Scott Hull's Team In Training Page
Fight the Good Fight...Race the Good Race...GO TEAM!
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End of Season Race Report: Pac Crest ½ Ironman, 28 June
First things first: A special thank you for supporting the Leukemia and Lymphoma’s Team-in-Training (TNT) efforts this season. With your generosity, the Oregon/SW Washington Chapter raised nearly $350,000 in the noble fight to cure blood cancers. More than 75% of each dollar directly supports research, advocacy, and patient care. Ultimately, you are SAVING LIVES, now and in the future. Huge kudos are also due for our fantastic TNT staff and coaches without whom I would be, perhaps, a slovenly couch potato with nothing exciting to do on wintry weekends. Thanks and congratulations to the whole TEAM for your commitment and tremendous success in this amazing adventure of improving yourselves and the world around you. Cheers all around!
So, intrepid reader, are you ready for the drama? The intrigue? The agony of 72.3 miles of pain known as the 2008 Pac Crest Half Ironman? Be advised there is no guarantee this will be succinct. Read at your leisure.
On 26 June 2008, I arrived in Sunriver, Oregon, surrounded by an incredible “extended family” of TNT Teammates for a perfect weekend on a picturesque high desert mountain. Even in such a heart-warming and idyllic setting, I had more than several concerns. To begin with, I did not taper – that crucial step in race preparation where you rest, eat, bodily heal, and “get your mind right”. No sweat; one out of four isn’t bad, I hoped. Who needs to eat, sleep, and heal anyway? Just meant I would need to pace myself. Course-wise, the potentially sub-60 degree water temperature for the swim put chilling thoughts of hypothermia and icebergs in my head. I had no idea what the new bike course would look and feel like due to significant lingering snow up to the prior week. The weather reports indicated a hot, hot, HOT run. Hmmm. Problematic, but with the TNT mission fueling my desire to succeed plus the training and support of our coaches and my Teammates, I knew deep down that all these things would not be insurmountable. My “concerns” would pass, one way or another.
As race day approached, everything was a blur. Getting to the lodging, eating great meals, and conversing with new and old friends. Practicing swims in Wickiup Reservoir to allay my fears about getting preserved in a gigantic ice cube within which I obviously would be held in suspended animation until found in the year 2150 when all triathletes would be 90% bionic, except me. Setting up my transition areas with the eerie sensation that I must have forgot … something. (What could it have been?) Barely containing tears at the pre-event pasta dinner; again, thinking about the struggles of our current Honored Teammates Natasha Curtis and Dean Christensen; again, hearing the story of a very special little girl that will forever make me cheer when I see a butterfly; again, remembering the friend that I lost in 2005.
And then, after 5 months of training and one last fairly sleepless night, I found myself knee deep with nothing to do but dive in and swim.
RACE RESULTS (1.2 mile swim/58 mile bike/13.1 mile run)
Swim time: 32 min 39 sec (78th place). Didn’t draft off of others’ bubbles as much as last year and yet I swam faster. Wore my sleeveless wetsuit and didn’t get hypothermia. That made for a good start, I think. I also wore a thermal cap for good measure which somehow unfortunately blocked out any perception of yelling spectators as I pounded up the boat ramp to the bike racks. For that, I’m kicking myself. Who doesn’t like their rowdy TNT cheers?? I’m happy to report that I was the first TNT’er out of the water – thanks, Coach Jane!
Transition time to bike: 3 min 2 sec. A little slower than last year; however, at the bike rack, my left brake lever somehow got stuck in one of the other bike’s front spokes. Kelly O’Gara, I hope your wheel is still round. I tried to be gentle!
Bike time: 2 hr 54 min 56 sec (105th place). What an incredible ride.
23 = # of Aero-helmeted studs and studettes that passed me on the bike (i.e., I am total roadkill).
2 = # of Aeroheads who I passed (i.e., it’s a miracle!). Granted, as I grinded my way up one of the more grueling inclines, an Aero-stud passed me like I was standing still. However, within 15 ft, he had the supreme misfortune of dropping his chain. It literally broke off from his bike and lay in a tangled heap before me. I guess that’s what happens when they abuse their expensive bikes with freakishly powerful legs. My pass of the second Aero was legit.
The best parts of the ride: Climbing AND descending. This route was different from last year, including 2 additional miles and a towering speed bump called Mt. Bachelor. Unfortunately I did not have a chance to ride or drive the course in advance due to earlier snow conditions and other travel. I fully expected to be mentally and physically crushed before reaching the route’s high point. Instead, the gorgeous views actually seemed to pull me up the steepest pitches. Imagine the overwhelming elation that on a broiling race day any breeze across the highest remaining snow acted like nature’s air conditioner. Sections of rolling hills whisked by, my mind absorbing the majestic scenery while simultaneously and almost unconsciously directing my body to absorb oxygen, calories, electrolytes, and water... The next thing I knew, I was in my fastest gear, easily spinning my cranks at 115 RPM, smiling from ear to ear (grateful that there weren’t any crunchy bugs getting all up in my grill), and finally plummeting down the mountainside.
Transition time to run: 3 min 25 sec. Gave up time by hosing myself down with spray sunblock. Definitely worth it.
Run time: 1 hr 46 min 28 sec (50th place – HOLY MOLEY! Where’d that come from?). The worst part of the run: 97 degree heat. Possibly hotter! I had to fight off calf, quadriceps, and hamstring cramps for the first 3 miles. My nutrition on the bike was short calorically but not bad for electrolyte intake, so I did not let the temporary cramp setbacks demoralize me. The experienced voice of Coach Seth again saved my sanity (the man is NEVER wrong), and I powered on, despite what felt like an oppressive wet cloud enshrouding my head and filling my lungs. At mile 4, I developed the ritual of taking one Heed sport drink plus two additional water cups to sip and slowly douse my head. Luckily, I also figured out by mile 8 or 9 that the lower back pocket of a tri-top is the perfect place to hold cupfuls of ice. Two words brought a smile to my face and a spring to every step: cheek chillin’. Extra thanks to the Super Soaker Squirtgun Squad at the mile 8 tunnel, plus Chris B., Crystal, and Steven Call’s “mobile units” elsewhere on the course. [Digression: I recognized at least 5 jerseys of the aforementioned alien-helmeted bicycling speed monkeys – as I passed them on foot. I’m not a vindictive person; however, the taste of triathlon retribution is far sweeter and more thoroughly satisfying than any electrolyte beverage, no matter how parched I may have been. ]
Overall time: 5 hr 20 min 30 sec. Sure, compared to last year, this time I finished 3 min 5 sec SLOWER. A mountain, 2 additional miles on the bike course, and heat will do that to a person. I loved every minute of it. 14th out of 54 = 30-34 year old age division standing 58th out of 420 = overall standing. (Last year I placed 188th of 447. Woo hoo!)
Is it too soon to sign up for next season???
Goooooooo TEAM! -Scott
28 May 2008: February is re-visiting: cold and wet! I'm now doing TWO workouts on most days. Madness.......
Off work too late to meet the 5 pm bike start from NW Lucky Lab brew pub. By 6 pm, left the house and instead biked via N. Portland to St. Johns Bridge then across to Highway 30. Intermittent rain, but at least it was not gusty. And there was NO hail!
Caught up with some Portland Tri Club riders who were just cutting the route a bit short by turning up Newberry Hill, another steep climb. Contemplated joining them, but I'd climbed Newberry a couple of weekends ago and Logie Trail has a "better" reputation for pain. Continued on.
Logie Trail did not seem too hard for the first 1.25 miles. I was consistently at 8-9 mph, but then, suddenly, there was a tight right turn and I popped out of my saddle to grind out 3-5 miles per hour at 184 heart beats per minute. Luckily, it was only a 45 second climb, but it set the tone for the next mile or so. What might have been 2.5 miles took 22 minutes to climb. I was glad to crest the top and find my return trip via Skyline.
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/or/...
Turning on the map's elevation, I now see that I gained about 1180 feet in those 2.5 miles. Whew!
By the time I finished my 2 hour ride and made it to the Lucky Lab, others had already changed and ordered food and recovery beverage. Teammates Kat Jordan and Chris O'Leary evidently had also done a 10 minute "transition" run to get their legs accustomed to running tired and numb from a hard ride. With the weather, I had talked myself out of my own transition run. But if my Teammates could do it, so could I. It was a Looooong transition to the run. Parked my bike, pulled on a running vest plus shoes and headed out.
I was glad to know that Kat and Chris had done their transition runs. Really. I was. I remotivated and headed out with the intention of running 5 minutes out and 5 back. Both feet were numb from cold, my bike jersey was dripping water (although the running vest helped), and I was hungry. Very hungry.
http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/or/portland/3...
The run, however, felt very good in my light weight, ultra shiny "raciing flats". The color is ridiculous, but the feel is great. Focused on efficiency and foot turnover; next thing I knew, almost 10 minutes had gone by and I still needed to turn around. Most of the way back had a decline, so despite running with less effort, I peeled 45 seconds off.
9:26 out 8:48 back
The Lab now serves pizza. Decent, but not great.
Holy moley - this seems to be one of my faster paces, or the mapping tool is messed. Let's say it's the shoes.
20 May 2008: The training continues!
Yeah! First open water swim of the Team In Training/Leukemia and Lymphoma Society triathlon season! This first session is all about acclimating to being outside, in low visibility, and crowded conditions. Not a whole lot of swimming was done, but it was good to pull on the wetsuit and thrash around for fun with 50+ friends in a semi-confined space.
The following is a dramatization of how open water training works. Fairly spot-on, but with some creative license? A black eye is a possibility. Definitely worth checking out.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3S0wu4Zbfk
Lately the local news has been very clear that the rivers waters are running dangerously cold due to high, lasting snow pack. Hypothermia can set-in in a matter of minutes depending where you are. As such, before I headed over the Oregon-Washington state line for Vancouver Lake, I packed my fully sleeved wetsuit, 2 thick swim caps, and silicone earplugs to keep myself toasty. I cringed and shivered as I thought about how cold my hands and feet would be. Little did I know that Vancouver Lake would turn out to be nearly 70 degrees. Next time, I'm bringing my sleeveless suit and maybe some ice cubes! It's going to be much, much colder in the mountains this June for our TNT race.
If you would like to learn more about my seven year old Honored Teammate Natasha, her family has set up a website to chronicle her journey to fight acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This month she received the miracle of matching a bone marrow donor! She is currently in preparation for the transplant at month's end. Please hold her in your thoughts. www.caringbridge.org/visit/natashacurtis
As they say, "Keep on, keepin' on!" -Scott
RACE REPORT: EUGENE MARATHON, 04 May 2008
Typically, one does not incorporate a marathon into their half-iron triathlon training. I’m not especially typical in this regard (i.e., not especially wise), but I am willing to learn my lessons as I go through with my adventure.
Pre-Race (Saturday):
Lesson 1. It’s good to have a plan and stick with it! I showed up at the Ride Around Clark County toying with the 30+, 60+, and 100 mile bike routes because, if I could, why not? I wouldn’t want to cheat myself, would I? If I wasn’t even tapering for the marathon I shouldn’t hold back, should I? After an hour and a half of self-cajoling, rationalizing, and basically demonstrating traits of a personality disorder, I made the right choice: the short ride. Frankly, I’m very proud of myself.
Lesson 2. Stick with the plan! Upon arriving at Eugene with my brother Cary and Tim Call, we met up with Walter, Couloir, Jeb, Denny, Laura, Tiffany, Ken, and Katie at the hotel. We proceeded to bat around the idea of a nice big meal. In my mind, I knew I wanted Italian – pasta or pizza. Something safe; something familiar. And so we ended up at the Pizza Research Institute. The unique and delicious pizzas may have added a bit too many ingredients to my diet in one sitting. Even as I left the restaurant I started having second thoughts about pizza that included broccoli, cranberry sauce, snap peas, peaches, baby corn, nutritional yeast, and probably 10 other tasty toppings. (Luckily, the worst case scenario did not present itself the next day. Whew!)
Lesson 3. Stick with the PLAN! As part of the pre-event ritual, Tim and I proceeded to lay out race clothes, reconsider, pack/re-pack, get way too distracted by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on TV, talk too much, etc. If I recall, Cary basically was ready in 15 minutes. It’s just a run; you would think it would be easy to identify one’s shoes, shirt, and shorts. But no, there’s GU vs. PowerGels, there’s body glide, there’s pre-race nutrition, post-race nutrition, post-race clothing, whether to bring a phone, a camera, a Sherpa…. Maybe by my FIFTH marathon I will have this all dialed in.
Race Day (Sunday):
Lesson 1. STICK WITH THE PLAN! I planned on getting up early to eat a protein shake, oatmeal, bagel with peanut butter, liquid vitamins, a banana, and a little coffee. With 20 minutes until the race start, I was still working on ¾ of my breakfast. Luckily, we were only a few blocks away from the starting line. The “con” of arriving late: we didn’t get to see all our friends at the start (did see Tiff and Ken). The “pro” of arriving late: no waiting at gear check OR the port-a-potties! Score! While not a race strategy in-and-of itself, it may become a consideration for me….
Lesson 2. For the love of Pete, stick with the plan. Despite feeling like my breakfast wanted to revisit me, despite not having trained over 15 miles on long runs, despite potentially/partially torn ankle ligaments in March, and despite various tweaks and pains during the marathon – I stuck to the real plan. PACE, PACE, PACE! Almost like clock work, Tim, Cary, and I ticked off each mile at about 10 minutes. We were talking, we were laughing, we had a great time. Tim peeled off to finish the half marathon at mile 11 and finished his day strong. Cary and I dug deep and put in a few faster miles to make up for my bathroom breaks. Mile 20 was, as expected, when things really get tough – but we pushed through! I had a whole litany of internal reminders: Breathe. Run tall with a little lean from the ankles; don’t bend at the hips. Use your abs. Keep cadence with your elbows and your feet will follow. You know you’re going to finish, so just focus on the now – go with what is working well.
In the end, I am extremely happy with the weekend. Beautiful weather, I crossed the finish line with my brother as he set a new Personal Record (PR), and I learned/re-learned at least one important lesson for myself. And that was....?
Final: 4:23:24 for 26.2 miles (2:12 for the first half – that’s about as perfect a “split” as I could imagine for a long training run!) PACE: 10:04/mile
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I am training to participate in an endurance event as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training. All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. I'm completing this event in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers. These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!
Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance the Society's mission.
I hope you'll visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress. Thanks for your support!
