Going forward I will start pushing the pacing on my interval workouts to get to a more consistent lower 6 min/mile.

Course Map

Roosevelt Island made for a great venue for this 5K as the Island is pretty flat. There were a few narrow and sharp turns on the course but with fewer runners registered at about 500 it made for a less congested course as oppose to the 5000+ of the NY Road Runner  races. Post race bagels were a treat.

I finished with over a minute PR from my last official 5K with a time of 19:56 (6:26/mile).

Finish Time: 19:56

AG Place: 6 / 43

Overall: 22 / 459

Official Results

In my pursuit for a sub 3:20 marathon I signed up for the inaugural Central Park marathon by NYCRUNS. Registration fee was $75 when I signed up and my fitness at the time coming off Harrisburg marathon (3:23:59) was pretty good. Training for this marathon was going to be mostly indoors as I wasn’t keen on sub freezing runs. However treadmill running for most of my long runs of training would be a determent to my marathon goal.

The weather race week heading into race day (February 24) was not looking favorable as the weather forecast was predicting snowy conditions the day before. Fortunately we were spared and had great racing conditions. The precipitation now in the form of rain ended early the night before and the temps were above freezing so black ice wouldn’t be an issue.

Right at the start of the race my legs felt quite heavy. My goal for the Central Park marathon was to use a progressive racing strategy. Start the first loop at 7:45, then 7:40, 7:35, 7:30 and 7:25. This goal wouldn’t be achieved on the day as my first loop was in the low 7:50s with more than an effort that I was anticipating. I still tried pushing on the second loop but the effort again was very taxing on this course. On the third loop I began to settle and accept an alternate race goal for the day.

By the end of the fourth loop just finishing below the 3:45 would be sufficient. Post mile 18 I found myself taking walk breaks between aid stations.

Many factors may have led to this subpar performance. Nutrition….but the leading factor I believe was lack of outdoor running especially during my long runs.

Going forward if I plan to do a winter marathon long runs will have to be done outdoors unless the conditions are unsafe.

I am still content that I was able to pull off a 3:33 even with walking today.

Solid  race organization by Steve and the gang from NYCRUNS. Love the post race hot chocolate, the hoodie and medal. Excellent performance by Anh who ran a 3:56 just coming off a September delivery of our beautiful son, Miles.

Official Results

Anh and I did our part in the recovery efforts with donations and the like, runners also did their part on Staten Island and all over.

In times of such catastrophic and tragic events New Yorkers always come together and assist whichever way they can.

Heading into this years New York City marathon I felt that I had peaked for the race and was on the road to having an awesome day. I was determined to not allow my marathon fitness and training go to waste and was keen on finding an alternative. I took to twitter and marathon sites such as Marathon Guide and Running in the USA. The race would have to be in the Northeast and  not an overwhelming expense. One of my twitter friends suggested the Harrisburg Marathon.

Harrisburg Capitol Building

John Harris Mansion (Son of Founder of Harrisburg)

Harrisburg was perfect. It was a 3  and 1/2 hour commute from the city via Amtrak and hotels and the race start were close in proximity to each other. Logistics were perfect. Being a small race we were lucky that hotels were still available. We booked all the necessities and planned accordingly.

Most reviews I read about the Harrisburg marathon said that the course was fast and flat. So I eagerly anticipated a fast day and possible personal best. On the Harrisburg Marathon website there wasn’t an elevation map with such details.

Elevations Map

A drawback from a small race is the lack of adequate resources. Aid stations were going to be at least 2-3 miles apart. Carrying my fuel belt would be mandatory. During marathons I try to be as minimalist as possible but being a bigger runner my sweat and caloric intake is much higher so I couldn’t afford to abandon my fuel belt.

The first half of the course was relatively flat as mentioned. My splits were evident. Unfortunately a fact that I either missed or overlooked were the challenging trails heading into mile 18. There were a few rollers with steep ascents and descents for a few miles. This immediately had an impact on my race goals. No longer was I looking at a sub 3:20 finish time. Goal B, C was the objective at hand. At this point I would be content with a 3:30. The course also has some areas with loose gravel where caution should be used. Some runners opted for the side grassy areas only to find that it’s unevenness was worse. If I am able to do this race a second time, the woodland trails will be more appreciated but because I aimed for a PR they were seen as an obstacle today.

I kept taking in salt tablets at every hour from thirty minutes into racing, I also hydrated adequately with sports drink from the course (cytomax and gatorade) and my Gatorade from the fuel belt. I chipped away at the hills while keeping my strides short to evade any cramping. This strategy held on perfectly.

The last 6 miles of the course is FLAT. If coming into the race I was better educated and aware of this fact maybe the outcome would have been different. But with a 26.2 mile race, being flat, favorable or not, it is 26.2 miles and the outcome is not predictable.

I was able to push through like I always do, I had to keep my head down while pushing through to deter distractions and finished as strong as I could. The thought of Miles (our 6 week old son) and my wonderful and always supporting wife, Anh, kept me persevering and digging deeper to the finish.

I would definitely come back to participate in the Harrisburg Marathon again sometime in the future. The course is scenic and the people of Harrisburg and the organization are wonderful and very hospitable. Watching runners in the overhead bridges and running next to the water was breathtaking. The fall foliage added to picturesque Harrisburg.

Hopefully with the continued growth of this race more merchants will be open for business on race weekend. Also a sports vendor at the packet pickup would be welcome. Dick’s sporting Goods – a sponsor should have had a presence there.

Props to the organizers, residents and volunteers for welcoming with open arms would be 2012 New York City marathoners like myself.

Great foliage in Harrisburg

At the Finish

Proud Parents

Our Champion

Finish time: 3:23:59 7:47/mile

Overall Place: 230 / 1515

AG: 41 / 138

Official Results

Today I was born. My name is Miles Phan. Daddy and I are so proud of Mommy for a perfect delivery.

The wonderful wonders of sleep. I woke up feeling 80% better than I felt last night so I knew I was ready to show up for an 18 mile race.

Alarm went off at 5am. I quickly went to the kitchen and got the coffee and and peanut butter sandwich toast ready to head out. The race was scheduled to start at 7am.

I hopped on the transit around 6ish and it got me to the race at 6:40. This was great timing as I was able to drop off my baggage, hit the potty and do a short warmup and stretch – have to keep my knee happy.

At the gun start I was ready to race. At mile 1 I was right at marathon goal pace. I took 2 salt tablets at the first aid station as I know with this greater race effort I need to be preventative with any sort of cramping. The 18 miler consisted of 3 loops around Central Park. The big advantage of running most of the NYRR races and training in the park is the familiarity. This in my opinion can also be a disadvantage as you are not surprised in any way to the terrain and may lead to a false positive heading into an “A” race like the New York City marathon.

On the hills I kept my strides quick and short to lessen on the impact. Took full advantage on the downhills without holding back as I need to simulate the downhill for the Queensboro bridge (part of the NYC Marathon course) as much as possible.

First, second and third loop all went on perfectly with no issues. Only setback was that I stopped 3 times to wet the earth after every harlem hill . Can’t keep hydrating with a full bladder, lol.

Race and time goal was a success. Weather was perfecto! This ends an Epic race weekend for me. Next up New York City Marathon. November 4th!

Official Time: 2:15:08 (7:31/mile)

Overall Place: 217/4320

AG Place: 41/421 (Top 10% gotta be happy with this performance )

Anh, my wife and wonderful supporter accompanied me to the swim start at 79th (Boat Basin) on the West Side of Manhattan. Swimmers were required to check in between 8:30 – 9:45am. Official race start was 10:50am . As always with long waits prior to racing I tend to have two breakfast servings. At home I had a peanut butter sandwich and when we got to 79th I ordered an egg sandwich from a Diner on Broadway. After I checked in we camped on a park bench at the West Side waterfront. There were plenty of recreational patrons out on a beautiful NYC day. The weather couldn’t have been better. There was a slight chill but not as windy as some of the swims I’ve done this year which leads to choppy swims. This was noticeable by the calmness of the Hudson River.

I was seeded in Wave 5 of 9 Bib# 301. As always which I love in endurance events, there were participants of all ages. Everyone is just out to have some fun at the last swim event on the NYCSwim calendar.

When my wave was up we were ordered to the dock at 79th. This also happens to be the swim finish of the New York City Triathlon – a race I did back in 2010. My wave all jumped in the water and got ready for the start horn. Waves were allowed to go at 3-5 minute intervals.

During the Webinar the moderator said that there would be about 19 swim buoys approximately 1/4 mile apart. Also swimmers had to swim no more than 5 yards to either side of the buoys. My goal was just to take a buoy at a time – no mile markers here. As per fuel I packed an 8oz fuel bottle in my suit which contained accelerade (I would finish the race never using or needing it).

Since purchasing and racing with my Amber Aquasphere goggles they have increased my swim sighting ability. For the most part I was able to sight the swim buoys in the far distance and make my way to them. At times I just went with a pack if one was present. The few times I glanced at my watch for my race time were 40 minutes in, below the George Washington Bridge and the the finish (there was a 2:40 cutoff time for the GWB – I made it there at 2:11 ). Swimming through so much of New York / New Jersey scenery really kept me distracted which made the swim even more enjoyable.

The closer the George Washington bridge seemed at times the slower I felt progression was being made as it felt like an enternity. I stopped a few times to adjust my goggles and verify swim direction and landmarks. Closer to the GWB I estimated that there were about 3 more buoys to go before crossing the bridge. As I approached and got closer I observed and saw the infamous Little Red Lighthouse to my right – it’s quite litter for sure. Unfortunately I also saw some swimmers making their way directly to it. Fortunately the race kayakers helped them back on course. I stopped and made sure to soak it all in at the Bridge and Lighthouse.

At this point in the swim as per the Webinar and the pre-race meeting we were told that it would be a remaining 1.2 miles to the finish. With my Half Ironman swim experiences and race times I figured that to be roughly 34+ minutes. With the current we were promised in the later part of the swim that would be closer to 30 minutes.

While swimming nice and easy after the bridge I was suddenly got sucked into one of the stationary buoys by a very strong current. After gaining my composure I went back to my sighting and swimming to the finish. The buoys were not too clear at this point in the swim so it was a bit more difficult to navigate. Thankfully there were helper boats and kayakers around to help us through. After about 10 minutes or so I could see a crowd and hear cheering in the distance and knew the finish was near.

At the last buoy I wad called out by a kayaker to make a hard right and head to the finish. I still felt comfortable with my stroke and effort level so swam strong to the finish.

My Garmin data from the Little Red Lighthouse Swim

In Conclusion:

For anyone looking for a swim challenge beyond the 2.4 mile Ironman distance this is a highly recommended swim. NYCSwim continues to impress me with their race organization and ability to put the athlete first. Their races are mostly capped at 400 or so swimmers and makes for great swimming, fun and safety. My swim training and volume has been incredible this year. I may not be the fastest swimmer out there by any means but swimming is absolute fun and relaxing. I look forward to more swim challenges in the future.

Finish Time: 2:40:18

Overall Place: 214/284

Official Results

Bike: 56 miles
I did the Toughman tri back in 2010. This year the bike course was changed. Along with that change was also a new and improved closed traffic course. Some athletes I spoke to said that the course would be easier this year. IMO I will agree to disagree. I have confidence that my bike fitness has vastly improved from 2 years ago. The perceived effort I put out on the course compared to 2010 is at least 20% more and the results on the bike is about the same. With those two 1.5 mile cat 5 climbs in the new course I have to say it’s a more challenging elevation in comparison to 2010. That said we were extremely lucky with the weather on Sunday. The day before it was a straight up monsoon in New York. Race day weather was perfect!
Bike Split: 2:50:45

Bike Elevation

Run: 13.1 miles
Heading out into transition legs felt great until boom – major right hamstring cramps before mile 1. Oops! I’m I done? Dig deep Alex. Stop and assess. Okay try stretching out the hamstring for about 30 seconds or so. Did that and I was able to run for about 7-10 minutes before it happened again. For the next 3 occurrences I did the same stretch routine. Along with stretching I took in salt tablets, drank gatorade and water at every aid station while walking in between. I was worried about the hills I would have to encounter later in the race, but thankfully the cramps subsided to allow me the chance to shuffle up the hills. Though the results may not show that my run was the strongest leg on the day but I know that being a mentally strong runner today on the course lead me to a strong finish.
Run Split: 1:50:45

Run Elevation

Baby + Baby + Me

In the Parking Lot

In Conclusion: 
I can’t say enough great things about the ToughmanTri organization. They showcase a challenging, wonderful event. We were even entertained on the trails by local high school cheerleaders. The community of Croton, Westchester comes out to support and embraces this race. If you’re looking for a fun, challenging, scenic mix with trail running this is the course for you. Passing by the aqueduct reservoir is breathtaking. All the thanks goes to my awesome wife, Anh P. for being there for me. No better way to close out my Tri season with her by my side as we look forward to a new chapter in our lives.

Overall Finish Time: 5:14:10
Overall Place: 93/553 Top 16%
AG: 15/78 Top 19%

It was windy at the start of the race so we knew it was going to be a choppy swim. Having dealt with similar race conditions during Liberty Island swim and Governor’s Island this year I knew I would be more comfortable with this swim.

Burlington, Vermont made for an awesome championship venue for the Age Group Championships. Anh P. and I got to spend race weekend with Adam G. who also participated and his father Jim who spectated with Anh. Couldn’t have asked for better company.

We got to enter the water before our wave started for a warmup swim which I utilized and made sure that my goggles and body was ready for the swim.

As the gun went off I made sure to get to my comfort zone for the first 100 meters or so before I figured any race pace strategy. The day would not be ideal for any sort of short course race pace effort as the sun glare, navigation and choppiness made for a tough swim for most athletes. My strategy at this point was to enjoy the swim and be as relaxed as possible.

As I made my way to the last yellow turn buoy I was able to pick up the pace and the water was a bit smoother as well.

Made it to transition and saw Anh P. along the way.

Swim Map

Bike: 

After studying the course map and listening to the webinar going into the race we knew that the first 5 miles or so would be hilly. So I kept my cadence at 90+ during the uphills to save my running legs and down to 85-88 during the flats and rollers. The wind would be a factor throughout the course especially while coming back to town from the turnaround.

To keep in check with the non-drafting rules I made sure to only hammer and pass athletes when there was clearly a clear and legal spot for me to sit in after the pass. I have to say having so many marshalls out on the course and preventing a penalty kept my passing at bay. Most times during the bike I just sat back, saved my legs and only pushed when there was enough spacing up ahead.

Did I mention how scenic this course was (I am loving Vermont and I’m tempted to do the marathon there next year). The roads could not have been smoother. I kept soaking in the scenery as much as I could during the race.

Heading back into transition I had ample time to undo my strap from my *almost new* Shimano tri shoe and do the pro dismount Made it into T2 found my rack and quickly slipped on my kinvaras for the run.

I spotted m honey and the base of the run and gave her a kiss and continued my road to the finish.

Bike Elevation Map

Run: 

The first half mile or so of the run was what could be described as a straight up brutal hill. I kept my strides nice and short during that part of the run. First mile split was at 7:55.

I took 2 salt tablets at the first aid station washed it down with water and gatorade. I would grab water/gatorade at all subsequent stations except the last one heading to the finish.

The rest of the run was a progression in my splits down to 6:50 for mile six. The couse had a combination of all terrains, dirt, gravel, trail. Really enjoyed it, especially while running to the finish on the cliff above transition with Lake Champlain (the venue of the swim) to the right with Vermont mountains in the far ground.

I am extremely satisfied with my overall race performance at the Age Group National Championship and I’m looking forward to visiting/racing in Vermont again. Since the race in moving from Burlington to an new venue next year this venue should be used again for Tri racing. Rev3 Burlington anyone?

Run Elevation Map

Overall Time: 2:31:56

Level of field: Outstanding ++

Average swimmer like myself were on the second of three ferries out to the start. There were 8 waves. I was in wave 4.

Contrary to the Liberty Island swim this Ferry took us out away from the docking area to a deep water start. The length of the swim was 2 miles.

After jumping in we swam to the start buoys which was a short 2 minute swim away which made for a short warmup.

I was able to spot Anh with the camera cheering me on from the dock. This was a very spectator friendly race as they were able to follow us along most of the swim.

I tried my best to swim as straight as possible with the aid of the buoys but still found it a bit difficult. Also the buoys were wider apart in some areas.

The water temperature was 74 degrees. The view of New York city line was a bit foggy but that did not affect my sighting.

At times I was able to keep with small groups of swimmers but mostly I was swimming solo.

Swim Map

This has been two or three NYC Swim events I’ve done for the year. I’m now looking forward to the 10K swim in September.