Infinite Road: 2008 LIVESTRONG Challenge Training Journal

New blog: The Next Challenge

Sharing my latest training efforts with the world has always been a great motivational tool for me -- and it keeps me very focused on the event that I'm training for.  But seeing how I'm always working toward "the next challenge", I felt it's time I stopped creating new blog for every training goal...and instead just have one place to chronicle whatever new challenge I'm obsessing about at the moment.

So to all of you who continue to support my athletic endeavors -- please join me at blog.keijiro.com

Epilogue

Here are couple things I've been meaning to share since the big ride...but didn't get around to it 'til now.

Big thanks
First & foremost I want to thank all the generous donors and everyone who's been following this blog. Sharing my training effort here has been a source of great motivation for me, and I appreciate all the comments & emails I've received. If there's any question that you may have about training for this event, feel free to email me.

Looking back
Having had some time to reflect on the big day, I think I've identified the causes for less-than-perfect performance:

• Failing to eat throughout the day on previous day. Looking back I think I ate only two large meals the day before the ride...which wasn't smart because your body can only absorb so much nutrients at a time. Instead, I should've ate 3-4 smaller meals like I usually do.
• Stopping at every rest stops. During all of my long training rides, I took very short water breaks and never stopped for longer than 20 min to eat lunch. But during the Challenge I stopped every 10 miles or so to make up for inadequate food in-take the day before...which probably allowed my legs to stiffen up considerably.

For my next century ride I'll be sure to eat well the day before -- so that I can just re-fuel mostly on my bike like I always do.

Finish line photos
Here are two photos from the finish line taken by Kreutz Photography -- you can tell from my facial expression (or lack thereof) that I was completely spent at end:

The next challenge
I'm still committed to riding in Livestrong Challenge next year, and will start training for it next spring. But in the mean time I have another challenge: the 2008 New York City Marathon -- and I'll be sharing my training on my new blog "26/2". This will be by far my toughest challenge yet because running has always given me injuries...and to top if off I have less time to train for it compared to most first-time marathoners, since I was in full-on cycling mode until just few weeks ago. Quite frankly, I'm not so optimistic about even making it to the starting line! But I'm still excited about this new goal because I figured it's not really a challenge unless you're facing a very real possibility of failure. So wish me luck!

Surviving the distance

When I signed up for this year's Livestrong Challenge back in January, one of my goals was to finish the 100-mile course faster & stronger than I did in 2006 -- and in essence conquer the distance as opposed to merely surviving it.  Well after struggling on the road all day yesterday, I certainly didn't feel like I "conquered" the distance...but nevertheless I'm proud of myself for hanging in all the way to the finish.  Here's a recap of one extremely tough day on the road.

The ride began in downtown San Jose, where 3,000 riders & runners from around the country gathered to take stand against cancer.  Lance Armstrong was there for the starting ceremony, where he congratulated all of us for raising $1.5 million toward his foundation.  Lance also mentioned to us about a woman currently under-going chemotherapy -- who was told by her doctor not to ride today due to the risk of infection from a potential crash.  He told us though that the woman remained committed to participating in this event, and that she was going to ride 100 miles today on a stationary trainer placed by the finish line.  Story of amazing determination & courage such as this is abundant at Livestrong Challenge...and it underscored why I'm a big supporter of this event.

View from the start

Nervous smile

At 7:30 AM the Livestrong Challenge San Jose officially kicked off -- with the 100-mile group leading the way to the outskirt of the city.  With smooth, flat road and the police holding off motor traffic, the peleton moved quickly...and before I knew it we arrived at our first rest stop, which also happened to be one of the official cheering stations along the route.

With mom -- my #1 fan

After posing for quick pictures and hitting the porta-potties, I went right back into action...and soon encountered a series of unexpected climbs.  When I was studying the elevation chart, the only climb I focused on was Metcalf Rd...so I was a bit taken back when I had to get off the saddle this early into the ride.  But what was really surprising though was how weak I was feeling on these climbs.  I was less than 20 miles into the ride and already I was laboring up the hills...and by the 30-mile mark my legs were already starting to feel stiff.  This can't be happening I thought to myself -- I've trained too hard to be feeling this way.

As I continued to struggle early on in the ride, I began to lose my focus: Did I not eat enough before the ride?  Have I caught some virus?  Should I've taken a sleep-aid last night to get more sleep?  I just couldn't figure out what was wrong with me...and my confidence started to unravel as I felt completely powerless with the situation. 

But then I recalled this one training ride a while back where I felt extremely weak, but was able to regain energy after forcing down some food.  So when I arrived at the next rest stop I forced myself to eat everything I can get my hands on -- bananas, trail mix, pretzels, PB&J, PowerGels -- all washed down with ample serving of Gatorade.  Mind you, at this point I had zero appetite for any food...but I figured consuming more fuel is the only thing I can do that could potentially get myself out of this rut.

Well as it turned out I made the right move -- because soon after I got back on the road my energy level slowly began to increase.  I could feel my shoulders starting to relax more, and my legs began to feel lighter as I finally got myself into a nice pedaling rhythm.  With renewed focus & energy I cruised my way through the long flat section of the course -- maintaining good speed while exchanging draft with other riders.  From mile 40 to 65, I probably rode faster than I ever did during my 6-month training period.

The pace slowed down considerably though when we entered the mountains off Hwy 101.  My legs began to stiffen up once again as I pedaled my way through the hilly terrain -- and by the time I reached the base of Metcalf Rd at mile 70 my quads were already cramping up.  Fortunately the event organizer was kind enough to set-up an extra rest stop for us right before the climb, and gave all of us a chance to gather ourselves before we attacked the toughest section of the course.  I stretched out my legs as much as could, popped two advils I received from a kind rider, then began my slow ascent to the top.

Despite being only 2.5 miles long, going up Metcalf Rd. that day was the most painful climb I've ever experienced -- and I'm willing to bet that was also the case for everyone else around me.  As I slowly grinded my way up the 15% grade switchbacks I was surrounded by riders walking their bikes...and I also saw many riders hunched over the guard-rails looking like they were about to puke.  With every pedal stroke I felt a shooting pain in my already-fatigued quads, and it didn't take long before my heart rate shot past 180 bpm.  There was definitely a part of me that thought about walking my bike too to conserve what little energy I had to reach the finish line...but I told myself to just focus on this moment and give everything I got to conquering this hill.  After what seemed like an eternity I finally reached rest stop #6 at the summit -- ready to consume every packet of double-caffeinated PowerGels in sight.

Looking at the course elevation profile, I've always thought that once I got passed Metcalf road I could just shut my engine down and cruise my way down to the finish.  So despite still having 24 miles left in the ride, I was already starting to think about the finish line celebration when I left the rest stop.  Well as it turned out I greatly underestimated the final quarter of the course, because it was just as tough as going up Metcalf.  First off there was another hill around mile 75 that felt way steeper and longer than what it showed on the elevation chart, and it completely obliterated my legs that were already way past their limits.  Then there was a long stretch in the suburban area where I found myself completely alone for the first time that day...and it was extremely tough mentally to just keep pushing through pain & exhaustion all alone.  What really killed me at the end though was the endless red lights that I encountered in the final few miles of the course.  At this point my legs were so fried that both my quads and hamstrings were completely cramped -- so when I was forced to put my foot down and wait at the intersections, I could barely keep myself from falling down.

But in the end it was all worth it, because I made it to the finish in one piece and crossed the line in 6:13:33 -- about an hour faster than my previous 100-mile effort.  Was it a perfect performance like I dreamed about?  Nope, far from it -- I'm sure if I had trained even harder and paid more attention to pre-ride food in-take, then I could've completed the ride even faster and feeling much stronger.  But looking back I'm actually glad I didn't have such "perfect" ride, because it gives me the motivation to work even harder for the next time.  2009 Livestrong Challenge -- are you ready for me?

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• Distance: 95.16 mi
• Time: 6:13:33
• Avg speed: 15.3 mph
• Avg heart rate: 152 bpm
• Total ascent: 4465 ft
• Calories burned: 5167 cal

Riding condition

After riding in the past two Challenges under miserable weather conditions, it looks like I may finally get a break for this year's ride.  The temperature will be in the 80s with mild humidity, and the air quality seems to be improving from earlier in the week.  Now I just have to make sure that the engine (i.e yours truly) will be in top-condition tomorrow.

 

14 hours 'til go time

Earlier today I went down to San Jose Convention Center for registration pick-up, and now I'm counting down the hours til the start time tomorrow morning (7:30).  On one hand I'm super excited and pumped to finally see the result of all the training...but on the other hand I'm nervous and worried as hell, with all the "what if's" flowing through my head (i.e. "what if I wake up with a sore throat tomorrow?").  I swear I feel like a paranoid bi-polar hypochondriac!

A yoga teacher once told me that in order to feel in-control, you have to first "let go of things you can't control".  I just have to keep reminding myself that whatever happens tomorrow, one thing I'll be able to do for sure is to give my 100%.

Last quick ride

This evening I went for one last ride before the big day -- an easy 22 miler to just keep myself loose.  I could tell that the tapering was doing its job, because I can't remember the last time my legs felt so fresh on the bike.  Barring any sudden illness or injury, I should be in top shape when I take off for 100-mile this Sunday morning.

But even so, I still have few concerns for the race day.  For one, my bike has been sounding a little off ever since I got it tuned-up at the shop last week.  I've been noticing occasional squeaking noise from the bottom bracket when I begin pedaling from a complete stop, and the chain hasn't been sounding super-smooth against the gears.  I dropped by the shop tonight to get the bottom bracket checked out, and the mechanic said everything looks fine -- so I guess I'll put some fresh coat of chain lube & teflon spray and hope for the best.

Another concern for the weekend is the poor air-quality from the wild fires -- which became even worse this week due to very high temperature.  My lungs felt fine during my ride tonight, but it could be completely different when I'm riding for over 6 hours under the smokey sky.  According to the weather forecast the temperature will cool down slightly for the weekend...so hopefully we'll be greeted with cleaner air on Sunday.

Easy weekend

This being a tapering period, I don't have much to report from this past week.  I took my bike in to the shop for a full tune-up last Thursday, then went for a 40-miler on Sunday to make sure the bike was fully-functioning. 

Sunday was also the first time I wore my new Yahoo! kit and they felt really comfortable...but for the ride I think I'll stick with the Nike/LIVESTRONG kit I've been wearing throughout my training.  I don't want to risk any unexpected chafing and/or saddles sores 5 hours into the ride.

With the ride now 6 days away, my number priority is to stay healthy.  There are couple co-workers who are sick and this is a pretty stressful week at work for me, so I need to make sure that I at least get 8 hours of sleep every night.  Maybe I should start popping Airborne everyday for rest of the week.

Yahoo! cycling kit

It was long time in the making, but we finally received a shipment of Yahoo! cycling kit this week that I designed for the company.  The jersey and shorts were made in Italy by premium cycling apparel manufacture capoforma, and I can definitely see/feel the difference in quality compared to other custom jerseys I've designed in the past.

Now the question is...should I wear this kit for the Challenge or the yellow LIVESTRONG kit?

The final push

With the Challenge now only two weeks away, this past weekend called for one final push before entering the tapering phase.  So on Saturday I capped off my 6-month training with the longest & toughest ride yet -- an 80-miler with twice the elevation gain of the 100-mile course.

Now I'd like to say that I had planned to finish off my training this way all along...but the truth is this ride almost didn't happen at all.  When I woke on up on Saturday the sky was still covered in smokey haze from 700+ wildfires currently burning through California, so my first thought was to just to say home.  And even when I convinced myself later on to just head to the ocean for cleaner air, I was still planning on keeping the ride on the shorter side due to less-than-ideal riding condition and my legs being sore from a trail run two days prior.

But just like last weekend, I was motivated to push myself when I came to a rest stop at San Gregorio -- this time by a group of TNT triathletes training for Ironman Austria/Vienna.  They told me today was their last hard training day as well, and that they were in the midst of a 7-hour training session involving a long/hilly ride and a long run right afterward.  After hearing that I couldn't allow myself to just turn back around for an easy ride home...so instead I took Stage Rd down to Pescadero and up Haskins Hill & Alpine for additional 45 miles and 3,000 ft of climbing.

As I'm typing this now I can still feel the effect of all the climbing in my legs...but at least now I can taper for next two weeks completely guilt-free and with confidence.  My goal is to just stick with "less is more" approach and hopefully stay injury/illness-free until the big day.

• Time: 5:37:29
• Distance: 80.59 mi
• Avg speed: 14.3 mph
• Avg heart rate: N/A due to erratic reading from HRM
• Total ascent: 6426 ft
• Calories burned: 5136 cal

Despite the poor air quality, the roads were surprisingly crowded with cyclists

Mountains covered in smokey haze

Lunch at San Gregorio General Store

Peaceful ride up Stage Rd

Entering town of Pescadero

Making my way up Haskins Hill

Heat

Having completed a long ride just last week (albeit a disappointing one), I was originally planning on sticking to my training schedule and just go for a shorter ride today.  But with the race only 3 weeks away, I figured it'd best if I try to regain my confidence ASAP by going for another 70-miler...and this time doing better job of food intake.  Plus with the temperature expected to rise above 100, I figured it was a perfect opportunity for heat acclimatization. 

The ride took place on a familiar route around coastal area -- taking Hwy 84 out to the ocean and then going back up the mountain on Tuntias Creek.  At first I was thinking of just turning around at San Gregorio Beach and taking 84 again back to Skyline...but changed my mind when I bumped into Shari Kain by the General Store.  Shari is a former world champ triathlete who now coaches a triathlon team with her husband, and she was out there today providing SAG support for her team.  As she sent her athletes off toward Tunitas, she explained to me how important it is to train on long hilly road -- even when you're preparing for a fast/flat race -- so I decided to gut it out and ride up Tunitas as well.

With scorching temperature and plenty of climbing, I had hard time keeping my heart rate in check...but I still felt much stronger throughout the ride today compared to last Saturday.  I completed the 66-mile loop at 4:23:54 -- over 10 minutes faster than my previous record -- and finished off the ride with 4-mile cool down to make it a nice even 70.  It was just what I needed to get my confidence back for the Challenge.

• Time: 4:45:54
• Distance: 70.16 mi
• Avg speed: 14.7 mph
• Avg heart rate: 151 bpm
• Total ascent: 4975 ft
• Calories burned: 4654 cal

From the start the heat made it tough to maintain low heart rate

Frequent water-stop was the theme of the day

Shari and her new team car

Following one of the Kain team member up Stage Rd -- and here I thought triathlete couldn't climb

Stopping briefly to take in the scenery off Hwy 1

Fighting rough road condition up Tunitas Creek

Sweet decent down Kings Mountain following endless climb up Tunitas

Finished the ride at 4:30, and the termperature was still in triple-digit

Another day, another injury

I admit, I tend to be more injury-prone compared to most athletes...but this recent injury streak is getting ridiculous even for my standard.  First I hurt my left hip from slip & fall, then I hurt my right knee from a freak accident, and now I've hurt my left foot pretty bad from a routine morning run. 

I was out running yesterday when all of the sudden the bottom/lateral side of the foot started to get sore...and when I was done I had a sharp pain radiating all the way up to the instep.  I immediately put some ice on it and popped some ibuprofen, but even then it hurt just to walk.  So as usual I went into the sports clinic to get myself treated for strained muscle/ligament -- and I'll be heading back there again on Friday and first thing next week. 

Unfortunately there's really no way to pinpoint the exact cause of this injury; it could've been due to tight muscles, minor change in my stride, or possibly worn-out shoes.  All I can do for now is rest, stretch more, and get a new pair of shoes just in case.  On a positive note though, I tested out my foot on my bike very briefly yesterday and I didn't notice any pain -- so I'm hoping that riding won't aggravate this injury.  I'll try to go for a ride tomorrow and see how it'll hold up.

Update - 6/20/08: So I went for a fast 30-miler last night to test out my foot --- and the good news is I didn't feel any pain at all!  But on the flip side, my legs (especially the quads) felt very heavy and tight from the start...much like during my previous ride.  I'm really hoping that was just a result of a hard run two days before, not a sign of deteriorating fitness.

Dissapointing ride

Yesterday I set out to complete a 75-mile "simulation ride" -- a relatively flat 65 mile ride followed by a 5-mile ascent (& descent) on  Montebello Rd.  The goal was to mimic the 100-mile course by adding a steep climb toward the end of a long ride, and continue to build up my muscle endurance.

Unfortunately though I was unable to complete the ride as planned.  About 30 miles into the ride I realized I didn't eat enough before the workout...and I had to ride with an empty tank for another 15 miles before I finally got the chance to get some food.  By that point my legs were feeling heavy/drained, and even after scarfing down a big sandwhich I never got my legs back.  As I neared the end of the ride, I knew there was no way I could complete the climb up Montebello Rd in this condition...so I turned around at the base of the climb and settled for just a 65-miler.

With just one more long training ride planned before the Challenge, I really wanted to make yesterday's workout to count.  So it was extremely disappointing to perform so poorly in it -- not to mention being a blow to my confidence.  I just need to keep reminding myself that it was just due to insufficient fuel intake, and not because of any lack of fitness/conditioning.

Sweeping through freshly paved Arastradero Rd

Meeting Jeff (I think) at a water stop -- another rider training for the Challenge

Passing through the memorial for the first time since the Memorial Ride

Tweaked knee

This morning I was taking a shower and was turning to reach for the soap when all the sudden I felt a twinge in my right knee.  Apparently the motion caused my kneed to twist in an awkward direction, and there was now a noticeable pain radiating from Patellar ligament.  Fearing I may've done some damage to the ligament, I immediately put an ice pack on it and took some advils...then made a same-day appointment at the sports clinic.

Fortunately the doctors think it's just a minor strain, but to be on the safe-side I got it taped up and I'll be icing it for at least another day.  One of the doctors recently blew out his ACL, and he told me it only takes 3 pounds of force to tear up any of the knee ligaments -- I guess was pretty lucky.  Hopefully I'll be able to ride this weekend without any discomfort.

Reconnaissance ride

This afternoon I went for a little reconnaissance ride up Metcalf Rd -- the steepest climb found on the 100 mi course.  With my legs feeling pretty tired from yesterday's ride, I figured this was a great opportunity to see what it'd be like to hit this climb at 70-mile mark on the big day.

Metcalf Rd starts off flat, and begins to incline slowly until all of the sudden you're faced with series of very steep turns.  The hilly section of the road only lasted for about 2 miles, but I found myself having to stand up frequently...and I was completely exposed to the sun during the entire climb.  Needless to say, the climb was definitely not easy and I'm glad I test rode it.

Back in the car, the instrument panel showed that it was 90 degrees outside -- 10 degrees warmer than up north where I usually ride.  If the we're greeted with the usual July weather on the day of the ride, I'll probably be battling 100+ degree temperature on this road.

Steeper than it looks

Halfway up (full-size image)

Double-climbing

With the century now 5 weeks away, it's time for the final push on my training -- so today I tackled a hilliest route to date: 5000 ft of climbing in 50 miles.  The bulk of the elevation gain came from going up Page Mill and (West) Alpine, which I connected via Skyline/OLH/Pescadero.

Now usually when I'm climbing back up the mountains on Alpine, I find myself mostly on the saddle...and when I stand up to pedal I can feel my quads begging me to sit back down.  But today was a different story; whenever I wanted to get off the saddle my legs sprung up without any hesitation...and I felt all my cylinders firing until the very end of the climb.  Today was probably the best I've ever felt on a hilly ride, and I feel like I'm starting to peak at just the right time.

I should note though that part of today's performance may be a result of increase intake of electolyte.  Since it was pretty hot today, I made sure to stay well-hydrated took two electrolyte pills per hour...which is about double of what I usually take.  Maybe it's time I start taking more electrolyte regularly, especially since I don't use sports drink and the weather will only get hotter.