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Iron Newsman - August 11, 2010

By Chris Schauble

| Wednesday, Aug 11, 2010 | Updated 11:30 AM PST

Iron Newsman

"You are what you think. You are what you go for. You are what you do!" -Bob Richards

There’s no place like home! I grew up in Boulder, Colorado and my still lives there. So, with the gorgeous Boulder Flat Irons (majestic mountains) as a scene setter I took the next step toward the Ford Ironman World Championships by completing a sanctioned Ironman event prior to Kona. What better race than Ironman 70.3 Boulder, held at the Boulder Reservoir. Best of all, I shattered my personal record for the 70.3 distance by more than four minutes with a time of 5:55:29!

Heading into Ironman 70.3 Boulder I was concerned mostly about altitude. The effects of altitude kicked in about five minutes into the swim. Everything I had been told to expect about Ironman 70.3 Boulder came true. The shortness of breath, the rapid heart rate… I could feel the effects of competing at more than 5,400 feet. Trust your training! Sound familiar? Once I started feeling the shortness of breath I changed from my free-style stroke to a breast stroke for 10-15 seconds. Sure enough, with the calm came renewed vigor and I was back at it. My swim time for the 1.2-mile distance was 42:27, my slowest ever for that distance.

As challenging as my swim may have been, I hammered the 56-mile bike portion of Ironman 70.3 Boulder. My time on the bike was 2:47:06. That beats my previous best by 25 minutes! Honestly, race officials said the bike course would be fast and that was an understatement! The first five miles was slightly uphill. Then came a series of ups and downs for another five miles. But when you hit the section that started at St. Vrain road, it was time to terrorize! My weight is a decided disadvantage when it comes to climbing hills. However, I also fly downhill! I’ve never felt better about a bike portion of a triathlon and it showed in my time.

The run was smooth and that’s all I can ask for. My time was 2:19:32. It was my worst run time ever for that distance. Of the three, I think my run was actually the most disappointing (odd to think on a day that I set a personal record). It took about two to three miles for my stride to feel good. I knew right away I was averaging 10 (plus) mile minutes. I think the altitude was a factor in the run as well, but I’m not sure I can say it impacted me as greatly as it did on the swim.

Heat was the biggest factor on the run. I remember seeing a picture of Macca winning Ironman and he had sponges stuffed into his uniform to keep cool. That image leapt to mind when I started doing the same. One sponge attached beneath the elastic band of my hat… one sponge on the back of my neck… three sponges tucked into the top of my uniform… that was my way of staying cool in the 90 degree weather.

So what are the lessons learned from Ironman 70.3 Boulder? I can think of a few right away. First, I had almost expected to have a poor race day. I was telling people I might finish 30 minutes slower than my previous Ironman 70.3 races. Boy was I wrong! My point is I almost sabotaged myself with “stinkin’ thinkin’”. The other important lesson I learned was how to keep cool during the run. The sponges worked great!

Two months before Kona, I feel like I have a clear idea of what I need to improve before the Ford Ironman World Championships. I need to get faster on the run. I’m still carrying too much weight. I’m 10 pounds away from 200 and that’s my goal. I also think I have tired legs. I’ve been stretching and icing better. I’ve also started taking iron supplements and others that will help with the problem (so I’ve been told). I truly believe that by the time the Ford Ironman World Championship rolls around, I will be peaking. I could not ask for anything more… but I got it.

While hanging out in Boulder I met professional triathletes Julie Dibens (2009 Ironman 70.3 World Champion), Mirinda Carfrae (Second in Kona 2009 Ford Ironman World Championship), and Tom O’Donnell (another 70.3 champion). I spent quality time with the athletes at various events and even dinner one night. We talked training and lifestyle. They showed me no matter how successful a person is, there’s a balance in life that we all must have (even when you’re training non-stop, seven days per week).

Competing at Ironman 70.3 Boulder in my hometown: $250. Having my mom and dad watch me finish while learning lessons that help propel me to a successful Ironman finish in Hawaii: priceless!

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-Chris

My race schedule (so far) for 2010:

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