath Y Tri was a first year triathlon and I think about six of us that had been in the triathlon class at the Boothbay YMCA made it to the event. It was a great morning. This was a sprint distance race with a 525 yard pool swim an 11.5 mile bike and a 3.1 mile or 5K run. I finished 5th overall out of 134 participants. My best showing of the year. I had a 1:09:26 finish with a 9:02 minute swim, 34:13 minute bike and a 22:10 minute run. This was a great race as we had a good showing from the Boothbay contingent. Hopefully next year we will show strong again. My family all came out for this one so it was extra rewarding for me to have them at the finish line. 

Next came the BLT or Belgrade Lakes Triathlon. This was my first Olympic distance Triathlon. This is the distance they do in the Olympics and consists of a 1.5k (.9 mile) Swim, a 40km bike (24.9 miles) and a 10k run (6.2 miles). This was probably one of my favorite venues with the sun coming up over Great Pond for the swim and a steamy bike and run with the sun drying out the rain and hails storm from the night before. The transition area was quite muddy and there were trees limbs in the roads from the winds and rain. However, I loved the area and camp Runoia where it was held. I finished 15th Overall out of 156 that started with a time of 2:14:00. I was fourth out of 14 in the 40 - 44 age group.  My time was 17:08:05 for the swim, 1:15:44:09 for the bike and 41:06:08 for the run. This was a great race for the second race of my 2008 season. 

Then it was off to my biggest race of the year the Amica 70.3 Ironman in Providence Rhode  Island. I was lucky enough to see a .moe show in Hyannis on my way down. This race was on the 70.3 Ironman brand and one of the handful of races where you can qualify for the 70,3 World Championship in Clearwater Florida. Although I was not going for qualification I had trained all year for this first of two Half Ironmans. Although logistically this race left a bit to be desired it was a beautiful venue. The logistics were as such that there were two transition areas one at Roger Wheeler Beach State park about 60 miles south of Providence where the swim was and the swim to bike transition was held and then the bike to run was in downtown providence on the capital grounds. Needless to say most of Saturday was spent traveling to the beach, doing a practice swim, this was my first ocean swim for a triathlon, and it was nice to have a strategy for the breaking waves in your face before hand, and setting up the bike transition, getting bike ready and doing a short ride before heading back to Providence to set up the run transition. Then it was time to carbo-load at a great Italian restaurant on Federal Hill and get to bed so as to get up for the 4:00 am shuttle back to the beach. As previously stated the venue was beautiful the ocean swim at the beach with plenty of spectators, the bike going through the costal scenic towns of Narragannsett, Wickford, and wound its way through many scenic small towns with rolling hills and some flats. The run was mostly through the east side of Providene around Brown University and RISI. There was one very steep hill which we had to navigate twice as the run was a two looper. I finished this race in 5:03:56 and was elated at my time. I felt worked but great as I sprinted with another age grouper across the finish line. With 1227 starters and many of these professionals and elite athletes, I finished 198th overall and 31st out of 100 in my age group. For those of you who don't know a half ironman consists of a 1.2 mile swim a 56 mile bike and a 13.1 mile run. My time broken down for this was 34:11 for the swim, 2:34:58 for the bike and 1:49:27 for the run with about 4 minutes total transition time. In my opinion the biggest race of my life was a huge success and left me wanting more. 

Then I realized that my race season was really only about half  over. I cannot complain about a top 1/3rd finish for my first Half Ironman.

As this post is beginning to get a bit long winded I will just post my results for the rest of the races of the year without so much elaboration. 

Zone Urban Epic - Portland Maine - Olympic Distance Triathlon

1.5 k (.9 mile) Swim, 40k (25 mile bike) 10k (6.2 mile) Run

36th out of 221 Overall 

7th of 28 40-44 age group

40:57 Swim (river current sucked me past bouys and I had to swim against current to get to bouys to finish swim so very long swim, most had problems with this)

1:14:38 Bike

40:56 Run with another 6:31 for Transition 1 Run 

Total Race Time 2:43:31

This race had its own special reward as it was the first race that Fiona ran across the finish line much to the pleasure of the spectators and her proud father. 

Maine State Sprint Triathlon 8/3/2008 - Sprint Distance Triathlon - Bethel Maine

1K Swim, 25K Bike, 5K Run

18th Overall out of 164 Starters

5th of 19 in 40-44 age group

Swim 21:43:4 (terrible swim time)

Bike 44:20 (good bike time)

Run 23:17 (muddy trail run)

1:29:20 Finishing Time

Pumpkinman Triathlon Festival - 9/7/2008 South Berwick, Maine

Half Ironman (Maines First) 

1.2 Mile Swim, 56 Mile Bike, 13.1 Mile Run

35th place out of 170 total

5th of 24 40-44 age group

Swim 37:27:34 

Bike 3:03:6

Run 1:41:39

Total 5:01:20

Last Race of 2008

The Lobsterman Triathlon - 9/13/2008 - Olympic Distance Triathlon

1.5K Swim, 40K bike, 10K Run

80th out of 450 total 

12th of 40 in 40-44 age group

Swim 22:20

Bike 1:08:35

Run 47:02

Being only six days off from my half iron I was probably still in recovery mode but this was a scenic race with free beer and lobster bake after the race. Very scenic venue and nice well produced race with many from all over New England participating. A great way to finish the racing season.

Well as anyone can tell by reading this post 2008 was a real breakout year as far as my triathlon and athletic accomplishments. I stayed roughly around 20 pounds lighter than I have been for much of my adult life and was definitely in the best shape of my life. However, racing is not cheap and although I enjoy the competition some of the most memorable times are watching others cross the finish line that you would think could never finish by looking at them. They are the true inspirations. The ones that are in their seventies or severely overweight that make the effort to go out and do the best that they can. 

I want to thank all who made my efforts worth while and have allowed me the opportunity to pursue this somewhat selfish venture. I now have the bug after this year of racing and although I doubt  that 2009 will see as many races my addiction to adrenaline and exercising will keep me doing what I love, swimming, biking and running. Stay tuned for the 2009 update. 

2008 The Year of Progress

Finishing 2007 on a good note and being totally hooked on the sport I set my sites to 2008. Once again I started looking to races in 2008. I also started buying more gear online. A true 
triathlete consumer of goods had been born. I kept up on my workout routine and thankfully through the local  YMCA here in Boothbay a Triathlon class was started which offered a great way through the winter and spring to keep on a program of progress. The Y also offers many spinning classes throughout the week to keep up with biking fitness. So I began to think of how to improve upon my current level of fitness and start trying some longer race. With this whole triathlon thing, at least speaking for myself and I think that many others feel the same way, is that once the bug bites you you want to see how far you can take it. My point being that you start training and think that you can never finish a sprint or the shortest of triathlons. Then you do that and think, wow!, I could do more than that. You start looking at magazines of the world champion Ironman in Kona, Hawaii and start thinking that you would like to make it there someday and could you ever be lucky enough to even finish an Ironman length event. And you also start thinking how you would love that $8000 dollar triathlon bike. OUCH! Anyhow, I digress. So looking at 2008 and many races in the area I started planning my 2008 race schedule. I probably spent 1000 dollars in early spring registering for races. The first being the Sugarloaf Marathon in Kingfield, Maine. I needed to prove to myself that I could at least run a marathon before ever trying for an Ironman event where you have to run a marathon after biking 112 miles and swimming 2.4, daunting to say the least. Then I registered for two Half-Ironman events, one on the national 70.3 circuit in Providence R.I and Maines first Half-Ironman in South Berwick for September of 2008. I also registered for 2 Sprint distance triathlons being the Bath Y Tri and the Maine State Triathlon in Bethel. And I registered for 3 olympic/international distance tries being the Belgrade Lakes, Urban Epic in Portland and the Lobsterman in Freeport. My race calendar was set but was I ready?