From Ironman to Gardenman

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.

Get out and Ride

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!

Two for Tuesday - Videos

Something quick and simple. Check out these videos.

Baltimore Half Marathon

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.

Race Strategy

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

Random Thoughts Are Good

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!!!!

The numbers game

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.

Two for Tuesday - Bike Porn (A New Era Begins)

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.

Ridin' Dirty while White and Nerdy

I've hit the trifecta. Three versions of the same song all here for you to enjoy.

White And Nerdy

Add a video to your site FREE Music Video Code

Ridin' Dirty

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......

Family and Friends Friday - Diane

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

Two for Tuesday - Bike Porn (The Early Years)

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.

I'm still standing......

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.

Thoughtful Words

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.

Ironman Race Report - Post Race Wrap-up

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

Family and Friends Friday - Kara

I've been reading many awesome reports from Ironman Wisconsin. NO matter what the report or the outcome everyone who started IM MOO is an Ironman. So it is with great pleasure to post about a friend of mine who was at IM MOO.

Kara Kelly is one of the biggest supporters of running in the Cleveland area. Her resume includes
30+ marathons, with many of those being part of her 50 state goal.
7 Boston marathon finishes
A coaching assignment at Craftsbury Running Camp
Founder and coach of the Second Sole Running Group
Founder of In On Time, providing pace groups for half and full marathons
A registered nurse, exercise physiologist and PhD Student/grad assistant at Ohio State University

An to top it all off, an awesome person to boot.

Aimee and I met Kara about 5 years ago when Aimee first got serious about her running. She joined the Second Sole group and met some of the greatest people, TriSaraTops was part of this group also. We have developed many wonderful friendships through the group.

Kara organized the running group into 6 different levels so everyone could train with people of similar abilities and speeds. With all of her experience and training she has training schedules available and often shares information one-on-one with anyone who asks. Aimee has sent Kara questions about her current marathon training and Kara has answered all of her questions eagerly.

I have run in a couple of pace groups for Kara, one half and one full marathon. When I paced the second half of the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon it provided me with a great way to give back to the running community. I was more than happy to help Kara fill the gap for pacing a fast group. I wound up with ITB afterwards but it was worth it.

Kara is back at Ohio State doing research work in exercise physiology. This has not stopped her from keeping track of the Second Sole group though. She is constantly posting threads on the message board and organizing activities. Her latest activities revolve around getting test subjects from the Cleveland area for her research.

On Saturday, tomorrow, Aimee and I will be in Kara's testing lab. I will get a body composition test (calipers, water immersion and BodPod) then be subjected to poking and proding while running. I've been calling the treadmill a stress test, which may not be acurate. I will be running at half or marathon pace on a treadmill while hooked up to a breathing mask and electrodes. At regular intervals my finger will get poked to do blood analysis. The treadmill will also be raised at regular intervals until exhaustion.

The results will provide me with my VO2 max, lactate threshold and some training guidelines based upon my max heart rate. I'm excited to learn more about my body (how fit am I) and helping Kara with her research.

Okay, back to Kara. Kara and I were both on an Ironman Journey this summer. Her training wasn't as consistant as mine but she is such a strong runner that once she made the marathon it would be a breeze from there on out. Kara was never sure if she was going to Wisconsin. There was the possibility that she would skip the race completely. I was excited when I saw her in the group picture TriAl V2006 posted from Madison. I had alot of people to track.

I didn't get to check the race until I finished the Great Lake Escape and got home. When I did check the IronmanLive website Kara didn't have any times. No swim time at all. I figured that a last minute decision to bypass the race was made. It wasn't until I talked to TriSaraTops after her finish that I learned the truth. Kara had started the race but didn't complete the swim in time. Considering the conditions I could understand why. But the story doesn't end there.

Kara and her husband, Tim, went out on the bike course to cheer for the Cleveland athletes. TriSaraTops saw her out there. Then Kara went out on the run course to not only cheer but keep some people company for a mile or two.

Kara is such an inspiration and motivator that her actions really don't surprise me. I know some of the other people who missed the swim cut-off may have called it a day and stayed inside, their option. But Kara was out there in the crappy weather being a part of Ironman.

Coach Angela wrote in my race plan, "IM does not define you, it is just a part of who you are!" Simply finishing an Ironman Race does not make you an Ironman. The journey makes you Iron. The growth from within becomes Iron and the aura is present to those around you.

So Kara, IronWil and others may not have finished their "race". Their "journey" may not be complete. Kara says she will be at Lake Placid in 2008. IronWil will be at IM Wisconsin again in 2007. I know each will have a much better day and will earn the title "Ironman Finisher", but right now......I call them Ironman already.

Game On.

This picture is of Aimee (left) and Kara (right) after winning a duathlon relay. Aimee biked and Kara ran.

Kahunaville

I spotted this sign as I drove back and forth to the house for the Great Lake Escape. How can you pass up a picture like that.

What a day!

Today was the Great Lake Escape Triathlon. This race is similar to the Escape from Alcatraz because the swim start is from a ferry boat. This was my first race since Ironman USA and I had never done this one before. The jumping off a boat into Lake Erie is what makes this race so fun, and it's close to home.

Aimee secured a house in Lakeside, a couple miles from the event site, that we could spend the night at so we didn't have to wake up at some insane hour race day. We drove up the night before and saw many friends and bloggers (DaisyDuc, TriFrog, and JT) at packet pick-up. There was also an athletes meeting to discuss the swim start. The weather on Saturday was very windy. The lake was choppy. The RD was telling us about the possibility of the swim being cancelled. While a total bummer if that happened it was a safety issue. If the Coast Guard issued a small craft advisory the safety boats would not be able to line the swim course. We all hoped that the weather would improve for the Sunday race.

We went to dinner with TriFrog and his wife. A local restaurant had a pasta buffet and was showing some college football games. The big game for the night was OSU vs. Texas. We hit the place way before any crowds then finally made our way to the house we would crash at for the night. I had not been to Lakeside for many years. This gated community was founded as a Methodist retreat and camp. My mom was often a delegate from our church and I had to accompany her since I was still in elementary school. We walked around and Aimee watched me reminisce about the park, pier and downtown. It was pretty cool to share that with her.

We got to bed around 9:00PM after watching the first quarter of the OSU game. Actually she was sleeping and I was reading. I woke up around 2:00Am to hit the bathroom and never really fell back to sleep. My alarm went off at 4:00AM so I could eat and get ready to leave. Transition opened at 5:00AM with busses leaving for the ferry at 6:00. We were very early getting there and I was possibly the 10th person to rack their bike. I managed to find some of my friends in the dark and we talked about the strong winds. The decision to cancel the swim was expected at 6:00AM. The busses arrived and were ready to load up the triathletes. I walked down to transition to hang out with my friends. Then we could see the busses pulling away across the marsh. Problem was, no one was on the busses. We already knew the swim was cancelled. The RD made the official announcement minutes later. It was out of his hands. The Coast Guard made the call. Weather is never in anyones control. There was also an aquabike and duathlon scheduled. So the aquabike became a 40k time trial. The triathlon athletes pretty much joined the duathletes for one big DU, 5k run/40k bike/10k run.

Most people were pretty upbeat about the change. I didn't care. I was bummed that I wasn't going to be able to jump off a boat into Lake Erie but maybe next year. I was a little concerned about two things.

First, my right knee has been slow to heal from Ironman. The ITB has always broken down pretty hard after my big races and takes a while to heal. My run last weekend was on the trails in our local park system and I saved the hills for the second half of my run, but the hills is where I would feel the knee the most.

Second, the winds that kicked up the waves on the lake were coming ashore and would make the bike interesting. Would I be able to maintain a good pace for the entire 40k?

The run course is along the beach and trails of the park. Most of the run would be on hard packed sand, especially at the water line. I love running on varying surfaces like this. Because everything was a duathlon the start was a time trial format sending people off in groups. So you are in a group of people that may not be in your age group, that makes it tough to know how to race. A true race against the clock, only I didn't have a clock to race against. I decided to go low tech at this race. No watch or HRM. No bike computer either. I was going to race on pure feeling. Coach Angela told me that I should be "uncomfortable" the entire time. Not blasting myself, but exerting myself. And I can saw that I was succesful.

The first 5k run I was trying to hold off the people behind me without loosing ground to the ones in front. I went 21:41 for the 5k...that's a 7:00 min/mile pace and I felt good going into T1 for my bike. I slipped on my bike shoes and ran for the mount line. In typical fashion there were two guys stopped right at the line getting clipped into their pedals. I ran past them and did a running mount onto my bike. After the race, Aimee said that TriFrog's wife commented how well I jump on my bike. I have to get video of that.

On the bike it was windy. No matter which way you were riding there was a wind to contend with. On rare occasion I felt "fast". I was pretty much alone the entire ride. I would come up on an aquabike rider or be passed by some young stud. That was fine because I was "uncomfortable" according to my race plan. I came into T2 tired but knowing I was going to have a good second run. My 40k bike was 1:09:07 with an average speed of 21.5 MPH.

I slipped on my running shoes, grabbed my fuel belt and hat, then exited transition. See Bolder, I even wore my belt for a 10k run....I think I was the only one who did but I didn't care. I had two water bottles and a flask of HammerGel. I used it too, especially the gel. I held my position, tried to reel some people in and hold off others. The worst part of the 10k was mile 5. About half of the mile was in soft sand. It was hard to run in but I pulled close to the guy in front of me. Of course someone passed me as well. I wasn't too upset about the "kid" who passed me because he is from the Cleveland Tri Club. Once I left the beach the rest of the course is hard ground so I turned on the afterburners and took it in to the finish. My 10k time was 44:51 with a 7:15 pace.

I was very happy with my splits. The 7 and 7:14 pace is awesome considering I was LSD all summer. I have had very little speed work. I was 19th overall male and 5th in my AG.

Time to put this post to bed as well as myself. I've been watching IM MOO on my laptop and it's almost midnight at home, but only 11PM in Madison. I saw qcmier and TriSaraTops finish which is huge. I'm so proud of each of them. I'm proud of each and every person who toed the line this morning for Ironman. I love this sport.

GAME ON!!!!!!

Bike Porn

After Ironman I was cleaning out the garage and had all of the bikes lined up in the driveway. So today I offer you Bike Porn.


Let's see what was in the stable that day.

On the left, bottom to top, my tri bike, Aimee's road/tri bike, my road bike.

On the right, bottom to top, Aimee's mountain bike, Amanda's mountain bike, my father-in-laws bike, my mountain bike.

Maybe I will take individual pictures and provide a brief history on each one. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Game On

What's Cooking Wednesday - Chicken 'n Rice Casserole

This has been a family favorite of mine since the 80's. Now it's one of my daughters favorites as well.

1 chicken cut up
1 can each , Cream of Celery and Cream of Chicken soup
Water to suit consistancy
1.5 cups minute rice
1 package dry onion soup mix

Mix soups and rice together
Pour mixture into greased 9x13 pan
Sprinkle with dry onion soup mix
Cover with foil and bake at 352 degrees for 2.25 hours.

DON'T PEAK because you aren't supposed to. I don't have any modifications to the recipe since it is so freakin' good.

Understanding Women....or something like that

I know. This is a loaded topic. Will I be chatised? Will I loose my female followers? Will I begin to receive hate mail, advice or kudos?

Bear with me as I put my observations out there.

Let me step back to a long run which is the motivation of my post. Aimee and her friends were scheduled for either 20 or 15 miles in preparation for their respective fall marathons. Mind you each person has done at least 2 marathons. I owed them big time because they had come out to help at the Snakebite Racing sponsored road race. They all stood at intersections directing traffic while I sat on my butt driving a pace/follow car with the racers. So it was my duty to provide bike support. Usually bike support is just riding along for some conversation and maybe carry some extra water or a shirt.

Well it was raining that day. It was raining when we started and was intermittant all morning. I stuck with Mandie for most of the run. She is the fastest of the group having run Boston this past spring, she qualified at the Columbus Marathon, sub 3:40.

So I was riding with her chatting about all sorts of things. I rode ahead to get my running shoes on and finish the final 8 miles with her. I needed an hour run anyways.

The rain was not making the run very fun. Wet socks, wet shoes, high humidity, sand/grit in the socks.....Mandie was beginning to have a bad day. "This rain sucks". "These f!@#king socks keep bunching up". "My legs are starting to hurt". I was along for the ride and wanted to provide the silent, mental encouragement she was needing. Each time she started to slow down and stop I moved her forward. "Let's keep walking" I would tell her. I just wanted to make sure she kept moving foward.

I suggested we turn around and call it a day, " I can't." she would say. "I HAVE to run 20 today. I ran 18, then 20 and I have to do 20 today." I could tell she was starting to loose it for the day. I tried to rationalize with her that she has the base. She has been putting in good speed work. I didn't want her hurting herself either physically or mentally leading up to her marathon, which will be Columbus again.

I admired her determination but we had to stop several times, with the final stop half a mile from the trailhead. She had to release the frustration that had been building up during the final 8 of the run. I waited for her and tried to reassure her that it's okay.

That is the recap of my "inspiration" for this post. Now for my observations. And if I am totally off base please let me know. These are just my opinions and thoughts.

Women are hard on themselves. No matter what it is, women are their own worst critic. Of course we have society to blame for that. Women have been at the bottom of the proverbial pile for a long time.

Work: I'm no historian but women in the work place wasn't a reality until the 1970's. Yeah sure they were secretaries and typists and swithboard operators, but what about women in leadership roles? Slowly but surely when the education was provided to these highly motivated women they had to prove themselves in the "good old boy" network. I think that sucks, especially when a woman of equal ability and talent receives a lower salary than a man. I work with two women in my area that I would be potentially lost without. We make a great team because we all bring certain qualities and talents to the table. I feel that they are my equals, if not my superiors in the workplace. And I'm just fine with that.

Sports: Again women are considered inferior to men when it comes to sports. Traditionally thought of as weaker and more fragile, women are proving that they are a force to be reconed with. But why do they have to prove it? Why does anything have to be "proven". It's unfortunate the egotistical, testosterone driven male is somehow threatened by a woman who can take care of herself on the basketball or tennis court, field of play in football, baseball, soccer and on the track or road during running sports. And of course that woman is almost instantly labeled a lesbian because of her talent and strengths. I am just so sick of it all. Sorry I have digressed immensely from my original mind-set.

Back to Aimee and Mandie, two of many special people in my life. These two are serious about their running. If they have plans for a running race, they will plan, train and execute to the best of their abilities. No workout can be missed. No mile can not be run. And no matter what I may say, if it is not up to their expectations they have failed. But I see success. Success in setting a goal and following through with the sometimes difficult training that goes into the effort. Success is sacrificing time from family and friends to become prepared for race day. Going to bed early and getting up just as early to make time for the scheduled runs. The battle is not crossing the finish line, it's making it to the starting line.

And their goal oriented attitudes are not just in sport. I think the workplace also places a great deal of stress on them to be successful, to the point of perfection, in order to be accepted as an equal. Mandie works in information technology which is a male dominated field, but I feel that she puts her best foward at all times. Aimee is fortunate enough to work with people that recognize her contributions and compensate her quite well, both monetarily and emotionally. She is a valued asset in her workplace.

I've tried to make this post flow with some sort of intelligent stream of thought, but often I need to just do a brain dump and hope someone understands where I am coming from. And the longer I sit here the more I can think to add to the post, but then I might as well write a small book.

I doubt if "equality" will ever be realized in our world, be it religious, sexual, racial, economic. But I will make is a reality in my little piece of the world because that is how I put balance in my life. Sometimes the see-saw tips one way or the other and my balance is wacked out, but those around me help me get it back on track.

'nuf said, at least for today.

Game On.

I am way too excited.......

...about Ironman Wisconsin, and I'm not even competing. I was chatting with TriSaraTops yesterday about IM MOO. So it was in my brain. I tossed and turned all through the early morning dreaming about the race. Meeting SimplyStu. Watching the start of the race. Needing to get up so I could check everyones status.

Then I realized....the race is still a week away. OMG! I'm infected with the IM virus. Not only am I an Ironman, but Ironman is me.

Next week I will be competing in the Great Lake Escape. I've been told this race is a blast. I'm going to have fun with my friends at this race and not even wear a watch. Just see what happens. But after that I will be camped out in front of my laptop watching the progress of my Cleveland and blogging friends.

I'm totally geeked about next weekend.

Game On.

First you have to admit it......BPA

Self: Hi, my name is TriEric and I pee on the bike.

Support Group: Hi TriEric. Welcome. We all pee on the bike also.

Yes, that is how my first meeting with Bike Pee'ers Anonymous started. I first had to admit what I do. It felt refreshing, like the warm stream of water running down your legs from a bursting bladder. I was able to share my secret without someone saying EWW or GROSS. Of course most of the people in the group were triathletes, except for the 5 year old who had his training wheels recently taken off and it scared the piss out of him. Such a sad little story.

Coming fresh off my recent Ironman I was presented with this question time and again, "What do you do when you have to pee?" I look people straight in the eye and tell them the truth. If necessary, I pee my pants. In fact the only time I unclipped from my pedals was during my stop at the special needs bags. Otherwise the bike and I were one for 112 miles.

During my IM training I had talked with Coach Angela about peeing on the bike. She highly recommends the practice and knew I could handle it. Okay that didn't sound quite right. Angela said, "If you have plans to race a Half Ironman or Ironman event, one thing you want to do ,or be able to do, is PEE ON THE BIKE! This means you pee while riding, while moving, you do not stop to go the bathroom."

The hardest part is the mental aspect of the act. Except for when we are babies and learning to use the potty, we usually don't pee ourselves. Maybe that occasional drunken evening out or the uncontrollable laughing will make you squirt, but we try to avoid urinating on ones self. But during a bike race or triathlon the time it takes for a natural break is costly. Consider the following.......

Decide you have to pee.
Slow down to pee.
Get off the bike.
Walk over to the port-a-potty / tree / bush / etc.....
Walk back to your bike
Get on the bike
Get back up to race speed.

WOW, you've just spent 3 or more minutes going nowhere. No forward progress. Now for an Ironman race multiply that by 4 or 5. Even if you "only" spend 3 minutes per break that could be between 12-15 minutes. I don't care how fast or slow you are, this could have an impact on your race. For the quick this be the difference in placing or qualifying for Hawaii. For the back-of-the packers this could mean missing a cutoff time and not being able to continue. For everyone it could mean missing that goal time.

So there are advantages that go with peeing on the bike. But how do you actually do the "dirty" deed? I have enlisted Coach Angela to offer her words of wisdom for the women and I will provide some personal insight for the guys. Either way peeing on the bike, as well as yourself, is a mental battle.

Mental Preparation:
What is pee? Water. Okay with some "waste" mixed in for color. The main components of urine are (salt) water and waste products. The major waste product from cells in the body is ammonia which gets broken down by the liver. That yellow tint is the waste products from the blood. Read more here Ask a Scientist or here MadSci Network.

Remember the time savings during the race.

You will already be sweaty and stinky. You probably won't know anyone around you. You will look hardcore, or crazy. If it's hot out you will dry up pretty quick. Wash yourself off with a water bottle.

Believe me, it's not easy. It took me a bit of convincing the first time I peed on the bike. Since that first time I have learned some important things to think about.

For the guys:

Face it. We have it easier with two options for peeing on the bike. Stand up and "whip it out" or simply open up the gates feel the warmth.

"Whip it out" Method:

You need a slight downhill for this to work. This way you can keep your forward momentum while not pedaling. On the side you are going to pee, drop your leg to the bottom of the stroke and stand on your pedal. With your opposite hand maintain control of your bike, possibly even on the brake in case you have to stop. Pull down your shorts and take aim. The stream usually makes it to the road without getting on yourself or the bike. Now I have read where it's bad form to pee off the right side of the bike because of the drive train but that is where the side of the road is, away from traffic. I usually don't hit my bike. I also watch my speed. You don't spit into the wind, so why would you piss into the wind. I have found that speeds approaching 10MPH produce enough wind to blow your pee back onto your leg or bike. At that point you should have just peed your pants. And no matter how much you "shake it" that last drops will wind up in your shorts.

"Let it Flow" Method:

Now we are getting hardcore. Just go. Your tri shorts will provide the path for the water to flow. Usually down and around the back of the leg. Speed doesn't matter at this point. Actually speed is sometimes a friend as it will blow the water off the back of your leg. There is also the drying affect of the wind. I usually don't worry about my bike shoes getting wet because there is not as much movement like with running, so there is no aggravation or chance of blisters.

With peeing in your shorts you will want to have a spare water bottle available to wash off with. If you are fortunate enough to pee before an aid station you can get a bottle from there and have a quick mobile shower.

For the Women:
I enlisted the help of Coach Angela to help me with this section. Here are some excerpts from her e-mail to me.

Peeing on the bike… yes girls do it too!!

For women this is a harder thing to practice during your training, because we cannot whip it out, so to speak. Yes, you are going to the bathroom on yourself. If you are on a long ride by the time you have to go, you should be peeing water anyway. If you hydrate properly, needing to pee will take care of itself during race day.

Preferably you are drinking at least a 20 oz bottle of water per hour, not including Gatorade or other sports drinks. Assuming you were hydrated before the race, along with the length of the race you should be able to go to the bathroom.

I talk myself into having to go. I start thinking about having to go. I think about how much I have drank, or being cold, or think of running water. Use whatever method or thought that will trigger your brain to make you want to pee.

If possible I try to time going right before an aid station, because then I can get a bottle of water to rinse off with, throw away the bottle I just went the bathroom on. Most of you have a bottle below your seat, just make sure the bottle that is down there is one you can dispose of and not one full of fuel for the race. To some of you this may seem disgusting but you are only peeing water. Also you may have bottle cages behind your seat. I have never had a problem with that because the pee is running down the leg of your shorts away from the bottle. No "spray" makes it to the rear bottles.

WOW, thanks Angela for that helpful insight into peeing.....for women.....on the bike.

Here are some other tips for bike peeing.

I find there is a make or break temperature for peeing on the bike and being comfortable. I think somewhere around 75 degrees F I stand up to pee. Below 75 nothing dries up and you are a wet sticky mess longer. It just makes things uncomfortable. Guys are fortunate to have options. Above 75 degrees you will eventually dry up with the heat ad wind.

If it's raining out, anything goes. You get washed off by the rain while you pee.

You can quickly drop those people that have been drafting behind you illegally.

Wash your shoes after the ride ASAP. I've heard vinegar works well to kill the smell, and if left unattended IT WILL SMELL. Remember, there is a form of ammonia in urine.

I know this is hard to deal with. There is a support group out there to help. If you have any questions or comments that you do not want to post publicly just e-mail me. Coach Angela is willing to entertain questions from the women in the blog-o-sphere. She can be reached at coachaft@att.net and she says, "I always pee on my bike."

Motivation

Papa Louie posted some demotivation posters on his blog. Something about getting "chicked" at one of his races. Nothing wrong with that, I had my ass handed to me by at least 25 Ironwomen at Lake Placid.

However, his Defeat poster will not be accepted. I offer this as an alternative.

Game On!

What would you sacrifice?

I have to say that I lead a pretty lucky life. I have good health. Those around me also have good health. I have no reason to complain about my state of being. I have a job that pays me well. My kids frustrate the hell out of me, but they are teenagers. I have a loving wife who supports me and I support her; mentally, emotionally, physically.

I try to do the "right" thing and support those less fortunate than I. The fundraising for my Ironman was my first foray into that type of thing. When you know someone personally who is dealing with a serious illness the motivation behind the fundraising increases dramatically. So my Ironman charity was Komen foundation for breast cancer. It started with two friends and it quickly spread to include others who were directly making contributions to support family or friends.

So today I hear news of another friend in need. At the Y pool I swim at, TriSaraTops swims there also, you get to know the people around you. Dave the lifeguard is a diabetic. Ruth, noodle lady, had some lymph nodes removed. I met a lady earlier in the week who says she has to give up triathlon, running specifically, because she has severe arthritis in her one knee.

Jason is a newer swimmer at the Y whom I have gotten to know over the summer. He migrated over from a Y that closed earlier in the year. He became Sidestroke Jason because that was all he did, sidestroke. But he is a super nice guy and a solid athlete. He races motorcycles. I would call them super-bikes myself. Crotch rockets on a twisty-turny closed road course. He has been racing for the past several years and finally won the big race this past month. He deserved it because he worked hard for it, like we all do in triathlon or running or cycling, whatever your passion.

His victory was short lived. Soon after his race he learned that his 1 year old son has Leukemia. First I cannot imagine how devastating that must be to a parent. Like I said I have been very fortunate to not experience anything like that. What now? Jason appears to have tackled this adversity with great maturity. His son comes first. Jason has decided to leave the competitive world of motorcycle racing. He just can't afford to get injured, lose time from work, fall short on money, possibly kill himself. His son desperately needs him right now.

WOW. To leave something that you have worked so hard for. At the top of his racing career. But I commend his decision. I know that if I was faced with the same decision I would do that also. I know that if a major life altering situation arose during my Ironman training I would have stopped as well.

Yet the figurative death of a motorcycle racer has opened the door for the birth of a triathlete. Yes, Jason has always wanted to try-a-tri and is going to give it a shot. He doesn't have all the equipment yet, mainly a bicycle, but he is looking to start improving his swim and change to freestyle swimming, no more side-stroking. I'm going to help him best I can. I have already given him some pointers in the pool and I'll make up some workouts for him.

Next year I will push to raise funds for Leukemia & Lymphoma like TriSaraTops is doing for her Ironman MOO. So for now I contribute to her fundraising, and encourage you to do the same. If you can't contribute to her charity, or have already made contributions or are volunteering somewhere..........what I'm trying to say is there are many ways to help those less fortunate. Do what feels right for you. Make a difference. Don't sacrifice the gift.

Game on.

Two for Tuesday - Women in My Life

How about that.......2 Two for Tuesday. This is a post Ironman entry as I begin thanking the people who supported me during my quest to become an Ironman.

Aimee - My wonderful wife

From day one when I first mentioned signing up for Ironman she was behind me 100%. Not once did she doubt my ability or complain about my training. She knew what this would involve and wanted to see me accomplish this task. Being a highly motivated athlete herself, she had her own training to attend to. First a half marathon in the spring then a fall marathon in Baltimore, soon to come. How many times did she wake up with me early to help me get out of bed to swim as she hit the tread mill? How concerned was she when my right hip seized up on me 6 weeks prior to my first marathon? How many times was she waiting for me with her bike to go out with me for the run portion of my brick?

All of them I cannot count, but she was always there. Providing the mental boost when I was down or doubting myself. I cannot think or express how much I am in love with this woman for all that she had done for me since we became married. She was the motivator that got me back into running seven years ago. I think about the past, present and future of my life with Aimee and know there will be even more memories to add onto the ones we have so far. Je t'aime.

Angela - My Fantastic Coach

Three years of coaching. Three years of friendship. Three years of growth that she has encouraged and nurtured through her training plans. We have learned much about each other. She has helped me push harder to reach my goals. I have tried to help her become a better coach. Without her I would still be a mediocre triathlete training in an unstructured manner sitting in the middle of the pack not knowing how I could ever complete an Ironman. I feel that I am more physically fit now than when I was in high school running track.

It's hard to describe how I feel about Angela because she is both my coach and friend. But what a wonderful combination it is. As long as she is coaching I hope to be under her guidance for many years to come. Friends Forever.

Two for Tuesday - Web links

Found these new web links. One is from Flatman.

Ironman Wisconsin Editorial
http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/editorials/0000094.shtml

New Website on Running
http://completerunning.com

Ironman Race Report - Race Day (Run/Finish)

I couldn’t believe I was finally on the run. I knew I had been racing for at least 7 hours but wasn’t sure. On the bike I never looked at my watch except to check my heart rate. I had turned my bike computer down so I wouldn’t be looking at it all the time. I usually checked for my cadence. On the bike I never looked at speed, mileage or time. I raced by perception, checking my HR and exerting myself based upon how I felt. I was going to do the same on the run.

So I leave the transition area at the Olympic Oval and head out onto the streets of Lake Placid. All of the streets are closed off to traffic. Around the Oval the spectators are behind the metal fencing along the streets. After about 100 yards the fencing is gone but the streets are still empty except for the cheering fans lining the streets. Here I am practically by myself with only a couple other runners around me and you hear thunder-sticks, cow bells, whistles and people rooting you on. The streets were covered in chalk with race numbers, names and words of encouragement.

I felt great starting the run. They say there is an aid station almost every mile on the run course. When I approached the first aid station I figured I had gone a mile so I looked at my watch to see what pace I was at. My watch read somewhere around 7:15. I knew that wasn’t right, it better not be right, or else I was going to crash and burn during the marathon. Later, it came to me that I was actually reading the total watch time. Yup, 7:15 starting the marathon was about right. I thought to myself, as long as I don’t blow up I can have a great race today. That was the last time I looked at my watch for time. As on the bike, I only looked at my watch for heart rate information. I never hit the split button to determine my pace or anything. I think it really paid off because I had no concept of time. I just ran towards the finish line.

When I did check my heart rate I was exactly where I wanted it to be, around 146. This is what Coach and I agreed upon in my race plan. On my fuel belt I had two bottles of water, a flask with HammerGel, a pouch with my tube of Endurolytes and some Clif Blocks. I was feeling good and had a great pace going, probably around 8:30/mile. At the aid stations I was taking water and some food like oranges. The day was also starting to get hot so sponges were in order. I would grab several sponges to use. One often went under my running hat and another between the shoulder blades under the jersey.

After a couple of aid stations I noticed a bad burning sensation near my right pectoral. I looked down and saw a nasty rub mark from my tri top. I didn’t notice it on the bike at all but it must have come from the swim. The way my tri top and wetsuit rubbed must have been bad during the swim. Being in the aero position I never noticed it. Now on the run with the up and down motion I was noticing it much more. I tried to more the seam away from the area. We would just have to see it if would get worse or not.

After turning onto Riverview Road at the Olympic Ski jumps was this guy with his Olympic Gold medal from 1960 summer games. I don’t remember his name but the sign said, Touch a Gold Medal for Luck. I did more than touch the medal; I grabbed it for a moment. This thing was huge. Larger than the palm of my hand, my fingers curled over the top. The road was very cool and Aimee was already out on the course with her bike. She was there to cheer me on and take some pictures. At the next aid station there was some watermelon that was awesome. It tasted so good. I also saw some Vaseline on the last table as I passed it by. I should have taken some right then for my rub mark but for some reason I didn’t want to turn back. I figured there would be some at the next aid station.

Janus had also setup inspiration alley. All of the big signs people made at the Janus tent were placed along the side of the road. Ford had also setup a big trailer with speakers and a DJ. He was calling out peoples names and telling everyone they looked strong. There was also an inflatable arch hooked up to a water truck. There were misters in the archway. As you ran through you were sprayed with a fine mist of water. Further up the course near the turn around I saw Coach Hodska and his sidekick Baker. They were riding their bikes the opposite way. I yelled at them both. Baker yelled out an encouraging, “Way to go Andy Gibb”. He must have a fixation with the Bee Gees and their youngest brother.

Most of this out and back was not very eventful. At one aid station I made a pit stop, yes I actually used the port-a-potty. Aimee saw me and tried to take a picture of me coming out. She was going to tell Angela that I used a bathroom. It was too early to try peeing while running, wet shoes for 19 miles is not fun. As I approached the Ford Inspiration Zone there were timing mats on the road. The computer picked up your number then flashed you name on a big display panel with a message. Aimee told me later that you could have a personal message entered for your athlete. It was very cool seeing it. As I passed the DJ we slapped hands and I felt my first significant rush of emotion. I was maybe 10 miles into the race and I knew I was going to finish. But I had to keep myself under control since there was still a lot of racing to do. I pulled myself back to the moment and regained my focus…..one….mile….at…..a….time.

Coming off Riverview Road and heading back to town there is an uphill. This first uphill I managed to run and still keep my heart rate where it needed to be. People were still all over the place. At one aid station someone had a Mr. Potato Head in the middle of the road. It was holding a sign that said, “Go Virg”. Each time I passed that spot Mr. Potato Head was facing the direction Virg was coming from. Aimee even got a picture of him.

Getting closer to town there is the Degree of Difficulty Hill. Angela had told me that I was to walk the hill no matter what. Keep the HR low, don’t go through the roof, recover quickly and start running again. I grabbed two waters from the aid station before the hill and drank while power walking the hill. At the top of the hill where we turn towards the Oval was a group of people with a megaphone cheering people on. They wanted me to run but I knew my plan called for me to walk. I didn’t let them persuade me to run.

After I made the turn I started running again and made my way to Lake Placid Drive. This out and back was probably 2 miles total. The aid station on this road was also where my family was volunteering. The run special needs bags were lined up and I knew where to go for my bag. I grabbed a new tube of Endurolytes, two water bottles and a second flask of HammerGel. As I approached the aid station I could see my mom and dad doing some cleanup picking up paper cups and trash. On the opposite side of the road I saw my sis-in-law Becky jumping around like a mad woman yelling my name. All I could think of was, “Why is she over there? She is supposed to be at the aid station.” She took some pictures of me then ran along the side of the road behind me while yelling. She is a trip. I saw Amanda handing out GU and I was out to the turn-around. On the way back through the aid station I saw Andrew and my father-in-law in the line of volunteers. I was glad to see everyone helping out. After the aid station I saw Jim Berbee pass me. I wasn’t sure where I had passed him but I yelled out some encouragement and kept going.

Approaching the Oval you can turn left or right. Left takes you back onto the course for lap #2. Right takes you to the Oval for the finish. I would be taking the right turn in about 2 hours. I still felt good as I began my second loop. I think I started to feel a loss of energy as I turned onto Riverview Road. I touched the gold medal again then had to use the port-a-potty. Two potties and one was occupied, at least I thought so until I opened a door and there was a guy standing there. I let go of the door and decided to step between the two potties and pee right there. I leaned against the one potty and relieved myself. I had to kind of jerk myself upright away from the potty to get going again. I knew at that point my energy levels were starting to drop. I also watched my heart rate begin to drop. Coach Angela had always said, “HR high stop eating, HR low feed the body.” I had watched my HR drop from 146 to 140 to 135 to 130. I knew it was too late now to fuel up, so I just put whatever I could into my body to survive the second loop. I was hydrating and taking the Endurolytes just fine, so no dehydration. I started to drink cola at the aid stations and still eat the fruit available. The pretzels, cookies and Fig Newtons were too dry for me to eat. It was during the second loop that Linda Misencik ran up to me on her first loop of the marathon. It was good to see a familiar face. We ran a little bit together until she pulled ahead of me. I used her to pull me along for part of the run.

I kept seeing Aimee and Coach Hodska on the course, always offering encouraging words and bits of advice. Aimee could tell I was starting to fade. The lack of energy was taking a toll on me mentally. I found myself becoming more focused inwardly. I was either zoning out or zoning in, depends upon how you look at it. I was zoning in on moving forward and keeping myself hydrated. I was zoning out all of the external factors that didn’t matter anymore. I ignored the DJ at the Inspiration Zone, that could have been lost energy. I tried not to think of the finish, more lost energy as the emotions tried to surface whenever I did think of the finish. I knew I was going to finish, I just wanted to finish strong.

At one aid station they finally had some chicken broth heated up. I took some and it tasted good. I could feel the positive affect it had about 15 minutes later. At the last aid station on Riverview Road I knew there was some watermelon. I wanted that watermelon real bad. As I went through the aid station I didn’t see the watermelon. At the last table I looked across the road and saw the volunteer with the bowl of watermelon. I walked across the street for that watermelon. It was a wonderful treat that tasted so good.

Turning off Riverview Road I walked the hill that I ran before. There was no way I was going to run it. I tried to pick up my pace a little since I knew I was getting closer to town. My speed didn’t improve that much. At I approached the final hill into town I grabbed a water and cola from the aid station. I was going to drink them as I powerwalked up the hill. The same group of people where there cheering us on. After the aid station I saw a sign along the road that my family had made. That late in the race it was a very welcome sign. As I continued on Lake Placid Drive I saw Linda ahead of me. I slowly pulled myself to her and passed her at the turn around point. She made some comment to me and I began to run a little stronger. The adrenaline was starting to kick in as I knew my finish line was not far away. As I approached the left/right junction I was paying attention to who was in front of me. I was going right this time to the finish. Where were the two people in front of me going? One went left and one went right. As we entered the Oval I tried to stay away from the guy in front of me. I wanted to spaced apart for the big finish. Family and kids were lined up along the fencing waiting to join their mom/dad/husband/wife for the final push to the finish line. At the top of the Oval I heard Aimee call out my name and I pointed to her, that is where my finishing video starts and my tunnel vision begins.

The guy in front of me…..am I too close to him? Will we finish enough apart? Then I hear, “……and Eric Gibb, from Avon, Ohio, both first time finishers” then silence. It was only me and the finish line. I raised my arms in victory as I crossed the finish line of Ironman USA in 11:15:39. I am an Ironman. Two ladies were at my side immediately. A medal was draped around my neck and I walked away from the finish line. All of a sudden Barry Horpsted, the ART guy, was right there to congratulate me. I was just happy to see a familiar face. I suddenly became very quiet as a huge emotional rush swelled through my body. Barry asked if I was okay and I just told him it was emotions. Then the lady on my right said there were some people calling for me. Right at the finish line, between the video truck and the fencing was Andrew, Amanda and Becky. I walked over to them, gave them a big hug and started to cry. I could finally release the emotions inside. I told them I loved them and was escorted away by my two finish line catchers. I was handed my finishers bag and had my picture taken. They walked with me to make sure I was going to be okay. They didn’t leave my side until I reached the food area and were sure I was going to be okay. I grabbed some pizza and cola but only took one bite. I couldn’t eat. I looked around at the other people sitting at the tables and was saddened. I didn’t know anyone. I had no one to share my Ironman victory with. I left the food tent and went to get a post race massage. Once I got to my table I saw my new friend Jen, the volunteer coordinator. She was busy but said that she would be over soon. It was just great to see another familiar face. The massage therapist working on me was great because we talked about the race and how I was feeling. Then I saw Bethany head out to pick up the transition bags for the guy next to me. When she returned I asked her to get my bags also. I explained that the bags were right outside the entrance to the massage tent. She was the greatest and got my bags for me. We chatted for a little bit. Jen finally made it over to check on me. We also talked until my massage was done.

I grabbed my bags and started to figure out how I was going to get out of the oval. I headed towards the finish line when Barry came up to me. Aimee had spotted him and asked him to find me. No one knew where I was and wanted to make sure I wasn’t in the medical section. Barry made it his mission to find me for my family. I walked with him over to my family and thanked him once again, I was with the people I wanted to celebrate with. My dad and Andrew helped me get my bike out of transition and we left the Oval to head back to the condo. At the condo, they had decorated the inside with signs, streamers and balloons. Yes, I was an Ironman.


PS....the race may be done my my journal continues. Post race commentary will be posted as well.

Ironman Race Report - Race Day (Bike)

On our last episode of "24", Jack Bower was pursuing his latest lead regarding the plot to control the President.........

I know. My race report is like "24". I have so much to write and am still very busy with work, spending time with Aimee and getting back into the swing with training. So here goes my Bike Report from IM USA.


I ran past several people mounting their bikes so I could do my running mount onto the bike. I had to clip in quickly because a quick left hand hairpin turn was ahead that dropped you down to the streets. Then down two more hills before reaching the main road heading out of town. I wasn’t surrounded by too may people but enough to keep you company. The first 9 miles was a rolling uphill ride along some beautiful roads. It was nothing hard just a steady climb away from Lake Placid. It was interesting riding because some people were better climbers and some were better downhillers. I’m more of a spinner up the hills as opposed to mashing gears that may get you up there faster. I was definitely a faster downhiller.

I was trading position with a female named Molly. She would pass me on the uphill and I would pass her on the downhill. The longer downhill started as we rode by two small lakes, just beautiful. At this point I passed Molly for what seemed like the 6th time. I looked over at her and said, “Molly we have to stop meeting like this.” I don’t know if she appreciated the humor or not as she looked over at me but I was having fun already. I cruised down the major downhill trying to stay away from other riders and I zipped by in the aero position. The roads were a little wet but that didn’t affect my effort going down. I was pretty aggressive. I don’t know when she passed me again but Molly did and then she was gone. I didn’t see her again until the run course. I couldn’t miss her, she was being escorted by a bike that said “1st amateur female”. Considering there were no pro women at the race, Molly was the 1st overall female.

So let’s get back to the bike. I was keeping my heart rate under control and perceiving my effort to be below all out exertion. This plan of attack was similar to how I raced the Mountaineer Half IM one month prior. I had my nutrition and was also taking bananas at the aid stations. As I approached the town of Jay I was on the lookout for my mother-in-law and Joe. Sure enough they were in the front yard of the B&B they were staying at. They gave me a loud round of cheers as I rode by. The rider next to me said, “That must be nice”. I replied that it was my M-I-L and she has to cheer for me. We quickly turned left and headed toward Wilmington. Immediately we are climbing. I was told it is a three mile climb. When we drove the course the incline didn’t seem like much. However, on a bike any incline is felt, especially when it doesn’t seem to end. Everyone was just trudging along. There were small groups of spectators in front yards and one duo in particular dressed in huge Afro wigs and sporting Harlem Globetrotter jerseys. He was so full of energy cheering on each person as they rode by. He was out there each time I rode that hill. As I looked up the rode I noticed an athlete standing in the middle of the road with his bike lying on the ground. He was looking for help, “650 Tubular, second flat”. Unfortunately the neutral bike sport motorcycle had just gone by the opposite way. I don’t know how he was expecting anyone to help by depleting their own supplies. I wonder what happened to him.

Heading into the town of Wilmington is a nice downhill section. We are about half way into the bike course now. Before heading back to Lake Placid the course turns north for an out and back section. Aimee had ridden her mountain bike from Lake Placid to Wilmington. It was a perfect place for her to see me twice without moving. She also saw some good wipe-outs as people took the corners too aggressively. This road is completely closed off for the race and we start to bunch up again. The rolling hills and narrower roads are full of people. As we climb up on hill the riders ahead are zipping back down on the other side. I just have to remember that I will be zipping back the other way soon also. At one point we are climbing the road in a pack of what seemed like 50. You couldn’t avoid it. You had to have some good bike handling skills to make quick movements to avoid being caught behind a slower rider. Everyone was great about letting people move over. I was vocal in telling people ahead of me, by yelling their name, they could move over or squeeze ahead of me. I was also the recipient of good sportsmanship as well. At the turn around the little town was hopping with activity. A huge Budweiser banner was strung across the street. The banner said Welcome Race Fans. I know it was more meant for NASCAR but it was actually fitting for our day. The aid station was busy and they had a DJ providing music.

We zipped back down the road to Wilmington and finally headed back towards Lake Placid. Route 86 back to LP is simply amazing. There is more uphill than downhill, but you also have the great views of Whiteface Mountain and the river next to the road. It was during this time I came up on Meridith LaRosa. My sister-in-law (Becky) works with Meridith’s neighbor (James); Me -> Becky -> James -> Meridith. Got it? I recognized her name and number since I looked them up in the race guide. I called out her name and explained the connection. I rode on and wished her good luck. She would pass me on the run and finish with a time of 11:05 and be in the top 15 women. James says she is a monster athlete.

The final climbs to LP is a three step process. I never really felt the difference between the three steps and was surprised when I was on the third called Papa Bear. The last uphill is the straightest part of the course and you get a great view of what is ahead of you. The road is closed and hundreds of people have lined up on both sides to cheer you up the hill. This was truly what the Tour de France must feel like. People are 3-4 feet away from you on both sides, clapping, cheering, ringing cow bells, banging thunder sticks and helping you get up that hill. We turn to the right and still have to climb up a little more. I thought we were done climbing when one more small climb appeared and there were awesome crowds cheering there as well. I gave it an extra little push because of the energy I was getting from the crowds.

After cresting the last climb we turn onto Lake Placid Drive and head towards downtown LP. Before reaching town I approached the bike special needs area. A volunteer with a walkie-talkie would relay the race number to a person with a mega-phone. A volunteer was waiting for me with my bag. I stripped off my gloves and arm warmers, leaving on my vest and leg warmers. I refilled my aero bottle and placed a full bottle on my frame. I grabbed a tube of Endurolytes and another Clif bar. I should have known things weren’t right when I only had to grab one Clif bar. My nutrition plan called for me to eat two bars each lap. I reasoned that it was okay because I was grabbing bananas at the aid stations. I left the special needs area and headed into downtown. Going around one corner I saw a water bottle fly across the road and a spectator quickly scooped it up. I thanked him for the quick action as I rode by. What a feeling to be riding through the closed off streets of Lake Placid with spectators lining both sides of the street. As I cut through the corners I heard my name called out on the PA system. So now I had to make a good showing. Don’t crash out in the turns but also look powerful as I ride by everyone. I made it through without incident. We crossed the timing mats for the first loop split and rejoined the course for lap two. Up to this point I had peed 2-3 times on the bike so I knew I was properly hydrated.

I kept myself under control for the second half of the bike. I was warned to not get overly pumped up for the second lap and conserve myself until after the big downhill. The roads were drier for the second loop and I bombed the downhill to Keene as fast as I could. I don’t know which loop was faster on the downhill but my max was 46MPH. I think with my race weight of 152 pounds that was as fast as I could have gone. I’m sure some of the heavier riders were topping out in the 50’s, but I didn’t want that weight during the climbs. I stayed steady during the second lap.

Along the climb between Jay and Wilmington I received a pleasant surprise. As an athlete began to ride past my on the left he called out my name. It was Jim Berbee, founder and Chairman of Berbee Information Networks, my employer. He is not as involved with the company anymore but is a multiple Ironman finisher. We shook hands and he asked me how I liked the course. All I could say was beautiful. Jim is a strong athlete at 42. We traded positions several times before he pulled ahead for good. I would later pass him on the run but he still finished in 12:21. He told me later that his run training wasn’t what it should have been and he suffered on the run.

I peed 2-3 more times while on the bike. I know some people are freaking out about peeing on the bike and yes guys have it easier than women, but you have to consider the time involved. I saw people stopping at porta-potties. I even saw people get off their bike and march into the woods 20 yards from the road. For a single pee break off the bike you could be spending 2-5 minutes decelerating, peeing and accelerating. Multiply that by 4 or 5 and you have lost anywhere from 8 - 30 minutes. Just something to think about. Actually during my last pee break during a small downhill section a guy rode by me and said, “That’s awesome”. Maybe he has never seen that before but I’m surprised that he didn’t think to ask about it from someone. Oh well.

As I approached the final hill on the bike course I was happy to see it. Not from a, “I can’t wait to get off the bike”, attitude but an “I can’t wait to get started on the run”. I never wanted to get my ass off the bike. I completely enjoyed riding 112 miles. As I attacked the final climb of the day Aimee was there waiting for me. She had ridden back from Wilmington to watch me on this final portion of the bike course. I loved seeing her on the course so much.

The same climbs back to Lake Placid Drive were missing some spectators who moved over to the run course but those left over were still cheering loudly. Making the left hand turn onto Lake Placid Drive I was greeted by the back end of an SUV. On the back of said support vehicle was a sign reading, “Last Cyclist”. I had caught the lantern rouge completing the first loop. I had to make a decision. The SUV was going too slow. I tried to pass near the curb and he also swerved that way. I moved to the driver side and tried to make contact with the driver to let him know I was going to pass. I finally made a sprint move past the SUV and also past the last rider. I tried to offer some words of encouragement. I checked the results and she wasn’t allowed to start her second loop, she only had a swim time in the results book. I cruised through the turns in the middle of town and made my way to the entrance to transition. As I rode behind Lake Placid High School I un-strapped my shoes and took my feet out. I swung my leg over the saddle and coasted to a stop before the timing mats standing on my left pedal. After I crossed the mat a volunteer grabbed my bike and told me to run right. I went around the oval towards the transition bags. A volunteer with a megaphone called out my number and a second volunteer went ahead of me and was holding out my bag. All I had to do was run by him, grab the bag and enter the changing tent.

Bike Time: 5:53:48

As I ran into the changing tent I asked for some work on my legs from one of the ART guys. I dumped my T2 bag out on the chair next to me and started taking off my socks, leg warmers and wind vest. A volunteer asked if I had everything I needed before he put my gear in the T2 bag and took it away. An ART guy came over asking if I needed sunscreen so I decided to have him spray some on. After I got my socks and shoes on I jumped on the ART table and had both hamstrings stretched out. When he was done stretching me out I stood up and someone put my fuel belt around me. I grabbed the reast of my stuff and headed out of the changing tent. As I crossed the timing matts and entered the street I realized I didn’t have my sunglasses on. Fortunately I had my hat on so I didn’t worry about it, I was running.

T2 Time: 4:48