The Backstory

Doing an Ironman has always been a goal of mine since I first started doing triathlons in 2009.  However, I didn’t think I’d ever have the time or gumption to take one on.  Each year, my team (Raise The Bar) seems to have at least a couple dozen people that head to our two local Ironmans in Coeur d’Alene in June and Whistler in July.  I’ve always been inspired to hear about everyone’s journeys and hoping one day I could do the same.  However, as a skiing family and something that my son enjoys the most, we are up in the mountains every weekend usually January-March.  This is just something I could not be selfish about and take away from my son.  So my mantra has always been that I could not train for theses races with the groups from my team because we’re skiing. 

So this winter, my buddy and teammate Ray and I were talking and he wanted to get stronger and adopt a strength program to help prepare for his second Ironman.  I told him, I know my way around the gym a bit and can help you with that.  So we started lifting weights 3-4 days/week, swimming, spinning, and running.

Then El Nino came with warm temps and no snow.  Skiing was not happening and when it did happen (only 6 times up), it was terrible.  So as we progressed through the spring and as Ray’s plan increased, I just went along with it to really just get and stay in shape, and keep pushing him.

Coming into 2015, I had ZERO race plans and thought I’d probably just do the norm and race a few short distance tris and my big race would just be the Chelanman Oly.  Ray was persistent and kept encouraging me that I could do something bigger this year.  Since I was just following him and his plan, he consistently said, you’re training for an Ironman anyway(and not skiing), you might as well do it!

So I caved in, kind of.  I decided I could do another Half Ironman and since I had never done an “Ironman” branded event and we had a big RTB group going to Victoria 70.3 in June, that was going to be my big race then.  I wanted to beat my previous time of 5:42 at Victoria and thought I had a shot at breaking 5:30.  But a week before the race, I decided to be an idiot and crash on my bike.  Bike was okay and I had some good road rash.  My arm road rash healed up just enough in time for race day (to be able to ride in aero) and with some extra padding and support, I toed the line.  All I wanted was a shot at 5:30 and told myself I wanted to be between 4:50-5:00 at mile 10 of the run and that I could get 3-10 min miles done to get home.  I was right on the nose at 5:00, feeling good, and decided to push it to the finish.  I finished faster than I thought I could at 5:24, smashing my goal while having an 18 minute PR!  So this Ironman training was working after all!

Rewind to the spring…Ray continued his relentless pressure and encouragement along with the rest of my teammates who were signed up for IM Canada and a certain guy who owns a bike shop that I like to spend money at.  In the spring, as Ray and I helped coach our son’s baseball team, he and his wife Sarah got my wife’s buy-in to do IM Canada (which didn’t take much).  I finally caved in and signed up to race in April!
 
Holy Crap!  What the heck did I commit to now!

So I continued to ride Ray’s coat-tails, pirate his plan, ask him endless questions up until the eve of race day, and enjoyed having a buddy to train with and be pushed by 5-6 days/week.  The hours we spent in the gym, in the pool, in the garage spinning, on the road, at the lake, and on the trail were flat out Awesome.  The teammates that we were lucky to train with and the constant check-ins from others were invaluable and made this journey all the more worthwhile.

Pre-Race

I had not been to Whistler since I was 10 so I really had no idea about the landscape of Whistler or the course, and I didn’t get to go to the team training camp and preview the course before.  All I knew was the bike course was tough from Ray. But I got enough intell from him and trusted him that the changes we made in training were going to pay off and had prepared us.

We fretted about the weather for week’s prior.  With it being unseasonably hot in June, we were all worried that the lake would be too warm to swim with a wetsuit and be wetsuit illegal.  Holy crap, no way I could swim 2.4 miles w/o my wetsuit!  Then the Whistler area had forest fires and smoke filled the village and we were worried about the air quality and if they would cancel the race like they did in Tahoe last year- UGH!

After seeing our friends and teammates go through and race IM CDA in the hottest temps ever for a race, we prepared for another hot race and made sure to really dial-in our nutrition and sodium intake plan.

Then we got the 10-day forecast and started seeing the potential for rain and temperatures dropping- are you kidding me.  As we got closer to race day it was apparent that it was going to rain and be cold- great, ugh!

I think I brought just about every piece of RTB and cycling/running gear I have.  Good thing because I needed just about everything!

Race Day Morning

3:30am wake-up to eat and last check to make sure I had everything for the morning.  It wasn’t raining yet which was nice and the rain jacket I had bought worked, wear it and it won’t rain right? 

I’m always worried that I’ll have a flat tire in the morning or something happened to my bike overnight, but we were all good and there was no need to pump up my tires and wait in the long line- yeah!  So I had more time to kill in transition prior to the race start.  That was nice because I got to be calm, chat with my teammates, and find a spot in the changing tent to sit with Ray and the “older” fast guys (Brad W, John B, Mike R) and hear some last minute encouragement.  Then it was getting closer to 7am and time to get the wetsuit on- almost go time!

Swim

I’m always a bit nervous and anxious and I thought I would be more on this morning but I really wasn’t.  I wasn’t worried about the mass swim start and knew I could get ahead of most of the folks at the start and wouldn’t have to battle too much, although I’ve learned and am always ready and willing to give out Beast Mode stiff arms.  It was cold and I decided to warm up a bit and get in the water ahead of most folks.  We had our wetsuits on which was good for me because I’m so much of a better swimmer with it.  As Linda McCandless says, it’s kinda like a binky!  Speaking of her, I found her warming up and decided to hang with her on one of the start buoys treading water.  I admire her immensely and she flat our kicks my butt every time and is so nice about it too- haha! We weren’t talking much but just sitting there bobbing with a friend and teammate was nice and calming.  Plus I saw she was cold and her teeth were chattering too- so it wasn’t just me.  I sized up my plan and was going to make a bee line for the 2nd or 3rd 100 meter buoy and then fall in line and swim as straight as I possibly could.

Boom…7am the gun goes off and here we go.  Plenty of jostling but I was able to settle in, get to the buoy line and find some clean water in front of me.  As I made the first lap turn my calves got tight and then started cramping- crap!  I actually had to stop, put up my hand, and doggie paddle over to a kayak to rest for a bit and massage my calves.  I thought my day was going to be shot.  I’ve never cramped in an open water swim and the last time my calves did this in the pool, then wouldn’t release for a long time.  As I rubbed them, they released and I let go of the kayak and said the heck with kicking.  I was able to get back to a flutter kick and I was hoping they wouldn’t cramp again.  But, as I made the turn on the backstretch of the second lap, they got tight again, double crap.  I paused again, shook them out and said the heck with it, if they cramp then I’ll just pull myself to shore the rest of the way.  I knew my swim time was going to be slower and that Ray might beat me out of the water.  Plus during the swim and jostling, my Garmin got paused twice so I really had no idea of my swim time- ugh!!!

As I made the final turn to shore, I noticed it was raining pretty good now too- great.  So I sized up my game plan for what to put on in transition and then before I knew it I was onshore getting my wetsuit stripped off.

My swim time ended up being 1:06 and I thought I would be 1:05-1:10 so I must have swam either really well and efficient pre and post cramps or really pissed off post cramps. 

Transition 1- Swim to Bike

The changing tent was a cluster and there wasn’t a chair so I plopped on the grass and started putting everything on.  I don’t like being cold so I put a lot of layers on and it took forever, almost 12 minutes forever.  But it would come in well on the bike as my core stayed warm and I was never really that cold.

Bike

It was Awesome coming out of T1 and hearing the RTB fans cheering us on!  It was pouring and I knew we had a long ride ahead of us.  I look up and there is Linda ahead of me shuffling her bike to the mount area.  Dang she is fast and I knew my cramps cost me.  After we mounted I caught up to her for a bit heading out of the lake and she said just “Ride your Ride” and Enjoy It!  Thanks Linda, those words were in my head all day on the bike and really helped me!  Then she blew by me heading to the village- see ya Linda!

As we headed to Callahan I was staying within my power output game plan and noticed I was really making up ground on people on the descents and could really haul- hmmm.

Then Jenn Edwards passed me like I was standing still- dang she is soooo fast!  Then I was able to catch her climbing up Callahan for a brief moment, then she got me again.  I noticed she was really dialed into her power and was really taking it easy climbing and then hauling on the flatter stretches- hmmm, I need to keep doing that too, don’t go over your FTP Ryan.  I’d catch her a couple more times heading back to Whistler on a few hills, but then she was gonzo!

Since I had not rode or driven the course, it was like a surprise all day.  Which might have helped a bit because I wasn’t fretting about a certain stretch or spot on the course.

As we started climbing up Callahan, I noticed a lot of people were not dressed right and really had only singlets on, no jackets, gloves, etc.  I kept saying to myself, what a bunch of idiots, didn’t you look at the forecast!  In fact, one pro coming down was literally shaking violently on his bike from being cold and there were plenty of people stopped throughout the course all morning that were hypothermic.  I had one guy pass me climbing and said I had a very good clothing option and wished he had done the same.  When we go to the top of Callahan and turned to descend I noticed a lot of people on their brakes and probably wanting to go slower to get less wind and cold.  Since I was fine, I decided to just hammer it and haul butt downhill.  I made up a ton of ground and passed a lot of people and that was the most fun I had all day.  I had no idea how fast I was going and didn’t even want to spare a second to look, but it was at least 40+ mph!

I continued my fast descents as we headed for Pemberton.  I was preparing for and waiting to come to what Ray said was the flattest road ever for 30-ish miles that you need to stay in aero for and that would be a grind.  And finally there it was and indeed it was grind to stay aero and just keep my pace.  Then we made the turn –around, we got hit with a stiff headwind.  That just added to the grind and my speed and power decreased but I was able to grind it out and finally get to the end of the Pemberton flats.  My legs were already tired by that time and I knew we had to climb back to Whistler.  Ray had told me from the training camp ride that miles 90-105 were just death and that we would climb about 1800 feet just to get back, so I prepared myself for that and reinforced my power output game plan.  At least by this time, the rain had stopped and there seemed to be a bit of clearing in the sky.

So we climbed and climbed and climbed (Ray was right, it was death) and I just kept telling myself to get to 105 miles, stay under my power number, and we’d be good.  It took forever and by the time we were headed back to Whistler, the sun had come out- yes!  It was Awesome again coming back into town and seeing everyone out cheering and the RTB crew of supporters.  I couldn’t wait to see my wife and son on the run course!

Bike time ended at 6:32 and was 32 minutes off my goal but with the weather and the climbing- I’ll take it!

Sponsor Phil Kriss of Kriss Chiropractic is fresh off his latest race, Ironman Canada. Below is some insight on what Kriss Chiropractic can offer you to keep you healthy and active. And a side benefit to seeing Phil Kriss is that you can swap great triathlon stories during exams and treatment. If you have never heard a Phil Kriss story (click for IM race report), you are missing out. 


Most people that are reading this newsletter understand the importance of taking care of themselves, and have invested at least thousands of dollars in that endeavor. When I look at my cost to enter races, buy the associated junk, and my escalating food bill, the justification could be it is still cheaper than the cost of medications and visits to the doctor. But, there is at least one overlooked aspect of health care, and that is the integrity of your spine, nervous system and the rest of the joints in your body.

Many recent studies done by both insurance companies and our trusty government arrived at the conclusion that chiropractic should be the portal of entry for spinal problems. The scuttlebutt I hear is that change is on the horizon in that more referrals will be made by the medical community to chiropractors because of our cost effectiveness, absence of a relapsing condition and overall satisfaction of care.  Yay us!

Regardless of that fact, I still think of myself as an “OH” doctor. Why? When I am asked the question about what I do and respond that I am a chiropractor, OH is typically the first thing I hear. It is either OH you are the leader of a cult, or OH You are my hero! The perception of what we do is a little messed up.

But the point is not that, but it is that chiropractors help athletes achieve their best like nobody else can because we use no medications that may simply mask your symptoms or have effects that can harm you. So, yes, certainly bring us your headaches, low back pain, and other radiating symptoms. We can help those! But, there is more.

Many don’t know we can very effectively treat shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, ankle and foot problems. In many cases, poor alignment of those extremities can be causing conditions like plantar fasciitis, knee pain and cracking, frozen shoulders, impingements and other conditions. I love adjusting extremities because the results are often quickly realized because those joints are simpler than spinal joints.

And chiropractors are many times the expert in rehab. Specific exercises with things like surgical tubing can be the remedy for many “itis” conditions.

I have been an athlete since about 5 (according to my Mom) when I went on my first 35 mile bike ride with her and the Girl Scout troop. Since then I have participated in many athletic high impact adventures. Over those years I have taken a beating, but somehow are still able to function very well without chronic pain or use any medications. It has been regular adjustments that have kept me on the road.

We can’t help everybody and chiropractic certainly is not the cure all for every condition, but if you have a condition we may help you are invited into my office to find out if we can help.

Consultations and brief examinations are always free. If we think we can help, we will tell you. If not, we will tell you that too.Also, we offer choices for care ranging from the best we can offer to something simple to alleviate acute pain only.

Check out our website at krisschiro.com. There also is a link on the upper right corner to a bunch of YouTube videos that are not only helpful but entertaining! My contact information is on there should you have any questions.

We also show up at the races. Stop by our tent and get a free onsite opinion. Feel free to ask us anything you want.

By Lance Hester

Last week RTB Sponsor, The Hester Law Group introduced us to the reality of needing to be prepared to respond if a pedestrian or cyclist is injured by a negligent driver in Washington.  This week more information is provided on how to respond if you or a loved one is the victim of someone else’s negligence.

            There is really only two big issues in most negligence cases.  The first is determining whether someone or some entity (or combination of someones and entities) is at fault.  The second is how much your injuries are worth – including the expenses incurred as well as general damages for your pain and suffering.  I’ve already addressed the first of these two.  Here’s a little bit about getting things paid.

            Carrying liability insurance is the law in Washington State.  Unfortunately, it’s a law that is often ignored; and it is a law that often has some of our worst drivers carrying the mere minimum.  That minimum is $25,000.00.  Unfortunately for cyclists, when we get hit by cars, it doesn’t take much for the medical bills to exceed $25,000.00.  So what’s an athlete to do?

            First, carry Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage on your own automobile policy.  And carry as high of a limit as you can afford. And, be prepared to respond if you are victimized.There are really only two things for you to take care of as soon as possible if you are hurt by someone else’s negligence:  1. Gather whatever information and evidence is available (or have a friend do it);  and, 2, hire a lawyer.

            If you’re in a bike crash, keep the mangled bike; keep torn clothing; take pictures of the scene or intersection, get the names of everyone you can who saw it, and, of course, who caused it. Figure out which fire department helped out; and what police officer responded, and an incident number.

            As soon as you can, research and retain an experienced personal injury attorney.  In most cases it won’t cost you anything up front as most of us work on a contingency fee basis. A good firm will promptly notify all relevant parties to communicate with the lawyer, not the injured client.  Your lawyers office will determine who should be responsible to pay, and will analyze what insurance sources are available. If PIP coverage exists, many bills will be covered immediately.  Other bills may have to be managed with a lien against a future settlement.  These are the kinds of things attorneys can do to help you focus on healing while the details of managing the case are taken care of largely outside of your view.  Your lawyer will work with you to optimize the recovery obtained in your case. You will collaborate with him on many issues.  And you will keep each other mutually informed of your progress.  Be patient, because your case will only be settled once, and that shouldn’t happen until you and your lawyer are content understanding whether you have completely healed, or at least have an excellent view of what that will look like and how long that will take.

            When it comes time to either settle or go to trial, your lawyer will account for all of your expenses, your health insurance’s subrogated interest, any lost wages claims, and your pain and suffering.  A lot goes into this analysis, including the attorneys own experience with similarly injured clients, and jury verdict research.  At this juncture the attorney should be willing to do whatever is in his client’s best interest.  Sometimes that means filing a lawsuit and navigating the case toward a trial.  At other times this means making a demand to the insurance company and pursuing an early settlement.  

            Meanwhile, don’t take crosswalks for granted.  Ride, walk and run through even the most controlled intersections defensively and with keen awareness, for the majority of cycling and pedestrian injuries are caused by negligent drivers in crosswalks.