Find Mike Morgan Racing now on You Tube. All future race reports and updates will be posted on You Tube and Facebook Live. Enjoy
- Click to receiver a 15% discount on Hammer Nutrition products.
Challenge Ironman triathlon 2015
Doing my first full Ironman event I had no doubt in my mind that I would be successful running the race, however I didn’t know in what fashion or position I would finish. My expectations were not hi because it was my first Ironman. But my nutrition plan worked well and overall it was a very enjoyable event, in some delusional way if you can call doing an Ironman enjoyable!
The race organizers had their hands full because of the weather situations that rolled through on Saturday. We were in danger of losing the swim portion of the race because of riptides and rough water conditions in Lake Erie. But they were able to secure a new swing venue on the other side of Cedar Point in the marina harbor, but that’s where things got really interesting. For the full Ironman distance swimmers we swim through the marina but then around the outside of the barrier wall into open Lake Erie! Needless to say this provided for a very interesting swim on the outside of the breaking the wall and every athlete had the same comment “that was the most insane swim I have ever done!!” It was so crazy that for the half distance athletes they change the swim and had them swim inside of the bay/marina area. Lucky them! But it makes for one heckuva story just surviving the swim. I felt really good during the swim and had a decent time of 1h 20minutes for the 2.4 mile swim Oh, and I didn’t mention that the outside air temperature at 7 AM was approximately 55°, water temperature was warmer than the air! So exiting the water we now had to run 1/2 mile across to Transition 1 where our bicycles were at. They have volunteer for your wetsuit to be pulled off but it was so cold that I choose to wear mine for the run over just to stay warm. I also did it barefoot where other people chose to bring shoes to make the half mile run over pavement that was not carpeted like most of the transitions are. Hard-core!!!
Going out for the 112 mile bicycle ride I was positive about that part of the race because I just wanted to make it through the swim which is normally my weaker point and the bicycle is normally my stronger point, out of the three disciplines. I never viewed any of the sections in their entirety, like oh great now I have to ride 100 miles. I always look at each discipline and how far I had come, not how much I had left to go. Because one of the most important aspects in racing is, mental endurance and fortitude, not physical performance. The body can handle way more than we give it credit for. Most the time it’s our brains that get in the way. And I had my Timex One GPS+ watch to keep me on par.
The same wind that was making the swim difficult was also an issue on the bike ride. So you had to be cognizant of which direction it was coming from. And by studying the map arrive I knew my best opportunity to make up time was in the beginning when we were mainly headed east with a tail wind. Which worked as I was able to pass people who were holding back on that section because of the long duration of the ride. So if they wanted to catch me it was going to have to be on the run which I was OK with. My bicycle ride was fairly uneventful and my HED wheels with World Wide ceramic bearings and Polydyn lube really helped cut through the wind and the bike was very fast. Which I have to take every advantage I can’t because sometimes I’m not the strongest bicyclist out there. I was able to average over 19mph and finished the ride in 5h 50minutes. And you do have to stop / slow some for potty breaks and water.
So now it was on to the marathon. Which I started off quite well considering it’s the longest distance I have ever gone back to back. My Hammer nutrition worked flawlessly and I never had any GI issues or felt totally worn down. And that is saying a lot because of the stress you are putting on your body. I even went for a group ride the following Wednesday because I felt fine. Using my Globus EMS, Zola coconut water and Hammer recovery products helped a bunch! And using my DNAFit info is very helpful too for all aspects of training and recovery. So the first 10 miles went rather well but after that is when I started to really struggle. And that is when ankles, toes and my right knee all started to ache more and more. So I broke things down into smaller goals instead of trying to look at the remaining 13 miles I had left, I would run to the next aid station as quickly as I could which was about a mile apart in some sections. And when there were no aid stations I would pick reference points and once I got to those reference point my reward was to walk a short distance and then resume the run. The only real issue I had during the run was at the turnaround for the halfway point when one of the volunteers told me to go straight when I needed to complete my second lap. So after asking a couple of by standards 25 yards down the shoot to the finish they informed me that I had missed the turn around so that gave me a little bit of extra motivation to run faster to make up that time. I have volunteered before and I know it is a thankless job most of the time, but if you volunteer treat it seriously and do it to the best of your ability, because others are still relying on you. So I ran my first Marathon ever during this race and finished with a time of 4h 40minutes. After a swim and 112 mile bike ride I’m good with that time.
Overall the event was quite enjoyable and I had a good time experiencing what it is like to do a full Ironman. I finished 6th in my age group and 29th overall. So until the next time I will take away from this experience as many lessons learned and what it takes to really be an Ironman.
Thanks to all of my sponsors! Their products and support are invaluable!!! Please give them a look.
Hammer referral program 15% discount code: use 221216 when ordering. Plus get a bunch of free samples!
RIM Racing’s Mike Morgan is sponsored by World Wide Bearings, DNAFit, Polydyn, Timex, Hammer Nutrition, Zola acai drinks, McCabe’s Granola, Bont Shoes, HED Wheels, SRP Graphics. NE Designs provides webpage support and layout.
Posted in Triathlon Racing
Leave a comment
Age Group National Championship – Olympic Triathlon August 2015
Leading up to the nationals I did everything I was supposed to do for nutrition and practice. Having the information that DNA fit provided really narrows down nutrition needs and how hard I can train. So I had pretty high expectations of improving my time in overall finishing position from last year. And the race was held at the same venue in Milwaukee as last year so I knew the course and what to expect. Unfortunately what I did not plan on was the water temperature and how long it took me to get acclimated to it, which cost me dearly!
So I was already and set to go by doing a little bit of warm up on land and then doing a short swim in the practice area. I thought I had reserved enough time to practice in the swimming area but I made the mistake of not getting use to the cold water by letting a little bit into my wet suit which always makes for a very awakening moment when 60° water touches your skin! So I was not properly prepared when the siren went off and within 100 yards my heart rate shot through the roof and I had to slow way down to catch my breath before I could resume my swim. And that was a crucial failure at a race of this magnitude and the level of competition! So I did the best I could for the remaining swim section and focused on doing well on the bicycle and run.
Getting onto the bike I felt really good and focused on my nutrition plan better this year making sure I consumed all of my fluids and gels. On a street course with so many people I’m always very conscious of rule infractions, but that did not seem to bother other people as several competitors grouped together and drafted which is illegal in triathlon racing. This frustrated me because every time I tried to get away from the group they were able to re-catch me which following the rules I have to slow down and be at least 3 bike lengths behind them and wait until I can try to remake a pass. So this cost me precious minutes I was trying to make up from my swim deficit and there is very little rule enforcement from the sanctioning body! I even had one person pass me on the right which is very dangerous because it is explicitly stated that you’re not supposed to do that. But again I ran my own race and know that I followed the rules! So I can hold my head high even with my finishing time knowing that I did the right thing.
So once I got to the run I felt a whole lot better than the previous year and was able to maintain a decent pace but not quite as fast as I would have liked. Unfortunately my disposable timing chip that we were issued did not catch all of my times so I cannot really compare anything to what I did last year. I only know that my swim was significantly slower and that’s where most of my time was lost. I had a finishing time of 2:31 and a final position of 138 out of 180 within my age group. This finishing position and time is much slower than last year which was very discouraging. But again all considering, I follow the rules and made a big mistake, it’s not a bad time. One of these days I will put it all together at a major race! But being at the nationals is what it’s all about. I got to share information about DNAFit, Hammer nutrition and pass out some Zola to vendors and fans. Plus talk to other triathletes about all my great sponsors that help me be fast and stay healthy.
I’m hoping by the end of this year I can come very close to being at least in the teens for an Olympic distance. But my overall goal will be to complete a full distance Ironman race in September. So I will keep training and looking forward to the next race, which will be a Sprint in my local hometown! The first time ever the city has done an adult triathlon.
Thanks to all the sponsors and everyone who came out to cheer on all the triathletes!
Hammer referral program 15% discount code: use 221216 when ordering. Plus get a bunch of free samples!
RIM Racing’s Mike Morgan is sponsored by World Wide Bearings, DNAFit, Polydyn, Timex, Hammer Nutrition, Zola acai drinks, McCabe’s Granola, Bont Shoes, HED Wheels, SRP Graphics. NE Designs provides webpage support and layout.
Posted in Triathlon Racing
Leave a comment
Seahorse – Olympic Triathlon June 2015
This racer course in Michigan was one of my first triathlon races ever. I did remember the trail run being a challenge and for the first race this year I knew it was going to bad a hand full. And still struggling with a foot injury has not helped my training over the winter. But I figured this would be a good race to see where I stand.
The swim was no big deal and I had been practicing a lot to improve my swim over the winter, so that went well but not as fast as I would have liked. Plus I did not get to warm up as much as needed before the swim getting a late start. My friend / fellow competitor Mike traveled with me and we were in the same race and that was fun. The bike section was good and went well, but again not as fast as I would have liked. Overall position was ok but not great. So I know I have some work to do after this foot gets all healed up.
On the run is where the fun began. I caught up to Mike in the transition area and we both left at the same time for the run which was really cool. For the first time ever I was running with a friend during the race. Although the thought crossed my mind about reminding him who drove up and that if he did not let me win that he might have a long bike ride home. It was great running with him and he set a good pace on the trails. I was able to maintain my pace a bit better and my Hammer nutrition has never let me down keeping my energy up. Mike had some cramping issues at the end of the run and he finished behind me with a solid finish of 13th overall and I was 12th overall and 3rd in my age group. So my podium streak continues going into this season.
The big plans this year will be to do much better at the Nationals and get ready for my first full Ironman race later this summer.
Thanks to all the sponsors and everyone who came out to cheer on all the triathletes!
Hammer referral program 15% discount code: use 221216 when ordering. Plus get a bunch of free samples!
RIM Racing is sponsored by World Wide Bearings, DNAFit, Polydyn, Timex, Hammer Nutrition, Zola acai drinks, McCabe’s Granola, Bont Shoes, HED Wheels, SRP Graphics. NE Designs provides webpage support and layout.
For more on RIM Racing’s Mike Morgan please visit www.mikemorganracing.com
Mike Morgan
RIM Racing
And like us on Facebook – RIM Racing Mike Morgan
Twitter – Michael Morgan @RIMRacing
Posted in Triathlon Racing
Leave a comment
Women and Weight Training
I think one of the biggest misconceptions out there for women is that you have to spend your life on some type of cardio machine to get in shape. Unfortunately what’s really happening in spending countless hours on the machine, is that it yields slow results and frustration. So what should women really be doing?
If you paid attention to the title, weights!!! Doing cardio is great for your heart but it builds very little muscle which is what you need in order to burn fat and calories all the time. It’s not a fair world as we all know and guys will always have more muscle on their bodies than women do. And don’t worry about getting too big, you don’t have enough testosterone to get muscles like a guy in most cases. Unless you’re that really big German woman named Helga who uses steroids on a daily basis. So women should really be focusing more on weight training and heavier lifting than on cardiovascular exercises. Think about it this way, weight training physically builds muscle on your body. That muscle intern will burn calories 24/7. That is why guys can get away with sitting on the couch watching TV and still have a better physique. Because remember it is not about weight, that is only a gauge and muscle tissue weighs more than fat tissue!!! So the difference between 150 pound woman and a 150 pound man as far as physical appearance is probably fairly drastic in most cases.
So all you women out there need to stop being so afraid of the barbell and try to stay away from machines, all they do is hurt you because they confine your movements and make them unnatural. Can you do a one legged squat? Can you actually do 10 real push-ups? If not start out by doing squats while you brush your teeth. Do heel raises/calf raises as you stand at your desk….yes I said stand, get off of your behind and stop sitting around.
So there you go, hit some weights 60% of the time and do cardio the other 40%. Two very simple and effective exercises everybody can do are push-ups and squats. Throw some core exercises like planks in and you have a pretty decent work out. Then my favorite saying by an unknown author “you will never out exercise your diet”!!! If the food has more than one ingredient listed on the label and you can’t read the other words it is Frankenfood and you need to find a better choice.
Have fun and feel great! Use some Hammer Nutrition to recover and not be sore!
Posted in Mike's Blog
Leave a comment
Recovery Nutrition
Nutrition for recovery has been the biggest question I have received. So for my first official blog we will cover that subject.
First let’s look at what is actually happening to your body before we dive into how you need to replace specific nutrients. Generally people breakdown exercise into two different groups, cardiovascular and weight-bearing. Each group of exercise do something slightly different than the other, but if done correctly both can yield very similar results for the average person. Weight training is probably the most missed understood by women, which we will discuss that in a different blog and why it’s almost more important for women to weight train than men. If done correctly weight training can also invoke a cardiovascular workout. The key is to simply not stop moving. Most of you have seen the guys lifting really heavy weights and then taking what seems to be a 30 minute break in between each exercise. If they would simply not take the 30 minute break they would keep their heart rate elevated for longer periods of time, which is exactly what you do during cardiovascular exercises like running. The plus side of this type of exercise is that it generally builds muscle faster and bigger. But the downside is because most people take such a long breaks is that it does not exercise your heart for sustained periods of time. This is not to say that doing those exercises does not have some residual cardiovascular benefits, because it definitely does. So exercises like running and swimming simply work different types of muscle and are generally done for longer periods of time keeping your heart rate up. You will still get stronger but it will be different types of muscle fiber and the general result is not a very large muscle growth.
The good thing about recovery is, that you can utilize pretty much the same type of recovery for both types of exercises. And recovery is far more important than the food you consume before you exercise. Which for the most part you should not be consuming very much food before your workout, your body has plenty of energy! And if you do want to consume food it should not be anything more than an hour or two before your exercise routine. So the keys to recovering properly are; protein, carbohydrates, and low-fat. And preferably in a liquid state so your body can uptake the nutrients more quickly. The general rule of thumb is that you should consume nutrients at least within one hour after exercising, which is when your muscles are looking for those key nutrients to repair what you have just put them through.
Let’s go through each nutrient and it’s quantity. Protein, you should consume a good quality protein from either natural sources or through a protein powder (I use Hammer because of sponsorship and I like their products, Vega Sport is another one). And please don’t go buy the garbage protein they sell at the grocery store, Costco/Sams. I have only seen a few good quality proteins at a grocery store, but most of them are filled with fillers and other stuff that is not good for you! If you cannot read the ingredients list or look up what a content is and understand it, don’t put it in your body!!! You should consume approximately 10–20 g of protein during this 1st hour after exercise.
Carbohydrates; this is the time when you can actually splurge on all of those wonderful carbohydrates we all like to eat. Whether it’s maple syrup, which you still need to be careful of because it is sugar, or fruit. The general rule of thumb is a 4 to 1 ratio, so for every 1 gram of protein you need 4 grams of carbohydrates. Anything close to this ratio is fine, the real goal is to have that protein uptake into the muscle, which is what the carbohydrates help to do. And carbohydrates also help replace the muscle glycogen that you have depleted while doing the exercise.
Fats; The reason you want to avoid fats just after an exercise routine is because they can slow down the absorption process and this makes your recovery drink counterproductive to a degree. Save the fats, carbs and more protein for the meal you have later on. Nice good healthy fats from nuts (almonds are awesome), olive oil/coconut oil (most other oils have inflammation type properties so you should not use them), avocados and such will help you stay full for a longer period of time. So you definitely want to cut back on the carbohydrates after exercising.
So in summary, get some good quality protein and natural carbohydrates with no or low fat and enjoy that wonderful recovery smoothie or meal. Which by the way should be about 200-500 calories depending on your daily calorie needs and goals.
Enjoy, Mike
Posted in Mike's Blog
Leave a comment
Avocado chocolate pudding
One of my favorite treats is this chocolate pudding recipe. Give it a try and enjoy.
Use:
1 ripe avacado (make sure it is ripe or it will not blend well)
1/4-1/2 cup almond milk or water
1Tbsp honey
1-2Tbsp dark chocolate baking powder
Secret ingredinent – 1/2 scoop of Hammer Vegan vanilla protein powder. You could try any good high quality vanilla protein but I’m not sure I would use whey because of the dairy. The Hammer Vegan has Stevia in it and I think that is what helps cut the bitterness. Without this, it is only OK according to my daughter.
Blend in a food processor or blender.
You get good healthy fats with lots of B vitamins, protein and antioxidants with the dark chocolate.
Posted in Mike's Blog
Leave a comment
Muncie – Olympic Triathlon September 2014
RIM Racing
Returning to Muncie for the 4th time in 2 years has made this triathlon course very familiar to me. With this being one of the last races of the season my expectations are always to do better than I did the previous time on the same course. But I was still having to deal with one small foot issue that I incurred in the previous race I did 4 weeks before. I rested is much as I could and focused on bicycle and weight training. With everything pretty dialed in I was confident that I would have a good race.
So comparing times from last year I did really well in the swim and had a personal fastest swim time on this course. I beat my previous time by approximately 1 minutes. Which was nice, but the real accomplishment behind that time was the fact that the last swim buoy had drifted to the right of the course and I swam straight for the finish area. And the rules state that you must pass on the right-hand side of the buoy. To my dismay the swim Marshalls flagged me down and told me I had to go back and go around the buoy! So the swim would have been substantially faster had I not had to swim an extra 75 yards. Which might not seem like a lot, but after you have already swam 1.5k (or just under 1 mile) adding extra swim time is not ideal in a race. I was able to finish the swim in 29 minutes. My fastest swim ever was at the nationals with a finishing time of 25 minutes. And obviously an open water swimming there are lots of variables when taking your time and consideration. One of the biggest things is to actually swimming in a straight line, which is harder than it seems.
The bicycle segment is normally my strong point, I personally think it’s because of the training I do and how I prepare the bicycle, but I was a minute slower than last year. I tried to use my new HED rear disc wheel on this course for the first time. This course has just enough rolling hills that a non-disk rear might be a better choice. So I’ll have to see the next time I go back to that course with a different rear wheel if that holds true. As I look back it might not have been a wise decision to go on 2 different group rides the Tuesday and Wednesday before the race. Even though the group rides are supposed to be somewhat relaxing they are generally spirited rides. Inevitably somebody wants to ride fast and putting in approximately 80 miles between those two rides might not have been a great idea. But I do enjoy them and they are great exercise and practice. So I can do little but a time in the swim from last year and lost a little bit of time in the bicycle section compared to last year. And that’s how triathlons go sometimes, if you could just link all your best times together you could have one heck of a race result. But that is what I’m learning to do and I have learned a lot racing at a higher level this year. I finished the bicycle section in 1:08.
And to finish up with the run was my big concern, because of my ankle injury. As I started the run I try not to focus too much on if my ankle hurt or not and just started to run. Getting off of the bicycle and trying to make different muscles fire that are required for the run versus the bicycle is a challenge in itself. I did use a pair of shoes that had a bit more support in hopes of keeping some pressure off my ankle. The run did go well and I did not have any major issues with my ankle which was a relief. And the last two races I have done, I have started to incorporate new tactics during the run section which have really helped. Now all I need to do is learn how to actually run a bit better and I should be able to consistently be at the 7 minutes a mile mark no matter what the course. I would like to be closer to the 6 minutes mile for the 10K distance (6.2 miles). I was able to finish the run in 46 minutes, with an average pace of 7:25.
Capping everything off compared to my previous races at this course I was able to achieve a personal record of 2:26. That is very encouraging considering I was slightly slower on the bicycle and had to swim the extra distance. My new goal for this course will be to beat the 2:20 mark. With this time I was able to finish 3rd in my age group and 8 overall. Which is a great improvement from the spring race when I managed an overall finish of 23rd.
Thanks to all the sponsors and everyone who came out to cheer on all the triathletes!
Hammer referral program 15% discount code: use 221216 when ordering. Plus get a bunch of free samples!
RIM Racing is sponsored by World Wide Bearings, Polydyn, Timex, Hammer Nutrition, Zola acai drinks, Bont Shoes, HED Wheels, SRP Graphics. NE Designs provides webpage support and layout.
Mike Morgan
RIM Racing. And like us on Facebook – RIM Racing Mike Morgan
Posted in Triathlon Racing
Leave a comment
3 Rivers Corey Lake Olympic triathlon
3 Rivers – Cory Lake Olympic Triathlon August 2014
RIM Racing
After an OK finish at the National Triathlon Championship the weekend before, I was determined to prove to myself that I was having an off day and that I have raced better before. I did the 3 Rivers race last year as part of my learning experience and it is a good race, but challenging with lots of hills on both the bike and run!
The race was blessed with great weather and a good turnout. Corey Lake is nice and warm with a shallow bottom so you can see it during some of portions of the swim. Plus the event planner and volunteers are top notch. The swim start was way less stressful than the nationals the previous week. I tried to stay with the lead swimmers to catch a draft because I knew they would be faster than me. But I was only able to make it to the first buoy before they started to pull away, so the swim was fairly uneventful as I swam alone. I finished the swim just under 28 minutes.
The bicycle section of this race is notoriously hilly. I chose to use my new HED rear disc wheel in hopes that a faster downhill would help offset the added weight of the disc wheel during the climbs, which I believe it did. I also modified my wheels to use World Wide bearing’s ceramic bearings and Poldyn lubricants. I believe this combination gives me a great advantage when it comes to the bicycle leg of triathlon races. And my overall top speeds generally support that. Plus it’s just really fun to watch the wheel spin continuously when the bike is on the rack. I was able to maintain a decent pace for this hilly course with an average speed of 20.3 mph, which is 2/10 of a mile an hour faster than last year’s pace and was the 5th fastest bicycle average. And this was even after one of the corner workers almost caused myself and another rider to crash at one of the corner intersections that we were supposed to turn on. Another athlete had crashed in that corner and they were not paying attention to the other athletes still on course. I decreased my time by almost 2 minutes from last year with a 1:13 ride.
And then came the run, this is where I really struggled the previous weekend at the nationals. But I learned a few tricks and put them to good use in this race. Although I did try to run out of the transition the wrong direction. So between this little mishap and the one on the bike, it cost me about 30 seconds grand total. And if this race would’ve been larger it could meant the difference between first and 2nd place. I was very happy to maintain a 7 min. per mile average over the 10k which was 14 seconds a mile faster than last year. For this hilly course I was really happy with that pace. My Timex global trainer GPS watch worked great the entire time and allowed me to monitor my pace easily. I was very happy with this overall result during the run but the uneven surface of the road injured my left ankle. I believe it is nothing more than a strain and hopefully will be healed within the week.
So with my overall times faster in each segment from the previous year I was able to have a personal record for this race course by more than 3 minutes. This also netted me first place in my age group and an overall time of 2:28. In every race this year I have been able to improve upon my times because of better equipment and more practice and skill. I have also podium and in my age group at every single race, with the exceptions of the nationals. But I think a podium in next year’s nationals should be obtainable!
Thanks to all the sponsors and everyone who came out to cheer on all the triathletes! And thanks to Aquaman for putting on a great race and having blueberry pancakes for us at the end!!! Look forward to next year.
Hammer referral program 15% discount code: use 221216 when ordering. Plus get a bunch of free samples!
RIM Racing is sponsored by Timex Factory Triathlon Team, World Wide Bearings, Polydyn, Hammer Nutrition, Zola acai drinks, Bont Shoes, HED Wheels, SRP Graphics. NE Designs provides webpage support and layout.
Mike Morgan
RIM Racing
And like us on Facebook – RIM Racing Mike Morgan
Posted in Triathlon Racing
Leave a comment
2014 Age Group National Championship
USA Triathlon Olympic Age Group Nationals August 2014
RIM Racing
Qualifying for the Olympic distance national triathlon championship held in Milwaukee Wisconsin was a bit of a surprise for me this year. I did not realize that I actually qualified from a race I did in 2013. But this definitely was my A race for the year and I did as much as I could to prepare for what I knew was going to be a very challenging race. Athletes come from all across the United States to compete for overall finishes and also within their respective age groups. My learning curve for triathlons is still growing and with this being only my 2nd full year of serious competition there is still much to learn.
So imagine this, nearly 200 individuals floating (wetsuits allow you to float) next to each other in very tight quarters in open water to start the swim. And then the horn goes off! Needless to say it is mass chaos!!! Not only are you swimming against a whole bunch of very competent athletes who want to win, you are all headed towards the same spot. In this case we had to swim under a bridge which was very narrow and made it even more challenging. But the pack did finally thin out after we got under the bridge. There were several times that I had to literally kick people off of my feet and push people on either side of me. So it was very important to stay calm and continue to swim. This was not so much of a problem for me because I relate it to racing motorcycles going 100mph into turn 1. But the remainder of the swim was relatively uneventful and I finished in 25 min.
Every time I race and ride I love my Bont shoes more and more, because they help me get onto the bike so much faster. Transitioning to the bike was very easy and I had a good bike position on the bicycle rack in row H. And in this transition area there were no fewer than 3000 bicycles so it was very important to remember where you were at during the transitions. I only made one mistake getting onto the bike which was not buckling my helmet so I had to stop before exiting or risk a rule violation. The bicycle ride went very well and the new HED rear disc wheel definitely helped out. I’m not too sure how much faster other people got going down some of the long downhill sections but I was able to post a 36mph top speed. I did have a good little battle with a few riders during the beginning of the race but was able to eventually pass them and maintain my position over them. Towards the end of the bicycle leg I was passed by one individual but I used him has a pace marker and was able to stay within eyesight. But during the bike is when I made my fatal mistake that significantly impacted me on the run, I did not drink all of the fluid to hydrate that I had with me! And I’m certain this put me in a mild state of dehydration after I got done with the bike ride. I finished the 25 mile ride in 1:05
So the run was much harder than I anticipated. Coming off the bicycle I was able to maintain a decent pace and ended up shadowing another runner who was a good pace setter. But by the halfway point of the run I was really starting to struggle and just maintain whatever pace I could. This was very discouraging because the previous weekend at a race I did with my daughter, I was able to maintain a 7 min. mile. But for this race I needed to be in the 6 min. mile pace to even be close with the fast guys. By the time I got to mile 5 it was all I could do just to keep running. This definitely pushed my threshold and I kept telling myself the same thing I tell my daughter when she is racing “you can slow down, but don’t stop running!” And that is exactly what I did!
I ended the race in a three-way tie with my time of 2:23.23. Literally every second from the winning time of under 2 hours, there was somebody crossing the finish line. For my age group I finished in 135th place out of 219. Not what I was gunning for. Unfortunately I had to learn the hard way what dehydration will do to you at a national championship. But I will take this new found information and continue to rack up podium finishes the rest of this year and hopefully an overall win. The race weekend was awesome and the weather could not have been more perfect!
Thanks to all the sponsors and everyone who came out to cheer on all the triathletes! And the USAT organizers and all the volunteer who were awesome!
Hammer referral program 15% discount code: use 221216 when ordering. Plus get a bunch of free samples!
Click on linked image for 15% discount on all Hammer Nutrition
RIM Racing is sponsored by World Wide Bearings, Polydyn, Timex, Hammer Nutrition, Zola acai drinks, Bont Shoes, HED Wheels, SRP Graphics. NE Designs provides webpage support and layout.
For more on RIM Racing’s Mike Morgan please visit www.mikemorganracing.com
Mike Morgan
RIM Racing
And like us on Facebook – RIM Racing Mike Morgan
Posted in Triathlon Racing
Leave a comment