Monthly Archives: May 2009

Can Lance Win 8?

By tjfry | May 31, 2009

So I’ve been watching this year’s Giro d’ Italia, which admittedly is the first time I have ever watched it. Two main reasons being that 1)I now have same day television coverage and 2)Lance is racing again. While I know his job is to help Levi win, I was still surprised with how poorly he did in the time trials and mountain climbs in the first 2 weeks. I kept thinking that there is no way he’ll be ready to France. The third week, though, has slowly started to change my mind. He’s climbing better, staying with the leaders, and even attacking them some. This is also a tour that is laid out and riden much differently than France’s. Climbs are steeper and time trials are much different. While I still think he has a ways to go, I’m starting to think that he might get into enough form that he can fight for yellow.

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Lance as a Teen

Growing up in Texas, I had the privilege of racing Lance in his early years as a triathlete. Well, I was racing and he was racing, but he wasn’t exactly looking over his shoulder for me (only once did I make it close). As a teen he was absolutely amazing. At 15 this guy was a professional triathlete and was leading top pros like Mark Allen and Mike Pigg into the run. It was just unheard of to do what he did at that age. So when I read that Lance was scrapping the swim and run and joining the world of cycling, do you know what the first words out of my mouth were?

“He’s gonna win the Tour de France.”

There was no doubt in my mind that was going to become an all time cycling great. It was as obvious to me as the sun in the sky. Now I had to wait nearly a decade to be proven right, but man was I right.

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The Teenage Pro

Lance has been followed around since his first win under a cloud of suspicion on whether or not he uses performance enhancing drugs to be that good. 7 tour wins and not a single positive test from the most tested man in all of sports and he’s still not in the clear. But the fact that he’s willing to go back into the lion’s den of the french media and race again tells me that he’s not all that concerned with the accusations. Nowadays, if you do great things people are just going to wonder. I’m no different. I saw this guy do amazing things from the start and I still wonder if the rumors are true.

So will Lance win number 8? Well, he’s got a few things on his side. First of course are his genetics.  That might help him overcome some of his age, because he be racing people 10 years younger than him. He also has, at least as I type this, a strong team. Hopefully they’ll get their sponsor problems cleared up in time. Above all else though, he has a crazy work ethic and knows how to win this race.

Will it happen? Not as sure as I used to be about that question. If I had to bet on it, I would put him somewhere on the podium. Can’t wait to see where on that podium he ends up.

Posted in Biking | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Product Review: H2O Audio Interval

By tjfry | May 29, 2009

As a kid growing up swimming, I often daydreamed about how wonderful it would be to listen to music while I swam. At the time there were no personal devices available, but from time to time we would swim in a pool that also had a synchronized swimming program and therefore underwater speakers. You couldn’t hear the music while swimming because of all the bubbles, but on turns and breaks we could hear the music crystal clear. Fast forward to the mid 1990′s. Speedo came out with a small, waterproof radio. It was a simple device, FM only, with one button to tune in stations like a scan button. Not bad, but the reception was horrible, so you needed a really strong signal to get some music. I used it from time to time, but the frustration of a choppy signal eventually led me to toss it in the ‘ole junk drawer.

Now with the advent of mp3 players, I figured the waterproof version would start popping up, and I was right. A number of the versions I’ve tried have been waist belts, etc that you strap your iPod into. But as soon as you push off a wall or change strokes the thing would move all over the place. Then H20Audio came up with a case for the shuffle that’s small enough to clip to the goggle strap. This is much closer to what I was looking for, so I pulled the trigger.

The design is pretty simple. Plug the shuffle into the case and close it up. the external controls are lined up with the shuffle controls, so the navigation is identical. They provide a head clip that is intended to provide a stand alone unit (no clipping to goggles), but I found the angle of the earphones with the clip were less than ideal, so I scrapped the head clip. The earphones look like standard earphones with earplug like attachments. I found them a bit bulky. The sound is perfect. I could hear my songs crystal clear as long as water didn’t enter the earphones, and this became the key. After a handful of set ups, I found that clipping to my goggles underneath my swim cap worked the best. The cap kept everything, including the earphones, in place. I started getting the earphones good and set in dry conditions kept the phones in place the best. Trying to adjust the earphones in the pool usually led to water getting in and the sound quality dimishing. Once I was set though, I could hear my songs without interuption. It’s fantastic and just as I hoped it would be as a kid.  Overall I give it a huge thumbs up!

Here are the only two issues: The earphones. Like I mentioned, they’re a little bulky, so a good stroke (free or back) that sweeps by the ear can knock a phone loose. Once an earphone gets loose, it’s very hard to resecure in the pool. Having said that, H2O Audio has recently come out new version (see photos) which comes with much smaller earphones. Looks like that problem has been addressed (I haven’t tried the new phones so I can’t comment on effectiveness)

Problem #2: Water noise. I need to say that this isn’t an H2O Audio problem, it’s just something that I learned. The deep noises of the bubbles, etc of swimming drown out deeper notes in songs. So Pearl Jam type songs with deep notes are very difficult to hear. 80′s rock music with high pitches and guitar solos are very easy to hear. I learn something new everyday.

At the end of the day, if you are looking to listen to music while you swim, this is an excellent choice, and I highly recommend it.

Posted in Gear, Swimming | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Swimming at the Front: Tactics for Racing in the Craziness

By tjfry | May 13, 2009

Previously I have talked about having the most pleasant open water experience you can by avoiding the problems that pop up in an open water swim. Those tips can come in handy if you are not overly confident or accomplished in swimming. What if you are a good swimmer though? If you plan on racing the swim and getting out in the front of the pack you will need to be a bit more aggressive in your approach. So for those who aren’t that concerned with potentially mixing it up with others, here are some front of pack suggestions.sw2sw3sw4

The Start. Even though you are lining up in the front row(s) at the start, the goal of avoiding getting tangled up still applies. If you get caught up fighting for space with others, you will at best lose time, and potentially lose a tooth.  I have been the first out of the water at countless races and will tell you that I have only lined up on the inside line a handful of times. The reason is that it just doesn’t pay. The field is just too tight in that area. A good place to shoot for is 20% over from the inside (The start is 100 feet wide, so you look for a spot 20 feet from the inside line). This way you’re to the outside of the fighting, but still close enough to latch on and draft off of a faster swimmer as the pack thins out. The 20% rule doesn’t always work, so be flexible. The last time I was in Kona for the Ironman World Championships, I used my 20% rule and ended up physically fighting (no lie) for space with 5 minutes to go before the start! Apparently others use my rule too. I moved over another 5% and had plenty of clear water. 

Once you find your spot, you need to protect it before the race starts. Easiest way is to move from treading water vertically to treading water on your stomach. Extend your legs behind you and scull your arms way out to your sides. Throw in some stretching or some violent arms swings to “warm up” and you should have a nice little bubble of water to swim in when the gun goes off.

Fighting. Once the race begins it’s imperative that you start fast with a very large kick. Nothing will stop you faster than someone swimming up on your legs. A big kick will more than likely t redirect the person behind you, as they don’t want to get kicked in the face. Inevitably though you will find yourself getting tangled up if you do this sport long enough.  Remember that clear water is always the goal. Don’t forget this, especially as revenge and curse words start to creep in. First, lose the ego in the first 100 yards. If you are getting pushed a bit to the left, then go left. This is not the time for “This is my turf” attitudes. If you get squeezed on both sides then you need to prove that you belong on the front row. Up the effort to a sprint and be sure that your arms and legs are landing above theirs. As I mentioned before, nothing will slow someone down faster than if their arms and legs are being overtaken, or hindered by something. The sprint may seem long but these tangles clear themselves in a matter of 5-10 seconds. By keeping your arms and legs above theirs and adding a short sprint, you should come out ahead.  So what if you don’t win the supremacy battle? Once someone swims up to your butt from behind or comes across your spine from the side, then you need to conceed. I found the fastest way is to drop a foot or so below the water and let them swim by. This is counter intuitive however, because most people are fighting for air above all else. By dropping down you can quickly survey the surface to find some clear water. Again, this shouldn’t take more than 5 seconds, which is considerably faster than if you keep your ego and battle it out for the next 100 yards.

sw5Shaking the Drafters. Ok, you you have broken free of all the fighting and settled in to a nice rhythm at or towards the front.  Problem is that this is a race and there are 3 people catching a free ride on your heels, one of which is a strong cyclist that you need some time on. Getting someone out of your draft is easier in the water than on the bike, but still no piece of cake.  The key is confusion and frustration.  Try and get a look at which side they are breathing to. Then, start with a short, bubbly kick so that they can confirm they are right in place. Next, kill the kick and take 3 hard strokes away from them opposite their breathing side. This should get you 4-5 feet over, and them squarely out of your draft. Then you need to put in a good 20-30 second surge.  Ideally, by the time they realize that you are not in front of them anymore, you have gapped them enough to break free. Sometimes you will need to repeat a couple of times to shake them.

Passing the Previous Waves. As the swim wears on you will end up catching the waves that started before you. Passing slower swimmers can slow your time more than anything else if done wrong.  I have found that swinging a little to the outside of the people gives me a little more freedom than trying to pass on the inside, right up against the buoys. I know that I have added a little distance, but like I’ve said, clear water is the goal, and swimming the shortest distance has to take a back seat. Best advice here though is to try and look for the trends. Everyone is out there following the swimmers in front, so if a group gets a little off course, there is a good chance that the long chain of followers will drift off course as well. 

The rest of the swim I’ve covered before. Watch the currents, use the surf to your advantage,  swim to the shallows at the finish, etc. Good Luck and remember the most important rule in the water… If you run into me out there you are not allowed to pass.

Posted in Open Water Swimming, Swimming | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Thoughts on Boston…

By tjfry | May 5, 2009

boston1As some of you may know, I ran in the Boston Marathon this year. It was an event I have wanted to experience, and with the birth of our second child, I thought the training would be more manageable than some of the other events I usually look to. Truth was that even with just one sport to train for, a newborn and a one year old in the house are just not very condusive to consistent training. Such as life. Didn’t expect to break my 2:41 PR anyway.

Another bonus to this race was that I got to stay with an old friend/teammate from college and meet her family. It was great to catch up and meet her husband and little kiddo. It made the trip very enjoyable. Anyway, the race..

The race is point to point and they bus everyone from the finish in Boston to the start in Hopkinton. I’m not sure how it takes a bus on a highway an hour and a half to go 26 miles to the start, but I’m sure glad I used the restroom before we left. They drop you off in the ‘Athlete Village’ which is basically the school grounds near the start. They have a little food, a few announcements and a ton of port-a-cans. boston2Most people seemed to be doing one of two things, either waiting in the longest port-a-can lines I’ve ever seen in my life, or sitting down trying to stay warm. For those who plan to do Boston, be aware there are no seats, so bring a blanket or something to sit on and you’ll be fine. After about an hour or so, it was time to head to the start. 

I lined up in corral #6. They have about 1,000 people per corral and it’s seeded by your qualifying time. I learned later that the time difference for my corral was about 2-3 minutes, So essentially, we all had the same time. The race starts and it takes a few minutes to get to the starting line, something I’ve never experienced before. Kinda a hurry up and wait sort of thing. We got running and it was shoulder to shoulder for about 4-5 miles. Saw lots of people peel off into the little sections of woods to pee. Since I didn’t know how populated the rest of the course was, I did the same so I wouldn’t be looking for a port-o-can later on. I also didn’t realize it at the time, but I tied my left shoe too tight. I had to stop twice to loosen it up. Not a big deal but an annoying interruption. Legs felt good early on. My strategy was to be ultra conservative until I got to the top of heartbreak hill. Then I was going to hit the afterburners and destroy the last 5 miles. The reality was that the downhills destroyed my legs over time, so by the time I got to Newton for the 4 hills, I was actually looking forward to an uphill. At the top of heartbreak hill my legs here pretty much finished. So I shuffled the last 5 miles into the finish. My time was about 12 minutes slower than my qualifying race, but I was pretty much expecting that.

 The real story though is the race itself. What an experience. I have never seen crowds so big for a race. There isn’t a spot on the course without crowds of some sort. I really tried to soak it up. Each town you ran into, the crowds tripled and the noise level was fantastic. The noisiest spot without question is Welsley College. I could here those girls screaming from a quarter mile away. They were all holding signs like ‘kiss me, I’m a senior’ or ‘free kisses’, etc. One of the runners next to me decided to take one of the more striking girls up on her offer. Instead of the typical peck though, this girl grabbed the runner and went to town! the guy stumbled off with a big smile. While it was great fun to watch, I decided not to partake. As I mentioned before, I was about 6,000 people back, so I wasn’t too jazzed about the thought of the hundreds of others this girl had already kissed. Not into sloppy 2nds, let alone sloppy 300ths. At the bottom of heartbreak hill, I decided to take a group up on their makeshift ‘beer aidstation’. Why not? Legs were shot, time was no longer an issue and beer tastes great. The last 3 miles entering town the crowds got progressively larger until the final left turn to the finish. There is about a half mile straight to the finish line and it is just solid people. Good fun. I finished and began to freeze my butt off. I figure the locals didn’t think anything of the cold, but I thought I was going to die. The walk to get my warm ups might have been tougher than the race itself with that cold air and strong wind.  My legs tightened up so much that it hurt to take every step. I spent the rest of the day walking around like a 98 year old man.

When it was all said and done I was very happy that I got to experience this event. I know there are many out there who try every year and still can’t qualify, so I feel blessed to knock it out on my first try. For those considering this race, I give it two big thumbs up. Will I go back? Hmmm. Not sure, but I doubt it. I didn’t grow up a runner, so I went to soak up the experience, mark it off my bucket list and move on. But who knows, maybe I’ll get the itch again someday.

Posted in Running, The Bucket List, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment