Well I raced yesterday. When I got up a 7am to pack all the stuff in my car ( because I'd be going straight from work to the race.) I was seriously considering not racing. I spent the morning as I packed and got ready for work thinking of excuses..."my dog ate my running flats." No too overused..."I'm tapering for a marathon session at work..." no...too lame, after finding no real excuses to get out of it I decided I'd better go...otherwise there'd be one really pissed off guy on Shelter Island threatening to kick my ass with his crutches....afterall he would kill to do any race right now...granted when he makes his comeback tour next summer things are going to be very interesting in the 25-29 age group.
So I slumped through my 7 hours at work and pulled an Indiana Jones style arrival at Quassy getting all my stuff ready just in time to be at the water's edge @ 5:45PM..thank you to the volunteer who sturggled with my wetsuit zipper for five minutes to help me get the damn thing on.
The Boxing Match ...er I mean swim.
At 6PM the first wave went off. We were a "elite" swim wave...ie the guys who finished in the top 50 last year or the race director just happens to know, or happen to be in the paper all the time for winning their events in the high school swim season. When the gun went off I tried to stay with the lead pack of swimmers and instead found my self in a boxing match with the guy on my left. Every 4 strokes one of us was hitting the other in the head. I would try to aim right going as far over as I could without hitting the buoys and it was like he was powerless against my wake and would continue to come far right with me. I finally lost him at the turn around and had clear water all the way back to the beach, and began to strip off the wetsuit. They shouted my Split as 11:15 and after the run up to the beach it was recorded as 12:03 not too shabby but almost 2 minutes slower than the leaders.
The bike: Red line it.
After a somewhat slow transition...seriously for a Half IM 1:27 would be blazing. I hammered out of T-1 and tried to make up as much ground as possible on some of the spots I had lost granted I started getting passed like it was my job at about the 5 mile mark. I managed to keep on group of riders in sight and made them my goal group to keep contact with as I took all the climbs after mile 5 in the big ring...including the "Smiling Death Last Hill". It showed as I dropped nearly a 30 seconds off of last year's split a 31:58.
The Run: Just don't puke.
I got off the bike and after another somewhat slow transition ( I almost ran out the bike in.) It was onto the run. I spotted Tony, my running partner ( who would also win the 25-29 men's group.), just about 100 meters in front so I pushed to catch up with him. All the liquid I had taken in on the bike was rearing it's ugly head and thought I was going to be pulling a Linda Blair and puking Green Gatorade, but somehow it stood down. I caught Tony by the first Aid station and we paced together trying to reel in some of the faster cyclists. By the last hill my legs had had it and I watched helplessly as Tony motored away. I still motored along trying to see if I could break the 20 min. barrier for a 5k I came up 14 seconds short, as I ran a 20:13. I broke the tape in 1:06:41 about a minute and change faster than last year. Good enough for 36th overall ( if you count the three relays that beat me.) and 3rd in my age group for the second year in a row. Next year I enter Tony's domian in the 25-29 bracket. Be afraid guys be very afraid.
Josie also managed to medal in her age group as one of the 25-29 women won the overall...her feat was quite impressive since her pre race nutrition consisted of Indian food. Amazing feat for the Iron stomach.
On the age group thing here's the kicker the two guys that beat me both beat me in the swim. The guy who won my AG was the first overall out of the water and managed to back up his aqua skills with the fastest run split in my AG. I tied for the second fastest run split in my AG nearly 3 minutes slower...yeah homeboy was fast.
Also this week's sign of the Apocalypse: I threw down the fastest bike split in my age group...I know I'm sacred too....I think I was possessed by the Spirit of Bjoern.
Well all that said and done time to knuckle down for Providence...
R.D.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Race week
Well it's here, race week. I have a sprint on Wednesday, then two days of light training and then the race Sunday...and the big question? Is a crazy dream worth economic suicide. Part of me feels that if I get that Kona slot I should just turn it down...save my money after all Kona isn't going anywhere and when I'm 30+ I'd be better prepared for it, I might enjoy it more. But the other part of me is this could be a one time shot...one of those deals that you get only once, and either you take it or you don't. Either you suck it up and go after you dream or you kill it. You end up Moonlight Graham, that 70 year old doctor still wondering what it would have been like to get that one major leauge at bat as a 20 year old kid. If I get that slot there is going to be a lot of soul searching and cost benefit analysis going on in those 10-20 minutes from result posting to roll down.
My training this weekend went well. Lots of miles in the saddle and an open water swim. I needed to fix the front deraileur but luckily I had the issue on a training ride not a race. My new HEAT gear in today. The jersey is a little snug but it'll stretch with a few races. When I throw on my race gear nothing else matters...it's just go like Hell and hang on for dear life. Sure there's a stack of bills on the table worries on if I'll get my degree over the summer or if I'll have to suck it up until December, the real world questions of what to do with my life. But those are for pre-race and post race in the race there is nothing else that matters but the finish line.
Part of me wonders if racing is worth all that I put into it. Sure it makes me happy but is it worth the time I could devote to a second job. Is it worth the money I put into it...after all my stack of bills isn't getting any smaller. Is it make me focus more on the short term and not enough on the long term? I really don't know if it's hindering or improving my life but I do know I'd be partially empty without it.
My training this weekend went well. Lots of miles in the saddle and an open water swim. I needed to fix the front deraileur but luckily I had the issue on a training ride not a race. My new HEAT gear in today. The jersey is a little snug but it'll stretch with a few races. When I throw on my race gear nothing else matters...it's just go like Hell and hang on for dear life. Sure there's a stack of bills on the table worries on if I'll get my degree over the summer or if I'll have to suck it up until December, the real world questions of what to do with my life. But those are for pre-race and post race in the race there is nothing else that matters but the finish line.
Part of me wonders if racing is worth all that I put into it. Sure it makes me happy but is it worth the time I could devote to a second job. Is it worth the money I put into it...after all my stack of bills isn't getting any smaller. Is it make me focus more on the short term and not enough on the long term? I really don't know if it's hindering or improving my life but I do know I'd be partially empty without it.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
One step closer to a crazy dream.
I just read through the athlete's packet for The K-Swiss/ Amica Ironman Providence 70.3. There are 3 Clearwater and 2 Kona slots up for grabs in my Age group. So my margin for error has gone from having to podium to having to top 5 to be assured something and top 10 to have a chance. I just hope the bank has enough to cover this. I guess I have to look at it this way if Kona is meant to be then it will happen by some means. The best I can do is race my ass off and worry about getting there after I get there. I still have a 1.2 mile swim 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run to get through with New England's best young guns. Guys that in the past have been able to tear my race to pieces with blazing cycle legs and runs splits that make me look like a tortoise. Because of this there is still a shot I'd finish where I did last year and not even be in the neighborhood of qualifying. Hence it is a bridge I will cross if/when I get there.
Until then I've got to go like hell there are some things I can control and other things I can't. On July 12 the only thing I can do is move forward at a hopefully swift rate of speed, and maybe when the chips are down and the dust has settled I will have my Kona Slot and then I can work on the implications of that. But until then I've got to keep training,I've got to keep working, I've got to keep moving forward....
R.D.
Until then I've got to go like hell there are some things I can control and other things I can't. On July 12 the only thing I can do is move forward at a hopefully swift rate of speed, and maybe when the chips are down and the dust has settled I will have my Kona Slot and then I can work on the implications of that. But until then I've got to keep training,I've got to keep working, I've got to keep moving forward....
R.D.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Heart Issues Claim another one...
Everyone already knows about the tragic death of Steve Larsen from Cardiac issues. Unfortunately today I found out yet another uber biker had his career tragically cut short. Torbjorn Sindballe, retired (Click here for the story ) due to a malformed valve in his heart. Luckily he was able to catch it before it cost him his life, but still it sucks to see such a great athlete's career cut short but a genetic defect.
This leads me to think about my own athletic career. Heart Conditions run in my family. Part genetics, part high stress, part really shitty eating habits. I have a feeling that as I get into my40's and 50's residue of McDonald's burgers past will rear their ugly head, so I should probably start worrying about that now along with my bills, degree, trying to make something of myself, my job...essentially I should probably start eating better so I'm not forking over $75 a month for my Grandfather's Blood thinner cocktail...or worse...keel over on my 10 miler.
R.D.
This leads me to think about my own athletic career. Heart Conditions run in my family. Part genetics, part high stress, part really shitty eating habits. I have a feeling that as I get into my40's and 50's residue of McDonald's burgers past will rear their ugly head, so I should probably start worrying about that now along with my bills, degree, trying to make something of myself, my job...essentially I should probably start eating better so I'm not forking over $75 a month for my Grandfather's Blood thinner cocktail...or worse...keel over on my 10 miler.
R.D.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Busy Weekend: Or did Bobby get his Groove back?
The short version:
I donated Money to the Indians.
I rode my bike pretty quick on Saturday.
I rode my bike somewhat long and felt like my old self again on Sunday.
Friday: Casino Night
Well in our quest for Wampum we got wamped by the Mohegans.
Saturday: I went out to Lake Waramaug and did a nice "on the rivet" Time trial. I did one loop of the Lake in the small ring to warm up. Then 3 loops in the big ring riding "on the rivet" or right on the front of the saddle for optimum power. Let me tell you this is not the most comfortable postion on a bike but it is powerful. I was back up to my old speeds on the front half of the lake as I was hammering the whole 23+ miles (roughly 40k). I managed to average 21.5mph. Not as fast as the "good cyclist." But getting back in the right direction. I cooled down with a 2-3 mile spin in the easy gears for a total of about 33 miles.
Sunday: I met up with Josie at about 1:30 to get our long ride in. In her words either I was riding well or she was riding lousy ( recovering from a migraine) because I led most of the ride. Including the hills. Now this is shocking for three reasons.
1) Josie is built like a climber. She's small and she's light. She has about a 50-60 lbs. weight advantage over me when it comes to going up steep inclines.
2) She rides a compact crank...which means while I'm cranking out massive watts in my "Manly Climbing Gear" (The standard 39 tooth small ring on 52 X39 Crank set. Compacts usually have a 50 tooth Big ring and a 30-34 tooth small ring.) trying to get up hill, she can spin by merrily and more efficiently.
3) She rides a full carbon Spawn of Satan...I mean Cervelo. Regardless Carbon Fiber is lighter than Aluminum and definitely hurts less when you go over roads that haven't been paved since Jimmy Carter was in the White House.
Anyhoo the ride was pretty uneventful. I met up with Dave a fellow Tri geek as we did our loops of the lake and then on our second loop we hunted down an older Gentleman on a White Giant.
He Proceeded to charge in front of us on a quick up hill. I proceeded to chase him down and drop him like a bad habit on the flat. ( OOORAH Man Gear!) The rest of the ride was Bobby vs. the Climbing efficiency of the Compact as I tried to put out as many watts as my legs could muster. decided to borrow a tip from Normann Stadler in which he said " I like to suffer on the bike...I need pain I just love it." So on Route 109 I went out with full intensions to make myself suffer. In Bethlehem this worked well as I usually had a nice decent to help give me momentum up the climbs but as we hit Woodbury Josie climbing advantage won out yet again. I managed to get around her on the flat and hold her off back to the car. The ride went pretty well we averaged just over 17 mph including the "rest loop" around the lake.
While I'll probably not be up to Speedy Claire's Blazing Bike splits anytime soon...and Josie will probably be back to her Lance Armstrong style climbing skills that kills, it was a good day in the saddle. Hopefully I can at least match my bike split from Providence Last year and maybe...dare I say it. Get that slot I've been coveting for the last 3 years.
Today not much on tap an 8-9 mile run and 3500 yard pool workout. Just enough to keep in shape.
R.D.
I donated Money to the Indians.
I rode my bike pretty quick on Saturday.
I rode my bike somewhat long and felt like my old self again on Sunday.
Friday: Casino Night
Well in our quest for Wampum we got wamped by the Mohegans.
Saturday: I went out to Lake Waramaug and did a nice "on the rivet" Time trial. I did one loop of the Lake in the small ring to warm up. Then 3 loops in the big ring riding "on the rivet" or right on the front of the saddle for optimum power. Let me tell you this is not the most comfortable postion on a bike but it is powerful. I was back up to my old speeds on the front half of the lake as I was hammering the whole 23+ miles (roughly 40k). I managed to average 21.5mph. Not as fast as the "good cyclist." But getting back in the right direction. I cooled down with a 2-3 mile spin in the easy gears for a total of about 33 miles.
Sunday: I met up with Josie at about 1:30 to get our long ride in. In her words either I was riding well or she was riding lousy ( recovering from a migraine) because I led most of the ride. Including the hills. Now this is shocking for three reasons.
1) Josie is built like a climber. She's small and she's light. She has about a 50-60 lbs. weight advantage over me when it comes to going up steep inclines.
2) She rides a compact crank...which means while I'm cranking out massive watts in my "Manly Climbing Gear" (The standard 39 tooth small ring on 52 X39 Crank set. Compacts usually have a 50 tooth Big ring and a 30-34 tooth small ring.) trying to get up hill, she can spin by merrily and more efficiently.
3) She rides a full carbon Spawn of Satan...I mean Cervelo. Regardless Carbon Fiber is lighter than Aluminum and definitely hurts less when you go over roads that haven't been paved since Jimmy Carter was in the White House.
Anyhoo the ride was pretty uneventful. I met up with Dave a fellow Tri geek as we did our loops of the lake and then on our second loop we hunted down an older Gentleman on a White Giant.
He Proceeded to charge in front of us on a quick up hill. I proceeded to chase him down and drop him like a bad habit on the flat. ( OOORAH Man Gear!) The rest of the ride was Bobby vs. the Climbing efficiency of the Compact as I tried to put out as many watts as my legs could muster. decided to borrow a tip from Normann Stadler in which he said " I like to suffer on the bike...I need pain I just love it." So on Route 109 I went out with full intensions to make myself suffer. In Bethlehem this worked well as I usually had a nice decent to help give me momentum up the climbs but as we hit Woodbury Josie climbing advantage won out yet again. I managed to get around her on the flat and hold her off back to the car. The ride went pretty well we averaged just over 17 mph including the "rest loop" around the lake.
While I'll probably not be up to Speedy Claire's Blazing Bike splits anytime soon...and Josie will probably be back to her Lance Armstrong style climbing skills that kills, it was a good day in the saddle. Hopefully I can at least match my bike split from Providence Last year and maybe...dare I say it. Get that slot I've been coveting for the last 3 years.
Today not much on tap an 8-9 mile run and 3500 yard pool workout. Just enough to keep in shape.
R.D.
Friday, June 26, 2009
I guess part of me is looking for trouble...
Well tonight my buddy Ryan from Nashville, The Angry One, and my friend Adam will be making our Semi-annual trip to the Mohegans in hopes of bringing back much Wampum...hopefully they won't wampus in the process.
Here are the draw backs tomorrow I have work and a ride I can't miss. So there will be little to no "liquid courage" going down my gullet tonight. Also it's a Friday so we need to find the rare $5 table and hit it hard until it becomes a $10 table. Hopefully Ryan's luck, Angry's Probability Skills, Adam's cyncism, and my risk taking will be a mutually profitable proposition. But enough on the Craps table.
Yesterday I got a 9 miler in for my first run since Patriot. This morning I threw down about 3000 yards in the pool as I was into work late. Tomorrow a Ride/ run brick is in order. Sunday another ride/ Run Brick ( more emphasis on the run on Sunday.) The training is coming along but having Ryan in town has helpped me get some of the rest I need. Also my race photos are posted at Capstone. I like the run pics but I look like Jabba the hut on the bike. I need to do more weight work so that will be my focus after Providence because if I'm going to Kona I'm going to need it for endurance and injury prevention, or if I'm not I'm going to need the strength and power.
Well that's it for me Come on 5 be good to Bobby!
R.D.
Here are the draw backs tomorrow I have work and a ride I can't miss. So there will be little to no "liquid courage" going down my gullet tonight. Also it's a Friday so we need to find the rare $5 table and hit it hard until it becomes a $10 table. Hopefully Ryan's luck, Angry's Probability Skills, Adam's cyncism, and my risk taking will be a mutually profitable proposition. But enough on the Craps table.
Yesterday I got a 9 miler in for my first run since Patriot. This morning I threw down about 3000 yards in the pool as I was into work late. Tomorrow a Ride/ run brick is in order. Sunday another ride/ Run Brick ( more emphasis on the run on Sunday.) The training is coming along but having Ryan in town has helpped me get some of the rest I need. Also my race photos are posted at Capstone. I like the run pics but I look like Jabba the hut on the bike. I need to do more weight work so that will be my focus after Providence because if I'm going to Kona I'm going to need it for endurance and injury prevention, or if I'm not I'm going to need the strength and power.
Well that's it for me Come on 5 be good to Bobby!
R.D.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Operation Re-gain Manhood:
After some ample smack talk between myself and Speedy Claire I have gone through three stages of bad bike leg guilt: which has left me considering am I good enough? To the I need to make myself suffer this weekend mantra , to the almost throwing down some obsurd challenge like You and me chica IM NZ this March ( or a North American Equivalent) a take no Prisoners Battle Royale for 140.6 miles... let's see your bike speed save you now...kinda dare. Granted I realize that in that last instance my balls are larger than my check book. ( proabably still swollen from the pounding they got this weekend.)
I have come to one conclusion...My cycling sucks. Ok so it's not bad...but for the times I want to go and the way I like to compete, it's just not at the level I want.
I could sit here and blame my gearing at Patriot for my "poor" cycle leg all day long...but my biking needs and overhaul. Comparing swim and run splits to the guys in my age group my Run was one of the best my swim is one of the best, but my 56 mile ride is pathetic. The top guys in my AG beat me handily...Claire beat me handily hell they all could have gotten massages, taken showers and ordered a pizza waiting for me to come off the bike. I need to make myself suffer on the bike on Saturday and Sunday. Josie is getting an email and the orders not to stop and wait for me on our normal 100k ride ( unless I'm like on the side of the road in a puddle of my own blood or I suffer a major mechanical like both derailleur cables snap leaving me in the Big Ring- 12). I need to get faster so I have to set a goal of staying within 5 minutes of her. I need to go hunting damn it I need to go past the point of pain, bonking, exhaustion I just need to lay on the hammer for an entire ride or until I go into Krakatoa mode, and end up a nuked, shelled, quivering mass on the side of the road, covered in his own tears, blood, dried sweat and vomit. I need to not treat my training rides as comfortable I need to go out an anhilate myself, ride routes that's sole goals are the destruction of my psyche and body. I need to beat myself like a red-haired step child I need to look at my bike and equate it with pain. I need to suffer....and then wake up and do it all over again for a week straight.
The guy riding with a ball gag.
R.D.
I have come to one conclusion...My cycling sucks. Ok so it's not bad...but for the times I want to go and the way I like to compete, it's just not at the level I want.
I could sit here and blame my gearing at Patriot for my "poor" cycle leg all day long...but my biking needs and overhaul. Comparing swim and run splits to the guys in my age group my Run was one of the best my swim is one of the best, but my 56 mile ride is pathetic. The top guys in my AG beat me handily...Claire beat me handily hell they all could have gotten massages, taken showers and ordered a pizza waiting for me to come off the bike. I need to make myself suffer on the bike on Saturday and Sunday. Josie is getting an email and the orders not to stop and wait for me on our normal 100k ride ( unless I'm like on the side of the road in a puddle of my own blood or I suffer a major mechanical like both derailleur cables snap leaving me in the Big Ring- 12). I need to get faster so I have to set a goal of staying within 5 minutes of her. I need to go hunting damn it I need to go past the point of pain, bonking, exhaustion I just need to lay on the hammer for an entire ride or until I go into Krakatoa mode, and end up a nuked, shelled, quivering mass on the side of the road, covered in his own tears, blood, dried sweat and vomit. I need to not treat my training rides as comfortable I need to go out an anhilate myself, ride routes that's sole goals are the destruction of my psyche and body. I need to beat myself like a red-haired step child I need to look at my bike and equate it with pain. I need to suffer....and then wake up and do it all over again for a week straight.
The guy riding with a ball gag.
R.D.
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