Yesterday was a pretty monumental day in Port Elizabeth. Arguably one of the best fields in the world lines their toes in the sand at Hobie Beach to see who would be the last guy to pop. We held our breaths as we had 2 capable South Africans in the field, either of who could walk away with the prize. One of them did and he did it by fighting like a champion. The transition in the arsenal of a pro athlete is one which takes more hard work and dedication than you could imagine.

I have seen this man change his physical appearance, get his swimming back to absolute world class, improve his run where it’s now a weapon and continue to be one of the best bikers in the game. He belief to take on the absolute best in the world is blossomed and it’s a beautiful thing to have watched.

Unwilling to give up his title as the best Ironman athlete in SA, his local race, he goes about preparing for this race in the most meticulous way. Each win executed in a slightly different way. Each celebrated as if it was his last day. Look at the emotion on his face in that picture.

It matters.

It’s important.

Let’s all put our hands together and celebrate Raynard Tissink. He will be completely lost in the media what with a Saffa winning The Masters as well, but to me, he is a hero and someone I am going to celebrate all week. Cheers.

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This weekend there are hundreds of scared and nervous people in Port Elizabeth. They are partaking in Ironman South Africa, a 3.8km swim, a 180km bike ride and a 42.2km run. All but a handful of the 1800 of them will finish. All but a handful will have lots of excuses for what went wrong out there, too.

I am a simple guy when it comes to these things. Sure, I am blunt and I am rough at times. Insensitive by societies standards and not as compassionate as the majority of people would like. Whatever. I haven’t achieved what I have by being nice and having excuses all the time.

This weekend the amazing race takes place. You will go through places in your mind and through experiences within that you may never have thought possible. I urge you to bring to excuses in your arsenal of weapons to race day. Bring the hours you spent out on the roads training your mind and your body. Bring the ability to make the right decisions, which you so carefully worked at over the last six months. Bring your sense of humor, which I hope you found out there training because let’s face it, you`re a little bit crazy, aren’t you?

Things may go wrong out there and elements beyond your control may affect you on the day but if you look back and see excuses, then perhaps the day was not all it could have been.

I promise you there is a guy or 10 out there who could have far more excuses than you possibly have. What about the triple amputee who finished in Kona last year? What are his excuses?

(I know the video is a little thick on the cheddar but it’s Ironman week, so no holding back on the emotional stuff!)

There is someone who sacrificed more than you did, who had to probably sell something of immense value to them to afford the entry or possibly who slept in their car the night before the race because budgets didn’t allow for hotels. These people exist, I promise you. They have no excuses and do the best they can with what they have.

So go out there on Sunday and be all you can be. Be smart, above all. Focus on pace and nutrition. If you can master those 2 simple things ALL day, you will have no excuses. Stay focused and remember those 2 things and the excuses will vanish and you will get lost in the moment in what is truly an amazing day away from the world. Get lost and be amazed at what you are doing, what you are achieving.

No excuses. Take that with you and be one of the handful of guys who gave it all without a “but”. So when you`re standing there at the start line and the guy next to you has that look of fear in his eyes, that inevitable blank stare…

Pat him on the back and tell him to breathe and that he is going to have a great day, with no excuses. You could be changing his life, right there.

BOOOOOM!!

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So in 10 days we will all be lining up in our waves in Buffalo City with the hopes of completing a Half Ironman race in top condition without injury, incident or suffering, to finish ahead of our scheduled times in perfect weather with amazing people, flat water, no wind on the bike and loads of shade on the run, right?

Right?

Thought so. Let’s get to grips with the following things you can accept already…

1. You will suffer. It’s a Half Ironman. A 1.9km rough water swim, a 90km super tough bike and a 21.2km run with 2 big hills in it. It’s safe to say you`ll suffer. Accept it. Feel it and relish it and put it away in that sweet spot where it cannot hurt you. Do. It. Now.

2. You will doubt yourself. The bike course in East London is made to doubt yourself. You will be too slow on the way out… accept it! Many of you will wonder if you are going to make the cut off time on the bike… JUST KEEP PEDALING!!

3. There will be wind and more hills on the way back. It has happened every single year. Prepare for it. It’s not ALL downhill on the way home.

Right, now that we have that cleared, here are some vital tips to making it through the day.

1. Have a plan. Make sure you have a plan. Eat at designated times, drink enough fluid and make sure you do NOT overcook the first 20km on the bike.

2. Stick to the plan, stoopid!

3. Bodyglide goes a long way on race day where the swim is in a salty ocean. I go with the N.A.N principle, that would be Neck, Armpits, Nether regions….

4. Ask for sunscreen before the bike and before the run. Sun burn = poor performance. Would be useless to train for 6 months and throw it out the window because you couldn’t spend 10 seconds getting properly protected. Ask a volunteer, they rock and will do almost anything you ask them to do.

5. Have fun! Connect with the people on the way. Put a bubble around those who are negative and share energy with those who are positive.

6. On the hills on the bike, to kill time, count 50 right leg pedal strokes, then 50 left leg pedal strokes. Eases the mind a little.

7. Wash yourself at the last aid station. By now you are a mixture of sunscreen, Bodyglide, Coke, gel, dust, sand, grit & spit. You are NOT pretty. Your finish line photo and your family will be happier if you just give yourself a quick rinse.

Those are some small tips to make your day easier. I am going to use all of them, considering I have never raced this particular race and am going in with a humble mix of brave and stupid. Should be a cracker. If I do not acknowledge you on the run, its simply because I am suffering so badly that I can’t remember my own name.

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I wanted to do something totally inspirational in terms of an interview after Ironman. For me there was one story that really stood out this year at Ironman. One that I was holding thumbs for 10 times more than others. I want to go back a little though before Ironman and share some of the stories on this amazing woman.

I met Liezel at varsity. She may have had pigtails and may have worn tie-die. I can’t confirm these details entirely for the fear of my car tires. Her fans are crazy about her. Transformed into a superstar TV personality, Idols Presenter and all around most-positive-person-on-the-box girl. She is also incredibly friendly and perhaps her best trait is that she is not scared to ask questions.

When I heard Liezel was entered for Ironman SA I was stunned. I thought to myself that this was a new dimension to her. She was BALLSY. I had never known her to run a step, never mind 42 200 meters after a 180 000 meter cycle and a 3800 meter swim. I knew about the limits of economy she would face. I imagined her time schedule to be crazy already, so throwing in 15+ hours of training a week would be a near impossibility.

I watched from the outside and picked up on the rumors. People, amazingly, were a little begrudged with her. They were blind to the PR and the exposure she was giving our niche sport in the mainstream media. I know that the editor of our biggest cycling publication told her she should stick to TV. I wanted to kick him in the nads when I heard this. Thankfully, Liezel processed it all as motivation to keep going.

When she didn’t make the bike cut-off at 70.3 in January I read stupid blog posts and heard stupid comments. I knew they would all just motivate her. I had full faith she was going to make it at Ironman and that she did. In doing it she gave more PR to the race than I reckon every athlete combined. She did it selflessly without asking for anything in return. She was just another athlete, talking about how amazing the experience was. I hope she can inspire you just a touch of what she has given me as inspiration this year.

I looked for her everywhere on the bike but I missed her somewhere. Sorry about that girl!

Here is her interview:

1. Why ironman?

I wanted to set a huge goal for myself in 2010 and what is bigger than Ironman?

2. What was the biggest obstacle?

My biggest obstacle on race day was the run, I thought with long legs like mine that I would be a natural runner but that has never been the case, and I was so worried that I wouldn’t manage the run distance at Ironman.

3. How do you manage your time? You’re a busy girl.

Finding the time to train was a challenge; I made big sacrifices with my family and my work, I wanted to complete this and I knew that with great sacrifice, victory will be so much more sweeter.

4. After the 70.3 setback how did you go about getting into shape for the big day?

After missing my bike cut off at 70.3, I started training with a coach, and we worked very very hard on improving my cycling.

5. Best piece of equipment you own?

My pink Oakley Radars

6. Any thank you’s you want to put out there?

So many Thank Yous! My family; my coach (Mike Moriaty from M.A.D Multisport); The team from Idols/Mnet for giving me time off to take part in the Ironman even though we were filming the new season of Idols. My partner who put up with me and encouraged me even though I couldn’t run and cycle when I started this journey to becoming an Ironman. I dedicated this Ironman to my mom and dad who never once stopped believing in me (and my biggest dream was to have them walk me across the finish line at the Ironman)

7. What’s next?

Next goal is the Knysna Marathon in July, I wanted to set myself a goal to work towards and improve my running. And of course, I want to do 70.3 in January 2011.

8. When the going got really tough, what kept you going?

When it got tough, I just thought of my setback at 70.3 and I motivated myself to just keep going. I also had many people telling me that I shouldn’t waste my time trying to do The Ironman after not making it at 70.3; and this kept me going and made me laugh through out the race because I knew I was going to finish!!! There wasn’t one moment on the day where I wanted to give up. I was loving every moment.

9. How has the challenge changed your mindset, your health and your life in general?

I have always lived a healthy life style, so this just added a more active part to my life. I have seen that I managed to train wise and work wisely. This challenge made me realise that I have the determination and courage to tackle anything I set my mind on

10. As a woman, any women specific tips for the female readers?

When I told my dad that I am going to do The Ironman, he never laughed and said I cant do it, he went out and bought a book called “Triathlon for Women: Triathlon: A Mind-Body-Spirit Approach for Female Athletes” by Lisa Lynam. This book was full of all the advise and tips I needed; I am sure allot of readers will find this useful

Thanks for the inspiration. See you at other events. To all those who didn’t believe she could do it. I hope you like the taste of your feet. Like the mantra says. Assume nothing, pursue everything, experience now….

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Wow. There is no way this is an official race report. Still have to get through my mind in the next few days to make sure I grasp all the events that unfolded on an amazing day. The overall elation though, could best be described in this finishers photo…

9H11min later, this was what was left. I had walked down that finish line, tears and high fives, screaming out of pure joy, left only with the face you see there. I was 2nd South African overall, beating all but 9 professionals. 12th overall is better than I expected and I was on course for top 10 at one point, but faltered late in the run, a sure sign of too much mountainbiking and not enough long runs this year. Still, no problems…

There is a great song which comes to mind right now:

Just something about that song which reflects what I was possibly feeling out there.

Expect a full report soon. Seems I am off to Hawaii again for the month of October.

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I am getting quite a few emails lately about where you should be in your training and I know my guys and girls are all feeling the pressure of the upcoming event.

Worry not Ironmen and Irongirls, you will be victorious! Your task is easy. Think of all I have to get through before I get to IMSA 2010 and you should feel very, very calm. Here is my schedule:

5-7 Feb – training camp Ceres
13-14 Feb – Lighthouse to Lighthouse MTB race
21 Feb – Xterra SA Champs
5-7 March – Sani 2 C MTB Race
20-28 March – ABSA Cape Epic MTB Race

That’s all before I get to rest up for IMSA. I am racing all of those races. Now if I watch my weeks carefully, I should be super strong going into IMSA, but this approach is not for anyone. I have spent 3 years building mileage to be able to handle this kind of schedule, so I would watch it if I were you.

Back to you, of course. Your stresses. Let’s check where you are:

1. Can you bike 150km quite easily, around your IM intensity (not pace) and have a normal afternoon after that?
2. Can you run 25km quite easily, without too much pain?

If you can manage those two, then you are right on track. Here are some common thoughts at this stage:

1. I am slow. One of my guys said to me after our long run the other day that he felt his run sucked. I mentioned that he had just run a half marathon close to his PB in training and that he looked pretty comfortable to me. You are ALL overanxious about your form at the moment.

2. I am tired. Um… no s**t. You should be doing mega miles, and being in the hurt locker right about now. Your weekends should breeze by in a haze.

3. I need to do more. You can always do more. Even the pro who goes 35 hours a week, can do more. Its NOT about more. It’s about the quality of everything around your training. Here is a quick checklist of those:

a. Is your home life in check?
b. Is your personal life on track for non-destruction?
c. Are you managing your niggles?
d. Are you sleeping regular hours?
e. If your work life in check?

If those are all good, then you are on the right track. There is life the day after Ironman, you know. Sure, until then we are, from this day until then, going to give it our all…

But you want to make sure you have friends and loved ones around the day afterward. Many people lose those in the process.

So from here on in…

+++ Train Smart
+++ Live Smart
+++ Eat Smart

If I don’t see you until then, read my schedule, and you`ll know why.

RokThis launch is right here, I can smell it. You will know more about why I am doing this crazy schedule then.

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Welcome back. In Part 1 we discussed training basics for the bike, the area where most people get it wrong. Read that but remember that the values in that post are based on the following assumptions:

1. Your long ride is done at Ironman intensity or just below. That is roughly around your AeT.
2. You are willing to learn to eat a bit more in training.

Today I want to talk about energy pacing (and helping general pacing) for Ironman South Africa specifically. Its a specific course and can be broken up nicely into 3 laps. Here is my general guideline for each of the 3 laps in Port Elizabeth.

Lap 1

For the first 20min you should drink or eat NOTHING in PE. Your stomach will be all messed up from the swim, having gone from a horizontal plane to a vertical one. It takes about that long for your stomach to re-adjust to the new squashed position on the TT bike.

At 20min, have your first nutrition. I generally chomp a Whaspgelgel and a sip of juice (Whasp AminoCarb). You should be pedalling easy up the drag towards Mount Pleasant (stupid name) and focussing on getting nutrition in and your pacing right. If you didn’t attend the pro race briefing, this is not the time to be pushing, no matter HOW good you feel. I don’t care.

Gastric problems are a leading cause of poor performances and DNFs (did not finish) in Ironman-distance races. If your stomach “shuts down” during the race then you very likely went out too fast, or did something stupid like change your practised nutrition on raceday. Do NOT eat anything you are allergic, intolerant to or haven’t done long rides with before.

At 40min, I have another gel, and a bit chug of juice.

At 60min, I have another gel, and finish the bottle of juice. You should be near the coast or approaching it by now, and having gotten in the right fuel, at the right pace, will set you up for a successful day.

After 60min I go through a Whaspgel every 30min and a bottle of the AminoCarb every hour. I do this until the end of the ride. At the end of each lap, I chomp a energy bar.

In terms of energy pacing, the laps work as follows:

Lap 1 – hold back and eat eat eat. Fuel up for the day ahead.

Lap 2 – steady on the money. By now you should be settled, and ready to be wise and mindful about your surroundings (could be the caffeine in these awesome Whaspgels). Work the coastal road and stick to the PLAN.

Lap 3 – at roughly 120km, almost everyone heads through a bad patch. Its called overpacing the first lap. If you are feeling good, don’t push, it`ll go away eventually. We all kak at some point during the day. If you have paced well, on Lap 3 you will be catching guys and passing them, feeling steady and eager to run. do NOT forget to eat and drink on lap 3, as it will be warmer by now. Some water over your body at the last aid station will cool you down and clear some of the salt off for the run.

On the coastal road to town, make sure you spin a slightly lighter gear to keep the legs supple for the run. Enjoy the last turn and salute the crowds, you have just cycled 180km with an even pacing and nutrition strategy, so you should be ready for the run, which we`ll discuss in part 3.

Tips:

1. I take a handful of vitamins at 120km into the ride.
2. Write a nutrition schedule and stick it to your toptube. We get dumb on raceday.
3. Don’t try anything new on raceday.
4. Remember to ride easy to start, no matter how good you feel.
5. Douse yourself with water if its hot, don’t drink twice as much.

That’s it for today kids. Happy training.

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To all the Ironman South Africa competitors out there…. YOU CAN!

and while you`re at it….

You WILL finish, and you HAVE done the right training. Believe in yourself. You OWE it to yourself.

RELAX already…. you are ready.

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So, before you do that, you can also ready my report from last year for a fresh look at what was going through my mind a year ago. You can check that at Tricape , a gret resource for local triathlon, here

Now, here goes a quick description of what to expect on the day and what to expect on the course. Port Elizabeth is a deceptively slow course and has a few tricks you should know about.

Wake up early enough to chill through your morning routine. 4pm should be good. Have a quick, 2min shower while someone makes you a cup of coffee and gets your breki ready. Your major bags should be in transition already and you will have your special needs with you, as well as your swim bag. Also, have your loved ones carry a day-pack with your after race gear with them (just… never mind) so you can change after the race. (more…)

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Most athletes competing in Ironman South Africa are going through a fear of the run phase right now. In fact, I bet about 80% of them are. I know they each feel their problem is unique, but it isnt. I get asked alot about my run philisophy and even managed to have an argument with someone this week about it. So I thought to put it out there. To show how I went from a 3:34 runner to a 3:15 in the space of about 4 months. That first jump when you do things right is huge, and I am hoping to improve 5-10min this entire year, but this is how I intend doing it.

blurbs and extracts from Gordo, Friel & my own experiences.

Run Training

Training for the run leg of an ironman-distance race is very different from traditional marathon training. A review of the run splits at any long course race will show that most athletes are operating far, far below their open run fitness. In fact, most athletes average in-race paces that are slower than their ‘easy’ run pace in training.

What I always try and consider:

1. How fast is the athlete going to be running in the race?

2. What are the requirements of being able to run that fast?

3. What are the things that can prevent the athlete from being able to run that fast?

4. Is the athlete’s program adequately addressing the above points?

What are the key factors that can derail an athlete’s run leg?

1. Cramps

2. Poor race nutrition

3. Attitude

4. Improper race hydration

5. Weak pacing

6. Equipment problems (inappropriate bike position, uncomfortable clothes, poor shoe selection)
7. Straight up fatigue

The two main reasons for marathon problems are improper early race pacing and an overall endurance limiter. Outstanding run splits are achieved by a training protocol, and race strategy, that keeps the following in mind:

1. durability dominates speed – this is most effectively built through high frequency running (running very often, more than running very fast or running very long); you guys are all running4-5 days a week (or supposed to be doing that). Even if its 20min in a day, its frequency that counts.

2. outstanding race specific cycling muscular endurance is required to enable an athlete to access their existing run fitness – “race specific” is important to bear in mind – we are seeking to create superior muscular endurance across 112 miles, not sprint- or Olympic-distance racing; So its not about the run? DAMN RIGHT.

3. athletes will be running a marathon when fatigued – run training must prepare the athlete’s body for running a marathon with tired legs BUT shelling our athletes with killer runs after long rides (mega bricks) will most often lead to biomechanical breakdown and injury; In your taper you will be doing a brick every 72 hours, and I will have you running on tired legs to get the body used to that. But more on that next week…

4. sane race pacing – swim and bike leg pacing must be guided by effort and based on a realistic view of an athlete’s current fitness level. Experienced athletes that have disappointing run splits should slow their first two race legs until they are able to run in line with training performance. This requires a level of humility and maturity that many athletes will never achieve. The performance benefits of moving well at the end of a race are significant – most importantly in terms of pain tolerance and mental toughness.

A well paced ironman-distance race will nearly always be characterized by the athlete reporting that they could have ridden harder.

Bear in mind that the purpose of the taper/freshening/peak period is to enable the athlete to run a marathon after a sane bike leg, not to enable bike performance above that which was achieved in training.

Given that most athletes come to me with sufficient ‘speed’ to achieve their run goals, the optimal training protocol will give them the overall endurance, durability and mental toughness to hold an ‘easy’ training pace on race day.

So what’s the optimal protocol? I like to keep it simple:

1. frequency – gradually, safely, build running frequency – this will take many seasons;

2. nutritional quality – give your athletes the knowledge and emotional support to address their 3. personal nutritional limiters. Encourage them to nurture themselves with high quality fuel for superior performance.

4. hills – perform the bulk of long runs in rolling hills to build all around leg strength.

5. steady-state flat running – insert blocks of steady flat running into the week – most athletes will only have the time and ability to handle one or two of these sessions. (i.e. strides)

6. get tired the right way – remember the keys to a superior run leg – generate the bulk of training fatigue from the sessions that most directly impact overall race performance. (bike sessions and the long run)

Once the athlete is coping with their run frequency and the rest of their training plan, you can creep the overall steady-state running volume up.

If there was any doubt to why you are all biking so well…… this is why! At the moment all my athletes are complaining that they feel slow on the run, and super fast on the bike.

Its not about the run, in essence. Its why your training runs feel slow. They are slow. On raceday, you will be able to hold that pace after a “easy” bike. That “slow” pace is a freaking good Ironman pace.

If I have to use my own example, I have to run 4:45/km to run 3:10-3:15 on raceday. 4:45/km for me is super slow when I am fit. But on raceday I am flying at that pace. I feel like superman and everyone around me is slower. I have to slow myself down for the first 14km, then its easy to run the right speed for the next 14km, and the last 14km its stupid hard work to get to that pace. My HR is sky high and I am running in essence, quite slowly.

Work is out:

3:45 marathon is 5min21 per km

4:00 marathon is 5min43 per km

4:30 marathon is 6min25 per km

5:00 marathon is 7min09 per km

Choose your pace and work out on your runs how that feels… in the next few weeks you should be running that pace in training. It should feel stupid easy. But remember, thats about as FAST as you can run in the last 12km on raceday, guaranteed.

mad love.

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