2012 Triple Ultra
Event 2:
Inaugural Zendurance Ultra Tri Camp
Preface: This Event Recap
dovetails into a series of Entries journaling my preparation for the 2012
Triple Ultra – 3 multi-day multisport events in 5 weeks. To read this journal from Entry 1, go here.
Introduction:
This Event Recap
discusses the second event of my 2012 Triple Ultra. The actual event we completed is not what I
originally “forecast” when I first put forth in the 2012 Triple Ultra. I begin this recap with a recollection of how
this event came into being.
History:
Months ago, Bob
Posey and I set our sites on “prototyping” the Trans Mass Ultra 320.0 – a 3 day
ultra triathlon that would traverse the state of Massachusetts
-
Day 1: A
10-kilometer swim, followed by a 90-mile bike.
-
Day 2: A
171.4-mile bike.
-
Day 3: A
52.4-mile run (double marathon).
As with Ultraman, each
day would be point-to-point, requiring a support vehicle to accompany each
athlete. The costs and logistics of this
point-to-point format make it difficult to produce, and include an
environmental “footprint”.
Inspired by what he
knew of Hawaii Ultraman, Bob envisioned this race years ago – with the passionate
intent of producing it as a fundraiser for a charitable organization that is
addressing Duchenne’s Disease.
He shared this
vision with me last year, and I was intrigued.
The race would start with a 10K swim in Stockbridge Bowl, a picturesque
lake nestled in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts ,
near the New York Cape Cod . These
rides would include climbs in the Berkshires, and classic pastoral New England scenery.
The Day 3 run, mostly on rec-ways, would extend the length of the cape
and finish in Provincetown
From the mountains
to the sea shore! Sounded like a classic
to me!!
Earlier this year,
we set a date of 21-23 September – after the summer population had vacated the
cape. As Bob began to work out the
logistics, it became evident that even if we staged this as a training event – rather than a race – it
would still require a great deal of legal and administrative work that neither
of us had the time or experience to complete.
These legal
requirements were also mandatory if we chose to team up with the non-profit
charity for Duchenne’s Disease. We
regretted our inability to connect our event with this charity.
As the time drew
nearer, I dreamed up the 2012 Triple Ultra.
Our Massachusetts
While our dreams
were shrinking, our sincerity and commitment were not. This would be Bob’s first ultra (beyond iron
distance) and first multi-day stage race.
Just after the Shawangunk Double, we opted this as a self-supported
three-day event centered in western Massachusetts
Since I had already
publically announced my 2012 Triple Ultra vision, and defined the second event
as an Ultraman distance format, I felt compelled to complete the prescribed
distances on each of the three days within the 12-hour time limit for each day. If I failed to do that, I felt that I would
fail my followers.
Reality Sets In:
Betsy and I embarked
on our 4+ hour drive to Bob’s house after 6pm on Thursday evening, due to
other commitments. We arrived around
11pm – not exactly ideal for a quiet and restful preparation for an event that
started early the next morning.
Our course for the
first day was set, with the 10K swim and a single 90-mile bike loop that took
us north and west into New York State , climbing the Petersburg Pass
Day One:
Friday, September 21st
brought perfect autumn weather – cool, with thin overcast that was forecast to
burn off. We left Bob’s house around
7am, driving 25 minutes to Stockbridge Bowl.
There, we assembled and staged our bike gear before donning the
wetsuits.
I have to say, it’s
a good thing I didn’t go down to check the water temp when we first got
there. I might not have ever
started. For my skinny a&&, that
water was cold! Good thing I had put on a hood. We began at 8:25 – knowing we would be able
to complete Day 1 in well under 12 hours.
The swim was quite beautiful and serene as we swam the perimeter of the
lake, though the sky was still overcast and offered no sympathy for the cold
water.
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Leigh Magadini
provided kayak escort and GPS to verify the distance of our swim. My companion Betsy also kayaked. I was feeling pretty chilled after the first
loop of 2.7 miles. I wondered just how I
would make it to 6.2 miles, given how I felt.
“Just take it one stroke at a
time.” I said to myself.
My friend Dave
Barra, who swam the English Channel , monitors
and maintains a stroke cadence – not just for speed, but also to maintain
warmth. (And he doesn’t wear a
wetsuit.) Keeping this in mind, I was
very conscious of keeping my cadence brisk – to match the temperature of the
water!
Somewhere along the
second loop, I stopped getting any colder and seemed to reach a (dazed)
equilibrium. However, my hip sockets
ached from shivering so much. After the
second loop, we had logged 5.92 miles.
With a short out and back, we were at 10K. Yes!
At 3 hours 25
minutes, this was quite a bit slower than I anticipated. We exited the water and began the
transition. There must have been a time
warp that I attribute to hypothermia. It
took us nearly an hour to transition. (OK,
it took me that long.) Anticipating the mountainous ride, I chose to
ride my road bike, as did Bob.
I finally warmed up
45 minutes into the ride. Ah!
It felt so good to be warm, I would have been happy to climb a wall with
my bike on my back. Our ride north, up
and over the pass, was inspiring even though we were on some busy roads with
rough shoulders that required focus and diligence. As we rode, the sky cleared and the winds
picked up. We were conscious of a strong
tailwind – knowing we would be encountering headwinds on the return south.
At this point, Bob
and I were both focused on getting in the distance – and getting it done before
dark (7:15 pm). We hustled through the
headwinds on our way back south – heads down.
We made it – just barely. Bob’s
Garmin verified the distance of 90 miles and indicated that we had climbed 6970
feet. By the time we packed up and drove
back, it was 8:30.
Just after 9pm, we
sat down to a hearty meal of eggs, vegetables from our garden in Ithaca
I made it to bed by
11:15 – almost an hour earlier than Thursday night. I arose again at 5:00 to do my daily
30-minutes of T’ai Chi. After a light
breakfast and tea, we were on the bikes by 7:15. That gave us exactly 12 hours of
daylight. Since I didn’t know what to
expect, I elected again to ride my road bike – as did Bob.
Day Two:
The sky was a moody
overcast, with the sun glowing through a crack in the sky, just above a
mountain ridge. It looked to us like a jagged
Jack O’Lantern’s mouth – appropriate for the first day of autumn.
Our bike route this
day was... enchanting. First we headed north and east, then circled
west and south into Connecticut
We completed the
loop in 3 hours. The GPS showed just
over 46.8 miles and a solid 3,070 feet of elevation. With a 15-minute break, we re-fueled and I
set up my time-trial bike – switching the wheels and pedals from my road bike. Since I plan on switching between road and
time-trial bikes for the Virginia Triple, I wanted the experience of adjusting
my biomechanics and positioning.
At this point, it
was obvious that we were not going to
ride a full 171.6 miles today, just to qualify this as a true Ultraman
distance. Time to give it up. I was unconcerned. It was no longer important or appropriate to
impose a concept or a rigid goal on this epic experience – on this enchanting
landscape and this moody day that brought dark skies and inner shadows, as well
as patches of sun and brilliant revelation.
This was not about distance and time cut-offs – it was about the outer
and inner journeys.
Loop 2: Wildflower meadow in the background, planted by Meryl Streep
Loop 2: Riding the TT, posed in front of a sheep farm.
At no time did we
dawdle or noodle around. We stopped
three times per loop for bathroom breaks and water fills – about 2:00 each time. At the house, we limited our breaks to a max
of 15 minutes. We averaged over 15 miles
per hour during our actual riding time and covered the course 3 times. That totaled 140.6 miles and 9210 feet of
elevation. No failure here, just an
earnest accomplishment.
There were a few
times during Day 2 where I felt a deep fatigue – one that really starts to wear
on the mind. I don’t recall feeling that
during Day 2 of Hawaii Ultraman in 2006.
I have only felt it during the Virginia Double.
We completed our 3rd
loop at 6:05 pm – a 10:50 day, including breaks. I was quite comfortable on my time-trial bike
for the last 2 loops – despite the aggressive position. This gave me great confidence. In hindsight, it was a good thing I had
ridden my time trial so much during the first week of my “durability” training,
a month previous. (Read the discussion
of my 21-day training transition from Olympic to ultra at this link.)
I disassembled and
packed my bikes and all my bike and swim gear into the car immediately after. We sat down to our first meal of the day (a
little earlier than last night) – no travel time and an earlier
completion. In my heart, I knew that our
3-day ultra was a great success so far – that it honored the energy – the mana – of this sacred area. I was confident that our endeavor for Day 3
would do the same.
As we enjoyed
another hearty meal of vegetables, eggs and beans, we considered our options
for Day 3’s ultra run. Bob had a trail
loop in mind, near Stockbridge Bowl where we swam and staged on Day 1. It would be somewhat hilly, with technical
sections and it would involve driving the 25 minutes and carrying our clothes
and nutrition from the van to our staging area.
After today’s
enchanting experience, I was looking forward to it! I had absolute faith in Bob. The location also put Betsy and I closer to
the interstate, since we would make the 4-hour drive home, once we were
finished with our “Tri State Ultra Tri” as we had now dubbed it.
While I was very
tempted to get in bed by 10 pm, I opted to post a 2012 Triple Ultra Journal
Entry and respond to some e-mails. In
bed by 11:15, and up by 5... for the last day!
Day Three:
We departed the
house at 7 am promptly for our ultra trail run, not really knowing how long the
trail loop was, or how far we would run.
We just knew that we would keep it honest and earnest. Once in the parking lot, we gathered our
nutrition, water, extra clothing and (in my case) extra shoes and walked the
3-tenths of a mile to the loop.
I started out in the
Vibram 5-Fingers, even though I was still dealing with the broken toe. This meant I was “running” a higher risk of
injury, but the higher stakes meant I had to be that much more mindful about
every step.
We started out with
a shuffle up the first hill. Eventually,
it turned into a saunter and then a canter.
With patience, our legs began to sort things out. I felt surprisingly fresh – my legs welcomed
this new movement pattern. And running
in the V5F’s is always energizing.
The trail had some
smooth, almost flat sections, and plenty of slightly rooty and rocky sections,
with lots of up and down, but very few steep sections – and (unlike American
Zofingen’s run course) all of these were short.
The early morning light made sighting a bit challenging, so I had to
exercise great caution in the V5F’s. My
choice to wear them was two-fold: First,
the minimal support and protection would encourage me to run very
efficiently. Second, the risk of injury
“inspired” me to run slowly – a smart
way to start a long run.
Reality Sets In
Again:
As we ran that first
loop, I began to look at the big picture of this weekend. I came here expecting to stamp an
Ultraman-distance format on to this landscape and “get it done” within the
12-hour cut-off of each day. That would
fit neatly into my 2012 Triple Ultra – and make me look heroic. However, I gave that up yesterday during the
enchantment of our 3-loop 140.6-mile bike loop.
(Hmmm... is there some significance to that distance?)
And once I had let
go of that, I discovered the beauty and the flow of the place, the wonderful
fortune of my ultra brotherhood with Bob, and the generous offerings of support
from my companion Betsy. Originally, I
had tried to persuade Betsy to stay home, assuring her that I could do the
event without her. Now I realized how
fortunate I was, and how much commitment she had for us.
Sometimes it just
takes a couple of days of fatigue for me to finally let go of my hard-nose attachments!
I had moved out of my head and into my heart.
And it’s in our hearts that we are able to transform all of our training
and preparation into the true spirit of “competition”
– a petition for the empowerment of companionship.
Whether a
self-supported event with friends, or
a timed and sanctioned race – the
true spirit of “competition” lives in both
contexts. It is a celebration of our
health and power, of our limitations and vulnerability. It is graceful movement through the
enchanting and challenging landscapes of our wonderful planet-home.
It’s revelations
like this that motivate me to “go ultra”.
With this
“surrender” from stubborn achievement to flowing revelations, my running
changed. It was no longer “knock-it-out
and get-‘er-done” mode. This was a
humble, graceful spirit run.
The visions began to
rise up from my heart and flood my thoughts.
Such inspirations and realizations are precious, but this transformation
had my mind wandering away from the task at hand, and did leave me with a few
stubbed toes – including my recently broken one. Usually, I am mindful and focused on each
step, but I could not attribute this wandering to lack of discipline. The imagination must flourish!
Dreaming Up the
Camp:
We completed our
first loop in 50 minutes, and consulted the Almighty Garmin: distance: 3.25
miles, elevation: unknown. Pretty
dog-gone slow for 5K, but such is the patient unfolding of the ultra approach. With a bottle re-fill, we set off on lap 2.
The running was easy
and soft. I slipped back into my visions
again. OK, so we were not going to
complete an Ultraman-distance event this weekend, but we were certainly creating
a great event. Our Day 1 swim and
transition area at Stockbridge Bowl, and this Day 3 run loop were very close to
Kripalu Institute – a well-known retreat facility.
I began imagining a
Zendurance Ultra Triathlon Camp, to support athletes in crossing the bridge
from single-day iron-distance to multi-day ultra tri. Hmmmm....
We can convene on
Tuesday night, staying at Kripalu. On
Wednesday, we can do a short zen-like swim in Stockbridge Bowl, and perhaps an
easy ride and/or run. Then we can have
lectures on many of the topics I have covered in the 2012 Triple Ultra Journal
on Wednesday and Thursday. I can also
include some short periods of moving meditation, usning the simple practices on
my T’ai Chi for Athletes DVD. All of this to prepare us for Friday,
Saturday and Sunday: With quiet, empty zen-like minds, tuned, graceful bodies,
and open grateful hearts, we can cover this three-day event – our Tri State Ultra
Triathlon.
Bob and I agreed in
our sparse exchanges that all of this sounded like a great vision for next
year. And yes, I stumbled a few more
times. After the third loop, I switched
from the V5F’s to New Balance Trail Minimus.
Now I could run faster, with a little more protection for my feet.
Empty Mind, Zen Run:
We continued on into
the day, easing through one loop after another. After a few laps, my mind emptied of the
visions and I went back to sounding mantras within my mind, in synch with my breath.
This is my standard practice during long zendurance sessions.
The Almighty Garmin
kept giving us the 3.25 (+/- 0.02), but never divulged anything about
elevation. I estimated that each loop
included about 300’ of climbing. Our
times dropped down to a consistent 46-47 minutes per loop.
A lookout we ran past on every run loop.
I was diligent to
either run or walk – instead of hanging out in the “grey-zone” of plodding. My “plodding biomechanics” are not very
efficient, so I wanted to retain a distinction between running and
walking. I planned to use this strategy
as long as I can during the Virginia Triple Iron, 2 weeks later. (We’ll see...)
Throughout the day,
we kept a very consistent pace on each loop.
Neither of us experienced any nagging pains. We were mindful of every stride. (...OK, almost every stride.)
I kept my caloric
intake very simple. I ingested ~100-125
calories per loop (Hammer Heed or Perpetuem,) with consistent Endurolytes
intake. At our re-fuel pauses, I ate a
few dates or a pull of Hammer Gel, and continued on. The lightness felt good, my energy stayed
consistent all day. Typically, we were
just 2-3 minutes at the refill.
Weekend Theme:
If there was a
“theme” throughout this weekend it was gentleness. Gentleness is a vital quality for ultra
endurance – especially if this is going to be an ongoing practice in life. And, as I experienced this weekend, the
gateway to gentleness may be through flexibility
– the ability to respond to current circumstances, instead of forcing an
agenda.
These virtues of
gentleness and flexibility are distinct from laziness and complacency. Bob and I gave up the Ultraman distance
format, but we did not roll over and succumb to discomfort and fatigue. Discernment comes with experience.
Completion:
Ten loops brought us
to 5:45 pm. The inaugural “Zendurance Ultra Tri Camp” was drawing
to a close. We gathered our gear and
sauntered back to Bob’s van – and me into Betsy’s arms.
No frills finish line
With no fanfare, but
with great glowing warmth in our hearts, we felt complete and satisfied in
gracefully traversing the “Tri-State
Ultra”. In this event, Bob had
completed his longest swim, his longest bike and his longest run – in three
consecutive days. Here’s a quote from
Bob’s follow-up e-mail:
"It is exactly one week since we began to bring our vision of an Ultra here in Massachusetts to a reality. It has been difficult for me all week to think of anything else.
"Granted, the course changed completely from our original plan, but looking back at it now, things worked out for the better, as they always seem to do when you don't confine yourself to preconceived plans and simply follow the Tao. [My emphasis.] This is not an easy practice for me, and is something of a work in progress for me. [Hah! Me too!] Your openess to the change helped me tremendously with this.
"There are many things that I learned from you last weekend and I thank you for all of them. You left me with a feeling of calmness and focus that I did not have prior to our event. It is still with me today"
(Wow, if we can create these kinds of results in our Zendurance Ultra Tri Camp next year, i will be ecstatic.)
It would have been nice for us to celebrate in the usual post-race way - to have medals hung around our necks, to "high-five" some cheering spectators on the way down a finisher's chute, with a clock overhead, to hear our names announced. However, our experience of the event was already complete.. We were saturated with gratitude. With a few hugs all around, it was time to fold my body into the the car, and for Betsy and I to head west.
In twelve days, I
start my first Virginia Triple Iron.
Until then, be gentle and graceful – this is 2012, a time of many
changes and transformations.
Gratitude:
I am grateful to Bob
Posey for dreaming up this event and for bringing it to fruition. I am so very grateful to Bob, his wife Dawn,
and his daughter Sierra for their gracious hospitality – providing Betsy and I
with a home during this journey. Once,
again my beloving companion Betsy Laughlin was there for me (for us), always
enthusiastic and supportive. And thanks
to Dawn’s mom Leigh Magadini for kayaking and measuring the swim.
Sponsors:
Hammer Nutrition: For superior
training and racing fuels and supplements.
2XU: For superior triathlon training and racing apparel,
wetsuits and compression wear.
Kurt Kinetic: For the best stationary
bike training stand – the Rock and Roll!
Bicycle Depot, New Paltz , NY
Finger Lakes Running and
Triathlon Company: Also for most
excellent service and support.
Island Health and Fitness: Providing me with a great pool facility for
training and teaching.
Share It!
If you know others who might benefit from
following this endeavor, please alert them to this journal. Thanks!
Keep Current!
To receive a notice each time I post a new
2012 Triple Ultra Journal Entry, go to Zendurance Triathletes 1 on Facebook and
send a request to join.
Contact!
You are welcome to contact me: ironzen@hotmail.com. I will do my best to respond.
