tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16496738978314414582024-03-13T10:23:02.668-07:00Half Done RunIn July 2010, I committed to exercise everyday that I worked. That brought about a lot of unexpected changes and the loss of almost 100 pounds now!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger210125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-38173975295832982592012-10-14T13:55:00.000-07:002012-10-15T06:02:51.777-07:00FringeYesterday I participated in the <a href="http://www1.perimeterbicycling.com/cochise-cycling-classic/" target="_blank">Cochise County Classic</a>. I'm out of shape and over weight, but have been riding for about a month and a half now. I approached the ride as another workout, a step towards getting back in shape. I have little hope of achieving my goal for El Tour de Tucson of getting a Platinum finishing time. (Platinum just means fast, basically.)<br />
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I took some time off in the summer as I'd plateaued, big time. Then, just after one week of training I became very sick, not exercising at all for the next six weeks. I had to ease back into riding for a couple of weeks before having my first really good week last week, 231 quality miles. The problem is, I'd been eating like I was riding 15 hours a week the entire time! So, packing on the pounds I did! <br />
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My wife and I stayed at the Motel 3 in Douglas, AZ. The rooms were all smoking and there were safety awareness placards posted on the walls. They had helpful information about dead bolting the door, how to contact the authorities in case of an emergency and so on. But, I knew the place was okay when I saw that there was a fixed bottle opener and a clean ash try. The bottle opener suggested that the normal clients at this establishment drink quality beer, not twist tops! <br />
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The hotel was next door to the Border Patrol Detention Facility and we had read that announcements were made over the loud speakers all night long. We didn't hear any such thing.<br />
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A few nights before the race someone that remembered me from the Nogales Classic contacted me, asking if I'd like to help he and his friends out. He said they earned platinum status last year (a time of 4:20), but would like to improve this year. I was quite flattered. I remembered who they were and looked to fall in with them on the ride. <br />
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The morning was cold, just above 40 degrees. That's perfect running weather, but on a bicycle, a bit chilly. Turns out I couldn't feel my toes for about 3 hours! At the start of the race the national anthem was played and the announcer mentioned to keep in mind, while cycling, those who are suffering and dear to your heart. He shared the story of his niece who is likely to succumb to a long battle with breast cancer this coming week. I thought of my daughter off lonely in Missouri at Basic Training, and was saddened. I like the message though, these types of endurance events are a celebration, if not an exploitation, of good health.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Chubby Cyclist...fear the socks!</td></tr>
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The ride started at 6:30 AM. The route began in Douglas, AZ, went through Bisbee, towards Tombstone and then looped back to Douglas. I had no sight of the people that asked me to sit in with them, (I'll call them the Nogales group). But, I was sure that if they were there and they got platinum, I'd see them passing me eventually. <br />
I started the race out towards the front of the group. I wanted to use what I learned in the Nogales Bicycle Classic, which was, stay with the front as long as possible, but don't do any work!<br />
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I had no problem sticking with the group until we got to the climb...in fact, it was quite pedestrian. Everybody knew the climb was coming and it should've been an easy ride before that point! I saw the five or six guys that I was to sit in with pass me as they worked up towards the front of the group, but I was quite comfortable inside the center of the peloton, protected from the wind, so I let them go.<br />
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Once we got to the climb I realized I should've worked to move up towards the front of the lead group. That way, if I began to get dropped, which was likely, then perhaps I would end up at the back. But instead I was in the middle and by the time we were half way up, I was out the back and soon dropped, over heating and nearly sick. I dialed it back and just eased up the climb in granny gear. I didn't see any of the Nogales group on the climb, so I figured they moved right on ahead.<br />
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The climb was beautiful as it viewed Bisbee just to the right of the road and then we climbed up and through a tunnel that went beneath the mountain. The problem was, the climb was demanding and I couldn't focus on much of anything other than forward motion. Things got crazy on the climb, it was so long, that people were being
dropped over a good 15 mile stretch. The peloton went from about 100
riders down to 50 quickly, then down to 30 or so when I started to get
strung out.<br />
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I desperately wanted a break, but no rest for the weary! I remember thinking that I was intensely happy that I've been riding hills a lot, knowing that I'd be suffering far worse if I hadn't been. I also remember thinking that this was the race right here...if I had been able to stick with the group, I'd probably finish with the lead group.<br />
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Eventually a few people caught up with me as I was sitting up and not pushing anymore. I tucked in behind them. When we finally reached the top my extra weight shot me down the mountain! That was cool, several miles of fairly steep decline to allow me to catch my breath. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A typical echelon is strung out, a sign that the group is going fast.</td></tr>
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A small group of 8 to 12 riders formed and we worked together for the rest of the ride, kind of. We formed an echelon and took turns taking pulls. That means, we were in a straight line, each person with their front wheel directly behind the rear wheel of another rider, save the person in front. The person in front would break the wind, creating a slip stream for the other riders. Since that's a lot of hard work that person would stay there for a short period of time, called a pull, then move over and the next person in line would pull. If everybody was doing an equal share, the person pulling would drop to the back and get a good 5 to 6 minutes of easier work.<br />
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And while this makes the group go way faster than they could alone, make no mistake, rolling along at 24 to 30 miles an hour, having to surge forward as the riders in front perhaps start descending while you're still climbing, keeping in mind that you must keep contact with the rider in front or else you're out of the slip stream and must sprint to catch up, is not easy work!<br />
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A few riders instructed the group on how long to pull and that each puller should make sure not to lose contact with the group. I was all ears, never having done much of this before, certainly not for any amount of time. I got scolded for not signaling that I was done with a pull, then misread the gap as I tried to get back in line, nearly bumping another rider off the road. I apologized personally each time. The last thing I wanted to do was make a fool of myself (says the guy with the Where's Waldo socks).<br />
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I quickly learned the most effective way to move over and keep my speed so I can catch on the back of the echelon without a huge effort. I saw how some people are "courteous," allowing those that just pulled to slip in front of them, thus ensuring they never have to pull.<br />
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At one point, someone allowed me in front, saying, "I'm gassed, need a bit more of a break." That was fine. But there was one particular rider doing no work. Now, I know he was probably gassed too, heck, after a while we all were. But, he was doing no work at all. So, I took a risk and didn't cut in front of him. I stayed behind him and everybody else that pulled then dropped in behind me. This forced him forward and he had to work. Soon after he lost contact. I'm not sure of the etiquette required in such a situation, but part of me says, "No Free Rides."<br />
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Eventually we came away from the mountains and it got windy. Crosswind, headwind. Repeat. A headwind sounds worse, but it's not bad. Your front tire cuts through it nicely and if you tuck in, you make a small profile, the wind makes you work harder, but you can get a rhythm.<br />
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Crosswinds, however, are different. I think it's because the wind hits the broad side of your wheels, slowing your spokes. Not to mention, it pushes you sideways. Regardless of the physics, it is the worst. It's a lot of work to move forward in a crosswind and the benefits of an echelon are negated, almost entirely. The picture to the left shows how an echelon stretches out sideways as each rider tries to get into the slip stream created by the next ride as they cut across the wind, instead of head on.<br />
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About this time I secretly wished for a flat tire. Our group was too small to provide any shelter from the crosswinds. However, the group still maintained about a 24 mph pace through the winds. I toughed it out, but when I felt a strange sensation I looked down at my tire, kind of relishing the idea of catching my breath. Then, someone took their turn to pull and took off. The group surged. I stood to sprint, cramped and sat down. I caught back on the back, totally shot. It happened again, and again. I was done for. I got dropped.<br />
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I rolled up to the last aid station, just about a half mile ahead. I planned on refueling, getting some water and catching my breather. Two other riders were there, one from the group that just dropped me. I barely filled my bottles, choked down a cup of raisins and the other two were leaving. I had to catch on. I threw a banana in my pocket and took off, hoping I wouldn't cramp again.<br />
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Surprisingly, I felt fine. We turned into the wind immediately after the aid station! If I had just held on a half mile, about another 60 seconds, I'd probably have stayed with that group. Still, the three of us worked together, taking fairly long pulls. We caught a pair of riders from the group that dropped us and formed a group of five. We moved quickly, 28 to 30 mph most of the time, directly into the wind. But then, we turned into the crosswind again and I got dropped.<br />
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I thought about letting them go, but knew that I had a chance to catch them if I worked steadily. I caught them and am glad I did. They knew the route, and somehow hearing a description of what lay ahead comforted me. I forgot about how bad I hurt and just went for it.<br />
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I crossed at 4 hours, 19 minutes and change. I thought my clock was wrong! The man I rode with most of the ride was also a Chubby Cyclist. People came in after us, amazed at our time. They commented that it was crazy to see two heavy weights move that fast on such a difficult court.<br />
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For me, this was a new things. Not for the other guy. He's been on the cusp of getting the platinum for a year now. He said to look for him at El Tour de Tucson, said he has a group of friends that are all Fringe.<br />
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A few minutes later, the Nogales group came in. I never noticed that I passed them, but guess I did on the climb.<br />
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I found a bench and laid down, put my legs up. They hurt intensely.<br />
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Now, 24 hours later, I'm still elated with the race. I'm hopeful that I will drop some weight between now and mid-November, for El Tour de Tucson. Maybe I have a shot at platinum there!<br />
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EDIT: The official results were posted, finally. I missed platinum designation by 9 whopping seconds! NINE! <br />
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Platinum, by the way, means that (1) you're fast, and (2), you don't have to wait in line at 3 AM at El Tour de Tucson.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-50690712319847025212012-10-08T11:22:00.001-07:002012-10-08T16:34:38.898-07:00Wouldn't It Be Cool If ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Endurance sports can be a lonely endeavor. There are very few people I can call and say, "Hey, I just rode Gold Hill in under 15 minutes," and have it mean something to them.<br />
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Of course the internet has made it less lonely, and I could share with internet friends, "Hey, I had a PR or KOM." But, unless they're ridden Gold Hill, they don't really understand.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a view from Gold Hill</td></tr>
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Lately I've been riding with a friend of mine who is new to the sport, but eager to get into it. I've been showing him my favorite local routes and when he pauses to appreciate some view or vista, it makes me see it all over again. And living where I live, one of the biggest pluses in the cycling category is the stuff you get to see!<br />
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Last night I bought a bottle of wine, to celebrate and reward myself for a monster week. I put in over 230 miles on the old bicycle this week and am feeling very great. As wine often does to me, I woke about 3 AM. I wasn't sick or hung over, just not sleeping. Ugh. I started on of my favorite hobbies under such conditions, imagining different routes and courses. I got to thinking, what about a Tour?<br />
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You know ... a tour, like several days, covering the challenging and scenic routes in the county. Maybe it could be a week long, maybe spread over a few weekends. I started thinking and planning, how would it work, wondering if it would work, wondering if I really cared that it would work, it might be awesome to do alone anyway (though company would be better). It would be a come one-come all type of thing, amateurs would really be the focus. I remembered reading in a magazine how people were getting very tired of spending $120 to run or ride a race ... yeah, it goes to charity, supposedly, but whatever. The article was showing how there was a trend of small groups getting together and running their own events at the actual cost of the support for the event. Applying that idea, here's what I came up with:<br />
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<ul>
<li>The Santa Cruz County Cycling Tour would take place over four weekends, including seven total rides and a party. </li>
<li>Minor support would be provided, but each rider is essentially responsible for themselves. </li>
<li>Riders could participate in any portion of the rides, but a point system will be assigned.</li>
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While it would be a Santa Cruz County Tour, not all rides would be 100% contained inside the county. After all, this is the smallest county in the state! Here's how it would work:<br />
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Weekend 1: Date: TBD<br />
Ride 1: <a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/144033931" target="_blank">Pena Blanca to Kino Springs to Josefina to Pena Blanca (90 miles)</a><br />
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This ride obviously needs a better name! This ride contains some incredibly scenery and challenging terrain and quite a bit of climbing. The ride begins at Pena Blanca Lake, which includes a Cat 4 climb, that is way harder than any Cat 4 I know of! After the Cat 4, it's a fast and smooth downhill for about 7 miles, before hitting some rolling hills and then Gold Hill, which is a Cat 4 climb as well. This would undoubtedly be a much higher category if it weren't for an incredibly steep quarter-mile down hill right in the middle of the whole thing!<br />
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After Gold Hill, there's a fast downhill for another 5 miles or so before the winding Cat 4 climb heading past Kino Springs Golf Course to the village. Then the ride shoots down the very fast and smooth River Road before entering the Rio Rico area where the ride hits a Cat 3 and a Cat 2 climbing on Camino Josefina. The ride finishes by returning to the starting point at the lake.<br />
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" 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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elevation Profile, Categorized Climbs Inaccurate Here</td></tr>
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Weekend 1, Ride 2: <a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/144044525" target="_blank">Patagonia - Elgin (50 miles)</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.patagoniarvpark.com/wrightsonviewweb-smr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://www.patagoniarvpark.com/wrightsonviewweb-smr.jpg" width="320" />90</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goochgoodwin.com/Landscapes/Landscapes/Antelope-in-San-Rafael-Valley/785598803_x9RZH-L-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://www.goochgoodwin.com/Landscapes/Landscapes/Antelope-in-San-Rafael-Valley/785598803_x9RZH-L-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Day 2's ride is shorter and easier than the first day's ride. The ride starts in beautiful and historic Patagonia, Arizona, loops through and around Sonoita and Elgin and then back to Patagonia. There are no categorized climbs on the day, though the scenery is stunning. Sonoita and Elgin are rich in agriculture including livestock and vineyards. On a lucky day one may spot prong horn!<br />
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Weekend 2, Ride 1 (3rd total): <a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/144048205" target="_blank">Whipple Visitor's Center to Madera Canyon (63 miles)</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.doliferight.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/13181524-600x450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.doliferight.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/13181524-600x450.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The second weekend of riding will begin at the Whipple Observatory Visitor's center, as pictured above. The ride will begin very fast as the course will drop down to the valley below some 300 feet in about 7 miles. Then the ride will make it's way up the most significant climb of the entire tour as it winds up Madera Canyon (category 1 climb). It's common to see wild turkey and sometimes coatamundi in the canyon.<br />
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The route will descend from the canyon and return back up to the observatory's visitor's center, which is a category 2 climb.<br />
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Weekend 2, Ride 2 (4th total): <a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/144052609" target="_blank">Tumacacori to Tubac Loop (22 miles)</a><br />
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<a href="http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/52762992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/52762992.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Time trial! Flat, fast and beautiful! Tumacacori and Tubac are beautiful and very interesting. After the short ride there's plenty to see and do. <br />
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Weekend 3, Ride 1 (5th total): <a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/144054345" target="_blank"> Amado to Arivaca</a> (46 miles)<br />
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<a href="http://shuttermike.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Ruby-Rd-3-14-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://shuttermike.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Ruby-Rd-3-14-10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This out and back begins in Amado, goes to Arivaca and returns. This ride weaves in and out of Santa Cruz and Pima counties. The route is full of winding road, rolling hills, interesting properties and majestic views. The ride is challenging but fast. There's one significant climb, though it is uncategorized.<br />
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Weekend 3, Ride 2 (6th total): <a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/144057731" target="_blank">Parker Canyon Lake (60 miles)</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.scouttroop141.org/outings/ParkerCanyon/ParkerCanyonLake-nfs-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://www.scouttroop141.org/outings/ParkerCanyon/ParkerCanyonLake-nfs-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is the only ride I've not personally done, on a bicycle. I've ridden it on a motorcycle several times, as well as in cars. It's a beautiful ride. There's quite a bit of climbing, several categorized climbs. The software MapMyRide uses to calculate elevation is highly inaccurate, so I'm not sure exactly the nature of the climbs, but it's a hilly ride. Certainly not as tough as some of the other rides in the tour though.<br />
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Weekend 4, Ride 1 (7th total): <a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/144060985" target="_blank">The Santa Rita Mountains Loop (115 miles)</a><br />
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This route loops around the Santa Rita Mountains. It is by far the longest ride on the tour. It's a beautiful route, lots of rolling hills and scenery, including two very prolonged downhill segments!<br />
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By the time it's all said and done, the tour will have covered about 450 miles in seven ridesUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-28058930075353514702012-09-08T12:07:00.000-07:002012-09-08T12:20:16.521-07:00Can't Control the OutcomeToday didn't go as planned.<br />
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That's okay.<br />
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A friend of mine has started riding a road bike and has asked to join me on some rides.<br />
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Awesome. <br />
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Misery loves company!<br />
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Today I had planned on my favorite middle-distance route. It's fifty miles, but a lot of climbing. I think it has three categorized climbs, plus a lot of steep, but short, hills. Anyhow, it's scenic, hitting all of the great segments in the area. In the shot to the left, which I stole, you can see the road below. Fast and fun one way, grinding and painful the other!<br />
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The morning was beautiful, even a touch of fog. So, of course, it was humid. I rode from my house to a local gas station, met up with my buddy and we headed out. On the climbs I noticed that my derailleur was rubbing my spokes when in the top gear. Ugh. I had to stop several times to adjust it. I finally got it adjusted, but at the expense of the chain being a little noisy in that gear.<br />
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Then, at about mile twelve, my friend's chain started to fall over the top of his tallest gear, almost causing him to crash. I was able to adjust the stop screw, mess with the adjustment barrel and get his bike operating correctly. During this time I noticed his front tire was a little low.<br />
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I had just one tube, he had none. He didn't have any air, I thought I had just enough to fill up one tire and then perhaps top off another. We were a good 7 hilly miles from cellphone signal. I took a chance and inflated his tire.<br />
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Of course, his tire had a more significant leak than expected and we ended up swapping the tube anyway. I was worried that the remaining air canister I had would be insufficient, but we were able to get him back on the road again.<br />
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The work we had done was at a boat launch at Pena Blanca Lake. There are "facilities" there, namely, an outhouse. I went in to get some toilet paper, to wipe the grease from my hands. The world's largest wolf spider jumped out of the toilet paper roll, positioning himself beneath my hand as if to guard his kingdom. His legs nearly spanned the entire roll of paper! I'm not afraid of spiders, but holy crap! <br />
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We climbed back out of the lake-area, and hit some rolling hills ... they're really not rolling, more like straight up and straight down, about 100 yards each, five total hills. They're fun if you're fresh, but rough on the body if you're tired.<br />
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They got him.<br />
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We decided to pull off at a gas station before the tough part of the ride and he was toast. He almost crashed on his bike. I ran in to get some food and water, and when I returned he was pale, slumped over and in obvious misery. We agreed to take an easy route back and cut the ride short. <br />
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Anybody that's ridden has bonked. It sucks. I've been there too many times.<br />
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It's really my fault. I should've selected an easier route for the first try at this distance. But, we rode a difficult section of this route on Tuesday without issue. The difference was that Tuesday was just 20 miles or so. <br />
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So we're limping home, grateful for the downhill ride back, when about 4 miles from the finish, his tire blows again. This time, with an audible pop. No more spare tubes, he had to get a ride. (I didn't abandon him, but the details are a bit extensive and ultimately, uninteresting. Just leave it to this ... the rescue attempt didn't go as planned either!) <br />
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I hit the remaining ride hard and felt good. I think I'm almost healthy. Lungs are clearing up and legs are feeling stronger. It's going to take another few weeks to get back into shape so I can start training hard, but hey ... I'll take it!<br />
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The funny thing on the ride was we had talked about how we cannot control the outcomes of our efforts. He shared that in his experiences, when he lets things happens he notices great things happening around him. Today, I figured he'd struggle, but between the humidity and the lack of experience (he didn't drink enough on the route), he bonked. Still, though, I had a great ride and a great time.<br />
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I'm looking forward to next time. Plus, this way, I can ride again tomorrow.<br />
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On a side note, I was entertaining the idea of running a marathon in January. I ran twice this week and my left ankle has a lot of soft tissue discomfort. Unfortunately, it's not just when I run, it's all of the time. I'll be patient, let things run their course, but at this point, I'm not sure I'll be able to participate in the two half marathons I've already paid for!<br />
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What was that about letting things happen again?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-85405678402957051422012-09-04T06:05:00.000-07:002012-09-04T06:05:35.097-07:00B A C K <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Incontinence aside, it was much like a Lincoln driving octogenarian in the fast lane on a Wednesday morning...but it was a successful run!</div>
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I'd forgotten the disparity between how good ideas sound at different parts of the day. At 7 PM, running at 5 AM sounds like a great idea, romantic even. But I got out of bed, wondering what I was doing, did some jumping jacks, 5 little pull ups, 25 itsy-bitsy pushups, 100 crunches and <i>ran</i> (loosely using the word here) two miles. </div>
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The last two runs involved pulling a calf muscle. Today, calf was fine. The past month I've had a pretty severe chest infection. This morning, I didn't choke on phlegm. All in all, a good start to the day!</div>
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And yesterday I rode my bike. That wasn't as slow, but still a bit slow. Both cases, the idea was just to get back into the groove again. </div>
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Yesterday I posted my ride on dailymile.com. Then, I looked at the training profile for the past few weeks. This is what I saw:</div>
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Nothing at all. I'm pudgy, out of shape, still a little weak from illness. But ...</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: red;">It's</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: red;">Back</span> </span></h2>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-21668016099140210602012-08-24T20:27:00.005-07:002012-08-24T20:27:41.510-07:00Best Laid Plans...I've been gone a while...<br />
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First, time off. I needed it. It had been two full years without a signifcant break. Then, the start of some duties at work, some training and so on. <br />
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Finally, two weeks ago, I started week one of my training program. I'm super excited about riding El Tour de Tucson in under 5 hours. I'm excited about riding centuries and riding them faster and faster. <br />
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And then there's running. I'm seriously considering running my first marathon in January.<br />
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So, I've got big plans.<br />
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And all the while, I'll be working two jobs, one teaching high school math, new leadership role, then teaching two courses for the community college and all while starting work on my master's degree. I'm taking two classes myself. A statistics course (refresher type thing) and an Abstract Algebra class. Yikes on the second one.<br />
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And the whole time, I'm pumped about all of it. I'm excited about the progress I've shown on the bike, even when taking time off. For example, this summer, I rode the Taylor House Century in Flagstaff, Arizona. It featured one major climb of almost 20 miles in length that rose over 2500 feet!<br />
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The picture he is me having fun with the camera and my brother-in-law following me. I'll post about that ride later but will say now, that was an amazing ride and I cannot wait to do it again!<br />
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I had a great time and was surprisingly fast on the climbs. <br />
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Then my average speeds kept creeping up and up. Maybe the 111 miles of El Tour could fall in under 5 hours after all.<br />
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Week 1 of training went great. I pulled off all of the workouts, hammering through some tough conditions and fighting a touch of a cold.<br />
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Then...<br />
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The cold turned to bronchitis. Now, it's a full two weeks after missing the first training ride and I can still barely breathe.<br />
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So I HAD about 10 weeks to train and needed all of it. Now I'm looking at a max of 7, probably 6. And that's disappointing. I'm a bit disappointed and down. I'm thinking my chances are long gone. <br />
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But the sleep is nice. And maybe it's for the best with all that's going on...<br />
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Here's the thing: Before taking all of this on, I spoke with my wife. We agreed that it would be wise that racing stay a priority. That is, I do not allow my life to get away from me. Health is a priority beyond career. <br />
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In the big scheme of things, no problems here, I guess. My legs are healthy, back is healing (I fear I had a <em>minor </em>herniated disc since last March and I'm itching to get on the road and on the bike. <br />
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So it's been too long. I hope all that read this are well. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-21243355605150275462012-06-10T20:55:00.000-07:002012-06-10T20:55:04.678-07:00Summer Program Week 2Week two is in the books. Diet is so-so, but otherwise, things are going great. <br />
<br />I ran a total of 26 miles, which is two miles more than last week. Perfect.<br />
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I ran two tough runs, one being just shy of 7 miles and the other being a short 3 mile run. Both had some 80% to 90% efforts, which is the first exertion I've done of that level running in two months.<br />
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Then Saturday morning I joined my dad for his first ever double-digit distance run. We got hit the road about 5 am and logged 10 miles! That was a neat experience. I'm a proud son, to say the least. How cool to hit your all time long distance when in your 60's. That's pretty tough.<br />
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I didn't do much on the bike but did purchase an indoor trainer that kicked my butt today! That thing is going to be intense.<br />
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This coming weekend I have a 5K race, for which, I have little expectation. In fact, I'm just going to run it like a speed workout. I'm not ready to push for a PR and will be happy with anything less than an all time slow of 22 minutes. Just want to get through it uninjured.<br />
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That's about it here. I'm happy with the running but unhappy with my dietary indiscretion. I ate very poorly this weekend, including some sweets and beer. But man, it was good. <br />
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Thank you for your time and I hope all is well with you!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-15993006485421997202012-06-03T17:40:00.002-07:002012-06-03T17:40:55.568-07:00Summer Rebuild Program Week 1During the month of June I will begin basebuilding for running while taking some time away from intense cycling. I also want to drop some weight, by the end of August I'd like to be in the 180's. The last goal is to build some strength in my legs by hitting the gym, probably more in July than June. <br />
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In January I plan on running my first marathon and need to be ready. I want it to be a great experience.<br />
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I am also teaching summer school, which starts at 8 am and finishes as 3 pm. I plan on commuting on the bike, at least for as long as it's tolerable. The afternoon temperatures in the mid 100's with some stiff winds, last week had 35 mph winds on Tuesday, may take some of my vinegar.<br />
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Here's how I plan a basic day.<br />
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5 AM: Wake Up Call<br />
5:30: Pushups, pullups, squats and lunges, then a run.<br />
6:30: Breakfast and shower<br />
7:15: Ride to work<br />
3:30 PM: Ride home<br />
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Monday was a holiday and Tuesday was a work day, no students. Tuesday I needed to take materials and such, so I drove my truck, but did get in a short run and a 25 mile ride after work.<br />
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Wednesday morning I went on a run, nice and slow, just trying to get used to running consistently again. When I went to get on the bike only to find a flat rear tire. The first tube I used got pinched between the rim and tire bead and popped. The second tube had a short valve stem, making it double tricky to inflate. But, we got it done. End result is that I had to fly to work, getting there later than I hoped and a lot sweatier. <br />
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Since the ride to work is down hill, it can be nearly effortless, save a few small inclines.<br />
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Thursday I had a recovery run, nice and slow. The ride to and from school was without issue. Friday I had a faster run, pushing a bit and an easy ride to and from school, but the bike started acting up, shifting strangely. <br />
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Upon examination it was discovered that the chain had a link that was frozen. Since the chain had about 2000 miles on it, it needed to be changed anyway. Luckily I was able to pick up a Dura Ace chain in Sierra Vista on Saturday.<br />
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Saturday was an off day and I blew my diet...so much for losing weight. Sunday I took the dog for her longest run, 8 miles in about 1:14. <br />
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Then, I put the chain on the bike, cleaned and tuned it up, and hit the road for a test ride...when I discovered just how steep a hill not one mile from my home is...14% grade! Whoa, that's some serious climbing right in my back yard. I may throw that into some of the rides on the way home. The ride was just 16 miles, which I wanted to get in to total 100 evenly for the week. <br />
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So week 1 I did a good job running, amassing 24 miles. The riding to work went well. The diet, during the week was superb, but Saturday I blew it on pizza and beer. <br />
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This week I need to increase my strength training, especially with some core work and gradually increase some of the running. For now, the runs are basically unstructured, just heading out for a minimum of three miles a day.<br />
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With that said, not much else to share. I had a 5K in the middle of June, but I'm not sure how hard I'll run. I've had a cranky right hamstring for God-Only-Knows-Why. <br />
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Thank you for reading, sorry for the lack of adventure or jeopardy in the post, but it's been a while and I wanted to check in.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-14052819137802220002012-05-30T20:48:00.002-07:002012-05-30T20:49:49.756-07:00Commuting on a BikeIn May I ended up licking my wounds and taking some down time. I ate a lot of food, ate a lot of bad food, drank some beer, drank some great beer. I worked out when I felt like it, but only did what I felt like doing, when I felt like doing it. I watched some bike racing and did a lot of planning for races in the winter and fall. <br />
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I needed to recharge my batteries.<br />
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My charged batteries look ... pudgey. :D <br />
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Now it's time to ease back into things. I'll try to share my ideas without getting overly excited and biting off more than I can chew.<br />
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I'll be teaching summer school this year, 22 total days of instruction. Classes start at 8 am and finish at 3 pm. Last summer I commuted one full week. It went well. This summer, I'm thinking I'll do the first week and see how it goes from there. Maybe I'll end up doing the whole thing.<br />
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In addition to commuting, I'll be doing a morning jog and my body workout routine. My current training plan really calls for racking up some consistent running right now, just piling up some miles. So if I have to chose between the commute and a run, the run stays.<br />
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Today was day 1. I was a bit sore and disappointed from yesterday's run (I was sore and ran out of gas), and I was a bit dehydrated from yesterday afternoon's 100 degree, windy ride. But I did a four mile progressive run. I love doing those as they tend to fit naturally with how I run when alone anyway. That is, start slow, and speed up.<br />
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Mile one: 9:51<br />
Mile two: 9:03<br />
Mile three: 8:06<br />
Mile four: 7:37<br />
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Along with the run came with three sets of 25 pushups (I usually do 5 sets of 50) and three sets of 5 pullups (usually do 5 sets of 10). Then some jump rope, one legged squats, lunges, then some planks. It's a good routine. Over the next week or two I'll ease my numbers back to where they usually are.<br />
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For this morning's commute ... it didn't go without a hitch.<br />
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Last night I packed my clothes, three day's worth, to take to work. After showering and eating breakfast I go to hop on the bike only to find a flat tire. Ugh. I swap the tube, punctured the replacement with the paddle, and started over again. Running a little late when driving isn't a big deal. Running late while riding, well, is. Not only do I have to ride harder, making a stink of myself, I require more time to clean up and change for work!<br />
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But all went well. It's just a 6 mile, downhill ride, which I completed in just over 15 minutes.<br />
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On the way home it was 100 degrees, again (going to be 105 Friday), so I took my time arriving home 22 minutes later. Home is definitely uphill, though without any major climbs.<br />
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That's all there is to report for now. But I'm back at it again and will be updating more frequently once more.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-32226463977632622012012-05-20T10:10:00.000-07:002012-05-20T20:02:35.352-07:00RejuvinationThe best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.<br />
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Yup, that about says it.<br />
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My plans for May were simply to pound out some mile running since I would be finished with the bike race I'd trained for. My body had different ideas. I got sick, started getting weird problems like an infection in my ear lobe where I used to have it pierced. It all pointed to one logical conclusion...I needed some down time. <br />
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Reading some accounts of various people who didn't listen to their bodies and suffered monumental complications because of it, I decided to just take the month of May and enjoy life. I did participate in a bike race last weekend, and did have a vigorous hike the weekend before that, but I'm taking it easy. I'm sleeping in, mostly, eating loosely, and just not worrying about stuff. <br />
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This week I managed about 14 miles of running, but two of those runs were excellent. The first was on the treadmill (it was almost 100 degrees outside) where I just kept increasing the speed to get the workout finished. I ended up running the last mile with a little incline in just over 6 minutes. The second run was with the running club where we ran four miles with splits of 7:57, 8:00, 7:46 and 7:15.<br />
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And riding went well, too, though again, with low volume. I had a strong ride on Monday and another Wednesday before joining about 90 other participants in the <a href="http://www.rideofsilence.org/main.php" target="_blank">Ride of Silence</a>. It was quite a strange experience riding along very slowly for about 6 miles in total silence with police escort. The loudest thing I heard was my hub whirling as I coasted.<br />
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In the picture, taken from the local newspaper, you can see me in the white jersey, behind the person in the recumbent bike.<br />
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I've been watching the Tour of California and it's been very inspiring. So, today I decided to get up early and hit the road on my bike before dawn. I often have high aspirations in the afternoon that seem to be misplaced sometime during the night. Last night was no different.<br />
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My uncle from Minnesota was visiting and a potluck was hosted at my grandmother's house. While there, my cousins and sister busted out this very fancy portable espresso machine, so I had some. The end result was that at 11:30 at night I laid in bed jittery. The morning came quickly and I almost postponed my ride. But with a projected 104 temperature, I decided to just get it over with.<br />
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My first experience riding predawn was great. It was neat eating breakfast on the road, coasting hands-free in the cool desert morning air.<br />
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<span id="goog_79363991"></span><span id="goog_79363992"></span>Today's ride was 50 miles of hills, with a few very difficult, but short climbs. All told, the route had me climbing 2850 feet. I saw one other cyclist and just a handful of vehicles. <br />
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I spooked some javelina and listened to a podcast on "fastbacking." How cool would it be to hike the Pacific Trail? Dang ...<br />
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Because of the race last weekend, I figured that hitting some hard hills at the tail end of my rides would be a wise course to promote some strength and improvement on the bike. So I ended today's ride with a jaunt to Pena Blanca Lake. It's one of my favorite routes because it's scenic, remote, minimal traffic and challenging. <br />
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The picture to the right is from a picnic area that overlooks the lake. I'm taking a picture in the opposite direction where you can see the road as it slips between a few hills. Eventually, the road winds up those hills.<br />
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On today's ride, I hit just over 56 mph on the hill that in the picture below. Unfortunately you can't get a sense of the grade from the photograph. But trust me, it's steep, lots of fun on the way down, lots of pain on the way up.<br />
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Another thing that has happened this week is that I suddenly feel fantastically comfortable on my bike. I've owned it since early January and it's been a long time tweaking this and that, trying to get it dialed in perfectly. But now, I'm confident to say, it's dead-on. When I climb on the saddle and clip in, it all feels fantastic.<br />
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The bike is a 2010 Lapierre Sensium 400. The bike comes nicely equipped with SRAM Force components, including brakes. The bike is carbon fiber, but the handlebars and seat post were not. I found a steal on some Easton EC90 handlebars that were special ordered and never picked up at a bike shop, and bought a gently used EC90 seatpost on eBay. The wheels are Fulcrum race 5's, which are sufficient, but probably the next upgrade.<br />
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And one thing that really made me smile about the bike is pictured below:<br />
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That said, I'm going to enjoy my last week of easy workouts before getting serious in June and July.<br />
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Thanks for reading and I hope you and yours are happy and healthy and well.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-7579490098146468142012-05-13T12:34:00.000-07:002012-05-13T12:34:58.448-07:00Nogales Bicycle Classic RRThe atmosphere in the peloton was friendly, warm, familiar. Everybody, save me, knew one another. Old friends would put their hands on another's shoulder and talk with an intimacy born through knowing and accepting another over decades.<br />
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And like conversations between old compadres, the race intensity ebbed. Sometimes people would surge, stretching the pack thin, then it would slow and grow wide and comfortable.<br />
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This is how the race went for 40 miles. Sometimes we'd fly along at 35, sometimes at 22 mph. <br />
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Then, for reasons I didn't understand, it got quiet, dark. The group tightened. It was as if something ominous was about to transpire. <br />
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A battle was taking place with strategies I failed to comprehend and techniques I failed to recognize. Mistakenly, I thought the 1200 feet of climbing in final 5 miles would do me in. I wanted to hang on until then, and then see who was best prepared.<br />
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The race was the Inaugural Nogales Bicycle Classic. This is the town's second attempt at hosting a cycling event. The first date was postponed due to low participation. <br />
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I was hesitant to sign up as it came on the heels of a big race and during a very busy time of the year. Beyond that, to put it delicately, I had an stomach bug for 10 of the previous 14 days. I hadn't ridden my bike in two weeks, and the few runs I had were amazingly slow and difficult, leaving me inexplicably sore for days. But I want this event to be successful, so I joined. <br />
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Being a small race, I could easily place or come in last. I had hopes of placing, but my real goal was just to finish in less than 3 hours, even if I couldn't keep with the fast group. As I mentally prepared, I visualized falling in with the fastest group and trying to conserve energy where I could. Fifty-five of the route's sixty miles cover my routine rides. I imagined where I could catch my breath and where I would have to push hard. But, also recognizing my lack of preparation, I told myself that if I was dropped, I'd just enjoy the rest of the ride and have a good time.<br />
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Like the last race, the day before race day this time was anything but ideal. I never sat down at home, save breakfast. I worked, had an emotionally taxing day, ran errands in the afternoon, and then attended my oldest daughter's final high school band performance. When that was finished, I got home, prepared my bike and clothes, took a shower and hit the sack for a fitful night of sleep. <br />
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In the morning I woke up tired and achey. The quick 15 minute drive to the race was a real treat. I usually have to drive 60-plus miles. Once there, I soon discovered my jacket wasn't needed for a warm up ride, it wasn't at all cold, even at 6:30 am. That concerned me.<br />
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As I sat in the chute watching the clock count down, I glanced at my heart rate on the Garmin. It read, 96, 97, 98 ... excitement!<br />
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Count down ... race.<br />
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As you can see, there's a pretty nice climb to start the race, then it's a nearly uninterrupted shot downhill for 25 miles! How sweet is that?<br />
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Down the first hill my Garmin recorded an average moving speed just over 40 mph on the first mile, and just over 38 on the second. The top speed was 58 mph! I'm not sure if that's accurate, seems incredible to me. But, it was definitely too fast to look at the clock!<br />
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At mile 14 it was my turn to pull. I had my good luck socks on! As you can see, the mood is relaxed and friendly. I was excited to see my family (oldest daughter took <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.311324995612765.73319.308916122520319&type=1" target="_blank">the pictures</a>) on the side of the road cheering! They'd let the group pass, then drive ahead and find another place to cheer and photograph. In fact, the public support and aid stations were superb! A lot of people came to watch. <br />
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Around mile 35 it grew warm. There was a headwind as we started to climb back up to Nogales. I made sure to slip to the middle or back of the pack, conserving my energy.<br />
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Then the eventual winners started doing something I'd not experienced. They would sprint ahead, spreading the pack. Some people couldn't match the pace would fall behind. After creating an insurmountable gap for those dropped, the lead group would slow down. The conversations died, the group tightened and dwindled from about 30 down to 15 or so. It was all fun for the first 40 miles, but the next 20 would be racing, no doubt about it!<br />
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<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/536446_311328712279060_308916122520319_53581155_209656804_n.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/536446_311328712279060_308916122520319_53581155_209656804_n.jpg" width="213" /></a>Had I known what was happening sooner I could've been smarter and kept up without full out sprints. But I never tried to hang with fast guys before. I was ignorant of such tricks. I thought it was just foolish riders that would burn themselves out. I didn't realize they were trying to burn me. Falling into the trap, I'd ease in the back of the group hiding from the wind, then have to sprint forward, slipping between slower riders as the sprints continued. I should've stayed near the front and just tailed them when they left, instead of having to sprint alone.<br />
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Eventually there was a huge sprint and I got stuck behind some riders that were getting dropped. I crossed into the far lane and just slammed it, breaking 35 miles an hour on flat ground to catch up! That pretty much sealed my fate. <br />
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In the picture to the right you can see the first three placing riders employing this strategy. I'm stuck in the pack behind these guys about to make my sprint.<br />
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In the picture below I am moving to the outside to execute my biggest sprint. </div>
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As we turned and went within a mile of my house I hit the wall. I was cooked earlier but didn't realize it. I slowed to form group of slower riders, but only three came. I fell in with them and we worked together, riding in single file, taking short turns at the front. We actually started closing the gap. But I knew what lay ahead. And the rolling hills ushered in some wonderful cramps. <br />
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Now knowing my chances of placing were now truly gone, I did as I practiced (mentally) and slowed down, trying to rest a bit for the big hills at the end. <br />
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I finished the last 6 miles alone. I worked through the rolling hills and then began the real climbs. I was very concerned on three occasions that I lacked the strength to climb the hills. I worried I was going to have to walk! Steady and slow I went, only standing and pulling hard when it was required by gravity. At one point I pushed so hard, at such a slow speed, I almost pulled a wheelie. My average pace through those hills was about 10 mph, sometimes dipping as low as 5 mph. <br />
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I came in at 2:57:57, in 11th place, just over 9 minutes behind the winners. My name was called out and people cheered as I crossed the finish line. A volunteer walked over with a cup of gatorade and ice for me and another came with a banana. I
stretched, shook hands with the three people I rode with for a while and
cooled down.<br />
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Everybody asked where I lived and then, after realizing I'm a local, commented it was strange not having seen me riding before. The winning rider came over and introduced himself. He complimented me on my form and cadence. He said he had been watching me during the race and liked how smooth and easy I was on the bike. That made me feel good.<br />
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It was certainly the best bike race environment I'd been a part of. I'm really hoping that the event is held again next year. All told, there were just over 140 participants for the three distances, 10, 40 and 60 miles. They organizers were very happy with this turnout. I hope that's a good sign!<br />
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The Nogales Bicycle Classic far exceeded my expectations. The support, both by sponsors and volunteers, and especially those just cheering, was fantastic. The participants were outgoing and friendly. The route was beautiful, roads in excellent condition, and it was very apparent that the organizers really cared about our experience.<br />
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I came away feeling charged and motivated to train harder this coming
fall. I found out that I can hang! I will seek out other riders in the
area and hopefully train with them. Until then, I am going to take a
couple of weeks off to rest and recover.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-81510771671101845992012-05-10T20:07:00.000-07:002012-05-10T20:29:15.791-07:00What Racing's Done for Me2011's Tour of the Tucson Mountains was my first athletic endeavor as an adult. After just having completed this year's Tour of the Tucson Mountains, I thought it would be a good time to pause and reflect on what's happened. Besides, I could use a bit of a pick-me-up. I've had a lot of stresses lately that are really not worth the weight I've placed upon them. I've been a bit sick, or something, and haven't been able to exercise much either. So, I decided that putting this together would be a good way to remember and celebrate.<br />
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In the picture below, you can see the change in a year. In last year's race I was in over my head, but this year, while I didn't meet my goal, I was rock-solid. <br />
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In the past 12 months I've participated in 13 events which included a duathalon, warrior dash, two metric centuries and a century ride, one Pikermi, a trail Pikermi, a 10K and the rest were 5K's. In the past year I spent quite a bit of time injured. I've had problems with the rear chain, from glutes to calves. Part of the source is weakness due to being out of shape, but I'm afraid some of it is due to a back injury from 1998. But I'm patient, pay more attention to how things are feeling, and devote a lot more time to strengthening things.<br />
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One of the coolest things was mentioned by my brother-in-law last weekend.<br />
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He commented, "Isn't it cool that your dad, sisters and brother are now into running because of you?" <br />
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I would agree 100% if you crossed out the "<span style="color: red;">because of me</span>," portion because regardless of why they run, they run now for their own reasons, just as I do. No matter who started us, we laced our shoes (or in my case, slip on my VFF's) each morning for personal reasons.<br />
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Below I've taken a picture of the bibs and medals I've collected this year. I was surprised that I've earned 5, first in age groups and two second places (one I was nursing a bad hammy and was beat by like 5 seconds). In all fairness, the 10K was REAL small, as was one of the 5K's. But hey, I wasn't the only one in my AG, so it's legit. <br />
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My favorite race was the first one, but I was an emotional wreck during and for about an hour after. I was angry, sad, remorseful, proud, all at once. During the race I faced a lot of things that had been bubbling to the surface during the previous few months of training.<br />
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My least favorite was my slowest 5K, 21:30. I finished 3rd but led most of the race and just BONKED in the last half mile. Had I run a smarter race, I'd have won. <br />
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Either way, before I raced I had lost about 50 pounds or so in the previous 6 months, and another 40 to 50 since. But I don't think I would've lost the second half, much less even kept off the first half, without racing.<br />
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Racing is my new hobby, and I love it. It gives purpose beyond selfish and conceited reasons to exercise. It gives me confidence and identity, both the quiet type. I'm so glad I took the plunge and tried the first one.<br />
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Saturday I race in a metric century. I'm a bit worn out and not sure how I'll do. It's not a race I was sure to participate in until last week. So I'll go, enjoy my time there, push as hard as I can and see what happens.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-20199232642828752852012-05-05T19:58:00.002-07:002012-05-05T20:00:20.017-07:00No Way to Make My Monthly Goal ... and I'm Happy!After a metric century last weekend, and another one this coming weekend, with a nice mountain climb sandwiched in between, there's no way I'm realistically going to hit my 150 miles running this month. I'll still give it the old college try, as it were, but whatever. The point of being healthy is the ability to enjoy things like this. <br />
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Example #1 of enjoying good health was today's activity.<br />
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My brother-in-law, Gene, and I hiked <a href="http://arizona.sierraclub.org/trail_guide/hike20.htm" target="_blank">Mt. Wrightson</a>, a 9453 foot peak that dominates the local skyline, at least within a 60 mile radius of its granite peak. It's rumored that back in the days of clean air and polyester (1960's), one could view the Gulf of California from its peak! (Today we had no such luck, the air quality was quite hazy due to high winds.)<br />
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The endeavor was in great doubt as Wednesday and Thursday I was struck with a strange lethargy...I didn't feel sick, but had an unbelievably low energy level, a sick stomach (to play a role later today), and was in as foul of a mood as I've ever experienced without cause. To make things worse, I was super sore from just 10 miles of SLOW running over three excursions.<br />
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Friday morning I thought, "You get all the rest you need when you're dead," and said I'd the mountain a shot on Saturday morning.<br />
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I left home at 5 AM, drove to the mountain. On the way up Madera Canyon (which is a crazy-bicycle ride climbing 3,500 feet in about 12 miles) I saw a group of three wild turkeys, pictured here.<br />
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We headed up the trail, taking the short route, 5.4 miles to the peak, climbing a bit over 4,000 feet. It was cool, and got colder as we climbed. As we made it to Josephine Saddle, I was reminded of the boys that died on the mountain in the late 50's during a freak November snow storm. I attended a speaking by a woman who wrote a book to record the story. She was the younger sister of one of the survivors, and the entire event left a huge impression upon her. As she aged she realized that the adults involved were dying and many of the artifacts and stories were disappearing, so she collected the information and wrote the book, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/DEATH-CLOUDS-On-Mt-Baldy/dp/0982874103" target="_blank">Death Clouds on Mount Baldy</a>." Here's the memorial:<br />
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We climbed for hours in the shade of the mountain. As we climbed, the temperature dropped steadily. As you can see here, we weren't dressed for it!<br />
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The views were AMAZING, way better than my little pocket camera could capture.<br />
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Before even reaching the peak we were significantly higher than the next highest mountain, which is in the same range, Mt. Hopkins, sporting a huge observatory.<br />
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Once at the top, the wind was CRAZY! The view, while obscured by dust in the air, was still great, with vistas much farther than my camera captured. In the picture below you can see where the water flows during the summer monsoons. When down on the valley floor, one would have no clue!<br />
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As we hit the summit a voice said, "Did you see the bear?" <br />
<br />
It came from an elderly man that rested unseen against the remains of a former look out tower, or some such structure. He said we walked right past it. Ugh...we talked about how we'd both would love to see a bear!<br />
<br />
Talking to the man, he's climbed the mountain each weekend of the month, only failing to summit one weekend due to 6 foot snow on the trail. How cool is that?<br />
<br />
Soon another man, a bit older, joined us, then a pair of trail runners. It was my first experience sharing a peak with someone not in my party. But, it was nice and they took our picture.<br />
<br />
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On the way down, we both suffered greatly. We both <a href="http://halfdonerun.blogspot.com/2012/04/bit-of-special-day.html" target="_blank">rode in a race</a> last weekend, and our thighs were greatly taxed, and thus our knees grew tired. For me, I always run in toe-shoes and my trail running shoes beat my toes to a pulp. They're truly sore!<br />
<br />
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<br />
On the way down, the light was better for pictures, and it finally warmed up. By the time we finished (due to dead thighs, the downward trip took longer and was more taxing than the trip up), it was quite warm.<br />
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On the way down, Gene's knee really hurt. It slowed him greatly. Mine hurt too, but my stomach began to really hurt. I mentioned the stomach problems earlier in the week...well, I can't say anything delicately beyond I was happy to have brought toilet paper. It was tricky though because there were lots of hikers on the trails and the slopes were incredibly steep just off the trail. I've never had a problem like that and don't wish that on anybody!<br />
<br />
As we approached the bottom of the trail we found a very young horned lizard (we call them horny toads).<br />
<br />
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I've known Gene since I was 14, and he was about 9. His sister, now my wife, caught a horny toad and I traded her a poem I'd written for the lizard. I kept it in a dresser drawer for a day and brought it back to her house the following day. Gene wanted to hold it, I didn't want him to, and held my arm up high so he couldn't reach it. He knocked my arm and the horny toad fell to the ground and out popped a bunch of babies!<br />
<br />
We relived that moment while studying this little fellow.<br />
<br />
All told, it was a GREAT day. I will definitely be returning to these trails to do some training and running once I'm fresh and rested. For those of you that are trail runners, how does this look:<br />
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<br />
I hope those reading had a wonderful Saturday and are, like me, enjoying good health. I leave with a picture of me on the top of the mountain, that reminds me of the cover of "Born to Run."<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-6469262098969840252012-05-02T20:16:00.002-07:002012-05-02T20:16:31.055-07:00First Marathon ... Planning<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Forgive me, it’s my first day and I’m a bit excited! Yeah, I know it’s May, I get that. </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
I’ve been reading, studying, thinking, planning, re-planning,
reading, thinking, talking, listening, planning, re-planning … get it?</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I want to run my first
marathon in the fall or early winter.
The marathon I wanted to run is just three weeks on the heels of a bike
ride I’d like to do well in. The
consensus was that it’s probably a little too close to my first marathon,
unless I want to put up a bunny of a ride.
Yeah, I could plan on doing that … but I know myself.</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
I decided on moving the marathon from early December to late
January, giving me much more time in between and allowing me to maximize my
performance in both.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
I planned the bike schedule as I normally would, not stretching it out to allow extra time for rest and also having to worry about doubling up long runs and long rides in one weekend. Then I worked the weeks
for the marathon training schedule (Hal Higdon) backwards, maneuvering different
runs to fit around previously scheduled races, both running and riding, as well
as leaving room for the tapering before the bike race.</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
And the timing, on paper, looks great. I have the next three months to work on a
running base, get that 5K goal knocked out (sub-20), and drop some weight. After that, the bike training starts. As I’ll
get into the 200 mile weeks on the bike my long runs will only be about 12 to
14 miles, which I can handle. </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
The weeks leading
up the bike race will have one two-a-day per week, on Tuesdays, featuring a
recovery run (which I could skip) and a bike ride in the afternoon. That’s actually less than I have been doing
as I usually do two, two-a-days per week. </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
The longest run before the bike race on 11/19 is a 15
miler,
which occurs in the first week of the taper for the bike ride. I think
that’ll be okay. After the bike race is done, the next 8 or 9 weeks line up
almost perfectly with the Hidgon plan, save the half marathon I’d like
to run
six weeks before the marathon.</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Either way, this plan feels right. I’m excited about it. </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Now to figure out what my marathon pace will
be!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-1546134610676490582012-05-01T13:29:00.005-07:002012-05-01T19:21:43.594-07:00Feels Good to Run AgainI was "running late" this morning. The alarm went off at 4:15 am, but I didn't get up ...nor did I hit snooze! At 4:55, I finally woke and thought about ditching the run entirely.<br />
<br />
I'm glad I ran. I cut it short by a mile, running about 3 instead of 4. It was my first run in three weeks, and the first morning run ever with my dog. I felt great afterwards and had a good day, probably better than if I didn't run.<br />
<br />
Taking the dog provided some adventure. Some dude was walking three dogs, all without a leash. I ran past him, going up the hill. At the top of the hill I turn around. Passing him the first time wasn't too much of an issue, but on the way back, two of his dogs charged us. I charged back and yelled. The dogs do what dogs always do, turned around and hauled butt! So, nothing happened, but still...<br />
<br />
My street is a cul de sac that shoots off a through street which is a mile and a half long. So I run up to one end, turn around, run to the other, and then home for a nice 3 mile run. It's a bit hilly for a perfectly easy jog, climbing something around 250 feet or so, but there's no traffic really and it's quiet. At each turn around I swing around the stop sign and smack it. It's how I roll...I'm feeding the beast, that's the dinner bell.<br />
<br />
The dog ... she didn't like that, AT ALL. Poor thing, I scared her out of her wits the first time I did it!<br />
<br />
Otherwise, she did great on the run and I'll take her again this afternoon.<br />
<br />
Along with the run I did my normal morning routine which accumulates 40 lunges, 20 one-legged squats, 150 pushups and 30 pull ups. I didn't do any core work as I want to do the ab of the day stuff this afternoon, along with my remaining 20 pullups and 100 pushups.<br />
<br />
My run was easy, finishing the 3.14 miles in just a tad over 28 minutes. My ankle was stiff (old injury) and my thighs were a bit dead from Saturday's race, but regardless, I'll be somewhere around this pace on a lot of my runs in May.<br />
<br />
This afternoon I did my<a href="http://www.randomabs.com/" target="_blank"> www.randomabs.com</a> workout, finished up my pushups, pullups, lunges and one-legged squats, then went out for an afternoon run. I took the dog again as she was obviously NOT taxed...she got out of the yard, twice!<br />
<br />
It was a bit warm for the pooch, 83 degrees, so we slowed our pace to match. That's fine with me. I did finish the last quarter mile at sub 7 mm pace, nice and smooth. That felt good. The afternoon run was a bit over 4 miles in about 38 minutes.<br />
<br />
I hadn't run while tapering for the bike race. Today it felt so good to be back. Let's see what tomorrow brings!<br />
<br />
And May is Feed the Beast Month, so consider meal one as served!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-45112466212042102392012-04-29T20:45:00.000-07:002012-04-29T20:45:23.645-07:00April's in the Books ... May is gonna RAWK!April took forever. <br />
<br />
It seemed like I did NOTHING but sleep, eat and stretch. <br />
<br />
I'm new to all of this endurance sports stuff and each experience is a huge learning experience. While I've trained for three bike events, this was the one I trained for the best. As such, the taper was painful and unexpected. I hurt from head to toe for 10 days. I'm so glad that's done.<br />
<br />
I haven't yet gotten on the scale since last weekend, and I'm not looking forward to the message reading:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n_38HOYNdX0/T54EnfQ0jmI/AAAAAAAAATw/PFYsaaQQh2o/s1600/scale.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n_38HOYNdX0/T54EnfQ0jmI/AAAAAAAAATw/PFYsaaQQh2o/s320/scale.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
That said, I still managed to compile 506 total miles, but just 35 miles running. I didn't want to risk a stupid injury running with a bike race coming up. In April, I had my two best bike rides ever. One was a solo 75 mile ride where I averaged 20.7 mph, even with traffic lights and other junk. The second was Saturday's race. The average speed wasn't that great, especially for riding in a group, 22 mph, but I had POWER that I never felt before. That was exciting.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I won't be training for anything until mid-August, so I plan on doing some great base building over the next three months. Diet, body composition, some swimming and so on. It is so weird that losing weight while training for a big event isn't easy. I did manage to drop about 10 pounds from the beginning of February until, well, just before the tapering. While I had a great race Saturday, <a href="http://halfdonerun.blogspot.com/2012/04/bit-of-special-day.html" target="_blank">you can read about it here if you missed it</a>, I feel guilty. I like piling up miles and doing lots of pushups and pullups and so on. The past two weeks of the taper were so easy, so sedentary, I just feel ... ick. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I'll be making up for that in May. Here's my list of things to do for the month:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://halfdonerun.blogspot.com/2012/04/join-me-may-running-challenge.html" target="_blank">150 Miles Running: Feed the Beast</a> To join me in the challenge, held on daily mile, <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/challenges/5313-feed-the-beast" target="_blank">click here</a>. </li>
<li>Drop 15 pounds (Will weigh in on 5/1)</li>
<li>Climb Mt. Wrightson (9,800 ft. mountain that dominates the local landscape...never climbed it)</li>
<li>Complete the inaugural <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CEoQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cycle4peace.com%2F&ei=JgieT_2tD43XiALd9MRY&usg=AFQjCNGd46vvMgJplHF4cRKJE2Dldwee6g&sig2=CuiAEAFv9cI4AL9gcMwKmA" target="_blank">Nogales Bicycle Classic</a>, finish in under 2:45</li>
<li>6500 pushups</li>
<li>1300 pullups </li>
<li><a href="http://randomabs.com/today/" target="_blank">Daily Ab Exercise (6 days a week)</a></li>
</ul>
May will also bring high school graduation for our oldest daughter. I'm not sure how that will sit with us, but we're sure to find out soon enough!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Anyhow, I hope those of you that are healthy, stay so, and those that are nursing injuries recover quickly. That said, I have this to say: May, bring it!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-48394398308497242662012-04-28T23:06:00.005-07:002012-04-28T23:07:20.767-07:00A Bit of a Special DayTunnel Vision: (noun) <br />
<ol style="padding-left: 19px;">
<li style="list-style-type: decimal;">Defective sight in which objects cannot be properly seen if not close to the center of the field of view.</li>
<li style="list-style-type: decimal;">The tendency to focus exclusively on a single or limited goal or point of view.</li>
</ol>
Yeah, that's what people develop on race day. It's supposed to be that way. <br />
<br />
But after I finished my race today, I thought about what else was going on. I realized that it was a very special day. My wife participated in a charity ride! After last year's El Tour de Tucson, she talked to me about the emotions and feelings she saw in the faces of the participants. She wondered what they felt, what they thought, what they had experienced. It looked powerful to her. Today, she completed the 27 mile course, her longest ride to date, in 2:12. She's been having some problems keeping down water due to an ulcer, and hasn't been able to ride at all, save last weekend.<br />
<br />
As she crossed the finish line I was there, with my parents, cheering her on. She said, "I hurt in places I'm not supposed to hurt." <br />
<br />
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<br />
To sweeten the pot, my brother-in-law participated in the big ride today, 73 miles (they called it a metric century). And, my father ran a 5K this morning with my sister. My dad PR'd and won 2nd in his age group, my sister won first in hers. Apparently they executed a reeling-in of a particular runner that my sister wanted to catch. <br />
<br />
Last night my youngest daughter ran in a track meet, her final of middle school. She's a bit saddened by the closing of that chapter in her life, but says she doesn't want to run in high school. I spoke with her about it, tried to make it clear that I will support her in whatever decision she makes, don't really care if she runs or not, but that she is really loving the sport and should consider for her own reasons.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This is quite a special day (or weekend) because last year at this time I was riding my first "race" (really a charity ride, but hey, it's got a timing chip and you can beat other people.) Anyhow, at the time, nobody in my family had done anything at all of the sort. I wanted the challenge and along the way discovered how much fun they (and similar events) are. It's great to see my family discovering the same things.<br />
<br />
Racing is a whole different level of celebration compared to what we used to do!<br />
<br />
As for my particular experience ... I wore the coolest socks in the race, hands down.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/558732_3399487559245_1631487092_2714818_609614246_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/558732_3399487559245_1631487092_2714818_609614246_n.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div>
<br />
I got tons of comments from, "I've found Waldo," to "You need red pig tails to match!"<br />
<br />
For the race I wanted to finish in 3 hours or less, but figured that with everything that's gone on, I'd be around 3:20. What I discovered surprised me.<br />
<br />
There's a lot more strategy involved with riding fast than running fast. A lot. Who you "go" with makes all the difference! Let me explain.<br />
<br />
While I arrived early, it wasn't early enough. The platinum group (platinum riders have completed authorized rides within certain time limits, meaning, they're fast) lines up at the front. Those that wish to
qualify for platinum show up early, stage immediately behind them. I
was stuck around a bunch of people riding in tennis shoes.<br />
<br />
My plan had been to start easy. Now I'd have to fight through traffic and sprint around people. To make matters worse there was a significant headwind to start the race. Nothing crazy, but enough that moving along at 15 mph was work. And since I wanted to catch people I had to go a lot faster than that. <br />
<br />
At the start I pushed ahead and tried to catch the group out front, but no dice. The wind was too much. Soon I found myself in a bad situation...alone. Nobody around me at all. That means that I was working way harder than anybody else! The group I'd left was a long way behind and the one in front...just as far ahead. Exactly what I didn't want to do.<br />
<br />
I knew I'd burn up if I caught my target group (if I could) and get dropped anyway. However, they weren't widening the gap, so I also knew that if I had started with them, I would've kept up. Next time!<br />
<br />
I slowed, as I learned in the last race, and a large group formed, and stayed together throughout the race, growing to about 50 people or so. I just stayed in the middle unless the group stretched out too far. Sometimes a rider that is getting dropped forms another pack, all of whom get dropped. The problem is, none, save the front guy, know they're being dropped until it's too late!<br />
<br />
This happened on hills. I found that my hill training paid off in spades! People were standing and pumping, shifting, dying going up the hills ... but I was calmly in the seat and passing people whenever needed.<br />
<br />
At the hardest climb I found myself 3rd from the front of the group ... NOT where I wanted to be. We crested the hill and shot down. I was fresh and downhills, well, that's why we ride, right? I soon found myself out in front, again. DOH! I had fun for a bit, cranked it out then backed off and got swallowed by the pack again. <br />
<br />
I had gotten through the toughest part of the race without too much effort, though I was sweating. And apparently, I was not drinking enough.<br />
<br />
At mile 36 I cramped. The same exact leg, same exact spot as the previous two rides I've done. This time I had been taking electrolytes all week. I brought salt tablets, took 4 over the next half hour or so and drained 2 liters of accelerade. It kept the cramps from being debilitating, but it often felt like they were right there at the surface. I punched and massaged the cramping muscle and rested as much as possible. I also pedaled one-legged for a long time, even unclipping my left foot at a point.<br />
<br />
I never felt right again. I stayed in the last part of the pack, just ahead of those being dropped. But cramps or not, at that point it wouldn't have mattered. I had wanted to open up a bit after the climbing was finished, but the group I was in stayed about the same speed. The other group did what I wanted to do and sped up as the course got easier. They finished with a solid 10 minute gap before the group I was in...not a soul in between!<br />
<br />
At the end of the race the pack filled all lanes of the road. I wanted to hammer out the last two miles, but couldn't pass due to the congestion.<br />
<br />
And they were slowing...25, 22, 20, 18 mph! WTH!!!! MOVE PEOPLE!<br />
<br />
Finally I had my shot and said, literally, "Cramps be damned," and slammed it. I went from the back of the pack to the front, slipping around on the far left side of the white stripe on the edge of the road, a strip about 2 inches wide. Things thinned out with about a quarter mile left. It was awesome because these two guys sped up as I passed them, that made me push harder still. I left them behind, too. That was fun! I finished behind just a few other people but just a few feet. I'd have caught them too with just a bit more time. <br />
<br />
When I finished I felt great. I was happy and off the bike had no
cramping issues. I went back to the finish line to cheer people and take
some photos. <br />
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gN1R9CH3hIw/T5zSGdC8UkI/AAAAAAAAASA/Kb3NmMovnLs/s1600/035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gN1R9CH3hIw/T5zSGdC8UkI/AAAAAAAAASA/Kb3NmMovnLs/s320/035.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I think I have the conditioning to qualify as "platinum," which means you're fast. I just don't have the experience. I needed to drink more and needed to show up earlier. I had a lot of juice left at the end of the race, too much gas in the tank really. And yeah, while I had cramps, ultimately, they made no difference. I couldn't have caught that front group anyway.<br />
<br />
I think the cramps were partly fatigue, partly dehydration. I drove over 150 miles yesterday, was outside a lot, and finally arrived at my in-laws' house (where we slept) just after 10 pm. I still had to get everything ready for the morning, which came at 4 am. <br />
<br />
In the end I finished 120 out of 514. The time was 3:20, making for an average speed of about 22 mph. <br />
<br />
I think I raced smart, didn't compound my mistakes. I handled the cramping issue as well as I think was possible. I definitely had a great time, especially at the end. I had an even better time cheering on my wife and brother-in-law! And hey, that's what it's about! Getting outside, enjoying good health and competing a little. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-5119303726426083432012-04-27T11:44:00.001-07:002012-04-27T11:44:28.218-07:00Race Day StrategyThat's right folks, tomorrow is race day. Months of preparation and work, with tomorrow's performance as the sole focus, will be put to use. <br />
<br />
I am ready.<br />
<br />
I am pumped.<br />
<br />
I have a goal.<br />
<br />
I have a plan.<br />
<br />
The plan is to forget about the goal during the race. The thing with time-related goals is that circumstances have to be perfect, and I cannot control or even influence those circumstances. Will there be wind, will I get a flat tire, will there be accidents, what about the temperature?<br />
<br />
It's best just to focus on my charges. <br />
<br />
The race course is a loop, 73 miles. It begins in the town of Marana, AZ, just north of Tucson, and heads south. The first 10 miles or so are relatively flat, but the road surfaces are less than friendly. Then there's a small climb and about 15 miles of slightly uphill with, generally speaking, terribly riding surfaces. <br />
<br />
From there the route turns west and climbs for a few more miles. Up until this point I'll hope to have fallen in with a decent group where I can conserve my energy and cruise along with my heart rate around 135 or lower. <br />
<br />
On Ajo Highway the course peaks and then shoots down hill for about 15 miles. That's where I'll open up a bit. Eventually the course turns back north and is quite fast for a good 10 miles stretch before hitting very mild rolling hills. <br />
<br />Once through those small hills I'll go all out over the last 8 miles or so. The course lends itself to a negative-split because the first half is rough roads and slightly uphill. The second half is much smoother roads and, generally, downhill, if not flat.<br />
<br />
I've been taking electrolytes for a week and have eaten carbs like crazy the past two days. I've slept as much as I can. I'm packed. The bike is tuned but needs a little washing. Need to look good on race day, eh?<br />
<br />
My wife is riding in the 27 mile event. I'm excited for her and hope she has a good ride!<br />
<br />
Unfortunately for both of us, today isn't really going to be restful. I took the day off, but she could not. Even so, I had to run errands this morning and will be driving 60 miles this afternoon to pick up the race packets. Then I will drive 60 miles home, volunteer and watch my daughter's final track meet, then we'll drive to Marana, 75 miles north, to stay the night at my in-laws' home. It'll be a trick to maintain proper hydration for sure!<br />
<br />
Either way, tomorrow is going to be awesome. I can't wait!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-35987307529166288872012-04-23T17:46:00.002-07:002012-04-23T17:46:30.540-07:00Totally Worth It<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
Pain</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Physical exhaustion</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hunger</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ice packs</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
4 am</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fatigue</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No beer</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Blisters</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sunburn </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Time away from loved ones</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tapering</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Racing makes training worth “it.” To me, the rush on race day, even if it’s just
a last minute 5K, is unbelievable.
Seeing friends before and after the race, competing against yourself,
watching family and friends run, being <i>cheered</i>
(where else in adult life are you cheered?), the free shirt, the medals and
sometimes awards, and of course, the free post-race grub. Race day is awesome.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But for me, the biggest draw is more subtle than those
things; yet, far more powerful. It’s
something that many observers won’t pick up:
fulfillment of hard work. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I believe that humans <i>NEED</i>
work. We need clearly defined goals and
obstacles to those goals. Without such
things, we go a bit mad and perhaps assign importance to trivial things. In training for a race we have goals and
obstacles and no guarantee of success, even if we do everything perfect. How much better can it get? Isn’t that real life?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is the last week before Saturday’s race. I’m tapering.
It sucks. But I’ve had time to
think. I’ve realized that the pay off, the fulfillment of that hard work, is
far greater than the lowered time, increased speed and so on. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve missed a couple of long training rides and a few short
training rides due to various circumstances beyond my control. I’m not very hopeful of obtaining my goal of
a sub-3 hour finish for a 73 mile ride.
Yet, I’m very upbeat and happy. I
can’t wait to lay it out and see what happens. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is the one year anniversary of my first ever race or
any sort. The December before last year’s
race I went on an incredibly long ride, 33 miles (it was by far my longest to
date). I was dying at the end, hurting
everywhere and completely gassed. A
friend told me about this particular race, and how it was 73 miles. I remember thinking, “How could someone do <i>that</i>?”
I spent four months figuring out just that!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
During training last year I didn’t struggle with losing
weight because I had so much to lose, there was a lot of room for error. I started at about 240, 60 down from the
previous summer. I felt great, better
than I ever imaged I’d feel again.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I didn’t struggle with time to train either. I just made the time…nothing save a family
emergency would get in the way. I told
my boss, “Work will put me in my grave, if I let it. I’m not attending the meeting, I’m training.“ (This was a weekly meeting, I skipped them
all save one because I was tapering that week.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now I struggle dropping weight. But I think I have that figured out.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now I struggle with time.
I’ve got the confidence to know that I’m devoted and that I won’t slip
back into my old lifestyle and I can focus more on work. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last year I struggled with confidence. Can I complete this task? Will these changes be permanent? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last year I struggled with anger and disappointment. On one hand I was proud and excited, often
just surprised by the changes. But over
time I became angry for ever getting so big and out of shape. I’ve had to forgive myself, and that’s been a
hard thing. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I no longer struggle with confidence…I got this! How about issues of permanence? The vast majority of people that keep weight
off for a year keep it off for good. See
ya later, 100 pounds. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anger? Yeah, I still
have a bit of that. I still am disappointed
with myself for the past 12 years. But
it’s a fire that burns deep; it’s part of who I am. I have regrets, that shows I’ve learned. And at mile 60, on Saturday, I’ll be out of glycogen,
and my body will be burning fat inefficiently and be ready to revolt. But, I’ll still have fuel. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So yes, on Saturday, whether I finish sub-3:00 or not, I’ll be
happy. I’ll be happy that I have the opportunity
and ability to participate. I’ll be
happy that I DO participate. Saturday, I’m
going to hurt a bit. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So totally worth it!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-66018214756593910012012-04-21T20:24:00.000-07:002012-04-21T20:24:02.176-07:00Join Me: May Running ChallengeQuick history:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>7/2010 I weighed about 300 pounds</li>
<li>1/2011 I began training for a bicycle race, I was too heavy to run</li>
<li>7/2011 I began running, but injury after injury due to over-eagerness</li>
<li>1/2012 I began training for the same bicycle race ... why not?</li>
</ul>
In between I've run a half marathon and a trail half marathon (I didn't know they were significantly different until AFTER the trail half). I've run a 10K and a handful of 5K's. But, I'm dying to pile up some miles on my feet like I have on the bike. <br />
<br />
So in May, on <a href="http://dailymile.com/">dailymile.com</a>, I'm going to post a challenge, Feed the Beast. It's titled in honor of my <a href="http://halfdonerun.blogspot.com/2012/04/feed-beast.html" target="_blank">new motto</a>. <br />
<br />
Basically it's a running challenge...accumulate 150 miles in the month is the goal. I've not run over 100 in a month before, so it'll be a stretch. However, I think I can do it. Here's my plan:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Run six days a week</li>
<li>Run 4 miles minimum each day (16 miles)</li>
<li>Each week a long run of at least 10 miles (10 miles)</li>
<li>Each week a tempo or speed run that covers at least 7 miles (7 miles) </li>
</ol>
That would get me to about 146 for the month. I think I can do that. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dailymile.com/challenges/5313-feed-the-beast?cr_id=OkNoYWxsZW5nZTo1MzEz&ur_id=MjUyNzY5" target="_blank">So here's the link.</a><br />
<br />
If you're on dailymile, please add me as a friend: <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/people/PhilipB2">http://www.dailymile.com/people/PhilipB2</a><br />
<br />
My goals for the month are to, of course, complete the 150 miles, but also to remain healthy, lose 10 pounds, and then in the beginning of June, break 20 minutes on a 5K. While that may happen in June, it would be from the work done in May. <br />
<br />
With that said, here's a great experience I had today on my ride: <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://media.dailymile.com/photos/404191/454dcce7d8d2faef37976e637d70fab4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://media.dailymile.com/photos/404191/454dcce7d8d2faef37976e637d70fab4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-74292161902202538832012-04-20T13:18:00.001-07:002012-04-20T13:18:38.349-07:00Feed the Beast<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Time to Feed the Beast</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #c00000;">Me: “I ran 6 days last week, new all time high
mileage.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #c00000;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #00b0f0;">Friend: “That’s how you <i>Feed the Beast!</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #00b0f0;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now I have a new phrase.
I used it teaching math class today.
Feed the Beast…the Beast is You.
The Beast eats quadratics. Time
to Feast.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But for me, The Beast Eats Miles. Time to <i><span style="color: #e36c0a; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent6; mso-themeshade: 191;">Feed the Beast!</span></i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How’s that motto sound?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yet, I’m like a dog with two bones, see. I want to keep both, and that makes it
difficult to enjoy either. I want to run
my first marathon this winter, but it is just three tiny weeks on the heels of
a century ride I’d like to do. My
options are:</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Reschedule the ride </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Reschedule the marathon</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Take it easy on the ride</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->4.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Take it easy on the marathon</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
None of those are Beastly.
They’re all milk-toast. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve done google searches over-and-again and found a few
threads started on message boards, but nothing really showing how people
perform events like this. Guess I’ll be
blazing my own trail.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My goal on the century ride (Probably 112 miles) will be a
sub-5 hour time. My goal on the marathon
will be 3:30. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The tricky part will be getting enough quality running in,
without too much down time devoted to riding.
I am leaning towards the idea of alternating weeks of focus. So, odd numbered weeks would be a running focus
and have a long run on the weekend. Even
numbered weeks would be cycling focus with a long ride on the weekend. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One down side is the length of the training schedule. I want to keep it 20 weeks or less (because I’m
pretty busy otherwise). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One up side is that breaking apart each week into a
particular focus might limit some of the hum-drum of “I’m spending 6 hours on
the bike Saturday, <i>again!</i>” We’ll see.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here’s a snap shot of what I’m developing. It’s the final month stretch including the
two races.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sfFMbbGQlAw/T5HDczFgnYI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/77lgkzuLu3M/s1600/schedule.pic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sfFMbbGQlAw/T5HDczFgnYI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/77lgkzuLu3M/s400/schedule.pic" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In particular, I'm concerned that 5 weeks is too long of a time between the longest training run and the marathon. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Any way I go about it, I'll definitely be <i>Feeding the Beast</i>!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-17797365779548231472012-04-16T13:53:00.003-07:002012-04-16T13:53:53.820-07:00Kids Running<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I burned her out. I was trying to catch up on a decade of my own lethargy and apparently, dragged her along. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last summer, as I just began to run, I'd bring my youngest daughter, who ran cross country and track, with
me. Most of the time it was a great time. But it was always early, and even so, still hot. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She got burned out. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The
following school year, she still participated in cross country but it became quite obvious that her heart was not into it. I didn't think I was pressuring her to do well at the time, but now see it differently. Regardless, from the advice of a friend, I backed off, entirely, gave her an open invitation to join me anytime on a run, and left it alone. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the past, even before burning out, she would say that she loved running, but didn't like the race environment, especially in track. After a race she was always distraught, sometimes inconsolable. It was heart breaking at times. Her coaches have the right attitude for kids that age, I certainly was thrilled to see her participating and didn't care what place she got. We all just wanted her, and the others, to get involved, have some fun and get some exercise. But she was a wreck after each race, even before running with me. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It surprised me this year when she said she was going to
join track again. I figured she was joining to hang out with her friends. I just said, "Cool."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It shocked me when she started saying things like, “I hope I get invited to <i>this</i> meet.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then, I was almost sent into cardiac arrest when in preparation for the possibility of being invited to <i>this</i> Saturday's meet, she ran on her own, like her coach said
to! She did get invited. Unfortunately, due to weather, the meet was canceled. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Regardless of that outcome, I am so happy that she is enjoying running. She’s having a great time. She’s not fast, usually finishes in the later
part of the field, but she’s getting faster and is now interested in how she’s
improved, not her placing! As soon as she finished running the 4x400 relay on Tuesday's meet, she ran over and asked if she ran it faster than her second quarter in the 800. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Music to my ears!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/523371_3399492999381_1631487092_2714831_260072605_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/523371_3399492999381_1631487092_2714831_260072605_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-58564178298596983862012-04-13T11:16:00.003-07:002012-04-13T11:16:29.030-07:00In the Groove<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yeah, GruveB, is said, “Groovy B.” It’s a nickname from my days in the military.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s where I find myself now, in a groove. While the streak is just 9 days, it’s my
longest. I’ve run or ridden each of the
past 9 days. I’ve run the past 5 in a
row. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I guess I’m now able to adjust my level of intensity better. Now, running 3 to 5 miles at a 9 to 10 minute
pace is easy and relaxing. Because of a
few minor injuries, most of my runs in 2012 have been of this nature. Before,
if I was running without some certain level of perceived intensity I felt like
I was wasting my time. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also, I start each run with a patient mile…slow, no matter
how I feel. Then, if I feel like I’m
ready, I’ll run hard for a while. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s been a good practice to decide whether or not to run
hard after feeling it out instead of because I thought it was a good idea while
sitting on the couch. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before each run I still do sets of lunges and one-legged
squats. I have cut back the pushups from
5 sets of 50 per day to 2 sets of 50, but I do the pushups a lot slower. I’ll switch that up in a few weeks again, maybe
do longer sets. Either way, between
those and pull-ups, my abs are SOLID. :D</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last thing, a picture I came across from my brother’s
wedding about 8 years ago or so. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207110_1018375152923_1631487092_44560_2838_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207110_1018375152923_1631487092_44560_2838_n.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-64166523582422397932012-04-12T06:16:00.001-07:002012-04-12T06:18:13.518-07:00It Wasn't My Fault!Driving home last night just after 8 pm when the only thing on my mind was food. I had eaten dinner, but at 4 o'clock. It had been small. It's not an unusual situation on Mondays and Wednesdays for me. I'd just get home, shower, talk with my wife, go to bed.<br />
<br />
When I got home, before I got to the door, I could smell 'em.<br />
<br />
Secret recipe chocolate chip cookies! And by secret I mean that these aren't of the grocery store variety, or even grandma's type. These are a bit ... better. The texture, the flavors, you'd just have to experience it to know.<br />
<br />
My wife made a batch of cookies to appease her grouchy boss. Business is way down and he'll have nothing to do. So she made cookies. Now he'll have something to do with his mouth other than complain. How sweet?<br />
<br />
But me...I had a cookie down the hatch before you could say "blubber butt." I had another and another. They were just the right temperature, having cooled enough to not burn my mouth.<br />
<br />
SO GOOD!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/480159_3630692375924_1532560133_3110276_1320138377_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/480159_3630692375924_1532560133_3110276_1320138377_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
But I've been running "cookie miles" this week anyway. My calf is injured and so I'm just going however I feel I can, usually very slowly.<br />
<br />
Monday was 5.45 in 55:03. I took the dog, she bonked. Dropped her off after 3 miles and went back for another two.<br />
<br />
Tuesday was 3.07 in 33:07.<br />
<br />
Wednesday was 3.29 in 29:48.<br />
<br />
This morning was 4.13 in 36.57, but the last mile was almost normal in 8:17 (and climbs about 200 feet). <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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In related news, I had planned on participating in a duathlon Saturday. But with the calf being not very good and my daughter has a track meet, I'm going to cheer instead of participate. I'm very happy with how she's doing, she's having a blast running. Before, it seemed like a chore, but yesterday, she even ran on her own (outside of practice)!</div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-81410459894120412422012-04-09T15:02:00.001-07:002012-04-09T15:02:19.628-07:00Dog Run, Duathlon, Tapering and New ShoesDid I end my last, long training ride on high note? Yes, yes I did.<br />
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76 miles in 3:45:xx, average speed of 20.7 mph! SOLO! <br />
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I've been riding into the wind and up hills so much over the past weeks that I forgot what it was like to have conditions in my favor. Supposedly, those types of rides (and runs) are speed work in disguise...so I should be faster! But the grain(s) of salt: First, the route dropped down in elevation almost 1000 feet and second, the air was still if not having a slight breeze at my back. <br />
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My approach also helped me be strong through the whole ride. I decided to have a low intensity for the first 35 miles, then for the next 25 a moderate intensity and then slam it down for the end of the ride. On race day, I'm going to have a similar approach and finish strong instead of fizzling out early.<br />
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My original goal was to average 25 mph, which might be within reach. I will need to get into a fast group at the beginning of the race and just stick with them over the first half of the race, which is slightly uphill. We'll see. <br />
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(Racing on a bike is far different than running ... in a group, your wind resistance is basically nothing, making you much faster. Last year I was about 5 mph faster average moving speed in the race than riding solo.) <br />
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Saturday I have my second duathlon ... and I can't run well, just like for the first duathlon. Hopefully my calf will be mostly okay for running by Saturday. If it is, I hope to run the first two miles in 13:30, then the 10 miles on the bike in under 30 minutes, and the last two mile run in under 13:00. <br />
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Today I took the dog out for an easy 5 mile run. My calf isn't right and I just wanted to plod along with whatever felt right, which probably meant slower than 9 mm. She couldn't keep up. I ended up swinging back home, the third mile in over 11 minutes, dropping her off, and heading back out for the next two. I'll have to get her in shape!<br />
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I knew she was done after about a mile and just had to coax her and encourage, praise her for working hard. She'd speed up, keep up with me for a while, then drop back. I slowed to meet her speed as I didn't want her to overheat. Poor thing. <br />
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What has she done since? Slept. She's fried! Poor thing. <br />
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I've worn out my fivefingers. I bought some Komodo sports on Saturday. They look super fast, which means that I'll be faster wearing them, right?</div>
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Oh, and Injinji socks are OSOM!<br /><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1649673897831441458.post-31472293084710222822012-04-08T18:39:00.001-07:002012-04-09T10:20:34.686-07:00Team SeaBiscuit's Inaugural Run<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is better to give than to receive. <br />
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Word.<br />
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Saturday was my dad's 63rd birthday. The picture of my mother leaving on the one-mile walk really captures the mood of the day!<br />
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That evening he updated his facebook status. It read: <br />
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="color: red;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">Greatest birthday ever in seven thousand years of recorded human history.</span></span></h6>
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How cool is it to have your best birthday at 63?<br />
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I thought it would be cool if all of his children could join him in a 5K. My dad ran a lot when he was younger, but a string of Achilles problems and life in general eventually removed him from running and his weight ballooned. In recent times he's lost about 80 pounds, is running several hours a week and is eager to run his first marathon.<br />
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As with most people that begin running, my dad has had a string of injuries from piriformis to ankle. But he's tough and determined and has patiently worked through them all. Thus, I've taken to calling him Seabiscuit. In fact, for his birthday I bought him a RoadID bracelet inscribed with "Seabiscuit Racing."<br />
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For race day my sisters thought it would be a great idea if we had matching shirts. They purchased the lovely chartreuse shirts and then decorated the backs for the occasion with #49 and Team Seabiscuit.<br />
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The race was the Boxer 5K, hosted by Vail Science Academy High School and put on by the always wonderful <a href="http://www.taggrun.com/" target="_blank">Steve Taggert</a>. The morning was beautiful, race time temp in the mid 60's, quite nice for this time of the year. <br />
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We lined up for a photo, but unfortunately, my mother had already left for the 1 mile walk. The Easter Bunny sat in her place. In the photo are 5 of the 6 grandchildren, two of the three spouses, all four children and my father. He's wearing the red hat.<br />
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For the run I planned on hanging back with whomever needed company/support. My dad was going to do the same. My calf is strained from <a href="http://halfdonerun.blogspot.com/2012/03/pr-and-ice-bath-and-doggie.html" target="_blank">last week's 5K</a>. While my dad runs regularly, the others are in varying stages of fitness...meaning, my dad is in better shape than all of his children, save the oldest, me.<br />
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We all "took off" and talked, joked and had a great time. We are a friendly, outgoing family, quite loquacious. We talked to different participants before the race and during, and cheered them on as they looped back. <br />
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At one point, my oldest sister said, "I'm having the best time I can remember!" Later the other siblings shared similar sentiments.<br />
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As people returned and ran in the opposite lane I cheered, gave my buddy Bill (who finished 4th, first in age group) a high-five. I loved it. And I was surprised how much I enjoyed running 12 minute miles in a 5K...but that'll have to wait for another blog.<br />
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My oldest sister was pooped and began to walk and my dad hung back with her. My other sister and baby brother decided to keep going, so I paced them. My youngest sister exercises regularly, but has exercise induced asthma, has been ill, just moved to a new town and has a new job...and hadn't worked out in a month. My brother has been trying to get into a running routine, but also has just moved to a new state (back to Arizona), has a new job, and has two young children. We talked about and had a great time, just the three of us. I can't remember spending time with us three only ever before.<br />
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As we approached the finish line I was in the middle. My sister leaned over and said, "Whatever you do, beat Nathan!" You'd have to know the family dynamics to catch the full meaning, but needless to say, somethings never change...and it cracked me up! I didn't though, I let them both cross in front of me.<br />
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After turning in my tag, I went back out to catch the rest of the team. My sister joined me. We caught my dad and sister and walked back with them. Eventually my sister-in-law, niece and nephew and brother showed up.<br />
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We cheered as a 79 year old man zoomed past us to finish.<br />
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If I haven't conveyed the fact that we had a GREAT time, I'm remiss. Let me offer this evidence:<br />
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The picture is my dad first, me second and my SIL Katie, with her son Matthew on her shoulders. Matthew has MD and, while I've not shared this with my family, on my RoadID is inscribed, "Race For Those That Can't," and it's for him. But more on <i>that</i> later, too.<br />
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Now what would a family outing be without two things...first, the cute thing, and second, the embarrassing thing.<br />
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1. First, cute. My nephew Matthew is stomping on ants. His little sister, Lainey, watches and studies, then copies in every detail. Typical ... <br />
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But Katie noticed that at the same time I began to stretch out my bum calf, my sister Amber watched and studied. Then she said, "Oh, that's what I should be doing now," and did exactly as I'd done.<br />
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2. It was a small race. My dad won first in his AG, but was the ONLY one in his AG. When he was called up for his prize, he took a picture with the Easter Bunny, as all winners had done. And he said, "Where's the Playboy Bunny." Of course, my mother was horrified and somehow fulfilled, as if she <i>knew</i> he would say just that.<br />
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I was raised with the notion that a family that eats together stays together. But I think that this run was the strongest bonding experience I've experienced with my family. I'm so happy that everybody participated and am truly touched by the whole experience.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1