Garmin Vector Pedal based Power Meter Rebate before they sell out!

If you're into power meters and cycling, this is your chance to get in for an affordable price.

I've not dove into the power meter market other than the CycleOps PowerCal that's a poor man's power meter measured from heart rate.

But, I've been dieing to get into the pedal based meters like the Garmin Vector.  Well, the original Vector system is going off market since Vector 2 came out and Garmin is offering rebates to get rid of all Vector original stock.

So, follow the LINK here for the rebate form and check out Clever Training for great deals!

Garmin Vector S Pedal Set Single Sided Large 15-18T and less than 44W

Purchase a qualifying Garmin Vector or Vector S from May 1st, 2015 through July 31st, 2015 and receive either a $150 or $300 USD via mail-in rebate. Rebate submissions must be postmarked by August 31st, 2015. Limit two rebate submissions per customer. The product must be purchased in factory-new condition.

They are also sporting 20% of CycleOps trainers!  Get in while the getting is good before next winter for those indoor rides.

Cycleops Fluid2

ENJOY!

2015 Atlas Race Obstacle Course Race Report - 4/25/15

What endurance season would be complete without at least one Obstacle Course Race (OCR) mixed in?

I found the Atlas Race OCR series on Facebook, and the timing, distance offered and early bird pricing was just right.  The race offers the "Boss" (3 to 5 miles) or the "Ranger" at 7 to 9 miles.  I was looking for something a little longer than the Warrior Dash or Ruckus Run to make the time to drive out to Lawrence worth the effort (named Atlas Race Kansas City, but actually held in Clinton Lake State Park).

 

So, Atlas Race KC it was for 2015 racing the Ranger course.

 

 

 

This will be a more about my experience racing the course, if you're interested in more of an event review, check out my Examiner article for the Event Review.

 

IT WAS AN ENDURANCE EVENT JUST TO GET TO THE START

Previewing my event review, I expended a lot of energy trying to track down check in, race bib pickup and event logistics in general.  Had a been a lesser driven person, I might have just chucked it.  The short of it was, the Altas organizers ran a loser ship than I'm used to with endurance events and organization.  It was a process just to track everything down and find a parking spot when I got there.

 

AND THEN IT RAINED 40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS

Not really... but we had some significant rain the days before the event and mist off and on race day.  It made for some sweet mud at the event, of which we would have had none without the rain.

 

WE'RE OFF

After figuring out what the order of events were, I made my way to the start at the 10am wave after some well timed port-a-potty stops.  All you endurance people know how key that can be when not swimming first off...  It was also disappointing to learn I could have raced an earlier wave and got back home sooner to miss less on the home front since I didn't see the need to drag the Mrs and the kids to this event.  But hey, it's all a part of the experience, right?

 

After racing 4 or so OCR events, I have learned it pays off to start in front and at east get out ahead of the large groups.  After you get 6 to 7 people waiting at an obstacle that only allows 2 at a time, you spend a lot of time standing around.  I wasn't interested in that.  I'd rather race unencumbered at my own pace.  So, I sprinted my ass off for the first 100 yards to get over the wood walls in the few first guys and pretty much stayed at the front for the entire heat.

 

THINGS WERE GOING SWIMMINGLY

I was doing well only trailing to one guy after the first mile.  Was I an OCR rock star?  No.  This race lended itself to cross country endurance runners more than OCR warriors.  There were only maybe 15ish real obstacles with only the end really involving any upper body effort.  Again, reference my event review and you'll see how most of the course was about trail running, which favors a long course runner more than an OCR meat head (no disrespect, maybe).

 

I took the lead after two miles and eventually got passed on the second loop.  What's ironic is that I passed the same guy because of confusion at the second lap entry and I think he did some obstacles he shouldn't have... or the volunteer told me to go the wrong way.  Either way, I was back in front and eventually he caught me again at the finish line.  Good competition.

 

IN THE END

I ended up coming in under an hour.  Pretty sweet for a 7-9 mile OCR event!  Too bad it was only 6 miles on the 910XT GPS.  So, I either skipped some course or someone got a little lazy making the course.  Even if I went around some extra obstacles, there's no way I would have added another mile.

 

 

BY THE NUMBERS

Here's how I stacked up vs the competition.

 

59 : 24 official time

17 / 186 Ranger Course Racers

3 / 28 Age Group

 

I kind of wished I would have signed up for Elite waves.  They were racing for money and I was pretty competitive with their results.  It was also key that attendance was probably throttled due to a first time event, questionable marketing outreach and the race was the same day as Warrior Dash.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

I enjoyed getting out and doing some endurance outside of the normal swim, bike and run.  Trail running is good cross training, and OCR makes it even better.  I wished I would have gotten more course in.  9 miles for a 50 minute drive to the race would have been a fair trade, but at least I got in early bird and avoided paying an outrageous price for a short long course.  My review and this recap would have taken a different tone had I paid over $100 at race day reg.

 

I'm happy with my "performance".  As I mentioned with Rock the Parkway, my focus is Ironman Boulder and getting the work done for that.  I did not come into Atlas with any real goals other than a hard run and wasn't tapering or resting for a race effort.  Something to mix it up.  I wanted to get the heart rate up and not get hurt.  Those goals were met, no problem.  I do wish I would have looked at Elite a little harder, but since this was the first time racing Atlas, I wasn't sure what to expect.

 

Stay tuned for more recaps and previews as race season is in full force!

 

 

2015 Rock the Parkway Half Marathon Recap - 4/11/15

A few weeks ago was the first official race event for me of the 2015 season... Rock the Parkway Half Marathon in Kansas City, MO.

I posted my preview thoughts a few days before the race, and to recap, the race just kind of snuck up on me with life going on.  I'm to the point where completing the race wouldn't be an issue, but I was not really focused on improving performance, setting a PR or anything resembling being competitive with myself or anyone else.

Mostly I just like the event, been in it one form or another since inception and they have a nice early bird pricing deal.  ;)

OFF TO THE RACES...

So, decided I would brave the race myself and leave the fam behind so the Mrs and the kiddos wouldn't have to sit around to see me at the start and umpteen minutes later at the end.  Kind of anti-climatic at this point for spectators.

As I have dialed in my eating habits, which translate into eating smart and not being a pig, I allow myself a day of the week to pretty much stuff whatever I want into my face.  This was that day and I delighted in trail mix with extra Reece's pieces mixed in.  Delicious.  So there I was munching mutant mix on the way to the start, not really paying attention to the fact I ended up eating too much that close to a race.  I had an hour to let it settle, but I didn't pay attention and ended up with too much to digest that quick.

So, I cut off the food after parking and sipped some gatorade while milling about the pre-race port-a-potty routine.  Hydrate, dehydrate, re-hydrate with some #2 mixed in.  Glorious.

Too bad I ate too much and didn't time my last pee break good enough before the race.

AND WE'RE OFF

Mile 1, feeling good.

AND WE'RE NOT FEELING IT

Mile 2, had to pee and trail mix was giving me problems.

AND WE'RE STOPPING

Mile 3, pee break at the first aid station port-a-potties.  Break for the tummy as well to stop sloshing at 165bpm heart rate.

AND WE'RE RUNNING AGAIN

Break neck speeds and 165bpm, just holding on for as long as possible.  I actually did not stop running again for entire race, opting to jog and sip at pit stops for hydration.  That's pretty rare for me.

It was a balancing act of aggressive running and gurgling trail mix in the gut.  Around mile 11, on the final stretch, I let it all hang out and drove for the finish line.  I've been more taxed after an event than I was at RTP 2015, but I've never been more happy to stop running with a stomach of half digested food.  I didn't barf, either, so there's a winner right there.

AND WE'RE DONE

So, my PR at the half marathon distance was 1:35:53 last year at the same race, same course.

2015 results were : 1:35:34 - a 19 second PR.  Not bad for not really paying attention to a training plan and overeating before the race.  I'll take it.

In all seriousness, I do believe the more attention I have paid to eating a better diet and eating to live instead of living and working out to eat has helped in my running.  I've permanently dropped a few LBS and that's made me feel a little quicker and lighter on my feet.  My philosophy is the less weight I have on me, the less punishment my joints take with workouts in general over the years.  I'm going for longevity, not the short term.

So, if I can come out and consistently stay close to my PR's in races, I'm pretty satisfied.

Glorious.