rehab

I haven't mentioned it many times, to anyone, but my knee has been pretty f'd up since Ironman Canada. The Second half of the marathon that day was pure torture. It wasn't the torture of moving your body 140.6 miles in one day, but acutal pain. I ran through it. There was no way in hell I was stopping. Afterward, I didn't really run a lot leading into Clearwater. When I did run there was some pain, but it was managable. I figured it would be ok. The run at Clearwater was another exercise in pain tolerance. I ran 1:35 about 6 or 7 minutes slower than I was hoping to run. It was disappointing and afterward in each successive run the pain increased.

Finally, I went to the doctor and after deliberation it turns out it is probably my soleus creating pain at the attachment point. So I started physical therapy yesterday. I hope for a speedy recovery, but am not optimistic.

plato

I posted this on a friend's blog today. I thought it may be appropriate here as well.

From Plato's "Symposium":

'And is that which is not wise, ignorant? do you not see that there is a mean between wisdom and ignorance?’

‘And what may that be?’ I said.

‘Right opinion,’ she replied.

influenced

Recently I was asked about writers who have influenced me. I have often thought about those who have steered my thinking in various directions and wondered whether it was worth commenting on in public. After consideration, I thought it may be interesting to throw up a list.

Ordered alphabetically:

Woody Allen
Paul Bowles
Ed Burns
John Cheever
Tina Fey
Ernest Hemingway
Jack Kerouac
Norman Mailer
Cormac McCarthy
Eugene O'Neill
George Orwell
Aaron Sorkin
Gary Snyder
Hunter S. Thompson
Jose Saramago
Gary Snyder
Wallace Stevens
John Updike
William Carlos Williams

coverage

Today was the annual coverage of the Big Race on the Big Island. It was NBC's award winning coverage of Ironman Hawaii. Kona. It is the one time when our sport gets placed front and center. Where the spectrum of human experience is exhibited in one glossy, tightly wrapped, heart string pulled package. As usual, tears were abundant.

I remember watching this race in the early days, on ABC's Wide World of Sports. The coverage was different then. I wasn't a fan of the sport, just sports in general. I didn't know then what this sport would mean to me one day. I watched in amazement. Men and women torturing themselves. To a young kid this made no sense. Why would anyone do this?

That is the question. Why would anyone do this? Sacrifice so much? The answers are always varied. You could ask one thousand different triathletes and get one thousand different answers. There probably is not one unifying theory that draws us all to early morning start lines, that urges us to spend our lives in dedication. I cannot speculate on the string that ties us together. I know why I do it. Most of us do. We are a self aware group.

As the days continue to shorten, in the Pacific Northwest, in December, this day is always circled on my calendar. It is the day when one race season turns into the next. It signifies one year passing into another. Watching this race and the rain outside my window always means the beginning of that mental preparation for what lies ahead. It means a keen yearning for those long rides and runs, the morning swims, the camaraderie and the finish lines.

Let another year begin today.

promo

We don't get to see much acutal ITU style racing here, but if this video doesn't get you fired up, nothing will.

narrative

Recently I have been in a discussion with my good friend Dan about what amounts to the purpose of public discourse and how we, as individuals, can be most effective. I have long advocated a personal approach. An approach that focuses on personal narrative.

Dan, in recent times, has used his most public persona as a clearing house for information that can be mostly interpreted as apocalyptic enlightenment. Although I don't fundamentally disagree with his general thesis, (I will save that for a later post, but essentially, my outlook is less dire, more personalized and ultimately more optimistic.) I will say his approach is limited and inaccessible.

In a time where attention spans are limited and entertainment is placed at a premium our most vital attempts to influence the public discourse have to be both interesting and pertinent. We have a duty to attempt both.

The only way this can be achieved is through an experiment in personal narrative. By personalizing your thesis, you make it relevant. Although I am not and never will be an ardent supporter of organized belief of any kind, especially religion, we can learn many things from the Protestant Christian Fundamentalism movement. They have always emphasized the personal story of conversion, of acceptance, of being saved, because it serves dual purpose as evangelist tool and a rallying point of interest. It is allows the consumer to relate. They have either been converted or hope to be, in either case they can find some common ground.

Ultimately, it is being interesting that allows anyone to reach an audience. So, as a challenge, if you want massive or even spherical influence find it through a personal narrative. Find influence by understanding your intent through empirical experience and go tell it on the mountain.

congrats

Congratulations Aleck! You had a great day.

boston

The word in itself conjures all kinds of visions. It is steeped in American lore. Tea Parties. Red Sox. Fall Leaves. For many Boston means the marathon. I lived there for four years and never ran in this vaunted and special event. I did, however, participate in the state holiday portion of the day with full fervor. Patriot's Day, awe, easily my favorite day on the Boston calendar. I went to early Sox games. I cheered the great Kenyan runners down Boylston street to the finish. I drank beers in the Pour House as a symbolic anti running event. I loved it. I was witness to the American distance running resurgence in 2006. I am already, as a fan and participant in endurance sports, a former resident of Boston and a good American, exicited for 2009. Our greatest American hope has decided to particpate next year. Good Luck and Godspeed, Ryan Hall.

sophomore

Last night was the annual Ironhead Beer Mile. After I had completed my first beer and started my lap I knew I was in trouble. This sophomoric event, although great for camaraderie, leaves much to be desired in the digestive tract. All I can say is ughhh! I chose to import some Rainier Cans from Seattle. (Really they were leftover from the UW/Notre Dame massacre.) In honor of this fine beer, its rich tradition and this year's beer mile I have collected some classic Rainier commercials.

Race Report: Ironman World Championship 70.3

Ironman World Championship 70.3

Swim: 1.2 Miles
Bike:56 Miles
Run: 13.1



Wake up time as usual was early, 4:15a. I slept well. I wasn't overly nervous race morning, Just excited about the day ahead. I knew, if nothing else, I was going to have fun. As many people told me, I was going to enjoy the experience. This really set me up for a good day. Attitude is everything. Breakfast was not exotic, the standard 800 cal of Orange Endurox. I meant to have a gel before the swim, but forgot.

We arrived at the race around 530a. Warm up consisted of little more than some stretching. My heart rate was a little high all morning. It wasn’t really nerves, but more like excitement for the day. I always take the position that there is nothing I can do now, just have a good day, stay focused and have fun.

Swim

I started in the third row. The beach start was a little hectic; they didn’t really get us through the shoot and on the beach in time to jockey for ideal position. I just took what was available. I would have liked to get a little further to the front. I had to climb over some people and in the end this probably hurt my time a little. In the beginning I felt a little slow. It was probably due to the lack of a real warm up in the water. About a quarter of the way in things loosened up and I felt like I was making up some good ground. After the turn I really started to pull. Drafting was a little more difficult than I expected due to the ocean currents and waves. Any slightest wave would either move me or the person I was drafting off and it took some time to get back on.

After the turn, coming back in was difficult. There was a less than zero percent chance of seeing the finish line because of the glare. It was even pretty hard finding the next buoy. This was a little disconcerting until I was able to sight off the pier about a quarter of the way from the finish.

Swim Time: 31:25

T1

I never really know what to say about transitions. Most of mine have been realtively inconsequential (Save for Boise this year.) I probably should have started with my shoes on the bike. I couldn’t decided the best course of action the day before and am still unsure which would have been best.

Time: 3:06

Bike

I went out at a good pace. With the Causeway right near the beginning it is tough to keep the heart rate down going over it. I felt like I paced the beginning, but started to lag toward the end. Part of this was some frustration seeing large packs fly by while I felt somewhat helpless.

The bike was interesting on a lot of levels. I expected to be swept away in some peloton. I expected this to happen in the first couple miles. I expected to not have a choice; that they would sweep by and I would be caught up in its massive draft vortex. None of these assumptions were true. I didn’t really get passed by more than one person at a time until the 25 or 30 mile mark. By this time I had promised myself that no matter the situation I would stay out of the packs, ride my own race and be confident in my time. Around mile 40 or so the packs kept flying by, but I stayed out of them. I knew I was sacrificing places, but it was more important to feel good about my race when I was done.

I know that mid November on the triathlon calendar is reserved for the endless debate of drafting after the races in Panama City and Clearwater, FL. Sure there was drafting at Clearwater. There was a lot of it. I stayed out of it. I knew I wasn't going to be on the podium that day and it was more important for me to feel confident in my time. I wanted to feel like my day was exactly that, my day, not day where I would have to share any credit with the peloton screaming down the road. I don't participate in this sport for glory or podiums, but rather for the personal challenge in front of me on any given day. I can't and never will be able to change other racers approach to this sport, only approach each day with my best.

Bike Time: 2:27:09

T2

No problems. I decided to put socks on, that cost a couple seconds, but not enough to worry about.

Time: 2:16

Run

My first mile was about 6:40, so I slowed down considerably. I may have slowed down too much. I was supposed to start pushing it at mile 8, but this was the base of the Causeway bridge. I decided to wait until the top of the bridge. This kind of threw off my pacing. I probably could have pushed a little harder though out the run.

I didn’t feel like I ran into any major problems within the framework of my own race. It was important, however, to stay focused on my own race and not worry about the people passing me. I had an expectation of going 4:30. This I realized wasn’t going to happen and sort of made me loose focus. Also, my knee had some pain again at about mile 9 in the run. I really need to figure out what is going on with this. I have some assumptions and am working on getting it straightened out.

Run Time: 1:35:06

I am very happy about the PR by over 4:30, but again I think I can go considerably faster.

Finish Time/place/AG place: 4:39:09/426/84( of 126)

Thanks again to everyone. Scott, My Family, Jack and Brigitte, Most of All Dacia.

sunshine

I know many people are awaiting my race report from Clearwater. However, while in Florida I couldn't justify an afternoon inside writing while the sun is shinning outside. When I get back to Portland I may not see it again until sometime next year. I have to soak in the Gulf Coast as much as I can while I am here.

Race Report: Gresham Jazz Run 10k

I won overall today. It was a lot of fun. My sister asked me if this was the first time I had won a race. I promptly responded with, "No. I won the Middle School Mile." So It is the first time I have crossed the finish line first in about 16 years. I will take it. This year, the race's first, was very well organized and the course was tough. It was a mix of trail and neighborhood roads. Although there were not a lot of participants I can tell it will grow.

The competition was not outstanding. The Portland Marathon was last week accompanied by its family of races, consequently many of the runners who would have been at a race like this were not. My father quickly pointed out that on days like today you have little to gain, but much to loose. I am glad I didn't end up on the wrong side of that.

I wanted to run about 36 minutes, but after the first mile and its severe up hill, I knew it wasn't possible and attempted to settle into a nice rhythm. That first hill was a doozy. I had to shorten my strides to little pitter patter elf length. The last two miles were pancake flat and I just settled in and rode it home. Not much else to say.

Time: 39:54
Pace: 6:25

on record

Tomorrow is the big race on the Big Island. For the record, here are my predicitons.

Men
1. Crowie
2. Macca
3. Llanos

Women
1. Chrissy
2. Major
3. Csomor

open response

Daniel asked the other day for my thoughts on some things he had posted on his blog. I had neither the time nor direct inclination for the consideration he expects or the posts deserved. However, after some deliberation, I have decided to post not my response but the response of Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180).

What follows is ever so closely linked to what proceeds; it is not the procession of isolated events, merely obeying the laws of a sequence, but a rational continuity. Moreover, just as the things already in existence are all harmoniously coordinated, things in the act of coming into existence exhibit the same marvel of concatenation, rather than the bare fact of succession. (Book Four, 45)

Let it be clear to you that the peace of green fields can always be yours, in this, that, or any other spot; and that nothing is any different here from what it would be either up in the hills, or down by the sea, or wherever else you will. You will find the same thought in Plato, where he speaks of living within the city walls 'as though milking his flocks in a mountain sheepfold.' (Book Ten, 23)

One thing hastens into being, another hastens out of it. Even while a thing is in the act of coming into existence, some part of it has already ceased to be. Flux and change are for ever renewing the fabric of the universe, just as the ceaseless sweep of time is for ever renewing the face of eternity. In such a running river, where there is no firm foothold, what is there for a man to value among all the many things that are racing past him? It would be like setting the affections on some sparrow flitting by, which in the selfsame moment is lost to sight. A man's life is no more than an inhalation of the air and an exhalation from the blood; and there no true difference between drawing in a single breath, only to emit it again, as we do every instant, and receiving the power to breath at all, as you did yesterday at your birth, only to yield it back one day to the source from which you drew it. (Book Six, 15)

classic

Race Report: Portland Marathon 5 Miler

It was a perfect morning for running your guts out. In preparation for Clearwater I am doing a lot of speed work, which includes some shorter road races. My goals today were, first, to go under 30min. This I did not accomplish. Second, Finish top 5 in my age group. This I did. Third, and most importantly, go hard, push the limit. Achieved.

I knew this was not going to be my fastest day, after riding for three hours the day before, but I still felt like I had enough to go sub 6min pace. I was on this pace until about 300 meters from the finish. That is when I started to feel the heave reflex trigger. I knew the last minute was going to be painful, heaving every 10 or 15 steps. I was on the rivet the whole time, but luckily I did not barf. As those of you know who have done any run from downtown PDX, we had to run up the Front Street hill to Broadway. This is stupid and although it does create some separation, it does not make for a fun run. So here are the stats.

Total time - 30:17
Age Group - 2/49
Overall - 13/1239

comedy

At this point I believe it is safe to say they are one of the greatest comedic teams of all time. Seriously.

turning

Today I woke up to the news that Paul Newman had lost his battle with cancer. I will not postulate now on his importance in American Cinema and thusly his importance to American Culture and America itself, but instead, as is my want, I will leave you with some dialog from what is undoubtedly my favorite Newman movie.

from Cool Hand Luke

Luke: I can eat fifty eggs.
Dragline: Nobody can eat fifty eggs.
Society Red: You just said he could eat anything.
Dragline: Did you ever eat fifty eggs?
Luke: Nobody ever eat fifty eggs.
Prisoner: Hey, Babalugats. We got a bet here.
Dragline: My boy says he can eat fifty eggs, he can eat fifty eggs.
Loudmouth Steve: Yeah, but in how long?
Luke: A hour.
Society Red: Well, I believe I'll take part of that wager.

chrysalis

I have been plugging away at Thomas Wolfe's You Can't Go Home Again for some time now. I have thoroughly enjoyed it and can't believe I put off this task for as long as I have. I was reading last night and came across something that struck me. Below is an excerpt from the afore mentioned book, judge it as you will.

The leaders of the nation had fixed their gaze so long upon the illusions of a false prosperity that they had forgotten what America looked like. Now they saw it--saw its newness, its raw crudeness, and its strength--and turned their shuddering eyes away. "Give us back our well-worn husks," they said, "where we were so snug and comfortable." And then they tried word magic. "Conditions are fundamentally sound," the said--by which they meant to assure themselves that nothing now was really changed, that things were as they always had been, and as they always would be, forever and ever, amen.

But they were wrong. They did not know that you can't go home again. America had come to the end of something, and to the beginning of something else. But no one knew what that something else would be, and out of the change and the uncertainty and the wrongness of the leaders grew fear and desperation, and before long hunger stalked the streets. Through it all there was only one certainty, though no one saw it yet. America was still America, and whatever new thing came of it would be American.

Originally published in 1934, five years after the stock market crash of 1929.

Carrie and Daniel

September 14th was Carrie and Daniel's Wedding. It was a wonderful affair. I could tell it met all there expectations as the smiles on their faces could not be contained. It was simple, intimate and elegant. I was asked to read a short selection during the ceremony. It was nice to be included on this auspicious day. The words, an interpretation of some Hindu text, were clear and poignant. Dan is like a brother to me. In another post I believe I called him, confidant par excellence.

Which is why I should not have been surprised when I was cajoled into providing a toast during dinner, but surprised I was. His own brother had said some heartfelt words, a smattering of others had said added theirs, when both Daniel and his mother, Joy, began to give me a look signifying it was my turn. I was ill prepared. I had consumed my share of beer (a treat rarely afforded). I spoke during the service. I thought I was off the hook.

This was not the case.

Those who know me will say I never refuse the opportunity to provide my dissertation to groups large and small. I have relished it. I have pontificated on topics rare and common, great and base. I have built a reputation on being able to do so at moments notice. However, at that moment and in that climate, I was, for lack of a better word, speechless. It may have been a combination of many things, but I will say I was wrought with emotion. Few things compare with seeing your best friend with his bride on their wedding day. It makes us see how far we come, but at the same time illuminates the possibilities in front of us.

My toast was passable, but not memorable for any reason. I rambled into some of the traps invariably lining the path of these unprepared speeches but quickly evaded their most perilous snares. Those moments where great impact can be made are uncommon and without the possibility to recreated. Thanks to miracle of science, the internet provides us the opportunity to make amends. So, raise your glasses....A Toast for Carrie and Daniel.

On this day we come together, family and friends of Carrie and Dan to celebrate the commitment of their relationship, to send them on their way as their lives together begin anew. I think, like all great relationships, Carrie and Daniel provide a balance for each other that allows them to move forward with quiet and full hearts, with a sense of true love.

To the bride and groom, as they begin their lives in union. Let them have, as Denise Levertov says in her poem First Love

that endless giving and receiving, the wholeness
of that attention,
that once-in-a-lifetime
secret communion.

To Carrie and Daniel

Ironman Canada 2008 Video

My brother-in-law, Patrick, never ceases to amaze me. His humor is impecibly timed and his thoughtfulness even more so. He put together a video of IMC weekend and I can't thank him enough. It is totally sweet...Check it.

3 Hours Until Game Time. Go Huskies!

Where in the hell did the summer go? Husky game day is upon us, and the mighty Huskies travel South to Eugene for another installment of our most bitter rivalry. This season kind of snuck up on me and although I have been reading the blogs and charting Jake Locker's progress, I can't help but think this year went by quickly. I probably would have written a more in depth and unresearched analysis of this addition of Husky Football, but I have been a little preoccupied. So, instead I will go over a few things on my mind.

1. By every account this year is Ty's make or break year. Win and he keeps his job, loose and we are again looking for another coach. So let me go on the record now. I am officially in favor of Ty as Husky Coach and Moral Steward for this year and next. I know this is an unpopular sentiment. In the must win now climate of sports, it is unpopular when you don't. However, there are many factors why he should stay, and should be around next year as well. First, recruiting is already being hurt by the limbo this program finds itself in, again. Second, we don't even have an AD to hire a new coach. Third, when we do get a new AD, he/she must focus all his/her capable energy on getting the renovation done on Husky Stadium. This will be no small task and I don't want the person in position worrying about hiring a coach when they should be camping out on the steps of the capital in Olympia until they get the appropriate funding to make the stadium first class and safe. Keep Ty around, let him recruit another class, build some stability, get a new stadium, and then see what happens. He may end up winning some games. Let's not put the cart before the proverbial horse.

2. Hire an f'n AD already. Seattle is one of the most desirable places to live in the country if not the world. All the magazines and my friend Joe swear on it. (Although I have chosen pdx as a residence I spent some great years in the Emerald City.) The University of Washington is one the premier public universities in the country, with class and tradition paralleling any other. The alumni want to win, and win now, the pressure on Ty and the firing (or whatever you want to call it) of Todd Turner, proves it. This could be one of the great jobs in the country, and was once. Let's make is so again. Hire someone who can build us a stadium by bending the legislature to their will.

3. Jake Locker. Can you overcome all the obstacles, all the pressure, to be superhuman? To save this once proud program? To bring winning ways back to Montlake? Can you win so many games so as to save your coach's job? So many games to get the state and our alumni to build us a new stadium? Can you stay healthy while getting the crap kicked out of you every game? Will you wear that target on your back with pride and run like it means your life? Tonight you get Oregon, our most hated rival, your journey begins in Eugene. Godspeed young Jake for much depends on you.

What the Watch Says

I was flipping through my watch data from the race and I thought it might be interesting to post the data. Raw numbers speak to people.

Total Time: 10:34:26
In Zone (Set as 120-160): 9:24:04
Avg. HR: 148
Peak HR: 187
Min. HR: 80
Total Calories Burned: 8523

I hit the lap button 5 times.

1. 1:05:58 HR: 155 (Pretty accurate swim.)
2. 0:03:59 HR: 151 (T1)
3. 5:38:08 HR: 145 (Bike)
4. 0:00:35 HR: 143 (T2, I didn't hit the button until I was leaving transition.)
5. 3:45:44 HR: 151

Race Report: Ironman Canada

Ironman Canada

Date: 8.24.08
Swim distance: 2.4 Miles
Bike distance: 112 Miles
Run distance: 26.2 Miles

As usual for race morning wake up time was early, revelry at 4am. I didn't get a lot of sleep the night before, probably four hours, but I felt rested from my taper and not overly nervous. I started my standard 700 Cal of Endurox for breakfast. (Again, I must ask the powers to be that if possible I would like fruit punch to come back as an Endurox flavor. I never liked orange that much to start with and am now certainly sick of it.) My family was quickly roused from slumber and the excitement was palpable. It seemed they were more nervous than myself, everyone had their concerns, none were the same. I just wanted to survive.

I arrived at transition around 450a. I didn't really warm up. I tried as best I could to prepare for the day. I rechecked my transition bags, I made sure my helmet was appropriately adjusted, etc. I felt surprisingly calm. The night before I had the usual apprehension associated with the swim start, like getting trampled in the water or punched in the kidney, but by the time I showed up at the race site my stomach was without excessive butterflies.

I had heard the horror stories about Ironman swim starts, so I did my best to find space where I would have clean path to the buoy line. I started on the left, but not all the way to the left. I found some space where I knew I would be able to get some open water before things got cramped. I really felt like I built into this swim. I started out pretty conservatively, but picked up the pace at every buoy. It was pretty difficult finding anyone that wanted to swim at my pace. The trouble is that to draft they really have to be slightly faster than you so that the draft will carry you. Basically, I would spend sometime drafting and then when I felt the energy build back into my arms I would surge past to find another set of feet to cling on to. I felt good the whole time. All the problems I anticipated, but I have the feeling that this was a fairly calm swim start. I didn’t get mauled or punched….so I have that going for me.

Swim Time/place/AG place: 1:05:59/379/62

T1 went smoothly. I was pretty calm. Since the swim went well, I wasn’t overly concerned about getting on the bike. I probably could have been slightly faster, but I felt prepared. I spent considerable time in the morning figuring out exactly where my bags were and where I needed to go next. I put on my shoes in the tent, but then had to run like a half mile to get to my bike. In retrospect I probably should have waited to put them on when I got to the rack. This probably would have been faster.

T1: 3:16

It was pretty exciting leaving town on the bike, hearing people shout your name. I can see how you could get carried away, but the task at hand forced me to keep things under control. There were 112 miles ahead.

There were times where it felt like I was expending too much energy, especially on the flats. I felt good on the hills. Scott had given me a pretty good description of Richter Pass and am glad he did. It really allowed me to pace the climb much better than I would have otherwise. In fact, the hills were probably the best times of the ride. I was certainly prepared for them. The hardest time, without a doubt was the time between Richter Pass and Yellow Lake. The rollers were not easy and since we had a head wind going down to Osoyoos I felt like we should have had a tail wind the other way. Not the case and it totally screwed with my head.

I stuck to my fueling strategy well. The only caveat being that it took a little longer to get to special needs than I expected. This meant I needed to supplement my calorie intake with gels. Although I don’t know if it ultimately hurt me I would have preferred to have my bottles. When I got back to town I still had about ¾ of a bottle left. (I later spilt this all over myself when I went back to pick up my bike.) The bike was tough, and probably harder than I expected it to be. The downhill back to 97 and into town was much needed as my legs were becoming unwilling to pedal.

Bike Time/place/AG place: 5:37:25/322/52

I was pretty damn glad to get off the bike. My legs were tired and felt at this time the run would be a much needed change. I didn't know someone had ordered up some wind. I wish they wouldn't have done that.

T2: 2:01

It was pretty hard to keep things under control at the start of the run. The 8:00/mile cap was nice, but there weren’t any mile markers going out until mile three and by that time I had already been running 7:30 pace. Pacing was fine after my initial three miles until we got into the head wind about mile 7 or 8. This is where things really started to unravel for me. The headwind was strong and I should have slackened my pace and save my remaining energy for the way home, but I felt like if the wind would keep up it would just blow me home. Of course, the wind softened and the help I had counted on was non existent. By mile 20 there was some pretty good pain in my legs, but I knew I was going to finish in pretty good time and the adrenaline certainly carried me to the finish.

There were points when things started to get a little fuzzy, especially on the bike, but a quick sip and I was right back on track. Between mile 8 on the run and mile 15 I started to have some doubts about my ability to gut it out. The head wind sucked and really took a lot out of me. About mile 15 I felt some strength come back into my legs and this is when I knew I was going to cross the line. I was pretty tough the whole way on the run, and I had to walk a couple aid stations, but they were short walks.

Run Time/place/AG place: 3:45:42/182/29

For my first Ironman I can say I am pretty happy with the outcome. I remember my first Half Iron, I remember it being so tremendously hard, but have learned to understand that distance and what my body is capable of doing. (Although I still think my best races at that distance are ahead of me as well.) Right now my legs are sore, my mind is still a little exhausted, but I know I can improve on this performance. Most importantly however, I am proud to have this race under my belt and am looking forward to IMCDA in June.

Finish Time/place/AG place: 10:34:23/182/29

I want to thank a lot of people:

My family for their support and encouragement even when they don't understand what I am doing or why I would do it. On race day their voices carried me to the finish.

Scott McMillan for his guidance. I couldn't have done it without him. (If you write it down, it will happen. Right Scott!)

All of my Ironheads teammates. Aleck and Jason for those long rides. Everyone on the course on race day. This team is awesome and I am proud to be a part.

Dan for being a friend and confidant par excellence. You made the drive to Penticton with me last year and were here with me in spirit this year.

Finally, Thank you Dacia, you are my inspiration. I couldn't do it without you. I love you.

Under 24 Hours

I was just sitting around, watching the US Women's Basketball game and it struck me...tomorrow at this time I will be done with the Swim and on my way to Osoyoos on the bike. Nerves quickly settled in, but I am doing my best to keep everything in front of me, control what I can control. Tomorrow I will finish with a smile and the sense of satisfaction that only comes from crossing that line.

One Week Out

Right now it is Sunday evening.

One week from today is Ironman Canada.

Today I had a nice open water swim at Hagg Lake and a good run at Hillsboro Stadium during the Hulaman Triathlon. (Congrats Aleck on another win!) Today was interesting. As race day gets closer very few thoughts, other than those pertaining to the race, are able to creep into my head. Today was not an exception.

In the water this morning I felt smooth and strong, my time suggested that I was, and as I swam my normal course in the lake I spent the whole time envisioning that same swim in Penticton on race morning. The same while running, as the day gets closer every workout, long or short, will be an exercise in race prep. This is not just the taper every endurance athlete goes through as they approach their priority races, but also the honing of an athlete's mental endurance as well. For me, and especially for this race, this means eliminating the distractions, which can be many, and calming the nerves, which can be tumultuous.

Not Enough Time and Too Much Dehydration

This weekend went by too quickly. It is hard to say were it went. Too much went on and there was certainly not enough down time. C'est la vie!

I received my new frame. Scott Plasma Pro. I can't thank Athlete's Lounge enough for the work the did getting me on a new frame so quickly. They are the best shop around. Period.
My first real ride will be tomorrow. Should be interesting to say the least. After I got it, I spun for 45 mins. or so. The fit was ok, but may take some getting used to. I don't really want to f around too much. IM Canada is 20 days from today.

I spent most of the day hanging out at the shop waiting for my bike to be rebuilt. Thus, I didn't get in a complete five hours of riding that day as scheduled. Scott told me not to worry, but I can't help thinking that it may come back to haunt me.

This weekend was also the Mid-Summer Triathlon at Blue Lake. I didn't race but many friends and teammates did. My legs weren't really up for racing, and in the long run I am glad I didn't, but it is hard to watch your friends in the race closest to your house! A special congrats goes out to Ironheads Aleck and Grant for winning the Sprint and Olympic respectively.

After, I took a nap. Watching triathlon is hard work. I had a 2.5 hour run scheduled so after rousing I strapped on my shoes and headed from my house to the University of Portland. When I left it was cool and overcast. Half way though it was the opposite -- Sunny and Hot. I was totally dehydrated by the time I got home. I just wasn't as prepared as I usually am. Here is the route I took.


That is about it. It was a good weekend.

Deschutes Dash 2008 Video Four

Deschutes Dash 2008 Video Three

Deschutes Dash 2008 Video Two

Deschutes Dash 2008 Video One

Patrick took a couple short videos at the Deschutes Dash a couple weekends ago. Here is the first in the series.

A Crack in the Foundation

Sunday morning, after my race, I notice a crack in my bike frame around the seat post collar. Today I stopped by my local felt dealer, Veloce Bicycles, to hear my options. So far things sound somewhat promising, but you never can tell how these things are going to work out. Stay tuned for more updates. This should be interesting.

Race Report: Deschutes Dash Olympic

Deschutes Dash Olympic Triathlon

Date: July 19, 2008
Swim distance: 1.5k
Bike distance: 25mi
Run distance: 10k

Wake Up time for this race came at 545a; not bad. I got a good night sleep, for the most part, considering it wasn't my own bed. As soon as I woke, brushed my teeth and took care of some other necessary morning duties, I started to ingest my standard 600 Calories of Endurox. I have recently switched to Tangy Orange flavor due to the limited availability of fruit punch. I would prefer fruit punch. Dacia and I arrived at Race at 630a, parked and proceeded to get set up.

At some point after arriving the race director made an announcement that we had all parked in a fire lane and would be towed. This incited a mad dash of spandex and lycra clad athletes to road to move their vehicles. Classic. My Pre race Warm-Up included a 15min run about an hour before the scheduled race start. I was not nervous. I felt really calm, maybe too calm. I spent the morning joking around with Aleck and Jake.

The swim took place in the Deschutes River. We had to walk about a 1/2 mile up stream for the start. It was cold but like Boise I went for the double cap. This was a good idea. I started the swim at the front of the pack, but since it was a down current swim a couple people thought that meant they needed to go out hard. In the process they went over the top of me. The current also led to some strange pacing. The current just pulled me along, but it also messed with my form. I wasn't always sure how fast I was swimming. I was in open water the whole time after getting out of the pack. There were a few people in my wave who were certainly faster than me; behind me by 15-20 yds was the next person. Sighting was very important. The river is curvy and to stay on track in the middle of the river I had to sight constantly. That was the basis for some form problems. I think that if you swam the section more frequently you would be able to keep your head down more consistently. That was not my case.

Swim Time/place/AG place: 15:29/14^th/2nd

On the bike I went out hard as my coach, Scott, suggested. The course was pretty flat until about the six mile mark then things took a steep turn up. I pushed it up the hill, but it was tough. I saw 10 mph at one point in the climb. I can’t remember a time when I saw a race speed so slow. Heart rate was low coming back into town. It was downhill the entire way into T2. The second half of the course was screaming fast. Averaged, that's right, averaged over 30 mph coming back to T2. For all the pain going up, it was fun coming back down.

Bike Time/place/AG place: 1:10:18/6^th/1st

I Cramped a little putting my shoes on in T2. That pretty much sucks and I lost a couple seconds in the process. I will continue to practice this in all my spare time.

On the run I went out smooth as usual to get my legs under me. The legs felt good and strong. It was a two lap run course. The first lap was hectic. That is the best way to describe it. This run was kind of xterra-ish. Dirt Trails. Under a bridge on a 10inch wide path. Across some soft grass. The second lap I knew what I was in for and pushed it. I can’t say for certain, but I am pretty sure I negative split the second lap. I felt strong the whole run. My legs felt good, strong even. My lungs on the other hand burned the whole time. The altitude stung.

Run Time/place/AG place: 37:18/5^th/1st

I felt pretty positive throughout the race. There were some fleeting moments before reaching the apex of the bike climb where my legs burnt and my head was not clear. Luckily the turnaround appeared and down the hill I went.

Finish Time/place/AG place: 2:05:29/6^th/1st

In general I am pretty happy about this weekend. I won my age group. What is not to like about that.

A Weekend of Bend, OR

This weekend we traveled to Bend, OR for the Deschutes Dash Olympic Triathlon. It was a great weekend, I had a great race and will post a full report sometime in the next couple days. One particularly bad coda to this overture is that I have crack in my frame around the seat post collar - probably not under warranty but I will visit my local Felt dealer to confirm the bad news. Here are the details from the race.

Time: 2:05:29
Age Group: 1st
Overall: 6th

Tour de France Commerical

Classic. Let's hope this bears some truth.

Tour de France - Brand New Start

Reading Rejuvenation

Those that have known me for very long know about my passion for reading. Books. I cannot remember a time in my life when I didn't have at least one book going. It started at an early age and continues today. But...as with most things a person can find important there exists the possibility for drudgery. Staleness. The feeling of slogging through without purpose. For the past couple months this has been the case with me and my reading career. I was not inspired in my reading. It has happened before, but rarely for longer than a couple weeks. I didn't like anything on the shelf, bookstores were filled with either books I didn't want to read or already had.

I decided to reread Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms. Say what you will about Hemingway, I will always love him. He was the first author who truly inspired me. In my most impressionable youth he had the ability to instill radical thoughts in my head and taught me the power of sentence simplicity. (Although, I feel I continue to develop my own style, one far from Hemingway's, there is at times shades of his diction in my own.) He has always occupied a special place in my own cannon and A Farewell to Arms was always near the top of every list I have ever made. There is romance, wonder, pain, and finally tragedy all wrapped into one complete tale of chaos and emotion. It was the perfect book to rejuvenate that passion for books I had recently lost.

Buying books has always been ritualistic for me. Sometimes I know exactly what I want, other times not. The process always includes a quiet meander through the fiction section usually starting somewhere in the middle of the alphabet, progressing to the end, looping back to A to finish where I had started. I rarely collect books along the way, but usually retrace my steps to pick up around three titles and head to the register.

This time, in the effort to get back to basics I went to the Barnes and Noble in Vancouver, WA. Although it is hard to calculate but this store, my home town bookstore, is amongst those I count as being the greatest recipients of my hard earned dollars. It was a great day when Vancouver had a bookstore that carried more than romance novels and dime store westerns. I bought all the books I could for my Senior AP English Class there and after college worked there for about six months. I discovered Bowles, Maughm, Greene, McCarthy, and O'Brien on its shelves. There are other stores worth mentioning, but few hold a more symbolic place in my consciousness. Included amongst these are:

Powell's City of Books
Brookine Booksmith
Harvard Bookstore
University Bookstore

I digress down reading memory lane. In this trip I picked up the following:

The Maltese Falcon, Dashiell Hammett
Barbary Shore, Norman Mailer
You Can't Go Home Again, Thomas Wolfe

Half way through The Maltese Falcon I can say I am back. Reading again is a joy and just in time. As training gets harder and lines of reality begin to blur. As time becomes a premium and is sucked into the vortex of swim, bike, run; carving out that little bit of time to ingest a few lines of prose will prove invaluable.

Required Reading

Read this now!

Weekend of Great Training

I don't know if I have every had a more successful weekend of training. I have had good weekends. I have even had great weekends of training, but rarely are they fun. Triathlon, with all its rewards, is often a lonely pursuit. We train hard, spending long hours on hot blacktop, usually by ourselves. Sure there are group rides and group runs, but I have never been inclined to participate in that kind of activity. Usually there are too many variables.

This weekend, however, things changed. Myself and two other guys put ourselves to the test this weekend. It was a great weekend...90 mile bike w/ 5000 feet of climbing and 30 minute transition run after on Saturday. One hour open water swim and 2 hour 20 minute run on Sunday. On top of everything it was fun. My spirits are high, my legs tired but strong...let the build toward IM Canada continue.

Ironman Coeur d' Alene Registration Weekend

I spent this last weekend in beautiful Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. It had been a very long time since I had been to North Idaho, but I had remembered it as being a wonderful place, and it did not disappoint. We arrived late on Friday evening and spent the night in the public parking lot, in a camper, next to the deluxe Coeur d' Alene hotel. Our plan was to get up early to ride the course. I don't normally ride at 630a, but at that hour it was somewhat peaceful. I couldn't help but think about the contrast between the quietness of that morning and the excitement of the next. There is nothing like an Ironman morning. The tension is palpable. Nervous competitors, nervous family, the eschaton of race morning.

I went with a couple friends to register for next year, neither of which had seen an Ironman live. The day was perfect the weather couldn't have been better. We ran from our campground to the race start, watched the swimmers start their day, and then got in a 17 mile run while they went out on the bike. It was one of the most fun runs I have had in a long time we ran the Run course out past the turnaround. This train parallels the Bike course so we were able to see the everyone at the beginning of their ride. It was a lot of fun. The day went about like they all do. There is the excitement of the pro finish, family and friends waiting in nervous anticipation for their loved ones to return from a loop, then the long wait until midnight as racers stream across the finish line. It is a day that never fails to inspire.

This day, at this point, two months from Ironman Canada, was exactly what I needed. When you have to register for a race one year in advance you can loose perspective, maybe motivation. Although I wasn't in depths of misunderstanding, I can say this weekend reminded me what these races are all about. The next two months are going to be hard, but the second I cross that finish line it will all be worth it.

We got up on Monday, got a cup of coffee and went down to the finish line area to stand in line to register for next year's race. This is the second time I have done this, the last being in Penticton last year. It is a wonderful mix of racers from the day before carrying their finishers swag, workers breaking down the Ironman production and eager future competitors. I can't wait until next year.

Congrats to all the Ironheads who competed. It was great day for all.

2009 Scott Plasma

Nice bike. Interview by Jay Prasuhn.

Race Report: Blue Lake Olympic

Blue Lake Olympic Triathlon

Date: 6/16/2008
Swim distance: 1.5k
Bike distance: 40k
Run distance: 10k

So, I don't want to start out this report with excuses for my relative performance. I will say, now at the outset, I am please with my performance. I felt a little nervous at the beginning. I knew I was not going to have the legs for a great day, nonetheless it was a good day.

I started the swim right in the middle. This was probably my first mistake of the day. I should have started a lot closer to the front. I know I am not the fastest swimmer, but I am not the slowest either. I should have started closer to the front. I had to climb over several people to get into some open water. Pacing throughout was good, but possibly a little slow. I was able to get a good draft along the back stretch and after the second turn I pushed it around the guy I was drafting. Sighting wasn’t great, the turn buoys were the same color as all the others. This makes for some confusion. One guy, at the second to last buoy made the turn to home. I felt a little bad for him. Also, I have gotten a lot better at swimming straight. I know this sounds maybe insignificant, but swimming straight really helps. The quickest route between two points is that straight line.

Transition 1 was a little shaky. This was the first time I’ve had to take my own wetsuit off in a very long time. At Boise they had strippers (no, not those kind). So, I was a little nervous and it slowed me down. I didn’t have enough lube on ankles and the suit had a hard time coming off. I didn’t panic, but was slow.

I started off on the bike a little quick. I should have controlled myself a little better at the beginning. I did settle into a good pace, but my legs did not feel great. I pushed through it, but there was pain. The kind of pain were you know you are sacrificing some time on the run, but can’t help it. You still push through it. At the end, I pushed ahead of a couple people I was behind the whole time. I knew I wouldn’t see them on the run, but I didn’t know how many people I was going to be able to catch off the bike.

Transition 2 was not better than T1. I couldn’t get my shoes on. It slowed me down considerably. The preset laces were too tight, my feet were a little numb, the combination was problematic.

I really controlled my pace at the beginning of the run. I wanted to run fast, but I knew my legs were not going to be able to kick the whole time. I wanted to save what I had in the tank for the final miles. As bad as my legs hurt I did negative split the final 3 miles. Final mile was 5:45, best mile of the day. However, that was not good enough. I didn’t however, get passed once. For me this is a good measure of my run strength.

As I mentioned this was not the best day I have ever had. My bike was not the best. I just didn’t feel like I had the power I needed or can have on a good day. Because my bike was such a struggle mentally and physically, my run suffered. This is usually my greatest strength, but not today. However, I did learn some things in this race. I need to practice taking my wetsuit off. I need some new laces for my shoes to make the transitions better. I also learned that some days you just aren’t going to have it. The day was good, I don’t have a lot of complaints about my performance, but not great.

Time: 2:09:10
Overall: 21st
Age Group: 4th

Boise 70.3 Swim Start

Race Report: Ironman 70.3 Boise

Ironman 70.3 Boise

June 1, 2008
Swim distance: 1.2 Miles
Bike distance: 56 Miles
Run distance: 13.1 miles.

Dacia and I drove to Boise early the Thursday before the race. I went on a short run after settling into The Modern Hotel, and found my heart rate about 6-8 beats higher than it should have been. This was my first experience racing at an altitude totally dissimilar to the one I train in. I was kind of concerned I would not acclimate well enough. By race day however, I felt better about things, and during the race heart rate numbers read pretty similar to what I had expected.

I had a good sleep the night before. The last time I saw the clock it was 10pm-ish, maybe earlier. Not bad for a pre-race sleep and its accompanying nerves. I was not overly nervous race morning. I knew the water was going to be cold, but I was prepared. I swam the two previous days and it helped knowing what to expect when that water started to seep in though the wet suit zipper. It was windy, but couldn’t control it. Everyone had to deal with the wind and its offspring -- Choppy Lake Waves. We were in this together, all 1000 of us. I could tell most everyone was nervous about the swim and I knew I felt better than most. I had two goals going into this race:

1. Race under 4:45.
2. Get a slot to Clearwater.

Scott, my coach, wrote a very deliberate race plan. This gave me a lot of confidence through race weekend. Every night before bed I read it over. I didn't want to have to guess about things on race day. I needed the information at hand.

In the swim I started in the middle towards the front. Pacing went well. I felt pretty consistent through the entire swim. I knew everyone was going to struggle based on the conditions. I have had experience with bad swim conditions in the past. Timberman 70.3 two years ago was not as cold, but certainly bigger waves. Rain pouring down. Generally miserable. There is nothing like looking up at 2.5 foot swells on a lake. That was not the case at beautiful Lucky Peak Reservoir. (No joke, it was beautiful. I will post some good race morning pictures Dacia took.)

Based on swims I did the previous two days I was able to sight based on hill landmarks and trees, not the ever invisible buoys. It was cold. That slowed everyone I am sure. We didn’t really get a chance to warm up, so I started pretty slow and didn't really warm up until the first turn. I came out of the water in 35:32, which was slower than I had anticipated, but based on the other times it seemed the cold slowed everyone.

Per the plan I went out slow and controlled I knew I had a long race ahead of me and didn’t want to burn things up. Christian, a fellow Ironhead, flew past me at about 100 mph, and I resisted the chance to chase. I hoped to see him later on the run. I tried to keep pretty constant the whole race. I wanted to make sure I had enough for the run. That was key. There was a period between mile 35 and 45 where there were a lot of false flats with head winds. Aleck, another Ironhead blew by me, and said how hard I was to catch. I was thinking that if I was so hard to catch we wouldn't have made up the 10 minute difference in our start times! (Aleck had a great race. Congrats!) I started to feel my legs weaken from the headwinds, not Aleck's sass, but didn’t let up. After mile 45 conditions became more favorable, Aleck was no longer in sight, and knew I wasn’t going to catch him. It was downhill from mile 50 all the way in to T2. I ended the bike 2:34:23. This is massive improvement for me, but I know I have more to give.

On the run I tried to keep things above 7 minute miles for the first two like my plan suggested, but they ended up being 6:34, 6:38. I felt like I would be able to hold his pace throughout, but slowed down to 7:00 for the next 3 miles. I wanted to be able to kick at the end. Pacing for rest of run? Mile 5 I started to pick things up and at the turn around starting the second lap I dusted the guy I had been pacing. I wanted to hold this pace until mile 8, but at mile 7 something said go and I went. I finally caught Christian around mile 9, I think. Mile markers were inconsistent at best so it was pretty hard to get actual pace times. I got back to running around 6:35. Then things went kind of bust. It wasn’t a full on bonk, most everything felt good, but I wasn’t able to give that kick I had expected. I finally settled in at a comfortable 7 minute pace. I wanted to go under 1:30, probably would have if it weren’t for the last tenth of a mile! In retrospect, I should have waited until mile 8 to push it. That would have been better. I would have had the power to give it a better go at the end. However, 1:30:20, is a good day.

I felt positive the whole day. Much of it had to do with my plan going in. Even before the swim, during that nervous time before the gun, I felt good. Only once did, “Why in the hell do I do this?”, cross my mind and it was fleeting. I was pretty happy with the whole day, but I can’t say I am satisfied. That kind of improvement is something to be proud of, but I know I have more speed in my legs, both on the bike and in the run. I would have liked to get that automatic qualifying spot to Clearwater, but sub 4:31 was not in the cards on this day. At least I got it in the roll down. I am glad to be going. I ended the day 4:44:30, 8th in my age group, 33rd amateur.

Boise was a great host and the race, for being in its first year, was very well organized. The only major complaint was the parking situation at the swim. It was pretty hard for spectators to make it up there. Dacia had to wait in a parking lot for 1.5 hours before they would let her drive back to T2 in downtown Boise. The finish line was great and thanks to all the Ironheads both racing and not for the support. Most importantly, thanks to Dacia, I couldn't do this without her.

One Week Until Boise 70.3

It is one week until my first "A" race of the year. I feel good about a lot of things, not great about some others. I am not going to dwell on those things I cannot control. My legs have started to feel pretty good and snappy. I had a massage yesterday, and as with most massages I felt like I had been pulled through a knot hole when I woke up this morning. Today was really my last day of big workouts. (4000yd swim, 2.75 Hour Bike, 30 Minute Transition Run) I have a longer run tomorrow, should be smooth as silk. Everything is downhill from here.

Race Report: Hawthorn Farm Sprint

Date: May 3, 2008
Swim distance: 500yds (Pool Swim)
Bike distance: 13.2 Miles
Run distance: 3.1 Miles

Result
Swim Time/place: 7:14/15^th
T1: 0:49
Bike Time/place: 34:10/7^th
T2: 0:35
Run Time/place: 18:17/1^st
Finish Time/place/AG place: 1:01:07/5^th/3^rd

I was not overly nervous for this race. However, I haven’t raced since Lake Stevens last year, so I had a little trepidation about the transitions. Not something I practice very often, if ever. I felt pretty calm throughout, but a little pissed about the swim start stuff. I will get into it later.

Well. I was obviously seated in the wrong swim group which made for several interesting situations and affected my psyche the whole race. I lapped everyone in my lane twice. This was no easy task and certainly slowed me down several times. At one point I was even breast stroking because I had no where to go. I believe I probably lost as much :45 to a 1:00 minute in the pool due to this. Also, I was not really racing with my actual competitors. Much of the race I was wondering where everyone else was. I was finishing as everyone else was getting off the bike. I never saw anyone.

I did, however, feel strong in the pool. If it weren’t for the pacing and obstruction problems I know I could have gone considerably faster. A 6:30ish swim. That makes me happy.

Pacing on the bike was ok. I didn’t feel like I had a ton of strength in my legs and my time indicated it. I was pretty consistent and the one hill, although I slowed more than I wanted, wasn’t as challenging as I expected. Plus, I was able to scream coming down the back side.

I love T2. For some reason it always gives me a charge to get off the bike and start running.

I have in the past gone out too hard on the run and had difficulty maintaining my pace. I started to in this race as well, but was able to dial it back a bit and get things under control fairly soon.

Pacing for rest of run? As I previously discussed with my coach, Scott, I went hard. I knew I had a good run in me, but wasn’t sure how good until I got my feet under me. By the time I got to the first turn around I began to see some people I started the swim with, but they were some distance back. By the second turn around they were even further and this made me push it even more. I wanted to leave no chance of anyone catching me from behind even though at that point I thought it unlikely. The last quarter mile or so I did ease up just a little but still had some gas in the tank to give. In retrospect this was a bad idea. I should have pushed it.

It was a little strange not seeing anyone I was actually competing against until after I had finished and ate a banana. Then to see four of them surpass my time made me start analyzing where and how I could have gone faster. Frankly, I was a little distracted by not seeing anyone.

I felt positive throughout the race, even when I felt a little dry heave at the beginning of the run. I knew it would pass and wasn’t nutrition oriented, but mostly pace related.

I am pretty happy with the result, but know I could have gone faster. Certainly the swim was one place where I feel I lost considerable time, but most of that was out of my control. I also know I left a few seconds out there on the run as well. Mostly, however, I know I need to get faster on the bike without sacrificing my run speed. That is, I believe the real challenge ahead of me. When I look at the times ahead of me the major discrepancy was on the bike splits. So….There you have it.

Also, my brother-in-law took a short video of me finishing. Enjoy.

For more on IMAZ

Dave posted another response to IMNA and their prevailing attitude at IMAZ. Click the link to read.

Tri Odyssey

The Madness is Over

Where do I start? The past days have been a little nuts. I hope to cover everything that has happened, but it may take a couple posts.

First. My sister, Elizabeth, got married this weekend. Congratulations to her and Patrick. I can say this entire process from the beginning to the end has made me nervous. The planning and execution of this wedding has been well outside my limited comfort zone. There was seeming chaos laden in the preparation for this event. However, I can say, that my sister pulled it all off with grace. Everyone in attendance could not resist saying this was one of the best weddings they had ever attended. None of this, and mean that as sincerely as possible, could have occurred without the tremendous support of my parents.

As a surprise for my father, Liz and Patrick had there first dance to a song my grandparents recorded over 50 years ago. With the recent passing of my grandfather, he was obviously at the forefront in everyone's thoughts throughout. This was a touching tribute to two people, my grandparents, whom meant so much to us. I will post some selected pictures later, but she looked lovely.

Second. Throughout this weekend I trained my ass off. It was difficult to fit it all in, but I did it. I really put in some good time. The highlight for me was an interval ride on Sunday after brunch. It took all I could muster to resist the delicious Mimosas being served in quantity, but it was well worth the restraint. The ride, 2.5 loops around Sauvie Island, was mainly intervals. The best part was SHORTS! I wore shorts, without tights, knee warmers or leg warmers for the first time this year.

Third. Dan, my best friend, got engaged this weekend. Congratulations to both him and Carrie. I cannot wait for the big day. It will certainly be a highlight. This news has long been inevitable, but nonetheless it is exciting.

Fourth. This weekend was Ironman Arizona. I had many acquaintances racing. Although I don't know many of them well I have a lot of admiration for their capacity to endure this VERY difficult situation. The weather was Shitty, with a capital S. Many didn't finish, but before they encountered what would prove too much for many, one didn't even get to toe the line. For more, read Dave's Blog. Although, I can't publish the chain of email that ensued on our team's list serve after this post, I can say they were passionate and numerous. In the world of endurance sports, few of them have as many complicated nuances associated with them than Ironman racing. Dave and Anne are tireless athletes and I feel for their situation. The only point of clarification I will add to Dave's post is that he clarified, in an email, his position that all Age Group athlete deserve the same respect as the pros. Thanks Dave, for your continued passion as an athlete.

That's all for now.

Race Report: Race for the Roses

Today was the Race for the Roses Half Marathon. The race went pretty well. I felt much more prepared than I did for Shamrock Run a couple weeks ago. Below are the stats.

Place: 26/1909
Age Group: 6/105

Total Avg. HR: 166
Peak HR: 187

Two mile splits and heart rate numbers.

1. 12:46 162
2. 13:29 168
3. 12:40 164
4. 12:45 166
5. 12:38 167
6. 13:11 166
Final 1.1 7:17 165

The second 2 mile split was uphill. As you can see I started to slow off my pace in the final segments.

My lungs felt strong the whole time, but the legs were tired from the get go. Yesterday's workouts were mentally draining for some reason. I am sure this had something to do with my tired legs today. I think I could have gone considerably faster in this race on a good taper. Someday, I know, I will break the 6:00 mile pace.

A New Non-Contributing Member of the Household

Let me introduce Clover, I can't explain why I haven't before now. My only explanation is this. She thinks she is a debutante. Most young ladies of that world are introduced to society at a cotillion, making an entrance in full dress regalia down stairs of marble. It is an event riff with all the pomp and circumstance that befits their closed society.

Consider this post Clover's Ball. Right now she is alternately laying in my lap while I write and biting my chin when she feels the need. Her breath stinks. I can guarantee it. The picture above is her, after eating a hole in a paper grocery sack, and popping out of that hole. She has added a lot of joy to our humble abode, despite the lost sleep and smelly poo.

She is named after the horse in George Orwell's Animal Farm. Clover, the horse, is the engine that keep the farm running under a violent and irreverent totalitarian dictatorship. Clover, the cat, has none of those responsibilities. She lives not in the harsh world of totalitarian society, but more like a benevolent oligarchy, where she has nearly equal say in the daily household operations as Dacia or I. Such is the life of a cat.

Help Has Arrived

It is true. Help has arrived in the form of a 50lbs of maltodextrin. Thanks the Honeyville Grain Company for shipping it to me for the low low price of $5.95. A couple weeks ago I wrote about my fueling woes during a specifically long day of training. After some discussion with my coach, Scott, about the most appropriate fueling strategy, we decided to start with some basic maltodextrin mixes.

All fifty pounds fit nicely in two five gallon buckets, plus one auxiliary container. I was concerned fifty pounds would be more than I could store, but that wasn't the case. As I have no experience with this, I don't know how long it is going to take to go through this much product, but I do know I have what feels like a lot.

Calories, Oh..Those Sweet Calories

This past Saturday I had good training day.

Swim: 2700 Yards in 56:51
Bike: 67.87 Miles in 4:07:59
Run: 3.18 Miles in 25:38

Although I did not feel the strongest I could have on the bike. I think I may have learned more about myself and training than I have in a very, very long time. I learned that you have got to be diligent in consuming your calories, oh those sweet calories, when on a ride of that length. By the time I pulled up to the front door I could barely hold myself up. I was out of gas. I tank was empty and I was a mess. I know I didn't fuel appropriately before setting out and certainly didn't attempt to keep my calorie intake high while I was out either. After getting myself filled up on pasta and juice, doing a couple errands, and resting up, my legs felt springy and alive.

My run later made my day. I was frustrated my bike ride and needed a something to validate the work I had done that day. It is sometimes amazing how a short run can really make the day.

In light of all this new information, Scott, my coach, and I are beginning to dial in my nutrition strategies for both racing and training. This is always been a challenge for me and I am looking forward to seeing continued results. Starting this week I am going to start implementing all the new strategies Scott and I have worked on. I look forward to continued success, thus far Scott has not lead me astray. I have seen only improvements.