Saturday, September 03, 2005

Tangent Moves

Running the tangents

'Cutting corners legally' - that is the way to run your race. In running, a tangent is a line that touches the inside corner of a turn. If you follow the route that is closest to the inside corner of a turn, you will be running the shortest distance in the race. As the image below shows, if you have a left turn followed by a right turn - the shortest distance is the diagonal line that clips the inside of both turns (the red line).  

Running the tangents may not be possible in the initial stages of big races like Chicago or New York Marathon. But once the crowds thin out, you can start looking ahead and clipping the inside of the turns.

By some estimates (another super post by DCR) - if you ran the outside of every turn you could add half a mile to your race (more turns, more distance you run)!

Running the tangent.

Here is a short video clip from Dixon's 1983 New York Marathon - he puts the point across very succinctly. 

Other than running the inside of turns, he also mentions other pearls of wisdom - such as - 'run your own race'. Watch the video - it is a classic from 40 years go

Caveat: As a middle to back of the pack triathlete, I do not try the tangent method during the swim or bike portion of a triathlon. The inside turn in a swim can be very crowded and pretty bruising - avoid the crowd, go wide. On the bike, keep to the right of your lane - let the type A folks do the curb hugging. Stay safe.

(Post updated on June 20th, 2023)

Sunday, July 24, 2005

Ironman Lake Placid - July 24, 2005 - Race Report


“Sport is about adapting to the unexpected and being able to modify plans at the last minute” – Roger Bannister

Thursday - July 21st - Arrived Lake Placid, 88F Humid, went for a 40 min run. Felt good.

Friday -22nd – Overcast conditions – cooler

Finished with the check in & weigh-in at Ironman – drove the bike course. The start had a 6 mile down hill & the last 15 miles of the 56 mile loop was a relentless series of gentle climbs. The entire route was gorgeous – I felt good there were no serious hills except for a 3 mile stretch in between which would need some low gears. Decided to ride 12-15 miles mostly the down hill section. It had been 13 days since I rode my bike!! Legs felt sluggish – Renuka was to pick me up 15 miles down the road – as she drove by me she saw the pain on my face (there was a climb before the down hill portion) she parked 5 miles ahead just incase…:-) I hit the down hills averaging 33-35mph – high clocked at 44mph. It was pouring rain so I slowed down as the roads were slick & I could not see very far. Another biker zooms past me!!! Crazy bugger!! Note to self: stay on the right on race day let these “type As” go by. – Most important night: got to bed early & slept well.


Saturday -23rd – Warm day – high 80s, humid.

Checked in the bike at the transition (Bikes are checked in a day early). Walked across the road to Mirror Lake (that is where the swim was) and went in for a 15 min swim without my wetsuit, the water was warm (65-68F) & I had a relaxed swim – My friend had driven in from Boston, we all had an early dinner & tried to get to bed early but could not sleep – the body, mind (and stomachJ) were already in race mode…


Sunday 24th –RACE DAY – Up at 3:30 a.m. cool day (low 50s) (thank god!) – bit of mist – Had my Coffee, Oats & Banana – I was feeling good
5:00 a.m. Renuka dropped me off at the transition area. Went in checked my bike (good idea for all future triathletes as the heat on Saturday had caused a lot to flat tires) my bike was fine, I put in the Cytomax bottles & checked in my “special needs bags” for the half way point of the bike & run. Walked to the lake…
6:30 a.m. the place was crowded, thousands of spectators. As the lake was warmer than the ambient temp there was steam rising off the water – it was a surreal scene.
6:55 a.m. looked around could not see Renuka or Shiraz the crowd was going wild as all of us were jumping into the water 1900+ swimmers (the Pro Women were on their 2nd loop of the swim as they had started at 6:30 a.m.)
7:00 a.m. “The Start” the craziest scene in sports – almost 8000 limbs churning the water into froth – it was madness, I hung back, protecting myself from blows. I start and in seconds I am in the middle of this feeding frenzy as no one is moving – people pushing, kicking, pulling at your feet, it was NUTS!! – I feel my timing chip coming off (someone pulls at it) I stop to secure it – still looking around to make sure there are no limbs coming at me…10-12 mins later I get into a slow rhythm still being bumped around & in turn bumping people. The second loop was better & had time to wave at the SCUBA diver below us and the helicopter hovering a few feet above us…Amazing! I was loving every moment…
8:30a.m the swim is done – a volunteer pushes me to the floor, & strips off my wetsuit…hands it to me & I am off to the changing tent for the grueling 112 miles on the iron horse. I see Renuka, Shiraz & further down Mike & Lisa friends I have not met in years…I was feeling good.

BIKE: The start was nice, weather was still cool – since I was way back in the swim I had missed the crowds on the bike start – The down hill was great, high 45 mph – at the 40 mile mark I was at average 18.5mph (too fast I tell myself – slow down, calm down) – then the up hills start – I was still feeling good, there was good music all around people on guitars, boom-boxes, drums, it was all good – Nutrition on the first loop - GU gel every 45 mins with Cytomax & water & 2 bananas. I stop at mile 56 switch my empty bottles for fresh Cytomax (I had forgotten to put bananas in the pack – First mistake of the day). I see Renuka & Shiraz cheering – huge crowd cheering, so much for calming down! I take off. Mile 85 it is getting hot – the water stops have run out of bananas – I try a raw green one handed to me – yuk! That’s it no more eating. The climbs start I feel like I am riding in sand…my chain pops off (bad gear changing) I get off & in my hurry I drop my bike!! Finally the ride is over…someone grabs my bike & I am off to the changing tent.


RUN: I start off the first mile at 9.44 pace…”too fast, slow down” I tell my self. The plan was to walk/run a 4:40 marathon…mile 6 I am chugging along at a 10:15 pace feeling good – still the same routine GU gel every 40 mins with Cytomax/Gatorade…mile 8,9,10 are uphill the pace slows. Mile 13.1 I dig into my “special needs” re-fill cytomax – and take off the crowds are cheering, Mike & Lisa are at the turnaround it was great to see familiar faces, a mile down Renuka is out there, my pace picks up (2nd mistake) Mile 15 the first inkling of trouble...a bit of strange fatigue comes over me…Oh! Oh! I have been here before & it’s not a nice place to be…I slow down. Mile 16 I look at the watch it’s been 3 hours – I start calculating my “what ifs” but instead of calculating for 10 miles I calculate for 8 miles!!! Mile 17 & I am wondering why I still have 9 miles left when I should have 7!! – well the mind is playing tricks…”Slow down Rajeev” says a voice inside me "walk 15 min/miles & you can finish." Mile 18-19 fatigue gets worse – I look for company (I wish Rajeev P was around) I find another person walking & I step along and we start a conversation…another person joins us on the up hill, It is bad but finally I get some cola at mile 22…Phew!! Sugar is goooood!!! We get into Lake Placid, the town is still out ringing bells, screaming & cheering and handing out glow sticks as it is getting dark...mile 25 I turn in for the final mile & I almost fall (No sudden turns buddy!!)…Mike & Lisa cheer me on - I start jogging again…I can hear the names of the finishers being announced “John XX from Tempe Arizona – YOU are an Ironman” – Rush of energy, I pick up the pace – I enter the stadium, the crowds are cheering…I run in to finish…14:50:52…just under the European cut-off of 15 hours…an hour slower than my previous Ironman - but I am happy…It was a great day! I fought the beast and just about beat it….!

As John Milton said “The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make a heaven of hell, and a hell of heaven” – so true…so very true…

Thank you Renuka, Shiraz, Renuka, Mike, Renuka, Lisa, Renuka….Thank god for Renuka...she is a true champion...