I finally am able to post my BiM Active activities on Blogger. Here is the results from my trail run the day after I found my perspective again.
HR for each split on the watch 8:18 / 145 8:29 / 149 9:20 / 154 9:23 / 151 8:27 / 155 8:36 / 151 9:51 / 137 21:40 / 146 17:50 / 156 Elevation (ft.) Pace (min/mile) Splits
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My problem is that I have things to post about but I can't set aside the time to write them down. I'm usually too busy reading other blogs, updating my Training Peaks, reading the message board for the Cleveland Tri Club, training, working, Snakebite team business, etc. You get the picture.
I also think quality over quantity is better, so I try to make my posts worth while. Then I need to spend some time and update the blog with sidebar information......where does it all end.
Must focus. I don't know if I have a mild case of adult ADD or just too many things that I'm involved in that pull me all over the place. Oh and the Christmas decorations need to be packed away. SEE WHAT I MEAN!!!
So usually I have to step back, make a list and prioritize. That's where the perspective part comes in. Once I create that list I can see what's important and get things done. On my current list almost everything is crossed off and blogging is one of the last things not crossed of......so here goes.
********BEGIN FLUFF******
******ALSO KNOWN AS BULLSHIT THAT PROMPTED THIS POST**********
Today's post actually goes back to last weekend, Jan. 5-6 to be exact. I was finishing a project at a customer in lovely Lima, OH. This place is a 2.5 hour drive from home. Friday was to go out and do some prep work on the new computer system and Saturday we restore the production data to the new system. Boom.....live on the new system.....everyone is happy. I forgot to include what I call the Denis Factor.
Denis is the person I was working with at the customer.......he is the customer. Smart guy. Been there over 15 years. Knows all there is to know about the processes on the system. Also a very busy guy, many year end projects as we also try to install this new system, the prior system was 8 years old.
Anyways, I knew Denis would be tight for time. However, when i arrived on Friday, 2:00PM, he hadn't done anything on the new system in the past two weeks. New software wasn't loaded. Things hadn't been tested. GREAT. I started doing what I had planned on doing and see where we wind up. I kept him on task as best I could. Friday plans was to prep the new system and save data from the old system.
I thought cool, write the program, set it up to run at night, get to the hotel, nice dinner at Applebee's, relax at the hotel, blog a little, good nights rest. Oh boy was I wrong. We could get the system at 7:00PM. Fine I said. Still early enough for me.
BOOM......oh by the way we have to run day end processing before we run the save. Now I almost loose it. WTF. so how long does that take........3-4 hours. Then he starts manipulating the jobs, ending some that don't need to run, pushing others fasters, etc. I'm sitting there trying to figure out what has happened as I can do nothing.
I've read most of the links on bloglines. Nothing new on the message boards, I don't feel like posting. I'm just getting totally frustrated as I am now tired and hungry. I've been going for over 12 hours. The emotional rollercoaster I'm on is worse than Ironman. At IM I was in control for a majority of the race. I have NO control over Denis.
Well we finally get out of there it was 10:00PM. I'm starving. Dinner turned into Arby's in bed watching CSI. Saturday's work started at 8:00AM so I needed some sleep.
Saturday went well. I was in control. I made sure during testing Denis stayed on track. Unfortunately, Saturday also went 3 hours longer than I wanted. I had packed a bag so I could run the trails on the way home. I didn't leave Lima until 3:30PM. As I drove by the exit for the park the sun was setting and there would be no trail run today. So Friday AND Saturday became rest days from training.
I called Aimee letting her know I was on the way home. She made plans with her sister and neighbor to go shopping and have dinner out. I wasn't going to interrupt her plans so I kept quiet about how shitty the past two days went.
Once home I made some dinner and opened up a bottle of wine. I guess I needed to unwind more than I thought. By the end of the evening I was one glass shy of finishing the bottle. Yeah, I was buzzing pretty good. I watched a couple of movies on the TV, only remembering "The Punisher".
On Sunday I felt better. Despite all the alcohol I put in an 11 mile trail run at a 9:18 pace. I felt great, got muddy and used the endorphines from the run to improve my attitude.
********END FLUFF*********
During my drive home Sat. afternoon I started to get things back into perspective. Things didn't go exactly as I had planned. I wasn't going to get my trail run done. I spent more time than I wanted at the customer, in fact it went 14 hours over thanks to the Denis Factor.
It was around noon on Saturday that things clicked for me. I was so pissed off because I wasn't going to get my run. The run mattered more than the work. I love my training and competition. I like my work. But it's the work that pays for my training and competition.....so get over it and deal with it. Once I let it go that I wouldn't get in my run I started dealing with the whole situation better.
I'm a triathlete damn-it. We constantly remind ourselves and others that we must go with the flow because on race day, especially Ironman, so many things are out of our control and we should expect anything. Be prepared to face the unexpected, adjust to the adversity and move forward......always move forward.
I think the flexibility is what prevented me from blowing up at Denis Friday night. It was what is was.....out of my control for the moment.
So once again the lessons we learn in triathlon, work and life can be used in any situation.
Keeping my perspective reminds me that things could be worse in my life. Homeless, jobless, ailing, mentally unstable.....you know what I mean.
So my perspective in back in balance......GAME ON.
Happy New Year everyone. I just got back from the Cleveland Tri Club's Polar Plunge into the brisk waters of Lake Erie. The air and water temps were both mid 40's, around 43-45 degrees F.
This is my fourth year involved with the Club plunge....and I love it each time.
Aimee took some great pictures this year and I post them for you today.
A local TV station was on hand and gave us a good story. I'm in the far right opening shot.
http://www.wkyc.com/video/player.aspx?aid=29439&bw
Here I am leading the troops into the water. Time to "Charge"
Several people were a little late for the first wave into the lake. Considering these are some of my best and bloggiest friends I couldn't let them go in alone.
The second wave consisted of, from left to right, Elizabeth (e-speed, runwithme), me (TriEric), Jen (JenuineIMexperience), Alan (TriAl), and Sara (TriSaraTops).
Alan in a new member of my race team Snakebite Racing.
A portion of the Cleveland Tri-Blog Alliance trying to get warm.
JT, Elizabeth, Sara, Alan
somebody's hand....make this world a better place.....if you can.
Yeah it's the holiday season. A time for people to reconnect. Tell those around you how much they matter to you. Spreading joy and good cheer. Blah blah blah. Is this really a special time of the year? I look around and see another season for the retailers to make some money and people to paying off happiness with expensive gifts. No to become religious on your ass but isn't there more to this time of year than gifts.
I'm not trying to be negative here. I'm more of a realist. I see what's in front of me. And quite frankly I don't like what I see sometimes. When I was growing up, I remember when gas stations, restaurants, convenience stores and just about every other place of business was closed the day of major holidays. Christmas.....closed. Thanksgiving......closed. Easter.......closed. I feel sad for people who work on holidays now. They should be with family and friends the entire day......not the period of time before or after work. I'm sorry....it's bullshit.
Wow...did I just digress or what? Okay, back to making connections.
Must focus. Stay in the moment. Don't reveal yourself to the blog.
We are making contact here. During this joyous holiday season. Good tidings to one and all. Send the annual Christmas card, year end wrap up letter, and pictures of the kids.
What's wrong with contacting that one person you think about in the middle of August, beginning of June, end of February. Why must we wait until "special" occasions or seasons to reconnect. Just the simple act of reconnecting, or even connecting, should be special.
In our rush around lives we fly through the day and per chance you see an old friend from high school, co-worker from a previous job, neighbor. "Good talking to you. I'll give you a call sometime." Does sometime ever arrive? I know I'm guilty of it. In 2005 I saw many friends at my 20th high school reunion. 18 months later have I really kept in touch. No. Some e-mail here and there. A couple contributed to my fund raising for Ironman. Not much else.
(maybe I'm writing this not only to you.......but also to myself)
I know some people are better at maintaining contact than others. I'm not so good at it. Maybe it's a challenge I should pose to myself. What does it take to call someone. Even if it is to leave a message on an answering machine or on a voice mail. It may make a difference to the person at the other end.
How many times have you said to a friend, "If you need anything please let me know." It may be someone who has lost a family member. A neighbor with an ill child. A friend struggling through a tough time in their life. You want to help but don't want to appear intrusive. The other person doesn't want to impose. A stand still has developed that a simple phone call could resolve. Make that call to re-iterate the offer and be a support mechanism. Make the call and ask for help when feeling overwhelmed.
At this time of the year a little "touching" could be a good thing as people deal with the stress of life and the holidays. Be the person who "gives a call sometime".
I called my friend today. Who should I call tomorrow? Game is definitely On.
In case I don't post by the end of the week......enjoy your time with family and friends all through the holiday season however you manage to spend it.
First there was the chewed open package of Clif Blocks, CranRazz to be exact. Two holes the size of dimes and the corners of two blocks eaten. Next was the packet of hot chocolate with a small hole in it.
the glove compartment. Not in the engine bay. Not under the seats. Hopefully not IN the seats. I left him some more food. I figured he would be hungry. Hungry enough to stick his scrawny little neck into a spring trap. Just a dab of peanut butter and SNAP……problem solved. He wouldn’t have to worry about the cold any more and I would have successfully evicted an unwelcome passenger in my car. 
system. I would check the trap when I went out during lunch. I was anxious to see if the trap was “occupied”. DAMN. The trap was still set and the cheese was untouched. I had to run out and refill the 5 gallon water jugs we use at home. The store where I fill them at is just down the street from my customer. The timing was perfect because we had just emptied the last of eight bottles.
the bottle and much to my surprise I found that little bastard mouse….dead. Somehow he had managed to get inside this huge bottle and found himself trapped…then died…..not before crapping all over the bottle……..little tiny mouse turds. I still don't get how he got in the bottle. The cap at left covers the large opening to the bottle. However, the little white cap in the middle was off, common occurance. But the hole is smaller than a dime. He might have caused himself some serious internal damage getting into the bottle. What an awesome weekend. The cold weather finally broke and that allowed for some great times outside. Saturday I got together with my good friend and SBR teammate Patrick. We met in the morning for some mountain biking at Findley SP. The temp was still 26 degrees F when we started but we donned our winter riding gear and set out on the 8 mile loop. The trail was frozen and very fun. The mud was solid which was good and bad. The surface was hard but the existing tire groves were tossing my front tire around. Made for some tough riding at times but it helps improve your bike handling skills.
After an hour we made it back to the parking lot and Pat had to head home for soccer games. I headed back out for another half hour on the inner trail loop. When I made it back to the car I had 12 miles on my tires. I changed into my new trail shoes and did a 2 mile run in 18 minutes. I hadn't done a brick in a long time and it felt good on the legs.
My total workout for the morning was 2:20. I hadn't exercised/trained for that long since.....since....actually I'm not sure when. It sure did feel good to be out there for a long time.
Aimee and I did some chores before we met a group of people from the Cleveland Tri Club to watch the Ironman Championships at a bar downtown. It was great to see some fellow triathletes including TriSaraTops and TriAl. Afterwards we went home for a quiet evening watching a movie.
For Sunday I had arranged for a trail run back out at Findley SP. TriSaraTops came over to our house and we drove together to the park. We met Coach Angela at the park. I was pumped to show these lovely ladies the trails I have been running and riding on. It was my pleasure to escort them through the woods, fields and hills. It
was a nice easy run which took us an hour and 24 minutes. The company and scenery was the best. I had to take this picture of my "trail girls". From left to right, Angela, TriSaraTops and Aimee.
After we left the park we stopped at a place called Bread & Brew for some coffee and hot chocolate for the ride home. What a great morning. What a great way to start the day.
I'm looking forward to more runs and rides on trails.
Today......Game was definitely On.
First off - Blogger Sucks Donkey Balls - take two for today's post.
A couple of years after getting our mountain bikes I started to become interested in road riding. I had borrowed an old bike from my friends Pat and Linda. I was enjoying riding fast on the road. Aimee was also thinking about a road bike. So we went to the LBS and started looking around. Aimee was looking at different entry level bikes with the help of a sales associate. The final bike pulled down turned out to be a Bianchi. 
While waiting to get a bike down from the hooks I turned around and saw this.......GT ZR3000....on sale.
runnin' through my brain.
Too much information drivin' me insane.
Yep, my brain has been on overdrive due to work, family life and not much else. Training has been on the down low. Really not feeling it. Trying to get some thoughts together for some blogs. Been taking video for posting on YouTube and on this blog. Random thoughts floating all over the place.
Just making sure people know I'm here and am hoping to post some quality information for your reading, viewing, listening pleasure.
Props to Boulder for providing some on-line support when my Treo went haywire on me Saturday night. He sent me some links and offered some advice. Essentially calmed me down for the night since I needed someone to listen to me have a mini freak out. It may not have seemed like it but my Treo life flashed by my eyes as I thought of everything stored on my Treo.
Amazing how dependant we sometimes become upon technology to help regulate our lives. Even though I work with computers I sometimes think it's a bad thing. I'll rant about that some other time.
Game On.
Wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. I hope that you are able to spend a fun day with family and friends. There are so many things to be thank-ful for today I wouldn't know where to start.
This morning I am thank-ful for being able to run with my wife and friends at the Nakon Foundation Turkey Dash. This run is a 5k right in my back yard. I did my warmup by running to the event site and met everyone there. I haven't run a 5k in like forever since this was the year of going long.
Finish time: 19:21
Mile 1 6:15
Mile 2 6:27
MIle 3 6:04
I felt great and I am thankful for that. Now for the rest of the weekend I'll be thankful for those around me.
Look out turkey....Game On.
Back from my blogger break. Aimee and I were on vacation last week. Nothing like the beaches of Curacao to regenerate you mind and body. So with that I provide a before and after picture.....skin tone. Aimee is more protective of her skin but I laid out in the sun hoping to build a tan that could last part of the winter. I know it will be gone by the new year, but a guy can always dream.
Can someone say "Rock Lobster"? More photos to come from our trip.
Wow, it's been a week since my last post. Partly because of work keeping me busy. Partly because it's the off season and I'm taking a well deserved break. You won't get anything out of me next week either due to travel plans.
I'll catch you on the flip-side.
Game On? Nah.......give it a well earned rest.
I’m c-c-c-c-c-c-cold.
Brain: Who said that?
Toes: It’s us. Down here. We are very cold.
Brain: I’m sorry. But we needed to get in a bike ride and I am trying to avoid the trainer in the basement.
Chest: I’m fine.
Hands: Sure! You are the one hogging all the warm blood.
Chest: Hey….without the lungs and heart pumping O2 and blood around you would be NOTHING!
Brain: Calm down everyone. Who else is not happy with this bike ride?
Face: I’m f-f-f-f-f-freezing.
Crotch: Wind chill will do that too ya. I’m glad we put on bike shorts and the Firewall tights. It’s colder than a wizards balls in a brass jock strap.
Chest: I thought it was “Colder than a witch’s tit in a brass bra”?
Brain: Watch your language! This is a family blog.
Crotch: I’m just calling it like I feel it.
Legs: I’m doing well.
Feet: Of course. You are at least moving. Can you send some of the blood past the ankles?
Eyes: I wish you had put on the clear lense glasses. I’m watering up here. What’s the stuff in the headlight beam. That better not be snow.
Brain: That’s snow alright. Some of that great lake effect stuff coming off Lake Erie.
Toes: We are all cold down here. When will this end?
Brain: Winter just started so it may get warm again after March.
Toes: We mean this stupid bike ride.
Hands: We are starting to warm up. Actually pretty comfortable now.
Brain: The schedule called for 1:15 but I won’t let it go that long.
Face: Are we heading west again? This wind is strong.
Brain: West it is. I’m sorry we didn’t cover you enough face. You will be fine.
Face: C-c-c-c-an’t m-m-m-m-m-ove l-l-l-l-ips.
Brain: Okay let’s turn back, we’ve been out for about 30 minutes.
Eyes: That’s better with the wind at our back. I’m not watering now.
Butt: Great for you but now I get to freeze my…um….my….oh you know what I mean. I’m freezing off right now.
Brain: We will be back in about 20 minutes. I’ll take some shortcuts going home. Toes you hanging in there?
Brain: Toes?
Toe (small one left foot): The big guys are very cold. We better get home soon. Lo-o-o-o-o-osing consciousnessssssssssss.
Brain: Will someone remind me to use the toe warmers next time?
Chest: This has been a great ride.
Brain: You have to stick with me guys. I’m trying to avoid the trainer as long as possible. Even in the middle of winter we will be riding outdoors on the trails.
Hands: I think I speak for everyone that as long as we are bundled up we are in for the riding.
Brain: Good because I talked to Linda about riding at Findley State Park again this year.
Legs: Cool, those are great trails.
Chest: That gives the lungs a good workout.
Crotch: Just avoid the sudden bumps that kick the saddle into the “boys”.
Brain: I for one like riding like this. Bundled up, headlight and blinkie going. People in the warm cars wondering what the heck I’m doing out in weather like this.
Eyes: Does anyone know the temperature right now?
Butt: You should know! You’re the one who looked at the thermometer before we left.
Eyes: But I don’t know what it means smelly!
Butt: You take that back.
Brain: You two better pipe down. The temperature is 32F. Hey everyone. We made it back home. 50 minutes and 12.6 miles. Great ride.
Brain: So everyone out there in the Blog-o-Sphere…….what’s preventing you from going out and getting your Game On?
Aimee got me back into running during 2000. We ran together while she learned how to run and increase her distances. Now she has three marathons under her belt, plus a half IM. For Christmas one year I got her this poster because we had ran together and also trained together for our first half IM.
Last night I ran with Aimee. Yeah, we usually run at different speeds but I really wanted to share the evening with her. It was an awesome run.
I really enjoy sharing the passion with Aimee. The passion of running, cycling, triathlon, marathon, cooking, traveling, gardening....enjoying life.
I hope you all have someone to share your passion with.
Game On.
Aimee and I have a "tradition" of making some Chicken Barley Chili for Halloween and eating it while handing out treats to the kids. This is a great altenative to regular chili.
1 cup QUAKER Medium Barley
One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained, chopped
One 8-ounce can tomato sauce
One 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with chilis
One 14-1/2-ounce can fat free chicken broth
4 cups water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
One 11-ounce can whole kernel mexi-corn
3 cups chopped, cooked chicken (about 1-1/2 pounds)
Preparation
1. Combine first 7 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add corn and cooked chicken; continue simmering 5 to 10 minutes or until chicken is heated through and barley is tender. Add additional water or chicken broth if chili becomes too thick upon standing.
2. Eleven 1-CUP SERVINGS
We love this recipe and make small changes here and there. The original recipe calls for beans but it's just fine without.
Enjoy.
Paper or Plastic....what the heck as I talking about? Basically two types of bags....treat bags and Ironman bags.
In honor of Halloween I wanted to show everyone what will be handed out at our house. Each little treat bag, primarily for the neighbor kids, will have one of each in the picture.
Now for the meat of my post. Some people have asked about all of the baggage used during an Ironman. In honor of those racing in Florida this Saturday, here is my write-up on Ironman Baggage. Hope this clears things up for those asking.
Ironman Baggage
Dry Clothes Bag
This bag is used to store your clothes before the swim. In case you do not have anyone to take your stuff for you, this bag will be placed on the racks with the rest of the transition bags.
Where the Bags Are
The transition bags at Lake Placid were hanging on a rack like this one. At Wisconsin they were placed on the floor in a meeting room. Either way everything is numerical and should be easy to find.
Swim to Bike Bag
Grab this bag as you make your way into the changing tent. All of your bike stuff should be in here.
This includes but is not limited to:
Helmet
Bike shoes
Socks – if you wear them
Towel – for a quick drying
Sunglasses
Race number on belt – You MUST wear your race number on the bike
Baby Powder – in case you want to powder your feet before socks
Extra nutrition – to stuff in you bike jersey pocket
The following if the temperatures will be cool:
Arm warmers
Leg Warmers
Tights
Jacket/Vest
Gloves
When you are done with your bag either you or a volunteer will stuff your swim gear back into the bag and place it in a pile to be sorted and placed back on the transition racks. I was ahead of the masses so the volunteer took my bag for me.
Bike Special Needs Bag
This bag will be waiting for you at the halfway point of the bike course. With some of the two loop courses out there you will hit the special needs area close to transition. Originally the special needs bag was for athletes with special needs. Perhaps a spare set of glasses, medication, asthma medicine, a syringe…..anything that you couldn’t do without. Now you can pack whatever you want in it, including the following:
Extra (replacement) water bottles – these bottles should have your bike fuel, like perpetuem or carbopro.
Extra (replacement) gel and food – you should be eating a lot on the bike.
Spare Tubes/Tires/CO2 cartridges – if you have flatted twice so far you will need the extra gear.
As you approach the special needs area a volunteer will call out your number and someone will retrieve your bag and bring it to the side of the road. They wait until you are done with the bag and then place it back in line. What service.
Bike to Run Bag
Grab this bag as you make your way into the changing tent. All of your run stuff should be in here.
This includes but is not limited to:
Hat
Running shoes
Socks – maybe you want to change into different or dry socks
Towel
Sunglasses – sometimes changes glasses is good if they are water stained from dumping water on yourself
Fuel Belt – Loaded with whatever nutrition you need
Baby Powder
Body Glide
Extra nutrition
The following if the temperatures will be cool:
Long sleeve shirt
Jacket/Vest
Gloves
Run Special Needs Bag
This bag will be waiting for you at the halfway point of the run course. Now you can pack whatever you want in it, including the following:
Long sleeve shirt – if you are out there after dark it may get cold
Dry socks – in case it’s raining dry socks will feel great
Extra (replacement) water bottles
Extra (replacement) gel and food
As you approach the special needs area a volunteer will call out your number and someone will retrieve your bag and bring it to the side of the road.
that's about it for the Ironman Baggage. If you have any questions about the bags let me know.
Now for all those getting ready for IM Florida.....GAME ON!
I've been traveling most of the week. My last stop was Indianapolis and I would finally be able to "do" something. I've been taking it easy as of late. Between work and the weather I haven't been on the bike or swam. An occasional run is all I've been fitting in. Rain moved into the area but I didn't want to run on a treadmill. By the time I left my customer the rain had stopped. It was still cold and windy but atually perfect running weather. There is a fitness club near my hotel and as I headed out on my run I was reminded of this Frazz cartoon. On my way back after a 50 minute run that's exactly what I did. I ran right by the glass windows where all of the treadmills were lined up. What a shame for all of those people to waste a great day.
Game On.
I was in high school during the 80's.....class of '85 to be exact. I liked listening to rap and would even write down the lyrics. Jam On It was one of my favorite songs. I guess you could say I was a little freaky at night. But I had friends I could depend on.
I have to say I have never seen So I Married An Axe Murderer or The Burbs, but Bolder in Boulder had to post a movie showdown. I didn't vote and I'm not going to watch either movie...so Bold says a gratuitous butt shot is in order. In honor of Halloween I offer my tender tush for the masses.
And for the guys........ This is all I could find on the internet.
Aimee and I waited until after her marathon in Baltimore before doing the landscaping in our front yard. Three years ago we did our back yard. It was a major change for our house. Aimee's cousin Christi does landscaping on the side, very good at it, and she planned our new garden in the back.
It used to look like this.......
Now it looks like this........and this....after three years.
The above landscaping was a full days work for a crew of 6.
So after three years, numerous olympic tri's, 2 Half IM and 1 IM for me AND 3 marathons, 1 Half IM and many miles of trials for Aimee (essentially ignoring the front yard) we new something had to be done. So we contacted Christi again and she designed a new front yard for us.
In one day we went from this........maybe not one day. We did alot of prep work over the course of two months the bushes and tree were taken out, stumps removed, soil turned (each on different days)
So today.....using this....... a big 10 yards of top soil and a big 7 yards of mulch........
and a full day with a crew of 6 we wound up with this........
I think I pushed a wheelbarrow the distance of a half marathon today. Each time I dumped a load the next load was ready to go. We had 6 wheelbarrows going. We had extra mulch so we covered the back garden as well. I think we are set for spring as well.
Last night I rode. This was the first physical activity since Baltimore. I've been pretty busy and haven't been able to do anything but this is my down time right now. Taking it easy and recharging my mental and physical batteries after an awesome racing season.
Now while Bolder had to deal with this, I only had to deal with the darkness. Fortunately for me I have accumulated the necessary equipment for riding at night. During my days of racing mountain bikes I participated in many night races and 5-6 24 Hour team races. So I put my light on the handlebars of my mountain bike and a blinkie red light hooked on the pocket of my jacket and headed out.
I stayed on the side streets where there would be street lights and less traffic. I left the HR monitor at home and just rode. I had a blast zipping through the streets in stealth mode. After an hour of riding I managed to clock 16.25 miles.
For now my Game is Off, but there are many people getting their game ready for IM Kona and IM Florida. Getting excited about tracking people during those races.
So for everyone else.......
GAME ON!
Here is a quick recap for the half marathon in Baltimore.
I totally underestimated this course and the hills that would be involved. However I managed to break my 1:30 barrier and left it all on the course.
bib number: 5576
age: 39
gender: M
location: Avon, OH
overall place: 51 out of 3869
division place: 5 out of 267
gender place: 42 out of 1686
time: 1:29:08
pace: 6:48
Details to follow.
Miles 1 - 3 = Start running fast
Miles 4 - 7 = Start running faster
Miles 8 - 10 = Start running really fast
Miles 11 - 13.1 = Run Really Really Fast
Game On
Seems like alot of people have been posting random thoughts and I'm not one to avoid the trend. Lots on my mind lately.
Baltimore Half Marathon/Marathon:
Aimee and I leave for Baltimore tomorrow morning. We will be driving and I am looking forward to it. Aimee mentioned that we should be able to see some good falls colors in the trees. I have already been driving on the turnpike this week back and forth to a customer in eastern Ohio. It wasn't until the second day that I actually looked around and noticed the colors in the trees. Very beautiful. I will make a point of it to watch the trees along the side of the highway tomorrow. It's one of those "don't let life pass you by, stop and smell the roses" moments. How often do we get into the rut of driving, walking, running, cycling, living, surviving that we forget to notice what is around us.
Fall turns to Winter....For A Day:
The first signs of snow have not only hit Bolder in Boulder but also Cleveland. It was not anything to accumulate but little snow showers. Cold temps were made to feel colder with the wind chill. When the weather guys start mentioning wind chills....it's not good.
The Dreaded Treadmill:
With the upcoming race in Baltimore I have been in taper and taking it easy. I just didn't have the motivation to run outside in the windy cold weather for a lousy 30 minutes. So succumbed to running on the treadmill at the Y. I haven't been on a t-mill since March so I hated getting on now, especially when I saw people running outside. Anyways I had a good 30 mninutes with some pick-ups to race pace. I walked a couple of laps around the gym watching the little guys, 5 years old, running around and having absolute fun. Ten minutes in the sauna before hitting the shower did the trick. At my locker a guy asked me if I worked for Ford because of my bag I got from IM USA. I explained it was from Ironman and he tells me he did Ironman in Hawaii 1996. How cool is that, you never know when you will meet an Ironman. Turns out he was also a professional baseball player, catcher for the Cubs in the late 70's, early 80's, I think. We had a good talk and it made me smile sharing Ironman tales.
A New Blogger Worth Checking Out:
Eric Hodska has started a blog to detail his build-up to the Ironman Championships in Kona. Coach Hodska was in Cleveland for the summer tri camp I did in early June. He coaches my coach Angela as well as several other Cleveland area triathletes. He is a great guy and has some awesome insight that he has already shared on his blog. He qualified for Kona at the Half IM in Lubbock, Texas....I forget the name of that race. Anyways, I will be watching Eric, what a cool name, during the race and know he will kick some major Kona butt on that course.
GAME ON!!!!
September 16th seems so long ago. Oh yeah, I guess it was four weeks ago that I was on campus at "The" Ohio State University undergoing a "stress" test to determine my max HR, VO2 max, LT threshold and body composition. I know I've been slow in getting the information out but I wanted to digest the data thoroughly before posting anything. Of course I am posting it right before racing in the Baltimore Half Marathon this Saturday. So here goes.
The tests. Body composition consisted of three tests to determine body fat. The skinfold test with calipers, dunking in the hydrostatic tank and a trip in the space age Bod Pod.
The skinfold test is the most popular test and I was pinched three times to get my averages on the chest, abdomen and thigh.
The hydrostatic tank required you to exhale all of the air in your lungs to get a good reading while submerging yourself under water.
The bod pod measured your air displacement, I think. I like the bod pod because it provided the best numbers.
Skinfold: 15.6%
Hydrostatic: 15.6%
Bod Pod: 10.9%
I think the variances on the skinfold and tank bring it down to the 10% range. Interesting.
The stress test was performed on a treadmill. Officially it was a maximal Graded Exercise Test. The treadmill was put at my marathon/half marathon pace, around 8 MPH starting at a .5% incline. Every two minutes the incline was raised 2% and blood was taken. I was hooked up to an EKG machine, wore a HRM strap and had this cool breathing mask on to measure oxygen intake and output. The video was taken by Aimee while I was on the treadmill. I lasted about 14 minutes and the grade was up to 10.5%.
Here are the raw numbers:
Max HR: 188
VO2 Max: 65.8 ml/kg/min
Lactate Threshold HR: 168
LT VO2: 59.2 ml/kg/min
The LT numbers are 90% of my max HR.
Now the professor conducting the research and Coach Kara have all sorts of formulas and training information that I will share in small doses. The formula she gave me below is to estimate your finishing time based upon your VO2 max.
VO2 mlkgmin = 0.2(speed)+3.5 mlkgmin
This formula helps you determine your race speed when divided by 26.8 meters/min = 1MPH. You also have to figure out at what percentage of your VO2 max you will be racing at. As a general guideline Kara was using the percentages below for different distances.
Marathon = 70 - 85% max VO2
Half-Marathon = 85-89% max VO2
5K = 90+% max VO2
Here is my calculation for my half marathon "potential".
Assuming 85% of my VO2 max = 55.93
55.93= 0.2(speed)+3.5
52.43=0.2(speed)
262.15 = speed in meters/min
262.15/26.8 = 9.8MPH
Distance / speed / 24 = time
13.1 / 9.8 / 24 = 1:20:21 at a 6:08 pace.
I have a spreadsheet that I have put together if you are interesting in seeing it. I think the numbers are acurate from a formula perspective. So leading up to my half marathon in Baltimore that number will be in the back of my mind. My coach and I have done some speed work leading up to this race. I have the base from ironman training but the speed is only halfway there. We will also see how well I rest during taper and what race day conditions will be like.
My plan is to wear my HR watch and take splits but not look at it during the race. Race how I feel. Coach has sent me a race plan that I will take under advisement. I guess we will see what happens. If you want to place your guestimates in the comment section or a sealed e-mail to be delivered on 10/14. My best time so far at the half has been 1:31 in crappy conditions. I'd like to go sub 1:30 and possibly be near 1:25. These numbers are a confidence boost to say the least.
The Baltimore Running Festival will have live tracking during the race and TV coverage during the Saturday morning Today Show. I'm mainly looking to have a good time and enjoy being with Aimee all weekend.
It will be time to get my Game On. Booyah.
Who loves bike porn? Raise your hand. Okay, you can put your hand down now. You don't want your co-workers thinking you are any weirder than you really are.
Anyways, more pictures to enjoy.
After Aimee and I got married in '97, yeah I think that's right.....married '97, new job '98, new house '99.........yeah '97.....Aimee's dad bought us mountain bikes for our wedding present. We checked out a couple of different shops and test rode some bikes. We selected the ones pictured here (Aimee's bike below).
Specialized Rockhopper FS. A great entry level bike for just getting started with mountain biking. We decided on bike because my co-workers were always talking about these 24 Hour relay mountain bike races they were doing. This was the early years of Granny Gear Productions and the 24 Hours of Canaan.
So I wanted to get in on the action and race with them at the 24 hour race in '98. So the new bike was my new racing machine. I trained with my friends and we raced. It was an awesome time and I knew I was hooked on the mountain biking scene. I've raced that bike on the local trails, 5 24 Hour races, adventure races, training rides, all sorts of places. 
I pimped my ride (shown at left) a couple of years ago by upgrading all of my components....crank, shifters, brakes, derailleurs, wheels. It was a great way to learn how to take it apart and fine tune it. I haven't raced much on my mountain bike lately because I slowly switched to road racing and triathlon.
But that "first" bike is still an important part of my stable. It got me back into biking and competition after being out of it for too long.
Oh, those rocks in the driveway are for a gardening project in front of the house.
Game On.
I've hit the trifecta. Three versions of the same song all here for you to enjoy.White And NerdyAdd a video to your site FREE Music Video Code
Ridin' Dirty
This video-link was posted on the Cleveland Tri Club message board. I watched the video then went out to pick up my daughter from work. My son had left one of his CDs in the car so I started to listen to it and the song the video is based on started playing. All I could do was sit there and chuckle.
So is this guy rippin' on Floyd or supporting him and rippin' on the French?
Enjoy the video.
Here is the original song from Chamillionaire......
Today I decided to post to my blog instead of reading everybody elses.
Today's friend is Diane Mastnardo. She is not only my friend but my massage therapist. I found her through Coach Angela. Diane rubs me the right way and when needed puts the hurt on me as well. She has a wide range of people she works with from athletes to work rehab to general massage. It's not uncommon for me to be leaving and see another triathlete friend going in.
I look forward to my hour sessions with Di. My muscles really appreciate the attention. After a hard workout some hands on therapy to get the blood moving through my legs or arms helps with recovery and flexibility. My hamstrings are always a trouble spot and she knows where to place her fingers. Di knows when she has hit a good spot because I will stop talking and may even hold my breath. At that point she reminds me to breath and relax. It's not easy when the pressure of a single thumb on that sore spot shoots into your brain.
In addition to muscle therapy I find that our time is also like going to mental therapy. We can talk about anything and it allows me to open up, just like I do with Aimee. You never know where our conversations will go.....sports, my kids, her son, spouses, etc....I feel real good when I leave Diane's massage room. That's what friends do.....right? Make you feel good.
Game On
Everyone seems to like bike porn. So here are two pictures of early bikes I had as a kid.
Bike #1 - Schwinn (1975)
I believe this is a Schwinn Stingray, but I could be wrong. Love the raised handlebars and banana seat. I didn't go for one of those sissy bars. I rode this bike everywhere, especially with my friend Mike who delivered the afternoon paper, The Cleveland Press. Mike was awesome at wheelies and I could make a skid 30 feet long. Mike swears he saw flames one time I generated so much heat from the skid. Of course the skids meant replacing the rear tire alot. I got good at taking the tire off and fixing flats.
Bike #2 - Trash Heap (1977)
My dad and I pulled this bike out of the garbage pile of a neighbor. This was a five speed with emergency brake....on the top tube. Small wheel up front was so cool, big chainring to handle the 5 speed derailleur, funky handlebars that curved all over the place, and a banana seat of course. Nevermind the pantleg strap.
I just had to share.
Game On.
Just wanted to blast out a quick post so everyone knows I'm still around. I have things to post about but have trouble finding time to post because sometimes it just takes me too much time to compose a single post. If it's a detailed post it may take me an hour or more to get my thoughts out in a way that even I can understand.
I saw this quote on an e-mail signature line and I liked it.
To be free of destructive stress don't sweat the small stuff and realize that all stuff is small.
Author Unknown
I think we have all read something similar to this but the part that sticks out for me is the beginning.......to be free of DESTRUCTIVE stress. How true that we often find the stress in our lives to be destructive mentally, emotionally, physically.
Lighten up people......Get Your Game On.
Found these words posted by a member of the Cleveland Tri Club. A very nice post by a youngster in the sport, he's 26 (I think).
Check it out here........
Thank-you Triathlon
I say thank you all for being part of my triathlon life and Ironman journey.
Game On.
I really need to put my race report to bed. I thought I was done but remembered many other things about after the race that I need to write about. I mean it's only been 8 weeks since Ironman USA. Perhaps the recent Ironman Wisconsin has rekindled memories of my race. I have also had some other questions from people that can be answered with my recap.
So we made it back to the condo after my race. I had talked with my coach about the race and we were both excited about the results. It was getting late in the day and everyone was hungry. We piled into my parents van and Tom's car and drove to Tail 'o the Pup for food. I had my finisher shirt, hat and medal with me to wear. If you remember, this restaurant was pretty cool with live music, picnic tables under a huge tent and a very relaxed atmosphere. My family all had their volunteer shirts on so we must have looked great.
As we sat down a woman at the table next to us asked me if I had just done the Ironman. I sat with her for a couple minutes answering her questions about the race. She was very excited about talking with a finisher and I didn't mind talking with her, but my family was eager to eat and talk with me about the race. I pulled myself away so we could order food. A little while later my sister-in-law, Becky, told me what Amanda had said while I was talking with this lady.......Amanda, "I think that lady is hitting on my dad!" We were probably close in age but I didn't feel she was hitting on me. She was excited about talking with a finisher. It was cute Amanda thought she was hitting on me.
We had a great time eating and recounting the days events. I enjoyed hearing about what happened for my family during their day, especially at the run aid station. Amanda and Becky picked up some hoola-hoops and Aimee and I posed for a picture in an Adirondack chair made of old snow skis. As we started to leave the restaurant, I stopped to congratulate another finisher eating dinner. What an awesome group to be a part of.
As we drove back to the condo it started to rain. I thought of the may athletes that were probably still on the course moving forward towards the finish line. I was glad to be done. At the condo we turned on the TV and found the local Adelphia feed from the finish line. It was now pouring rain at the Olympic Oval. The fans in the stands were still very up-beat and cheering for every single finisher. I saw some people finish that I had seen on the course, they must have had a bad day to finish so much later than I thought. All of my Cleveland friends had already finished, so I wasn't expecting to see anyone finish. I had a beer and everyone around me was starting to fall asleep. Becky had to get up early to drive to Albany for a flight back to Cleveland. Andrew and Amanda were going to leave early because they both had to work Monday night. Tom had to leave fairly early also to get home and pack for work in Houston.
Oh yeah, Becky had been working in New York City the week prior to the race. She flew to Albany, drove two hours to Lake Placid (on Saturday), worked the race on Sunday, got up 2:00AM Monday morning, drove two hours to Albany for an early flight back to Cleveland. She was back in Cleveland before we left Lake Placid. I am forever grateful for her efforts to be at my race.
I appreciated the efforts of everyone who came out to watch me race. I woke up early Monday morning, probably around 6:00Am. I had a lot on my mind because there was quite a bit to do before we left. I started to clean up the condo pulling down streamers and packing my stuff. Amanda and Andrew woke up, ate and left for home. Tom followed soon after that. I had a 9:00AM massage at the Horse Show Grounds so I left Aimee to do some more cleanup. At the grounds the registration line for IM USA 2007 was quite long. Little did I know the race would sell out in 90 minutes. I got my massage and was able to talk with Jen and Bethany, my new best friend massage therapists. I went back to the condo and picked up Aimee and the rest of our gear. We headed back to the grounds to see what else there was to do. The awards ceremony was slated for 11:00AM. We checked out the ASI booth and decided to wait until my pictures were available on-line, which was a very smart move. My parents had the back of my finishers medal engraved with my name and time. I also had a picture taken with Jen and Bethany, I love these two and they were a big part of my Ironman experience.
We parted ways with my parents and got in line for the award ceremony. I had my finisher shirt on so I could eat for free. Aimee checked about a ticket for her and it was $30. We decided that since they weren't serving filet mignon and lobster tails that it wasn't worth it. We bailed and left town. A quick stop at McDonald's for lunch was much better and cheaper. We were on the road around noon, heading for home.
We made our way through the cellular "dead zone", Adirondack Park. Once we got cell service I talked with Becky, TriSaraTops, Coach Angela and Tom.
Becky recounted some great stories about race day.
Sara was excited about my race.
Coach was telling me about other people and how awesome I did.
Tom was stuck in Rochester, NY with car trouble. His timing belt broke and he was at the auto shop. Problem was he needed to be in Houston the next day. Aimee and I detoured to pick up Tom and get him settled. We grabbed his mountain bike and a couple of bags then took him to a Holiday Inn where he could eat, rest and catch a flight to Houston. He flew back to Rochester at the end of the week to pickup his repaired car.
Except for my hips the car ride home wasn't too bad. At one rest stop I saw another IM finisher and told her congratulations, then I noticed her car license plate, IronChik. I saw that car earlier in the week. I also saw my friend Matt Luck from the Cleveland Tri Club. Matt was a first timer also and we were able to catchup and talk about our races. He had some stomach trouble, puked once and emptied his bowels in a porta-potty. He still finished around 13:30.
The rest of the trip home was uneventful, thank goodness. As we pulled into our drive I was greeted by two signs on the garage from my neighbor Kim. It put a big smile on my face.
Back home and my Ironman experience comes to a close, but the experience and images and memories will last forever along with the bragging rights.
Post race, especially with a 10+ hour drive home, you have a lot of time on your hands to think. Think about what happened before, during and after the race. What could have been better with the race? What is next? What am I feeling inside? So I close with these thoughts.
What could have been better with my race?
I know you are thinking that I am crazy posing that question. I can hear you in cyberspace yelling, "You finished your FIRST Ironman in 11:15:39 and you are wondering how it could have been better!!!!"
Sorry, it's the competitor in me. It's analyzing the day and finding where the weakness was and how I faltered.
Swim, I couldn't have asked for a more perfect swim. The time was 5-10 minutes faster than anticipated.
Bike, probably could have been a little faster and I wavered from my nutrition plan. I didn't recognize where I was lacking and I didn't set myself up for the run like I should have. Still, I was very happy with my bike.
Run....I wasn't sure what to expect here. I had never done a marathon before so I had no base time. I knew what I was capable of and Coach agreed with my goal time of 4 hours. So when I had a 4:04 marathon I was thrilled. But this is where the biggest improvement could have been made during my race. I wasn't setup for the run coming off the bike. I hadn't fueled enough on the bike. I didn't fuel up properly during the first half of the marathon (8:44/mile pace). The second half of the marathon was more of a struggle than I was expecting (9:56/mile pace). I ignored my HammerGel and only took food at the aid stations, (orange, watermelon, grapes, cola, water). I could feel my energy levels dropping. My HR was dropping and I couldn't get it back up. I knew I had to fuel the body but I really didn't have enough time to fuel the body enough for a stronger finish. I just hung on and knew I was going to finish.
About one week after Ironman I found an article written my Jennifer Hutchison. Jen is a nutritionist brought in by Coach Angela for the Cleveland Tri camp so I got to know her during the weekend. Her article was awesome, Attrition by Nutrition. The lack of fuel was affecting me mentally as I was starting to "tunnel" mentally. Maybe I was just focusing on finishing but I began to block out everything around me. I was keeping the rest of my energy to myself, probably a good thing. I was very much within myself. Even at the finish line I was not aware of the people lining the finish chute or the announcer. That is one part of my Ironman that I wish I was more aware of. The competitor in me was focused on the finish line and not the experience of finishing. I should have stopped to give Aimee a kiss. I should have stopped and looked into the crowds. I should have encouraged the crowds to yell and scream. A lot of "should haves" that I will try to remember next time. Next time? There will probably be a next time.
A sense of "eh"
Why do I feel this way? I just completed an Ironman triathlon. Swim/bike/run for 140.6 miles. Why do I shrug it off when someone compliments me about finishing? I think I have a hard time seeing it through the eyes of the "common" man, not that there is anything common about anyone. I've trained with or been coached by "Ironmen". Even the athletes in the Cleveland Tri Club inspire me with their speed, endurance, and determination. My efforts are sometimes minor compared to how other triathletes must train, live, compete. I will say that everyone puts their heart and sole into their sport.
I think my training prepared me so well for Ironman that the day was "easy". I didn't experience any stomach problems. No muscle problems. No mechanical problems. It was a perfect day to race. I was racing well within my limits and according to my race plan. I think my coach and I played it conservative since this was my first Ironman. I think back and realize that the challenge wasn't race day but the training leading up to race day. I remember having difficulty during my long rides and bricks that afforded me the experience during training to avoid mistakes on race day.
So post Ironman I found myself saying, "eh". Yeah it was a long day but I never had any doubts that I would finish. I'm extremely happy with my finish time and how I felt afterwards. But I think the challenge that I was expecting never arrived. Ironman Wisconsin has provided the missing piece to my Ironman Journey. Tracking my friends and reading race reports from the coldest Ironman in history has helped me understand and fill the void in my own IM journey. Like Frazz says in the sidebar, "Why not have trauma and suffering?" To find that personal place where you have to dig down deep and drag yourself up out from the bottom of a pit and will yourself to complete the task as hand. Has my Ironman Journey transformed into a personal journey to find my limits? I think so.
There will be more on this topic later. Let's lighten it up a bit........
Ironman Blues
It was Dante who asked me about post-IM Blues. Diane, my massage goddess, also asked me that question. Did you ever feel depressed after completing this huge undertaking? I think part of my answer is given above. I had also read enough articles to prepare me for post-race. On my sidebar I listed another half IM which is this weekend. I'm not doing that. But I am getting ready for the Baltimore Half Marathon on October 14th. I had this planned since the beginning of summer because Aimee is doing the full marathon. I figured with an awesome base beneath me, proper recovery and some good speed work prescribed by Coach I could whip out a pretty decent half.
During taper before IM USA I had also thought about my 2007 season. What was I going to do next summer? I knew I didn't want another Ironman. So at this point I am going back to sprints and olympic distances to work on my speed for a fall marathon in '07. I'm actually excited about next season. Aimee and I have also signed up to volunteer at IM USA. There will be alot of people from the Cleveland area going and I want to be able to cheer for them and see the race from a spectator side.
So there you go. Maybe I have generated more questions than answers about my Ironman Journey. I think it has become a journey bigger than I ever expected, but I am looking forward to the ride ahead and hope you want to come along. I'll be posting. Hope you enjoy what I have to write.
Game On
