Dec 26, 2010 recap

20101220 Mon
AM: run 11 miles (1:28) Broadway loop + marshall (1365'). run in the rain, legs felt good, enjoyed splashing through the puddles. very entertaining, like being 5 years old again:)

20101221 Tues
AM run 6 miles (0:42) treadmill run (318') started out easy run at 1% grade. finished last 1.5 miles +/- at 6:30 and better pace.
PM: run 2.2 miles (0:18) northpark wanderings (371'). had some time to kill while waiting for sara, so i ran a short easy run around the neighborhood. still enjoying splashing in the puddles:)

20101222 Wed
PM: run 9.9 miles (1:22) del rey loop (1663'). legs felt pretty crappy. turned into a shakeout/guts run. no hard efforts, just slow and steady.  legs not happy today.

20101223 Thur
PM: run 16.6 miles (2:12) Pulse OTC loop + (1834'). legs felt strong started pretty conservative, and finished pretty comfortable. last mile or so legs started to feel a little tired.
20101224 Fri
AM:  run 6.8 miles (0:55) modified cuyamaca loop (443'): legs started out feeling good, around mile 4 legs got heavy and pace seemed to slow a little. last 2 or 3 miles had some pretty good gi issues that contributed to the slowing.
PM: run 7.1 miles (1:00) extended del rey loop (1430'). legs started out strong, and slowly faded. perhaps i should refocus on my eating as i was supposed to be doing. have been eating pretty poorly and minimally the last 2 or 3 days and it's starting to reflect in my runs.

20101225 Sat
AM: run 12.2 miles (1:47) Proctor valley OTC loop (1611') good run, legs felt strong, needed a little bit of nutrition.
PM: run 6.5 miles (0:59) del rey loop + (0:59) good run, took a little bit for legs to come around, then felt strong.

20101226 Sun
AM: run 24.8 miles (4:38) Chula Vista wanderings (3550'). long run, right achilles started nagging earlier, but foolish me decided to pull back on the pace and try for the distance i had stuck in my head. around 19 miles, achilles started demanding i stop. was forced to walk the remaining 4 miles. i'll sleep on it and re-assess the situation tomorrow.

Total Run
-Miles: 103.7
-Hours: 15h 26min
-Vertical: 11,444'

Dec 19, 2010 recap

20101213 Mon
PM run 7.2 miles (1:03) mission trails 5k loop + visitor center (1230'). achilles felt good. legs took about 1/2 Mile to come around, then felt very good.

20101214 Tues
PM run 5.2 miles (0:47) Del Rey loop (682'). Easy shake out run, legs felt good, pushed a slightly higher pace towards the end.

20101215 Wed
PM: run 12 miles (1:41) Balboa park wanderings (2054'): Legs a bit sluggish on the run. some right calf tightness. nice quiet run through balboa park.

20101216 Thur
PM: run 15.7 miles (2:05) Nopal mast park loop (1870'). Legs felt very good throughout, a little heavy around mile 15 but nothing to significant. running is improving nicely.

20101217 Fri
PM: run 6 miles (0:46) Del Rey loop + (1371'). Legs felt very good. higher effort during the final 2 miles due to schedule commitments.

20101218 Sat
AM: run 12.6 miles (1:51) broadway loop + marshall loop (1598') 1st 6 miles at a good strong effort, last 6.5 with sara with legs a bit lethargic.

20101219 Sun
AM: run 21 miles (3:45) swallow loop + Xterra Mission Trails 15k (4078'). Legs felt ok first 16 miles, then i blew up pretty badly, and never really recovered. took a nap and slept very deeply, hopefully just tired.
PM: run 4.3 miles (0:37) Nielsen to home (417'). shake out run, very slow and easy.

Total Run
-Miles: 84.1
-Hours: 12h 37min
-Vertical: 13,300

long week, lots of work obligations kept me from running as many sessions as i would have liked, and perhaps forced some longer runs.  all in all the legs were feeling pretty good throughout, then on saturday, the last half was a little lethargic, and sunday's run was a bit of a sufferfest, though there were some very nice views from the peaks in mission trails.  i'm attributing the short week to a lot more vertical focus then horizontal, and the slow finish on sunday.  ready for a fresh week of high mileage, hopefully some doubles to come.

Nov 2010 Totals

Total Run
-Miles: 322.3
-Hours: 49h 46min
-Vertical: 44,878'

Total Bike
-Miles: 152
-Hours: 8h 31min
-Vertical: 8,413'

Total Swim
-Miles: 3.2
-Hours: 1h 32min

Total
-Miles: 474.3
-Hours: 58h 17min
-Vertical: 53,291'

Dec 12, 2010 recap

20101206 Mon

PM: run 11.6 miles (1:43) RPQ Side Hill green pond loop (1230'). Easy run to rebuild confidence after yesterdays implosion. legs felt good, steady pace, no spectacular efforts. good run.

20101207 Tues
run 9.2 miles (1:10) TSF RPQ CDS loop (1342'): started as an easy run, was feeling strong and on a good pace, so i pushed the last 3 miles a little bit racing the clock. All in all legs feel very good. some minor twinges in right achilles to work out.
PM: run 2.8 miles (0:26) Pulse H St trail loop (446'). slow easy shake out run. legs feel good.

20101208 Wed
AM: run 8 miles (1:01) BM CDS loop (1194') - easy run, comfortable the entire way, slightly higher effort the last 2 miles, but never really pushed the run. just enjoyed being out in the quiet morning hours..
PM: run 4.4 miles (0:41) Mast trails (463'): right achilles began to twinge, cut the run short.
20101209 Thur
PM: run 5.6 miles (0:51) TSF out and back (810'). rigth achilles tender for first 4 miles then loosened up a bit, cut run short.
20101210 Fri
PM: run 4 miles (0:27) rice canyon loop (548'). achilles felt good, pretty solid effort throughout to see how achilles was holding up.

20101211 Sat
AM: run 13.2 miles (1:38) 2x greenfield marshall loop (1736'). very comfortable run, pushed slightly the last 3 miles to have good showing. 1 twinge on r achilles at mile 10, stopped stretched it and massaged it and all is good. we'll see later how it handles.

20101211 Sun
AM: :run 35.4 miles (5:21) NP to Pulse and back (3822'). Minor slump in energy between 19 and 20 miles (due to lack of nutrition). stopped refueled and hydrated, Legs felt good through 32 miles then ran out of nutrition again and definitely felt it. minor right achilles tenderness. total nutrition 2.5 hammer gels, 1 pack of blueberry gu chomps (1st 3 hours) (~650 calories), 6 blueberry/pom roctanes (last 2:20) ~600 caloreis) - total 1250 cal - should have had closer to 1700. running is progressing nicely.

Total Run
-Miles: 94.2
-Hours: 13h 21min
-Vertical: 11,591'

Dec 05, 2010 recap

20101129 Mon
AM: run 3 miles (0:26) 56 bike trail out and back (502'). very slow eay run, achilles still tender.

20101130 Tues
PM: run 3.3 miles (0:27) 56 bike trail out and back (502'). very slow easy run.  minor achilles tenderness.

20101201 Wed
AM: run 7 miles (0:57) BM CM loop +, (1043') Good run, some minor achilles tenderness, went away pretty quickly.
PM: run 2.8 miles (0:29) Pulse H street trail loop (374') easy shake out run.

20101202 Thur
AM: run 10.1 miles (1:20) pepper broadway loop+ (1152') legs felt good, steady pace. some severe gi issues at the end of the run.

20101203 Fri
AM: run 5.7 miles (0:42) BM CM loop (866'). legs feeling strong, no issues, achilles feeling 90%.

20101204 Sat
AM: run 11.4 miles (1:36) Balboa park out and back+ (~1509').  legs felt solid, very relaxed run, some severe GI issues at the end forced me to cut it short. 

20101205 Sun
AM: run 22.1 miles (3:58) Cowles Mtn wanderings (~3638'). Long run, a pretty poor showing today, felt like someone borrowed my legs for 15 - 20 miles before i got started on my run.  never felt good throughout the day, no food, ~96oz of water.  need more calories and to revisit my overall nutrition.  i've officially lost interest in recovery weeks, for now.  some slight achilles tenderness early on during steep ascents, stopped and stretched calves and massaged them a bit, and issues resolved.

Total Run
-Miles: 65.4
-Hours: 9h 55min
-Vertical:  9,586'

Nov 28 recap

20101122 Mon
AM: run 5.6 miles (0:49) TSF BM CM loop (594'). legs feel ok, a little tired, started to come around after 4 miles or so.

20101123 Tues
PM: run 2.8 miles (0:32) Pulse H st trail loop (374'). very slow easy run.

20101124 Wed
AM: run 14.7 miles (1:55) RPQ Del mar loop +, (1430') Strong run and solid effort, legs felt good all the way through.

20101125 Thur
AM: run 24.1 miles (3:56) Downtown fiesta island ramblings (2831') legs a bit tired, sluggish for the last hour.

20101126 Fri
AM: run 14.3 miles (2:17) Chula Vista trails ramblings (2195'). legs are definitely feeling yesterdays effort. very sluggish, especially on climbs. very slow run.
PM: run 4.6 miles (0:41) Del Rey loop (453'). little better then this mornings run. legs loosening up a bit. all in all still tired.

20101127 Sat
AM: run 15.6 miles (2:11) Magnolia lake jennings loop + (1447'). Legs a little sluggish, pace solid, and consistent. had to focus the last mile or so to keep the pace.

20101128 Sun
AM: run 30.1 miles (5:07) Balboa park ramblings (4944'). Long run, felt pretty good through around 4:15, then things started to slow dramatically. 2 gels, 1 pack of chomps, 3 water bottles. need more food. have some tenderness in left achilles, right achilles feels fine.


Total Run
-Miles: 111.8
-Hours: 17h 28min
-Vertical: 14,268'

Nov 21 recap

20101115 Mon

AM: run 7.3 miles (0:57) Misc run from home (449'). easy run with a break in the middle. legs feel pretty good

20101116 Tues
PM: run 2.8 miles (0:28) Pulse H st trail loop (374'). very slow easy run.

20101117 Wed
AM: run 10.2 miles (1:18) Balboa Park wanderings, (1152') good solid effort, legs were feeling the faster effort towards the end.

20101118 Thur
PM: run 12.25 miles (2:01) Mission Gorge wanderings (1657') steady trail run, legs felt good climbing. can start to feel a bit of the achilles, hopefully just tenderness from yesterdays effort and the hills today.

20101119 Fri
AM: run 13.4 miles (1:43) TSF BM del mar loop+ (1480'). strong run, solid effort, legs felt great the entire run. TSF BM del mar loop + short extensions.

20101120 Sat
AM: run 7 miles (0:58) Prospect Cuyamaca loop + (495'). felt like a newborn giraffe trying to learn how to walk.

20101121 Sun
- AM: run 29.25 miles (4:46) Xterra Mission Gorge 15k + run there and back (3107'). long run, legs felt good on all climbs and up until around 4:15 - 4:30, then mileage started to take it's toll. all in all a good day, not feeling too sore. need to roll out my achilles.



Total Run
-Miles: 82.7
-Hours: 12h 15min
-Vertical: 8,714'

Nov 14 recap

20101108 Mon
-AM: run 3.3 miles (0:32) short loop in henderson (197'). recovery run, legs very tired and not happy.
20101109 Tues
AM: run 3.3 miles (0:32) Seattle needle loop (243'). slow and steady no great efforts. legs are still tired from silverman.

20101110 Wed
-AM: run 4.2 miles (0:30) Seattle aquarium out and back, (1138') egs started a bit stiff but quickly loosened up. clock is short by 10 minutes and about 1 mile.
20101111 Thur
- AM: run 4.9 miles (0:43) Seattle Needle through pioneer square loop (928')legs coming around sooner. think i'm pretty much recovered from silverman.

20101112 Fri
- AM: run 21.3 miles (3:25) Seattle green lake loop (1765'). exploration run, got lost a bit towards the end and wound up slowing a bit.  all in all legs are doing well.

20101113 Sat
- AM: run 13 miles (1:59) Seattle waterfront out and back (4954'). Legs felt a little sluggish to start, but came around and felt good. loving the fall weather.

20101114 Sun
- AM: run 7.1 miles (1:00) random along the coast (2972'). egs felt good this morning, weather a little warmer then the previous days, and a little wet from overnight rains.

Total Run
-Miles: 57.5
-Hours: 8h 42min
-Vertical: 14,422'

Last visit with fall colors

had a great exploratory run of the seattle area today.  i was able to get out of the city and found some final hints of faded fall coloring on the trees.  Combine that with the smell and feel of the fallen leaves underfoot.  i'm loving my time here in seattle.


washed out oranges and yellows,
the reds are faded to rusted pink.

the ground hidden beneath
decaying colors so vibrant
just weeks before

the final scents of fall are in the air

i inhale and wash away my despair

i'm chilled at the core
i sit atop a hill, overlooking the bay
ships come and go
cormorants bob heavily in the sea

a heron comes to rest amongst
the rocky shore.

my mind wanders freely
taking in all around
as a brand new experience.

Silverman 2010

I went into this race with a different approach than i've started any race since i've started:  I knew it was going to be a very painful day, and i'd have to go to a very uncomfortable place.  There were several things weighing heavily on me, and today would provide a great opportunity to work through some of them.

SWIM (2.4 miles): i lined up towards the front, once the gun went off, i worked my way through the initial congestion, i settled in on a pair of feet and cruised through the swim.  nothing eventful, 1 bridged up to a new set of feet a couple of times.  No great efforts, and my swim time reflected that.  SWIM 1:11:13 (1:47min/100m)

T1:  i came out of the water and had some trouble getting out of my wetsuit.  After i stripped it off, i grabbed my bike gear, put my helmet a couple bonk breakers, racebelt, and sunglasses.  made a quick bathroom break, and off onto the bike course. A rather slow transition (0:06:51)

Bike (112 miles): my strategy was pretty straight forward, ride easy for the fast sections, put a little extra effort into headwinds and climbs, and see where things fell out.  I headed out towards the first turnaround just past 15 miles.  On the way back, i saw several pulse kits, recognized Dean out front, Dave Stepp a little behind, and Mike Drury a little further back.  I settled into a good steady effort, focused on hydrating well, and taking in the calories i would need to keep going.  a couple riders went back and forth with me, and a couple rode past me, it wasn't in the cards today to engage in a game of chase.  I sat in and followed the plan.  At the 60 mile turnaround i felt strong, and continued with the plan, a slightly harder effort on the way back.  At 65 miles my legs started cramping, lovely, this will make for a great day, and no salt tabs either. 

i tried to focus on a steady effort, with consistent effort throughout the pedal stroke and tried to relax my legs.  Next aid station i grabbed 1 banana and a gatorade.  The cramping eased until between 75 and 80 miles and came back a little worse.  Again i settled in to a steady effort, grabbed a banana, and more gatorade.  I was hoping the low points would come much later, no such luck. 

The 90 mile mark and onto the bike path, feeling pretty good, and the cramping had subsided.  the bike path would prove to be into a stiff headwind, and particularly slow.  it was a mental challenge to stay aero going so slowly; however, with the headwind, i kept reminding myself, it was far easier to proceed in the aero position then if i were to sit upright.  When i got off the bike path, i was feeling pretty good, grabbed some water and gatorade from the last aid station.  a couple more riders went by, then i settled back into my solo effort.  The last 12 miles proved to be pretty straightforward, just kep plugging away at it.  This was the first time i was not ready to get off the bike at the end of the ride.  I saw Kariem starting on the run, as i was coming in off the bike.  BIKE 6:07:57 (18.3 mph)

T2: Off the bike, my legs are a bit stiff and take a while to come around.  I hand off my bike, grab my run gear bag, and head into the tent.  socks, running shoes and i'm off onto the run.  (0:02:18)

Run (26.2 miles): started on the run, slow and steady, try to run very comfortably easy and hold the pace for as long as possible.  I grabbed some liquid at the first aid station, and would grab gel and liquid at even aid stations.  legs felt ok, i caught Kariem just past mile 4 of the run, chatted briefly and wished him well.  I kept plugging along slow and steady.  this worked for almost 16 miles, then it all caught up, and my pace slowed to a crawl.  I tried to grab nutrition and stuff it in, several gels, some animal crackers, oranges, bananas and broth, let my stomach settle, and hope my legs came around.  I wound up walking a bit here and there, but always resumed the run.  I came back down and made the last pass through the district.  RUN 4:48:25 (11:01 min/m)

OVERALL: 12:16:42

all in all i'm satisfied with the results and a good time.  Despite the fact that there were several things i missed during the race and trip.

Nov 7 recap

20101101 Mon
-PM: run 8.5 miles (1:12) Mast out and back  (915'). legs felt a bit sluggish for 4 - 5 miles then started to loosen up and hit a pretty good groove.

20101102 Tues
AM: run 7.7 miles (1:45) TSF Black mtn loop (1266'). slow and steady no great efforts. legs are still acclimating to the consistency and distance.

20101103 Wed
-AM: run 5.8 miles (0:45) TSF Carmel mtn loop, (577') legs moderately tired, slight discomfort in right achilles. felt stronger as run progressed.
-PM: ride 35.8 miles (2:02) Fiesta island loops, (118') steady efforts, started very slow, and built to stronger pace for the last 30 - 40 minutes.

20101104 Thur
- PM: run 3 miles (0:20) Down H st. (217') legs feel good. good solid effort.
- PM: swim .8 mile (0:21) Coronado oceanside swim. easy just concentrate on form.

20101105 Fri
- AM: run 6.7 miles (0:49) Marshall loop (535'). legs slightly tired, but hit a good pace and held it comfortable.
- AM: ride 4.8 miles (0:22) shake out ride (495').  shake out ride easy effort.

20101106 Sat
- AM: run 6.3 miles (0:49) Henderson loop (600'). solid run, legs feel good, started out a little heavy feeling but found a good flow.

20101107 Sun
- AM: swim 2.4 miles (1:11) Silverman swim.
- AM: ride 112 miles (6:07) Silverman bike (7800').
- PM: run 26.2 miles (4:48) Silverman run (2360').

Total Run
-Miles: 64
-Hours: 10h 28min
-Vertical: 6,470'

Total Bike
-Miles: 152
-Hours: 8h 31min
-Vertical: 8,413'

Total Swim
-Miles: 3.2
-Hours: 1h 32min

Total
-Miles: 220
-Hours: 20h 31min
-Vertical: 14,883'

October 31 recap.

20101025 Mon

-AM: run 9 miles (1:20) TSF RPQ loop (1785'). legs felt a bit sluggish for 4 - 5 miles then started to loosen up and hit a pretty good groove.

20101026 Tues

AM: run 13 miles (1:45) TSF BM Del Mar loop (2200'). slow and steady no great efforts. legs are still acclimating to the consistency and distance.

20101027 Wed

-AM: run 7.8 miles (1:05) TSF Black mtn loop, (1460') legs felt very flat through 3 miles and had some pretty significant gi issues. after that i felt much better and paced picked up, and legs felt good

20101028 Thur

- PM: run 3.7 miles (0:26) EH short loop (928') legs feel good. good solid effort

20101029 Fri

- AM: run 5.8 miles (0:45) TSF CM loop (988'). just maintaining the daily runs.

20101030 Sat

- AM: ride 58 miles (3:28) Pulse Ride + (6132'). legs felt good, some stronger efforts.

- PM: ride 19 miles (1:13) ride home (1342'). easy cruise nothing spectacular.

- PM: run 4.1 miles (0:29) peerless loop (256'). brick run, legs feeling good.

20101031 Sun

- AM: ride 32 miles (2:14) random along the coast (1365'). easy spin.

- AM: swim 1 mile (0:27) la jolla shores. solid effort to 1/2 mile buoy, then good effort to marine room, from there, easy swim chasing leopard sharks. its refreshing to see them around again, it's been some time since i've come across them, and really enjoyed swimming with them.

- PM: run 7.3 miles (1:04) string of pulse trails (1043'). decent run, legs a bit tired, started to come around between 4 and 5 miles.20101031 Sun

Total Run

-Miles: 51

-Hours: 6h 55min

-Vertical: 8,671'

Total Bike

-Miles: 109
-Hours: 6h 55min

-Vertical: 8,839'

Total Swim

-Miles: 1.25

-Hours: 0h 30min

Total

-Miles: 161

-Hours: 14h 20min

-Vertical: 17,510'

October 24 recap

20101018 - Monday PM: run 12 miles (1:45) los coches loop. slow and steady it's going to be a long week

20101019 - Tuesday AM: run 9 miles (1:10) treadmill run. nothing special here

20101020 - Wednesday AM: run 5 miles (0:40) treadmill run. legs a bit tired, but coming around
PM - run 6.5 miles (0:53) broadway loop + extra. legs felt a bit sluggish on the climbs, but are feeling stronger on the flats and descents.
PM - bike 60 minutes spin on the trainer to help flush legs

20101021 - Thursday PM: run 11 miles (1:25) TSF black mountain loop + 3 miles on the treadmill. legs are aclimating to running daily.

20101022 - Friday PM: run 1.25 miles (0:10) short loop to keep the streak.

20101023 - Saturday AM: bike 75 miles (4:40) GW loop + lake jennings bonus miles. legs are definitely feeling the mileage.
PM: run 13.5 miles (2:00) 3x cuyamaca trolley loop. blew up badly on the last 2 miles and limped home at a very slow slog.

20101024 - Sunday AM: bike 25 miles (1:45) zion loop. easy spin. legs just weren't there, cut ride a bit short.
AM: run 11 miles (1:55) big rock park out and back. a very difficult run, legs were gone from the beginning, just kept my head down and gutted it out.

Total
RUN
- Miles: 70
- Hours: 9h 58min
- Vertical: 3,400'

BIKE
- Miles: 100
- Hours: 7h 35min
- Vertical: 10,244'

Imperial Beach triathlon

Swim (500 meters): there was a strong south to north current, the swim was structured with ~100m swim to the west then 300m swim north, then 100m swim back in. i started south of the turn buoy and swam straight, relying on the current to push me to the buoy. this worked well, and i found myself at the 1st turn with some strong swimmers. sometimes racing smart pays. on the south to north leg, several stronger swimmers went by. swimming back in i took advantage of some of the waves, but due to the current, found myself exiting the water a bit farther north then i'd hoped to be. SWIM 0:8:09 (1:38/100m)

T1 : Into t1 i stripped my wetsuit, and ran over to my bike. i saw mike kelley starting on the bike, and victor tello running out of t1 as i got to my bike. i struggled to get my wetsuit past my feet.

Bike (9.3 miles) onto the bike course, i figured i'd just go as hard as i could and see how things panned out. it took a little longer than usual to catch mike kelley (guess his bike is getting stronger). i caught 1 glimpse of victor on the bike course, guess his bike is getting stronger too. i rode pretty well, and came into t2: Bike 0:25:55 (22 mph)

T2 nothing exciting here. i was able to get everything switched out and onto the run to see how my legs would hold up.

Run (3.1 miles): i came out of transition knowing it would be a tough run. i settled into a steady pace early. i ran consistently, trying to focus on my breathing and lean. it was a fun day, a slight re-assurance i was not on my game, and need to put time in if i don't want to suffer so badly. RUN 0:20:04 (6:28 min/mile)

Overall time: 0:54:08.

Vineman

Sara accompanied me to the race, and was kind enough to crawl out of bed into the chilly morning air a bit early to bring my forgotten nutrition to me in transition.

Swim (2.4 miles): the swim is 2 loops, starting upstream (with a very slow current). you swim .6 miles up stream, then turn around and come back down, then repeat. I started near the front, and quickly settled into a steady rhythm. At the first turn around, i felt things were going well, not too fatigued, and had a good rhythm. this continued back to the start and through the final turn around. i felt i swam straight and without exerting too much energy. when i exited to see 1:13:xx on the race clock i realized why it felt so easy, it was my slowest swim to date, guess this is going to be a liesurely day? SWIM 1:13:00 (1:55/100m)

T1 : Into t1 i stripped my wetsuit, and ran down 2 or 3 rows trying to find my bike. another uncharacteristic display. after finding my bike, i stripped my wetsuit and placed it in the allocated bag. on with the helmet, sunglasses and grab my bike: 4:00 transition time. continue with the leisurely day theme.

Bike (112 miles) the good news is the bike course is supposed to be very scenice. my legs weren't quite with me out of the water, so i pushed a little harder, knowing that a bit of extra effort typically wakes my legs up and helps out. i tried this for the first 25 miles without the expected results. around 35 miles the climbing started, and along came the strong cyclists from behind. much earlier than i typically get this. so i settled in and enjoyed the scenery. the bike continued like this for the remainder. the good news is my lap splits were pretty consistent. the course was enjoyable to ride and the weather was nice. I got to see Sara around mile 70, she drove out along the course, and parked waiting for me to pass by. that made the trip much more worth while. after a bit of this, i rolled into t2: Bike 5:29:17 (20.3 mph) not a stellar performance, though it did give me more time to appreciate the course.

T2 nothing exciting about this, the pavement was hot, so i was anxious to get my shoes on, and get onto the run so i could finish the 3 loops and get to enjoying the food and scenery of the russian river. transition time: 3:20.

Run (26.2 miles) : my first loop went ok, just a steady pace, and sara was there for the first mile or so, then she went to enjoy some of the wine tasting. shortly after the first loop, the wheels came entirely off, and i was relegated to walking and asking "what was i thinking, i knew i didn't have the legs for a marathon". i accepted this wouldn't fix things, and keep moving forward, knowing full well i was not ready to stop until i'd finished the full marathon course. RUN 4:55:10 (11:18 min/mile)

Overall time: 11:46:02. looks like i didn't get the necessary work in before showing up. that makes 2 in a row. 1 more for the season and i'll have to re-evaluate where i am, where i want to be, and how that fits with my time commitments.

IM Lanzarote

Swim (2.4 miles) it was a beach start, out of laziness, I lined up pretty much in the middle of everybody, i didn't feel like pushing my way to the front to have everybody swim over me, so i stood where i was and waited for the gun to sound the migration. this proved to be a mistake, and re-inforced my standard advice, if you're a strong swimmer start at the front, if you are a weak swimmer, start at the back, if you are somewhere in the middle start to the outside. Because when you start in the middle, you wind up fighting through the weak swimmers and being swam over by the strong swimmers. the battle to the first turn was worse than i remember arizona being, and it only opened up slightly after the first turn. periodically through the first lap, i would be swarmed by masses of swimmers and reenact the opening struggles, swimming over, under and around people. the second loop went a bit more smoothly, yet still had the swarms from time to time. the last couple hundred meters i was able to pull a bit stronger and find calm water to enjoy before the bike.. SWIM 1:07:09 (1:44/100m), a bit slow, but faster than the 1:52/100m i swam at wildflower.

T1 a nice jaunt up the beach and into the changing tents, helmet, sunglasses, carry my shoes (after the changing tent, there is more sand to run through) had i properly researched the transition as usual, i'd have known this, and left my shoes on the bike, as i prefer to do anyway. i slap on lots of sunscreen, and head over to my bike. sit down and put on my cycling shoes. not quite sure how i took so long, but i do know i spent a lot of time around my bike before actually mustering the ambition to start the ride: 5:52 transition time.

Bike (112 miles) not much to say about this, except the bike course had some spectacular views, 1 descent with 4 or 5 switchbacks which i was very unenthusiastic about. i didn't have sufficient faith in my brakes or bike handling to go very quickly down that section. the weather was very forgiving, unfortunately my legs were unable to take advantage of this. I was holding an ok ride up to around 70 miles, then my legs began protesting, my pace slowed as did my ambition. The good news, there will be a couple more sections with some good views. i will say the bike course was smooth, they made great use of traffic circles on out and back and turning sections. The mile markers were off up to km 160, which made for a seemingly very fast final 20k. i was pretty happy to see puerto del carmen come into site and retrace the early stages of the bike course, coming back into transtion. a very unspectacular ride, though i did enjoy a lot more of the scenery on this course than on any other bike course, if only because i didn't have the legs to hammer through it: Bike 6:04:39 (18.4 mph)

T2 1 issue, a good little run through, put my socks and sneakers on wait around for the lady with the sunscreen, but she takes to long, so i am off without reapplying sunscreen. 3:59

Run (26.2 miles) I start out feeling pretty good and try to reign in the pace for the first 1/2. this turns out to be far easier than i'd hoped it would be. i keep waiting to see mike on his way back. after about 6 miles, the wheels are loosening up and feel as though they will come off at any minute. i fight to keep them on, but i didn't bring any nutritoin, and all i see at the aid stations is small pieces of banana and orange wedges. i am grabbing 1 piece of banana and orange wedges at every aid station and eating them; however, at roughly 50 calories/ aid station, i am not able to replenish calories as quick as i'd like to, the good news is i had 0 stomach issues, perhaps i'll try mixing a gel in every hour on top of the orange/banana nutrition to get my 400 calories an hour without stomach issues. sounds like something i'll be trying at vineman in late july. about 1 mile from the turn around, i see mike, he looks like the wheels are on the way off too. about 5 miles later, mike and i are shuffling along together laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation. after a bit of shuffling and much walking, we cross the finish line: RUN 5:15:51 (12:03 min/mile) another unspectacular day on a difficult course, but not a tough as my finishing time indicates: 12:37:28. looks like i didn't get the necessary work in before showing up.

Wildflower long course

Swim (1.2 miles) I lined up close to front, not expecting too much. i was in a good pack for the first 100m or so, then we took the first turn, and my navigational proficiency failed, i swam out of the pack and was unable to find a set of feet to draft, so wound up swimming most of the course on my own. not ideal, but it makes for a good workout. SWIM 0:34:45 (1:47/100m), still lots of room to improve.

T1 a nice long run up the boat ramp and over to the bike, stripped my wetsuit with no issues, onto the bike. 2:35

Bike (56 miles) got onto the bike with that all to familiar my legs are still in the swim feel, not to excited about that, so i push a little bit to try to wake them up, after 4 or 5 miles of this and no real response, i accept it and just try to find a nice rhythm. Not too long into the ride i'm settled in a bit. just before the 1/2 way point i see a buffalo, that's a pleasant suprise, don't see too many of those in this area. the unspectacularness continues through the remainder of the bike, the climbs are slow and steady, i briefly get stuck behind a trio of cars on a downhill section and then am passed by them on the flat. i enjoy the relaxing coast down into t2: Bike 2:55:50 (19.1 mph).

T2 got in racked my bike, put on my shoes, and back out, a very comfortable and efficient transtion: 1:41

Run (13.1 miles) : the run wasn't bad, not spectacular, it's a nice run along the lake for the first 4 or 5 miles, then it turns in and runs through the campsites, so there is lots of people to help distract from the heat and discomfort. i had some issues and walked a bit on the run course, then decided that's not going to cut it, i need to get some running done, so i muster a decent pace for the remainder of the run, cruising up the climbs, and coasting down through the descents. on the last downhill i let gravity run it's magic, and continue to hold the momentum through the finish line. RUN 1:58:35 (9:03 min/mile) another unspectacular day: 5:33:26. looks like i did some digressing since oceanside.

Mulholland Challenge

Sara invited me to join her and her brother (Eric) for a lovely ride through some very scenic areas North of la. how could i refuse, lots of climbing, technical descents on poorly maintained roads, and lots of miles, it's got me written all over it.

we got started shortly before 7am, and would ride together through the first big climb, there were some fun little descents and a nice section along pch that would prove to be some of the few areas well suited to a tt bike. since i'm in full swing on the triathlon training, that's the only bike in the quiver for anything other than recovery days, and this ride is not intended to promote recovery.

Eric made short work of the descents, he claimed he'd need the time later for the climbs and we'd see him again. today was to be his first day riding more than 50 miles, so there was little ground to argue his point, and it's a fun ride, so we wished him well and set him on his way.

at the top of the first climb, Sara and i pull off to the side to perform some minor adjustments to her bike, she was unable to shift into the big ring for much of the first 2 hours, the most unfortunate part of this is that was the most necessary ring to have for much of the initial portions. a little tweaking and we are back on the road.

At the bottom of a short descent was the first refueling stop, Sara and i stopped, got some water and food, and confirmed her bike was working better, and i wished her well. i was off to get in some good old fashioned suffering and see if i could find Eric along the way.

i passed Eric a bit further along, we talked briefly, and then i carried on with the suffering. my legs were feeling good, and there was much climbing to be done, so i wasn't interested in too much dawdling, figure i might as well get to the climbs while my legs feel good (this might be a bad approach, but i try not to think about riding too much, particularly when it's long riding, i get intimidated easily).

i wound up riding with a small group of cyclists for a good portion of the coming climbs. they stuck pretty well to my well, we chatted a bit, and once the descents got technical i bid them well. fully aware that a tt bike doesn't descend as well as a road bike, add to that my less then stellar bike handling skills, my unfamiliarity with the course, and my desire to not crash = a conservative descent: translated to lots of scenery enjoyment on the descent.

a short way into the descent, the roads went to shite, the were horrendous, my descending style goes from enjoying the scenery to trying to wear my brake pads down so i can get a new set. somewhere along the path a managed to flat, fortunately it was a slow leak so i persisted through to the bottom of the descent before pulling off to change it.

truth be told i didn't really notice it was flat until i was at the bottom. i pull over, change the flat in a very leisurely fashion, and am back onto another 3-4 mile climb. i think its around 70 miles now and i'm starting to feel a bit of tired in my legs. the good news is there is 1 descent, a stretch along pch, and 2 tough climbs, then it's primarily downhill and flat to the finish.

pch was another great stretch, just as i started to settle into a good rhythm, the course turned left and began a lovely steep climb up Decker rd, now my legs were truly getting unhappy with me, i was able to coax them up to the top through a good bit of protesting.

one nice stretch of small rolling terrain which offered a good bit of time trialing and back to the climb. the last of the major ascents, i will my way up the climb and am welcomed at the top by the final fuel stop, some pretzels, banana, look at the tantalizing cooler full of coke, and opt for straight water instead. i'm off, onto a quick descent and then a slightly less quick ascent.

then a nice long descent and an obnoxiously steep and short climb (probably not so bad with less riding leading up to it, but i reserve the right to exaggerate, it makes a better story). a couple more turns, and some nice little rollers, and i'm at the finish line.

i went back to Sara's car, got my phone, and began the lovely internal conversation: i should ride back and find Sara and Eric, but it's so far. after a little back and forthing, i'm back on the bike and heading backwards on the course to see how long it takes to meet up with them. i am growing tired and hungry, losing interest in riding the course backwards, when i come to the top of the obnoxiously steep climb.

easy decision, i'll stop and wait here, i've got to get back to the start/finish anyway, might as well wait and ride back with Sara and possibly Eric. after a little while, Eric goes by, no more than double his longest previous ride. kudos. very shortly thereafter, Sara comes by.

back on the bike and i'll pull a little bit of a train back to the finish. Eric and Sara finish within a couple minutes of each other, we grab some of the food they have (sandwiches a small pasta salad, some berries, and a cookie). head back to Eric's, get some food from the store, and grill up some very tasty steaks, rice, asparagus, and a cold glass of milk.

if you are interested, there is a course map and other data: Mulholland Challenge course from Garmin Connect

Sara has some photos which i might post, then again she has photos from New Zealand which i may post too, so don't' hold you're breath too long. they'll be put up eventually:)

Oceanside 70.3

Swim (1.2 miles)
I lined up a bit wide and towards the front, not expecting a strong swim, but still not ready to concede a back of the pack start. i was lacking the strength to have a good pull, and the endurance to maintain. SWIM 0:35:27 (1:52/100m), a bit slow and lots of work to be done in the next month.

T1
a nice long run up the boat ramp and over to the bike, stripped my wetsuit with no issues, onto the bike. 3:11

Bike (56 miles)
Had a good bike ride, felt solid. spent the first 24 miles just relaxing and enjoying a good rhythm. This would deliver me to the base of the climbs feeling well. over the first 24 miles i did some back and forth with a couple riders, just before we got to the climbs, 1 of the riders made a move and left me, the other was not as strong, and soon dropped off the pace on the climbs. i enjoy picking people off through the climbs and coming into the flat return stretch feeling good and eager to ride strong. there were some good cross winds keeping things interesting, but not really inhibiting the forward progress.

coming back through the backside of camp pendleton, i've got a good amount of push left in my legs and am happily cruising into t2: Bike 2:34:05 (21.8 mph)

T2
no issues, a good little run through, put my socks and sneakers on and i'm off. 1:45

Run (13.1 miles)
I start out feeling pretty good and try to reign in the pace for the first 1/2. it's not long before i see mike coming back finishing up his first lap. Soon thereafter, i come up on victor, he's starting to cramp and have some issues, we talk a bit, and he runs with me for a mile or so, then he drops off the pace a bit, and i wish him well. the first loop went fairly well, i'm on pace to run a 1:35, then i start to feel the lack of running in my legs. a little before mile 9 i accept the inevitable and settle in on the pace, i don't have the miles in my legs to race the last 4 miles, so i'm going to run it strong, but accept a bit less on the run than i'd hoped for: RUN 1:43:32 (7:54 min/mile)

another unspectacular day: 4:57:59. still a bit of work to do before lanzarote.

Challenge Wanaka

i arrived in wanaka thursday afternoon, 2 days prior to the race. It isn't actually intended to be a race, more of a status check and excuse to get to new zealand and visit a bit of the island.

Swim (3800m)
I lined up a bit wide and towards the front, not expecting a strong swim, but still not ready to concede a back of the pack start. It's a two loop swim, so i took it pretty comfortable for the first loop with virtually no draft. There were several cold sections. For the 2nd loop, i switched between a couple sets of feet and came out feeling pretty good, if not a little cold. SWIM 1:09:29 (1:50/100m), a bit slow, but lets me know i'll be fine in lanzarote with 3 - 4 swims a week.

T1
a run up the beach and over the bridge to transition area, grabbed my transition bag, and into the changing tent. sunglasses and i'm on my way. 4:20

Bike (180km)
Had some trouble getting into my shoes initially, then spent the next 20km being cold, holding a very comfortable effort, it's a long day coming. There are some gentle rollers, with a couple that extend long enough to drop to the small chainring. I enjoy catching some of the faster swimmers for the first 40km.

coming into km 60, i spent some time wondering if i would have any issues taking the water bottle with my left hand, in all my races to this point, the aid stations were on my right side, and i took the bottles with my right hand. on top of that, i'm right handed. At km 60, i dropped a pulse bottle, and took the bottle without issue.

I expected 40 - 90km to be a fast section, the course profile shows it to be a net downhill; however, the road texture and headwinds prove otherwise. around the 70km mark, two riders went by me, and i decided to hang on to the wheel through 90km. I maintained a constant effort at a slightly higher speed. Started to feel good, which is convenient as kms 90 - 140 are a net climb up. fortunately what was a headwind on the way down turned to a tailwind for the way back. that combined with my feeling better turned to a faster split through 140km. i had a toilet break at km 120, then back on the bike.

i came around a corner at 140km, and started on one of the longer climbs on the course. something lodged in my front brake, causing me to stop. I checked and didn't find anything in the brake, it must have pushed clear. Upon restarting part way up the hill, I slipped off the pedal and landed on the seat, which no longer sits level, now pointing about 20 degrees down. there goes that comfy riding position i'd been enjoying. The last 40km would prove challenging, due to the new position. I spent a bit of time standing, and moving around trying to limit the discomfort of the new saddle.

I missed one of the last turns, fortunately, the volunteers quickly chased me down, and got me back on course. The last 10km proved a bit challenging, my legs were not terribly happy, though i held a decent pace, i was ready for my legs to be worthless on the run. Bike 5:57:54 (30 km/hr = 18.8mph)

T2
no issues, re-applied sunscreen and off to see how my legs hold up for some 42kms. 2:26

Run (42km)
I start out feeling pretty good and try to reign in the pace for the first 10km. the first loop went fairly well, the first 1/2 of the loop is on trails, along the lake, and a river. I came through the 22 or 23km mark doing all right, though i was slowing steadily. At this point, i've started bartering: ok, i just need to run through 25km or perhaps 30km, then i can walk for a bit.

i try taking in more calories, hopefully it'll bring my legs back around. i'm grabbing em's power cookies and bananas at each station, some water and gatorade. At 30km, im walking up the steeper hills, and contemplating jumping in the river and floating down the course a bit. cool blue water, looks very inviting, flashbacks to canada, where i contemplated jumping in the lake.

on top of that, i can feel the sunburn setting in. lovely another 8kms, and i'm already sunburnt. this will be a great day. I walked from km 33 - 35, popped a motivator, in hopes it would ease the final 7km. it just made me dizzy, apparrently they only work if there's fuel in the tank. 37km, 1 aid station left, i'll just take some water and hold on for the rest. a very unspectacular finish. RUN
4:36:55 (6:34 min/km - 10:34 min/mile)

overall an unspectacular day on a fabulous course. 11:51:04