Rev3 Quassy Race Report

At the beginning of every year I will sit down and figure out which races I plan on doing over the next twelve months. Some, like the xMas City 5 Miler, are always on the schedule.  Others are new or occasional events. Rev3 Quassy is a race I did in 2011 as a test of my fitness in my buildup to Ironman Lake Placid. When I signed up for 2013, it was an "A-ish" race for the first half of the year. And what I mean by that is I wanted to well, meet my goals, etc., but I had another race that was more important. With a bum calf,  the original game plan changed.

Earlier in the week I contacted the race director and explained that I couldn't run due to injury and wanted to switch to the AquaBike division. The very quick reply was, no problem, just let us know at packet pickup and we will change it for you. Because this is a Rev3 event, it really was that easy. So just like that I was able to compete without worry.

The expo was uneventful ... a few vendors, a pro forum, then the athlete's meeting. From there we found our hotel, ate some dinner, had some ice cream, tried to get some sleep.The only real issue we had was the bachelorette party that was starting/finishing directly across the hall from our room. (Side Note: Who the heck decides to get a room at the Holiday Inn Express for your friend's bachlorette party? Seriously, try this instead.) Fortunately they left rather quickly and the noise was limited over night.

Does it get any better than free soda? Who does that?

Jeff, Emily and I woke up around 4:30 am, grabbed some food at the Duncan Donuts and were in the transition area just after 6 am. Nick and Barb were already there getting set for the 7am start.

Swimming was a much different experience than I am used to with a wave start. Typically,the strong swimmers move aggressively to the front with the weaker swimmers to he back. The first few hundred meters can get rough, but it usually sorts itself out quickly. Here, there were a lot of weaker swimmers who seated themselves at the front, making it difficult to find space or a set of feet to draft off of. It only got worse at the first turn into a blinding sun. I was so not swimming straight until finally finding the final turn and heading into the swim finish. Honestly I was expecting to see a 35:xx on my watch and, all things considered, was happy with a 30:58 swim.

Transition was standard, with the exception that I walked it (due to my strained calf). My 3:04 was slow but expected.

Onto the bike and the real race in my eyes. The ride in Quassy is really like no other. With 4000+ ft. of climb, you need to be strong and fit. The pure amount of climbing is what everyone talks about, but there are other challenges to be conquered - a long, never-ending 7 mile climb from mile 23 to 30, technical descents, blind descents, portions of rough road, and sand/gravel sitting in the S-turn around mile 5. You need to bring your A-game, you need to stay focused, and you need to have proper bike gearing to keep from expending too much energy. 

The plan was to ride hard and fast to mile 23, take the middle section from 23 to the turnaround at mile 39.5 in control, then open it back up to the finish. Coming out of transition I was next to Emily long enough to say hello and I was gone. Starting in the 7th wave of swimmer I had a crowd of cyclists in front of me, but with more than enough room to ride without worry. For the first hour I put my head down focusing on pushing the pedals and hydrating. 

I hit the 7 mile climb just after the 1 hour mark with a steady rhythm and an eye on my effort. By the time I hit the top it was heating up and the water station was a needed commodity. I continued to manage the course to the turnaround and then I started to hammer it home. The final few miles feature steady climbing back into transition. Knowing my day would be over at transition, I continued to push right to the line. Official bike time was 2:42:09. Total race time was 3:16:11, good enough for second place in the AquaBike division. Full race results here.

After turning in my timing chip I walked over to the finish line to pick up my metal, get some Gatorade, and watch the end of the pro race. I was also able to see my race results and check up on where everyone was out on the course. See, Rev3 has computers setup to give you a chance to see results in real time. So not only did I know Emily and Jeff were out on the run, but I also knew how I placed. I spent the next few hours spectating and cheering for those still out on course.

Emily, Me, and "The Mayor" post-race

Overall Rev3 Quassy was a great experience. Changing my registration from the 1/2 Ironman to the AquaBike was simple and easy; the course a great challenge. The race was well organization, the people were friendly, and the venue was a nice change of pace. Quassy, if you don't know, is a small amusement park. The swim is in the lake the park is situated on, the transition area is right next to a roller coaster, the finish area is located in the pavilion area. I sure I will be back.

Next up: Trirock Philadelphia on June 23.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Dealing With Injury

Almost four weeks ago I strained my left calf at the end of a 5 mile transition run. While it appeared to come from nowhere, inevitably there was something not right that caused the muscle strain injury. Over the years of training for first marathons then Ironman events, I have remained relatively injury-free. Like everyone who trains for long distance endurance events, I have beat my body up and had small issues from time-to-time. But for the most part, I am dealing with something I am not used to dealing with - an interruption of my training and my routine.

A former colleague of mine became famous around the office for using the phrase "I love my routine" on a fairly routine basis. I always found the humor in how it would get under some people's skin, but also appreciated the thought. Because truth be told, I do love my routine. I know that when I wake early in the day I have a workout on the agenda before heading into the office. Sometimes a bike ... sometimes a run ... on a rare occasion a swim ... but always something. For the past month there has not necessarily been the case.

See, I haven't been able to run since that transition run. I tried last weekend and failed.This posed a much larger problem as I am scheduled to do the Rev3 Quassy 70.3 this weekend in Middlebury, CT. Being that I can't run, I had a change of plans. Still racing, but a change of plans. Here's how I'm dealing with this injury:

1. Aggressive Rehab - I am very fortunate in having a great massage therapist in Joe as well as an incredibly knowledgeable chiropractor in Greg Huron who understands and works with athletes on a regular basis. As soon as I had the issue I  scheduled to meet with both Joe and Greg asap to get a game plan together for fixing me.

2. Change in Training Focus - The great thing about doing triathlons is if you an injury keeps you from one form of exercise you can change focus and work on other areas. I had the same exact injury two years ago and put in a big block of swim training. And a funny thing happened - my swim noticeably improved. 

3. Remain Positive - This can be a challenge, especially when race season comes around. But bigger picture, I get that I'm healthy and fit, which is really what matters, not a few weeks away from the run.

4. Change in Race Plans - One must be realistic about what can and cannot be done. As this injury occurred right in the middle of by buildup for Quassy, I immediately understood that my best-case would be to go into the race able to make the distance, but not with the run fitness to make my original time goal. Once I decided that I couldn't run at all, I changed my registration to the AquaVelo division so I could still compete. I am scheduled to do the Philly Olympic Triathlon on June 23. Unlikely that my goal of winning the 40-44 Age Group title is going to happen. 

And such is life. 

So come Sunday I will be able to toe the line in an event that I have never raced before. Because of the bum calf I will compete in a totally different way than I had originally planned and it's kinda exciting. If you are familiar with the Quassy course - or Middlebury, CT in general - you know that it is challenging. To say there are a lot of hills is a vast understatement. That, of course, makes me happy. As we like to say : "we train for hills, we love hills!!!" 

Train hard. Stay focused.

Jon