Zach's Blog

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay… July 27, 2010

Getting bored. The summer is cruisin’ by too damn fast. I think I need a Sprint to make me feel better.

My next race is Timberman in August, then Westchester, then Clearwater. Three races, that’s it. I’ve raced 8 races already. I feel like a kid about to go back to school for the Fall. That sick to the stomach, “I can’t believe the summer is over” dread. It’s that feeling you get when you are on vacation somewhee really nice and on the 2nd to last day you get sick thinking about having to pack up and go home, you don’t even get to enjoy the last couple of days you are so distraught thinking about it.

I got that feelin’.

I went for a long ride the other day and my route brought me up to Route 100 where the TT’s are, where I spent a lot of weekends in sub-freezing weather getting ready for the 2010 season. The area where I pooped myself after a nasty brick. The place where I wished I was anywhere but there. The place I swore I would NEVER return to. The place I hated with all my heart because it was NEVER a good day for a brick when it’s windy, snowing, and dark in the middle of winter.

It’s been 6 months since those horrid days. It is only 4 months away until I have to do it all over again.

Yep, sick to the stomach like a kid going back to school in the Fall….knowing the school bully took steriods over the Summer and he hates you for a joke you made about him in the first grade because you caught him picking his nose and eating it. Yep, that sick.

So to shake these Summer Blues, I think I need a Sprint Tri. Yes, I think it’s what the doctor would perscribe me right now. A good shot of high stress, anxiety, adrenaline, and testosterone all mixed into one. Sounds good to me.

Put me in coach, I’m ready to play. I’m tired of watching the tide roll away.

Nothing to see here… July 19, 2010

Just spent a weekend at NYC Tri volunteering and being….gasp…..a spectator. It was difficult, but I survived.

I have absolutely nothing useful to say about racing right now as I’m bitter that I have to wait until Timberman for my next race.

I did write an email to the parents of Jon Blais to see how I could help raise awareness for ALS and they responded pretty quickly. No mention of money or anything else, they asked me to call them so we could talk by phone. I REALLY like them. I really hope there is a way I can help them and raise awareness for ALS (still no cure).

I have been playing around with different shoes but everything just re-enforces my love for Zoot Shoes. The TT 3.0′s are awesome.

All that said, I have never really talked about my family, and they have been weighing heavily on my mind. I am VERY fortunate to have a beautiful wife and 4 children, 2 boys, 2 girls, and a LARGE white german shepherd. I love them all very much, even when I feel like swimming into chum filled waters in Great White territory sometimes with the yelling and the messes and the fighting. But when I see my daughter Taylor help my youngest son William by reading to him at night, it makes me very happy. When I see my son Alexander make a sandwich for his sister Emma, I feel very proud. When Emma comes to me at night to say she is scared and I have the rightful duty of telling her that “everything is going to be okay, daddy’s here to protect you”, she kisses me on the cheek, looks at me with big doe eyes, and prances off to bed, I want to cry.

That’s the thing….is everything going to be okay? The world seems to be crumbling around us. The economy is as sea-worthy as the Titanic. People aren’t helping each other out like the Amish, instead we are turning on each other to make sure “I got mine first”. New electronics are making us weaker and lazier. Hell, I get strange looks when I mention anything about exercising more than an hour a day. “A run, in this heat? 8 miles? Are you crazy? Why, do you want to lose more weight?”. Nope, just want to clear my mind.

When I get nutty, which is a daily occurence, I use to grab a cigarette and a Dr. Pepper. That was 208 pounder grande royale with cheese fat-ass me back a few years ago. The funny part was that I tried to continue to run while smoking. It didn’t work too well. So now when I get insane, I put on my shoes and go for a run or swim or bike ride to drain my energy and get the thoughts sorted out. When I get back home, I’m calm again and it seems “everything is going to be okay”.

Maybe everyone should put down the bad habits and go for a run or swim or bike ride. Maybe everything would be okay if everyone shook out the cob-webs and drained their energy out and nothing left to argue or fight with.

I don’t know, I just hope for all of our sakes that life does get better and the economy straightens out and our children grow up happy.

So the next few times I write in this blog, it will be pretty much the same mind-numbing crap until I get to race again.

Good luck to all the athletes doing Ironman Lake Placid this weekend, I’m skipping out on it as I am not competitive enough at the Ironman distance. Maybe next year…I think I’ll try my luck in Arizona!!!

Finally July 12, 2010

After 1.5 years of some pretty hard work and 3 coaches, I have finally qualified for 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater.

Ironman Rhode Island 70.3 – July 11th, 2010 – Eugene and I hit the road Saturday morning at 5am. Breakfast at Cracker Barrel and back on the road. 8am we arrive at Providence and I get my athlete packet at 9am. We leave to go to Naragansett, arrive around 10am and I get in a swim. The entrance and exit for the swim are coated with rocks that will cripple the field and it’s almost impossible to get in and out of the water without wincing. Next is a bike ride and it seems flat and hot, but good roads. I park my bike in T1 and get ready to drive to Providence again. Some dark clouds come rolling in and then just stop before they reach us. Good thing too because I was determined not to put the bikini top back up on the Jeep. Drove to Providence, checked into the hotel and went out for a run. 20 minutes later I’m back in the hotel, setup my run bag, drop off the bag at T2, and get some food. 8pm, final check on bike and swim bag, go to bed.

3am Race day morning. Wake up, brush teeth, get dressed and walk out to find the shuttle that will bring 1000+ athletes to the swim start in Naragansett. 4am – the suttles leave and I ftry to sleep as the dude next to me nervously jabbers about something. 5am, setup transition for the bike and go out for a run. I love the morning of a race and looking at all the “athletes” with their looks on their face. Scared, nervous, way too intense. Funny as hell. Breath and smile, kind of like shock and awe to others. Get on my wetsuit and of course, I immediately need to pee. I haven’t even gotten into the water yet and I need to pee. Oh well, I’m not taking off the wetsuit to get the job done. Go for my warm up swim and get the pee out of my suit, only to pee again. I see Chris Thomas getting ready and say Hi (Chris Thomas is number 2 in the World for amatuer triathletes).
Race time – I line up right behind Chris Thomas for the swim. THe canon goes off and we leap into the water like Salmon heading upstream for mating season (kind of weird because we are all dudes). The water isa bit choppy but it doesn’t really affect me. I see 4 other guys in front of me in my age group. A few minutes later there are only 2 in my age group. Then just one. Chris!! Time to get him. Next thing I know, I round the corner and head for home. I’m leading this pack. And someone is slapping my feet. I take a quick peek. Chris is slapping my feet and drafting off me. Me!! I plow through a few of the waves/fields in front of us and run out of the water. This is when I lost the lead as Chris went flying by me out of transition.
The bike was hot and we had a head wind. Roads got tough. Climbs weren’t bad. Saw a few guys drafting pretty badly (792 and 793, I know who you are you bastards).
Got into T2 and out onto the run. Noticed right away my right hamstring was pulled. Not a good start for a hilly run. I take all my pills and move on. I run up the crappy hard hill and still feel okay. I switched up my stride to accomodate my hamstrings. I’m still passing my age group (2 waves and I was in the second wave, so I am catching guys that started 5 minutes before me). Second loop and I hate running at this point. It’s hot and humid. I’m a pro at the aide stations and grab everything like a champ, even doing 360′s to make sure I get it all. Water in the mouth, over the head, down the shirt, sponges, and a thank you to all.
The last 2 miles of the run are pure hell and I consider just sitting down. I have nothing left. What started as a 7:15 pace is now an 8 pace. But I really want that damn Clearwater spot. I push it up the last hill and come to the finish line and remember that I promised to do the Blazeman roll. I drop and give it a roll. I hear the announcer call it over the PA and when I stand up, their are John’s parents and they give me a big hug and a thank you. I felt really good about that.
Eugene takes care of me like a child afterwards. I really don’t know how I survived races before Eugene. He’s proabably more of the reason than anything that I finally qualified.
Anyhow, I get down to awards and they start calling out slots for Clearwater. It gets to my name and I jump up and down and go up to get my spot.

Finally, I have made it to Worlds 70.3!!!

Thank you to my family, especially my wife Jenn for all the support, my coaches, Doug, Juan, and now Jordan for getting me from where I was to where I am. Huge thanks to Eugene and Sandra for everything they do for me. Thank you to my kids for understanding all the missed mornings where I was biking. Thank you to all the volunteers to every race out there. Thank you mom for all the support. Thank you Brian for helping me run long distance. Thank you Budden family for being a target on my race list. Thank you slowtwitch for all the info, whether it was useful or not.

Thank you.

No skin left on the feet July 7, 2010

In just a few days I have my next BIG race that is a qualifier for 70.3 World Championships. Ironman Providence 70.3 on Sunday. I think I’m ready, but my feet are trying to committ sucide on me.

2 weeks ago I raced an Oly that made the athletes look like a mass wave of Jesus wanna-bes as we walked on water for most of the swim portion. It was ultra low tide and the muck just under the surface of the water had clam and oyster shells everywhere. Most people on course had red shoes that day and the med tent earned their money and the guaze supply in Stamford CT became scarce.

I thought I had escaped injury, but on the bike I felt my toes starting to sting. Then on the run it got a little uncomfortable. Then the last mile was unbearable. My shoes were bleeding.

Nothing a little super glue can’t fix.

The next day I realized my shoes were old and I needed a new pair before the big race. The only problem is that every athlete must think my shoes are the bomb as there is no stock on my size in my shoe. So I switched brands after 2 years.

With my new shoes, I went for a sockless run and 6 miles later my feet tried to committ suicide by slicing the heels. It was just a cry for help as it didn’t go too deep and never made it to the achilles heel. Some more super glue was in order.

A couple of days later, armed with a water proof bandage on my heels, I went for a 1.5 hour run and my toes decided to paint my white shoes pink. So now I have cuts on my toes now too.

I guess I have to get use to it as the race is in a few days and the shoes are still looking to take the remaining skin on my feet.

I hope I get my qualification to Worlds this time.

So far so good June 27, 2010

I had an Oly today to keep me fresh going into another chance at 70.3 Championships at Ironman Providence 70.3. I wanted to perform well because….I have a large ego and need it to justify my existence.

Well, that was honest, and I feel good about being honest.

Ok, I also wanted to perform well because there were a lot of people I wanted to shine in front of. On my list of things to do in triathlon this season, there were 4 things left to do. I crossed off 2 of them at this race. 2 people I desperately wanted to beat, I took them on the bike and opened up the gap on the run. The 2 goals scored today are a racing “friend” that I have been beaten by at every race. He’s a great guy and is always super friendly. I just really wanted to beat him once. The other guy is only known as “Mr. Vineyard Vines”. Finally got him today also, just a personal goal I needed to take care of, and I have no idea why.

Only 2 things left, beat my training partner in a race by 7 seconds and qualify for 70.3 World Championships. So far I’m on track for both this year. My new coach has made major improvements with me.

Now, strange things are happening for races. First, the day before and the morning of, I feel like crap. I don’t feel fast and I don’t feel prepared. It’s not until the end of the race when I see my results that I realize I did pretty well. It’s funny to think you are far behind and then be told that you are seconds or minutes behind the leader. The next change is people starting to look at me as possible competition. Also, the whole thing where I should turn around and welcome in the the next athletes coming across the finish line.

So, I have 2 weeks of training before my next big event. Time to heal, recover, and go again.

Revenge Run June 22, 2010

So 2 weeks ago I won my first overall sprint tri at SLeepy Hollow and beat a few fast guys. I did it while rockin’ the speedo only look.

Last week I bonked on a simple run and then again on a bike ride. Things weren’t looking good for me.
I emailed the coach and was educated on “fatigue”. Not the tired feeling you have after a race, but the lack of energy about a week or 2 after a BIG race. Such was the case for me last week, which was about 1.5 weeks after the Rev3 half iron where I came in top 10 for my AG.

This was not part of my plan as I have an Olympic distance race that I REALLY want to shine in as it’s a local event with a lot of people I would like to do well against. Not looking to win, but place.

So Saturday was a group ride with Target Training and then a 30 minute run. I was a little scared going into this day as I really didn’t want that bonk feeling. I did the 3 hour ride with e “A” group which had a lot of hills to it and then took off running for my 30 minute tempo run. I ran it faster than I should have, but I was happy to be back on track with energy levels.

Sunday had me running 1.5 hours at 7:30 pace with 9 sprints at 6 minute pace dashed in. It was fine, a little tiring and my left heel got torn up a bit from running sockless, but otherwise it was fine (humidity was brutal, but I managed well). I took a 2 minute cold shower and then jumped on the bike for a 1.5 hour ride to view the race course with a bunch of other local racers. The day was done by 10am and I was back on target with my training.

Here I am, Tuesday, with a swim done already this morning (nearly drowned with the amount of damn sprints I had) and a 40 minute run to do at lunch time with all the heat and humidity. I need to see if I can run the same course I just bonked on last week, a little revenge!!

Just enough Glide to slip onto the podium June 14, 2010

This weekend was the 2nd annual Sleepy Hollow Sprint triathlon. My buddy Eugene was working the setup for the course and adviced me to race this tri to get quick USAT points as no-one would show up to challenge me. Apparently others got the same word and the competition showed up.

For the past year I have wanted to race a triathlon in the retro style of Speedo only, like they use to race back in the 80′s. Now everyone is fully covered in skin suits and compression socks, so I thought it would be funny to be just about naked. I just had to find the right race to perform this feat. Sleepy Hollow Sprint seemed like the right distance, USAT rules, not WTC rules (which state you have to wear a shirt), and supposedly no one would be there.

So when I get to the transition, I realize there are some of the local “fast guys”. I’m already rocking the Speedos, so I can’t turn back now.

Side note – I had purposely wearing cycle shorts and cycle shirts to give me the proper amount of tan lines to contrast against my glowing paleness that was well seen in a Speedo.

The swim goes off well, it seems long, but I don’t mind. Within seconds I was leading the pack for my wave. A few minutes in and I pass the wave in front of me. A few more minutes and I’m between numerous waves with people flailing all around me and I have to weave in and out of nervouse swimmers doing various swim strokes, some strokes which can’t even be categorized with any type of recognition.

Out of the water and sprint to the bike, here we go!! I feel naked with just a race number covering my Speedo ass. I get going on the bike and realize just how naked I feel. Apparently, the rest of Sleepy Hollow wasn’t quite ready to see my paleness streaking down the road. Or maybe they were staring at my bike. Even with “shrinkage”, I don’t think this is what Washington Irving was writing about when he came up with the Headless Horseman, but I’m sure the residents were reminded of the childhood story when they saw me.

Sprinting off the bike into transition again, I grab my shoes and go out for the run. I look at my watch and realize I’m running a 6 pace, which is good for me off a bike. The next thing I notice is that tri shorts hold your thighs from slapping together, but Speedos don’t. With every stride I take, my thighs are rubbing and making a smaking sound. I had been warned ahead of time and used Glide, a Crisco greasy concotion, between the thighs. However, the Glide seems to have dried up. At the first water station I grab a cup and throw it at my crotch to cool things down. It worked, the Glide was re-activated and the smacking sound is gone and my thighs are not on fire anymore.

I now get my mind off the pain and realize I’m scaring little kids, young girls, the locals, the policemen, and the Sleepy Hollow High School Football team. Everyone is either looking away from me or laughing, well not the Football team, they look ready to kick my Speedo butt.

I get to the turn around which is the halfway point and realize 2 things, 1) I haven’t gotten passed and I know I was the first out of the water for my Wave, 2) my competition started 6 minutes ahead of me and I’m about a half mile behind him. But I look at my watch and don’t think my time is right and there is no way to win this race. I kick it up a notch and sprint into the finish line where all my competition is waiting to see who is coming in and from which Wave. They ask me what Wave I was in and when I reply the 6th Wave, they groan and state that I just won. Of course I don’t believe them and wander around for a bit talking ot other volunteers and racers. The race announcer lets everyone know that the results are being posted. Like moths to a flame, everyone is pulled into the gravition of the race results. The guy posting them let’s everyone know that the winning time is 1:04:XX and the winner is some guy named Zach Pratt. So naturally, from the back of the gathering I shout out “That guy cheated, I saw him”. The group turns around and gives me a disgusted look until one of them asks me if I’m Zach Pratt. I sheepishly confirm this and slink away.

I stick around for the awards ceremony and take off to go home.

First time on the podium feels nice.

Rev3, I’m sore but happy June 7, 2010

This weekend was the big Rev3 race. It started Thursday with a gathering at Target Training and Jordan Rapp talking about nutrition. Interesting, but I kind of knew that already. Finally met coach face to face. Normal.

Friday with Euge and I went up to get our race packets and rack his bike for the Olympic. We had just put a wireless SRM on his bike and gave it the once over to make sure it was good for racing and then went home.

Saturday was the Oly race for Euge and I picked him up along with his wife Sandra. My 8 year old daughter came with me to volunteer at the aide stations and root for Eugene. We got there just in time for him to throw on the wetsuit and go to race start. Barely.

My daughter was AWESOME as a volunteer and handed out water to swimmers going into transition and on the way out of transition from the bike to the run.

After about an hour of Euge being out on the bike, I got a bit nervous as he is a great biker and should have done the course in less than an hour (he was looking to win the Oly overall). An hour and a half went by and I knew it was either mechanical or physical. I was hoping for mechanical. My daughter and I went looking for him. We found him a mile and a half later and he yelled out that he flatted and lost his CO2 adapter. He ended up running his bike in from mile 18 to 23 barefoot until a SAG car pulled up alongside to help him out.

I expected him to sit down after that and not run, but he ran anyways. Upon crossing the finish line he collapsed in a mess and I dragged him to the med tent. Super dehydrated. His wife joined him and I decided to take the time to take my daughter on some rides at the amusement park there at Quassy. Euge was in the hands of an able doctor and getting IV drips. My daughter and I played at the water park and got some food. 2 hours later, Euge is still in the med tent and about to be released. He and his wife allow me to go train for an hour and take my daughter on some more rides.

How awesome a friend is that????? Euge and Sandra take my 8 year old daughter on more rides and play arcade games with her while I go swim, bike, and run. Awesome.

The next day is the 70.3 Rev3. I get there early and execute my coaches game plan. Everything goes according to plan. Yeah the hills were tough, but it was expected. Swim was good, came out at sub 30, T1 was pretty fast for me. The bike was okay, I never feel “right” on the bike in a tri. I yelled at a few drafters who yelled something back and I don’t think they were agreeing with me. I blew a tire around mile 55 of 56 and rode it into transition. I would have had a better T2 but I realized I had my number on upside down and decided to fix it which took an extra 5 seconds, which could have hurt me in the long run.

The run…..Man that hurt. I knew that I had to keep a sub 8 pace to finish with a sub 5 hour half iron distance. I kept the pace close to the plan and never walked. I was happy about that.

Because this race was only 1 hour from home, I knew A LOT of people in the race. 2 guys I wanted to beat, and about 5 guys I HAD to beat. Mission accomplished across the board, with one of the guys by only 8 seconds.

Euge helped me cooldown afterwards with ice and water, such a big help. Went a got some food and looked for Jordan, but couldn’t find him. Probably just as well as the coach-athlete relationship is working very well right now with email communications only.

Drove home and treated myself to a McDonalds Strawberry Shake and fries. I convinced myself the fat and salt would ward off any cramps in the muscles. I think it worked!!!!!

Rev 3 Review June 7, 2010

Today is the day after riding the Quassy Rev3 course. Not 1 flat on the whole course. Quads are fired up. THe run will not be any easier.

My legs are a bit sore. Outer Quads are ok now, but the inside of my quads that attach at the knee are sore.

I’m pretty sure that if I execute this race correctly, I can have a good time at Rhode Island 70.3 next month.

The goal is to pull off a sub 5, but I think that will be pretty difficult. We’ll see.

I plan to go to Lake George, NY this weekend for some family time and hills training.

Rev3 in a few days and I’m cloudy June 1, 2010

Allergies have come into play with my training now. To ward off the evil pollen and dust, I used Benadryl last night at 9pm. As of 12 noon today, I’m still feeling the effects. I tried to swim this morning, but my eyes were rolling into the back of my head. I was too afraid of smacking my head on the wall, so I dragged myself out of the pool much like a tad pole before it becomes a frog. The guys at the YMCA must have thought I was a perv as I was in the shower for what seemed like a LONG time just staring straight ahead. It must have creeped out a few people.

I still have to run tonight, but I think I should pull out of this fog before I have to train again.

With just a few days before the race, I haven’t gotten giddy yet. No nerves, no anxiety, no jitters. Damn, I miss that feeling. I hope I get it by Saturday or at least Sunday morning.

So this officially starts the summer madness of triathlons that I have been working pretty hard on for the past 8 months, I hope it pays off.

Looking forward to talking a bit of strategy with the new coach. We’ll see what he thinks I should do for pacing and guess at the overall and split times.