Training Table August 2004

T.J. Tollakson’s Triathlon Newsletter

The middle of the summer season has now past and it’s down to the last few races of the season. My training has been focusing less on volume and more on intensity. I will be on the track again for the first time since May, and doing hard VO2 Max swim sets and bike intervals to hone my base training into year end speed. With only three races left in the season, it’s time to put it all on the line and make the most of all the hard training. The Accenture Chicago Triathlon is the perfect opportunity to prove myself to the triathlon community and compare my times to the top pros in the world. Age Group Nationals is chance to race for a national championship, that only happens once a year.

Race Report: Kansas Division I USA Swimming Meet

July 31, 2004, Lenexa, KS, I was making perhaps my last attempt of the summer at achieving my Olympic Resident Team “B” time standard in the 400-meter freestyle. The goal was 4:37.0 which meant I needed to hold 1:09 per 100m. I was out in a smooth 1:07.2 then really took the second 100 relaxed in 1:10.1 so I was just ahead of pace. I really turned on the effort in the third 100 and split a 1:09.5 but really dropped the ball in the seventh fifty of the race splitting 35.8 and finishing with a fourth 100m split of 1:09.9. My total time was 4:37.71 missing my cut by .71 seconds. It was a truly bittersweet swim since I now know my fitness is at an elite level but needs to be just that much better to compete with the best. I will still apply for the resident team in Colorado Springs this winter but will focus on improving my run and swim training in the off-season.

Race Report: Midwest Meltdown Kansas Speedway Sprint

August 1, 2004, Kansas City, KS, since I was already in the metro KC area I decided to stay with fellow triathlete Chris Bohannon of Overland Park and make it a weekend of races. This first year event was held at the Kansas City Speedway and included parts of the bike and run on the actual racetrack. It was a longer sprint with .6-mile swim, 14-mile bike, and 3.9 mile run. I was excited for a good test without a wetsuit and with former Colorado School of Mines swimmer Brooks Matterson; I knew I would have some good competition. I took off in the swim with an early lead then at the turn around Brooks pulled up beside me and then proceeded to gradually pull away. I finished 13 seconds behind him and passed him in T1. I had some problems putting my heart rate monitor on during the bike but after that I cruised to a motor-paced bike lead by several minutes averaging just over 300 watts for the ride. The run was my big question mark and today I was feeling very fresh so I worked the run hard. I turned in the fastest run split of the day by over a minute averaging 5:45 miles. I was very pleased. It was nice to see pro athletes Wendy Ingraham and Chris Legh at the race. They were both very encouraging about pursuing a full-time triathlon career.

Place

Div/Tot

Bib #

Name

Time

Rank

Swim

T1

Rank

Bike

T2

Rank

Run T

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1

1/11

331

Trenton Tollakson

1:10:43

1

11:56

0:44

2

34:46:00

0:53

1

22:25

2

1/18

325

James O'keefe

1:19:54

17

15:24

0:56

14

39:11:00

1:03

2

23:22

3

1/8

328

Evan Schmidt

1:22:25

4

12:51

1:05

33

43:24:00

0:44

3

24:24:00

4

2/8

385

David Blair

1:22:37

24

15:57

1:26

7

36:43:00

1:09

16

27:26:00

5

1/39

307

Sandy Cohen

1:22:49

2

12:41

1:00

27

42:34:00

0:56

7

25:39:00

Race Report: Big Creek Triathlon Polk City, IA

August 8, 2004, back in central Iowa and racing for respect on the home turf. I have raced Big Creek twice as an individual but 5 times as a runner on a relay. I have never turned in a decent solo performance at Big Creek and this year I was determined not only to race well but to shoot for the course set back in 2001, the first year I did the race, at a 1:56:59. The absence of two-time winner JJ Bailey was a disappointment but if a boy doesn’t want to race I’m not going to make him. Collegiate swimmer Lars Brudvig was present and I knew I would have to work the swim if I wanted to come out in the lead. I started on the outside and swam to a quick lead then held it for the entire race. Lars finished around 30 seconds behind me but minutes ahead of everyone else. It was a windy day so the water was a bit choppy but that also meant the bike would be slower for most people. I still wanted the fastest bike split of the day but was off to a slow start. My legs couldn’t seem to generate the wattage I wanted. After three miles they loosened up and I was feeling strong. I built a considerable lead and won the bike by nearly five minutes with the fastest Big Creek bike split ever. The run was once again my true test of fitness and I know the course is fast since I turned in a 34:50 as a 15-year old runner. The wind was a tough competitor on the run and I struggled through miles 2 and 3 but on the way back in I found myself again and turned in the fastest run of the day in 37:02 averaging 5:58 per mile. It was a spectacular victory setting the new course record in a blazing 1:53:49. I beat fellow Team USA member Barry Breffle by over 9 minutes. Tons of family and friends were out at Big Creek to help cheer me on to victory. I had a wonderful article in the Des Moines Register the following day.

P

NAME

CITY

AG

plc

time

yds

time

plc

time

mph

T2 plc Run

pace

Finish

1

Trenton Tollakson

Hutchinson

23

1

19:00

1:10

0:43

1

56:39:00

26.3

0:27

1

37:02:00

5:58

1:53:49

2

Barry Breffle

Marion

33

7

21:56

1:21

0:45

2

1:01:24

24.3

0:27

3

38:22:00

6:11

2:02:51

3

Lars Brudvig

Ames

24

2

19:38

1:12

0:53

6

1:03:20

23.6

0:27

4

38:57:00

6:17

2:03:13

4

Randy Reichardt

Des Moines

24

13

23:43

1:27

1:36

3

1:01:40

24.2

0:30

9

39:58:00

6:26

2:07:25

5

Brian Bell

Omaha

26

31

26:08:00

1:36

1:01

4

1:02:24

23.9

0:25

8

39:48:00

6:25

2:09:44

Upcoming Races

August 29, Accenture Chicago Triathlon, Chicago, IL

September 12, NEMO Triathlon, Kirksville, MO

September 18, Age Group Nationals, Shreveport, LA

For all the latest on TJ’s racing updates and training log visit www.tollakson.com