Coaches Blog...

Monday, January 28

Tuesday, January 22

Breaking Away with Training...
by Dave Platfoot www.davepl.blogspot.com

With less than 12 weeks now until Ironman Arizona, training is starting to pick up and the bigger volume weeks await. Goal #1 for this year: Stay healthy! And that means no bike accidents too.

So, with the Cbad half marathon on Sunday I got no taper for it from Felipe. Although, Dave N and I did alter the bike route on Saturday by staying on the coast to save our legs a little, but we still got in the mileage. I also got back just in time to run with Felipe, Sal, and Nick after the ride.

I ran the Silver Strand Half about 2 months ago and it was a PR - 1hr28min (12sec). It seems just about every running race I do now is a PR, better than the last, so it's a testament to the training program Felipe gives me.

The goal for Cbad Half - break 1hr28min, which turns out to be about a 6:42/mile pace. Dave N and I decide to run it together but I never found him before the start, so my fault.
I was shocked at how easy the run felt, but then again I didn't want to put in my fastest miles at the beginning, kinda like I did at Silver Strand (lesson learned!). Besides, trying to sprint through the masses of peeps at this race during the 1st mile is not a good idea and you could end up tripping because everyone is trying to break out.
Finally met up with Dave N just after the 6.5 mile mark. From then on we just kept a steady pace and chatted a bit. Every time we passed a big group of spectators they would say, "Go Chargers!" Dave N never noticed the bolt on my visor up until mile 10, so he was wondering why everyone kept saying that to us. Pretty funny.

We end up running our fastest mile at the end, because it was mostly downhill but we broke the 1hr28min goal, so it was a good time.
I could've definitely ran it 1 or 2 min faster because my HR was so low but stayed with the plan.
Here's the comparison between Silver Strand and Cbad (they were also pretty much the same temperature too):
SilverStrand: HR Average 184, Max HR 201, time 1:28:12.
Carlsbad: HR Average 170, Max HR 187, time 1:27:20.

Thanks Felipe and Luke for getting me to this point. If you look at those numbers it's a huge improvement in only 2 months and I had so much more left in the tank this time.

Congratulations to Kathy for hitting her goal of 1hr35min! Lalita also smashed her PR by over 4 minutes! Very proud.
Contratulations to all the Breakaway runners that we didn't see.

PS - Boo Chargers! No touchdowns = no SuperBowl. Bummer.

Sunday, January 20

01/20/08 Ironman 70.3 Pucon, Chile

- Guilherme Campos

01/20/08 Carlsbad Half Marathon - "Breakaway Training Athletes":

- Kelly Gorman: 4h52' (*Marathon)
- Dave Platfoot: 1h27'
- Lalita Iyer: 1h44'
- Rachel Saldivar: 2h33'
- Damon Smith: 1h54'
- Michael Vitug: 2h06'
- Kathy MacDonald: 1h35'
- Joe MacDonald: 1h41'
- Mark Wayne: 1h44'
- David Nisleit: 1h27'
- Andi Neugarten: 1h40'
- Alex Gigglberger: 1h46'
- Susie Zolghadri: 2h09'
- Gary Pennington: 2h02'
- Claudia Abreu: 1h53'

Friday, January 18

Sunday, January 13

Hallie Putterman: 3h47' (PR by 31'min.)

Saturday, January 12

Sunday, January 6

Ironman Western Australia Recap by Luanne



Wow…I can’t believe I’ve been home for a month already! My family was here for a week after I got back and then the holidays hit. I’m just finally catching up on all the email and voicemails from when I was gone.



Here goes the recap…sorry in advance for it being SO LONG!!



The race experience was AMAZING!!! Leading up to the race, I had a couple minor hiccups...a competitor from Italy hit my rental car on Thursday morning before the swim (nothing major but took time away in dealing with it and mentally getting over the shock) and the weather got kind of bad Thursday night through Saturday night which scared me a bit during the practice swim on Friday. But, the morning of the race, everything was clear and I had a great feeling from the time I got up in the morning. I was strangely calm…not nervous at all…and was way ahead of schedule getting everything ready so was just standing around watching everyone else rush. I just felt like it was my day from the beginning.



We got in the water ready to start and I still wasn’t nervous like I had been in AZ. The gun went off and it began. Since I’m a lot slower than everyone else, I didn’t have too many people around me to kick me, etc. although the relay teams started 15 minutes after us so at one point I did have them come up from behind. But, overall, I felt great and the water was beautiful. At the turnaround point, I stopped to check my watch and it was 7:05a which means it 50 minutes to get out to that point so I felt fine with time (although a small part of me remembered AZ and what happened there as well). The wind picked up again towards the end but it was blowing me sideways and at the end, because we made a turn, it blew from behind so that was good. I felt bad for the 4 or 5 people that were still behind me in the water who didn’t end up making it out in time. I know how that feels. I was so relieved to get out of the water and see the time at 2:08! I know for some that would be disappointing but for me the rest of the race was downhill. J In fact, I had to laugh at myself a bit as I ran from transition to my bike because I was thinking “this is new…I hadn’t even thought about this part.” Haha



Once I was out on the bike, the first lap felt great. In fact, I think I did it in just over 2 hours so I was starting to think about possibly doing the bike in a little over 6 hours. (I was pretty much calculating through the whole race which is why I don’t think I ever lost focus). Then it hit me…the nausea from the Endura sports drink they gave out. I had tasted it earlier in the week and it was pretty watered down and I don’t have a very weak stomach so I thought I’d be fine. In fact, the sales pitch they gave made me wish they sold it in the states. I think if I were to use it more often, it would be fine but the magnesium they put in it for cramping, after a couple hours on the bike and the amount I was drinking, started to make me sick. I had to stop 3 times on the 2nd lap to use the bathroom which slowed me down tremendously. By the 3rd lap, I knew I couldn’t continue to do that so I was forced to ride upright more often than in aero position to keep from feeling sick. The wind had also picked up so that slowed me down a bit. I had a race vehicle behind me the whole last lap to make sure I was ok. Once I got to the ½ way point on the 3rd lap, they could see that I was gaining on those ahead of me and that I’d be fine on time so they stopped pulling up next to me to check on me…but they still stayed behind me which was a little annoying. Nothing like knowing someone is staring at your behind as you ride…J. I was never so happy to start running a marathon by the end of the bike. Haha



I took a bit of extra time in transition (which they don’t separate out from your bike and run times I later found out) and then it was out to the run. Again, because I was the last competitor, I had a biker who rode with me my entire run. She was really nice and in fact, starting the 2nd lap, I had both her and her husband. Other than having to stop 3 times again on the first lap of the run because I still felt sick, I was in great spirits and felt great through the whole run. I never felt any pain, etc. and I was joking with the crowds and the biker the whole way. Everyone was wondering who I was because I had all the Breakaway Training logos on my jersey and had a biker with me. When they found out I was the last competitor I had so much support, it was great!



I did walk more than I wanted because I felt sick and I wish I had realized they weren’t going to have the chicken soup out on the course because I would have put a thermos in my special needs bag for the nausea, but I managed to get by. I had calculated out how fast I needed to go and felt like I was going to have about 10-15 extra minutes at the end to spare. Then as the race started winding down, they started radioing to her to find out how I was doing and where I was because those ahead of me started dropping out of the race. I ended up catching the last guy at the end which means he had slowed down a lot. At the last turnaround, I asked them to tell her how far exactly to the finish line mat and how much time I had because at that point I knew it was close. They came back with just over a mile and I had 9 minutes. I almost lost it because I knew I wasn’t running 9 minute miles and because I was starting to feel stressed, I started hyperventilating every time I would run.



That was the first point in the race where I thought for split second I might not finish in time and where it began to be “hard”. First, I said a little prayer to God to help me get across that line in time and then I said to myself, “LuAnne, this is what being an Ironman is all about…suck it up and do this for the next 9 minutes and then you can relax the rest of your life.” Then I remembered the principles of Chi Running which I just started reading about and stretched up towards the sky, pressed my chest forward and started pumping my arms in a straight forward motion and took off.



By this time, spectators had started running beside me and behind me giving me well wishes and support, telling me they knew I was going to make it in time. I was so focused at that point I, for the first time in the race, was probably not such a joy to be around…the “bite me zone” had hit. In fact, at one point, the girl who had been biking with me reminded me that I had wanted to take off the Tshirt they had given me on the 3rd lap because it was getting cold out. I wanted the Breakaway Training jersey to show in the pictures. At that point, I was just about to turn down the longest finish line chute I’ve ever seen and I didn’t know if I was truly going to make it in time so I yelled back that I didn’t have time. And then, the camera was in my face. I had a guy with a camera the entire last part of the race run with the camera not too far from my head to capture the last moments. I can’t wait to see that footage…NOT…haha. About half way down the finish chute, I could see the guy ahead of me that I caught up with and could hear the crowd yelling to him 5…4…3…2…1 and I almost lost it. I thought that was the end of the race. I decided at that point that even if I didn’t cross in time I was still going to continue to give it my all and kept running full out. It turns out, they must have been yelling the time to the next minute mark.



Then, I got in sight of the clock and could see the time to say 16:59:01. I said to myself, “OMG, I still have time to do this!” I kept running but my quads at this point felt like any step could be where they gave out. I wasn’t sure how much longer they were going to hold up. The volunteers had come inside the finish area and had made a line with their arms up to run underneath. The last few people were so close I honestly thought I might not make it through in time and I waived them out of my way. I hope I wasn’t too rude…kind of looking forward to seeing the finish video to see if I was as abrupt as I remember. Then I could see the finish, or at least what I thought was the finish since they didn’t have a finish tape up like in the U.S. I just kept going until the volunteers came up and put the medal around my neck. I remember just holding it in my hand saying “You mean I’m done?” and they responded Yes. Then I said “And I did it in time?” and they said yes I had 49 seconds to spare. Then the fireworks went off…literally.



That was where my legs finally said, “Ok, I’ve had it” and started to weaken. Thank goodness the volunteers were there to help me at that point get to the tent to sit down and relax. I wouldn’t stop holding the medal. J Even when they gave me the massage, I just kept looking at it in disbelief.



I think the Universe stopped time for me that night because I still don’t know how I pulled it off at the end. That is truly where I dug deep inside myself to obtain the goal that I had set out to achieve for the last year.



Of course, after it was all over, I started thinking a few things I wish I had done. I wish at the finish, for those last few seconds I knew I was going to make it; I would have turned around to the crowd and thanked them for making it an incredible experience! I look at the finish pictures (which unfortunately didn’t have my Breakaway jersey showing on them) and see the expressions on people’s faces. They were all cheering so hard for me at the end. I don’t even remember what song was playing and don’t remember hearing the 5 words I’ve waited so long to hear, “LuAnne, YOU are an Ironman!” I’m waiting to get the finish video to see if they even said since I’ve been told by some of the spectators they didn’t say it with everyone. I guess I’ll have to wait until April in AZ to hear those words and take in the experience with more time. J



Overall, it was the BEST race I’ve ever had. I still don’t think it was difficult until the end. I never lost my mental focus and had a great time the whole day. I realize I didn’t go at the same pace as some to make it “harder” but I’m glad in how things turned out. I’ve been telling everyone, if you can’t be first in a race, it is AWESOME to come in last. In addition to the major extra support during and at the end the race that I experienced, I got announced at the awards ceremony and got a $200 gift certificate to Asics. It was really cool and I’ll never forget this race.



Now, I can just focus on getting faster. I know if I hadn’t gotten sick it would have been a completely different race. My body held up fine…especially since I hadn’t done as much training as I should have. I know, I know…that will change for AZ and I’m thinking about Ironman New Zealand in March 09.



Anyway, thanks for your coaching and support!!! I’m looking forward to being more involved with the team and getting some individual coaching going forward knowing that I’ve accomplished my initial goal. I have so much more confidence now in my abilities and just in myself as a person. I know I can do this race in 15 hours (which is my next goal) and faster in the future.



I noticed I haven’t received my new training schedule for January. Did I miss an email? Let me know what I should be doing. My body feels great and ready to go again. J



I’ve attached one pic that I finally took with my jersey, medal and finishing towel and also a pic of my new tattoo…J I will send you my photo slide show link with the rest of the photos as soon as I get it together. THANKS AGAIN!!!!



Create a great day!

LuAnne

Tuesday, January 1

Breakaway Training Ironman Brasil 2008 Trip

Breakaway Training is invading the island of Florianopolis for Ironman Brazil on May 25th. This is coming up quickly. We have put together a special package just for Breakaway Training. We have secured a private Pousada in Florianopolis called Pousada Jurere Mirim. www.jureremirim.com.br. We will have this all to ourselves . A pousada is similar to a bed and breakfast here in the states. The package below is for 7 days and 6 nights. We will be leaving on May 20th and coming back May 27th.

Airfare ( RT San Diego to Florianopolis)
Airline Bike Box Fee
6 Nights/ 7 Days
Transportation from the airport to Resort and back
6 Dinners
6 Breakfast
Massages ( We will have our own private one)
Coaching on site (Group Workouts)

Cost $2500
Without Airfare $1440

This does not include the cost of the race which is $400. www.ironmanbrazil.com

We need to get a commitment from all who are planning on coming. We have 15 spaces left. I will need the full deposit by Jan 21st. Guests and friends are welcome, based on availability.

Please let me know if you have any questions.