Chasing The Athlete Within

Lights Out

2007-10-06T14:55:00.000-07:00

Well, I keep meaning to post here but having trouble putting pen to paper lately. I've been thinking it's probably a good idea to formally shut this down rather then fade away. So I'm pulling the trigger...*for now*

I couldn't leave without thanking all those that took the time to land here for a visit though. I'm sure reading my blog was a chore, more often then not, but I truly appreciate all the comments here and those that hit me privately. All part of the most excellent journey over the last two years.

So there you have it...Focus on the positive, eat organic, keep the rubber side down, support your local farmers, never give up, enjoy the journey, count your blessings and all that other good stuff. Here's to keeping it real and the awesome connections along the way. *smile*

I'll catch you on the other side!

*Peace*

Suffering

2007-09-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

Think back to the times that you've "suffered" during training or racing...paid a visit to the pain cave...burnt all your matches, etc. Good times eh?

I guess with an Olympic team spot on the line, you take suffering to the next level. Here's Jarrod Shoemaker letting it all hang out, literally, as he crosses the finish line at the Beijing World Cup. As first American, he earned the first USA olympic team spot for USA Triathlon. He beat out USA favorites Kemper and Potts in the process - good on ya Jarrod!

I got in a short run and a trainer ride where I "suffered" a bit for 2 x 20 minute intervals, albeit on a much much much lower scale! ;-)

After the training silliness, I did get around to more important things like watching The Royal Tenenbaums again. With a lot of the crap out there, you have to revisit the worthwhile stuff every so often.

Have a good week!

*Peace*

Yummy, Part Deux

2007-09-14T21:30:00.000-07:00

Here's how it goes down....
You start with natural, hormone & antibiotic-free, grass-fed, *LOCAL* beef, slice up some organic tomatoes, toss on some organic greens and voila!!

You can almost rationalize away the guilt from eating a hamburger...and a tasty one at that!

No excuses for the beer though...that one hurt so good! ;-)

Hope everyone is doing well out there...I know my updates have been lacking but I've been buried at work among other excuses. On the training front, I'm still working on healing the feet and have been restricted to running a max of one mile. I'm not too happy with that but hoping to beat this chronic PF!!

In other news, my beautiful ZIPP 999's have gone bye-bye! *sigh* I love that disc wheel but trading them for a Powertap SL. It's all about raising that functional threshold POWER in 08!!

Before I turn off the lights, let me leave you with some PDP. It's not the greatest video but you gotta appreciate the cool vibe. For real.

Sing a simple song brah!

Have a great weekend!

*Peace*

Yummy

2007-09-05T21:18:00.000-07:00

It looks like Quintana Roo listened to everyone who whined about their ugly 07 graphics...hell, it even hurt my eyes to look at the 07 Lucero frame the first time I laid eyes on it! But, it's all about the fit right? Now I don't even notice how ugly my frame is...*yeah right* ;-)

My bike....kinda like the "before and after" weight loss pics

My 2007 bike *Before*

Now the "After" pic...Check out the 2008 Lucero Lite...SWEET!!

My money is on the ChiCqilo though. I love the pink graphics! If I didn't already buy the Lucero, I'd have a hard time choosing between the Lucero and the ChiCqeeeeeeeelooooooo! Say it with me now!

Hope the week is treating you all well!

*Peace*

Glutton For Punishment

2007-09-04T21:44:00.000-07:00

Yeah Baby! ;-)

04 Sep 2007 13:22:19 -0800
This message is generated as confirmation of your recent registration on Active.com. You have been successfully registered for the following:

Registration: 2008 Subaru Ironman Canada On-Site Entry
Purchase Date: 09/04/07
Category: On-Site Registration
Event Date: 08/24/08

All In

2007-09-02T09:36:00.000-07:00

Anyone else losing sleep over the "shoulda / woulda / coulda's" from a recent race? Ok, maybe not losing sleep but it still has been on my mind alot lately since IMC.

Based on a review of my Ironman races:

1999 Ironman Florida 11:54:41
2000 Ironman California 12:02:51* Long swim
2001 Ironman California 10:55:51
2001 Ironman Canada 11:13:13
2002 Ironman Canada 10:41:29
2003 Ironman Canada 10:48:56
2003 Ironman Florida 10:22:41
2004 Ironman Canada 10:55:27
2006 Ironman Canada 11:15:05
2007 Ironman Canada 10:50:46

See a theme there?

"If you change nothing ... Nothing changes"
-unknown-

Except for the races where I blew up (reduced to walking alot of the marathon in 01 / 06 IMC), I seem to be stuck in a rut of finishing right around 10:50. Don't get me wrong, anytime you cross the line at an Ironman race, *regardless* of finish time, it is a victory in my opinion. BUT, *and it is a big but* you know deep down in the dark recesses of your brain, you have a certain goal or time that would validate all the sacrifice and struggle of the huge training volume over a season.

I guess you can't expect to get different results by following the same protocol season after season so I plan on mixing it up next year. If i'm going to put in the training hours, a given as always, why not push it? I don't necessarily mean an increase in hours because I think the law of diminishing returns applies here. I mean training smarter.

I have a computrainer that has been nothing more then an glorified trainer based on my usage. I plan on exploring more of its features such as using its ergo mode to train at a certain power / wattage level. I also plan on seriously considering the option of training with power (powermeter)- it almost seems like a necessity at this point to get to the next level. I will join the Nike Masters Swim program. They meet twice a week and it would definitely be a good idea based on my swim times going south lately. Finally, I am going to have a more balanced approach over the winter vs. strictly running. Granted, I plan on focusing on the run during the winter months but I will not eliminate or ignore the swim / bike stuff. I just want to have a SOLID aerobic base across all disciplines come April vs. playing catch-up and jumping right into my first 20hr week in Late April as I did this year.

Here's a link to some great training articles for anyone interested.

I know I've mentioned it before but if you have some time, pour a BIG cup of coffee and read the "Hadd's approach" article available through the link above. Yeah, none of the sexy fast stuff there ala track workouts, etc but long-course racing is an AEROBIC engine exercise and focus should be placed there. The ability to run 5 minute miles probably won't come into play during your race! ;-) Also, great stuff in the other articles.

That's it. Simple.

I'm all in for 2008.

Now excuse me while I head out for a run. :-)

*Peace*

Ironman Canada 2007

2007-08-31T19:21:00.000-07:00

Wow- where do I start? I can't believe it's only been 5 days since the actual race since it feels like a distant memory at this point. I've really enjoyed DOING NOTHING the past couple of days and plan on easing back into the workouts very slowly. Although I didn't hit my goals for the race, I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to give it a go out there. Let me share my journey from race start to finish...

The day before it was all about shaking out pre-race nerves with a quick S/B/R workout. First we headed to the lake for a quick 15-20 minute swim. Steven and I met up with my friend Kevin and his girlfriend Sharon. They are a couple fast triathletes from the triathlon mecca of Colorado- definitely nice to have their company for the swim since Kevin is always the source of a few good laughs! Here we are pre-swim- not sure why I look so friggen skinny here but let me assure you it is an optical illusion! ;-)

We followed it up with a quick bike with a few race pace spin-ups. I then went for a 15 minute run around the block before shutting it down for the day.

We took it easy the rest of the day while getting the bike and race bags ready for drop-off. Afterwards, just a bit of sight-seeing/relaxing. Here's Deb and I posing for the obligatory Peach pic at the beach! Yes,I'm wearing a pink shirt..so what! ;-)

Race Day Morning
4:15am jolted awake by my two alarms...yes, I am anal on race day and don't like taking any chances with a missed alarm! ;-) It's strange but I always count on Deb at this point to take over. Sensory overload with anticipation / dread of the rest of the day, I tend to move pretty darn slowly early on - almost as if I would rather just avoid the whole day. She is great and starts getting me in the right mindset...."you are going to have a great day out there", etc. With a quick attitude adjustment at the hands of my favorite cheerleader, I'm up soon enough and downing 3 chocolate Ensures (750 cal). I typically take in 4 Ensures pre-race;however, in light of stomach issues in the last 3 weeks, I didn't want to push the calorie count too high. My stomach didn't protest too much and before I knew it, it was time for us to meet Steven and Karen for the short drive to race central. It was good to have my wingman there- Steven and I had done the majority of the long stuff together so nice to have him there to share the day. We said our goodbyes to the girls and were off to T1.

Bodymarking was a clusterF%@!- note to self, bring my own marker next year so I don't have to deal with the crowds at bodymarking.

Quick check of the bike, drop off the special needs bags, and start thinking of getting into the wetsuit. It was nice running into my friend Kevin in transition- i've seen him up here the last 3-4 years. We wished each other well and were on our way. I sent Steven on his way as well assuming we'd run into each other out on the course.

SWIM
1:12:09
147 / 393 AG (Age Group)
836 / 2588 OA (Overall)
With close to 2600 people out there, I knew the swim was going to be crowded. As in years past, I lined up on the far right closest to the buoy-line. It sounds nuts but this is actually the best place to line up to avoid the massive crowds at IMC since everyone seems to swing wide of the buoy line on the left-hand side of the swim start. I did a quick warm-up to make sure the goggles were nice and tight before getting back behind the start line. I made small talk with fellow racers to make sure I was self-seeding in the right group. I started asking several people what they planned on swimming for the day. I got a couple sub-hour answers so moved around till I got 1:05'ish answers.

For anyone following along on Ironmanlive.com, here's us all waving to the IMlive helicopter cameras- hope you caught us out there!

At this point, time seems to stand still for me. Thoughts of all the long training days, sacrifice, fatigue blending into this moment. I couldn't wait for the cannon blast to start the race.

*Breathe Deep*

BOOM!! We were off and I immediately settled into a comfortable pace. I did not want to start hyperventilating early-on so I started very conservatively from an effort-level perspective. There was the typical thrashing to deal with at the start but I avoided the major beating everyone was taking further over in the middle / far left. After 200 / 300 yards I went hunting for some fast feet to pull me around the lake but was having a hard time settling into a rhythm. I kept latching on but couldn't find the right feet...either too slow...too fast...too erratic. In hindsight, I probably should have pushed the effort level here and focused on forward movement vs. just trying to find the right feet. With much more wetsuit time under my belt pre-race, as well as longer open-water swimming, I should have trusted my swim fitness and pushed it. My effort level was lacking so I pushed it a bit around the last houseboat when we headed for home. I started passing alot of swimmers at this point which never bodes well for your finish time. It only cemented the fact that I went out too easy. The wind started picking up at this point so we also had to deal with some chop. I kept pushing for shore and before I knew it, I was scraping knuckles on the bottom.

I knew it wasn't a great swim but suprised that it was 1 friggen 12! Probably explains why my eyes are closed in this pic as I exit the water..I probably just saw the clock and closed my eyes hoping it would just go away!;-)

I swam 1:10 last year on very minimal swim training and swam 1:04 several times in previous IMC's so a bit disappointed initially but worked on removing any negative thoughts as I waddled out of the water. The swim is nothing but a warm-up for the real race...nothing more, nothing less.

**Note to self- start jumping into the masters swim program available at work! No surprise that the two years I swam 1:04 comfortably were while I was swimming masters in SoCal.

T1
4:15
OA / AG Slow!! ;-)
Yes- I need to work on the sense of urgency during transition. I say that every year but I was probably still reeling from the long swim and trying to wrestle into my bike gear. I was moving out of transition soon enough running my bike to the bike mount area.

BIKE
5:43:07
19.6 MPH
93 / 393 AG
460 / 2588 OA

I love the IM Canada bike course. Even though I wasn't happy with my bike stats this go around, it is still my favorite bike course among the several IM races I have completed. It is a one loop course with 2 major climbs - the 6 mile slog up Richter Pass at around mile 40 and the shorter / steeper climb up Yellow Lake at around mile 90. In addition to these big climbs, there are a series of 6-8 rollers beyond Richter that are a handful. I think the size of the "rollers" catch people by surprise, especially if they haven't seen the course since they have a different interpretation of what is considered a "roller" up in these parts! ;-)

Back to the start...I was moving thru the crazy crowds out of town and was able to spot Deb and Karen giving me a shout of encouragement along with the huge crowds lining both sides of main street *much appreciated*.

This was taken by my favorite photographer with her new fancy-schmancy Canon Digital Rebel camera as I headed out of town *Thanks Deb!*

I focused on taking it easy here since too many nutjobs were deadset on time-trialing dangerously thru the packs. Definitely not worth it with the crowds here. We were out of town soon enough and heading for our first climb up McClean Creek Road.

As we hit the bottom of McClean Creek, I was still going pretty easy from an effort level perspective. With all of my stomach issues of late, I also waited until I was 30 minutes into the bike before I took in any hydration or fuel. It seemed to work as I had no issues initially. I felt really good on the climb up McClean Creek...effort level felt very comfortable and I was passing people. I took it easy down the backside as the course turned toward Osoyoos. This was the flatter / faster portion of the course and also had a sense of familiarity as it looks very similar to my stomping grounds back home with all the vineyards / orchards. I didn't want any dehydration issues this go around so I was religious about taking in a swig of H20 along with every drink from my nutrition bottle. I mixed my fuel a bit lighter for the race this year...3 scoops of straight maltodextrin (53 grams carbs / 210 cal) per bottle flavored by a little crystal light based on several consults I had with Dave from my tri-club. My goal was to drink one bottle of fuel chased by close to another bottle of H20 per hour.

This flatter portion came with its own frustrations. 2588 people on the course meant crowded conditions and it was very evident here. I made it a point to ride legally and it involved a ton of slowing down / surging past people & packs to avoid drafting. Definitely not a way to pace an IM ride but I figured the climb up Richter Pass would break everything up soon enough. Before I knew it, I was climbing Richter Pass with a big smile on my face. I was moving smoothly thru the pack up the climb and feeling really good. All the long training rides were paying off at this point. Up and over the 3 steps in the Richter climb and then got hit with a healthy dose of reality in the form of a STRONG headwind. I don't mind headwind and can push against a solid wind but throw in long, fast mountain pass descents into the mix and I have a problem. My bike is already pretty "twitchy" to begin with and the gusty wind just made the situation much worse anytime the course headed downhill.

In hindsight, I probably picked the wrong wheel (disk) based on the strong winds but didn't have a backup anyway. Don't get me a wrong, a disk is probably the best wheel in light to steady winds coming at you from all angles but when it gets really strong and gusty, the pendulum swings the other way in favor of an aero-spoked wheel. Thank god, I chose to borrow a friend's 404 front because it was even a handful out there. My deep 808 front would have killed me out there!

Back to the descent down the backside of Richter, it was frustrating to see everyone who I had just passed on the climb rocket past me on the descent. I was forced to take it a bit conservatively based on the previously mentioned issues with the handling of my bike. This cycle was repeated through the rollers on the way out to Cawston as well. Pass people on the flats & climbing / get passed on the descents, repeat...repeat ...repeat. Not a fun section for me but just dug in and did what I could. I continued to focus on the nutrition and hydration and things were going well. I felt a slight twinge here and there in my gut but no major issues.

We then hit the out and back in Cawston which has been a tough section in years past but I felt surprisingly good here. Even though I was riding slower this year due to the issues with the wind, my overall bike fitness was pretty solid and I had no issues with fading. Cawston can be very cruel because you turn back around and get a nice tailwind for around 10 miles before turning back around to face the wind again! I grabbed my special needs bag at the turnaround here- nothing much to speak of. I just took a ziploc bag of japanese rice crackers...solid source of sodium / carbs and salty! Nice break after all the sweet stuff for a couple hours out there. Just pass the special needs, I caught my friend Kevin on the bike just as he was shoving massive quantities of fig newtons and assorted other goodies down his gullet. It was good for a few laughs from the both of us and I was really glad to see him looking strong and in good spirits. I wished him well and continued to push toward Yellow Lake. At this point, my stomach was acting up a bit so I took it a bit easy on my liquid fuel and resorted to bananas / water at the aid stations along with the odd gel thrown in. It seemed to help.

Once you leave Cawston and make the turn toward Yellow Lake, you hit a loong section of false flats. This section always seems to drag on forever and in past years has been tough mentally for me when I pushed too hard early on. No such issues today, I continued to keep it steady thru this section and was passing people so kept the effort level up. I was climbing Yellow Lake soon enough and LOVING IT!! This is the "Tour De France" climb section of the course as people line both sides of the climb here creating a tunnel for you to climb through. You can definitely feel their positive energy as they are screaming encouragement and making noise in many other forms (cowbells, etc) all the way up the incline as you spin by. One of my favorite sections of the whole bike course- the support couldn't come at a better time because if you didn't pace your ride correctly, you are DYING at this point in the ride. One of those "hurts so good" kinda moments, eh! ;-)

Here I am cresting the climb at Yellow Lake. I don't look too bad even though I had to hold my head up carrying around that big helmet all day!;-)

I knew there were additional climbs to the true "top" of Yellow Lake so continued to push beyond the first summit until I hit the LOOOOOONG descent back into Penticton. Again, frustrating here as I had to watch the speed with the gusty winds on the descent back into town. I was not happy getting passed again multiple times here but also wasn't going to risk crashing in the last 10 miles of the race. I took it very conservatively until I hit the flats into Penticton and then pushed it back into town passing several people until i hit the crazy throngs back on Main Street. Again, got a nice jolt of adrenaline from the screaming crowds lining the streets as I rounded the last corner into T2.

It was really nice to get off the bike! Major frustrations all day out there whenever I was descending since I had to slow way down. It definitely felt like a big weight had been lifted off my shoulders to hand the steed over to the T2 volunteer. I do feel lucky that I was able to finish the 112 miles without any crashes, mechanical issues or flats on the bike but frustrated nonetheless! I did not spend countless training hours on the bike to come cruising in at 5:43! Evil friggen wind!

T2
5:10
AG / OA EVEN SLOWER!
Sheez...had some issues in the tent getting on my socks / run gear. Then further issues waiting for a porta-potty to open up in the transition area. I finally decided not to wait any longer since I had already waited for what seemed to be a ridiculous amount of time. Still not sure what the guy was doing in there but I'm sure it wasn't pretty.

Run
3:46:07
8:38/Mile Pace
35 / 393 AG
220 / 2588 OA

The run was truly the x-factor for me this year. My plantar fasciitis injury really limited my run mileage so I was hoping things would go well. Maybe going easier on the bike helped the legs a bit because they felt pretty good right out of the gate. Also, vs. last year, I wasn't starting the run dehydrated. Kev's Sharon gave me a shout right outta transition which gave me a little boost. Once I turned the corner and headed for the little out and back toward the Sicamous, I saw Deb and Karen which was a welcome sight at this point. While overall crowd support is a plus, the support of a loved one out on the course is an added bonus! I couldn't help smiling and pushed around the corner while working out the stiffness from the bike. Based on my time out of T2, I figured I'd be seeing Steven soon out there but didn't expect to see him so soon! Aaah! We know how that boy can run so I figure I had about an 8 minute lead on him since he was entering the out and back toward the Sicamous as I was about to run by the girls again. I remember shouting "Incoming, Fast!! Behind me!!" referring to Steven as I ran by Deb and Karen. No time to stop and chat at that point!;-)

Here's me right before I made the above comment- I had seen Steven a few minutes back around that corner.

I just worked on maintaining good run form and not pushing too hard. I couldn't risk blowing up at this point since this run course gets VERY DIFFICULT as you hit the major hills out by the run turnaround not to mention the rollers before that point. I was suprised at how good I was feeling. I was religiously drinking water at each aid station, throwing ice down my hat and shorts, and eating bananas at every other aid station. All this WITHOUT ANY STOMACH ISSUES this go around. How great is that!?! I was so happy! A totally opposite experience vs. the death march I had on the run last year! I kept expecting Steven to run past me but fought the urge to look behind me in case he had me locked on target. Any runner knows that if you see someone ahead of you looking behind, it is a sign of weakness. Steven would have come in for the kill seeing that so kept my focus on moving forward.

I just kept clicking off the miles and my feet were hanging in there. I was focusing on forefoot striking which I think was key to helping me get thru the 26.2 without any serious leg fatigue typical with heel-striking. Nice and smooooth was my mantra. Here are assorted pics Deb took out on the run- she was quite the photographer out there that day (THANKS DEB!!)

I love this picture. Not because it is a particularly great action shot but because it is a reminder of how truly blessed we are with the gifts we are given...to even have the ability to walk, let alone run. The smile on the face of the guy in the green shirt says it all. Thanks for the encouragement brother - much appreciated!

I feel violated...there is a head on these shoulders lady!! ;-) Too funny!

Back to the action, I was getting closer to the run turnaround which only meant one thing. Major HILLS! If you are feeling good here, you can put the hurt on your fellow racers here. Major carnage as you start seeing the distance take its toll on people when the road turns up. I gave out words of encouragement as I passed all the people forced to walk as I was all to familiar with the pain last year. I continued to push running all the hills and never being forced to walk. Soon enough, I was descending the big hill into the 13.1 mile turnaround at OK Falls dreading the thought of climbing it on the way out!

As I hit the turnaround at 13.1, I timed myself because I wanted to see what kind of time cushion I had on Steven. Well, guess who was my ONE minute man...friggen Steven was right there! I gave him a high-five as we ran by each other. About 50 yards past this exchange I ran by Jessi and Tom . It was good to see more friendly faces out on the course but I couldn't stop and chat with Steven right behind me. They probably thought I was nuts since I could only let out a "aaaargh..aaaaah" with my tongue out as I passed them...in fatigued translation, that meant "Hey Tom / Jess- nice to see you out here- thanks for the support!! ;-)

I pushed it on the climbs out of OK Falls- I wasn't going to give up that minute too easily. I figured I'd try and make Steven work for it while I was still feeling good! ;-) I kept clicking off the miles out of the turnaround and was able to keep Steven's vision of me limited to this view until mile 18/19.

Aaah, the inevitable pass...Steven was a true gentlemen this time vs. the jaws theme he was belting out when he passed me at Pac Crest last year. See the bottle hanging out my rear pocket in the above pic? It fell out of my pocket at this point and as I started to turn back for the bottle, I saw a runner right behind me. Not sure why but the sight of the runner caused me to whip back around and keep running - I decided I didn't need the nutrition at this late stage in the race. The runner behind me picked it up and ran up beside me and asked "Did you need this?" I turned to him and said "Hey, thanks man" then registering it was Steven...the only thing that followed out of my mouth was "Aaah, you bastard!!". Good times indeed...it provided some good laughs between us. We ran side by side for awhile which felt good. The whole chase out of OK Falls was a good thing mentally for the both of us. It helped us "forget" or at least took our mind off all the hills on the way back as well as the stiff headwind we had running back into town. Definitely cruel out there that day with winds on the bike and run!

From mile 19 to maybe 22/23, we were running pretty darn close to each other. Steven would get a lead on me and I would catch and pass as he stopped at the aid stations only to have him repeat the process until we hit town and could hear the finish line. We were both feeling good at this point and wished each other well as we headed for the finish. I worked on keeping Steven on the radar as we hit the heavy crowds along main street and then for the out and back along Lakeshore. The crowd was going nuts at this point and I loved it! I can always pinpoint Deb's voice among the crowd and it was nice to have her there for me as she and Karen gave some of the biggest cheers as I passed by *thanks!!*. Steven went thru first and I was in hot pursuit...this was at around mile 25 as you are cruelly directed away from the finish before turning around for the last kilometer into the finish.

Steven looking strong headed around the final stretch!

Me pushing to keep him on the radar! Action sequence with me throwing out a subtle shaka sign in shot 2! ;-)

It was a great feeling to get back my mojo and finish the run leg actually feeling strong at the end of the race. I ended up finishing 11 seconds behind Steven. It was definitely nice to have him pushing me the second half as I negative split the marathon. Even with the stiff headwind and hills, I was able to run the second half 5:49 faster then the first half. A total surprise based on my limited running leading up the race.

Finish Stats
10:50:46 Time
54 / 393 AG
304 / 2588 OA

Post-race, not sure what the deal is but again started feeling nauseous when I stopped moving. I tried to keep walking but it wasn't helping so I hit the med tent again. 2 for 2 the last two years- not good! My blood pressure was dropping too much as I sat in a chair so they moved me to a prone position which helped tons...i laid for a bit and was finally able to get in some fruit. I hated having to make the gang wait outside but I was out there soon enough and we called it a day!

Da boyz post-race...Steven, Kevin, Me, and Noel..one more notch on the iron-belt all around!

Post-race Thoughts
I consider each ironman race a learning experience and this was no exception. I don't think my finish time was a true reflection of my fitness level going into the race but it's a long day out there and you have to roll with the punches in its many forms. I love racing the ironman distance race though and truly feel that I have a magic race in me....one where everything comes together. I am convinced it will happen and I'll keep banging my head against the wall until I make it a reality. Believe that!

I couldn't have done the race without all the people in my corner this year.
Steven and Karen- thanks for your support this past year...Steven, it has been great training with you thru all the good times and bad. It was always easier heading out in the crap weather knowing you were going to be out there sharing the misery! ;-) Also, I knew I couldn't let up one minute because you wouldn't let me. Thank you for that. Karen, thanks for letting me borrow your husband for all the extended training time...much appreciated along with the meals and treats coming out of your kitchen along the way! ;-)

Dave C and Jonathan P from the Ironheads for their time and help with my nutrition and bike fit issues, respectively. They were a major help in this area!

Bob & Athlete's Lounge for being the coolest bike shop around- thanks guys!

Big thanks to everyone that has followed along via my blog this past year. My friends, family and my fellow bloggers- major props to all of you. I have appreciated each and every comment along the way- you all were definitely part of my journey....mahalo!

Finally, thank you to my swee'pea Deb. She has always been there for me with her emotional support and unconditional love. Ironman racing is a selfish endeavor, no doubt, and she has been VERY understanding in this regard not only this year but the last one and the last on and the last one and the last one, etc etc...time for me to give back big time! :-) I love you sweetheart!

We'll have to spend more time relaxing like this in the near future! *Please note, Steven is to thank for getting the plastic chair in our picture. Sheez- put the camera down and stick to the running nancy!! ;-)

Not sure what the rest of the year holds for me. I want to give my feet a real chance to heal so will keep the running light through the month of September. RIght now I just want to do a whole lotta of nothing though! Sorry this ended up being so looong but if you are still reading, thanks for pushing thru to the end! I appreciate it.

Last but not least, Steven and Karen's sweet girls made us signs. Definitely put a big smile on our faces rolling up to this welcome in his driveway....thanks Jen / Kelsey!
Steven's sign...it was aaah-ite!

My super cool sign...maybe I'm biased but I think my sign is much cooler then Steven's! Uuhh, see the reference to the "Iron BFF's"? Don't ask! ;-)

I mean come on man...check out the detail on the signage...Kelsey even got the detail on my aero-ness on the bike- cool! ;-)

Good times indeed...what a great end to the racing season!

How lucky am I? Counting my blessings and always keeping in mind that the glass is half full!

*Peace*

Return The Favor

2007-08-19T14:15:00.000-07:00

I finally volunteered at a race and LOVED it (well all except the waking up at 5am part)! I can't believe it's taken me so long to do it...embarrassing really. Volunteers have helped "push" me through many difficult moments during a race so nice to return the favor. If you haven't volunteered at a race, jes doo eeet!! One of these days, I'd like to volunteer at an ironman...I know several of you bloggers have done that (Steven / Courtney) and it sounds like a blast.

Today was definitely a day to volunteer vs. race- it was raining at the race start. While swimming / running isn't an issue in wet weather, there are several hills on the bike course that I wouldn't want to be "racing" in the rain- yikes!

I was swim support and was able to get into the kayak and manuever it into position without wacking any of the swimmers. *a small victory since I've never been in a kayak before!* I actually enjoyed kayaking and will definitely get out there again.

It was nice to get the kayak perspective on a triathlon swim wave.
My observations:
The racer leading the swim quickly put a gap on the field and extended it to around 50-75 yards? by the finish. He did this while, based on his stroke, looking as if he was in the middle of a recovery swim. His form was perfect and it didn't look like he was working hard at all yet he kept increasing his lead. Darn technique! It is so important in swimming and this guy was a poster-boy for perfect technique. I kept scanning his technique vs. the chase pack behind him and the difference was huge.

If you ever feel sorry for yourself during a triathlon, take a turn in a kayak and cover the very very back of the pack. The stragglers. Hats off to these racers and I have a newfound respect for them. THEY ARE WORKING HARD!! They ran the whole gamut from breaststroking, doing the sidestroke/head out of water thing, backstroke, and freestyle thrashing/hyperventilating and stopping every 15-20 yrds to catch a breath swimmers. The constant among this hardy bunch, regardless of how they went about moving forward, was that they kept going! Pretty darn inspiring when I'm sure it was a victory for some of them to even finish the swim.

As the last of the bunch was headed in, I spotted a gal having trouble about 30-40 yards from the finish. I stroked over to her and she was in tears...poor thing. I told her to grab the side of my kayak and catch her breath. She started rambling about being seasick and forgetting her dramamine....all the while, continuing to get sick / vomiting...she kept apologizing, "Please forgive me", which struck me as strange since she had nothing to be sorry about. Pretty soon she was on her way and it was cool to see her step up on the boat dock and jog to transition. I spoke to another kayaker who said the poor gal was pretty much stopping and getting sick around the whole 1.2mile loop. Positive vibes out to her...hope she had a good end to her race!

After the volunteer stint, I put on my suit and met two racers that are also doing IMC for a swim around the buoy line. We did a solid 53'ish minute swim. I followed that up with a 5 mile run when I got home. Training..check. Lunch..check. Hot cup of fresh coffee while relaxing...CHECK!! ;-)

Is this guy speaking the truth or what!? ;-)

Hope your weekend is going well...thanks for stopping by.

*Peace*

It's Official, I'm A Dork

2007-08-18T15:10:00.000-07:00

You all wanna see what fast looks like?!

Or maybe dorky based on the reaction from Steven but what the hell does he know right - don't drink the hate-orade just because my helmet is bigger then yours brother!;-) Actually, I will have to commend him on his maturity in biting his tongue today - no comments about the helmet even thought it warranted comments. And yes, that is rain in the pics...taken TODAY. Steven and I were about 5 minutes from finishing our ride and got dumped on. Mother Nature up to her silly tricks...gotta love her!

For my aero inspiration, you only need to look at the following clip...although I think Dark Helmet is wearing a Louis Garneau Rocket since his helmet is just a hair bigger then mine.;-)

Taper is rolling along and full of the typical highs and lows...feeling fatigued but that is normal so rolling with it. I'm still dealing with stomach issues even today on the bike...hmmm, I'm thinking i may have a mild stomach bug. What else could explain it? I've been taking approx 300 cal / hour all season and now i'm having stomach issues with "light" bottles of approx 175 cal. It doesn't add up...hopefully it gets sorted out by next Sunday because stomach issues on the bike = long marathon!

Tomorrow I am volunteering at the Hulaman 1/2 Iron . Bummer that it is right in our backyard and I can't race it due to the timing issue with IMC. Oh well, at least I can do my part by volunteering. I'm scheduled to be out on the swim course monitoring the racers via kayak. I'm not sure who will actually need monitoring since I've never paddled a kayak before. They may have to keep an eye on me! ;-)

*Peace*

#1013

2007-08-15T20:36:00.000-07:00

Come August 26, Keep your eyes peeled for #1013 and #1206 we're going to be representin' a lil Pacific Northwest style...yeah, a lil crunchy, lil granola but hardened by 6-8 months of solid training in the hills and rain!

Bring. It.

The days are counting off QUICK! I've been fighting a cold accompanied by continued stomach issues whenever i eat...probably a combination of the illness and nerves, not sure. I'm just glad it's this week and not next week.

Probably need to relax...chill...breaaathe....

and keep my musical chill pills on repeat...yeah, steady doses of Ben and Bob will help...positive vibes my friends!

It's always strange how months of heavy volume followed by a taper always leaves me in a fragile state....even watching the preceding video has me tear'in up for no particular reason...no worries though, I'll be in full *peaceful* warrior mode next Sunday!

"We can shift (or refine) our perceptual filters, recognizing that there are no ordinary moments. If I feel bored, or view life as mundane, I can refocus my attention to the small things, and to the gift of each breath, and remember to say “Thank you for this day.” D.M.

Yes Indeed!

*Peace*

Shut It Down

2007-08-12T15:46:00.000-07:00

Less then two weeks out and my stomach is acting up...not a good sign. Yesterday, Steven, Linnea, and I met at Hagg for a S/B/R workout (1hr open water swim / 4.5hr bike / 30 min run). My stomach was acting up pretty much from the start of the bike. Strange because I didn't change my nutrition protocol and the swim was pretty ez on the effort scale. I did swallow a bit of water during the start of the swim and ate a clif bar before the start of the bike but didn't think the timing (immediately following the swim) was an issue since I didn't go hard in the water and I also drank plenty of water to help digest the bar. By the time I hit the run the fluid in me belly was sloshin' around...major stressor for me. If it was race day and I was going 26.2, it wouldn't have been pretty. Hmmmm...not sure what the issue is but I think I will scale back the caloric mix of my hourly bottles...currently 350 calories with 75g carbohydrate which my body tolerated very well during all of my training in the last couple of months. At my race weight of 142-145lbs, probably a bit too high. I'm definitely scaling it back to ~250 cal / hour with approx 50g carbs in one bottle and will supplement with additional H20. This episode gave me flashbacks of my dehydrated death march on the run last year at IMC...i do NOT want to repeat that.

Today, had the exact opposite experience. Met a couple people from Nike and one guy from Intel doing IMC at Hagg Lake for another open water swim. Today went a bit longer on the swim (one hour exactly...probably around 2 miles +) followed by a solid run. Since I did a solid swim yesterday, I spent alot of time following feet today during the swim with several race pace bursts- felt good. Starting to feel "comfortable" in the wetsuit which is a plus going into the race this year. I followed up the swim with a 10.6 mile run around HILLY Hagg Lake in 1:19 for a 7:27 pace. That will be my last longish run before IMC...the feet didn't protest too much either. I needed a solid workout after the confidence-crushing workout yesterday!

That is pretty much it for the longer stuff...I will definitely scale back the duration of all workouts in the next two weeks...shut it down as they say. The key workouts this coming week will be 2.5hr brick on Tues / 3hr bike Sat / I will also try to get in 2 open water swims next weekend. The rest of the workouts will be light.

Summary of last two weeks
IMC Training Week 4
This was a recovery week and an opportunity to get rid of all fatigue prior to the 3 week peak / taper. I had two days completely off but I also did a 20 mile run and a solid 3.75 bike during this "recovery" week so it all probably balances out.
11.0 TOTAL Hours
Swim 3.0 Hrs
(9,250 Yrds - 3 swims. Finally got in a solid 1hr open water swim at Hagg Lake)
Bike 3.75 Hrs
(49.5 Miles - 1 whopping ride. Do the math on the ave speed...this ride was all about going up.)
Run 4.25 Hrs
(31 Miles - 2 runs: 20 & 11 miles. The 20 miler was a bit brutal on the tail end. I was definitely feeling the lack of mileage in my legs from 16 on. The 11 miler was a solid hilly run around Hagg Lake in 1:25 (7:44/mile pace), post-swim.)

IMC Training Week 3
(Peak Week 1)
13.75 TOTAL Hours
Swim 2.0 Hrs
(2 swims. Both open water swims at Hagg Lake- approx 1 hr each swim. Nice to get in a couple extended wetsuit swims prior to the race. Hagg Lake even has a buoy line cutting the lake in half which served as a perfect race buoy sighting exercise)
Bike 7.75 Hrs
(120 Outdoor Miles / 2 CT rides - 4 rides: CT Intervals / 37.5 / EZ spin / 82.5 Scaled back my mileage big time this week. I did get in a solid interval workout on the computrainer with some intervals hitting 280watts for several minutes - didn't kill myself but good to get that push. 37.5m ride was 2hr ride portion of a brick workout on Tuesday, 82.5 was the stomach shutdown bike from yesterday.
Run 4.0 Hrs
(31.2 Miles - 4 runs including a 2 hr "long" run of 15.1 miles & hilly 10.6 miler around Hagg Lake today (7:27/mile pace).)

Rest....Recovery...SLEEP...healthy eats...No stress...positive...focus...
*time to breath deep*

*Peace*

No Title

2007-08-09T00:26:00.000-07:00

Started a bit late and didn't get done with my 2 hr run until 10pm tonight...explains why i'm a bit wired and blogging right now....one more big workout this Saturday and then it's all taper, all the time!

In more exciting news...Ben Harper is releasing a new album on 8/28...get some!

In case you missed this link on slowtwitch, the following video is painful...Why Carl!? Why!?!? I just don't get it...the outfit..the white belt...well, I guess it gives his outfit a little color but still....the gal blowing bubbles....while he has repeatedly denied accusations that he is gay, this video isn't helping bolster his argument. Not that there is anything wrong with being gay of course!

Hope your week is going well....

*Peace*

Picture Me Rollin'...

2007-07-31T19:11:00.000-07:00

My last 4 training weeks have been pretty solid: 20.75 hrs / 21.5 hrs / 19.75 hrs / 24.75 hrs. Probably not optimal without a rest week in there to break it up but counting back from IMC, I wanted a recovery week to flush out any fatigue before heading into the 3 week taper so had to go with 4 straight weeks of volume. Definitely a ton of heartbeats there and I am REALLY enjoying the recovery week right now! :-)

Week 5 was a pretty solid week with 300 bike miles capped off by back to back 100 mile rides followed by a brick run. Saturday, Steven and I were pretty much skunked by crappy weather so I went out Sunday and got in a pretty good race simulation ride. I chained myself to the aerobars and did 5.75 hrs / 105 miles over some rolling terrain with some good hills, serious headwinds, rain. The brick run went surprisingly well and I ran 6 miles over rolling terrain in 47 minutes - not a bad end to a solid block of training. The only bummer was a bee sting during my Sunday ride that ended up getting infected. My arm swelled up like a balloon so I was at the Doc today getting some antibiotics. I had a 2.5 hour ride on tap but decided to skip it and let the body rest.

Here's the tale of the tape for the last two weeks:

IMC Training Week 6
19.75 TOTAL Hours
Swim 3.25 Hrs
(11,000 Yrds - 3 swims. Focused on longer straight sets - did a boring straight 4000 during one swim.)
Bike 12.5 Hrs
(232.9 Miles - 4 rides: 27.4 / 42.8 / 91.1 / 71. Overall, didn't really seem to get in any "long" rides- I am trying to keep all my rides to 2+ hours and it didn't happen this week)
Run 4 Hrs
(32 Miles - 4 runs including a "long" run of 13 miles. The ASTYM continues to provide healing with the PF even though I am continuing to run *thank god*)

IMC Training Week 5
24.75 TOTAL Hours
Swim 3.25 Hrs
(10,500 Yrds - 3 swims. I'm just punching the clock here and getting in the minimun 3 a week)
Bike 17.5 Hrs
(303.7 Miles - 4 rides: 42 / 50 / 106.1 / 105.6 SOLID week capped off by back to back century bricks)
Run 4.0 Hrs
(29.5 Miles - 3 runs including a glorious long run of EIGHTEEN miles- huge for me since I really haven't been running and didn't think that was even a possibility a couple weeks ago. I plan on doing a couple more long runs pre-IMC.)

Rolling thru week 4 and enjoying some nice recovery. Coach KP always scheduled a recovery week right before the peak / tapering block to flush out any fatigue so going with that protocol. The thought of another heavy volume weekend would have crushed me so it's nice looking at a weekend where I only have a 2.75 hr long ride scheduled. Granted it has a tough 3 x Bald Peak hill repeat insert but sub-3 hours..nice!

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel....
and it's a beautiful thing!

*Peace*

No Heroes

2007-07-24T22:22:00.000-07:00

What in the hell is going on in the Tour De France!? With Vinokourov testing positive for homologous blood doping and Astana leaving the tour, can the sorry state of affairs sink any lower? Now every great performance is suspect but I guess it's been that way for awhile now.....pretty darn sad.

Edit..7/25
Can the sorry state of affairs sink any lower? I guess so...Rasmussen had his arse kicked out of the tour. The TDF has turned into a circus...I'm waiting for the little car full of clowns to roll out

This lil cutey-pie has the right idea eh! DOPERS SUCK!!

*Peace*

Keep On Movin'

2007-07-19T21:28:00.000-07:00

Just surfacing real quick to let you all know I'm still alive and kicking! ;-)
As the Ironman Canada clock went sub-50 awhile back, I decided that stressing about the chronically injured status of my feet wasn't helping matters so I decided to focus on doing everything I could to get them to a point where I could run semi-regularly. Here's a couple of good things that you all should look into:

Evolution Running or Pose Method or Chi Running....in whatever form, improving your run technique is definitely worth the time investment. I purchased the Evolution Running DVD and it is definitely worth every penny.

Take a look at your running race photos- heel striking? If so, it's only a matter of time before you get some type of nagging injury. Work on the technique my friends! Don't learn the hard way...it sucks!

ASTYM- If you are suffering from Plantar Fasciitis or any soft-tissue injury, get into see a PT who is certified in this injury treatment protocol. After only 4 treatments, I've noticed a HUGE difference in my PF pain. The best thing about ASTYM is that they encourage you to keep running thru the treatment phase. The only regret I have is that I didn't get in sooner before my PF was so bad. Check out the website, YES- the treatment is pretty painful at times but the payoff is definitely worth it!

Don't worry, be happy! Seriously, if you are dealing with an injury, It doesn't have to shut you down. Remember the glass is always half full right? If you can't run, swim more. If you can't swim, run more...and so on. For me it's been all about the bike lately. I need to make sure that I get off the bike as fresh as possible at IMC since I won't have the optimal run fitness going in! Here's my finish shot from a good day in Canada...aaah, memories.... I'll definitely be giving a 100% of whatever I have on the day, come 8/26/07. Daylight finish baby!!! :-)

I also had a appt. with my awesome podiatrist and had him modify my new orthotics. Unfortunately, they no longer look nice and new like this photo taken the other day.

He went to town on them with a grinder and saw but they are much more comfortable now. Also, I got some cushioned shoes (Air Max Moto) to help with the PF foot pain since the orthotics should provide all the structural correction I need.

Ok, enough about my feet...or at least my injured feet. How about some very cool cycling shoes. It's really unfortunate that Nike got out of the retail cycling business because there was some really cool stuff coming down the pipe in 07 and beyond. Including these shoes. I don't think they are available at retail yet but I've been told they're only going to be available in limited quantities. Luckily, since I was involved in the Nike Cycling group, I was given a pair. Actually someone asked me if I could fit a size 43 as she dangled a pair in front of my face. Amazing how my size 42 feet immediately grew a size as I said Yes! ;-) Nothing that an orthotic or insert can't fix right!? They are EXTREMELY LIGHT, especially in comparison to the weight of any other cycling shoe I've ever had in my hot little hands. I think the minimalist upper is pretty cool too.

Speaking of minimalist, check out these new free 3.0's I bought for a friend. They've taken the Free and carved out more of the sole...hopefully I can get to an injury-free status soon so that I can give them a go. My podiatrist would still like me to get into a racing flat which he states will definitely help in the running technique dept. by promoting a forefoot vs. heel-strike since they typically don't have a huge built-up heel.

And last but not least, in case any of you thought I was going soft in the training department. Here's my last two weeks of training, a bit light, as mentioned, in the running dept. but increasing the cycling to compensate.

IMC Training Week 8
21.5 TOTAL Hours
Swim 3.25 Hrs
(10,500 Yrds - 3 swims. Working on longer sets and doing alot of straight 3000's.)
Bike 14.5 Hrs
(240.9 Miles - 4 rides: 58 / 27.6 / 45.3 / 110)
Run 3.75 Hrs
(27 Miles - 4 runs including a "long" run of 11 miles. Much less pounding on the legs with the forefoot strike off the bike.)

IMC Training Week 7
20.75 TOTAL Hours
Swim 1.0 Hrs
(3,500 Yrds - 1 swims. OUCH-swimming took a big hit for some reason last week, Dr. Appts got in the way of a couple workouts)
Bike 17.25 Hrs
(306 Miles - 5 rides: 34.5 / 36 / 62 / 100.4 / 73.1 Solid bike miles - last 3 days were consecutive Fri-Sun)
Run 3.0 Hrs
(22.3 Miles - 3 runs including a "long" run of 11 miles. Working on ramping it up here soon as long as the injury treatment continues to go well)

Currently in the middle of Week 6 and the running has been getting better. The feet are still sore but I've noticed marked improvement with every ASTYM treatment. ANYONE SUFFERING FROM PF, TRY THIS NOW!!!

Finally, lets all send positive vibes out to the STRONG guys and gals rocking Ironman Lake Placid this weekend. I'll be following Cliff, Darren, and Jeremy. Good luck and Godspeed boys- RACE HARD!!

Train smart and be safe out there!

*Peace*

Oregon Coast Vacation

2007-07-15T19:09:00.000-07:00

Post-race, battered feet....what better time to get off the aerobic train and get in a little R&R right? I drove back from Bend, Oregon the day after the race just in time to pick Deb up at PDX. We had planned a quick run up the Oregon Coast staying a couple nights in the Newport area and a couple nights in Manzanita. I'd like to say that I was able to come up with the itinerary myself but I did the easy thing and asked resident expert and lifelong Oregonian, Steven, for some suggestions and he didn't let me down. He suggested The Inn at Cape Kiwanda, located in Pacific City, Oregon and The Inn at Manzanita. They both get two big thumbs up from Deb and I.

We started out early Monday morning and drove straight to Newport which was just south of where we would stay in Pacific City. We didn't stay too long in Newport but long enough to check out the Oregon Coast Aquarium and The Rogue Brewery. I'd have to say the Rogue is one of my fave microbrewers in Oregon...great food and tasty beers.

Rogue Nation Baby!!

Oregon Coast Aquarium...yes, I'm a dork!

I love the jellyfish exhibits...pretty darn cool...gave me flashbacks of Ironman Florida...they had some big ones there!

We then drove up the coast for the short drive to Pacific City. We really didn't have any formal plans, just wanted to get a chance to spend some time together and relax. The Inn at Cape Kiwanda was located right across the street from the beach and The Pelican Pub & Brewery. We hit the pub for a bite to eat and to sample the brews. The food was pretty good, we probably could have done without the TOWER OF RINGS...probably belongs on one of those lists of things that should never enter your mouth! ooof!

The Tower baby!!

all those pretty colors....

The food was all my fault of course, Deb is usually my voice of reason...she eats much cleaner then I do...she was a vegetarian for a long time and usually lets me know when I am going sideways...I guess she relaxed a bit for this vacation and let me get crazy...everything in moderation right? ;-) After we waddled out of there, we took a nice walk up the beautiful beach and climbed the biggest sand dune / mountain, I've seen. I called it the hill of doom and I tried to convince myself that I was able to work off the damage from dinner by climbing to the top...maybe not but fun, nonetheless. We just relaxed around Pacific City....did some sightseeing, hiking etc before we drove North to Manzanita.

Deb and I on top of the world aka, the hill of doom!

Pacific City was nice, but I LOVE Manzanita. Such a nice *little* town without all the tourist trappings of the larger coastal towns like Lincoln City or Seaside. Our Inn was really nice and the town had everything I needed, a great coffee shop,a bookstore, a good pizza place across the street and the beach within walking distance. Two big thumbs up here. More relaxing and quiet time....nice to just spend time with Deb. The only bummer was that it ended up raining while we were in Manzanita but it is Oregon right?! No worries, we just made the best of it. We also drove up one day to check out Cannon Beach. Also a very cool town up the coast. I'm a coffee addict and we found a really good local coffee shop in Cannon Beach and Deb bought me a couple different bags of the good stuff....if you're ever driving thru Cannon Beach...STOP!! at The Sleepy Monk Coffee Roasters....great, fair-trade organic beans!

Much too soon, the week was over but again, a nice relaxing time with Deb. She is definitely my better half, my voice of reason, my biggest cheerleader, and best friend. :-) I still think she let me down on the Tower of Rings though....how could she let me order that artery clogger!?! ;-) Happy to report that all that "throw caution to the wind, vacation eating is done!!

I also need to throw a shout out to Karen and Steven for a great b-day dinner last night - THANK YOU. Yes...I hit the big 41...but I heard that 41 is the new 31 so It's all good. Steven and I did a hilly 100 mile bike / 4.3 mile run so the dinner really hit the spot. He makes a mean barbecued double-patty, cheez burger which was paired with a tasty fruit salad, roasted potatoes, and beers. YUM...the best part was that Karen sent me home with a bag of her homemade oatmeal-raisin cookies. A couple even made it safely in my car all the way home! :-). I spent my birthday counting my blessings.....Deb, my family, my health, my wonderful friends, my job and realized how lucky and truly blessed I am. The glass is always half....or three-quarters full, it's all about your mindset and perspective right? I also threw in a 73 mile / 4 hour ride for good measure!

Have a great week!

*Peace*

Pacific Crest 1/2 Iron Triathlon

2007-07-08T21:44:00.001-07:00

I don't even know where to start with an update since it's been so long! I raced, went on a mini-vacation, dealt / dealing with the saga of my injured feet. Maybe chronological order will work?

Pacific Crest 1/2 Iron
I wish I had a more exciting race report but it was a pretty standard race. In hindsight, I wish I would've skipped it based on how F'd my feet were post-race. I could have used the taper & race week to get some additional solid aerobic volume under my belt for Ironman Canada.

Swim
I *thought* I did everything right this year. I got in the water early, did some warm-ups to get the HR up and clear the jets, etc. When the gun went off I made a conscious effort to go out very easy to avoid hyperventilating since this was only my second wetsuit swim and we were at elevation. It didn't seem to matter because I was right on the edge of gasping for breath after only 2-3 minutes of racing. I was able to talk myself off the ledge and get it under control, thank god! After about 2-300 yards, I thought I was doing okay when I saw a kayaker fast-approaching from the right. F&#%! I was veering off course so had to cut a hard left to get back on course, pretty uneventful after that....just settled in and worked it to the finish. One bummer is that there is absolutely no draft at Pac Crest due to the murky water. It really makes it difficult to find any feet and to stick to them. You can only see about an arm length out so it made it a tough swim for those, like me, who are aquatically-challenged.
Swim Finish: 37:06
1:45 pace OUCH. Oh, well...where's that bike!?

T1 4:22 Yeah, that's FOUR:22...you gotta problem wid it!? ;-) We had to bag up all our stuff for transport to T2 but still not an excuse for that loong transition.

Bike
I was a bit bummed that they had to change the course this year due to road construction. They eliminated the climb up Mount Bachelor and the screaming fast descent down the other side and replaced it with a *yaaaawn* boring course with a horrible road surface. I'm talking teeth-jarringly bad. I didn't have time to drive the bike course but had heard that it was flat and fast. The first 15-20 miles were anything but. Right out of the gate, there were some good rollers and a couple climbs....I made it a point to push it up the rollers / climbs and settle in on the flats. After about 25-30 miles it was pretty flat with several sections of false flats but nothing that forced you to get out of the aerobars. I was a bit nervous with the big fat 808 wheel up front but glad to report that it was very manageable in the wind....granted there weren't any gusts but some pretty good wind in certain sections. Besides pushing it up the climbs/rollers I just rode the bike at a pretty steady pace.

Race-ready....stunning eh!? ;-)

Uummm, does this disc wheel make my butt look big?

Ok, back to the race...I did three stops - 2 stops to dismount and use the bathroom, 1 to park it at an aid station for a quick fill-up on the bottles. Isn't there an unwritten rule not to pee on the bike if it isn't an A race?! I couldn't force myself to sully my beautiful new bike so took the time penalties to keep her nice and pretty. The whole ride went well until the dismount area where the rider immediately in front of me slammed on his brakes at the front of the dismount area while I was right behind....not good! There was approximately 15-20 feet where he could have gradually come to a stop but he panicked and thought he had to be off the bike at the front line. I almost laid it down right there but was able to save it by making a wacky brake / turn combo while making some strange moaning sound. You had to be there- good times.
Bike Time 2:30
22.4 mph ave

T2 2:35 I was actually happy with this transition since it was old school all the way. I sat down to put my socks on and also tie my regular laces. I was too lazy to put on race locks or easy laces. I even used the bathroom before exiting the transition so not too shabby.

Run
Ok...nothing to see here, keep it moving.
The run was disappointing but it's not like I was expecting to PR based on the plantar fasciitis I've been dealing with. My feet hurt during the first 5-6 miles of the run but nothing I could do but suck it up. To put it in perspective, I was able to shuffle through this whole run without walking and still have the same run time as last year where I could actually run but spent quite a bit of time walking. No walking just an overall slower pace this year. At least endurance wasn't an issue on the run, all the bike mileage in training seems to have helped me here.
Run Time 1:48
8:15/mile pace

Finish 5:02:20
13/63 Age Division

One major positive from this race was my successful fueling / hydration plan. I seem to have nailed this aspect of the race and didn't have any stomach issues on the run AT ALL. After a ton of research and pestering guys who have raced well in the heat (thanks Crash), I now realize that my racing m.o. was to get off the bike woefully dehydrated, try to ingest calories on the run and have my stomach immediately shut down. I carried a bottle of my mix (2 scoops malto / 1 scoop cytomax / 2 endurolyte tabs = 350 calories) out of T2 and was able to drink it with no problems. This was HUGE for me. It really got me fired up about how I was going to tackle the fueling at IMC. I definitely DON'T want a repeat of last year where I ended up in the med tent puking my guts out!

The major negative from the race was the state of my feet, post-race. They felt like someone beat them with hammers but I figured as much based on how sore they were while I was actually running during the race. They are still bothering me 2 weeks later but I have taken some other measures to help in that area but that'll be a topic of another post. Also, I guess I should have paid more attention to the race clock since I had no clue I was close to the 5 hour mark. Oh well, STILL A PR sore feet and all, so I'll take it! :-)

I'll have to tell you about my great vacation up the coast of Oregon with Deb in my next post- stay tuned!

Also- thanks for your patience in dealing with my sorry blog updates. I'm dancing as fast as I can!

*Peace*

Bad Blogger! Bad Blogger!

2007-06-19T21:41:00.000-07:00

It's scary when you haven't turned on the lights for awhile and the first thing you see is your race countdown clock at 67 days!! Seriously, where does the time go!?
I figured I'd take a break and spare you all the agony of reading the multiple posts I would of threw up here all revolving around my current obsession with my aching feet.

Bad mojo baby!

Sorry, indulge me a bit here on the feet though. :-) They are ...dare I say it...getting better!? Ok, maybe that was a bit premature but I have been treating them aggressively since my last post. If anyone is suffering from plantar fasciitis, USE THE GOLF BALL! I got the tip from Fluro who is dealing with some serious foot issues. The ball therapy has been HUGE in getting my feet to a point where I can actually run. It isn't the most fun digging a golf ball into the pain points in your heel but I definitely feel like I am breaking up the knots in there. If i'm sitting down, I'm working the golf ball, simple as that. Also, firm support of the arches at all times with the Birkys has been a major help as well..got that tip from Steven's Karen so getting some love all around....oh, and using the foam roller to keep the calves nice and loose....actually a goal since my calves are pretty "knotty".

Running has been pretty pitiful the last 3 weeks....2 weeks ago, I could only run once due to the pain (6 miles) but last week I was able to crank out 19 big ones (kinda funny bragging about running 19 miles eh?)...the feet were definitely sore but the fact that I could actually run was huge. This week, I ran 4 miles yesterday and got attacked by a bird...maybe he was trying to tell me to stay off my feet? Whatever...it scared the crapola out of me when it divebombed and hit me in the head and then came back for a second pass which I was able to avoid by ducking....this was on the woodchip trail around the nike campus and I think it was probably protecting a nest but come on...just trying to get my run on!! ;-) The second loop, sure enough...the same bird was stalking me and every time I looked up it was getting ready to divebomb me again...crazy! I must have looked like a fool sitting there clapping and yelling while trying to run but was able to avoid any bloodshed so it worked.

I'm hoping my feet continue to heal...I will continue with the aggressive therapy on my end. I figure I will continue to run as well...I can't run fast since whenever I hit around a 7:45 pace they (feet) let me know they aren't happy but each week the pain seems to be just a little less then the prior week....I'd hate to think it was my pain tolerance going up eh!?

Finally, instead of living vicariously through all you studs and studettes who have already raced this year, I am going to toe the line at the Pac Crest 1/2 Iron on Saturday. It was definitely iffy for awhile and my run is definitely the X factor since I have no miles in my legs to speak of. I'll just have to HAMMER the bike so that I can still have a decent finish if the run turns into a walk! Thank god it's only a 1/2 iron....if this was IMC, I would not be happy!

I know several of you are racing IM CDA so I'll definitely be following online. Positive vibes headed your way for a strong race out there...stay in the moment and believe!

*Peace*

Breaking Down

2007-06-03T20:44:00.001-07:00

It's starting to be a constant theme around here but can we talk about me feets!? They hurt man!! The sad thing is the PF pain has elevated to where BOTH my feet just ache walking around- definitely not good. It hit a new level this weekend when I finished a beautiful bike ride on Saturday with Steven and had to shut it down about 10 steps into our transition run. Nothing worse then watching your bro run off into the distance to bang out a transition run as you *WALK* back to your car.

Aggressive therapy is probably needed at this point since my feet are falling apart and I only ran 3.25 hrs last week. It's not like i'm throwing out 50-60 mile weeks. One thing that has really helped in the last day is wearing Birkys (thanks Karen!!) instead of my comfy crocs. As Karen stated, your feet need support right now, not cushion. She is battling similar issues and the dull ache I was experiencing while walking around is pretty much gone with the birkenstocks *good news*.

I have given up trying to wean myself off of orthotics and will look into getting some new ones asap. Timing could be a bit better though. I am signed up for the Pac Crest 1/2 Iron on 6/24 so that may turn into a swim / bike / walk? Oh the horror.

Now on to better things, Steven found a new route that goes through the little burg of Timber on the way out to Vernonia and it was AWESOME.

SERIOUSLY

An hour away from his house we were riding along in some beautiful country without anyone else in sight. One of those rides where you rarely see a car since they really have no reason to be out there unless they live in Timber. Nice mix of some rolling hills, flats and steeps on the way back but a solid ride that moved right up to the top of our fave rides.

Saturday Bike
5.5 hours
94.6 Miles

I would have liked to run on Sunday since I seem to be obsessing about it with my foot issue but figured a bike ride would probably be much better then taking a chance with the feet right now. Got out a bit late into the winds but just put my head down and banged it out. I went out for a loop around Hagg Lake before heading home.

Sunday Ride
3.75 Hours
71 Miles

Now for a long overdue PSA (public service announcement). You all need to get one of these!!

No not the really cool glasses, I'm talking about the DORKY rear-view mirror. I've seen these for years and have always thought they screamed GOOOOFY until I started riding with Steven and was amazed at how he was always aware of what was going on behind us waaay before i even realized a car was approaching. I finally broke down and bought one about a month ago and I seriously don't think I could ride without one now.

Increasing your awareness can only be a good thing when you are riding around on a bicycle with a big bullseye on your back. We are really blessed to ride in a very cycling-friendly community up here in Oregon but for those of you having to regularly deal with homo sapiens of the assholicus maximus sub-species (I dealt with my fair share down in Cali so I can relate), this product can literally be a lifesaver. Swallow your pride and vanity, affix the mirror to your glasses and let your Dork Flag Fly!!

Seriously, it's not about you, it's about the people you love and making sure you come home safe and sound each time you swing your leg over your bike.
*stepping off soapbox now*

IMC Training Week 13
24.0 TOTAL Hours
Swim 2.0 Hrs
(6,750 Yrds - 3 swims. Swim volume was lacking big time. I missed the weekend swim again and one of my weekday swims was only 15 minutes!!. I need to work on my timing and figuring out the pool hours here!)
Bike 17.25 Hrs
(288.6 Miles - 5 rides. Big bump in cycling hours due to the Memorial Day ride this week. 272.6 road miles / 16 Computrainer *Intervals*)
Run 3.25 Hrs
(25.6 Miles - 3 runs including 1 off the bike. Need to work on the PF issues, as noted above - not good!)
Weights 1.5 Hrs
(2 x 45min sessions)

As always, thanks for stopping by. Have a great week and be safe out there!!

*Peace*

Memorial Day Weekend

2007-05-27T20:33:00.000-07:00

I made it through a pretty solid week without too much damage except for a sore foot. I put the holiday weekend to good use by getting in some extra bike volume and I'm happy to report that the weather actually cooperated *translation, no rain* even though it was pretty darn cloudy at times.

Since Steven was out of town, I hammered out a solitary long ride on Saturday. Overall, very good ride, aero is getting more comfortable and bike feels solid on the flats as well as climbing. I hit the big bumps (Bald Peak) as well as the speed bumps (3 x Hagg Lake loop) to get in a pretty hilly ride.

Saturday Bike
106.1 Miles
6.0 Hours

I was planning to take it easy on Sunday since Steven and I were going to be riding on Monday. I decided to keep the ride fairly flat but the wind was really whipping out there so I was forced to push more then I wanted. I still took it around Hagg Lake once since it is really hard to keep it flat around here. Whenever I wasn't going up, it seemed like I had to deal with a wall of wind. I was really glad to get off the bike! I went for a transition run and was keeping my fingers crossed since my PF flared up again in my right foot (yes, the other foot now too)! Major suckage! The run wasn't too bad and the pain in my right foot was much better then it was Friday / Saturday so that was a plus.

Sunday Bike
71.3 Miles
4.0 Hours

Transition Run
5 Miles
37:24

I was definitely feeling it a bit in the legs today after two solid days of riding but dragged myself to Steven's house for some more self-inflicted abuse. Steven and I headed into the hills straight outta the gate and got more then our fair share of climbing. We started with Unger and I knew it was going to be a long day due to my percieved effort on this out-of-the-saddle grinder . I can't imagine the hill got steeper since the last time I rode it but it sure felt like it! We then decided to follow a portion of the 05 LiveStrong ride and it was nothing but HILLS. BEAUTIFUL hills though...definitely a route that opens your eyes to the beauty that surrounds us up here! We also climbed up the backside of Bald Peak and were treated to some awesome vistas from the ridgeline...definitely a day to have a camera in your back pocket but sorry to say I didn't have mine. *sigh* Our mileage (or lack thereof) really gives an indication of the amount of vertical we hit today. I'd guess that we spent over 3 hours climbing today. My legs were toast but I had to deal with Steven rambling about the transition run and how it was going to "be great". If you can't beat'em, join'em right!? We got it done though so another solid block and a boost of extra volume to start the new week.

Monday Bike
72 Miles?
4:50
Run
4.8 miles
37:34

Steven's awesome wife had thrown a pizza in the oven (their kitchen is awesome, btw) for lunch and gave me an invite but I had to look the other way and leave since I was going to try to make it to the Nike pool to get in a swim a bit later before they closed. If you know how much I love pizza, you can imagine how difficult this was. I only shed a couple tears though. ;-)

I made it to the gym with 45 minutes to spare and banged out a quick workout.
45 minutes
1 x 2500
My legs felt great, post-swim, so glad I forced myself to hit the gym!

Now the weekly stats for last week.
IMC Training Week 14
23.75 TOTAL Hours
Swim 2.75 Hrs
(9,000 Yrds - 3 swims. Swim volume still needs work. I have a very hard time choosing to go for a swim vs. cycling on the weekend but will have to bite the bullet since my bike volume is pretty steady.)
Bike 15.0 Hrs
(262.4 Miles - 5 rides. I love my tri-bike! I'm finally getting the position dialed in and it is feeling much more comfortable in the aero position vs. last week. Still focusing on getting in the hills. Did Richter pass on the computrainer several times and hit the usual big bumps around town here. 215.4 road miles / 47 Computrainer)
Run 4.5 Hrs
(36.9 Miles - 4 runs including 1 off the bike. Getting frustrated with my PF issues. While the left heel hasn't changed, my right heel flared up post-run Friday!! It was pretty sore just walking around Friday / Saturday with even some pain while cycling Saturday. It seemed to be a bit better on Sunday so I ran 5 miles off the bike and it actually wasn't too bad so keeping my fingers crossed here. Aaah, just when I was starting to get my "run legs" back!)
Weights 1.5 Hrs
(2 x 45min sessions. Increasing the poundage but still sticking to a weight that I can do higher reps of 15-20. I'm loving the weight sessions!! *NOT* I'm sticking to the schedule though.)

Last, but definitely not least, let's all take a few minutes to give thanks this Memorial Day to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in defending our country. Also, we need to continue supporting and giving thanks to our current troops. I have a nephew in Iraq right now and he is just a kid so it definitely hits close to home. Scary times indeed.

Hope you all had a relaxing and safe weekend!

*Peace*

Don't Forget The Sunscreen

2007-05-22T22:45:00.000-07:00

...and other assorted good advice

*peace*

Recovery...Not So Much

2007-05-21T21:43:00.000-07:00

I just got thru my "recovery" week although it didn't feel like it! I was buried at work so it couldn't have come at a better time but I really think "outside / life" stressors vs. just training stress should be a major consideration during a recovery week.

Let me throw out the hours last week- I didn't even break ten hours and the only reason I got close was because of a 4.25 hr ride I did with Steven on Saturday. Still came out the other side of the recovery week feeling a bit tired due to work.

IMC Training Week 15 (RECOVERY)
9.0 TOTAL Hours
Swim 1.5 Hrs
(4,500 Yrds - 2 swims. Easy 45 swims with drills)
Bike 5.5 Hrs
(78 Miles - 2 rides. 1 CT hill ride 12 miles and 66 mile road ride with Steven)
Run 2.0 Hrs
(16 Miles - 3 runs. Still having issues with the left heel. It's pretty sore for the first 5 minutes of each run then fine for the remainder.)

Based on work last week, I would have fried myself if I had to do more so luckily the recovery came at a good time. Work will be extremely busy though for the next couple weeks so really need to focus on maximizing my time / efficiency and making sure I can nail the workouts. I did get in 3 hours today via bike am / swim lunch / run pm so I'm on the right track. I am hoping to get in some extended volume this coming Memorial Day extended weekend so keeping my fingers crossed for some good weather. What happened to April Showers bring May flowers!?! Based on recent weather up here, April Showers bring.....you guessed it, May Showers. ugh.

Now into a glimpse of how the top age groupers do it, I had an exchange with with one of the elite AG'ers in my club. He's an extremely knowledgeable guy and always very nice about responding to any training Q's. He and his wife just won their respective AG's last weekend at the Florida 70.3. I was asking him why he schedules his long runs Sunday following a long bike Saturday and his thoughts on my mid-week long run. This was his response:

"Ok, my theory...that's been tested by 3 straight kona slots and 2 top 3 finishes at CDA (yeah boasting)...and tested on Ann.

You need to tax your body metabolically in every way possible without over doing it. Take this past weekend for example...yeah I have the Florida 70.3 Sunday but I am looking at the big picture.
I did more than an ironman within a 48 hour period. Bike 127, Run 24 and swim 4K. Is that nuts? Well, a month ago yes, but I have periodized to handle the work.

So, I firmly believe in using various combinations of big workouts over a 24-36 hour period to tax the legs in various manners. That's why weekends vary from:
Long run, then long ride (reverse brick)
Run, bike, run, bike, run (big brick)
Ride long, then next morning run long
IM TT simulation, and run IM simulation off the bike.

These 4 combinations I think, doing them a couple of times each to varying degrees will best prepare you for the IM distance. Not just finishing...but placing high in the age group.
I have run Two 20 milers in the past 2 weeks day following over 100 miles on the bike. First 20 miler ave 7:15 pace, second one ave just under 7, 16 miles of which were 6:45 pace. The difference in strength over a couple of weeks is obviously noticeable. Ann? same thing. Her first 20 ave 8:20, her second 20 7:50 pace. Her IM goal pace is 8.

Now, why bike after a long 16 miler? There is no other way to put it except experiencing the total body weakness in the final hour of a long bike following a run.
After just 2 of these workouts, the next time you bike before running, you notice a huge difference in Bike strength.

The big brick and race simulation speak for themselves.

Now the other vital component? It's imperative that you practice exactly...as exact as you can get...race day nutrition. On both the bike rides and the runs. This, over only a month or so, will allow you to adapt very well on both the bike and the run.

Mid week long run?
I dont disagree with this. My reasoning is this. I save the mid week for a key road interval or hill session. If this is done on tuesday, you could run long on thurs. You should allow 1 day between key runs though.
I would still try combinations of big workouts on the weekends, and maybe every third...take do your long run mid week.
Perhaps doing the long run during the week that you have a shorter ride/run planned, like a brick, big brick, or race simulation. Then chill out sunday.

Doing too much will spiral you down thats for certain. BUT...stringing together 2 bigger workouts together or within 24 hours will, over several weeks, allow you to adapt to extreme stress.
hope this helps a little"

Check his blog for a glimpse into his training here. Nice to be able to draw from that kind of experience when any questions arise. My take away is that beyond consistency, it's pretty important to vary the training stress. Also, no way around it...you gotta HIT IT HARD. I definitely plan on incorporating some more run volume into the weekends, as suggested, since I already plan on hitting the bike volume pretty hard.

Have a great week out there!

*Peace*

Break On Through

2007-05-13T20:16:00.000-07:00

This past week was just a blur of activity for me. I was spreading myself a bit thin but figured there was light at the end of the tunnel since this was the last solid week in this training cycle. I just needed to make it through the weekend and my key bike workout.

I ended up flip-flopping my short / long bike ride so that I could get in a ride with Steven. We ended up doing 3 hours on Saturday. It was our first ride on our tri-bikes and it was quite the experience.

Ooof!! Sore neck! Sore back!

My bike is set up on the aggressive side with 79+ seat angle and about a 10.5 - 11cm drop from seat to bars so it will definitely take some time to adjust. Steven was going to make the final push in his kitchen remodel so this actually worked out for the best. In hindsight, the duration was probably perfect for our first ride on our tribikes anyway.

Today, I was going long and was wondering how it would all turn out. It actually wasn't too bad. I decided to push the hurt and ended up doing a pretty hilly ride (Unger / Bald Peak / Hagg Lake / Blooming Fern *at mile 86 ouch*). In addition to the hills, the wind was a BITCH today so definitely got my work in. Bike felt great- just need to put some time in the aeros and this was a step in the right direction. It was also another good day to train the nutrition / hydration protocol. I still haven't set-up the bike completely and without a rear hydration system, I had to resort to carrying a bottle in a jersey pocket but it worked out okay. I felt pretty strong at the end of the ride and was able to motor on the flats pretty well on the last stretch home. Once there, I jumped on the scale and got some great feedback.

My Pre / Post ride weight was exactly the same! That is HUGE for me.

I threw on the shoes for a quick transition run. I wasn't looking forward to this but knew I'd regret it later if I bagged it. It's much easier to get out there when Steven is cracking the whip. After a wobbly first mile on the run, I found my legs and finished it by descending on each mile *barely*. One thing I noticed immediately is that riding steep definitely helps when you are running off the bike. Also, that running comes much easier when you get off the bike well hydrated- what a concept eh!? ;-)
Bike
6.25 Hrs
104 Miles Hilly
Run
30:12
4 Miles
7:57
7:33
7:22
7:20

Now the weekly stats
IMC Training Week 16
23.0 TOTAL Hours
Swim 3.0 Hrs
(9,250 Yrds - 3 swims. Again, swim yardage was a bit lacking with the missed 4th weekend swim. I definitely need to make sure I hit the weekend swim since it is my longer endurance set @ 1.25 - 1.5 hrs)
Bike 14.0 Hrs
(229 Miles - 5 rides. Still focusing on the hillwork and finally got the tribike on the road. Nutrition / hydration protocol is going well- will need to focus focus focus on this so it becomes second nature! 156 road miles / 73 Computrainer)
Run 4.5 Hrs
(32.5 Miles - 4 runs including 1 off the bike. Nice to get my piddly mileage over 30 for the week. Definitely have some room for improvement here! Continuing to monitor the left heel.)
Weights 1.5 Hrs
(2 x 45min sessions of low weight / hi-rep AA sessions. *Yawn* Got it done but not too excited about the gym work.)

Now to the bike.....check it out!
I haven't ridden the ZIPPS but figured I'd deck her out in her sunday best for the pics. Before anyone sez it, let me. Is that logo overkill or what!?! Looks like someone threw up on the bike with a ton of logos. I may actually peel the decals off the ZIPPS but nothing I can do about the frame. I would have preferred a more subtle graphic but the "formula one" style is sloooowly growing on me.

Close-up of the bars...they are actually pretty comfy and superlight (thanks jess!)

Last but not least, I'd like to wish all you awesome moms out there a HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

That's all I got.

I AM SO READY FOR THIS UPCOMING RECOVERY WEEK!!
*tried to run, tried to hide....break on through to the other side, yeah!*

Have a great week!

*Peace*

Thirsty Thursdays - Take One

2007-05-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

I love the change in seasons up here in Oregon. It truly is beautiful once the sun pokes out from behind the clouds and the endless gray skies turn blue. With the great weather come the Thirsty Thursdays at work where they showcase different events accompanied by beers and appetizers.

I always make it a point to attend the first one of the year...The Annual Nike Mile. It is a pretty cool event with mile races for the kids (I think the 9-11 yr old winner ran sub-6 this year). The "All-Comers" event for the "not-so-competitive" employee runners at Nike. Yeah right, the winner finished in around 5:15. He definitely belonged in the Nike Competitive Mile for the "serious employee runners". The Competitive Mile was pretty darn fast with the majority finishing in sub-5. Yes, even the joker wearing a suit like he was dressed for an interview. Hilarious- I wish I had a picture but didn't get a shot. The top 3 finished in around 4:30- I think two Nike employees ended up beating Kara Goucher who jumped in to race. She is QUICK!!

The Elite Mile was awesome. It is truly amazing watching the guys at the top of the game running *so fast* so effortlessly. At least they make the hurt look painless. I didn't recognize the majority of the runners (besides Dan Browne & Adam Goucher) and we didn't have any Kenyans here this year but still a great race. Adam Goucher had an amazing kick in the last 200 yards and gapped the field...truly a beautiful thing to see in person. He also broke the record for the Nike Mile by running a 3:56:50!! Last year Gouch placed second running a 3:58:21.

Here are some pics....what a beautiful day!

The track on campus...really cool how it winds right thru the trees there.

Here are the leaders of the Nike Competitive Mile. I think the two guys in front of Kara Goucher came in at about 4:30 with her right behind them. The guy shadowing Kara is a 2:20 marathoner. Check out the pack behind them.

Here's the rest of the pack coming around the turn- they all finished right around 4:50-5:05

The Elites...ready, steady, GO!!

The elites coming around Lap 3. Gouch tucking in behind the rabbits waiting to make his move. They hit lap 3 in 3:01 so Gouch ran a 55 sec last quarter.

Gouch dropping the hammer and crossing the finish way out front - check out the gap he put on the rest of the field. Amazing!

Hope you all had a great day out there and the weather is cooperating for you!

oh..off topic but I love this post.
"Find the good, and push it out…infect everyone you meet" excellent!

*Peace*

Special Delivery

2007-05-09T21:20:00.000-07:00

It goes without saying, but I'm going to say it...

It sure beats getting a bill in the mail!

More later but I gotta give a big shout out to Matt for "the deal" to end all killer deals. Thanks again brother!

*Peace*

Miles To Go Before I Sleep

2007-05-06T20:26:00.000-07:00

Regardless of how hard my job/work tried to derail my training this week, I was able to hammer it out. I did have to juggle some sessions and end up doing a couple in a sequence that was less then optimal but such is life. My goal was to make sure I was able to hit the key workout for the week (Saturday 6 hr HILLY brick - 5.5 ride / .5 run) as fresh as possible so the fact that I was starting my 1.5hr run on Friday at 7:10pm was not a good sign! I haven't eaten a ton of red meat lately and figured I'd need the boost so ate a big steak, post-run, at 10pm. I'm sure it came in handy on Saturday! ;-)

Steven and I started out early Saturday and thank god I checked the forecast because the temps were FREEEZING and were going to stay that way for most of the day. No rain though so that was a plus. We went hill hunting again and bagged a ton of nice ones. The looong seated climbs, the rolling grinders, the 16% grade out-of-saddle A$$ kicker, the extended out-of-saddle, out-of-breath killers...we had it all.

...and it was beautiful....

Still working on the fueling / hydration and drank 5+ bottles, 2 clif bars, 10 fig newtons. I was able to run ok after all that food although I felt dizzy a couple times. Not sure what that was about but I'm thinking that might be an electrolyte issue? I'm using a straight Maltodextrin / Cytomax blend which is sorely lacking in the electrolyte department so plan on purchasing some salt/electrolyte tabs shortly.

Saturday Brick
Ride
5.5 Hours
84.4 HILLY miles

Run
33 Minutes?
4.3 Miles
7:40'ish pace

Sunday warmed up considerably and I had a 2.5 hour flat ride scheduled with a 1.25 swim later in the day. My actual workout was a bit different to say the least. About 30 minutes into the ride, a gal rode up next to me and we got to chatting. She also works at Nike (small world eh?) and does triathlon although she stated that she hasn't done Ironmans in 5 years due to how busy she is with kids/family. I was wearing a Bike Barn jersey which she recognized from doing Ironman Canada. She did the race twice, podiumed / Kona qualified twice. Pretty darn impressive. We ended up riding around Hagg Lake and continued around the back side of Bald Peak which was a nice extended climb .

(Steven**- not sure if you've done this route but on the way back from Hagg and over the railroad tracks, you go right back toward laurelwood vs. left toward blooming fern when you hit the T. You continue going straight pass the left turnoff for Laurelwood and head up around the back of Bald Peak- nice route).

Sunday Ride
4.5 Hours
75 Miles

So much for the flat day but nice to have company out there and get in some extra mileage. I didn't make it back in time for the swim since the Nike pool closes at 4:30pm on Sunday (yeah, a late start today) but figure the bike volume would make up for the extra swim.

IMC Training Week 17
22.5 TOTAL Hours
Swim 3.0 Hrs
(9,250 Yrds - 3 swims. Swim yardage was a bit lacking this week with the swap of a longer bike for a swim on Sunday. Will focus on hitting four swims next week. I did get in some longer sets 1 x 2K, 1 x 3K during the week)
Bike 14.25 Hrs
(224.4 Miles - 5 rides, again, with a major emphasis on hills. Bike endurance is coming around nicely. I will continue to focus on the nutrition / hydration aspect. Looking foward to hopefully take out the tribike next weekend! 159.4 road miles / 65 Computrainer)
Run 3.75 Hrs
(28.3 Miles - 4 runs including 1 off the bike. Left Heel is still sore but the right achilles pain has disappeared (good thing!). My motivation for running is lacking a bit- evident in my mileage numbers. Will work on turning this around.)
Weights 1.5 Hrs
(2 x 45min sessions of low weight / hi-rep AA sessions. These sessions were not bad this week, not sure how much benefit they are providing but will continue to hammer out two sessions a week)

Next week and beyond is looking good based on a 10 day weather forecast without any rain! *smile*

Thanks for reading and for the continued inspiration!

*Peace*

Talk About The Passion

2007-04-29T20:53:00.000-07:00

After threatening rain this weekend, I'm happy to report that it ended up being a beautiful weekend. At times, a bit too chilly / windy / hilly but I was loving every minute of it!

The Saturday ride ended up being a serious climbfest with Steven- when he gets that glazed look in his eye and starts mumbling about hitting hills, I know it is going to be *ON*. Let's just say he didn't disappoint in that regard- ouch! When we weren't going up, we were dealing with wind but got a slight reprieve as the last 45 minutes to his house wasn't too bad. My inaugural run off the bike started off very ugly- the first mile came in a hair under 8 min/mile but then the legs came around and we cranked out the remaining 3.3miles to bring the ave pace down to 7:21/mile. This ride was also a nice test of my new hydration / fueling goal to down at least one bottle an hour. We did 5 hrs and I drank 5 bottles (350 cal/bottle). I also ate 1.5 Cliff Bars and finished the ride feeling pretty strong. It was nice to finish a long workout without any dehydration issues. I typically end up losing 4-5lbs on a long ride *NOT GOOD* which can really foul up recovery, post-ride so i will be pushing the hydration hard. I don't think calories have been an issue but the hydration needs some serious work (especially while racing) so I'll have to apologize in advance for all the extra bathroom pit-stops Steven!

Sunday I met Tom and Jessi at Hagg Lake for an "easy" 2 loops around the lake with Jessi. It was a nice mix of easy / steady work- she did a monster workout the day before but was still throwing down the hammer at times. It's all good though, it kept me on my toes! I really think it's hard not to "push" on a tribike...I'll need to remember that when I finally get mine on the road. We ran a hilly 6 miles off the bike and finished the last 2.5 miles together. I was able to run a 7:37 pace over some pretty solid hills for the first 3 miles which was a plus after the killer workout the day before.

The body is holding up well after a big week. I had 20 hrs scheduled but came in at 22.25 hrs because of some extra time that popped up in my schedule Friday. The only "new" issue is a sore right achilles along with my continuing issue with my left heel - will need to monitor it.

Week 18
22.25 TOTAL Hours
Swim 3.5 Hrs
(11,500 Yrds - 4 swims. I should have hit 14K but I got to the pool late today and only had 30min so got in 1.5K in 24min. Focusing on 500 / 1000 yrd repeats)
Bike 13.0 Hrs
(200 Miles - 5 rides focusing on HILLS via road or Computrainer right now - was able to get in 2 additional hours on the bike vs. the schedule. 155 road miles / 45 CT)
Run 4.25 Hrs
(33.3 Miles - 6 runs including 2 off the bike. Left Heel is still sore, will continue to nurse it. Also, will keep an eye on my right achilles- darn feet!)
Weights 1.5 Hrs
(2 x 45min sessions of low weight / hi-rep AA sessions. These sessions wrecked me! Looking for this to get better as my body adapts)

That's all I've got. I've had a pretty good endorphin high all week and looking forward to taking another pull next week to the tune of 22.5 hrs. Hopefully all goes as planned.

I hope you are all out there feeding your passions and counting your blessings! Thanks for reading.

*Peace*

Going Long

2007-04-26T21:24:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all the Boston love - I really appreciate it!!

I've officially switched to the dark side and in full tri-mode right now. The good news is that having done some higher volume in years past has allowed me to jump right into a 20+ hour week without too many speed wobbles, granted the BIG volume is this weekend. The funny thing is that the one thing that is killing me, literally, is the measly 1.5 hrs of weights I have done this week. 2 x 45 min sessions of easy adaptation back into lifting and I am SORE! Yes, it has been a long time since I've moved any plates around. I'm sure it'll get easier but right now, me no likee! ;-)

Re: consistency, all it took was for me to get my plan on paper and all my obsessive compulsive tendencies came right to the surface. You'll have to kill me to miss a workout now thru IM Canada! Ok...get thru one week first eh!? Seriously, nice to have a structured plan though and no messing around this year. That 11:15 at IMC was a big wake-up call last year.

This weekend should be a good one...Steven and I are taking a big pull on the bike in the form of 5 hilly hours on Saturday and I plan on doing a couple loops of Hagg Lake with Jessi on Sunday. You all know Jess right? Did I ever tell you how cool she is? (Hang onto her Tom!) I have been waiting a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time to get some of these:

The Easton Attack TT aerobar - 350 grams of carbon sexiness. Unfortunately they have been backordered since October'06 and Easton is filling the orders painfully slow (at the rate of 1-2 bars a week). I have been waiting now for 2 months with no end in sight when Jessi came to the rescue. She pulled a pair off her shelf at Triumph and is bringing them down this weekend. They were one of the very few shops that actually had the bars in stock. Yes..basically the equivalent of getting the golden ticket in Charlie & The Chocolate Factory. I am really looking forward to FINALLY getting my tribike dialed in and throwing down some serious mileage.

Can't leave you without some good music....Jeff Buckley *RIP*, truly a musical genius. Scott Matthews must be channeling JB based on the similarity in style. Maybe hard to catch here but more evident when you listen to their albums. Go ahead, give it a go...you won't be sorry.
Jeff

Scott

Enjoy your weekend...I'll be chasing those endorphins. Hope you're doing the same!

*Peace*

2007 Boston Race Report

2007-04-18T18:22:00.000-07:00

I just got back from Boston today. I can truly say that facing the brunt of that Nor’easter has given me a new appreciation for the weather here in Portland...rain and all. A Northeast storm takes it all to another level. Literally. Being the eternal optimist, I was still hoping that "the weather" would completely pass by the start of the race. I flew in from Portland on Saturday evening and met Deb who was flying in from SoCal. Having checked the forecast, we knew the storm was expected to hit on Sunday so we took the opportunity to drop everything at the hotel and made a last minute decision to hit the North End for dinner. We went to one of our fave spots, Cibo for dinner (awesome if anyone is in the area)and Caffe Vittoria for some java and yummy cannolis before calling it a night. The North End was hopping as everyone in town probably realized that it might be a long time before the weather was that nice again.

As expected, the storm hit on Sunday. As we waited for the T to take us to the race expo that morning, we got hit with some seriously icey wind / rain. Having lived in Oregon for awhile now, I don't mind rain at all but those Nor'east winds can definitely take all of the fight out of you. We hit the expo and wrestled with an umbrella in the wind / rain while walking around town a bit, had lunch before shutting it down for the night. I was pretty much glued to the tube for several hours watching the weather forecasts for Monday morning. It didn't look too great initially but they were predicting the worst of it to pass before the start of the race *yes*.

I set the alarm for 4am race morning and when I woke up, the wind was howling and it was raining buckets…Victory At Sea conditions out there. Not the kind of morning you want to face when you are racing. I'm glad I brought most of my crap weather gear and ended up dressing for a typical inclement weather bike ride vs. run. I had trishorts on for wind protection, full thermal tights, thermal long sleeve top, gloves, wool socks, and goretex jacket. Deb asked me several times if I really wanted to head out there as it looked really bad, but this is what we do right!? She always supports me in whatever I choose so with her in my corner, I knew it was all good. Even with all the layers, I was still shivering as I waited for the T to move the runners to the bus shuttle stop. We then had to sit in the rain before taking the bus out to Hopkinton for the race start. It was pretty miserable out there as the wind was still howling and the rain was coming down pretty hard. Not the typical upbeat mood on the bus out to Hopkinton as we all wondered how the day would turn out. They had tents set up for the runners out on the grass but they were pretty muddy and the wind was slashing through them. I saw some people sneaking into the school gym and was able to squeeze my way in before they shut it down to any further people. I was very lucky to get into the warm, dry gym because the thought of spending several hours in the wind was not good!

I laid out in my spot on the gymnasium floor and chatted up a few people and relaxed a bit after cursing my poor planning, once again, as I forgot to bring any reading material or my ipod. I’m glad they moved the start up to 10 am though, as it was time to head out for the race start soon enough. Another plus was that the weather forecasts seemed to be spot on as the rain seemed to be letting up a bit and the wind wasn't as gusty. I was very suprised to see all the volunteers and crowd support out there- those locals are a hardy bunch! I squeezed my way up to the 4th corral and jumped in for the start. My plan was to use my garmin to keep my pace in check over the first few downhill miles of the race. I figured i could maintain 7:30's pretty comfortably and after a few false start/stops we all made it over the start line and started running.

My goal was to go out comfortably, run the downhills VERY conservatively, and try to keep as close to a 7:30 pace to hit my projected finish time (more on that later).

A good bit of adrenaline here...Boston always has an amazing start. Even though I was up in the 4th corral, a mass of people had already spread out as far out as you could see. Here, once you got even a slight bit of open space, it is easy to push it a bit on the downhill and destroy your quads without even realizing it.

I "thought" I was doing well. Pace felt comfortable, EVERYONE was flying by me in the first 3-5 miles (I probably should have had one of those slow moving farm equipment signals on my back) but stayed loyal to my garmin and was clicking off the 7:30's. The weather ended up being AWESOME through the first half of the race. It felt like a typical training day in Oregon as the weather seemed to improve as the day progressed. Granted there were some exposed spots where you'd get slammed with some harsh headwinds but I just looked for any human shield who happened to be in my area code to "block" until it passed. I actually overheated so had to stop at one point to take the jacket off and used the stop to refill my bottle also. I felt much better with the jacket off and the tights were probably overkill too but I'm sure if I didn't have all the gear on, the weather would not have turned in our favor...such is my luck! ;-)

After suffering through the heat at Boston the last couple of years, this was a welcome change. I could just imagine the 2K plus runners who didn't pick up their bib numbers kicking themselves as the weather actually ended up being perfect running weather. If you check my splits here (bib #4167), I was right on 7:30 pace. 5k, 10k, 15K, 20K, 1/2 Mary..still averaging 7:29 pace...I was feeling good. I got a nice rush running through the "Wellesly Scream Tunnel". The women of Wellesley College were out there cheering us on and you can't help but get a lift from all that energy. It's truly amazing how you can start to hear the faint roar when you are still nowhere near the college only to get enveloped into a wall of sound as you run by the loooong line of women cheering you on at the top of their lungs. Very cool.

Not sure when it happened but beyond Wellesley, I started getting some pain in my left forefoot that had me a bit worried. The one thing I did not want to do was injure myself even further doing this race. My quads started protesting at this point which really bummed me out too. Steven and I have done several runs out at Hagg Lake which is much hillier, both up and down, then the Boston course and I have finished 20 milers out there pretty strong without any quad pain so not sure how Boston can just destroy you when there really aren’t any significant up or downs. I think it is just a combination of the consistently rolling terrain and the adrenaline from the race. You can get yourself into a world of hurt without even realizing it. I thought I had learned my lesson in past years though and was running the downs conservatively but now, in hindsight, I’m thinking I probably could use some help on my downhill form. I was worried about my left foot and probably applying the brakes which, in turn, loaded up my quads. At 25K my pace dropped to an overall 7:38 average and it was all downhill from there. Each successive 5K was pulling my overall pace down as my legs turned to wood. After Heartbreak Hill, any downhill would just destroy me. It was pretty demoralizing too as everyone seemed to be catching a second wind through all the crowd support here in the last 4-6 miles of the course. I was having a hard time maintaining an 8:20 pace here and to make matters worse, we got hit with some serious headwind in certain sections.

At this point I was basically running on rims as the wheels had completely fallen off. Not a pretty sight and I was never more happy to see the finish line. To give you an idea of how destroyed my quads were, my last 2.2K was ran at an 8:40 pace! Usually you have something left to give back to the crowd but I surely did not. I got passed by a ton of people in the last mile.

Official finish time was 3:28:26 at a 7:57 average pace.
50 seconds per mile slower then my qualifying marathon in February. A very humbling day out there to say the least but that is the Boston Marathon. I feel very lucky to have finished the race. No excuses, definitely can't blame the weather since it was pretty good except for the few spots where we couldn't hide from the wind. There's always next year right?!

After a quick shower, Deb and I headed out to the North End for a nice dinner for a great ending to a tough day at the office. The weather seemed to get worse on Tuesday and was pretty bad today as we were leaving Boston.
*It's that brutal, icy wind I tell ya...it can cut you right to the core!!*
Deb and I still had fun running around town on Tuesday though. It was a bummer as we boarded our separate planes to go home but loved the time we got to spend together.

I also appreciate all the "votes of confidence" on my predicted finish time. *Group Hug* ;-) Unfortunately, we can only have one winner and that would be Curly Sue. She predicted a finishing time of 3:28:48!! Uhhhh, not sure if she is psychic but that is 22 seconds off my actual time. Pretty amazing, I'd say. Shoot me your address Su, you are a winner!

Sorry for the looong post but I appreciate you all following along. I hope all is well out there and your days are getting warmer!

*Peace*

Weather Alert

2007-04-13T20:39:00.000-07:00

WHOA...skirough, in her comment, mentioned a letter sent to all racers and how it was going to be an "interesting" race. Not sure how much fun I'll have out there but I'm sure it will be "interesting". Also, I'm hoping the weather forecasts are off - it wouldn't be the first time that's happened.

I just found this in my inbox:

April 13, 2007
Weather Advisory - 2007 Boston Marathon
The Boston Athletic Association's medical team recommends the following precautions and advice for participants in Monday's Boston Marathon:
FORECAST:
The most up-to-date weather forecast calls for a predicted Spring storm on Monday, including heavy rains (potentially 3 to 5 inches), with the start temperatures in the mid to upper 30's. Wind will likely be East (in the face of the participants for most of the race) in the 20 to 25 mile per hour range, with gusts to as much as 50 miles per hour. This will produce a wind chill index of 25 to 30-degrees Fahrenheit.

Assuming they are correct in their forecast, I'd say that would add AT LEAST 30 minutes to any predicted finish time. I know I'll be looking for any drafting pacelines forming out there...misery loves company and taking turns in the wind sure beats facing it for the whole 26.2

If you happen to catch this, feel free to revise your initial projection in this post. No hard feelings! ;-)
Yes, I'm used to running in cold / wet but running in HEAVY RAINS and 20-25mph headwinds isn't usually part of of my training week! I gotta remind myself that I love this stuff right!?

Ladies and Gentlemen, the captain has put on the fasten seatbelt sign. Please settle in for the bumpy ride ahead.....

*Peace*

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

2007-04-12T22:04:00.001-07:00

Hey all,
Thanks for the well-wishes in my last post! I just caught the weekly episode of "The Office" (hilarious) and figured I'd carry over the betting theme of the episode to my race in Boston so step on up!

Whoever can come the closest to guessing my finish time at Boston will get some token gift. No, not a car or anything that will require insurance when I send it. ;-) Also, I'm sure it'll probably have a swoosh on it so beware if any of you break out in hives when you get in contact with any Nike products! The beauty is that the price of admission into this contest is zilch, zero, nada. So step on up...no hurt feelings on my end so guess away via a comment to this post.

**Update also since Jessi asked- no over / under penalty in your guesses. I will be basing this on whomever is closest to my finish time, regardless of whether their guess is over or under. So no, you can't use the "Price Is Right" strategy and guess 1 hour assuming that everyone is guessing "over" my finish time!!**

For any lurkers who may choose to participate, let me provide some background for this lil' run on Monday.

THE GOOD
My running was coming along very well this year. I PR'd in early February with a 3:07 finish at the Pac Shoreline Marathon. I felt pretty fresh during the race with no issues except for the hot weather. Speeds at all training paces had bumped up a notch. I was running pretty decent mileage in the 50's- high 60's - life was good!

THE BAD
I'm currently running injured. I'm having issues with my left foot that has severely limited the mileage in the last 1-1.5 months leading into Boston. The latest issue is some forefoot pain in the last week that seriously had me questioning whether I should do this race. It seems to have backed off a bit but I'm still wondering how it will feel when I'm 15-16 miles into the race!

THE UGLY
Has anyone seen the current weather forecast for Boston. It's almost funny...I said ALMOST. Depending upon where you look, they have forecast WINDY conditions with either RAIN OR SNOW. It just sounds nuts to me after the heatfest at Boston for the last 2 out of 3 years. Not the best conditions for running but hey, I'm from Oregon and have learned a bit from training with Steven. You gotta just get'er done!

Ok, so that's a cliff notes version of the pertinent facts. Here are my finish times from the last 3 Boston Marys:
04 3:38:22
05 3:29:59
06 3:22:33
Don't forget, Boston isn't a PR course and anyone who has hammered their quads on all the downhills early only to end up a mess in the last 5 miles can surely relate!

Ok, don't be shy. I'll go first...barring this silly injury, I'd be shooting for a sub 3:10 finish based on how my training WAS going early on but I was dealt a new set of cards and it ain't pretty. With the low mileage, injury, headwinds and rain / snow- I'm going to guess 3:17:30. Pretty ambitious based on my current fitness but I really believe in this runner! ;-) Here's a recommendation for anyone trying to win this lil contest- you might want to pad that number just a bit!!

#4167 is out! I'll see you on the other side.

*Peace*

The Calm Before the Storm

2007-04-08T21:36:00.000-07:00

One more week down as I head into race week for Boston. This should be a very light week coming up in the training dept. It's all about getting that final bit of recovery / taper and allowing my feet to heal a bit. The current weather forecast for race day is 44deg and rain. As long as it's not pouring, that is perfect in my book. It sure beats the high 80's a couple years back!

Back to my training, I had a slight scare when I started having forefoot pain during my run on Friday. A bit scary because it was a sharp pain (vs. a typical ache) on each left footstrike. I spoke to my PT friend Matt and he is thinking it is probably due to the number of changes I've made lately to my shoes, etc. I was fine all week until Friday though, and I'm thinking my short speed session on Thursday put me over the edge. After a mile warm-up, I ran 7 x 1/2mile repeats @ 6/min pace to get a bit of a V02 push before shutting it down. No problems, no pain until my run the following day...hmmm. I was "supposed" to do a 10 miler this weekend but ended up cutting it short and ran 6 miles instead. I didn't have any pain but didn't want to take any chances with the episode on Friday.

*Keeping my fingers crossed* I am just hoping I can get thru this marathon and *promise* to take it easy on my feet in case anyone is listening up there!

In other news, I did get in a 3 hour bike with Steven on Saturday...I know, probably not helping my taper but it's all about the bike right?! I'm not sure what dark cloud Steven has over his head or maybe it's a combination of us planning a workout together that does it but it rained consistently for our entire ride. What's new right? We seem to get rain every weekend for our workouts! Mother Nature was up to her cruel tricks since she gave us BEAUTIFUL weather this past week - reminding me of how great the summers are up here. Friday was even a bit hot in my opinion but I'll take those blue skies all day long. So waking up to rain on Saturday didn't do much for my motivation. You gotta punch the clock though so we got it done. Good thing because it ended up actually being a pretty nice ride. No flats this week either!

For the week:
1 Swim (going to ramp this up after the marathon)
4 Runs
3 Bikes

I guess I actually need to ramp it up in all depts after the marathon and open the door again to constant endorphins,the all to familiar fatigue, spinning endless circles, running countless miles, and losing count on swim laps as I gear up for Ironman Canada.

Ain't nothing like the feeling you get shelling yourself from stacking 20's (20+hour training weeks). I'm looking forward to the push.

Here's some quick video motivation....regardless of your passion, just get out there and move. It's a beautiful thing.

Hope you all had a great week and nice Easter.

*Peace*

Taper Time...I Made It!

2007-04-01T19:22:00.000-07:00

A ton going on so I must apologize for the lack of boring posts on my end! ;-)
I finally got my blood lactate tests and they validated my training zones for the most part..well, maybe the Friel Zones are bit high (word of warning for anyone using the friel zones, may want to dial them back 3-5 beats) but that has been thrown around for awhile now. My blood lactate was under 2.0 mmol until I hit 7:03/mile pace. It jumped to 2.8 mmol at 175HR / 6:40 pace. This was my marathon HR but definitely wasn't running a 6:40 pace. At least I know I can look to run at an effort that coincides with approx 175 HR assuming weather,etc being equal. My OBLA (4mmol BL) took place at approx 6:20/mile pace & 180 HR. This would equate to a AT HR.

Training has been going ok considering my "glass feet". I went to a new podiatrist on Thursday and really looking forward to working with him. He definitely has a different viewpoint from any other foot doc I've been to. I was ready to plunk down $$$ for new orthotics when he stated that he would rather try another course of action, ie weaning me off the orthotics. He was definitely of the camp that most foot issues are due to shoe companies overbuilding shoes with unnecessary features which result in weakening the feet. Similar to the "pose-running" school, he recommended working up to running in a shoe that provides the least amount of built in support / correction (racing flat). He does the bulk of his running, including 2+ hour runs, in CROCS!!

Nice to get a doc who is truly enthusiastic about what he does and who shares a love of running. I figure it is worth a shot if I can eliminate the orthotics. He placed some metarsal pads in my shoes (these made a huge difference in the cushioning under the ball of my feet) and instructed me to open up the shoes to allow my feet to naturally spread.

Here you can see the $4 dollar metarsal pads that were placed in my running shoes

Here's the result of my exacto knife surgery on my shoes. I cut out some of the midsole and both sides of the shoe for a nice roomy fit. Funny because they really weren't "bothering" me before but they are MUCH MORE comfortable and I plan to wear them at Boston, "air-conditioning" and all.

Other then that, just rolling along with the workouts. Last weekend, had a great ride with Steven on Saturday although he left out the part where he had to wait while I fixed not one but TWO flats within 20 minutes of each other...ugh! The day after I ran a questionable 20 miler...questionable because I wasn't sure how my feet would hold up over 20 miles! They did ok *thank god* and finished in 2:39 for around a 8 min pace...wasn't pushing it at all.

This week I ran daily (7 workouts) and had 5 cycling workouts with the big doughnut hole for swimming. I figure there'll be plenty of time to get in the water here soon. The feet are still holding up pretty well *knock on wood* with the only issues when i push the intensity a bit. I did my last longer race pace workout yesterday: 15 miles in 1:47:50 for 7:11 ave pace. I pushed the intensity up a bit for the 1/2 mary distance and was running in the 6:45-6:50 pace on the flats and slower on the rollies / hills but still finished 13.1 miles in 1:33:10 for a 7:07 pace before finishing out with a flat 1.9 miles home. Average HR was 174 (ave HR last marathon was 175). Too bad I'll have to run an additional 11 miles on the 16th. ;-)
That will be the x-factor with the drop in mileage. Even though I ran every day this week, my mileage only hit 52 miles. I didn't want to take the risk of injuring my foot any further. Next couple of weeks I plan on keeping the frequency up while dialing back the distance even further.

Gotta love the taper!

Hope life is treating you all well.

*Peace*

Beantown

2007-03-21T23:14:00.000-07:00

I came back from my lunch run today to find this little gift aka "reminder" sitting on my chair....YIKES!!

I can't believe Boston is a little over 3 weeks out. It's definitely going to be a tough day out there with my serious drop in mileage the last month. This whole heel / plantar fasciitis issue blew up right at the wrong time. I'm going to try and get in one or two more 20 milers before the end of this month...while trying to nurse this heel / PF issue.

Exciting times ahead!

*Peace*

I'm Still Buzzing.....

2007-03-20T21:12:00.000-07:00

I took a 4 day break from training but had a great reason since Deb was in town! :-)
Rather then do the typical running around Portland, we loaded up the car and took a quick hit and run tour of Seattle. We were only there for a day and a half but were able to pack alot in walking all over downtown and Queen Anne. Seattle is definitely a cool town with a cool vibe. We stayed in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle and that's where it all started....

My quest to try EVERY good coffeeshop in Seattle.....yeaah!

You can rationalize anything and my excuse to take the brakes off the whole moderation thing was the "vacation" excuse....come'on who hasn't used that one right? Another triple shot, non-fat mocha? Why not, I'm on vacation!

While I didn't end up having the time to try every coffee shop in Seattle, I can give a thumbs up to the following Seattle bean shops:

Uptown Espresso
Caffe Ladro
Caffe Zingaro
Espresso Vivace

We also found some good food up there as well. Phuket for cheap & GREAT Thai food (try the Pineapple Curry Fried Rice- YUM) right in Queen Anne, breakfast at the Portage Bay Cafe in the University District, sushi at Blue C Sushi in the republic of Fremont.

I also got to check out a couple tri shops...Jessi's shop (Triumph Multisport) is the bomb! I did the mystery shopper thing and didn't mention Jessi (in case I said / did anything embarrassing - ha) and all the guys there were still great. It would definitely rate as one of the top 2-3 tri shops I've been to for the great no-attitude vibe. They even offered Deb a beer since it was Friday and they were getting ready to close..nice! A ton of stuff IN STOCK too...don't think I've had the opportunity to check out such a large selection of toys in one location...zipp, blackwell, etc etc..very cool. I checked out another tri-shop in town but it paled in comparison..nuff said.

We headed back to PDX Saturday and had dinner with Steven and Karen at the Rock Creek Tavern. Nothing like some good beers and burgers with good friends! We were feeling crazy and even had the cajun tots (Steven's idea..had to point that out!)...but pretty darn tasty! Trust me, if you go there..try the tots and get them "cajunized".

Deb and I also got to try some good eats in Portland..Ken's Artisan Pizza, Sushi Land, and a nice wine bar...Vino Paradiso.

Of course I had to hit Stumptown Coffee too...a bit partial to the good stuff right here in Portland...
Sheez, I'm still buzzing with all the caffeine in the last 4 days! ;-)

Deb had to head back to Cali too soon but glad we got to spend some time together! Now it's time to detox and get back on the wagon! ;-)

I can't leave you without a small training update...I'm finally getting in some more swimming / cycling and the blood lactate running test went pretty well last week. I had to do intervals on a treadmill set at a 1.5% incline with a .5mph increase in treadmill speed every 5 minutes. A blood sample was taken between each 5 minute interval. I started at 7.5mph on the treadmill and worked up to 10.5mph. Nothing like getting poked every 5 minutes and then having to hop back on the treadmill! I don't have the HR results yet but was able to push it a bit higher on the upper end. I lasted for 4 minutes at a 5:40 pace after ramping it up thru 5 minutes intervals starting at 8:00 pace. Things got real interesting once I hit 6:40 and had to work thru 6:19 / 6:00 pace. After feeling pretty good at 6 min pace, the 5:40 pace was SERIOUS work. At that point, the seconds were just dragging and I was pretty surprised I made it for 4 minutes although, like usual, I ended up second guessing whether I could have gone a bit harder...a bit longer...oh well. Back in December, I only lasted around a minute at the 5:40 pace but not sure that really means anything. I know I was carrying more run fitness a couple months ago.

Ok..enough of this loooooooooooong post.

Hope all is well out there!

*Peace*

This Isn't The Time To Stop Pushing....

2007-03-11T19:51:00.000-07:00

I had a good week of training..not great...but good. Something about trying to incorporate the "other stuff" along with running to get you good and tired! Overall, it wasn't too bad though. It seems as though my body has good "memory" in picking up where I left off about 7 months ago! ;-)

We had a cool blog-meet on Saturday with Jessi. She was in town to pre-ride the course at Hagg Lake (Age Group Nationals) and gave Steven and I a nice reality check for where we are NOT on the bike. Sheez, we were thinking moderate workout but as soon as she got in the aeros, we were working pretty hard to stay with her as she was going 22++ mph (she's definitely got an engine!). She must have felt sorry for us and avoided her aerobars for all of the second loop? (Sorry Jessi!) Still a great workout and we had a nice 30 min transition run after the bike. Tom (her man) was a really cool guy too. She was going to be racing today so hopefully that went well after the hilly bike / run on Saturday! The best part of the workout was dinner at Steven's house..one of the pluses of working out later in the day is getting back to his house around dinner time! Karen was weaving her magic in the kitchen and they were nice enough to invite me in for a YUMMY dinner and a beer. BIG THANKS Steven / Karen!

I did manage to get in 6 runs and 4 bike workouts this week. The bummer is that the run mileage has come way down with me barely hitting 40 miles this week (even though I ran 6 times!!) so I definitely need to get in the longer stuff with Boston on the radar. I wasn't feeling too great for the run today, I was glad it wasn't raining but I was pretty much done at about the 14 mile mark of my 16 mile run when I got a nice lift from my tunes. It's amazing how music can transform a workout and I got this great blast from the past while in shuffle mode on my ipod....just in time too. DB was brilliant back in the day...anyone remember this video? Come-on, we all walked around karate-chopping our arm to that one! Great stuff

Also had to share the following advert...pretty cool in that I'm sure we can all relate to "those voices" in our head. Self-doubt. The message is universal and definitely transcends the whole silly running theme of the advert. What's that Henry Ford quote? Something to the effect of "whether you think you can or can't, you're right!"

We all have more potential then we realize- keep pushing people!

*Peace*

Today was a good day....

2007-03-04T22:02:00.000-08:00

My training this weekend had a rough start with my run on Saturday. I took off from home and was just clicking along until I got to right around the 3 mile mark and was hit with the same heel issue from a couple weeks ago. The pain was bad enough to force me to stop and decide that I better cut this run short. It definitely was NOT a fun 3 miles on the way home. A couple weeks ago, I had assumed it was being caused by worn out shoes but I just swapped out to a new pair last week so I'm thinking it was my orthotics. I had a great podiatrist down in SoCal and would make annual visits to replace my orthotics but since I moved up to Oregon I just haven't made the time to find a really good doc. I realized my orthotics are about 3 years old now- not good!

Just to test the orthotics theory, I went for a run this morning (i know stoopid taking chances) but I used a pair of Nike Cesiums which have "orthotic-like" stability built right into the shoe. It is pretty lightweight vs. typical motion control shoes, especially when you consider the weight of a typical MC shoe plus the custom orthotic. My run was great...very minimal heel pain and that wasn't until I was around the 10 mile mark and it probably had more to do with the damage I did yesterday running with blown out orthotics. I ended up running an aerobic 13.1 miles over a rolling course with a couple good hills.

Run
13.1 miles
1:39:40

After the run, I got a quick bite to eat and then ended up doing a "reverse-brick" by heading out on the bike. Yes, I'm embarrassed to admit that I've only been on the bike twice this year (including today) and I was paying for it. But it was nice to get out there and get shelled. It was only 2.5 hours spinning in the small ring the whole way but it kicked my butt- I was loving it though! I was able to check out the old familiar route including the spot where I took a header over the aerobars going 20mph+ last year! *note to self - be more careful this year!*

Bike
41.5 miles
2.5 hours

So here's a picture of my bat cave where I keep all the bikes...except for the new one..she gets to stay inside for awhile! ;-) You can never have too many eh? But I've kept it down to what makes sense...allow me to justify!
You have to have a mountainbike in your stable for the dirty stuff, the crossbike with fenders for the wet stuff, the roadbike for the base miles, and the dedicated computrainer bike in a nice anodized purple if you can find it (obviously I did)! The KM40 has been sold so that one doesn't even count...not to bad eh?

The best thing about the ride today was the fact that I got to ride this bike.

I know, you'r thinking so what right? Notice it doesn't have fenders? YES, Mother Nature blessed us with sunny weather on a weekend!! I took full advantage of it and I'm glad I did since we have rain on the forecast for the next week! ugh!

I hope you all were out there making your adventures happen!

*Peace*

Lab Rat

2007-03-01T19:55:00.000-08:00

This week has just flown by...actually the whole month of February seems to be a blur looking back. I can't believe it's almost been a month since I've ran the marathon or any long run for that matter. I think my longest run has been 12 miles since the race on 2/4 so I'm planning to make one more push of solid training before Boston on 4/16. I'll have enough time for a 4 week push with a 2 weeek race taper. Here we go again.

While the longer stuff has been sorely lacking, I have pushed up the intensity on my regular runs to make up for the duration issue. I figure there are two ways to "stoke the fire" at this point...either distance or intensity and with a million things going on, it's easier to get in the intensity. It's all good.

In other news, I've been quite the lab rat at work this week with 2 trips into the NSRL (Nike Sport Research Lab). I make myself available whenever they need volunteers since it is pretty interesting stuff and you never know what they may be testing. The first test was pretty interesting and involved shoes. They were testing the cushioning of 4 different shoes so I ended up having to run through a section of high speed cameras while they had sensors on the shoe and my leg. It had to be at a 7 min pace so had to get that dialed in but did 4-5 passes with each shoe....not sure what the results were...they are pretty tight-lipped about that stuff.

The second test involved garment testing so had to run 4 x 10 minutes on a treadmill at a 8min pace while they took my HR / V02...definitely sub threshold so not sure what they were measuring but I did get something out of my services. The two conducting this test said they would squeeze me into the lab for a blood lactate / Anaerobic Threshold ramp test with the typical protocol so that I can dial in my running zones- SWEET!! I'll be heading in for that testing in a couple weeks so looking forward to getting some accurate training zones based on lactate levels vs. the older zones I've been using.

We're almost there people...have a great weekend!

*Peace*

Bike Love

2007-02-24T11:27:00.000-08:00

Hey...no worries about the shoes...definitely tongue in cheek with that post and I'm happy with the trade for the bike! My bike is currently getting some love at Cyclepath - one of the sponsors of the Ironheads so looking forward to picking her up soon.

In other bike news, I've lined up a SERIOUSLY AWESOME deal on some ZIPP race wheels (Thanks Matty!!!) so just need to decide on a wheelset and pull the trigger. I keep flip-flopping between a deep-dish rear and a disc and don't even get me started on how the 808 front option gives me a headache....decisions, decisions. If anyone has any experience with the front 404 vs. 808 would definitely appreciate the input. I haven't had any issues riding the 404 / Disc on my Kestrel so I'm leaning that way but the 808 front throws another option into the mix.

If you have a few minutes, sit back and let Ben and the Blind Boys of Alabama get a bit of your mindspace on this beautiful Saturday...this one touches me everytime.

*Peace*

Sneakers Ruined My Life.....

2007-02-21T19:14:00.000-08:00

Ok sneakers didn't ruin my life but that mantra is often thrown out,only half-kidding, by the sneakerheads who've spent some serious time and $$$$ chasing their own individual holy grail of shoes. I guess it's like anything else right? You feed your passions. I definitely fed mine as my love of sneakers grew into a pretty nice collection of rare kicks over the years. With the purchase of the new bike, though, something had to give and, sadly, the sneakers were at the top of the list. These are my "Jimmy Choos" and It was a bit tough to let go.

*sigh*

I'll miss them...my babies. I'm now a recovering "sneakaholic" and quitting cold turkey was tough. I still love sneakers though....I'll forever be staring at feet and what people are rocking. But my new mantra will be tied to my new frugal ways! If I can't buy'em at the employee store, I ain't buyin'em anymore!!

But let me give a proper goodbye to some of my faves.....

The SB "Calis" and "Heinys" in the following pic. I'm actually packing them tonight for their trip back to Cali tomorrow. Who am I to stand in the way of a guy in SoCal who just HAD TO HAVE THEM!!! These are definitely in my top 10. Notice a resemblance to a certain state flag and a certain beer? Nike actually got into a bit of legal trouble with the beer thing...in any case, not too many authentic pairs of these floating around although you can buy a ton of fakes on Ebay.

The SB Dunk "Tiffany"....get the reference with that colorway? These have really shot up in value over the last year...just nuts!! Maybe not one of my faves but I like the use of color and the interesting mix of materials. Anyone wearing these will definitely be "breaking necks" as people take a second look at the shoes.

I've ended up covering the cost of the bike and feel good about letting go a bit. Maybe the shoes will end up getting a chance to break out of their boxes and actually see the light of day vs. spending more time in some collector's dark closet. At least I'd like to think that's the case now that they're gone...

*Peace*

No sympathy, the pain is self-inflicted....

2007-02-19T19:43:00.000-08:00

Since the marathon on 2/4, I've kept it rolling in the running department without any break. Granted some workouts felt like "work" but not too bad. I figured recovery....fuggedaboudit, that's for the birds right!?

Wrong.

So I was running with my favorite fast-footed friend, Steven, at Hagg Lake on Sunday....we were cruising the Hilly loop around Hagg for a 12-miler. We were clicking off 7:30's and all systems were go...feeling good, no issues until about 10.5 miles into the run when i got a sharp pain in my right heel. F&$^#%! I ran through it but the last mile was not fun. We ended up finishing the 12 HILLY miles in 1:31 and change so around a 7:35'ish pace overall...not too shabby.

The rest of the day was not good though. I was reminded of my stooopidity for not taking a break after the marathon with every step. Step *ow*, Step *ow*, Step *ow* Running errands was not fun with my right heel protesting on every step. Why do I have to learn the hard way people!?! I guess it is a good idea to take some time off after a race. I have another marathon in less then 2 months so looks like I need to shift focus to the bicycle......

But no sympathy....because the pain is self-inflicted....

Now, speaking of bikes,...aaaah, bike porn...running into some slight technical difficulties there as well but she is coming along. The problem with having a friend who owns a Scott Plasma, thanks again Steven, is that the bar is set pretty darn high for what is truly considered LIGHTWEIGHT. I am working on a diet for my new girlie in the form of a Reynolds Ouzo Aero fork and some Zero Gravity Brakes...that should get me closer to Plasma territory....oh and some new Zipp race wheels. The bummer with switching from a 650c Kestrel to a 700c bike is the whole chunk of change I need to drop on new wheels....ugh.....

Without any further adieu...here she is! Now how's that for a HUGE dose of carbon fiber sexiness!?!? ;-)
Don't be a hater, I know she is only in her "casual attire" sans race wheels but I'll have to post other pics once she is ready to race!!

Hope everyone is having a great Presidents' day!

*Peace*

2007 Pacific Shoreline Marathon

2007-02-09T19:45:00.000-08:00

I hope life has been treating you all well out there! I seem to constantly be in the mode where I'm trying to cram 30 hours of activity into a 24 hour day...can you relate!?
I thought I'd better turn the lights back on in my blog before its too late!

Sorry, reeling a bit from catching a Wendy's ad with a muzak version of "Blister In The Sun" by the femmes...oh the horror!! Don't you all remember wearing out your tape deck playing that femmes album!?! ok...maybe not but that ain't right!

Sooo, I ran a marathon last weekend. I'm really glad that it's a done deal at this point, I was really getting antsy in the last few days leading up to the marathon. Did I hit my goal? No. But it was a PR and noone likes to hear anyone whine about a PR so I'll try to keep that to a minimum. But may I whine a little? No really is that cool? Ok, thanks. Based on my workouts in the last month leading up to the race, I thought I would have no problem running a sub 3:05. I did all the distance, I was running 8 - 10 mile runs in the 6:40 range, shorter stuff faster and a 7 minute pace felt pretty comfortable. I even told one of my friends, half-kidding, that if I didn't break 3:05, I would quit running.

*Yes, I am an idiot* and of course, I love running too much to ever quit!

Race day I woke up early and downed two Ensure drinks and a banana to get in some solid calories before the race. The legs were feeling pretty good. I ran a two miler the day before at a 6:50 pace just to loosen them up a bit and my goal was to run right around a 7 min pace for the marathon. This is small marathon field (965) so I lined up right at the front. I ended up running into a buddy and his friend that were running the race so chatted a bit before the start. Once the gun went off, I was immediately buried by the 1-200 people that chose to hit the gate running a sub 6:15 pace...NUTS! One thing I noticed right from the start was that a sub 7 pace felt like work today. Not a good sign when you have 25.5 more miles to go! I had some magic workouts in the last month where 6:40 pace felt really comfortable and at mile 1, running a 6:50 did NOT feel "comfortable". I dialed it back slightly and just focused on staying smooth through the early miles. One thing that was pretty funny early on is that I was running right at, or slightly under, a 7 min pace in the first 4-5 miles and I didn't catch the 3:10 pace group until around mile 4!! I rolled up to the group and took a spot check and there were some guys clearly running too hard. The pace leader was just cruising but probably not a good thing to run the legs off a group that should be running closer to 7:15's rather then the sub 7 pace he was maintaining...OUCH! I hung with them until they slowed a bit and pushed on.

Miles 5 through 14 were pretty uneventful, It was nice to see Deb and my sister out on the course giving me a shout early on here. I focused on running right around a 7 pace and was pretty much on track. I think I went throught mile 13 in around 1:32 and was feeling good. I was staying hydrated and was taking in one gel an hour in addition to my malto drink (I carried a bottle).

The marathon went south for me right around mile 14. Up to this point, the full marathoners were pretty much running alone but we merged back onto PCH with the back of the pack 1/2 marathoners at this point and I had a hard time maintaining my focus and pace. It was a major energy suck for me. I respect everyone that toes the line for any race but this course was set-up horribly dumping marathoners into a shared course where, due to the wave and later start, 1/2 marathoners were running / walking at a much slower pace. The majority of these runners were oblivious to the marathoners trying to run along the shoulder of the course since they took up the entire road due to their numbers (over SEVEN THOUSAND 1/2'ers). They were definitely in party mode and it really put me in a crap mindset for a few miles. I think I ended up stiff-arming 4-5 people who just walked right in front of me between mile 14-17 so glad I was able to stay on my feet each time.

**Again, nothing against the runners since they were out there doing their thing and I totally respect that. The greedy organizers either need to change the course or cut the 1/2 field in HALF to make things more manageable out there. ok off my soapbox**

The course turns inland and a bit hilly at the mile 16-17 point. I'm really glad I put in some seriously hilly runs with Steven at Hagg Lake during the marathon build-up. The hills weren't a problem. We finally split off from the 1/2 marathoners at this point for a 3 mile loop thru Central Park for miles 18-21. This portion of the course was AWESOME! The course was lined with kids who were manning the aid stations as well as the directionals on the course and they were providing some serious vocal support. It's always welcome at this point in a marathon. My legs felt great. I am usually running scared beyond mile 19 waiting for the familiar twinges in my calves as they start cramping but nothing this time. It was getting seriously hot at this point also. I am used to training in Oregon with temps in the 40's-50's so was a shock to the system as the temps were getting up in the high 70's at this point. Miles 18-21 were 7:06 / 7:08 / 8:09* / 6:47. *I'm thinking the markers were off for 20-21 but I didn't drop off pace too much in this later stage of the race. Mile 22 includes a monster hill...ok maybe not a monster but at mile 22 pretty darn tough. I ended up walking the hill last year but ran right up the hill and limited the damage in mile 22 to a 7:31. The remaining miles were pretty much a blur. I realized I wasn't going to go sub 3:05 but was very glad to finish, regardless of time. I ended up finishing in 3:07. Check out these strange splits..who does a 5.6 or 20.5 mile split?? It has me running 5 minute miles between 20.5 - 22.5. I don't think so!!

Race Splits
5.6 Mile: 38:29 Pace: 6:53
14 Mile: 1:39:57 Pace: 7:09
20.5 Mile: 2:29:34 Pace: 7:18
22.5 Mile: 2:39:49 Pace: 7:07
Finish: 3:07:39 Pace: 7:10

Overall I'm happy with my time. It was difficult with such a small field where you can't jump in with a group running a similar pace to help push each other in the latter stages of the marathon. I was pretty much alone from mile 17 forward. I seriously think I had the fitness to go a bit faster but just not my day and the course logistics were horrible. To add insult to injury, I placed 7/99 in my age group and the awards were 5 deep. I missed the awards by 1:23..aaaaaah!!!! Based on the experience this year, I'll probably find another course to run next year. The good news is that I definitely feel that my running has hit another level so I plan to maintain that momentum as I dust off the bike and swim gear and start a more balanced training regimen for the 07 tri season.

Also want to thank Steven and Deb (love that girl) for giving me a serious attitude adjustment about my bitching after the race.....they are both right. No one wants to hear someone whine about a PR. Regardless of what is thrown at you race day..regardless of how you feel, give it a 100% and be THANKFUL for the opportunity. We are all blessed to be able to push our bodies...it truly is an amazing thing.

It's all about chasing PR's this year. It felt really good to edit the Race PR's on the blog FINALLY. I'm hoping I can edit that a few more times this year! ;-) To that end, I should have some Bike Pjorn to post in the next week or so once I get "her" ready! ;-)

Aaaah, new year and endless possibilities.....I am loving life people!!

*Peace*

California Dreamin'

2007-01-16T16:22:00.000-08:00

All the leaves are brown
And the sky is grey
I've been for a walk
On a winter's day
I'd be safe and warm
If I was in L.A.

California dreaming
On such a winter's day....

Yesterday we had sunny blue skies. This morning I was greeted by this.....Mother Nature keeping me on my toes! :-)

I didn't take a chance and brave the roads today- a lot of carnage out there. I holed up and worked from home. The commute should be interesting tomorrow morning. I may have to jump on the bus, Gus!

*Peace*

Momentum

2007-01-14T16:47:00.000-08:00

I made it through another 70 mile week while increasing the quality/speed of my workouts so that was encouraging. My slowest pace this week was my 7:52 ave for my 20miler but the ave pace was sucked down by the HILLS at Hagg Lake. Steven ran 16 of those miles with me and we were averaging around 7:30 on the flats so that was a good sign. When he peeled off for his car at 17.6 miles into the run (I ran 1.6 before he joined me), I ended up doing donuts on the flat section of the road over the dam to finish out the 20 and was able to keep it right at a 7:15 pace over the last 2.4 miles. He had agreed to hang out for a post-run coffee so I had some incentive to crank it up a bit! The coffee was GREAT since we started our run at 7:30 when the temps were in the 20's- BRRRRRR!!

The day before the 20 miler I ran a hard 7 miler that started off with a 2 mile warmup at 7:05 pace before cranking it up to a 6:33 pace for the remaining 5 miles. Probably not the best protocol for a run the day before going long with Steven but hopefully I didn't hold him up too much. I did notice he was clearly more "conversational" then I was at Hagg (ie easy pace for Steven) and not sure if he was just turning the screws but he seemed to ask me questions right in the middle of our hill climbs while I was trying to suck in oxygen - thanks Steven! ;-)

Today, the legs were feeling the 20 miler the day before but after about 5 minutes, they were back on track and I threw down 10 miles over a rolling, windy course at a 7:40 pace to close out the week.

In other news, I have lost 7-8 lbs since my return from California. Since I put on about 4 lbs over the holidays, my net loss is about 4lbs. I am trying to control all the variables to get everything in order prior to my 2/4 marathon. Weight loss is definitely high o the priority list. I've been pretty strict about my diet in January with green veggie/fruit shakes in the am, healthy snacks during the day, sandwich for lunch, and a bowl of soup for dinner...pretty much grazing lightly all day to get the poundage down and it is working. My goal is to lose another 4-5 pounds but that is going to be a tough call....probably need to turn the screws a bit tighter and not sure if I can do it. Being hungry at night is a tough one. Manorexia- it ain't pretty!

3 more weeks and hopefully I can hit the start line of the marathon ready to crank out a PR. It's all about staying focused a bit longer and building on this momentum. I am on it.

*Peace*

Happy Belated New Year!!

2007-01-07T18:57:00.000-08:00

I know I'm a week late but wanted to wish you all a Happy New Year. It's nice to start the year off with a fresh clean slate and make the necessary changes to hit your 07 goals. One of my key goals is to be a bit more disciplined about my eating habits. I think I have a pretty clean diet already but plan on tightening the reigns a bit. I think I have always used exercise as an excuse to unhinge my jaw and throw in whatever I want without any regard to calories or amount- NOT GOOD!!

Going forward, I'm going to definitely be a bit more disciplined so that I can get down to an ideal race weight (and work off that 5lbs that I gained over the holidays!!). Eat green and organic whenever possible and limit the calories in the evening.

Things have been rolling along on the running front. I won't bore you with the details ...actually a bit too lazy at the moment to look up the actual details...but ran 72.5 miles this week and even got in two bike rides. I capped the week off with some solid weekend training:

Saturday
2.5 hr bike ride with the Ironheads (38 miles, 2K climbing)
10 mile run - late afternoon
I'm looking forward to training with the Ironheads and joining Steven there- pretty darn competitive group with some fast guys / gals. It should provide great motivation!

Sunday
I "enjoyed" a miserable 20 mile run in pouring rain (thank God for Goretex) with a serious dose of wind. I was so glad when that was over. Running into headwind SUCKS - It made me think of Steven racing out there this morning in that rain /wind. He is not having much luck in the weather dept. for his running races in the past couple of months- I'm sure he did awesome though...will have to check in to read his race report.

We have been getting slammed with rain for quite awhile now so hoping that the weather gods predicting sunshine / clouds *No Rain* for Thurs of next week thru the weekend, hit the mark!

Have a great week!

*Peace*

Happy Holidays!!

2006-12-20T21:15:00.000-08:00

Where does the time go?! I hope the holidays are treating you all well. I have been trying to stay under the radar myself and avoid the whole stress-inducing holiday madness. I haven't stepped foot in a mall at all so be warned, your "gift" may be a big warm hug this year! ;-)

The running is going well, although the mileage has come down a bit. My mileage barely cracked 50 miles last week but it included a VERY HILLY 21 miler at Hagg Lake, on Sunday, in 2:45. It was a beautiful day- I took this picture before I started my run. You can't tell by the picture but the temps were in the low 30's which made for a pretty solitary run. Not too many people venturing out in those temps and I didn't see another soul except for several cars that happened to drive by. A very nice way to get in some "running meditation". No interruptions, my ipod for some musical inspiration, and groovin' on the beautiful scenery to help numb the brutal climbs scattered throughout this run! *Nice*

On the flip side of the inspirational workouts, are the blue collar workouts. I hit the treadmill for 10 miles tonight. 7:13 pace for 8 miles / 6:44 pace for mile 9 / 6:40 pace for mile 10....punch the clock...done.

I am headed down for a week of warmer temps in SoCal to see Deb and the family on Friday. I'm looking forward to cranking out some solid running miles in SUNNY weather so hoping that the weather gods cooperate. For those of you dealing with serious weather, be very careful when you head out. Mother Nature has strange ways of showing us who's in charge and it's definitely not worth taking any chances out there!

Also looking forward to relaxing with a couple of these and maybe a good book...aaaaah

Merry Xmas and Happy Holidays to each and everyone of you out there! BIG thanks for providing me with much needed inspiration in the form of your blogs. Let's all raise the bar and take it to the next level in 07!

*Peace*

Eagle Creek Trail Run

2006-12-10T18:23:00.000-08:00

I capped off a week of lower mileage with an epic trail run. Steven and I headed to the Eagle Creek Trail in the Columbia Gorge at 7am for a run. The weather wasn't favorable for a run (pouring rain) but not much you can do about that in these parts. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit concerned about the exposed nature of certain parts of this trail. The trail is cut right into the side of a cliff in certain parts without any railing.

Hmmm...rain = mud = slick footing.

I was deferring to Steven though since he has done this run multiple times and if he said it was a go...it was a go. We started out and no surprise that there weren't any other cars in the lot with the nasty weather. We were expecting rain but we were both caught off guard by the amount of snow / ice on the trail. It definitely slowed our pace as it was hard to get any solid footing on the hilly 6.5 mile run to the turnaround point. Since the out was mostly uphill, it didn't help matters either. We even encountered several stream crossings and after mis-timing a hop and stepping up to my shin in one, it canceled out the benefits of my goretex running shoes! It woke me up though....pretty darn chilly.

Can you take a guess at which one of us is the Oregon native? Yeah, that would be Steven rocking the shorts in some pretty cold temps. I wasn't having any part of that and busted out the tights! We both ended up ok although we did curse our gloves- cold, wet hands are no fun. The snow slush on the bridge is pretty typical of what we encountered throughout the run. In some places it was a lot deeper and slowed our "run" to a crawl but we weren't taking any chances on the exposed trail.

They grow them a bit tougher up here in Oregon

Brrrrrrrrrrrrr.........this Cali boy was cold!

We passed by several beautiful falls on the way out to the big one: Tunnel Falls. The run was beautiful the whole way out as we climbed up and down the valley. It was really hard at times to enjoy the scenery when you were faced with some snowy conditions and exposed trail with over a 100+ foot drop to the floor below.

As I mentioned, the conditions slowed us down quite a bit and we didn't hit Tunnel Falls until about 1:15'sh into the run (6.5 miles). I could hear it much sooner then I could see it. It was amazing to come around a corner and get hit by this HUGE mass of water thundering over this cliff. The trailhead is cut right into the side of the cliff about 1/2 way up the side of the wall and has a very cool tunnel that is bored right through the rock behind the waterfall. Pretty sketchy when you took a glance over the drop but there was a steel cable attached to the side of the cliff to hang on to as you made your way around this section.

Steven heading toward Tunnel Falls. This pic gives you an idea of how narrow the trail is- you don't want to lose concentration in this section, trust me.

A shot of me right after exiting the tunnel on the other side of the falls. It was pretty amazing standing there while the falls were thundering down the cliff. A ton of energy there and so beautiful.

Another pic giving a bit more scale- you can barely make out the steel cable handrail. I have a deathgrip on it!

This shot was obviously taken on another day but it provides a complete pic of the falls with the tunnel clearly visible about 1/2 way down. Check out the drop to the bottom- YIKES!!

Just a bit beyond Tunnel Falls we hit the turnaround at Twister Falls. Aptly named as several sections of the creek converged from different sections to twist itself into the final section as it finally dropped into the valley below.

Steven mesmerized by the beauty at Twister. Actually, he's probably wondering how to warm up his freezing hands at this point.

We then turned around and headed back down the valley for the 6.5 mile trek back to the truck. At that point we were chilled to the bone so Steven's truck was a very welcome sight after spending 2.5 hours and 13 miles running. BIG THANKS to Steven for including me in his annual Eagle Creek Run- definitely pencil me in for next year!

Hope the holiday season is going well for everyone.

No stress

Sometimes all it takes is the simple act of lacing up a pair of your favorite running shoes and getting out there. Breathe deep and enjoy Mother Nature's many beautiful and amazing gifts to get you in the right mindset! Isn't it great that some of the best gifts out there are free?

*Peace*

Oregon Food Bank

2006-12-06T22:02:00.000-08:00

*37% of those eating meals from an emergency food box are children*

*22% of those receiving an emergency food box are disabled*

*47% of households receiving emergency food had at least one working member*

Today I spent the afternoon at the Oregon Food Bank with 70+ coworkers providing volunteer assistance in their Portland action center. OFB recovers food from many sources (Farms, manufacturers, retailers, individuals, etc) and distributes it to 20 regional foodbanks across Oregon to fight hunger. This is the second year the Global Brand group at Nike has volunteered at the OFB and it truly makes me feel very thankful and blessed for the many things I often take for granted in my life.

If you get the opportunity to volunteer, regardless of what it is, do it. You may think that one person can't make a difference but it is the power of one many times over where gains are made. We spent the day re-packaging rice into 2 lb bags to be included in emergency food kits distributed to families in need. With just a 3 hour commitment, we impacted the lives of many Oregonians who will now have a warm meal vs. going hungry.

Based on the amount of rice we processed, we helped to feed 17,098 people or 251 people per volunteer. While this was amazing on the one hand, I really struggled with the fact that there are many people out there having real difficulty just meeting their basic needs.

Count your blessings.

*Peace*

Anaerobic Baby Steps

2006-12-03T21:44:00.000-08:00

Is the time flying by for everyone out there!?

Everytime I blink it seems like a few days has passed by. Work is crazy busy, I've been trying to squeeze in my running while promising that I will start the cycling / swimming / weights next week. That seems to be my mantra lately...next week...next week...I'll start next week. I'll turn it around shortly.

The running has been going pretty well. I did another V02 max test in the NSRL on Wednesday. I won't bore you with the stats- my VO2 max tested the same although I was able to crank up the pain and hit the next level (5:27 mile) on the treadmill before I threw the white flag up. Funny how you can get to that point anaerobically where everything starts shutting down....5:43 hurt for two minutes, 5:27 my body was revolting big time. I did keep it rolling for 50 seconds though! Also, a bit more rested this time as I hit a max HR of 195. The protocol was a bit different this time with 10 min @ 8:13/mile pace, 10 min @ 7:13/mile pace before the 2 min interval ramp test starting at 8:30 pace and up thru 5:27 pace. Also, blood draws between each 10 min session, another blood draw during a 80 minute rest period, then had to get on the treadmill and run at 6:27 /mile pace for 30 minutes with another blood draw at the end...felt like a human pin cushion. Ok, I guess I better state that the treadmill was on a 3% decline during the 6:27 pace run. Trust me, it makes that pace a little easier to swallow. I also had to show up for blood draws for the following 3 days and I get the pleasure of doing this same test in another week! Yeeeaah!!

or maybe that should be...uuuh, yeah?

Friday, I spent the evening with Steven and his very cool family. Free pizza & beers, great company - doesn't get much better than that! **Thanks Steven!!** He also let me borrow his copy of "Bowerman and the Men of Oregon" and his triathlon dvds: "140.6" & "What It Takes" so looking forward to jumping into all of those real soon. Also, left Steven with enough Kona videos that he should be sick of watching them in the next couple of weeks! ;-)

I had to head to the Lance gym on Saturday for the last last blood draw so I decided to hit the track for a time trial and was very surprised that I was able to maintain a pretty darn quick pace thru 10 miles. 1.6 mile warmup on the chip trail then 8.4 miles on the track with my HR pegged at 178. I was getting a bit dizzy with all the loops there!

Since the marathon is drawing near, I plan on starting to throw in some honest marathon based speedwork and pace runs as of this week. Cross your fingers with me - lets hope these feet hold together. Sunday I ran a 21.1 miler in some pretty darn chilly weather- it was a clear day but probably around 33-34 degrees for the 3 hrs I was out there chugging along. Thankfully, the legs didn't protest too much after the hard run on Saturday.

Run Summary week of 11/27/06
5 Days Running
49.55 Miles Total
Mon Off
Tues 5
Wed 9.7 (V02 Max Test)
Thur 3
Fri Off
Sat 10.75
Sun 21.1

Hope all is well - looking forward to catching up on your blogs in the next couple of days!

*Peace*

Brrrrrrrrrr...................

2006-11-29T21:05:00.000-08:00

The Pacific Northwest weather we have been dealt this week has me seriously questioning the rationale behind scheduling a early February marathon. Freezing temps, snow, the possibility of icy conditions tomorrow- definitely not the greatest training weather. Spending 5 days down in sunny SoCal has made the harsh contrast in weather even harder to bear. Sheez, I am getting soft! ;-)

** I know things could be much worse so it's just a matter of sucking it up!**

I have been horrible about updating my blog so big thanks for the few of you who still stop in, I appreciate it. I had a great time down in SoCal- I got to spend time with Deb and my family / friends. A lot of love and laughter...good times.......definitely a time to recognize and appreciate the gifts we have been given.

My running or lack thereof, in the last week is not much to write about. I took it VERY EASY during my recovery week only running twice for a total of 22.5 miles. That slacker momentum has built some steam into this week but I still have a chance to redeem myself and pull out a semi-decent week of running.

On another note, pretty excited about turning my nutrition around. Found some good info surfing the net including J-girl's website. Stop by if you get a chance - a ton of great info regarding nutrition, etc. At least I have been feeling inspired- in a push to get vegetables into my diet, I have started throwing a ton of organic spinach and celery into my breakfast protein / fruit shakes. Besides turning the shakes a muddy green color, the difference in taste is pretty insignificant. As we go full bore into the holiday season remember to respect your body!! I know, easier said then done but I'm going to make a conscious effort. Of course I'll start after the pizza and beers at Steven's house on Friday! ;-)

Next up, I need to start throwing some weights around in the gym and start cycling / swimming again. No off season in my house!!

Hope all is well. Stay warm and be safe out there!

*Peace*

V02 Max Testing And Other Boring Running Stuff

2006-11-19T20:12:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since I've had a PR of any kind so I'll take it. I ran 71 miles this week which is a mileage PR for me. The legs are feeling pretty good. I did a 22 miler at Forest Park yesterday and capped it off with 11 miles in the rain today. I bit of slow start as I was feeling the 22 from the day before but I got it going soon enough. Also, happy to report that the aerobic pace is getting quicker. The route today was slightly rolling with some hills thrown in and I was able to maintain a 8:35 / mile pace with an ave HR of 147 (low Z1).

I was able to finagle my way into a study being conducted at the NSRL (Nike Sport Research Lab) that involves several VO2 max and sub-maximal HR tests based around the testing of some running garments. Not too sure on the specifics of the actual garments they are testing but I think they are gauging the workload during exercise and the recovery 1-2 days after since we have to come in for daily blood lactate testing for the 3 days post-test.

I did my first VO2 max test this past Tuesday and before I give you the results, let me give you my excuses! ;-) I did a 20 / 11 / 5 mile run the three days before the test and all of my running has been very aerobic in nature for the past couple of months. It was a definite shock to the system to get on the treadmill and go for it at paces I haven't seen in ages, if ever! I was hooked up to the system measuring oxygen uptake (mask with all breathing in/out of mouth with nose pinched off) and started running on the treadmill with an increase in pace every two minutes. I started at an easy 8:30/mile pace and felt in control as pace increased into the low 6's but once I hit 5:40/mile pace, the check engine light came on and I had to stop the test about 1 minute into the 5:40 pace.

A couple of observations:
1. It probably was not a good idea to head into this test having run 36 miles in the previous 3 days.
2. It is very tough if you haven't been incorporating regular speedwork into your training.

I am sure my body was fatigued since right before I quit, I was monitoring my HR and saw that it maxed out at 190 vs. the 200 I have seen before. Okay, enough with the excuses- my V02 max tested out at 59-60. I guess I don't need to worry about winning any marathons regardless of how much training I do! ;-) Having said that, I am all about improving my running economy and am sure that I could boost that V02 max number with regular speedwork but rather than V02 max, I'm more concerned with what pace I can maintain while running at marathon-specific HR. More work in that dept. coming up in the next couple of months. It was still an interesting test and I have to hit the NSRL two more times in the next month for more testing so it should be interesting.

Run Summary - Week of 11/13/06
7 Days Running
71 Miles Total
Mon 5
Tue 3.5 (Testing)
Wed 11 (5 am / 6 lunch)
Thu 10.5 (4.5 am / 6 pm)
Fri 8
Sat 22
Sun 11

I am headed down to Cali next week to get some much needed sunshine and time with Deb and the family. I checked the weather forecast for Orange County and i'm looking at sunny days (high 60's / low 70's) with the exception of a cloudy Wednesday- I'll take it!

I hope you all have a healthy and happy Thanksgiving next week. Count your blessings, do not take anything or anybody for granted, appreciate the "gifts" you've been given, and remember that the glass is always half full! ;-)

*Peace*

Punching The Clock

2006-11-12T19:23:00.000-08:00

Where does the time go? Days just seem to blend into one another...I can't believe it's almost time for Thanksgiving! I've been pretty much holed up in my cave up here as the weather hasn't been cooperating for the most part. A lot of treadmill running that ends up driving me batty but, at the very least, I still got in all my workouts this week.

Here's my public service announcement for the week:

DO NOT try to squeeze two workouts out of your workout gear...not a great idea.

I think I did it ages ago but the faded memory was just that...faded. It explains my lapse in judgement this past Friday. An 8 miler before work on the mill, hung up my gear in the locker and came back at lunch for another 8 miler. I tossed the gear on and was already into my first mile before I was aware of the "problem". Whew- the gear can get pretty ripe....*doh* Let's just say I wasn't making any friends on the treadmill at lunch.

We are still getting tons of rain here but we had a brief respite for most of the weekend. Mother nature smiled on us and I was able to do my long run yesterday and all but my last mile today in dry weather (although it was COLD today in the low 40's during the run). The skys opened up again in the afternoon and it has been raining pretty hard ever since...aaah the Pacific Northwest, you gotta love it.

A couple people out in Blogland are following the aerobic *low HR* training method right now. I've been trading emails with Paul who is a very knowledgeable and FAST Aussie Ironman athlete. It's funny but he emailed about the urge to "test" yourself and go faster while restricting yourself to strictly aerobic low HR's. It was funny because I had a temporary lapse in judgement on Friday and gave in to the urge. I busted out a 6:45 mile during the tail end of my second workout. I am blaming the double mill session that day...enough to crack even the strongest of the mentally strong. Let's just say I'm not even close to that category so I ramped up the mill and all was good for 6 minutes and 45 seconds. Of course my HR which has been used to sitting at 148 was asking: WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON!?!? As it shot up to 177 but it ended soon enough....and it was still approx 8 beats below my AT. No way in hell I could maintain that pace for a marathon...maybe a 1/2 mary on supa-fresh legs but yes, I will definitely make time for some speedwork before February!

Run Summary - Week of 11/6/06
7 days running
69 Miles Total
Mon 6
Tue 6
Wed 5
Thu 5
Fri 16 (am 8 / lunch 8)
Sat 20
Sun 11

On another note, I read Choke by Chuck Palahniuk last week...whoa...pretty friggen bizarre

Have a great week!

*Peace*

Rain Storm

2006-11-05T21:01:00.000-08:00

It's been raining pretty hard this weekend coupled with some pretty strong wind. Definitely the kind of weather better suited to staying indoors with a hot cup a joe vs. running but what can you do right? It's O-R-E-G-O-N...Pacific Northwest...RAIN...that's how we roll.

Saturday I ran 21 rainy miles and half of those miles were into a pretty stiff headwind...definitely not my best day running. It was pretty quiet out there too without any runners on the long out and back. I always wonder what the drivers are thinking as they pass by on days with horrible weather....I got a couple honks but wasn't sure if they were of the "hey, good on ya for getting out there!" variety or of the "hey dumbass, get off the road it's pissing rain and we can't see you!" variety. I'm sure they were leaning toward the "dumbass comment" but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Today I ran 10 miles and, while it wasn't as windy, the rain was still coming down pretty strong. I even saw one cyclist out there today.....no other runners though. We gave each other "the nod" ,in passing, as in yeah, we're getting stronger out here while everyone else is couch-surfing! ;-)

Just want to note that I really don't have a problem cycling or running in the rain. I'd much rather run in the rain vs. HOT temps and we get tons of rain up here so no way around that. It's just the rain this weekend was much stronger then the typical Oregon drizzle. It reminded me of the Cali rains.

I had to make a quick run to the Nike store for brother Ray so ended up using that as an excuse to pick me up a pair of the new Air Structure Triax 9 GTX. I really love this shoe and have been using them for all of my training in the past couple of months - pretty cool that they came out with a Goretex version for the rainy season up here.

Also, on the reading front, I am no Steven (besides running, he also reads FAST) but I have read a couple books in the past month. I'm into the non-fiction stuff ...the following are all pretty good reads:

Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why by Laurence Gonzalez
Eiger Dreams: Ventures Among Men And Mountains by Jon Krakauer
Nature Noir: A Park Ranger's Patrol in the Sierra by Jordan Fisher Smith
The Last Season by Eric Blehm

Finally, my running week in review. I am still working on increasing the mileage and still subscribing to the aerobic training (HR<150). I'm not sure how you guys/gals pushing the mileage envelope do it when it is peppered with speed/intensity. I'm all aerobic/all the time and just barely hanging on. If I threw in any intensity now, I'm sure my legs would explode! I'm hoping it'll lead to increased durability in the long run though. I had to do the mileage this week on 6 days of running since work constraints and a last minute deadline had me miss my Monday run *argh*. I made it up with some doubles later in the week though so it's all good.

Run Summary - Week of 10/30
6 Days Running
68 Miles Total
Monday *OFF*
Tuesday 6
Wednesday lunch / pm 5/5
Thursday am 8
Friday lunch / pm 5/8
Saturday 21
Sunday 10

Have a great week!

*Peace*

It's All About The Run

2006-10-29T21:09:00.000-08:00

I spoke to Steven today regarding his marathon. He ran a VERY SOLID race on a day with less then perfect conditions......actually let me re-phrase that- he ran in BRUTAL running conditions. Mother Nature can deal a cruel hand at times. I don't want to spoil it so will wait for him to post his report (hopefully soon). You kicked ass Steven- good on ya!

My running has been going pretty well. I have continued to ramp up the mileage while running aerobically and have continued to see improvement...baby steps but I'll take it. Several weeks ago, I could barely keep my HR under 160 while shuffling along and now I am running faster while running closer to a HR of 150. I'm going to try and keep it under 150 going forward.

Many people may make the train slow, race slow argument with this focus but it really isn't about training slowly. It's about improving your aerobic base so that you will see improvements in speed while running at the same aerobic HR's. Also, once you throw in the harder / faster stuff, you have a much better foundation and be less prone to injury. At least that's what I tell myself as I force myself to keep it easy right now!

Here are a couple good links on training aerobically (and before anyone mentions it, yes- I know that using 180 - your age is really not a good way to calc training zones. I guess the take away is to just run easy *notice I didn't say slow!*) :

http://www.duathlon.com/articles/1460
http://www.trinewbies.com/Article.asp?ArticleID=153
http://www.rrca.org/resources/articles/slowdown.html
http://www.counterpartcoaching.com/hadd.pdf

Running numbers for the last week. My legs are sore with the increase in mileage but will keep chopping unless my body tells me otherwise. Actually it is protesting a bit now with some slight soreness in the right knee but it seems to work itself out by the time I am ready to lace the shoes up again for another go.

Run Summary - Week of 10/23
7 days running
63 Miles Total
Mon 6
Tue 5
Wed 5
Thu 8
Fri 10
Sat 21
Sun 8

Have a great week!
*Peace*

Quest For Mileage

2006-10-24T21:11:00.000-07:00

I have come to the realization that I'll need to start throwing in am runs, before work, if I ever want to run over 50 miles a week. It sure is hard though when it's pitch black out at 6am and about 40 degrees.....add rain to the mix and staying in bed wins every time!

Yes- I am a nancyboy.

No I didn't hit the road yet but did make a few purchases after consulting with the Sultan of Speed today.

First up, the Nathan Reflective Night Vision 2 Vest to prevent me from ending up as the hood ornament on the SUV of some half-asleep bozo or bozette commuting to work. This was on sale too so a nice bonus.

Next, I headed to REI and purchased a Petzl Tikka Plus headlamp based on Steven's suggestion. I don't want to step into a pothole or into the path of whatever wildlife is out running around in the early am. Based on the roadkill I've seen (SKUNKS, possums, raccoons, deer, etc), it's a crapshoot on what I could encounter out there.

Before actually fondling them in person, I was leaning toward the Princeton Tec EOS but it was noticeably heavier so I decided to go with the Petzl. Also, the Petzl, while not as bright, had a considerably longer battery life then the Princeton. I'm hoping it can stand up to the wet weather up here, though, since the Princeton was actually marketed as waterproof (and looked it) vs. the Petzl which is "water resistant". I guess time will tell.

Oops almost forgot the two pair of smartwool running socks that were 30% off. A bit more $$ then the typical running socks but well worth it. If you haven't tried them, do yourself a favor and get some!

It's dark peeps- make sure you light yourself up like a Christmas Tree out there. Otherwise, you're invisible. Be Safe

*Peace*

Portland Trip For Me Mum

2006-10-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple of pics from Deb's visit last weekend with Chuck and my mom. It was great to have them in town and the weather even cooperated with a couple days of sunny weather that weekend.

Beautiful Multnomah Falls....aaaah the beauty up here still takes my breath away

Deb and I with my mom driving the camera....things can get a bit iffy there so glad to have a pretty nice shot! Taken at one of the many scenic backdrops at M Falls.

Me and my oka-san (mom)......can you see the resemblance? Deb always jokes that my mom looks just like me with a wig on....nice.

Deb wreaking havoc in my kitchen (in a good way).....mmmm, bleu cheez hamburgers and beers....tasty. Now that she is gone, I am back to my PB&J's....*sigh*

The Portland Rose Gardens were a huge hit with Hatsu. She wanted to break off a few stems to take home. I tried to tell her that taking even one rose would create a huge problem with the "what if all the visitors did that?" argument....she didn't seem to get it. I did check her pockets on the way out and she passed the test though.

The running is coming along. I am still dealing with the PF issues although it seems to be isolated just to my left heel now. It isn't getting any worse but not much better so I have decided to just go for it on the mileage. This past week I had 6 days of running and got in some pretty decent mileage. Still doing the aerobic shuffle and plan on doing it for the next month or so? I'm still 3+ months out from my marathon so plenty of time for the speedwork. Running everything with a HR cap of 160 (25 beats under my Anaerobic Threshold)

A great quote from the slowtwitch website regarding running and the fact that too many people jump right into speedwork without having anything close to a solid aerobic base:

"Speedwork is icing on the cake....and you don't have a cake"

I thought that was pretty funny. I'm still working on getting all the ingredients on my list so that I can "bake that cake"....the icing will come later.

Run Summary - Week of 10/16
6 days running
50.25 Miles Total
1 x 15
1 x 11
1 x 10
2 x 5
1 x 4.25

Have a great week!

*Peace*

Big Mazungo....Threat Mazungo

2006-10-19T23:19:00.000-07:00

Originally found this link on Duncan's blog....great 3 part series on Buster....check it out if you have around 20 minutes to kill...good stuff

The Big Mazungo - Part 1

Keep it rolling!

*Peace*

Embrace The Pain

2006-10-10T21:01:00.000-07:00

My public service announcement if you haven't experienced the joys of using a foam roller.

You need to get out and get one now....your tight, knotty muscles will thank you. Granted, you will experience some serious pain working out the knots but it is well worth it.

Did I mention SERIOUS pain?!

I had plenty of knots in my calves and have tried using "the stick" but it only served to point out the exact location of the knots without really helping relieve them. The foam roller actually uses your own body weight to work them out. Unless you can afford weekly deep tissue massages, this is the way to go.

Here is a link to the benefits of using a foam roller and some pics of the different stretches possible with the roller.

http://www.thesealquest.com/myorelease.htm

The calf and IT band stretches are seriously painful but I can already feel the benefits after doing them for the last 3-4 days. It's a "good hurt" and as I work the knots out, the pain isn't as bad in subsequent sessions. In the link above, it is noted that you should stop and rest on any tender spots *this is key to working out the knots*

Embrace the pain!! Seriously, every athlete should have one of these in their arsenal...and in the immortal words of Bill Bowerman...."If you have a body, you're an athlete" Go get one now- it is definitely one of the better 20-30 dollar investments out there.

The running is going pretty well.....I've been running every day and my HR has been averaging around 157 bpm....this is 20 beats lower then my average marathon HR (and about 30 beats below my Anaerobic Threshold HR of 185) so pretty darn aerobic. I'm starting to see pace improvements in the last week so will carry on....slow but steady. Maybe, I'll break that 8 min/mile barrier soon! ;-)

Hope your training is going well!

*Peace*

Keeping It Simple.....

2006-10-05T21:10:00.000-07:00

*cricket* cricket*

A bit quiet around here as my blogging has fallen off the map...at least I've been consistent in my inconsistency...ok, not a good thing.

Not much news except I'm glad to report that my feet are starting to come around...I have been religious about stretching my calves before / after every run and keeping my arches supported at all times...a bit of drag wearing shoes in the house and first thing out of bed but it sure has made a difference with the plantar fasciitis.

My aerobic running pace (zone 2 or anything between a HR of 158-168) is quite a bit slower than it was prior to taking a month off of training. No worries though, as I know it will come around. I met Steven last week for beers / burgers and we talked about running- fast running, in particular and I know what I need to do......start RUNNING FASTER! But not until I can get my aerobic pace down with lower HR's across the board. I have been running while keeping my HR under 160 (barely in Z2 *and barely moving*) and plan on keeping it there through October.

So that's all I got....keeping it simple....just plan on running as much as I can with the only constant being a Heart Rate ceiling of 160. I figure the pace should come around by the end of the month. The plan is to then start in some tempo and track work in November and beyond. I should be fine..that'll give me November thru Mid January with some speedwork before the February mary.

So that's the plan and I'm going to stick to it. Any of you doing the faster stuff....throw in a couple of fast 800's for me - I can live vicariously thru your training! ;-)

*Peace*

Lesson Learned

2006-09-27T20:05:00.001-07:00

No way around it, if you are trying to define yourself as a "runner", you have to run. After taking close to a month off (I ran twice in the 3+ weeks after IMC), I've found that all hell has broken loose....my body is revolting big time.

Note to self- extended breaks aren't a good idea...dial it back, yes. But don't shut it down!

It ain't pretty but I've been putting in a few miles in the last week and hoping my fitness kicks in here real quick.....I'm getting higher HR's and generally feeling like crap when I run....not good. I deserve this though with my lack of activity in the last couple of weeks....don't even get me started on me feets. It is getting better though so that is a plus....today was much easier then last thursday....

Running Updates
Thursday
Run
5 miles
40 minutes

Friday
Run
40:15
5 miles
2 x 2 mile loop
16:10
16:14
7:50 (1mile)
165 HR

Saturday
Run Double
am
47:29 ~5.75 miles
163 HR
pm
3 miles (including 1 x 400 @ 1:27)

Sunday
Bike
54 miles
3:07
HR 138
I cracked like Floyd Landis at about the 45 mile mark- felt like crap...can't believe I did an Ironman a month ago....

Monday
Run
41:45
5 miles
159HR

Tuesday
Run
2 x 2mile loop
16:09
15:29
Cut this run short....we are currently experiencing a run of beautiful WARM weather and I was melting out there

Wednesday
41:28
5 miles
156 HR

Did you catch that ambitious double on Saturday? Actually ran with my good friend Matt who was in town, over the weekend, scouting out Oregon with his wife, Cindy, and lil one Cruz. He wanted to check out the Nike campus / chip trail so ended up doing a couple easy miles around the loop with him in the pm...also, showed him the nice track on campus where I had to school that youngster with my blazing 400 speed. *joking here*

Matt doesn't really know it yet but he will probably end up plunking down the family in Oregon somewhere....it is just too beautiful here Matt.....don't fight it brother!

Hope you all have been keepin it rollling!

*Peace*

Beervana

2006-09-20T19:42:00.000-07:00

Sorry for my slacker updates lately. One of my best friends from high school was in PDX for a conference so we used that as an excuse to do some pub-crawling around the 503. I didn't realize that Portland aka "Beervana" has quite the collection of brewpubs. I drank more beers during his 5 day visit then I have in the last year combined. Here's a couple tasty brewpubs:

The Rogue
Bridgeport
Laurelwood

We also closed the bar at Kell's- pretty funny watching my friend have a beer-induced meltdown there. Seriously too old for this shit.....but good times nonetheless.

On the training front...nothing....workouts all seem to be a distant memory at this point but I'll pull it back shortly. It'll be a month since IMC here so I will start with the run focus. I did get in to see a podiatrist but not sure I received the ideal treatment. She stated that she treats Plantar Fasciitis AGGRESSIVELY and before I knew it, I was getting a cortisone shot in both heels....ouch! After getting on the net, post appt, I found that cortisone is often the last resort or at least much later down the treatment scale for most podiatrists.....hmmm.....I'll see how it goes. Kinda pissed that my right foot which did not have any real pain is now much worse after the shot! Also, while she mentioned stretching, she didn't emphasize the importance of flexibility in keeping PF at bay - Fluro commented about the importance of stretching on my last post (thanks for the tip) and I've researched that in the last couple of days as well....got some work to do in that department.

I did catch all the "sub-3" comments on my last post.....holy shite, you all are nuts! ;-) I am planning on hitting it hard but just want to PR (sub 3:11). That might not be in the cards with this whole PF issue though....also, there is a HUGE gap between a 3:10 and a 2:59.....I'm keepin it real, Yo!

*Peace*

Early 07 Races

2006-09-13T23:21:00.000-07:00

I haven't been doing much training lately but I am starting to think about it. That's a start eh?? I'm actually getting excited about the 2007 season. I am currently registered for the following in early 2007:

Pacific Shoreline Marathon Feb 4th, 2007
Boston Marathon April April 16, 2007

Can anyone say run focus?

I plan on following some type of modified Pfitzinger plan that I first caught on Zeke's blog. He has a link to one of Pfitz's training schedules in that post (thanks Zeke!). I also plan on getting some input from Steven regarding how I approach the build. I figure I should get some actual speedwork in this season to get closer to that ever elusive 3 hour marathon. No, I don't have any delusions of grandeur here (about going sub 3) but I also don't think it will be a problem to beat my PR of 3:11 as long as I can stay injury free. Currently, my focus is on tackling the Plantar Fasciitis that has reared its ugly head. It has actually gotten better with my lack of activity in the past 3 weeks but I am still scheduled for a podiatrist visit next Tuesday to make sure I keep it in check.

*Climbing on my soapbox*

There has been alot of ugly comments on certain blogs, always from anonymous bloggers, second guessing an athlete's fitness or, lack thereof, because of an Ironman DNF. It is pretty sad....anyone that has competed in or has been around any ultra endurance events (Ultramarathon, Ironman, etc) is acutely aware that any "nutritional or pacing issues" that arise at that distance are multiplied ten-fold due to the distance. Mother nature can throw some curve balls on race day too. So before you make a comment "Anonymous" about how an athlete DNF'd because he /she didn't train enough / didn't have the fitness / over-estimated their ability, etc etc....maybe do a race yourself or spectate at a race. It isn't all about the fitness.....you'll see many ULTRA FIT athletes reduced to a walk or even a DNF.

It is a very humbling experience

Anyone that has the courage to toe the line on such a long day with truly no guarantee of the outcome should be supported. To arm-chair quarterback their performance after a hard day is poor form and bad karma. There is enough negative energy out there without having to deal with it from within our endurance ohana.

One love people

*climbing off my soapboax*

Peace

Pretty Much Standing Still

2006-09-09T21:17:00.000-07:00

Could my blog get any worse??.....don't answer that question. A whole lotta nuthin going on lately so not much to blog about.

For the J. Cash / NIN fans out there, check out the new ad for Air....click on the ads link from "discover a world with a little less hurt"...how's that runner puking his guts out while holding pace....whoa!

I did run on Tuesday (first workout since IM Canada) and felt like crap so wasn't sure how the run would go with Rob today. We decided to meet at the Nike campus for a run since he was in town for the weekend. It was nice to get some perspective from one of the hardcore runners out there.....Rob is definitely in that category and a very cool dude. Running tons of mileage and a Sub-3 marathoner to boot...much respect. When I got there at the scheduled meeting time of 7:30am, he had already ran twice around the campus for a 4 mile warmup! We did a loop around the Tualatin Nature Preserve and ended with one lap around the campus for 7 miles. He did a total of 11 for the day. I actually felt a bit better today but definitely need to ease back into it slowly....overall a nice run and felt good to run with someone for a change.

Run Stats
7 miles
54:04 Total Time

I was feeling inspired when I got home from the run and ended up cleaning 3 of my bikes....drivetrains and all....it ended up taking several hours and was a pain in the ass but well worth it. I have been meaning to do it forever and now it is one thing of my never ending "to-do" list.

In other news, I probably need to get into a podiatrist to take a look at my feet since myPlantar Fasciitis issues do not seem to be getting better. Also, the middle finger on my right hand is still swollen and sore after that bike crash 3 weeks ago - F&@#!! I probably better get that checked out as well....although with the sausage finger I can flip people off with extreme prejudice. Aaah..the joys of injury.

Now for all the cool racing this weekend....Lets all send some positive vibes to the boys out racing this weekend.....Donald is racing the Big Kahuna Triathlon and we got Chris and Al ready to rock at Ironman Wisconson. It looks like the weather gods have finally given the IM Moo athletes a reprieve from the hellish conditions they have had to endure in past years. The forecast is calling for cool, cloudy conditions tomorrow.....fast conditions.....PR conditions. Good luck and Godspeed peeps!

Ooops....almost forgot.....No rain today*whew*!! It looked iffy for awhile but no drops so I'm sure that Steven's daughter had a beautiful wedding today!

*Peace*

$512.80

2006-09-02T22:28:00.000-07:00

I just signed up on-line for Ironman Canada 2007 through Active.com......five hundred plus smackeroos......funny paying that much to flog ourselves come race day......

In other news, it's really strange not having to head out for some monster training session.....actually quite nice to relax....well, maybe not relax so much but catch up on everything that fell to the wayside as this ironman took over my life......

Steven and Karen invited me over for a really tasty dinner at their casa last night.......great food, great company....nice.

Hope you are all having a great Labor Day Weekend!

*Peace*

Ironman Canada 2006 Race Recap

2006-08-30T18:37:00.000-07:00

First of all, I wanted to thank you all for the great comments on the blog- each and every one was much appreciated. If you were following me on IM Live, you probably know that I ended up having a tough day out there but let me give you the whole story.....

I left on Thursday afternoon and the flight to Vancouver was pretty uneventful which is a good thing. Deb met me in Vancouver and we waited for our connecting flight to Penticton. We did have a bit of drama here as Deb had to get back into bag check to physically get her bags through customs after having been told it wasn't necessary....we got through that ok and settled in for a couple hours. Our flight to Penticton was ok until about 15-20 minutes before we were scheduled to land in Penticton. At that point, the pilot made an announcement that the lights were out on the runway and we may be directed back to Vancouver....

FU%@$!!

He then came on about 2 minutes later and stated that yes, unfortunately, not cleared to land and we were headed back to Vancouver. As you can imagine this did not go over to well with a plane full of stressed out triathletes. We had all just about resigned ourselves to this sorry predicament when the pilot came back on and stated he was ok'd to go for a "visual landing" at Penticton.....we all cheered and gave him a nice hand after landing.

More drama as we got our bags and Deb's bags made it but mine weren't anywhere to be found....uhhh, all my race gear (bike shoes, helmet, running shoes, nutrition, wetsuit) was floating around somewhere besides Penticton.....I was a bit stressed out but nothing I could do .....we ended up finally settling in at the hotel and I got a call at 11:10pm from the airlines stating that my bags had made it in and they would be delivering them shortly- crisis averted...nice!

On another note, if any of you are traveling and can use the services of Tribike Transport, I would highly recommend them. You don't need to worry about partially disassembling your bike and carting it around the airport. You can pick it up at the race venue and return it right after you are done with the race and it will be waiting for you at your bike shop upon your return home. At aroundd $220, well worth the price since the airlines usually nab you for $75-100 each way for the bike.

It was nice to be back in Penticton and to also spend some time with Deb. We also caught up with a couple friends of mine that I had met doing IMC for several years. I went for a very brief bike on Friday- the legs were feeling pretty good. I had to push into a very strong headwind but still got the mph's up there...shut it down after 20 minutes. The lake was covered in whitecaps so I decided to skip the swim. Seeing that lake that way was a stressor as well....I haven't been swimming at all due to the bike crash a couple weeks ago and even prior to that, my swim frequency was pretty lame. My zen-master friend Kevin stated, no worries- it's windy today so race day will be perfect....I wasn't sure if I believed him but nothing I could do to change things...

I awoke Saturday to calm winds and perfect conditions at the lake so maybe Kevin knew what he was talking about. Here's a pic of me pre-swim on Saturday.....my second wetsuit swim in the last two years.....nice! ;-) Deb was nice enough to head out early with me and keep me company while I took a quick dip...I swam for about 15-20 minutes and shut it down. Luckily, no shoulder issues, although I could tell that I would not be going for any PR's come tomorrow....just a matter of getting through the swim "warm-up" as Steven called it until the real race began....

Steven was going to be there volunteering so we made plans to meet him at 2pm to hang out and catch an early dinner. Here's a pic Deb snapped of Steven and I while were hanging out until dinnner. We met up with my friends Kevin and his girlfriend Jessica for an early dinner before shutting it down.

I have to give Steven a BIG THANKS though for shuttling us around town to take care of some loose ends before the race- very cool. I owe you bud!

Whoa...it's been two years since my last IM race....can you tell I'm a lil nervous!?!? Mug shot, IMC 2006

After sorting out all the last minute to-do's, we hit the sack early for a 4am wake-up call. It seemed like the alarm starting going off right when I was finally getting to sleep....Deb was finally able to get me out of bed in about 5 minutes and I started the nutrition going. I try and avoid all solids pre-race, I don't want to spend anytime later in the race camping out in a porto-potty so limit it to liquids. I shot-gunned 3 Ensures for about 750cals then got ready for the race. We met up with Kevin / Jessica for a 4:45am departure to the race start.

Kevin and I getting ready to head out to transition / body marking.....Also, a pic of Deb and I.....don't we all look wide awake?!.....Not a fan of the early starts....

Deb took this picture of the swim start as the Pro's began their warm-up for the race. They were getting a 15 min headstart on the age-groupers. Perfect conditions for the swim...Kevin was right about the conditions turning around.

We ended up doing a last minute run through of our gear, pumped up our tires and watched as the time flew by....I had one more Ensure at about 6:15am, followed by a E-gel at 6:45am before heading for the swim start......

GAME ON, EH....

SWIM

Swim Time:
1:10:04

With my lack of swimming this year, I knew it was going to be about damage control on the swim. My priority was to keep my heart rate very aerobic and mimize my effort by drafting as much as possible. U2's Beautiful Day blasted through the speakers as we got closer to the swim start....I couldn't believe I was finally here again.....I couldn't wait to get going.

I lined up right on the inside buoys and up near the front. I know this is exactly where you would think I shouldn't have lined up, based on my training this year, but my friend Kevin is a strong swimmer and he gave me this tip a few years back and it is great. There is much less contact here vs. going very wide (which everyone seems to do) and having to swim over everyone to get toward the buoys.

The gun went off and I just kept it nice and easy....catching feet all the way along the swim. I did push the effort a bit to get around the buoys aggressively but settled into an easy pace once around. I was able to catch several good drafts around the course. As I was stepping out of the water, I was surprised to see 1:09 on my watch...not to far off from my swim PR of 1:04. I was definitely happy with that, based on my training this year. Took me a bit to get through the timing mats and get my wetsuit stripped off. Also, nice to get a shout from Steven here- I'm surprised he recognized me in the major traffic jam coming out of the water at this time!

BIKE

Bike Stats:
5:35:30
20.03 mph ave

The bike was the x-factor this year. I was curious as to how all the hill training in Oregon this year would sort out on the bike. Although I didn't get in months and months of solid training, I did get in some solid training in the last build before the race. Also, my legs felt suprisingly good this year with the forced taper.

As we headed out toward Richter Pass, my goal was to keep it aerobic but I also wanted to have an "ave speed cushion" of several mph when I hit the base of the climb since I knew I would lose that over the 6 mile climb. I was feeling pretty good and averaging around 21-25 mph based on wind / roads until we hit Richter at around mile 40 of the bike course.

I need to give a big *YOU SUCK* to the draft packs up until this point. Why people choose to cheat in an ironman is beyond me.....couple of big pelotons out there.....glad we hit the hills to break them up a bit.

At the base of Richter, my ave speed was 22.5. The climb was pretty uneventful...I just kept a steady effort up the climb but didn't have to work too hard at all....I passed quite a few people up the hills so was feeling good. By the time I hit the top my ave speed had dropped to 20.4 mph. I immediately began working again to get into a nice tuck down the backside of Richter.

Next up, the "rollers" on the way out to the out and back in Cawston. Again, just focused on keeping everything aerobic. All the climbing / terrain in Oregon made the climbs seem much easier vs. training for Canada while in Cali. It was nice being ready for the course vs. having to push too hard here. I got through the rollers and made it through the out and back until the special needs stop where I stopped briefly to pick up some nutrition and use the bathroom. I lost a couple minutes here (this was my second stop- I stopped briefly earlier to get some water in two of my bottles that were already loaded with powder).

Now it was time to hit the false flats on the way to Yellow Lake. I was not looking forward to this section of the bike because it has crushed me in the past.....this year, not so much. I was able to maintain pretty solid effort levels through this section and passed a ton of people. Yellow Lake was also just a blip....not that difficult and I was able to keep it pretty steady up the climb. It was also nice that the crowds were lining the hill at this point, definitely feeding off their energy until I hit the crest. Once I hit the top, I knew there was some more climbing before I hit the true top of the course but just laid it in the big ring and pushed it here....

I was finally on the major descent into Penticton.....a bit windy here but got into a nice tuck and pushed it... Overall, I was very happy with the bike.....kept it aerobic the whole time (HR ave around 150) and no loss of energy over the 112. Again, another major adrenaline rush as I hit town and got a push from the crowds. Once in transition, I kept my eyes peeled for Steven. He was there shortly shouting some encouragement- I gave him a high five as I headed to the run transition

Here's a shot Deb took of me right before I swung it around the corner and into transition

RUN

Run Stats:
4:21:25 (Ironman Personal Worst- OUCH)
First 13.1 (2:10:01)
Second 13.1 (2:11:24)

Besides what the final stats tell you, I was actually feeling pretty good as I started the run. My legs felt pretty fresh and I had carried a bottle of nutrition out and planned on drinking that as soon I settled into a comfortable pace. It was nice to get some shout outs from Jessica and Deb as I headed down the main drag (sorry about the sweaty hug Deb!) I was keeping it pretty conservative until about two miles into the race when I took a big swig of my bottle and my stomach immediately cramped up....

*NOT A GOOD SIGN*

Here's where I made my nutrition / hydration mistakes and it ended up costing me a ton of time. To avoid cramping, I immediately dumped the contents of my bottle and decided I would rely on Coke / Water for the remainder of the race. I didn't drink anything until about mile 5 into the race. At this point, it was getting very hot out there and I should have heeded the warning signs and took in more hydration in the form of water. I was not feeling good but kept shuffling along. Every aid station, I was loading up on ice (in my hat, jersey and down my shorts) to try and stay cool while not taking in enough water.

Once we hit the hills about 10-11 miles into the race, I was a mess. I resorted to walking / shuffling along and pretty much felt like crap. Mentally, I was crushed as well since the run was usually my strongest discipline. I had run a 3:47 & 3:50 at Canada before so to be walking the course was a major bummer. I saw the course from a very different perspective this go around.....THIS BITCH OF A RUN COURSE IS TOUGH........major hills around OK Falls at the 13.1 mile turnaround. I was walking through this section of the course and the crowd encouragement was pretty F'ing annoying - No I DON'T LOOK STRONG....NO I AM NOT ALMOST DONE (I knew I wasn't in a good state now). I grabbed my special needs bag and drank two V8's I had thrown in there. They actually went down very well and got a boost of some electrolytes there. I was able to run up some of the more difficult hills out from the turnaround but would then resort to walking the flats....WTF?!? Strange stuff....

I did see my friends Kevin and Noel as I headed back from the turnaround and they were having their own tough days to deal with.....major suffer-fest on the way back into town. I did see Sister Madonna Buder and tried to give her some encouragement but she looked like she was having a tough day as well. I just wanted the day to end as all my time goals were thrown out the window. I went from possibly thinking that I could get close to hitting my Canada PR of 10:41 to hoping I would still break 11 hours to just wanting to finish.......uuuugh.....

Here's a couple pics Deb took of me as I continued my zombie-like shuffle into the finish. This was the last out-back until you ran into the finish (probably about a 1/2 mile from the finish). I was kinda out of it at this point since I didn't even recognize Deb until I was right in front of her and she yelled my name several times....I was not in my happy place

almost home......

Finish Time: 11:15:05

After crossing the line I saw Kev's girlfriend Jessica who was working the finish line and Steven who was now done with his volunteering duties. He took a walk with me to the athlete finish area and let me bitch for awhile about my disappointing finish / run out there. I'm surprised he didn't slap me since I was probably sounding like a whiny beeyotch.

After downing some watermelon and water, I kept feeling worse and worse. I started feeling pretty nauseous and Steven mentioned that I should probably take a quick trip to the medical tent to make sure I was ok....it was like a war zone in there. At this point I felt like crap and sat around waiting to see a doctor while I shared war stories with the two guys next to me. Luckily the nurse had handed me a bag in case I decided to puke.....I started dry heaving which hurts like hell......I then proceeded to puke about 3-4 times.....thank god I was in the med tent where there was alot of that going around. I couldn't imagine unloading out there with Steven while everyone else was enjoying their post-race high.

I did feel alot better after wrenching out my guts....after sitting there for observation for a bit, the doctor finally let me go.....not a great end to my race.

I continued my whine as I walked back to the hotel with Deb.....she did put things into perspective for me though.....and I needed it big time.

You really never know how things will pan out when you toe the line at an Ironman....the event is too long and there are too many variables to deal with out there. You can only keep moving forward and hope for the best. When I got back to the hotel, I turned on the TV and watched the racers coming in at 15+ hours through the finish......those guys / gals kick some serious ass out there.....how they can push for that long is pretty amazing and the majority of them were so happy and excited to be finishing an ironman....love that stuff.....it definitely put things into perspective for me.

Yes, I wasn't happy with how my race turned out but any Ironman finish should be viewed as a accomplishment....If you are racing and things didn't go as planned, use it as a learning experience so that maybe you can avoid those same issues from affecting your race next time.

I am already looking forward to IMC 07......I was glad to hear that Steven was able to get in next year and I plan on pushing him in training over the course of the next year and I know he will definitely do the same for me. Same goes for my friends Kevin and Noel....nice to hear that they will be back next year as well.....

Finally, make sure you thank your supporters out there (and the GREAT volunteers throughout the course). It is really easy to get a tunnel-vision like focus when you are getting ready to race and forget the sacrifices your family/ friends have made for you....especially the ones who actually join you out at the races.....don't kid yourself- it is not fun for your supporters to sit around for 10-11 plus hours waiting to catch a few fleeting glimpses of you as you head out again from transition.

*Deb- thanks for being my biggest fan....I love you and appreciate everything you do for me.... more than you know!*

Now...time for some R&R until we start this madness again.......

*Peace*

I'll Catch You All On The Other Side......

2006-08-23T21:12:00.000-07:00

Tuesday
Run Stats
13:48 Time
2 miles:
7:17
6:31
153 HR Ave
Wow- it felt pretty effortless out there....granted it was only two miles though!

Bike
Easy Spin, Post-run
30 min
119HR

Wednesday
OFF

Of course now the time is just flying by....feeling pretty anxious here and can't wait to finally hear that cannon go off so we can get this party started. The shoulder continues to feel better on a daily basis.....the legs are coming around. I've pretty much shut it down at this point. I was planning to get in a quick bike /run today but skipped it since I hadn't even started packing yet.....

I hate packing.....

Well better get back at it.....finish packing, get in a quick bike / run in the am tomorrow, and catch the Max Light Rail to the airport. Pretty cool that we can catch a train that runs right into the terminal at the airport.

Any positive vibes, well wishes, prayers, etc very much appreciated for this Sunday. The weather gods are forecasting an increase in temps from the low 80's right up to a blistering 91 degrees for race day in Penticton. Ouch! Not the best prep fore me this year but I plan on giving 100% effort regardless of how I feel during the race....stay focused......breathe deep...and BELIEVE.....

*Peace*
#893

I'm Keeping My Fingers Crossed For A Boring Week....Please!

2006-08-21T21:08:00.000-07:00

Hey- thanks all for the nice posts regarding my mishaps! I can't believe I crashed out a week before the race. It is such a rookie move- I think the last time I went down was about 3/4 years ago at least then it wasn't my own fault. This is, by far, the worst taper I've had to deal with for any race. No relaxation at all. It's enough to make a guy paranoid....Lora mentioned hiding out because bad things happen in threes.....yikes! Well, all I can do is roll with it at this point.....i'm rolling.

As expected, the pain/soreness was much worse on Saturday. I could barely move my left arm above my head due to the pain in my shoulder muscles / rib cage. Even then, I had to do it sloooowly because of the pain- glad I didn't have to swim 2.4 that day! I'm not sure how my rib cage got rocked but a lot of soreness there. I decided to take a rest day. My sister's boyfriend was in town for work so it was an excuse to give him a brief tour of Portland.

Sunday, I decided to test the body with a short run / bike. The soreness was a bit better and, while it hurt running, I was able to get in a workout. I just did a easy spin on the trainer, post-run, with some 60 intervals at 200watts that didn't feel too hard. Here are the stats:

Sunday
Run Stats
28:50 Time
4 miles
158 HR

Bike
30 Min
5 x 60 sec @ 200 watts
132 HR

Monday
OFF
Today was a forced rest day. I went to the gym and suited up for my test swim (test the shoulder) but when I tried to enter the pool area it was locked. I had forgotten that they were planning on shutting down the pool for a month beginning today. F^&#%@! Oh well, maybe it is a sign for me to rest my shoulder for the race. That swim is not going to be fun- my only wetsuit swim this year was during my Pac Crest race in June. In years past, I was engaging in ocean swims 1-2x / week, pre-race, so I was dialed in to swimming in my suit. This year, not so much.

Well..enough of the negative stuff. I am feeling pretty darn lucky that I will be able to toe the line this year. I wanted to thank you all for sharing the journey with me this year. It's nice to have a connection with others that are truly passionate.....or truly mad! I guess it's all about perspective right?! ;-)

Go big people- make it count!

*Peace*

The Excitement Continues....

2006-08-18T21:38:00.000-07:00

I'm still alive and kicking out here although you wouldn't know it by my absence out on the blogosphere. My training as been going well although I had a MAJOR hiccup tonight. I'll get to that soon but let me get caught up on the last week of training.

Monday
Swim
2500 Yards Total
5 x 500 Free Easy
50 Minutes

Lazy Tuesday
OFF

Wednesday
Lunch Swim
58 Minutes
3000 Yards Total
1 x 1000 Free
1 x 250 drills
1 x 500 Pull
1 x 1000 Free
1 x 250 Drills

Post Work Bike
2:03 Time
40.1 Miles
19.5 MPH
133 HR

Thursday
Lunch Run Chip Trail
37:18
5 Miles Total
2 x 2 mile
15:02
14:48
1 mile
7:27
156 HR

Friday
You would think I have had enough excitement during this taper with the ER visit last week but had a little excitement on the bike tonight. I was 4 miles from home and riding on autopilot when I crashed my bike!! I am always paranoid during the taper because of all the horror stories I've heard of people getting injured, etc during the last 2-3 weeks and ruining their race. I've had a pretty good record up until today but all it took was one moment where I wasn't paying attention and my luck ran dry.

I was cruising along at a pretty good clip and glanced to the right for a bit too long. I'm not even sure what I was looking at but when I glanced forward I had just enough time to see that I was heading off the road into some pretty thick gravel. I did have enough time to get out of the aerobars and grab the hoods and while glancing down, I saw that I was going 22 mph....great......I fought the crash, tried to keep the rubber side down but my front wheel turned sharp right and launched me over the bars. My "flight" didn't last too long before I came crashing down on my left shoulder / left side of my face & helmet. To add insult to injury, my bike followed me and ended up on top of me. Of course I jumped up real quick ala Pee Wee "I meant to do that" Herman and checked out my bike. No noticeable damage there. The shoulder of my jersey was pretty chewed up and my sunglasses were pretty scraped up but protected most of my face so that was good thing. Thank god I was wearing a helmet too...took a pretty good impact there on the front left of the helmet. My left shoulder is pretty darn sore and I have some road rash there. I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow to see how bad it really is (hope my slow swimming isn't too affected, I don't need any handicap in that dept!!) I did run after I got off the bike and no issues there except for the sore shoulder.

On a happier note, the legs seem to be coming around. I am going faster while effort levels seem to be the same so hoping to get fresher through next week. I am definitely shutting down the road riding at this point...well maybe one more ride outside this weekend but I will be very careful. Next week it will be 100% trainer for any cycling.

Friday
Brick Workout
2:57 Total Time

Bike
2:28
50 Miles
20.1 MPH
137 HR Ave

Run
28:43 Time
4 Miles
163 HR

It was pretty warm out there tonight and it looks like it is going to be a hot one this weekend. I'm glad I'm tapering and not going long in that heat. Have a great weekend and whatever you choose to do, BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!!!

*Peace*

Generic Carbo-Pro

2006-08-13T20:47:00.000-07:00

I keep forgetting to post about an alternative to Carbo-pro for the many of you that use it out there. I was buying tub after $20 tub of Carbo-Pro and thought there has to be a source for high quality malto out there without having to pay $20 for 3 lbs of the stuff. You can get malto through alot of places but alot of it is of lower quality. You need to get the good stuff! After some research on the net, I found these guys

http://www.grainprocessing.com/food/maldescr.html

They are one of the larger suppliers of malto out there. You want to look at their Maltrin QD (quickly dispersible) line of Malto. Either the M550 or M580 works well and has the proper DE range. They have very knowledgeable people working the phones there and can also set you up with the information for a local distributor. *Scroll to bottom of page for contact info*

Here's the catch....it only comes in 50lb bags. The bags can range from $48 to $52 a bag...I paid $48? up here in Oregon but it was $52 in SoCal thru the LA distributor. Not too much of an issue if you are training high volume or have several people you can share a bag with. I just bought an extra garbage can and used a heavy duty bag liner to store my supply. I currently have about 40-50lbs of the stuff so will not run out anytime soon.

I have used this stuff for the last 3 years and there is no difference between this stuff and Carbo Pro. I think this actually dissolves faster then Carbo Pro and is MUCH CHEAPER ($1 / lb vs. $7/lb for Carbo Pro). Steven has a team member on his tri-team (a doctor and very fast triathlete) who spent time researching the Maltrin QD with his contacts in the nutrition field and now he and many members of the Ironheads use the stuff with great results.

Ok, enough with my Triathlon Public Service Announcement....just trying to save you all some $$'s so you can spend it buying other tri-toys!

*Peace*

14 Days And Counting....

2006-08-13T20:23:00.000-07:00

Two weeks out from the big race....mentally, I feel pretty beat up after all the excitement last week. I plan on really scaling back the training in the next two weeks and focus on reducing all stress. I need to find my happy place! I don't feel "amped" about the race but hopefully this will turnaround in the next two weeks. I've come to the realization that a race is not that important in the grand scheme of things.....actually pretty low on the scale......

At least the training is going ok...my legs felt a bit tired on the bike Saturday but probably due to the wind and hills....this was my last focused hilly ride...will probably try and keep everything on the easier side going forward. I ran off the bike for 4 miles and clicked off close to a 7 minute pace....too bad we have to run 26.2 in Ironman....

Saturday
Bike
3:45 Hilly Ride
Bald Peak (29:20)
Blooming Fern
Iowa Hill
62.6 Miles
16.8 MPH
131 HR

T-Run
4 miles
28:33
162HR

Sunday
I talked to Steven yesterday and after hearing about his Forest Park run, I was thinking of heading there for a run but, lazy me, ended up getting a late start. I just ran my typical loop which is ok because it has a good mix of rolling hills...perfect training for Canada. Although, the hills right after the 13.1 mile turnaround at Canada HURT...alot of carnage out there. Since I ran 15 miles on Tuesday, I cut the run a bit short today but still got in a semi-longish run.

Run Stats
1:18:43
10 Miles
154 HR

After the run, I headed to the pool for a swim. This is the one area of my training that I am really worried about. In reviewing my training over the last couple of months, my swims have been few and far between to the tune of averaging two a week. For someone like Chris or Mike who are swimming 2.4 miles and hitting the beach in an hour or less, not a problem....for me, PROBLEM! Oh well, gonna roll with it at this point....I would much rather be undertrained on the swim vs. bike or run.

Swim Stats
1:15
4000 Yards Total
1 x 1000 Free
1 x 250 Drills
1 x 1000 Free
1 x 250 Drills
1 x 1000 Free
1 x 500 Free

Have a good week!

*Peace*

Good News

2006-08-11T21:52:00.000-07:00

Well this whole heart scare has thrown a huge monkey wrench in my Ironman Canada taper. I had my tentative taper mapped out but this week it was more of what I didn't do vs. actual workouts.

Good news is that after spending all morning getting tested at the Cardiologist office this morning, I checked out ok. I had a nuclear stress test including the treadmill stress test. The nurse made a funny comment about me being the only person she has ever seen outrun the treadmill during this test (I hit the highest level before I hit 85% of my max HR). Uhhhh....since her typical patient is probably 65+ with heart problems, not sure if I should take that as a compliment!

No problems with my arteries or heart...the only issue is a very slight thickening of the heart muscle but the cardiologist mentioned that this is typical for someone doing extensive aerobic exercise. Re: the heart palpitations that initially caused me to see a doc, he stated they are pretty normal and just to monitor it....if accompanied by any dizziness, call a doc!

I know way more then I want to know about the heart and how it functions now.....

Now the bad news.....he said it would probably be a good idea to cut out the caffiene........is that nuts or what!?!?

Ok, that is all for my "too much information" segment....bottom line, everything looks good. I feel VERY LUCKY!! I also wanted to thank everyone for their support, nice comments, emails etc....very much appreciated. If any of you are feeling "off" or having any chest discomfort or any issues for that matter, GO SEE A DOCTOR.....don't take a chance with your health

Time to rock this little race in Canada!

Training Stats

Thursday
Bike Stats
Computrainer
1 Hour
135HR
Richter Pass course plus easy spinning to make an hour
(Stats to top of Richter: 6.87 miles / 11.9mph / 177 watts Ave / 84 Cadence / 34 minutes)

Friday
Bike Stats
2:12 Total Time
42.3 Miles
19.2 MPH Ave
131 HR
Very windy ride..felt like I was in a wind tunnel the whole time.....one of the disadvantages of riding in the afternoon around here. **Steven- I rode up Blooming Fern and noticed that someone had posted a sign on the guardrail (Blooming Fern 16% grade)....not sure how accurate that is but it's gotta be pretty close...no wonder that hill hurts!!

Have a great weekend out there- make it happen!

*peace*

Easy Day

2006-08-09T21:01:00.000-07:00

Easy training day today....the legs felt pretty good after the longish run yesterday so that's a plus. I just ended up swimming though....

Lunch Swim Stats
3000 Yards Total
54 Minutes
6 x 500 Free
Odds pulling with paddles / buoy

Post work, dropped by Athlete's Lounge to pick up my bike and the Zipps....anyone looking for a cool Portland area bike shop with a great mechanic (Jeff) should check these guys out. I got the bike tuned up and the tires / wheels ready to roll. The plan is for another 8-9 days riding the bike before I pack her up.

Onward....

*Peace*

Count Your Blessings

2006-08-08T20:58:00.000-07:00

Sunday
Bike Stats
3:36 Total Time
66.8 Miles
18.5MPH Ave
137 HR Ave
Bike felt ok...took a hilly loop around Hagg Lake and then shut it down

Monday
Run Stats
32 Minutes
4 miles Total
2 x 2 mile chip trail

Tuesday
Run Stats
2:00 Total Time
15.2 Miles
7:53 pace
154 HR Z1

Now for the scary stuff.....I started feeling what I would describe as a "flutter" in my chest late Saturday night...I took my pulse and felt what seemed to be a irregular heartbeat or skipped beat...here's a link. It totally freaked me out since with so much exercise, I think you really gain a heightened sense of your body and when it is "off". No issues Sunday / Monday during my workouts but decided to make an appt. with a Cardiologist to rule out anything serious. I couldn't get an appt. until Thursday so left work early Monday (yesterday) to get checked out at a walk-in urgent care clinic. They took an EKG and the doctor was alarmed at the abnormalities** and referred me to the ER. She thought the EKG showed signs that my heart wasn't getting enough oxygen. They even considered calling me an ambulance which really stressed me out.

** Re: the abnormalities, I should note that during a routine physical 3 years ago, the same thing happened. Abnormal EKG, sent to a cardiologist and after numerous tests including a stress test EKG on the treadmill, it was ruled as an "abnormal normal" heart rhythm due to all the exercise. I should have had a copy of that EKG because it would have definitely helped at the ER.

I drove to the ER and the only concern during the drive was how it would affect Ironman Canada. This soon became the least of my worries and, in hindsight, pretty damn ridiculous. I checked into the ER and they immediately got down to business based on my EKG and description of my chest symptoms. Before I knew what was happening, I was flat on my back hooked up to oxygen, ekg, IV, and chewing on aspirin. I have never been so stressed or scared in my life. I rarely get sick and have never been admitted to a hospital or had any reason to visit an ER. Talk about facing your mortality...not a good time.

After they did blood work, EKG, Echocardiogram and monitored me for several hours I was released. The Doc on duty felt I didn't have any issues but I still have an appt. with the consulting Cardiologist on Friday. It was after 9pm at this time....I was pretty stressed. My 4 hours in the ER was definitely eye-opening. Those Docs / Nurses are amazing...talk about difficult work. It must be hard facing life & death situations on a daily basis...I had a hard time dealing with the suffering around me for the short time I was there. I couldn't see the guy next to me but my heart went out to him....he kept talking about the pain...how unbearable it was...his wife tried to comfort him the whole time....definitely puts all this silly training......all these races into proper perspective....

Hopefully, this Friday appt with the cardiologist will just be routine and I can move forward

Seriously, take a deep breath and think about all the gifts we are truly blessed with....it is so easy to get into a routine.... to take it all for granted but the rug can be pulled out at any moment. I went running today and my emotions were all over the map....I felt pretty silly out there at times blubbering like an idiot but I was acutely aware of every step and how great it felt to be out running and living.

I love life

*Peace*

22 Days and Counting.....

2006-08-05T20:32:00.000-07:00

Playing a lil' blogger catchup which seems to be my m.o. lately....anyway, let me get the training stats outta the way....nothing exciting *yawn*:

Thursday
Lunch Swim
2500 Yards Total
50 minutes
1 x 1000 free
1 x 250 TI Drills
1 x 1000 free
1 x 250 TI Drills

Bike Post-work
Very Windy..ie, it sucked
1:34 total time
27.6 miles
17.6 MPH Ave
124 HR Ave

Friday
Another Glorious Lazy SOA (sit on my ass) day off. What a waste though...Nike has incorporated an "Enjoy the Summer" policy of letting us take off at noon on Fridays for the month of Aug / 1st week of Sept.....I ended up running errands....took my car in for service, went to the bank, got a bite to eat...etc etc...by then all the fight was gone. I ended up watching "Match Point"....definitely not a feel good movie.....

In other bad news, I dropped in for an appt with the Nike PT about a nagging pain in my heel...it has bothered me off and on for the last year but not bad enough to affect any of my training. It seemed to have gotten worse in the last week but a switch of shoes seemed to have helped a bit. I wanted to get her opinion on it though and she said it was a very mild case of Plantar Fasciitis...NOOOO!!!!.....glad I found out now so I can try and treat it aggressively. I had a bad case ages ago where I couldn't run for several months so didn't even think this was the same injury.....one thing she did mention, that I immediately started, was to wear shoes at all times to support the arch (don't go barefoot in your house!)....sportin' the nike frees while walking around the house.....support the arch peeps!

2 thumbs up on the Nike Structure Triax....the update to this shoe is awesome. The last iteration of this shoe was a bit stiff but this new one is great right out of the box.....my biased opinion anyway! ;-)

Saturday
I wasn't looking forward to this workout but figured any extra dosage of hill work would help so I decided to do hill repeats up Bald Peak. This climb killed me on the monster brick last week so that weighed heavily on my mind as I spun my way to the base of the climb. I figured this was the closest simulation to Richter Pass I had around my hood. It is 4.25 miles from the base to the top and it "stair-steps" in a similar fashion as Richter althought it doesn't have 3 distinct climbs.....it is a pretty tough 4.25 miles though. I did 3 repeats up the hill and then hopped off the bike for a quick run. The legs were feeling pretty good and I was able to maintain a 7:25 pace....

Bike Stats
3:14 Total Time
49 Miles
15.1 MPH Ave
145 HR Ave

3 x Bald Peak:
28:50
29:41
28:25

Transition Run
28:14 Total Time
3.8 Miles
157 HR Ave

Finally, for IM Canada, I am rolling the new Conti Comp 06 Tubies with Vectran flat protection (thanks to my girl Deb!!). I mounted them on the Zipps to stretch them out and plan on taking them into the bike shop to get them properly mounted / glued early next week.

Taking off the currently mounted tires WAS A BEEEYOTCH!!

*take note Steven*

After a half hour, drenched in sweat and with two nice blisters on my thumbs, I was finally able to wrestle the tires off the rims. I didn't have too much of an issue with the tire that was glued/mounted by my prior shop in Cali but the tire that was glued on by the local shop here ......holy crap......felt like they used cement to mount it. I'm thinking it may have to do with recently applied glue vs. the other tire being mounted over a year ago. I'm glad I was able to finally get it off but after that nightmare, I will DEFINITELY carry a razor on the bike during the race. I figure if I flat, I will slice the tire in half with the razor and and then yank it off kung-fu style vs. trying to wrestle with the glue and trying to pull the intact tire off the rim.

Look at those beauties.....

GAME ON!

Tomorrow I plan on closing out the week with my last "long-ish" ride and maybe a long run. Then it is time for the 3 week taper.....

Keep it rolling people!

*Peace*

Recovery Week

2006-08-02T21:53:00.000-07:00

I'm currently backing the volume waaay off this week to rest / recover so that I can hit the 3 week taper / peak for Canada feeling decent. After 3 successive 20+ hour weeks of training, it's funny how your body becomes accustomed to the fatigue and it almost feels "normal". I'm hoping my body gets a chance to right itself this week. I feel like I could keep it rolling but I've been at the start of too many races feeling flat so will err on the side of caution.

The only issue is trying to map out my training for the next 3 weeks. I have been reviewing the tapers from my 02 / 03 Canada training plans and will probably try to piece one together using workouts from both. I know I was pretty flat on the start line for 03 and probably did too much volume in the last 3 weeks that year.....hmmm.....hard to figure this training mumbo-jumbo out.

Monday
TOTAL REST DAY

Tuesday
Lunch Run
5 miles
39:50
152 HR Z1

Wednesday
Lunch Run
5 miles
39:49
150 HR Z1

Swim Post Work
1 x 3500 Free
59:42

Just doing easy workouts....keeping the effort level way down. Strange that I haven't had a chance to get on the bike yet this week...will have to give it a go tomorrow. The days are flying by and I'm dancing as fast as I can!

*Peace*

Overload

2006-07-30T23:33:00.000-07:00

Saturday
I headed out for a MEGA-brick and it went pretty well. Weather was a bit strange but I 'll take it over the hell-like temps of last week. I headed out with arm / knee warmers and a windvest because of the chill and ended up keeping them on for the duration of the ride. After taking awhile to warm-up I started heading for the hills at Hagg Lake. I wanted to make this a tough workout so the plan was to hit the hills on the bike / run and see if I could hang on.

The ride was pretty uneventful on the way out to Hagg but about a mile before the entrance of the park, I got passed by a paceline of 4-6 riders without nary a word. The guy in the back had the audacity to pass me on a Brand Spankin New BEAUTIFUL Cervelo P3C. I don't get the silent pass...what is wrong with people today....probably the over-trained grouch in me but would it kill people to say hello / wave?? I ended up passing them all as we climbed the first big hill into Hagg Lake as they slowed considerably and turned into the park halway up the hill while I continued chugging up the rest of the hill. I was feeling pretty good so ended up doing 3 turns around Hagg Lake (3 x 10 miles hills / rollies). After I turned out of the park, I hit some wind but it wasn't too bad and decided to head toward Bald Peak. I knew it was going to hurt and be a whole different ballgame climbing it at mile 80 vs. mile 10 into a ride but, again, wanted to go long and hurt.

Hurt I did

I hit a bad patch right before the climb (this point it was mile 81 into the ride) and not sure if the bad patch was just the climb hurting or if I was really not feeling it. In any case, the 4.5 mile climb to the top HURT....I felt like Landis on the day of his spectacular mega-bonk....luckily I never fell over but alot of standing / suffering on the slooooow climb. I was really glad to see the top of that mountain and once I refueled a bit and sucked down some hammergel, I came back to life. I ended up descending down Laurelwood and riding out the back toward Hagg Lake again. I was entertaining the thought of doing one more loop around the hilly lake but decided that I was already hitting some serious mileage so turned it around and hammered home. At this point about 6.25 hrs into the ride and the energy was good. I was able to push it all the way home and rolled in after 7.5 hours in the saddle.

After a quick change into some running gear, I headed out for my run. I was really curious on how it would go. Always nice to head out for a run after a looong bike because it will make any fueling mistakes that you made on the bike painfully evident real soon. I was very lucky in that I seemed to nail the nutrition on_this_ particular_ ride. I didn't have the typical bloated feel that I've suffered thru in several IM races where I was overly cautious about taking in calories (taking too many) and suffered with some stomach issues on the run. I really think the key is to come off the bike a little bit hungry/under-fueled so that you will actually be able to eat / fuel on the run.

After the typical 5 minute baby-step shuffle off the bike, I found my run legs and felt surprisingly good after such a long day. I ended up running 8 miles over an out and back course with headwind and a trip climbing up and over the "3 bitches" on the way back......the hills never seemed that bad before but after such a long day, those hills killed. I ended up averaging 8 min / miles so pretty happy with that...especially after such a long and hilly bike.

Brick Workout Stats
8:34:02 Total Time

Bike
7:29:42
130.4 Miles Total
17.4 MPH Ave
136 HR Ave

Run
1:04:20
8.0 Miles
154 HR

Sunday
I was planning a "longish" ride around 3.5-4 hrs and by the time I was ready to roll out I was VERY SURPRISED to find it pouring outside. Where in the hell did that rain come from!?!? I went upstairs threw on my waterproof jacket and started getting my cyclocross bike ready for the ride since it had fenders on it. Of course, right when I was getting ready to head out again, it stopped raining....aaarghhh!! I ended up grabbing my tri-bike and taking off the jacket and heading out....the roads were wet and I was getting sprayed but it sure beat riding the "rain-bike". The joy was short-lived though because, along with the friggen rain, I hit some serious wind. I mean serious as in pushing a gear into the wind while in your aero-bars at 14-15 mph wind.

*NOT FUN*

After the long day in the saddle Saturday, I just didn't have the strength, mentally, to fight the wind all day so I cut it short and headed home. Heat....Rain....Wind....weather is really doing some strange things up here....

Bike Stats
2:48 Total Time
50.1 Miles
17.9 MPH Ave
123 HR Ave

Now it's time to absorb some of this fitness.....If only I had an extra month of training before IMC...where do the days go!?!

Breathe Deep

*Peace*

Forecast = Epic

2006-07-28T22:31:00.000-07:00

The forecast for tomorrow is holding with cloudy and 75 degrees- it is just screaming epic workout so hopefully nothing gets in the way of me pulling some serious saddle time. I better get to bed here soon so I won't be thrashed from the get go!

Today was a pretty good day.....I had a nice swim at lunch and met Steven after work for some burgers and beers at the Roadhouse. Nice to relax and have a chat vs. trying to hang on to his wheel or maintain his run pace! ;-) He also gave me a sneak peak at his bike porn....looks like his 07 race season is lining up very nicely already.

After dinner, I was motivated to work off that mushroom burger, fries and beer so went for a rolling / hilly run. Hopefully it did the trick!

Workout Stats

Lunch Swim
59 minutes
3250 Yards
1 x 1500 Free
1 x 250 TI drills
1 x 1500 Free

Run
59:41
7.6 Miles
150 HR Ave

No couch surfing this weekend- make your adventures happen!!

*Peace*

Slacker Updates

2006-07-28T00:09:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's official- I am a blog slacker....I have good intentions everytime I update my blog but then one day rolls into the next and I fall off the map.....again.

Definitely a lot happening since my last update....

FLoyd Landis....what can I say....hopefully it gets sorted out and he is found innocent. The flip side would be horrible for cycling and the TDF....

Finally a reprieve from the "hell-like" heat also....the weekend temps may top out in the high 70's and I am planning to GO BIG....30 days out from IM Canada and all of a sudden this whole race has become frighteningly real for me. I have put together some solid training lately but there were periods in April / May / June where the training was pretty spotty. Whatever, I'll give it a go and if I blow up....then so be it!

Training updates

Tuesday
Lunch Run HOT
45:36 Total Time
37:58 (5 mile Tualatin Park Loop)
7:38 (1 mile on chip trail)
HR 150 Ave

Post-work Bike Stats
1:32 Total Time
29.5 Miles
19.3 MPH Ave
138 HR

Wednesday

Lunch Swim Stats
1 x 3000 Yrds Alternating Easy / Steady
52 minutes

I was dreading my long run all day for some reason....maybe the volume is taking its toll but I was not feeling the running love and made every excuse before I finally headed out the door at 7:30pm....of course my slacker ways had me out running until 10 friggen pm....the only consolation was that it was cooler out after 9pm. The hills in the last 30 minutes also SUCKED.
Thank you IPod for getting me through this long one....hopefully only a couple more long ones before the race

Run Stats
2:26 Total Time
18 Miles
152 HR Ave

Thursday
Post-work Bike Stats
Legs were a bit beat after the long run so took it a bit easier on the bike which worked well with all the WIND tonight. One of the few rides up here where I actually had to do the white-knuckle death grip and wrestle the bike to keep it on the road.....high cadence spinning into the wind and hammering whenever i had the wind at my back....ended up going out a bit too far and was racing the last bit of sunlight home.....made it in at 9:05 pm....I really need to cut that shit out.....not good being out on the roads so late.......and dare I say it?.....it was actually a bit chilly with the wind out there.....triple digit temps are overrated....hopefully we won't be seeing them again anytime soon

Bike Stats
2:15 Total Time
42.1 Miles
18.7 MPH Ave
127 HR Ave

FORECAST CALLS FOR EPIC RIDING THIS WEEKEND.....break yourself off a chunk!

*Peace*

Heat Training........SUCKS

2006-07-24T23:08:00.000-07:00

After climbing for probably 20+ of the 65 mile ride on Saturday, I had a real hard time getting motivated to go for a long ride on Sunday. Ryoji was leaving that day, though, and we figured we should share one more brutal day in the saddle. We rolled out at 7:20 am and it was already 83 degrees and getting hotter by the minute. No cloud cover today just bright blue skies and nowhere to hide.

After all the climbing the day before, we decided to skip our usual Bald Peak climb to ride around the rolling farmlands before heading to Hagg Lake. We did try our hand at exploring some of the back roads before we hit Hagg but ran right into a STEEP climb and after getting to the top of that mother, we decided to lick our wounds and turn around for Hagg. By this point it was pretty darn hot. Not sure if we were going loopy from the heat but we decided to do two loops around Hagg Lake and the heat literally baked us on the climbs.

Highlights from Hagg Lake:

- Stopping at one of the restrooms to douse our jerseys with water only to have them baked dry within 10 minutes.
- Getting passed by a cyclist wearing baggy basketball shorts. This was on a climb and he obviously wasn't out for a long ride but just funny having him stick it to us on a climb. We were taking it easy and he was working to pass us so we let him have his victory. He then had to stand and hammer each subsequent climb to stay ahead of us....while we really weren't working at all. All this in 100 degree temps...we finally pulled over for a bathroom break because we didn't want to see him keel over.....why do people do that!?!

Once we left Hagg, it just got hotter and hotter...... Chris had described cycling during a hot day as "riding into a blow dryer" and we were definitely feeling it today. Still was able to push the last hour into the heat / wind so feel like the fitness is coming around. Of course, didn't do much for the rest of the day except for replenishing fluids and veggin out. Nothing like the heat to suck all of the motivation out of you.....glad that it looks like it is turning around here soon...temps are dropping FINALLY!!

Sunday *friggen hot* Bike Stats
101.3 Miles
5:45 Total Time
17.7 MPH Ave
127 HR Ave

Monday
Today was another hot one and it felt really good to get in a recovery swim INDOORS and avoid the heat. The legs were feeling it a bit after all that bike volume on the weekend.

Swim Stats
3000 Yards Total
54 Minutes
1 x 2000 Free
1 x 250 TI Drills
1 x 500 Free
1 x 250 TI Drills

Post-work, had plans of running but after doing a bunch of errands and still seeing the temp stuck at 94degrees, I decided to skip it.

I seriously hope you all aren't melting out there....and to the peeps on the left coast who are dealing with heat AND humidity....I must bow down....I don't know how you do it....seriously.

*peace*

Gorge Ride......Final

2006-07-22T23:18:00.000-07:00

Mike how was the ride??

At the peak after a solid 1:20 of climbing...good tempo / effort, we flew by several people in the last 2-3 miles of the climb

Overall, the ride was great. BEAUTIFUL scenery, great friends and the heat wasn't really an issue. Got in around 6K of climbing so will definitely be moving a bit slow during the beginning of the ride tomorrow!

Bike Stats
4:08
65.7 Miles
15.9MPH Ave
133 HR Ave

*Peace*

Columbia Gorge Ride Cont'd

2006-07-22T22:58:00.000-07:00

Ryoji climbing on the way back to Crown Point....notice how I got the porto-potty in the shot...that takes skill

Climbing....climbing....look at that scenery....

more climbing.....

Here's the turnoff to Larch Mountain....notice the sign...14 miles of SOLID Climbing to the top....also notice how my "friends" Steven and Ryoji waited for me.....we kept a pretty good tempo with the three of us working side by side.....great road with very minimal car traffic...we got passed by maybe 3-5 cars on the whole way up......

14+ miles of this all the way to the top...beautiful

Columbia Gorge Ride

2006-07-22T20:39:00.000-07:00

Steven really outdid himself today in his "Cycling Tour Guide" role. We ended riding for 4 VERY scenic hours in the Columbia Gorge today. As planned, we rolled out really early and we were cycling by 7am.

I've never ridden in the Gorge but based on what Steven had told me, I brought the ole camera with me.....the Japanese blood in me....what can I say. Actually was pretty fun and I was able to practice my skills with the JRA (just riding along) shots....not too bad if I say so myself. Thank God I didn't go down or take anyone down in the process! ;-)

It actually wasn't too bad heat-wise, the majority of the ride was covered by a beautiful canopy of trees. aaaaah...the beauty of Oregon.....take a look

This shot was taken during a quick stop at Crown Point. We started down at sea level by the river so you can see we got a good dose of climbing to this point. We then descended back down to the river on our way to Multnomah Falls.

Steven pulling the train. This is on the descent from Crown Point to Multnomah Falls....empty roads, beautiful tree cover....doesn't get much better than this....

Me doing the tourist pose at Multnomah- we got here early before the crowds showed up. Quick stop to refill bottles then it was time to turn around and head back UP to Larch Mountain via Crown Point.

Steven and Ryoji...say cheeeeze.....I pulled the camera out of my pocket, hammered past them and was able to turnaround and get the shot without crashing....nice

To be continued in the next post......

Catching Up

2006-07-21T21:29:00.000-07:00

I apologize for my lack of posting lately. Between training, catching the Tour, and work- I have been buried. The training has been going well. I currently have a couple friends visiting from Cali and one of them is a cyclist so we have spent the last week burying each other on the hills around my hood.....fun stuff.

Training Updates

Friday 7/14
1.5 Hr Bike Easy
25 Miles
121 HR

Saturday 7/15
6.75 Hr HILLY Bike
104.8 miles
15.5 MPH Ave
135 HR Ave

This ride was BRUTAL (note pedestrian ave speed) - it ended up being pretty ridiculous as we hit every hill in town and it just ended up being a climbing suffer-fest. All we could do in the end was laugh though.....a couple of 17-18% grades will do that to you. Nothing like a violent ascent to rip your legs off.

Bald Peak (climbed both sides)
Chehalem BRUTAL
Laurelwood BRUTAL (see pics)
Hagg Lake
Blooming Fern

My friend Ryoji claiming it- this is the bottom half of Laurelwood..STEEEEEEP

Me at the top of Laurelwood, post-climb. I made sure to wipe away the tears before the shot!

Sunday 7/16
4.5 Hr Bike
66.7 Miles
15.4 Ave Speed

Sunday was another climb-fest. We didn't go out as long but we hit some of the same climbs including the 17-18% Laurelwood, Bald Peak, Hagg Lake, and Blooming Fern. Ouch - nuff said

Monday 7/17
Swim
3000 Yrds
54 Minutes

Run
1 Hr
7.4 Miles
149 HR

Tuesday 7/18
Run
45 minutes
6 miles
152 HR

Bike Easy Spin
1.75 Hrs
28 Miles
115 HR

Wednesday 7/19
Run Long
2:33
18.4 Miles
154 HR Ave

Thursday 7/20
Run - HOT
40:46 Minutes
5 Miles
16:11 (2 miles)
16:15 (2 miles)
8:19 (1 mile)
152 HR

Bike- windy
felt ok considering all the volume and long run yesterday- felt good pushing into the wind
2:11
42.1 Miles
19.3 Ave Speed
129 HR Ave

Friday 7/21
Swim
53 Minutes
3000 Yards Total
1 x 2000 Free
1 x 250 TI drills
1 x 500 Free
1 x 250 TI drills
I was planning on doing 1 x 3000 but bonked near the end of the 2000. Note to self- eat lunch before working out!

We are right in the middle of a major heatwave up here. Driving home from work today, my temp gauge in the car was registering an outside temp of 105!! Nuts.....it really sucks the motivation right out of you. I was planning on riding after work but decided against it since the hottest temps were right around 5pm.....Tomorrow should be a great day of riding thanks to Steven. He is going to drag us around the hills in the Columbia Gorge and we are leaving early to beat the HEAT.

Have a great weekend- be safe out there.

*Peace*

Blah Blah Blaaaah

2006-07-13T22:38:00.000-07:00

The days are flying by this week but happy to report that I'm still getting out there and getting my daily dose of endorphins.

Wednesday almost seemed like a carbon copy of Tuesday. It was 2:15 before I could surface for a breath but I decided I was going to get in a workout today rather skip it and kick myself about it later. It ended up being a short one one, but every second counts.

Wednesday Swim Stats
2500 Yards Total
44 Minutes
1 x 1000 Free
1 x 250 TI Drills
1 x 1250

Post work, I had a long run planned but definitely wasn't too motivated to get out there after a long day. Also, I had just ran a 20 miler on Saturday. I ended up getting it done but it was tough mentally. The legs went surprisingly well though. No, I don't typically do long runs 3 days apart but trying to get myself on the right schedule where I hit the long run mid-week and can focus on heavy cycling volume on the weekend.

I was spinning circles around some pretty desolate farmland up here and dodging the occasional car. I'm really glad I had my Ipod to keep me company......REALLY GLAD.

Wednesday Run Stats
2:28 Total Time
18.4 Miles Total
152 HR Ave

Today, had lunch plans so the big donut in the lunch workout category. I did get in a ride/run post-work though. I really need to work on getting out there earlier. I was rolling out at 7:10pm for my ride. A lot of wind out there so I made it a point to spin in an easier gear into the headwinds / false flats - rollies. I tried to keep it on the flats for the majority of the ride.

I really didn't want to push it after the long run the day before. The legs felt pretty good. I decided to get in a transition run off the bike and after an ugly start the legs came around. I put it on auto pilot and was able to reel off 7:30's for a solid 30 minutes....overall a nice workout. Hopefully my legs won't protest too much tomorrow!

Thursday Bike / Run
Bike
1:30
27.8 Miles
18.5 MPH Ave
133 HR

Run
30 min
4 Miles
148 HR Ave

Keep the love alive peeps!

*Peace*

Tomorrow Becomes Today.....

2006-07-11T22:13:00.000-07:00

Where does the time go...seems like I blink and one day is already rolling into the next....

After crawling out the hole I dug myself into on Sunday, I felt surprisingly "ok" on monday...not great, but I didn't feel like doody either. I decided to re-acquaint myself with the pool. My love / hate relationship with the pool....*sigh*....I plan to start hitting some longer swims. I was reviewing some old training schedules from Coach KP and totally forgot I was actually doing 1.5 hr swim workouts 3 times a week in my ramp-up to Canada, years past...OOF!

I think the goal was to gain additional aerobic bennies without killing yourself on the bike / run. Also, to put in enough volume so I didn't feel any fatigue exiting the swim. It allowed me to split a 1:04 which is HUGE for a non-swimmer like me. Probably had a lot to do with the swim conditions in Canada....those lakes up there are like swimming pools....CLEAR and perfect for drafting.....oooh, but i digress....all that buildup for my measly 45 minute workout stats....

Monday Swim Stats
45 Minutes Total
2500 Yards:
5 x 500

Post work, decided to give my legs a test...alot of volume on the weekend but they were feeling much better and the mysterious pain in my left heel wasn't an issue. I'm sure I looked like crap but once I got my legs under me, it wasn't too bad.

Monday Run Stats
1 hour (rolling / hills)
7.4 Miles total
151 HR Ave

Today, I got tied up at work so was unable to get in a run at lunch

F$!#! F%$#@!! F#%$@!! Ok, not too happy about that....

Also, lolly-gagging, post work, had me rolling out for my bike at 6:40 pm....I was leaning toward doing a recovery type spin but my legs felt pretty fresh. Kept it aerobic but threw in multiple BIG gear intervals. False flats and into the wind with no complaints from the ole legs....nice ride. The only bummer was that I rode out a bit too far and ended up heading home as it started getting dark. Not completely dark but I didn't feel too comfortable out there. I was very glad when I finally hit home at 9pm.

Tuesday Bike Stats
2:17 Total Time
45.7 Miles Total
19.8 MPH Ave
141 HR Ave

Be careful out there...always ride defensively!!

*Peace*

Sometimes You're The Hammer.....

2006-07-09T20:11:00.000-07:00

and sometimes you're the nail. This weekend I was definitely the nail. My workouts kicked my sorry ass all up and down the 503. I guess that's how I roll....

On Friday, a co-worker and I started discussing how we both weren't feeling too great.....not bad enough to bail on work but just not 100%. Of course It didn't stop me from running at lunch....I figure just the blahs...what the hell, it's a nice day....go run!
The run was actually ok....a loop around the nature reserve and 1 loop around the campus.

Friday Run Stats
54:12 Total Time
7 miles total
38:35 - 5 miler
15:37 - 2 miler
156 HR Ave

Saturday, I had planned on going for a long run but when I finally rolled over, after going back and forth with the snooze button, it was 9:30am. I hate heading out on a long ride late. It just seems tougher mentally when you are rolling out at 10 / 11am vs. 7am. I switched up my training and figured I would hit my long run today and do a long bike early on Sunday....If I had a crystal ball, I would have went on the long bike, as planned.

It was already getting pretty warm so I decided to run in Forest Park. At least there you get to run under a beautiful canopy of trees that also keeps you out of the blaring sun for the majority of the run.. I started my run around 11:30 and was seriously doubtful regarding my planned 20 miler since I have been severely lacking in any runs over an hour lately. I did the 1/2 mary during Pac Crest but other then that, I have been rolling with runs typically in the 45 minute - hour range....not good. I got my ass kicked...what seemed easy, effort-wise, even uphill on the way out, sucked on the way back even with the gravity assist....also, the telltale heart rate drift as I started getting in the 2+ hr category. I think some of it had to do with the heat this day but I know my lack of long runs played a major part. Also, to add injury to insult...my left foot is acting up a bit in the heel....aaargh! I need to make sure and get some long ones under my belt in the next 4-5 weeks!

Since there are 1/4 mile pole markers along the route, I hit my mile splits...nice way to keep you motivated on a long one...my goal was to run right around an 8 min long run pace or stay in low Z2 HR...this worked out but with the hills / heat / lack of long runs, my HR did creep into High Z2 / Low Z3 at the tail end on the hills.

Saturday Run Stats
Forest Park
20 miles
2:39:55 Total Time
164 HR Ave
Mile Splits:
1. 7:52 11. 8:11
2. 7:47 12. 7:56
3. 7:40 13. 8:05
4. 8:11 14. 8:43
5. 7:59 15. 8:01
6. 8:00 16. 7:35
7. 7:59 17. 8:15
8. 7:57 18. 7:58
9. 7:56 19. 8:07
10. 7:58 20. 7:37

I hit the trainer for a recovery spin in the evening....just rode the computrainer in ergo-mode with it in an easy gear at 125 Watts / high cadence

Saturday Bike – Recovery Spin
1 Hour
15.6 Miles
101 Cadence
125 Watts
122 HR

So for some friggen reason, I don't know why....I was WIRED Saturday night...couldn't sleep...I started reading "Lance Armstrong's War"...a pretty interesting read...and almost finished the whole book.....i did see the clock ticking over at 2:45am so things didn't look good for an early start on the bike.

I didn't get out on the bike until 11:30 *surprise!?!*....long day, wind, hills, heat, dehydration...you always hit bad patches during the long ones and this was no different although my bad patch lasted from mile 35-102! ;-) Seriously, I didn't feel great on the bike....the hills just seemed steeper today...probably due to the long run yesterday and a bit of dehydration...although I didn't realize it during the bike until I was near the end. I just got an overwhelming sense of thirst once I was done and couldn't get enough water in me. After ingesting what seemed like a gallon of water and also a protein / fruit shake, I weighed myself and was still down 2.5 pounds from my weight pre-ride. Not Good!! Hydrate People!! I Probably wasn't hydrated properly post-run yesterday and carried that into the bike today. Not a good thing when you are rolling out at 11:30 into a HOT day. For the hills, I hit Bald Peak, Hagg Lake and Blooming Fern road.....surprised I didn't fall over on the climbs I was going so slow...serious suck on my ave speed but figure these long ones are about time in the saddle.....

*Next week, I am going long.....and it is on!!*

Sunday Bike Stats
102.8 Miles
6.0 Hours Total Time
17.1 MPH Ave
136 HR Ave

I hope you all had a great weekend!

*Peace*

Hump Day

2006-07-05T21:16:00.000-07:00

It's feeling like a Monday but thank God it's Wednesday. I felt "off" the whole day today....I can seriously get used to these 4 day weekends. I'm looking forward to hitting my last serious block of training for IM Canada. I'm not sure what I can pull out of the hat here in the next 6-7 weeks but figure I am going to spend a ton of time going long. Having said that, I didn't do too much in the last couple of days. Yesterday I didn't get a chance to get on the bike until 5:30 pm which limited my saddle time but I was still able to salvage a decent ride.

Tuesday Bike Stats
2:34 Total Time
49.5 Miles
19.4 MPH Ave
136 HR Ave

Today got out for a lunch time run and went for 3 loops around the campus trail. Pretty uneventful run until the third lap when i came around a blind corner and almost got ran over by Dan Browne heading at a pretty good clip coming the other direction. The link is to an interview with Dan by Duncan Larkin. If you have the time, you should read the interview and visit Duncan's blog...definitely one of the better blogs out there regardless of what he is writing about.

The rest of the lap I was pretty careful coming around any blind curve because I didn't want to be known as the guy who ended up having a head-on collision with DB. Although in my defense, I was running on the "right" side of the trail.

Wednesday Run Stats
44:45 Total Time
6 miles Total
3 x 2 miles:
15:13
15:04
14:27
156 HR Ave

That's all I got....

*Peace*

Busy Weekend

2006-07-03T23:35:00.000-07:00

Saturday
What a busy weekend! My girly Deb was in town for the long weekend so we spent the time exploring Portland and beyond. She was nice enough to spend a few, 1, 3 hours at the Nike Store on Saturday which allowed me to get in a ride. Since I wasn't planning on being out for a long one, I made sure to ramp up the hill factor and make it a tough ride. I climbed Bald Peak, Unger, Blooming Fern (both ways) before circling on the flats for awhile and heading home....the topper was that it was 90++ the whole time.....nice ride.

Sat Bike Stats
54.5 Miles Total
16.5 MPH Ave
3.25 Hours
145 HR Ave

After dinner, Deb let me slip out again for another workout - what a sweetheart!...or maybe she was tired of me!?! ;-) In any event, I was just glad that it had cooled a bit so ran about 6 miles over a rolling course.

Run Stats
~6 Miles
45 minutes
157 HR Ave

Sunday
We didn't get in any workouts but spent the day exploring the Pearl District in Portland. Nice to do a little window shopping and definitely got in more then a several miles with all the walking. Portland is a great town to explore on foot...if you ever make it for a visit, bring a comfortable pair of shoes.

Monday
I've been wanting to hike the Eagle Creek Trail ever since I've moved here and this seemed like the perfect weekend to give it a go. The link above has some great pics of the trail and the many waterfalls along its route. Deb and I got off to a late start but, thankfully, the high temps didn't end up in the miserable range. We loaded up and hit the Columbia Gorge and got a veiw of some great scenery on the way to the trailhead. We passed the big one, Multnomah Falls, which is visible off the highway...luckily I was able to keep the car on the freeway as I shot a long glance at the falls.

Eagle Creek was awesome...some of the hiking was VERY sketchy though as you skirt the edge of a cliff without any gaurdrail but you have to live on the edge sometimes right!!? Here are some pics from the day....

Not sure when this was taken but must have been early as we were heading into the canyon...alot of coverage on this trail which was nice....didn't have to deal with the sun beating down on us mercilessly for the whole duration....

Is this beautiful or what!?

I think this was the second major waterfall on the hike

After a solid 1.5 hours of sweaty hiking, Deb and I were still smiling (see pics from turnaround point below).....you should of seen us at the 3 hour mark though...it wasn't all smiles then! ;-) We actually spent alot of time goofing on each other as we seemed to keep stubbing our shoes on any rock that was sticking up out of the trail as we hiked further along...several close calls and late recoveries so nice to report we didn't end up falling down or worse, falling off the trail ledges.......

Deb flashing her beautiful smile.....

Me wishing I had a cold drink...

Strange how I have no problems running for several hours but hiking really kicked my butt today...I'd have to call it a solid aerobic workout.
Also, Oregon is BEAUTIFUL.....don't take nature's gifts for granted people...appreciate the beauty *always*.

Hope you all had a great weekend and Happy Fourth!!

Almost forgot...here is a link to a couple race pics from The Pacific Crest 1/2 Iron...funny how, in the bike pic, I am almost as white as the snow on the mountains behind me!

*Peace*

Tagged

2006-06-30T19:43:00.000-07:00

By the time I snapped out of my zombie-like state and peeled myself away from my computer at work it was 2pm. I looked out the window and could tell it was going to be a hot one but wanted to get my run in. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to do in 90+ temps but I figured it would provide a dehydrative (is that a word) effect and at least nudge the scale the right way.

I ended up running the chip trail around campus for a total of 6 miles before I shut it down. It was hot! Just me and one gal out there and the only consolation was that she looked like she was really suffering out there.....made me gut out another lap when I saw her face...sheez. Some of you gals are tough!!

Run Stats *HOT*
48:09 Total Time
3 x 2 miles:
15:55
16:08
16:03
161 HR Ave

I was also tagged by Habeela.....let's jump right in!

What are the next 5 shiny things you hope to buy?
Alot of wishful thinking here but the key word is "Hope" to buy....If i'm throwing hope into the equation, I'm going BIG!!! ;-)
1. Steeeellaaaaaaah!!!
2. Scott Plasma
3. Flat Panel LCD TV
4. Nike T-Speed Tri
5. A nice toaster or toaster oven - I've been on the bagel train lately

Describe your favorite running shirt.
Love all my dri-fit nike shirts but my fave shirt would have to be my half-zip fitted Nike Pro long sleeve. If i'm wearing it, it would happen to be my favorite running conditions: 50's- low 60's, cloudy and perfect for a long run.

What is your favorite part of racing?
It would have to be heading down the finish chute in the last 25 yards of an Ironman race- the highs and lows of the day, the pain, the fatigue are all erased when you hit that carpet for the final stretch. It truly is magic and keeps me coming back for more.

What are your top three running songs.
this is a tough call...I wouldn't be able to limit it to a "top three" but here are a couple that keep me shuffling along....your mileage may vary.
1. The Last Goodbye - Jeff Buckley
2. Munich - Editors
3. Touched - VAST
4. Hell Yes - Beck.......Ok, I can't count but Beck belongs on any top three list right?

Pick 2 sponsors.
1. Nike- a one stop sponsor for everything..shoes / clothing/ timing / vision, etc
2. Coffee People - Unlimited supply of free mochas...yes yes yes!!

What do you think about right before you fall asleep?
Typically, it revolves around how I am going to go to bed before 12-1am *tomorrow* or calculating how few hours of shut-eye I am getting.....I need to work on my night-owlish ways.

Ok...my turn....hmmm, who has time this week......how about:
Cliff (he's tapering so should have some time)
Mike (he's taking some well deserved R&R - read his race report if you haven't, great stuff)
Tammy - She's really busy with two jobs but since those jobs are Cycling coach and Adidas Run Leader, I have no sympathy for her time constraints....you be tagged!

Everybody have a SAFE and happy 4th....don't take anything for granted and appreciate your "gifts".

*Peace*

Pacific Crest 1/2 Ironman

2006-06-26T19:44:00.000-07:00

It's been 1yr & 10 months since I actually toe'd the line at a triathlon so nice to finally get that monkey off my back. After a sputtering start, it was nice to see that I basically remembered how to do this stuff. My race performance wasn't where I wanted it to be but I need to really step back and keep it in perspective. I did not taper for this race at all and had 18.5 & 20.5 hrs of training in the last two weeks, pre-race so understandable that I wouldn't be firing at 100%. I probably over -did the cycling in the week pre-race since 15 of those 20.5 hrs were cycling.

Having said that, it still really messed with my head for awhile. Not a good thing when you have an Ironman in two months. The Pac Crest course (climate, hills, etc) is VERY similar to the IM Canada course and I kept thinking how I wouldn't be happy if my IMC finish time was a simple doubling of my Pac Crest time. I am hoping the volume had something to do with my performance *or lack thereof*.

The Race
They do things a bit differently in these parts. The race started at 9am for starters and the racks were co-ed based on age group. I didn't mind the racks but the start time didn't bode well with the heat we were expecting later on. Steven and his wife, Karen, were nice enough to let me tag along for a ride on race morning. I did wake up early and get in my typical pre-race breakfast of 3 bottles of chocolate Ensure. I then had another while in transition before the swim start. It was a very relaxing morning. I didn't have any pre-race nerves and just spent the time waiting for our waves to start. Soon it was that time and Steven and I wished each other well and went our separate ways. He was starting in a wave 5 minutes behind me.

1.2 Mile Swim
37:04 (1:45 pace / 100)
154 HR Ave
Rank 227 / 588
T1 4:16

I did not have any pre-race warmup in the swim besides 2-3 strokes just to make sure my goggles weren't leaking. This gave me the opportunity to realize that it was going to be a harder swim to get a nice draft since the visibility was limited to several feet. I lined up aggressively on the inside buoy. I got this tip from a swimmer friend of mine who stated that most people think that this would be a tough start position and end up going wide. After the gun went off, I did get jostled a bit but settled into what was a either a "too-fast" pace or the wetsuit choking me but I started hyperventilating about 200yrds into the swim.....F&$!#...I flipped to backstroke to get some extra breaths in but had a hard time getting control of my breath and had to slow way down. Not a good thing right at the start. Also, I kept trying to catch a fast pair of feet but really difficult to sight, etc in the murky water. I pretty much gave up on getting a draft and just settled in on getting it done. I got it done very slooooooooooow.

I did a quick calculation of doubling my swim time for IM Distance upon exiting and was not happy. I immediately let it go though and focused on the transition.

When I got to my bike rack, I bent over to strip off my wetsuit and when I flexed my right calf, I immediately got rocked by a serious calf cramp soon followed by a cramp in my left calf. This basically had me on my ass in transition as I worked on straightening out my legs to relief the cramps which, in turn, made taking off the wetsuit pretty difficult. I'm sure it must have looked pretty funny as everyone else around me was making the switch without any issues. Somehow I got it done and got all my gear packed into the provided trashbag (point to point race so we had to have all our gear bagged in T1). The only good thing in transition was getting an encouraging shout out from Karen as I headed out on the bike- it's always nice to have a friendly face in the crowd (Thanks Karen!!).

58 Mile Bike
2:57:43 (19.58 MPH Ave)
158 HR Ave
Rank 194/588
T2 4:34

The bike course was 58 miles vs. the typical 56 mile 1/2 iron distance. I loved the bike course. It is very similar to IM Canada with some solid hills and rollers and the scenery was great. I immediately noticed the effects of the recent training volume though when I didn't have that fresh snap in the legs. Definitely a lack of power on the false flats or hills but I kept it rolling. The actual hills weren't too bad since Steven has dragged me up much worse in our regular training rides around our hood. The only difference being the race course was at 4k elevation climbing to 6.4K to Mt. Bachelor. The climbs up Batchelor were pretty slow for me and killed my average speed- I didn't feel like I could push it at all. This was evident in my average heart rate for the ride. I would have expected it to be in the mid 160's but it only averaged 158. Once we reached the summit of Batchelor, we had some rocking downhills to the base- I pushed it here to gain some time back but ran out of course too soon and ended up with just an average bike split. I rolled it into transition and was met by Karen again with a shout! That got me thinking about Steven....I was surprised he hadn't caught me yet. I had an awfully slow transition that included a bathroom pit stop and headed out on the run. At this point, it was in the high 80's....not a good thing.

Run (Death March)
1:48:11 (8:15 pace / mile)
170 HR Ave
Rank 88 / 588

I knew it was going to be a long day once I started running as I headed out of transition. At this point the sun was just blazing and I was melting out there. Just focus on a steady smooth cadence...breathe....I hit mile 1 in about 7:30 and kept it rolling through mile 2 in 15:07. I was actually passing people here which kept me pretty motivated but ended up hitting some technical difficulties around the mile 5 point. I was still making good time but walked through an aid station and it felt so good.....I kept walking. I was kinda embarrassed as the course winds through the residential bike path in Sun River and a ton of people out on the course. I don't know why but I kept blurting out "it sure feels good to walk" as I passed these spectators. Probably the heat affecting my brain. I sucked it up though and started running again. At this point, I kept passing the same group of 3 people until I would stop at an aid station and they would catch me only for me to pass them as I started running again. I'm sure it was annoying but I had my own problems at that point. I even stopped at the Red Bull Aid Station to down a Bull but it didn't give me any friggen wings as claimed.....the "check engine" light was coming on and I had slowed way down. I think it was around the mile 9 point when some "comedian" started coming up behind me spewing out the theme from Jaws.

Well, the Jaws-theme singing racer ended up being Steven....the bastard!!

Actually it was much needed comic relief for me at that point. He tried to encourage me to run with him but no way I was matching his pace at that point. He was flying...I actually did speed up and kept him on that imaginary rubber band about 25-30 yards ahead of me until It finally snapped. Actually not sure what I was thinking trying to speed up because I got hit with a serious stitch trying to keep Steven in my radar. More walk / run / shuffle to the finish. It was a long 3 miles ....you know you are in trouble when you are walking as you hit the mile 12 sign. At that point, I wiped off all the tears streaming down my face (just kidding) and ran her in. What a friggen ugly run. I'm surprised it was 88th overall with all the walking I did. I would have been hurting if it was an IM distance race and I still had 13 to go....not a comforting thought. I was really glad to see that finish line though.....what a day.

5:31:48 Finish Time
114 / 588 Overall
26 / 91 Mens 35-39 Age Group

Overall, I guess things could have been worse. I just need to keep things in perspective. This wasn't my A-race and I didn't taper for it. Still it definitely affected me and probably not a good idea to race the 1/2 iron distance without a proper taper ...especially if you have an IM race coming up soon.....this definitely was NOT a confidence-building performance.

I gotta throw a shout out to my training partner Steven though...he rocked his A-race (5:16) with a 10 place finish in his age-group that included the 20th overall fastest run split of the day (1:35)! NICE!

2 months until the big one.....let's keep it rolling!

*Peace*

Late Workout

2006-06-20T22:57:00.000-07:00

I dropped off my bike at the local shop to get it race ready...hopefully she'll be ready to go tomorrow. I have no experience with this shop and chose it based on convenience / location but have heard good things...keeping my fingers crossed.

Today was another day in my "non-taper". Since I was dragging my feet after work, I didn't get on the bike until 6:45pm....it was really sunny out but some strong wind whipping around out there and it was a bit nippy to boot. I ended up taking out the roadbike for a spin....forget how comfortable and efficient the road position is after being stretched out in the aero position on a tri-bike. It was definitely a nice change. I forgot to put a computer on my bike so not sure of my stats but got about 2 hrs in and a mini-run off the bike. The legs (quads) are a bit sore from the long ride last weekend. Hopefully they come around before the race this weekend!

Pretty cool to finish a workout at 9pm and still have some light out. I love Summer.

Bike Stats
1:55 Total Time
132 HR Ave

Transition Run
13:50 Total Time
2 miles
6:55 / mile pace

*Peace*

Race Gear Mishaps

2006-06-19T21:32:00.000-07:00

I finally took the time to rummage through all my junk for the little race this weekend and started having some technical difficulties.

Let's see circa 2004 old-school racing singlet / shorts- check. Well...semi-check. Had to give it the ole test run and let's just say, it ain't pretty. I got about an extra five lbs on my carcass since the Boston Marathon and the sausage casing race gear is squeezing it out in all the wrong places. A lil junk in the trunk was not the look I was going for so something to work on before IMC in August. ;-)

Race wheels - che....what the f&#?! I took a look at my tires and found a big split on the front wheel...wouldn't be a major issue if it wasn't a tubular...shite. Now I remember getting that during IM Canada...a $90 tire ruined after one ride.....not sure if there is any way to repair it...I doubt it. You'd think a company would offer an adhesive you could squirt into a split to get some actual mileage out of an expensive tire when this happens- If anyone is aware of any fixes, let me know. I'll have to look into replacing that tomorrow. I also noticed that the rear 404 that I was planning to use had an itty-bitty 11-21 on it. My disc has an 11-25 on it but don't feel I am "disc-worthy" at the moment so will look at swapping out the cassettes too. I think I have everything else in a big pile so hopefully anything I forget will be available at the Race Expo on Friday.

With no taper to speak of, I am a bit worried about hitting this race fatigued. Especially the bike course with its HILLS at lung-bursting elevation. The race starts at 4,167 ft. and you have to climb over Mt. Bachelor at 6,405 ft- I will be sucking some serious wind out there. Plus, they tack on a couple extra miles for good measure 58 miles vs. 56. Good times I'm sure.

Today was an easy day after the big weekend. I just threw in a swim at lunch and punched the clock for the day.

Swim STats
58:30 Total Time
3000 Yards Total
1 x 1000 Free
1 x 250 TI Drills
1 x 1000 Free
1 x 250 TI Drills
1 x 500 Free

*Peace*

Flow

2006-06-18T19:27:00.000-07:00

One area of the longer ride that I am starting to dial in again is pacing. I think alot of people forget to think about their ride, in total, and hammer that first hill at mile 25 or push the big ring against strong headwinds at mile 30, etc. If you're going out for a long one, probably a good idea to think about the overall ride and what energy stores you need to leave in the bank for whatever your particular ride is going to throw at you, assuming you know the course (and you should!). If you are mashing a big gear and dropping down a gear will allow you spin...do it.

It's all about the flow and trying to work with the course. I try to soft-pedal where it makes sense (where I am getting free speed anyway) and only push when necessary. Today was a good day in the saddle. A long ride is a good way to clear you mind and make everything right with the world. It's great to focus on pedaling and getting into a groove....definitely a rolling meditation. I definitely think there would be a cooler vibe overall if more people started riding bikes.

I had good "flow" today. I really wasn't expecting to ride as long as I did since I didn't get out there until 10am. I was feeling pretty good so kept it rolling. Threw in some solid hills (4+ mile Bald Peak climb and did 2 rolling / hilly loops (2 x 10 miles) around Hagg Lake) with the remainder comprised of flat to rolling terrain. Also, a good dose of wind but focused on the fueling and had solid energy throughout the ride. It's always a good thing when you feel like you can keep pushing it at the end of a 6 hr ride vs. limping in to the finish!

Bike Stats
6:07 Total Time
108.6 Miles Total
17.7 MPH Ave
138 HR Ave

When I got home, I put on my chef's hat and made a HUGE portion of teriyaki chicken, broccoli, and rice. I just wanted to let everyone know it's not all about the Big Macs and Snickers. I try to cook a bunch and pack a couple of lunches for the coming week. So this week it will be chicken / broccoli / rice for lunch Mon/Tues....finger-licken good! Yes, I know that's a lot of white rice but with all of the training volume, figure I need as many carbs as possible...even white rice, bread, and *gasp* pasta!

Hope all you Fathers out there are enjoying your day- you deserve it. Have a good one!

*Peace*

Time Will Tell

2006-06-17T22:14:00.000-07:00

Steven and I were discussing training today on our ride and how, regardless of what training methodology you follow, you can find data backing your methods or discrediting them. The major bummer with the long course stuff is the delay in obtaining any feedback on your training. After months and months of serious training, it all comes down to that one day- pretty brutal.

Several keys to superior endurance we both agreed on were consistency and big doses of aerobic volume. I've probably been a bit lacking in both departments but doing some serious catchup. A little too late? Time will tell but, in any case, I am really enjoying the bump in volume and don't seem to have any issues with backing it up ......yet.

Friday

Run Stats
Ran at lunch and it was very humid. It felt like I was running in a sauna out there and I was melting. It didn't rain one drop for the hour I was out there but when I was getting ready to leave the gym it was POURING.....reminded me of the downpours we used to have in SoCal....I couldn't believe how hard it was coming down.

1:01 Total Time
37:56 (5 mile Tualatin Nature Park Loop)
15:34 (2 mile chip trail loop)
7:44 (1 mile)
158 HR Ave

Bike Stats
I tried to hit the gym for my regular Friday post-work swim but found out that they are shutting down the pool on Fridays at 630pm until August for Water Polo.....I didn't even realize we have a Water Polo League on campus?!?

I headed home and hit the computrainer for an easy spin...set it to 125 watts for some high cadence spinning

1:00 Total Time
125 Watts Ave
96+ Cadence

Saturday
Steven and I headed out a bit earlier for the ride today because he was heading to Eugene for his daughter's graduation. We got a good dose of hill work on the ride but kept the intensity a bit lower on the flats. Steven is in full taper mode for the Pac Crest 1/2 Iron next weekend so I'm sure he'll dole out a nice ass-kicking next week.

We also cut the duration of the ride a bit. It's funny how 3 hours seems like a short ride after getting in some serious saddle time.

Bike Stats
3:04 Total Time
50.1 Miles
16.4 MPH Ave
132 Ave HR

Transition Run
We immediately went for a run off the bike...funny but we took off at a pretty good clip and after a few minutes we both mentioned it...."hey, you're pushing it!" "I thought you were setting the tempo" "No I was following you"...we dialed it back from there but still finished in a respectable time.

Run Stats
26:26 Total Time
3.8 Miles Total
6:57 pace per mile
160 HR Ave

After I left Steven's house, I headed to the Nike Pool to get in a swim but stopped to get one of these first....nice protein and carb numbers...ignore the rest of that gobbledy-gook! ;-)

I kept the swim very aerobic....at least easier then I normally would swim. Good recovery for the legs since I plan on getting in some serious saddle time tomorrow.

Swim Stats
1:01 Total Time
3500 Yards Total
1 x 3000 Free (50:40)
1 x 250 TI Drills
1 x 250 Free

Hope you're all getting a healthy dose of endorphins this weekend!

*Peace*

Pump Up The Volume

2006-06-15T22:53:00.000-07:00

I didn't get a chance to workout at lunch so slid out of work at 5:20 to get in a bike ride tonight. It ended up being a pretty good ride even though the wind was a pain in the ass. It could have been worse though - based on the dark clouds overhead it should have been pissing down rain. Luckily, I only got a few sprinkles.

I love the extended daylight during the summer hours. I finished my ride at 8:40pm and could have probably been out there another 15 minutes without any problems....well, maybe it would have been a bit sketchy but still there is the possibility of getting in some solid bike rides during the week without having to skip out on any work responsibilities *nice*.

My legs are holding up okay based on the quick increase in volume. My training hours were approx. 18.5 last week. I was surprised that I hit 18+ since my training has been pretty spotty in the last month. Hoping there is some residual base from years past so that my body can handle the quick jump. We'll see - I plan on keeping it rolling up until the Pac Crest 1/2 IM. I'm not planning on tapering at all since I need to stuff as much aerobic volume into my system before August / IMC. I did feel a bit fatigued while pushing in the wind or on any false flats today. I'm hoping to get to bed tonight before 12:30 to work on that recovery!;-)

Bike Stats
2:25 Total Time
46.6 Miles
19.1 MPH Ave
135 HR Ave

*Peace*