A Dog's Purpose

 I found this on a friends blog yesterday and it made me remember the 14.5 years we had with Snickers.  Of course we have Ruby and Riley keeping us busy with lots of love now.

“Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker. The dog’s owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker’s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker’s death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.

Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, “I know why.”

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me.  I’d never heard a more comforting explanation.  He said, “People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life – like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?”

The six-year-old continued, “Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long.”

Sniff

PSA - Hydrating for Sport

I haven't done a Public Service Announcement (PSA) in a long time but this one is needed.  I've had this one brewing in the back of my head for a long time and it's now been forced to the top.

In Northeast Ohio the weather has been making some wild swings temperature wise.  We have had some nice days in the 70's to be followed the next day with a 20 degree rise into the 90's.  It has made it hard to train for the extremes of race day, but everyone is in the same boat.




This past weekend at the Maumee Bay Tri/Du I saw some carnage caused by the heat/humidity as well as the efforts put forth by the athletes.  The sprint race wasn't too bad because the duration is about 1 hour shorter, but I was still feeling the effects of the heat and humidity since I was pushing the pace very close to the red-line.

Another reason to put this PSA out is for all of my Crossfit friends.  Some comments have gone out about being properly hydrated before the workouts, especially since we sometimes red-line ourselves during a WOD and are often indoors where the temp could be warmer than outside.  I couldn't agree more about being hydrated but I just wanted to add some of my own thoughts based upon my 10+ years as an endurance athlete. I am not a certified coach, nutritionist, or athletic trainer.  I do not have an educational background in exercise physiology or biomechanics or health.  This is just from experience.

This information is for EVERYONE.  All sports (cycling, running, swimming, Crossfit, soccer, volleyball, etc.).  All levels of experience.  I have met a lot of newbies in these sports that can learn something and perhaps a veteran athlete will help me learn something new.

Water
 So what does it mean to be properly hydrated.  Simply put it's having enough water in your body so the body can perform normal functions.  Your blood consists of approximately 70% water.  This helps move all of the nutritents, oxygen and other good stuff throughout your body.  Okay, basic function.

Water also helps move the bad stuff out of your body......think urine.  Sometimes the urine also has good stuff that the body just doesn't need anymore.

As we look a little bit deeper into the body, water also helps move electricity through our body.  Little electrical impulses that move to and from the brain telling our muscles to move or providing information from our senses.

Sweating

So when we are working out we get all gross and sweaty.  The body is using the water inside to try and cool us down.  The sweat carries the heat to the surface of the skin where it can be evaporated away.  Except when the humidity is too high.  Then the water has nowhere else to go and it just sits on the skin or soaks into our clothes.

We start to turn into a big salt lick because the water sitting on the skin is primarily loaded with sodium...salt.  There are also other minerals like potassium, calcium and magnesium.  These minerals are also referred to as electrolytes.  These minerals help electricity move through the water in the body.....sounds kind of important to me.

Do you see some connections here?  Water = good.  Electrolytes in water = good.


Hydration
One comment I have a hard time with is to drink water until your urine is clear.  I prefer to see a light yellow color when I pee....think watered down lemonade.  If the urine is clear we may be hydrated, but we can also be over hydrated.  This can lead to the blood being thinner than usual and the electrolyte balance to be a little out of whack. 

In my experience, athletic performance is tied directly to my electrolyte balance.  If I have sweated profusely and have not replaced my sweat with the right type of fluid the body can't respond to my brain the way I want it to.  Signals don't get to where they need to be in a timely manner.

Of course I have usually experienced this with longer workouts and races that last over two hours.  Few  Crossfit workouts last longer than 30 - 45 minutes but the effects can last longer than the WOD.

Even a recovery bike ride or run can have a negative after effect if the sweat is pouring out of the body.

Back to this past weekend at Maumee Bay State Park.  I was watching some of the Olympic triathletes (1.5k swim, 40k bike, 10k run) crossing the finish line.  I watched the overall female winner cross the line and was beginning to shutdown.  Her movements were erratic as she tried to stabilize herself.  She needed some help getting to a chair.  I wouldn't be surprised if she needed an IV from the paramedics.  I saw several other people cross the finish line and fall into chairs or lean against the metal gates to collect themselves.  I'm sure they were spent from the effort put into racing but with the added stress of the heat/humidity the body was having trouble regulating its heat.

So how do we properly hydrate for exercising in extreme heat?  The market is flooded with products.  Some are advertised on TV (Gatorade, Powerade, Sobe) and some are advertised to specific markets via magazines (Nuun, Hammer, Clif, Gu). 

I'm not going to promote a specific brand because I use products from several companies.  It's also a personal choice based upon flavor, texture, desired affect, sweat rate, weight, sport, etc.  You see what I mean.

The latest "craze" is coconut water.  The new super drink with high amounts of electrolytes.  Personally I like this craze because I've seen it work and I drink it myself.  The problem is that the manufacturers sometimes have a hard time keeping up with demand.  Zico makes a great chocolate flavored coconut water that is near impossible to find right now.

One promotion I will make is for the company I buy my stuff from..... Great Race Nutrition.  I like this on-line retailer because they have a huge range of products, and most likely they are in stock.  The owner is an athlete himself with a great background in running, triathlon, cycling and has used the products he sells.  He understands the benefits of the products and can help someone figure out which product may work for them. 

So what do I do?  When I can't stand drinking plain water anymore I pop a tablet of Nuun into my water bottle.  They have some nice flavors and NO SUGAR.  During a race Nuun allows me to combine my fluid intake with Powerbar Gels without getting too loaded on carbs which could lead to stomach distress.

I also look for products that have a little higher amount of sodium/potassium than other products.  Through trial and error I know I need the sodium to keep my head on straight.  Without the proper electrolytes I loose focus.  This results in me falling off my nutrition plan and forgetting I am in a race.  Both of which means I'm now just a participant instead of a competitor.

Funny story...a couple of years ago I was preparing for the multi-day race, American Triple T.  I was drinking water and bottles with Nuun.  During that time I also had a blood draw for my annual physical.  When I finally saw the doctor he was a little concerned about the high levels of potassium, and other electrolytes, in my blood.  I told him about my pre-race hydration and everything was okay in his books.

I hope this didn't become too long of a read and you are able to get something out of it.  This is just my two cents and is simply from my experience.  Drink plenty of water before, during and after working out, but I would also recommend having a good strategy for replacing all of the nutrients and minerals that may be lost during exercise.

I welcome any additional comments or criticism.

Either way....Game On.  Just do it safely.

Results Posted for Maumee Bay Sprint Tri

Just wanted to post my splits and final results for the sprint tri on Father's Day. 

Swim       11:05
T1             1:02
Bike        36:36
T2           ------  added into either the bike or run
Run          20:34

11th overall when the elites are added in and 2nd in my age group.

I'm very happy with all of the splits.  A sub 20 minute 5k would have been awesome.

My schedule is pretty crazy for the rest of the summer so my only confirmed races now are the Rev3 Sprint/Half combo in September.

Happy Father's Day/Sprint Tri Race Report

First off the bat Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there.  Now more than ever kids need a good male figure to help them learn and grow.  We hear about all of the bad stuff out there but there a lot of men out there helping build the future generation.  Some may not be dad's but they certainly act the part and should be thanked as well.

So in addition to it being Father's day it was also race day.  And if I am posting a race report the same day as the race....you know I must be super jacked about the race.

HFP Racing has the second stop of their race series at Maumee Bay State Park in Oregon, OH.  With the race being in close proximity to Cleveland (and Toledo, Michigan) the race talent is amazing.

Team Snakebite was gearing up to have a great showing at the race in many different categories.  Tri, Du and Aquabike.  Sprint and Olympic.

There were also people from many other clubs and teams.  Bike Authority Fleet Feet, Spin Second Sole Multisport, Cleveland Tri Club, Grunt Girl Racing, Team Toledo.

Aimee and I left home at 5AM to have plenty of time to get my transition area in place and to set up the tent and team banner.  It also helps to be there early because with some many people there that we know it becomes a social event.

While waiting around for the races to start Big Daddy Diesel comes over to say hi.  It's always good to see him and catch up before and after the race.

About 20 minutes before the race I put on my wetsuit and warmed up in the water. I wanted to see when the water gets deep enough to swim. It would be a fast start because I would be racing the sprint triathlon (750m/23k/5k).

I backed down to the shorter race because I was more prepared for the distance with several great 5k's under my belt so far.

We watched two waves go off before the 40 - 49 men took to the water. As we lined up we joked about who would be drafting off who and no one wanted to be in the front row.  I pulled my teammate Chris up to the starting mat and got ready.  With ten seconds to go I started my watch and dug in.

At the word go we sprinted into the water.  Once the water was up to my knees and I couldn't get my feet over the water line I took two dolphin dives into the water and started swimming.  With the quick start I was breathing every stroke to my right sighting frequently to stay on track.

I was breaking clean water and only saw one person near me. The swim course is rectangular with three buoys on each side.  When I reached the middle buoy I started catching the wave in front of us.  I had to swim around a couple of people but I was past them pretty quickly.  Once switched my breathing to the left side so I could spot the next buoy which would turn us to the left and approximately 300+m into the swim.

After the turn I was able to get into my race breathing pattern.  Another left turn and we headed back to the beach and T1.  This was the first time I was aware of someone from the starting wave passing me.  So until the final results are posted I will say that I was second out of the water from my start wave.

Once I touched sand I stood up and ran towards transition.  I hit the split button of my watch and noticed is was not on stopwatch mode.  I started an interval set so I didn't know my swim split.  No problem, that is what the timing chips are for.

In transition I had a hard time getting my feet out of my wetsuit.  Since getting the XTerra Vortex my feet keep getting stuck. It never happened with my QR suit.  I think a small modification to the leg openings and I will be okay.

After I freed my feet from the wetsuit trap I put on my bike stuff and headed out of transition.  On my bike I changed watch mode and hit the split button....it was somewhere around 14 minutes.  Aimee said I was out of the water/on the beach in 10 minutes. I put on my sunglasses and settled in for the 23k (14.25 mile) ride.

With the watch interval timer running the alarm was beeping at me.  The time was so screwed up I finally stopped the watch all together.  I took the watch off and stuffed it in my Bento box.  I wasn't going to worry about the run splits and just run my ass off.

I passed a couple of people quickly then slowly caught a couple more during the 32 minute ride.  I was only passed by one person, my teammate Chris. He rolled by me and kept on going and had a nice lead on me.  He is a very strong cyclist and not in my age group so I cheered him on.

I had taken a PowerGel (2x caffiene) halfway through the bike to prepare me for the run.  At the pace I was keeping I would need to little extra boost.

As I went back into the park people from the Olympic race were heading out for their 2 loop 40k ride. I saw a couple of friends/teammates.  As I approached the dismount line I took my feet out of my shoes and ran into T2.

Helmet off, shoes on, grab visor and sunglasses and I was out of the transition area.  As I made the left turn under the exit banner I saw my teammate Chris.  I caught up to him as we entered the run course and the MC announced, "Two Snakebite Racers are making the turn onto the run course."  I raised my arms in response and was jacked up for the run.

I patted Chris on the butt as I passed and was hoping we could run together.  After the race he admitted that he had put to much into the bike and couldn't stay with me.  It didn't matter because it is still fun to race with a good friend.

I was putting the hammer down for the 3 mile run around the lagoon.  The course is never far from the race site and people are cheering you on along the path between the parking lot and beach.  I could also see and cheer for friends and teammates.

I caught a couple of people during the first half mile.  Around the 1 mile mark I could hear foot steps behind me.  I thought it was Chris picking up his pace.  The footsteps finally passed me.  I couldn't tell what race this person was in because he was wearing calf sleeves.  I was hoping he was in the duathlon but it wouldn't matter because I couldn't match his pace or stay with him.

More sprint triathletes were returning from the run turn-around so I was trying to gauge my position.  I think I either passed a lot of people on the swim or closed the gap with the two previous waves, I was in a great position. 

As I approached the beach area I saw two Spin teammates, Adam and Bruce.  Right behind them on of our young SBR team member Josh.  He is a rock star running entering his sophomore year of high school.  He was about 50 yards behind Adam and Bruce.  As we ran past each other I told him to catch the guys from Spin.  After the race I was talking with Bruce and he said Josh passed him like he was standing still.  This kid loves to race.

I reached the turn-around for the 5k and tried to maintain my pace as best I could.  I didn't want anyone catching/passing me but I wasn't sure if I could catch anyone ahead of me. 

More sprint triathletes/duathletes were on the course now and I saw more teammates but I just couldn't spare the breath to offer encouragement.  I picked off one more athlete about 400 yards from the finish line and promptly doubled over to catch my breath when I was done.

I had pushed myself harder during the swim, bike and run than any other sprint.  There was a big fear that I would blow up at some point during the run but I managed to hold it together and nail a great race.  I'm still amazing myself as I push the limits further with each race.

After I caught my breath I walked over to the guy who finished right before me.  I said, "Please tell me you did the duathlon".  He said "No".  Then he told me we are in the same age group.....DAMN.  That was okay because he earned the win for the age group because he caught and passed me on the run. Later I was told that he is going to the Sprint Tri World Championships this year.....soooooo he has that going for him.

Until they publish the final results I do not have any splits.  I am very interested to see what my run time was.  My race time was 1:09:33.  This netted me second in the age group and 6th overall of age group athletes.  Even with some of the elite racers added in I may still be in the top ten overall.

And Josh.....he started two waves ahead of me, approximately 4 minutes, and he finished 22 seconds behind me in the overall times.  It was cool seeing his name right below mine in the overall standings.  Of course there is 30 years difference between us and he is just going to keep getting faster and stronger.

I congratulated my fellow triathletes and spent the rest of the morning cheering for all of my friends and teammates.  Snakebite did very well and very likely took home hardware for just about everyone. 

There were some huge PRs put down and some first time distances achieved.  I had more energy after my race was done while cheering for people. 

I have to profess my undying love for Aimee.  She is the best when it comes to cheering, taking pictures, and supporting me on race day.  Plus she cheered for everyone else on that course. 

Race details will be posted once they are posted on the race site.

If you want to see some pictures Aimee took of the race go here.

We packed up our stuff around noon and headed home.  For Father's Day my brother hosted dinner.  Aimee and I got back and took a power nap before getting ready for dinner.  We had a great time together as a family as we laughed about all sorts of stuff new and old. 

Spending time with family and friends.  How can that not make for a perfect day.

Game On my friends.

Triple T 2012 - Race #4

I don't know which is harder.  Waking up the Sunday morning of Triple T or writing the final race report for Sunday's race.

Being my third time at Triple T I knew what to expect of Sunday morning.  Somehow getting the courage to drag your tired ass out of bed and toe the line for a half iron race.  It's not easy.  Everyone is so tired from the prior two days of racing.  The body just wants to sleep all morning. 

We called it quits at 9:30 the previous night and tried to get as much sleep as possible.  Morning came way too soon.  Race start was 7AM to account for the long day ahead of us.

Once I got out of the bed and started taking in my morning calories, the body was waking up.  Most of my gear was ready the night before so I just needed to gather my nutrition and last minute items.  We rode over to the race site one last time.

I've always tried to be as upbeat as possible at races.  Sunday morning is the most important day to keep a positive attitude....for yourself...and for others.  Negative thoughts lead to a negative race.  There is no room for that type of thinking in triathlon.

I still managed to get in my 1 mile warmup and wish the Cleveland peeps good luck.  I managed to see a couple of friends who were out for the Little Smokies Half that would start immediately after us.

After getting my transition spot set I headed over to the beach.  I gave my final hugs and cheers to all of my friends and lined up for the start.  As I ran down the beach towards the first swim buoy I heard Jen cheering for me and I gave her a thumbs up. 

As soon as the water was thigh deep I started swimming the first loop.  It actually felt good to get moving.  The body knew what to do and was responding to my requested work.  The swim was pretty uneventful.  A couple of times I found myself on the inside line between buoys and wanted to get away from the close contact with people.  I find they just get in my way, or am I in their way.  Regardless, I hate it when a three foot gap between me and another swimmer all of a sudden becomes inches and we are fighting for the same space. 

Plenty of water people....let's play nicely.  As I started the second loop I was merging in with people starting their first loop.  So it was a little more congested but I managed to keep my distance.  I completed my swim in 29:23 which is a very fast time for me but everyone said the swim course was short all weekend.

I changed into my bike stuff and headed out of transition.  None of my transition times were stellar this year.  I was a lot more laid back and took a little extra time transitioning.  T1 was 2:24.

On the bike course my plan was to take it easy the first lap.  I wasn't dogging it but I also was saving some energy for the second lap and the run.  So I needed to ride at a consistent pace and not blow up.  The strategy was paying off as the hills didn't seem as long or difficult as in 2009.  I also think my bike fitness was much better than in '09.  I was more consistent with the indoor spin sessions at the team sponsor Ride and Workout.  I also managed a couple of very good outdoor training rides on the hills of the Cuyahoga Valley.

I was enjoying myself during the ride and chatting with different people whenever I passed, or was passed.  About half way through the first lap I was riding near a co-ed team.  From behind I heard the female teammate compliment me on my calves.  She also liked my unique tattoo.  About that same time Harvey, a new racing friend from Georgia, had caught up to me.  He has a bad ass tattoo about the same size as mine.  His is possibly the only tattoo cooler than mine.  Harvey is a Slayer fan, but I think there is a cool statement made here.  Racing full distance, or any distance, triathlons is like going up against the Grim Reaper.  Sometimes you can outrun the Reaper and sometimes he will chop you down. 

Anyways, I was riding one of the uphills and downshifted.  For the second time of the day my chain slipped off.  Of course I was going uphill and had to stop to get it back on.  No biggie, I just needed to be careful when shifting. 

After the last climb on the state park road there is a small bridge that causes problems.  It has a nasty lip that ejects bottles and can cause some nasty wrecks.  This year there was a volunteer waving a flag and warning people to slow down.  There was also an ambulance on-site just in case someone went down.

Fortunately for me there were no other athletes around so I was able to handle the bridge with a little bunny hop to get over the lip.  I made it clean through that section and made my way back to the race site. 

In between loops we can refill or exchange bottles.  IronBen had a cooler I was able to put my replacement bottles in.  At least our nutrition would be cold for the second loop.

I tried to push the pace a little bit for the second loop but I just wasn't feeling it.  I maintained the same pace for the second loop and made it back to transition safely. 

One thing I noticed during the bike was that I was alone for a majority of the ride.  There wasn't a lot of passing going on. In the previous races I would get passed like crazy during the second loop.  Maybe with my more conservative approach I had more energy and maintained my position better. 

I rode back into transition to get ready for the 13.1 mile run on the Black Lamp Trail.  One thing I was changing for the half marathon was my shoes.  For the other races I wore my regular road shoes.  During the two Oly races I managed to find every..single...large...sharp...rock with my feet.  And since I am a forefoot runner the rocks were stabbing me right at the ball of my foot through possibly the least protected part of the shoe.

So for the half marathon run I decided to run in my trail shoes.  I needed to actually ties my laces in transition since these shoes didn't have Yankz.  But it was worth the time for the extra protection.

I grabbed my PowerGels, hat and water bottle then left T2 for the run.  I jammed 7 gels into the side pockets of my jersey for the run.  I have found my nutrition works best when I take a PowerGel every other mile. 

My plan was to be conservative on the way out and push the pace a little for each return trip.  I knew there would be some walking on the steeper hills, especially if there was no shade.  No shade = no run.  I would power walk until I reached more shade or a specific spot. Once I hit my mark I let out a big breath and set about running again. 

On the first return trip I did increase my pace a little on the downhills but I couldn't drain myself too much.  I would still have another 6.5 miles to run.  I started seeing more people and offering words of encouragement.  I also received the second compliment of the day about my tattoo.  It's cool to have someone recognize and appreciate the body art.

I think Janet passed me during the first 3 miles, but she's an animal and is one chick I don't mind passing me.

I was keeping up with my PowerGels and water.  This is key for me because once I get off my run nutrition things go south very fast.  These little bursts of calories are what keep me moving and focused on the race.  I started hitting the 1x and 2x caffeine gels during the second loop.  I could feel the boost these gels provided.

I reached the turn around and knew I was home free.  I climbed the final big hill of the day and reminded myself it was time to push to the end.  I picked up my pace significantly, you will see that in my splits below.

The trails twist and turn but I could see Janet ahead of me.   I had a crazy thought about catching her and how cool it would be for us to cross the finish line together.  She would still have a better time than I because she made up the start deficit to pass me but still....it would be cool.

So I was pretty focused on keeping good running form and pace.  I was locked onto her back as motivation.  And I started to slowly bridge the gap.  As long as she didn't have a burst of speed I was going to catch her. 

I was just about to catch her at the aid station one mile from the finish when she pulled over to get some water.  I yelled at her, "Why are you stopping?!?!?"  She didn't know I was behind her so she was shocked to hear me yelling at her. 

I could have stopped and waited for her but several things went through my mind. 

• I'm moving pretty good.   
• If I stop now I many not be able to get back up to speed. 
• If I stop now I may cramp up...definitely not good.

I was past her before I knew it and kept going.  Once I get within a mile of the finish I just want to get things over with...quickly.

As I approached the finish line I thanked all of the spectators who had been sitting there cheering for us.  At least they were in the shade.

I crossed the line and had to sit down and catch my breath.  I took my shoes off and let the volunteer with the hose spray me down...it felt so good.  Janet crossed the finish line shortly after me and we congratulated each other.

My overall finish time was 5:57:16.
Swim 29:23
T1: 2:24
Bike: 3:20:07
T2: 2:00
Run splits
Lap one           Lap two
10:40              10:15   Mile 1
10:15              10:08   Mile 2
10:26              10:26   Mile 3
9:35                9:54     Mile 4 - downhill to turnaround and then back up the hill.
8:06                7:14     Mile 5 - primarily downhill rollers
9:19                7:40     Mile 6 - more downhill rollers
5:26                3:56   - Last half mile to turn around/finish

I'm happy with my consistent splits and the drop in the final miles.  I'm not sure why the 9:19 for mile 6.  Can't remember if I stopped at an aid station or not.

I'm going to post my final thoughts separately.  But at least I managed to write this race report.

Triple T 2012 - Race #3

Seriously....another Olympic distance tri.  With only 5 hours rest between.  Yes that is the mystique of Triple T.  The mystery is what to do during the down time.

Nap?

Eat?

Stretch?

I ate lunch then sat around with the crew bs'n and having fun.  Around 2 we started getting our gear together and ready for the 3PM race.  The afternoon race has a slight twist to it.....we bike first....then we swim...then we run.

When I got to the transition area the sun was beating down on us.  No shade except around the perimeter of the parking lot.  Part of the trick with the race is getting your wetsuit on when you are a sweaty mess coming off the bike.  The best piece of "equipment" you can have is a plastic bag.  I slicked down the legs of my wetsuit with Suit Juice.  Combined with the slickness of the bags lets your feet slide right through.  Fortunately Janet had extra bags because I completely forgot to bring any.

After I made sure my transition area was set I took my bike over to the start line.  The time trial start would send off two bikes at a time.  While waiting for 3PM to roll around I stood under a tree.  I swear the temperature was 10 degrees cooler in the shade. 

Shannon, the race director, had us line up and tried to get us motivated.  He asked if we were ready for our next race.  Three people and myself were the only ones to respond with a big cheer.  Shannon said we could move up to the front of the line. 

The bike course is an out and back on Route 125.  There are two major climbs on the way out and two on the way back.  The largest descent/climb is two miles long.  There is also no tree cover on this route so we would be in the sun the entire time. 

I hit the climbs fine and if the coast was clear I bombed the downhills.  On the two mile downhill I had to be patient until I could pass two riders ahead of me.  But once I passed them I reached 42 MPH on the sweeping curves. 

The return trip was fine as I kept myself under control during the long climbs.  I kept my heart rate manageable and didn't burn up my legs.  During the ride I thought how good I felt going into the run...only to realize I still needed to swim two laps around Turkey Creek Lake.

Heading back into transition I dismounted, racked my bike and slipped my feet into the bags.  Zip they went right into my wetsuit.  I just had to adjust the legs and pull it the rest of the way up.  With goggles and cap in hand I made my way to the beach. 

Just like the morning swim I got into a good rhythm right away.  As I finished the first lap my legs were feeling good.  In 2010 I cramped real bad between laps and when exiting the water.  This year the water was much warmer and I didn't have any problems. 

The water was weird.  As with any swim there are cold spots and warm spots.  But the spots I swam through were significantly different in temps.  It felt like a 20 degree swing when I went through these spots.  The warm spots were so warm I could feel the heat when I exhaled under the water. 

I sighted all of the buoys this time and didn't get off course.  Into transition and off to the run with my water bottle in hand for the 6.55 mile run. 

Due to the temps I slowed it down a little to the tune of about 30 seconds per mile.  Still happy with my finish time despite it being 11 minutes slower than the morning race. 

Bike:    1:22:19 -- 18.3 average/ 42.2 max speed
T1:           2:35
Swim:    25:27
T2:          2:15
Run:      55:12
Total:    2:47:48

Run splits:
8:46
9:12
9:17
9:14
6:55
7:39
4:09

Again I didn't wait around to long before heading back to camp.  I wanted to shower and start eating.  Janet made some tasty spaghetti sauce for dinner.  After relaxing around the campfire bedtime arrived at 9:30. 

Only one more race for the weekend.  Race #4 for most of us......Little Smokies Half Iron for those only racing on Sunday.

Triple T 2012 - Race #2

Sleeping in the RV was comfortable but hot, at least for me.  I had drawn the curtains for privacy and to keep the flow of cool air off me from the AC unit.  My little sleeping cave became hot and I was sweating quite a bit.  It also could have been extra body heat still escaping from the race late Friday.

I rolled out of bed around 5:30AM for the 7:30 start.  I hit the bathroom and started fueling up with OJ and a banana.  Everyone else was up in the next 30 minutes and we all prepped our gear for the day.

We rode over to the race site to setup our transition areas.  I did another 1 mile warmup to get the legs moving and empty the bladder in the woods.

I grabbed my second pair of goggles for the swim to avoid any leaking.  When the starter sent us on our way I took one dive into the water and started swimming.  I was very happy there was no water leaking into my goggles.

I settled into a very comfortable pace during the first lap of the swim.  I felt that I was sighting well and had a solid stroke.  As I finished the first lap my goggles were a little foggy and I found myself being told by a lifeguard I had to swim around the buoy.  I was about 10 yards inside the buoy.  Oops....I swam over to the buoy and turned towards the beach with everyone else. 

I cleared my goggles while on the beach and had much better vision for the second lap.  I picked up the pace slightly and still felt great heading for transition.  I cleared the water in 22 minutes, which would be extremely fast for me but a lot of people said the course was short....definitely.

On the bike I was taking it easy so I wouldn't blow myself up too early.  I was feeling comfortable again and attacked Thompson Hill with some energy.  I let out an excited cheer to begin the climb.  I mean why face the steepest climb of the weekend with a negative attitude.  I felt great climbing the hill and passed some people to boot. 

After we finished the climb a female competitor passed me and commented on my enthusiasm at the beginning of the climb.  We chatted for a while then she pushed ahead of me.  She was quite the speedy tri chick.

This bike course is the hardest of them all.  Thompson Hill is steep, there is a very technical descent and a final climb on Route 125.

The Hairpin turn on this course is very dangerous.  HFP started marking the road with cautions at least one mile before the corner.  The park must have done some maintenance on the road because there were some big patches of gravel across the road leading up to the turn.  Then the turn had been repaved with fresh asphalt.  There was some sand on the road to provide some traction but it also could have caused some skidding. 

I made it through the corner safely maybe riding 3 or 4 MPH.  As Shannon had said before the race, it's not worth it to take a risk because it won't make your race, but it could definitely break your race...and body...and bike.  He was hoping to have no accidents this year on the corner.  He said there has always been at least one.

The only other thing I didn't like about the bike courses this year was the chip 'n seal.  It was probably fresh from last year but it still sucked this year.  Once we made it back to Route 125 it was fresh and smooth pavement all the way back to the park. 

There was one final hill we had to climb but it didn't seem too bad this year., despite going over it four times during the weekend.  The reward was a wonderful downhill with a few false flats.  I hit 39.2 MPH and then kept an average of 26MPH all the way to the park. 

I slipped my feet out of my shoes before entering the parking lot and made ready for the dismount line.  I transitioned to the run and headed for Blacklamp Trail.  Because of the warm weather I grabbed my half full bottle of Nuun from my bike and carried it for the 6.55 mile run.  I'm glad I did because it was nice having a drink whenever I needed it.  I was actually quite comfortable carrying the bottle during the run.

Some of the steeper hills I walked and that made the less steep hills seem not so hard.  In fact some of the sections seemed shorter and easier this year, similar to the bike course.  I just didn't want to fry myself too early. 

At the run turn around I took some time to clear some small rocks from my right shoe and sock.  It was a good decision because I was much more comfortable when I put my shoe back on.  I started to pick up the pace and once I crested the final big hill I settled into a quick pace towards the finish. 

My splits for the race were:

Swim:    22:11
T1:          1:42
Bike      1:19:19  --  19.1 average/ 39.2 Max
T2:           :53
Run:      53:09   an estimate since HFP hasn't posted the splits yet.
Total:   2:36:33

My run splits were:

8:39
8:43
8:38
8:40
6:22
7:23
4:01 - final half mile to the finish

I am very happy with my splits over the first four miles.

I refueled with some food at the race site but didn't loiter around too much.  I got back to camp, showered and ate some chips, a turkey sandwich and drank coconut water.  We sat around talking about all sorts of stuff before getting ready for race #3.  With a 3PM start we only had 5 hour recovery.  We felt bad for people who take longer because the recovery/rest would be so much shorter.

Triple T 2012 - Race #1

No lead up, no excuses for not blogging, no training status.  Let's get to the heart of the matter. 

The first race of Triple T is a super sprint race starting at 5PM Friday evening.  The race consists of a 250m swim, 6k bike (3.72 miles) and 1 mile run.  This is a great way to kick off the weekend and loosen up after driving to the event.

I left the house around 8AM to pick up some last minute items at the grocery store and then meet Jen and Joanne at a coffee shop (Cafe 83).  I was anxious to get going.  I could feel the nerves in my stomach for the last couple of days and they were present Friday morning as well. 

Part of the nerves were because of some differences compared to previous races.  First off, Aimee was not going to be with me.  She was awesome as my race support in '09 and '10.  I knew it was going to be different without her being there.

I decided to cancel my hotel reservation and camp with Janet (Daisy Duc) and Joe.  Janet offered a mattress in their RV that I couldn't pass up, even though I had my tent and other camping equipment ready. 

The drive down to Shawnee State Park was fine and we arrived around 1PM to pick up our race packet, which essentially was out swim cap and racing singlet we would wear for the all four races.

Jen and Joanne went up to their room at the lodge and I headed to the campground to meet up with Janet and Joe. 

After getting unpacked and situated we had a couple of hours to relax in the shade.  Christian K and his friend Harvey drove in from Alabama.  Christian was staying in the RV with us and Harvey was sharing a room at the lodge.  Ian, Rob and Scott arrived and set up their tents a couple of spots from us, so the majority of the Cleveland race crew was ready to go. 

Shortly before 4PM we gathered our gear and rode our bikes to the event site.  It's one mile between the campground the race site which allowed us to loosen up the legs before and after each race. 

I picked up my chip and got marked.  The volunteer who checked me in commented that my race number was the same as my birth year.....' 67.  This number would put me near the front of the pack when we would start each race in time trial fashion. 

I put together my transition spot and warmed up with a 1 mile run.  I reached the turn around for the sprint run and stepped into the woods to empty the bladder one more time.  It was good to get warmed up after driving four hours in the car.

Before the race started we gathered for a picture on the beach.  The time trial start sends two people off in five second intervals.  Most people didn't wear a wetsuit since the swim is so short.

When it was my time to go I ran down the beach and dove into the water.  Immediately my left goggle filled with water.  Not completely but enough to be a bother and make me worry about loosing my contact.  I did all of my breathing to the right so that I could spot the turn buoys with my "good" eye.  I was surprised how straight I seemed to be swimming. 

One change for the swim course this year was the exit.  A small channel had been dredged by the park which allowed us to swim closer to the transition area and not run across the pedestrian bridge.  That was nice for the spectators because they weren't stuck on the beach while we ran to transition. 

I quickly put on my socks, mainly because I can't run without socks, shoes, sunglasses and helmet.  I grabbed my bike and headed out for the short uphill ride.  I attacked the uphill pretty good and passed a couple of people.  I didn't let up at the top and continued to push the pace. 

As soon as I started the down hill I unstrapped my shoes.   I wasn't going to be pedaling much on the downhill.  I had to wait for a clear shot to pass two people but once I did I bombed the downhill...at a max of 42.8 MPH. 

I slipped my  feet out of my shoes and rolled to the dismount line.  I racked my bike and put on my running shoes for the 1 mile run.  I pushed the pace and crossed the finish line rather strong to end the first race of the weekend.

250m Swim:       5:05
T1:                     1:08
6k bike:             11:49
T2:                     00:34
1 mile run:          6:39
Total race time:   25:14

After the race I grabbed some of the food offered by HFP and soaked the legs a little.  The creek water wasn't as cold as years past so the benefit wasn't quite there.

We rode back to the campground and showered.  I had some potato salad, a blue cheese burger and a salmon patty for dinner.  I also had one beer with dinner to celebrate the beginning of the weekend with friends.  Bedtime was 10PM for the Saturday morning race.

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