Arkansas, Easter and Lance

I have become very adept at getting in my workouts while on the road for work.  Usually there is a YMCA I can get to for swimming, spinning and lifting.  With the increasing popularity of Crossfit I can usually find a box to attend...but I'm turned off by the drop in fees.  My running shoes are always easy to pack but it's not always easy to find safe places to run.

My recent travels had me in North Little Rock, Arkansas which is across the river from downtown Little Rock.  But for simplicity I will use NLR to mean North Little Rock.

My first visit to NLR was two weeks ago.  Being my first time to NLR I didn't know what to expect.  I had forgot that Little Rock is the state capitol, so much for my American History schooling, and I think there is an ex-President who came from Arkansas....Bill something or other.....oh yeah Clinton.

I was happy to find NLR a very nice place to be.  Ample dining, shopping, entertainment and some seriously nice people.

On my first day in the area I drove around to get a feel for where things were.  I had put the address for my customer and the YMCA into Garmin and had it lead the way.  Driving out to the YMCA I saw a sign for a park.  I exited the highway and found Burns Park.  This massive city park had everything.  Including plenty of trails to safely run on.

After leaving the park I continued on to the YMCA.  Hmmmm....the place looked a little deserted.  In fact it was closed.  When I got back to my hotel room I did some more research and found that the Y had closed 12/31/11.  So I guess there would be no workouts at the Y.  Fortunately the customer I was visiting had passes to a local fitness center I could use.

Fast forward two weeks to Easter weekend when I would be returning to NLR to complete my work at the customer location.  I'm in the middle of a training block and I needed to train.  I would also have quite a bit of time on my hands since Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon would be my "free" time.

I knew I could run on Sunday but I wanted to ride on Saturday.  I did a search for "bike rental" in the area.  The first hit was for River Trail Bicycle Rentals.  They had exactly what I needed in a road bike.  Located on the Arkansas River Trail I at least had a safe option for getting in a ride. I contacted the owner Dave and he said there would be a 25 mile training ride leaving from his front door at 8AM Saturday.


The CARTI Tour de Rock is a fund raiser to help fight cancer.  ALL CANCER.  CARTI is an organization that treats all types of cancer.  So the training ride was for all levels of people.  Dave said I would find a place to fit in.

After I finished work on Friday I drove over to RTBR so I knew where the place was and to talk with Dave.  I'm so glad I did.  Dave and I talked about Saturday and some other options for riding.  He gave me a couple of maps and I was ready for Saturday.

Saturday morning I arrived early to get my rental bike, a GiantTCR3, ready with my pedals and adjusted for me.  I took the bike back to my car and introduced myself to the first person I saw.

Lance was parked next to me getting ready so I asked what his plans were.  Fortunately he was looking to get some additional miles in above the 25 that were planned.  Awesome I asked if I could join in and he said it would cost me....."a smile."  I can handle that kind of cost.

Lance introduced me to some of his friends from the Mello Velo Cycling Club and we chatted before the ride began.  When we rolled out at 8AM there were about 100 people of many levels rolling out.

I had a lot of fun riding with Lance, Charlie, Ken, the Aldridge Brothers (Jeff & John) and many other cyclists.  I was able to pull hard at times and also relax and take in the scenic countryside east of Little Rock.  The route is known as Harper's Trail and is well marked with official signs.

Lance has asthma and needed to start the ride with his bandana on.  I love the smiles on the two riders to the right.

We lost Lance and Ken when we didn't realize Ken had a flat.  So I finished with the Aldridge Brothers back to RTBR.  One of the brothers had this flag on his bike bag.

I waited to see if Lance would be showing up any time soon.  I decided to head out on my own and ride the Arkansas River Trail.  I would be safe and couldn't get lost. 

The River Trail went through Burns Park, over the Big Dam Bridge, and a nice out and back in Two Rivers Park. It was a great day and there were many people on the trail walking, running, and riding bikes.

As I returned to RTBR there was Lance and Charlie sitting on the porch with several friends.  I put my stuff away and joined them on the porch in the sun.  It was just before noon and they were enjoying their post ride beers.  I grabbed a hard cider from the cooler and joined my fellow cyclists.  These people knew how to make a person feel welcome.

Bicycle built for 6.

Me and Lance

Reluctantly I dragged myself away from the fun.  I had to have lunch, get showered and to the office by 2:30PM.  Sucks how work kills a beautiful day.

Work was long but successful.  We finished Sunday morning and I was in my hotel room by 9AM.  I got a solid 4 hour of sleep before I woke up.  Not wanting to waste the day...or be stuck in my room...I got dressed for my trail run.

I studied the map and planned my route starting at the Covered Bridge.  I texted Aimee with my plans so that someone would be able to find my car...or body...should something happen.  I ran the green trail in Burns Park first.  This was a rocky technical trail used primarily by mountain bikes.  It looped by the campground, some pavilions, and a very nice overlook that provided a view of Arkansas River and the buildings from downtown Little Rock.

I completed the loop in one hour and then headed out on the yellow loop.  This section was flatter and almost free of rocks.  I ran this loop twice to get me 1:40 of total running.

Post run I showered and headed to Loca Luna for my Easter dinner.  I had seen a billboard for the restaurant and the on-line menu looked great.  They were showing The Masters golf tournament in the bar so I sat there to watch the conclusion while I ate.  The bartender Mark was great in offering suggestions about what to eat and drink.  The Lobster-Crab Stuffed Rainbow Trout was delicious and reasonably priced.

Looking back at the weekend I smile at the pictures and memories I made in Arkansas.  The state motto of Arkansas is Regnat Populus....The People Rule. I couldn't agree more as everyone I met or talked with was friendly and hospitable.  

Dave, Al and the dogs at River Trail Bike Rental.


Lance, Rhonda, Charlie, Ken, Jeff, John and the many cyclists I rode with.


I'm glad I again stepped outside the comfort zone and believed that one of the communities I belong to, cycling in this case, would open up and accept a new member for a few hours.

Game On Arkansas.....Game On.

Mastering the Domain - Towpath 5 Mile Race Report

Time to get everyone caught up and write a race report.

So I'm trying to follow my training plan.  I am managing to keep the consistency there week to week.  In fact last week was a recovery week AND I was traveling for work.

So that combination worked out perfectly.  Especially since I wouldn't have access to a bike, spinning or otherwise, and I didn't have access to a pool, the area YMCA's closed in December.

I managed to lift one day and run the other.  Last weeks run was going to be 40 - 50 minutes.  I was so lethargic I called it quits at 36 minutes. 

I ended my 4 day recovery week with a visit to the Witch Doctor for a nice massage.  Tod helped stretch me out and release the fascia all over my body.

Aimee and I had planned on traveling to Athens, OH for a training weekend but the potential for crappy weather kept us home and saved us a lot of money. I was determined to turn the weekend into a couple of solid training days.

Saturday I had a triple threat of training on tap.

First off in the morning I swam for an hour putting in 2500 yards of drills and tempo work.

Second I met some Tough Mudder friends for a little run through the woods, over and under trees, through a drainage pipe, over/under some picnic tables and rope climbing.  That lasted for about 1 hour.

When we were done getting muddy I changed into my cycling gear and rode my bike for almost 2 hours.  The forecasted high of mid 40's was never realized as I spent most of my ride in sub or low 40 temps.  As long as I kept moving I was fine with my leg warmers, toe covers, wind vest and mittens.

But I will say that I was well spent after 4 hours of training.  The rest of Saturday was spent running errands and getting a small power nap around 5PM before eating dinner.

The final part of the evening was preparing for the Towpath 5 Miler Sunday morning.  Aimee had signed up for the half marathon earlier in the week and I decided to join her for race day.  I'm not in half marathon shape right now even for a training day.

Besides, our friend DS was doing the 5 miler and I could also take some pictures of the half marathon.

Knowing how tired I was from a good Saturday of training I mentally prepared myself for a difficult race.  I just wasn't sure how the legs were going to respond to what I was going to make a tempo run.  I was ready to bonk or blow up at any time during the race and be reduced to a shuffle. 

Sunday morning was pretty nice.  The temp was around 40 again but for running that is actually pretty good.

We made our way down to the race starts pretty early.  By race starts I mean Aimee's half marathon was starting from different location than the 5 miler.  We all finished at the same place.

I hated leaving Aimee at the start with the cool temps but Dale and I needed to be at the other start line....both races started at 8AM.  Dale and I were fortunate to get an awesome parking spot right across the street from the start line.

At 7:30 I started my warmup to see how the legs were feeling.  After some striders, high knees and butt kickers I was starting to get warmed up.  I did an easy two miles when I was done with my warmup.

I started to see some friends and caught up with them while we waited for the start.

Overall the course is flat.  We had to run up Harvard Ave. to the entrance of the Ohio Canal Corridor.  It wasn't very steep but I didn't want to blow up early.  I just settled in with the other people around me.  My friend Matt was with me and I figured I could just stay with him and see how it goes.

Once we got onto the running path we started downhill towards the canal area.  Unfortunately we would need to run back up this hill to the finish.  Slowly Matt and a couple other runners started to pull away from me.  I wasn't concerned because I was gradually slipping back.  I was still maintaining contact with them and we had 4 more miles to run.  According to my watch the first mile was 7:20.

During the second mile I kept my pace consistent and my strides short and quick.  As we ran along the winding path I started to slowly pull Matt and the other guy back to me.  I wasn't surging to close the gap, just staying consistent with my pace.

As I passed them I could tell they were trying to stay with me.  The heavy breathing just over my shoulder told me I didn't have any worries.  Aerobically I was fine.  I just wanted my legs to hold out to the finish line. 

After I pulled away we came off a small loop and back to the main towpath trail.  I could see the next runner ahead of me but with two miles left he seemed to be too far ahead.

I wasn't worried about him and just tried to keep an even pace.  I was hitting my splits but ignoring my watch until after the race.

Mile 2 = 6:40
Mile 3 = 6:32
Mile 4 = 6:21

During the last mile I found myself getting closer to the guy ahead of me.  I couldn't believe I was reeling him in.  I was waiting for him to push and keep or increase the gap.  But it never happened.  We passed a spectator who told us it was 500 yards to the finish.

I decided to push to the finish.  I passed my last competitor and kept it up to the finish line.  The final hill seemed short as I swung my arms and crossed the finish line.  Somehow I managed to expend the right amount of energy for the entire race.  I could still stand but I needed about 30 seconds to get my breathing under control.  I congratulated the next three guys across the line, including my friend Matt.

My final mile was 6:28 and a total time of 33:16 (chip time).

I figured I was in the top twenty finishers.  I really wasn't paying attention to those ahead of me.  Before the awards I was told I made top ten.  Little did I know I would wind up being the Male Masters Winner.  This win bumped me out of the age group Matt and I race in putting him first in the 45-49 age group.

Below you see some of my winning friends from left to right: Matt - 45-49 AG winner, Julie - Female Masters Winner, DS - winner 65-69 AG and myself. 

The final results listed me as 6th overall in the 5 miler.  I definitely surprised myself with this race.  I attribute this performance to several things.

Crossfit:  My training at Coca Crossfit has really improved my overall strength.  This base strength carried me up the hills to the finish line.

Mental tenacity:  I knew going into the race it would be more mental than physical.  Running on tired legs meant pushing through and making my body do what it was told.  Also patience.  As several people pulled away from me I didn't panic and go with them.  I waited to see how the race would unfold.  The final push past the last guy with 500 yards to go...that was something I didn't think I could do.  But you never know until you try.  Maybe he could have out kicked me.  But I would have kicked myself for not trying.

After the awards ceremony we watched Aimee and our friends finish the half marathon.  I got some nice pictures.

My Snakebite teammate Jason was 3rd overall in the half with a 1:20...yeah he's pretty speedy.

Daniel was looking good approaching the finish line.

Had to get a picture of our team sponsor Vertical Runner ( I also got a gift certificate for VR with my award)

Aimee approaching the finish line.  She caught the girl in front of her before the finish line.

Adam, Daniel and Cassie were all smiles after the races.  Adam did his first, and possibly last, half marathon in 1:38.  I think he will be back.

With great friends like these how can you not like running, cycling, competing, and having fun.

Game On.

Warm weather and being Euro.

Weather in Ohio has just been amazing the past couple of weeks.  Blue skies, green grass, white trees and temperatures in the 80's.

Wait...this is March isn't it?  Sure doesn't feel like March but just like most of the eastern states, Ohio was caught in a great very nice stretch of weather.

Going back to the 14th, when I had my Muscle Milk taken from from car, the weather allowed me to ride outside.  Five days of riding netted me 110 miles outside on the bike. 

The windows were open in the house, the dogs were sunning themselves on the driveway, the trees were blooming white and pink.


This past Saturday was the first day of potentially crappy weather.  Rain was predicted at 60% and temps around 60, higher than normal but lower than the previous 2 weeks. 

The weekend was cut short due to my travel schedule for work so I had to switch my run and bike days. 

On Saturday Aimee signed up for the Dirty Dash 10k.  This race is part of the Dirty Trail Race Series.  I wanted to take pictures at the race but also needed to get in a bike ride.

I decided to take pictures at the race then ride my bike home, however long that would take. 

We packed up the car and headed out to the race.  I had a lot of fun taking pictures during the race.  Watching people ham it up for the camera and cheering for friends. 

After the awards were handed out I changed into my cycling kit and got ready to ride.  Then I realized I was missing a very important piece of equipment. 

My Helmet.  SHIT!!!!

I couldn't believe of all things to forget it would be my helmet.  I NEVER ride without a helmet.  Even if I am riding along side Aimee during a run I wear my helmet. 

Aimee had a couple stops to make before going home so I decided to go ahead and ride.  I would detour to Bike Authority, the Snakebite Racing team bike shop, and get a loaner helmet. 

It felt weird riding without a helmet.  I felt...naked.  Of course 10 minutes after starting two friends from another multi-sport team went riding by in the other direction.  I felt stupid for them to see me riding without a helmet in my team kit.  There was also the fire truck that passed me on the road.  They were probably hoping I wouldn't crash.  I'm sure they didn't want to scoop my brains off the road. 

I was very careful, especially on the downhills.  I kept my speed in check and didn't attack the descents like I normally would. 

My route to Bike Authority took me straight through downtown Brecksville.  Again, I feel stupid riding my bike without a helmet. I wanted to take off my jersey so people wouldn't know I was with Snakebite. my internal dialogue was probably much worse than what people were really thinking but I'm serious about setting a good example when riding my bike and want to project a good image for cyclists and the team. 

I finally made it to Bike Authority and Chris set me up with a helmet.  He saw me walk in without a helmet and thought I was going all "Euro" on my ride.  Nope....just being stupid and forgetful.  I took a break and chatted with Chris and Mike then headed back out. 

It felt so good to have a helmet on my head for the remainder of my ride.  I could concentrate on the ride instead of being paranoid. 

The rest of my ride was great.  The Metroparks had traffic but wasn't excessive and the drivers were respectful of me being on the road.  I stopped in at Second Sole to top off my water bottle and start my final push home. 

After 3.5 hours of ride time I rolled into the driveway with 64 miles behind me and a new helmet that will stay in the car as my emergency brain bucket.

Game On.

Got Muscle Milk?

I made it to the pool this morning despite a personal battle with getting my tired ass out the door.  As I walked out the door I grabbed a Clif MOJO bar and a Muscle Milk so I could fuel up post workout.

I use the colder weather as my personal refrigerator and leave my Muscle Milk on my windshield to stay cold.

I like going to the YMCA.  The competition pool is kept around 81 degrees with eight lanes.  My membership also allows me to use Y facilities all around the country when I travel.  The staff and members at a Y usually have a very positive attitude which makes traveling bearable.

I also like supporting the Mission of the Y.  Don't forget it stands for Young Men's Christian Association.  And the guiding principles support this.

On the Cleveland Y website you find the following.

• Put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.
• Develop the total person- spirit, mind and body - through character development programs that build strong kids, strong families and strong communities.

Caring, honesty, respect and responsibility are the foundational values of all YMCA programs and services.

So why did someone decide it was okay to take my Muscle Milk this morning?  That's not a very Christian act displaying honesty or respect.

I have put drinks on my windshield numerous times.  And this is the first occasion when someone has felt the need to take my drink.

I'm not mad at all.  Just dumbfounded that someone would actually do it. 


Maybe it helped them get their Game On for the day.

Training or Working Out?

Working Out involves doing some form of exercise that may, just may, keep your fitness levels steady.  Something that counters the desserts or beer you shouldn't be consuming.
 
Training however is a focused attempt to improve your overall fitness and take it to the next level.  Training involves a goal either immediate or long term that will allow you to perform at your best when needed.

Unfortunately I have been catching myself working out instead of training. 

My running is definitely in the shitter.  I'm just trying to get myself back up to a good per week mileage.  Essentially I am in base mode which sucks because there is no speed in the legs.  This past Saturday the legs felt heavy and sluggish but I still got in 90 minutes.

Swimming has also been lackluster.  I'm focusing on drills and technique instead of speed and fitness.  My shoulders are very tight from Crossfit lately.

Crossfit is also throwing a big old monkey wrench into the "training" lately.  I have gotten caught up in the CrossFit Games Open Workouts.  Five weeks of worldwide competition WODs to see who will go to the Games in California in July.  The Coca Crossfit "team" has 39 members signed up and I also wanted to see how I would compare against other "masters" in the 45-49 age group. 

I've quickly learned I would have quite a bit of strength work ahead of me to be "competitive".  So the stress of rowing 45k meters, swimming 7k yards and the Crossfit Open WODs has fried my shoulders. 

Now my cycling has been doing pretty well.  The weekly Tuesday night spin at our team sponsor Ride & Workout has been going well.  I also have Aimee's 90 minute spin sessions on Sunday to keep me on the bike.  It's the one area I actually feel good about. 

This may be the year of the bike.

To help with my training I have finally filled out my calendar.  Hopefully it will keep me focused and on a consistent routine with some f'in focus.   

I really need to get my Game On.

Post Row

This past Sunday was my big B-Day Row where I completed 45,000 meters of rowing to raise money for Girls With Sole.

What an interesting experience. 

Aimee arrived at Coca Crossfit around 7:15 to get me set up and started by 7:30.  The first spinning session started at 8 so we greeted people as they began showing up.

I completed my "warmup" row in 25 minutes.  This would be the slowest pace I wanted to go at..being a 2:30/500m.

In between 5k's I would walk around to stretch, drink and eat.  I needed to treat this like a half Ironman since I would be at it for approximately 4.5 hours.  I forgot to take a picture of my second 5k, but all of my splits are down below on the whiteboard.

I decided that I would do every third row on the row machine we affectionately call the Beast.  This machine is ooooolllllllllddddddd.  Definitely not as smooth as the newer machines.  But it did have a cushier seat that would help provide some comfort for my posterior.  At the end for of my third 5k my time was in the low 24's.

In the next picture you can see some of the bikes used to spin while I was rowing.  It was nice to have the distraction of Tom and the girls while I was rowing.  The music Aimee and Kelly selected also provided some good beats.  I found some good rhythm at times.

 Someone got a picture of me rowing and sporting the Snakebite Racing top. 

Two hours in and I started the 5th 5k with a new group of spin girls.  Some of them carried over from the first group and rode 3 hours to my 4.5 of rowing.  Those are some awesome friends to stick around for a double spin.

Pictured below you can see my neighbor Nina.  She grabbed her husbands bike and trainer to come out and support me.  She did awesome and enjoyed the 90 minute workout.

Row #6 was back on the Beast.   My first 5k under 24 minutes.  Definitely some good tunes to make me pick up the pace.

I forgot to take a picture of Row #7.  My time was slightly slower because my forearms were started to cramp.  I've had sore forearms from pull-ups and rope climbs before but nothing like this.  My arm would cramp and my index finger would curl towards my palm.  I had to massage both arms and straighten my finger out.  I also switched to a bicep curl row to change things up.


Below is row #8.  40k meters, 4 hours, 2 spin sessions. 

This is Liz Ferro, founder of Girls With Sole.  She felt bad leaving me but I told her it was okay because Coca was about to fill up with people competing in the Crossfit Games Open WOD.  So I would be seeing some more friends coming in.

This is the 9th and final 5k of rowing.  I finished on the Beast in 21:58.  The extra seconds were because I had to pull the handle to wake up the display again.

When I left Coca I had with me $300 from people giving me cash and checks during my time rowing.  Add to that some on-line donations of $175 and my B-Day check from Grandma & Grandpa, my rowing generated $525 for Girls With Sole.

That breaks down to about $11.67 per 1,000 meters rowed.  I can live with that.  I can also live with the temporary pain in my arms because I know the help Liz and GWS provides to girls in the Cleveland area is priceless and very beneficial.

Next up is the Girls With Sole Swim-a-Thon on Sunday.  Not quite sure how I will recover for the swim but I'll put forth my best effort again for GWS. 

So if you want to give in honor of my rowing or wait and see how many yards I can swim this Sunday my donate link is below.

Game On.

http://www.active.com/donate/keeptri-ing/eric_gibb

Row....Row....Row

Aimee gets a kick out of this commercial from Gieco.  When ever I say I'm going to row she does her little impersonation of the guinea pig.

Row

Row

Row

Well all of my row training will come to fruition this Sunday at Coca Crossfit where I will be going for 45,000 meters to raise money for Girls With Sole. 

You can read about how you can help raise some cash for GWS at this post.

If you want to join in on the fun this Sunday I will be starting at 7:30AM. 

You can find Coca Crossfit at:

34601 Mills Road
North Ridgeville, OH 44039 

I have already heard back from several people that they will donate $1 or .50 per 1000 meters.


That will definitely help me stay focused on the 45,000 meters.  I will be breaking up the row into 5k segments to give myself a chance to drink and eat during the time.


If you don't want to row, Kate will be having some workouts available to for $5.  If you have ever been interested about Crossfit stop on by and talk with Kate.....maybe try a workout.


Come Sunday morning it will be Game On.

Cure for the Common Cold

DON'T CATCH A COLD.

Sounds simple but in reality it's near impossible to avoid. 

And that is exactly what I battled this past week.  A common cold that filled up my sinuses and made it hard to breath and sleep. 

With my recent travels and the wild swings in the weather it was bound to happen.

Unfortunately I didn't move into the "sick room" at our house before Aimee caught the cold. 

So my recovery week was moved up one week. 

Next week I travel again for work. 

I'm also one week out from my 45,000 meter row (Sunday 2/26) and a B-Day Crossfit WOD (Monday 2/27) I created. 

And for some reason I decided to signup for the Crossfit's Open Games...to "see what I'm made of".

So there will be a little bit of juggling of the schedule to make everything fit, stay healthy and rest up. 

And I forgot to mention that my right hip flexor is sore.

Time to be smart and not HTFU too much this next week.  It's only February and there is a long season ahead. 

Game On.

It's Time To Spend Some Cash

I'm not spending the cash.  YOU ARE!!!

And not on yourself.  Instead you get to hear about me doing crazy shit and then you send money to Girls With Sole, my charity for 2012.

At the beginning of the year I said I would be asking for dollars.  Now that the Christmas bills are paid and you planned accordingly to get a refund from the IRS you can help me out.

Originally I was going to swim the Cleveland Tri Club's "Big Swim Challenge" where I would do 100 yards 100 times = 10,000 yards.  Well that didn't pan out because of work.

So instead I have two events coming up that offer some ways to make alternative contributions.

Event #1 = 45,000 meter row, 2/26/12

I turn 45 at the end of February.  
On February 26th I will row 45,000 meters.  
All at one time with minimal breaks for my sorry tush.  I estimate it will take me about 4.5 hours to complete.

Event #2 = 2nd Annual GWS Swim-A-Thon, 3/4/12

The swim-a-thon lasts 2 hours.  I want to see how many yards I can swim during that time.  Last year I did 10,000 yards but that takes almost 3 hours.  This time I am going to push myself a little harder to see how far I can go.

For each of these events I don't want any "standard" contribution.  I want you to have fun as well.

Think outside the box for you contribution.

Rowing:
One dollar for each 1,000 meters rowed = $45
$.50 for each 1,000 meters = $22.50
$.25 per 1,000 meters = $11.25
Make a donation for how long it takes me.

Swimming:
Now this is an unknown, except for the time.
How about 1, 2 or 3 dollars per 100 yards...or per 1000 yards.
The fun part is that we don't know what the amounts will be.  I will be pushing myself to get the most yardage possible to get the biggest contributions.

So who is with me on this one?  Last year we raised $1164.99.  How much can we add to this total?

I don't need you to visit my donation site just yet.  

You need to hear how well I do at each event.

Maybe my body will shut down and I can't reach 45,000 meters on the rower.

Maybe my arms will give out during the swim and my yardage will be lower than expected.

It's a gamble.  A gamble I'm willing to take.  Wouldn't you rather gamble on me instead of a sporting event?

Game On.

Community

I'm sure you have heard before, "No man is an island."  And quite frankly I don't know why someone would want to live that way. Isolated and not sharing their experiences with anyone? 

That's not for me. 

And that is where Community comes in.  Community comes in many flavors, styles, interests.  And with the ability to have a presence on the internet with portals like blogging, webcasts, forums, etc. the community is that much bigger.

Admittedly my "communities" are primarily sports related.  Running, cycling, triathlon, Crossfit.  Even trail running is a sub-set of the running community.

I have made a lot of acquaintances and friends this way, and they don't necessarily cross groups either.

And these communities often lead me to other interests as well.  I'm trying to branch off into photography and am enjoying learning about the breadth of this art form.

Community has played a big part of my week.  I was traveling to Dallas, TX for work and realized that I had contacts in the city.  Natalie is a teammate on Snakebite and Dan was originally from Coca Crossfit.

I joined Natalie and her friends at the movies.  We watched Bicycle Dreams on the big screen and I came away in awe of these people.  It was nice to spend time with a friend and not alone in a hotel room.

I also joined Dan for two workouts at Crossfit 214.  It was nice to go into the gym, see the workout, and know what to do.  Crossfit is definitely universal.  The coaches and people are supportive and allow me to drain my body during a workout.  I left some sweat on the floor during this mornings WOD.

I'm fortunate to be a part of these communities and have some great friends to share my experiences with. 

Crossroads of America

Work sometimes takes me out of town for my customers.  My latest project had me driving around the northwestern part of Ohio.

I passed through New Hampshire, Ohio driving from point A to point B.  As I passed through the center of town I had to stop and get a couple of pictures. Something about what used to be in this small town called out to me.

It looked like this "general store" was closed for good.  I'm sure that pump hasn't been used since the 70's.

Crazy Eric

This morning I woke up and was trying to decide what to do.  I hadn't been to Crossfit for a while, but I also hadn't run since the weekend. 

The wind was blowing on an already cold morning.  Maybe a run wouldn't be such a good idea...there I go wussing out again.

So I opted for a Crossfit workout instead.  Kate has open gym 7 - 8 in the morning.  We can come in and do the daily WOD, work on miscellaneous skills, movements, flexibility or just shoot the shit.

I decided I would get my running in AND a good Crossfit workout.  After some warmup exercises and 3000m of rowing I setup my workout station.  The only piece of equipment I needed was an Abmat (something used for sit-ups).

I put my WOD on the white board and set the timer.

10 pull-ups
Shuttle run
10 push-ups
Shuttle run
10 toes to bar
Shuttle run
10 sit-ups
Shuttle run
10 Burpees
Shuttle run

Repeat for a total of 5 rounds

The Shuttle run is just like you did in elementary, middle and high school.  I ran back and forth to five different spots on the gym floor. 

The Toes to Bar....well...

So anyways....the worst part of this workout was the unknown.  I just put it together because it got me running and most of the other exercises were upper body.

The second worst part was running after the burpees.  Jumping up and down then the shuttle run was killer on the quads. 

I just plugged away at the rounds.  I was really doubting my sanity during the fourth round and thought about cutting it short.  But I wrote 5 on the white board so I re-committed myself to completing the WOD as I wrote it.

The fifth round was starting to get into my gut.  My brain was going fuzzy and I was happy that I didn't have any food in my stomach.  I was either going to finish the final shuttle run strong or puking.

I was pretty close to doing both.  I sprinted across the finish line and immediately bent over against the wall trying to get my breath back. 

Finish time was 36:33. I felt like I just set a PR in a 5k.

Kate was cheering and encouraging me on the entire way and it was great hearing her voice in the background.

As I was collecting myself I could hear Kate introducing everyone to a new member.  All I heard was, "That's Crazy Eric down there.  He's an Ironman."

Guess I have a new nickname at the gym.  Just a part of the Crossfit community that I really like at Coca.

Crazy Game On

Making your own workout

I hit the pool this morning for some yardage.  It sure is hard to get out a warm bed knowing you will be standing on the edge of a pool in your speedo/jammers working in up the courage to jump in.

I've been very loose with my swim training.  I have not been dipping into the bag of workouts for a long time now.  Usually I think up a workout as I drive to the Y.

My first 1000 yards are always the same.  500 warm-up doing crawl, breast and back strokes.  Then 500 yards of drills.

The main set today was only 800 yards but the intensity was the focus.

The workout broke down as follows:

200 - 25 hard, 150 steady, 25 hard
200 - 50 hard, 100 steady, 50 hard
200 - 75 hard, 50 steady, 75 hard
200 -  200 hard






200 yards cooldown


I used this as a race simulation.  Short hard efforts act as the start of a race and the ending efforts would be surges to break away from a pack or catch a faster pack.

Because the time swimming hard increases the total time for each 200 should drop.

My 200's were: 2:59, 2:56, 2:51, 2:46. 

Boy did I feel it in my arms.  But the feeling told me that I was maintaining good form and catching a lot of water with each stroke.  The times reflect that also. 

Give this workout a try and let me know how it goes.

8th Annual Winter Run for Regis Trail Fun Run - Report

...or the

Have Your Legs Ripped Off, Beaten Against a Frozen Tree and Put Back on Backwards Saga.

You may remember some previous reports from the Winter Run for Regis.  This was my fifth time at this race and I love supporting the Regis Shivers Scholarship and the Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher House.  It also helps that this run is a blast thanks in part to the head honcho Tanya.

One of the best parts of this race is listening to her pre-run instructions.  Tanya is funny and isn't shy of telling people to shut up so her instructions won't be missed.

Aimee and I signed up for the half marathon again.  We would have TriSaraTops, JenP, Brandy and Ana joining the fun this year.  They were all newbies to either the event or the course.  A fresh layer of snow had fallen overnight and the clear skies had the temperature at 10 degrees.  At least there was no wind.

With the unceremonious "go" we headed out on the 8 mile loop.  As the crowd started to thin out I found a comfortable pace with two other runners.  Cassandra and Jeff would be my running mates for this first loop.

Being a very casual run it's great to be able to talk with people. The cold weather was fine if you were running.  My toes finally warmed up at a couple of miles.  We talked about other trail races, triathlons, and other BS. 

At the first aid station I took my time and they continued on.  I ate and drank what I felt like.  The Coke and Mountain Dew were already getting slushie.  The PB&J sandwiches were not frozen yet.  I thanked the volunteers and head back to the start/finish(Home) to complete the 8 mile loop. 

Back at "home" I had my number marked that I completed the loop, said hi to Joe and hit the restroom. 

I thought I felt good starting the 5 mile loop.  Before we actually hit the official loop part there was another aid station.  I took a HammerGel despite its frozen condition.  I would get a small bit out and let it melt in my mouth.  I needed some extra energy to make it through the loop.

As soon as I hit the rollers through the woods my legs started to complain.  My left knee was starting to bother me and a general lack of energy was sitting heavy in both legs.  Maybe that 90 minute bike session on the trainer was a bad idea.  I rode pretty hard since I had missed the Tuesday spin because of work.

I started walking every little incline.  It felt like a monstrous hill but I kept the legs moving.  Slowing down too much or stopping would have been worse because of the cold weather.  Each time I would spot a tree and tell myself that that is when I would start running again...no matter what.....because it would get me back to "home" that much faster.

It was a big struggle to keep moving.  But I embraced the mental challenge of pushing my legs despite their protests.  I crossed the finish line and gladly relinquished my race number to the volunteers.  I had completed the 13 miles in 2:25.  Two years ago I managed a 2:05 on the same trails. 

I wasn't very well prepared this year.  Since the Salt Fork 10 Mile Challenge I had let my running slip pretty bad.  I need to get my ass in gear.  I signed up today for Triple T again.  Now that is a course that will kick your ass if you don't prepare properly. 

So let this past weekend be the start of something wonderful.....a good training plan leading up to Triple T.

Game On.

Indoor Trainer Test

The Snakebite Team has been having spin sessions every Tuesday at Ride & Workout, one of our sponsors.  The cool part is that we lead the classes.  Five of us have been rotating through the classes and we each bring a different style to the workouts. 

I like to come up with theme, build the music around it then create a workout.  I was testing out my latest playlist this morning.  I had my laptop on the floor in front of me to keep me focused on the workout.  No television, just the music from my playlist.

I don't want to tip my hand for my next spin session so you will need to wait two weeks.  I will post it here.

But here is one of the other workouts I lead.  Try it out and let me know what you think.

Game On.

All songs are from ESPN Jock Jams Vol. 2 and 3.  These are the "exercises" I used as a guideline for the spin session.  I might have improvised a little during the class. 

MG Snickerdoodle

This post is for those that don't follow me on Facebook.

MG Snickerdoodle is the American Kennel Club name for our dog Snickers.  

Snickers, and Ruby, were first introduced as part of Family and Friends Friday.

This picture was taken about 14 years ago.  Such a small little puppy.

This picture was taken 3 days after Christmas.  This picture holds so much meaning to me because I believe it shows him in the twilight years of his life.  

Little did I know 14 days later we would be saying goodbye to our wonderful family member.

We had a great life together and he will be missed. But he is in a better place.....waiting for us to call his name again.

I share this poem in remembrance of him.  He is having fun now with Bo, Foster, Freya, Frankie, Marley, Calvin, Claude and many others who have passed before him. 

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
 
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
 
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
 
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
 
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.... 

Digital Photography

For Christmas I got myself a new camera.  The Nikon D5100 was my one and only choice.  I'm so glad I got it.  It allows me to do so many different things.  I've enjoyed learning about the basics of photography playing with my new toy.

I have been reading a lot from the website Digital Photography School.  It has really helped open up my thought process about what to take pictures of and how to use the equipment. 

Here are some of the latest "tinkerings" with zoom blur.

My desk

My computer monitor...like I need to tell you that.

This is Ruby on our bed.  

All of these pictures are raw from the camera.  I have not done any post processing with programs like Photoshop. 

Pretty cool huh?

Overnight Visitor

It's been a busy day with running, work and having some visitors at the house.  Aimee's niece Brooke, 3 months old, is spending the night with her mom and dad.

She's a cutie, isn't she.

Christmas is over

One last picture of the Christmas tree before we take it down.  Don't worry.  It's a fake tree so we don't have to worry about it being too dry. 

WOD:  Rest Day

And I ran.....

So the weather was pretty nice here in Cleveland today. The temperature got into the 40's and the skies were clear for most of the day. I sucked it up and ran outside. Actually it wasn't hard to do.

I ran 4 slow miles. Better than nothing, right? I was still tired from the crossfit workout last night. It must have taken more out of me than I thought.

I did the math during my run and I lifted a total of 175 * 10 = 1750 * 3 = 5370 lbs. Then I add on the weight lifted during the deadlift max, which I don't know the total of, and we are over 3 tons.

Moving that much weight reminds me of a video I saw of the great Jack LaLane.

Before the run I noticed the thin layer of clouds looking rather nice with the sun setting.