Well as seen by the last post's date I've been too busy to blog so i'm going to do a quick half assed wrap up of the last 72 hours.
Wed. Worked until 4:30Pm told Bev, the branch's assistant manager that I'm fundraising for ALS. She's like cool, will they pay your travel
Me: no but the money I'm raising for goes to research.
Get out of work Pack Enrico into the car along with my swim gear. Haul out to Cheshire and Crank out 21 miles on the bike paths. It was a little damp but not too slick. No one was really out so I was able to get aero and stay aero for most of the ride. Cranked it out in 1:09 at an average speed of 18.6 mph.
Went to the Waterbury Y got in a decent swim work out (3300 yds. main set was 10x 100 on 1:25 I was holding 1:18 on most of them.)
Got home collasped sleep came and morning folowed the second day....
Thurs. No real work out. ( Slept through my alarm. cussed to self went back to sleep until 8am woke up with a holy shit I've got to be at work in half an hour.)
Worked
got out a 6:30 hauled out to Terramuggus to watch some of my college team homies race. Got there at 7:45 just as the last of them finished. Stuck around for the give aways BSing with Anthony got a t-shirt, bike polish and a swim cap. BS ed with 2006 IM Female Age Group World Champion Donna Kay Ness. She's not going to Kona this year (achilles is acting up) BSed with Cristiano ( Not doing IM Flordia in 07 looking to do IM NZ in 09 ...Guys we may need a HEAT Tent and Beer Shipped to Taupo). Anthony won gift cert. to loco perro...go get tacos shoot the shit for an hour. I drive 66 back to 691 and 322 home ( I hate that freaking richtey old brigde in Portland). Collaspe..sleep came and morning followed the third day....
Friday:
Sleep through alarm again...cuss to self...deja vu... Go to Work ..Bev asks me to sign signature card....she opened a savings account for my travel expenses and ALS donations...say she's taking a collection for me ( thanks Bev)... work with a positive attitude all day...market manager comes in I tell him about my ALS fundraiser..says company can't really help and he can't really solicit. Gives me 20 bucks..I donate via debit card.. give him reciept. (Thanks Ken).
Get out of work early. Go home get swim gear. Drive out to West hill lake to meet, Ken, Vin, Ray, Jim, and Doug for an open Water swim. Forgot to bring a wet suit , so did Ken, the water was cold. Going out to the island ( about a mile away) it was like the Patriot Half the waves were choppy and pushing you back. I decide to sight off of Vin because he knew where he was going Ken flew by both of us. We got to the island Ken is freaking shivering sitting on one of the rocks ( damn 5% total body fat.) We wait for Jim, Ray, and Doug to come in. After about five minutes we decide to head back. ( to spare Ken a fatal bout of hypothermia.) Start heading back. We make a bearing on the boat launch sign at the other end of the lake. I started off good keeping up with Ken and Vin. but I kept having a hard time trying to sight, my freaking hair is too long and my bangs kept covering my goggles...time for a hair cut. ( that swim cap I got from Terramuggus was defective it's welded shut.) I dedcided to keep sighting the boat launch sign. As we got closer to the boat launch the waves that were slowing us down on the way out were pushing us in. At one point you could almost body surf on the waves ( to paraphrase Ken.) Not a bad little work out. Hang out with the guys for a couple minutes. Jim and Vin start drooling over Desiree Ficker, Jim talks about Karen Smyers and despite the fact she's in her late 40's battled cancer, had three kids, and has been messed up in more wrecks than any woman on the planet she's still hot and has " an ass that you could shoot a bullet at and it'll still bounce off." Ken and I talk about entering Madison as a Relay, (Ken =swim Me=bike ( en el trepidor de puntas...en ingles On The Bitch Stomper) Runner =TBA Cristiano, Angry, trainer, somebody? shit I'm going to be doing a dualthon. ) We're going to see if Cristiano wants in as the runner, other wise we must courrpt Skywalker to the dark side....I mean get Angry Runner to join HEAT either that or I will MAN UP and do the bike and run leg. Ken tries talking me into doing HammerFest and the Vilette 5k on the SAMEDAY.( Jedi mind trick) the jury's still out on wether or not I'm doing Hammerfest...I probably will if I have the funds.But in either case I will be racing somewhere in CT on September 16,2007. Tomorrow after work I'll get my cleats put on my racing shoes and will practce my sexy mount and dismount in Cheshire...( Angry you down for a mid- afternoon lesiurely ride.). In the mean time I'm tired . I'm going to try to get some sleep... but before I go I will launch another appeal to donate to the two worthy causes posted at this blog. Please Donate. Help Angry, myself and our respected charities Bitch Stomp these terrible diseases. Ok that was my desperate Appeal for the week.
R.D.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
This week is turning into run focus
Well after gutting out roughly 13 miles tonight ( in 2:01.20 roughly 9:25 /per mile pace..thanks to the pace calculator @ trizilla.com), I was too shot to get in what is a desperately needed swim work out...(always tomorrow morning). So far I've managed to swim 3800 yds and ran 13 miles this week so that whole idea of taper is out the window. ( Training for IM New Zealand began as soon as I crossed the finish line in New Hartford). Hopefully this weather will get its ass in gear and I'll be able to ride tomorrow. The picture below is me on trusty Enrico.
( if it's wet those bike trails are looking tempting and trusty Enrico ( my sister's nickname for my road bike.) will be getting action. The Michelin's at least have treads, and I don't want to wreck the tri bike on the eve of its first race...if it dries up however... I will be practicing my sexy shoeless mount and dismount.)Yes this is yet another shameless plug for a picture of The Bitch Stomper. ( I paid $1600 for it so I will be showing it off until I upgrade in 2 years or get sponsored by specialized and get the Mc Cormack Special.)
Yes I know you're jealous of this sexy piece of aluminum. Anyway that was what happened on this cold dreary day . I would also like to rant at this moment about Clif bars. Are CliffBars a natural laxative?
Seriously, every time I go for a run after eating one of these things, after 6 miles my bowels are like "too much fiber need to shit." Which is sad because I actually like the taste of the bars #1, and now it leaves me reeling for what type of solid food I should bring with me on the IM bike...looks like Bonita Bananas
will once again prove to be the food of choice for this IM New Zealand Athlete ( hence allowing them to cash in on the sponsorship deal.) Although Larabars
have a great taste and seem not to have a disastrous side effects with my gastric systems. But anyway today was a pretty fruitfull three town tour. I began my run from my home in Wolcott and darted down lyman road and potoccous ring rd. and across 69. I ran past scovil's dam then up Todd rd. Darted across CT 322 (Meriden rd. and ran down pierpont rd. I ran down Waterbury's east Main st. into Cheshire. ( Angry drove by in his Corolla as he was driving back from Hartford. He honked and started shouting as he crusied past at 45 mph.) Then up Byam rd. back through Waterbury and into Wolcott. Instead of killing my shins on the pitted back half of CT 322 I decided to run the way I came and darted down Todd road. As I approached the Wolcott Ambulance Barn I decided that I was not going to be able to keep that Clif Bar under wraps. After BS with the Paramedic ( who was one of my Pop's co workers) I used the facilities and took off to finish my run feeling about 10lbs. (I'm telling you those Clif bars sit like a rock.) lighter. Instead of going all the way back up Wolcott Rd. I decide not to turn onto Brooks hill Rd. and instead went down Munson and then up Kroger Crossing 69 onto the upper half of Potoccous Ring, and then followed Lyman and Chestnut back home. All in all it was and interesting and hard run. My legs will probably thank me for this abuse tomorrow but as they say no pain no gain.
R.D.
I'm Runin' in the the rain...just runin' in the rain.....
That's right it seems the calendar says August but the weather thinks its April, it's a wonderfully dreary, raw rainy day. The last check on my weather bug had it at 55 degrees ( where are all those global warming psychos now!) So now as I sit here and throw on my running shorts and long sleeves I'm now forced with a dilemma, do I taper for this week's olympic distance race on a flat multiple loop course in Brigdeport, or do I go for a 15-20 mile love fest to get my legs Half Iron and New Zealand ready....decisions ..decisions.... all I know is that if the weather stays like this I might as well run in a wet suit.
(Yes this is me and my bad ass self getting out of the water in 2nd at the Nutmeg State Sprint after being punked by a high school hot shot.)
On tap after my running bliss is another swim workout to get myself back into ass kicking bitch stomping shape so I can take a shot at the overall on Sunday.
Also please donate to the charities listed above...help your fellow human beings..help Angry Runner Bitch Stomp Leukemia and Lymphoma!
R.D.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Why do I race?
Why do I get up almost every weekend from the second week of June to the last week of September and push my body to the limit?
Psychosis?
High tolerance for pain?
Adrenaline Rush?
The fact that I eat enough food to feed a third world country and I don't want gastric bypass?
The fact that both my high school track and swim coaches told me I'd never be a champion and this is my way of spitting in their face?
To impress the ladies?
The Beer? ( Shout out to Raf, and the guys at HEAT!)
Full Blown Insanity?
No the answer is much more simple than that. I race because I can. ( see Patriot Half post when I missed spelt "Because" due to pure adrenaline rush and sleep deprivation). I've seen the you tube videos of Team Hoyt, I've watched ,been inspired by, and have quoted Blazeman ( if you believe that you can channel a spirit then I most certainly believe Jon Blais was with me on that run in Freetown.), I've seen 70 year old Nuns gut out an Ironman and finish with a moment to spare. I've seen great feats by people finishing tris with prosthetic legs, paralyzed people getting into racing wheelchairs a wheeling themselves through downtown Nashville for double their planned race. I've seen high school kids taking to the sport as I did when I was a luke warm shit ( I was never a hot shit) swimmer and track runner and gutting it out on mountain bikes or equipment from the 70's and 80's. I've watched up and coming athletes derailed by unplanned injury and illness, and seen the same athletes get back up and spit in the face of those who said they'd never compete again. I've watched a friend and teammate fight for her life and win, and I watched another teammate have her life cruelly end as it just began. I race because I know that today I am still able and tomorrow is an uncertainty. Today I could be fine, Tomorrow I could get hit by a car, I could get shot at the bank, I could get diagnosed with ALS, Leukemia, terminal cancer, erratic heartbeat, or one of a million things that could be fatal, Tomorrow I might not wake up and if I look back on 22 years of existence I want to know I did what I wanted and I want to know I left nothing on the table. I race for those who can no longer compete, I race for Alicia, for Lacey, For Lucille and Helen, For Jerry, For Martha, For Ray and Helene, For Michael, For Paul, For Bob, For Ken, For Blair, For Angry and Claire, For Jon, For Mom, For Pop, For Adam, For Ryan, For Chris, Chris, Ryan, and Will, For my sisters, for my brother, For Tom, For the HEATsters, For those who believed in me when I didn't, For those who pushed me when I felt I could not go on, For those I share the field of battle with, and for those who physically can not race, quite simply put I race because I can.
Psychosis?
High tolerance for pain?
Adrenaline Rush?
The fact that I eat enough food to feed a third world country and I don't want gastric bypass?
The fact that both my high school track and swim coaches told me I'd never be a champion and this is my way of spitting in their face?
To impress the ladies?
The Beer? ( Shout out to Raf, and the guys at HEAT!)
Full Blown Insanity?
No the answer is much more simple than that. I race because I can. ( see Patriot Half post when I missed spelt "Because" due to pure adrenaline rush and sleep deprivation). I've seen the you tube videos of Team Hoyt, I've watched ,been inspired by, and have quoted Blazeman ( if you believe that you can channel a spirit then I most certainly believe Jon Blais was with me on that run in Freetown.), I've seen 70 year old Nuns gut out an Ironman and finish with a moment to spare. I've seen great feats by people finishing tris with prosthetic legs, paralyzed people getting into racing wheelchairs a wheeling themselves through downtown Nashville for double their planned race. I've seen high school kids taking to the sport as I did when I was a luke warm shit ( I was never a hot shit) swimmer and track runner and gutting it out on mountain bikes or equipment from the 70's and 80's. I've watched up and coming athletes derailed by unplanned injury and illness, and seen the same athletes get back up and spit in the face of those who said they'd never compete again. I've watched a friend and teammate fight for her life and win, and I watched another teammate have her life cruelly end as it just began. I race because I know that today I am still able and tomorrow is an uncertainty. Today I could be fine, Tomorrow I could get hit by a car, I could get shot at the bank, I could get diagnosed with ALS, Leukemia, terminal cancer, erratic heartbeat, or one of a million things that could be fatal, Tomorrow I might not wake up and if I look back on 22 years of existence I want to know I did what I wanted and I want to know I left nothing on the table. I race for those who can no longer compete, I race for Alicia, for Lacey, For Lucille and Helen, For Jerry, For Martha, For Ray and Helene, For Michael, For Paul, For Bob, For Ken, For Blair, For Angry and Claire, For Jon, For Mom, For Pop, For Adam, For Ryan, For Chris, Chris, Ryan, and Will, For my sisters, for my brother, For Tom, For the HEATsters, For those who believed in me when I didn't, For those who pushed me when I felt I could not go on, For those I share the field of battle with, and for those who physically can not race, quite simply put I race because I can.
The Bitch Stomper Handling Trials.
Well on Saturday, dry conditions and cool temperatures made it conducive for me to official baptize The Bitch Stomper into my unique riding style ( ie aggressively attack everything but a 10% gradient down hill). I took my lovely aluminum "Trepidor de Puntas" ( Claire can you double check mi espanol) up to Lake Waramaug and ran it through three laps of the sprint course to get a feel for it. I will say that I learned several things in my test ride at waramaug and my Sunday twice around the blocker.
1) I am more comfortable breaking with bullhorn bars than I am with my road hoods.
2) I need to get better at shifting on climbs ( on those two bitch hills at Waramaug I nearly fell over on my first lap because it was in too high a gear.)
3) Bring on the Gale force winds at Eagleman and Kona I CAN BITCH STOMP THEM! ( During my lovely tour de lake I was nearly blown across the yellow line twice by 30+ mph wind gusts. I was never in jeopardy of being blown off the bike, but those damn cross winds kill your momentum.)
4) the thing turns on a dime very responsive.
5) I need to get used to unclipping my road shoes although I was clipping and unclipping like an expert today.
6) I need to learn how to clip my tri shoes so they're on the pedals and I can mount and dismount like a pro at Park City this weekend.
7) Michelin Ironman Pros ....nuff said.
8) New bike gear bag that will attach to my aero seat post.( my current saddle bag's post mount isn't large enough to fit around my new flat aero post and I had to use elastics to strap it in place this week end. )
9) I need to stay aero on anything that's not a hairpin turn, suicide decent..well screw the last one...or a climb.
10). HED H3's and an aero helmet?
11) Even if it cuts into the sexy aero tuck...hydrate...hydrate...hydrate!!!
Well after about 26 miles on the bike ( I know it's a short one but my mileage will be spiking after this weekend as I get into Half IM and IM mode) I went for a ten mile run, with my new fuel belt. I chugged around the Waramaug Bike loop and back down to where I parked my car in New Preston ( because there is no way in Hell I was paying 7 bucks to park at the State Park.) After 3 hours of biking and running bliss ( 1:33 on the bike and 1:29.5 on the run) My legs felt a little tight but they still seem ready to crank out a Half IM. I went and visited my Pops up in Winsted ( he was working the bitch double shift) So I brought him coffee and we watched the Firemen's carnival fireworks from the Health Center. Today was a lazy day. I went to church, cooked a cardiac nightmare breakfast ( bacon and eggs), and got in about 3 miles on the bike just for shits and giggles (I rolled through the burbs in my cycling shoes and cargo shorts, and got stares from all the middle school aged guys with their BMX toys, they were amazed any one could climb this one bitch hill by my house with out dismounting, their jaws dropped when they saw I never even got out of the saddle. BOO YAH!) So yeah Saturday I had a good hard workout and Today I sat on my ass and got fat. Tomorrow I will purge my high cholesterol treats from today out of my system with an ass kicking morning swim and a 6 mile run. Until then Happy Training!
R.D.
1) I am more comfortable breaking with bullhorn bars than I am with my road hoods.
2) I need to get better at shifting on climbs ( on those two bitch hills at Waramaug I nearly fell over on my first lap because it was in too high a gear.)
3) Bring on the Gale force winds at Eagleman and Kona I CAN BITCH STOMP THEM! ( During my lovely tour de lake I was nearly blown across the yellow line twice by 30+ mph wind gusts. I was never in jeopardy of being blown off the bike, but those damn cross winds kill your momentum.)
4) the thing turns on a dime very responsive.
5) I need to get used to unclipping my road shoes although I was clipping and unclipping like an expert today.
6) I need to learn how to clip my tri shoes so they're on the pedals and I can mount and dismount like a pro at Park City this weekend.
7) Michelin Ironman Pros ....nuff said.
8) New bike gear bag that will attach to my aero seat post.( my current saddle bag's post mount isn't large enough to fit around my new flat aero post and I had to use elastics to strap it in place this week end. )
9) I need to stay aero on anything that's not a hairpin turn, suicide decent..well screw the last one...or a climb.
10). HED H3's and an aero helmet?
11) Even if it cuts into the sexy aero tuck...hydrate...hydrate...hydrate!!!
Well after about 26 miles on the bike ( I know it's a short one but my mileage will be spiking after this weekend as I get into Half IM and IM mode) I went for a ten mile run, with my new fuel belt. I chugged around the Waramaug Bike loop and back down to where I parked my car in New Preston ( because there is no way in Hell I was paying 7 bucks to park at the State Park.) After 3 hours of biking and running bliss ( 1:33 on the bike and 1:29.5 on the run) My legs felt a little tight but they still seem ready to crank out a Half IM. I went and visited my Pops up in Winsted ( he was working the bitch double shift) So I brought him coffee and we watched the Firemen's carnival fireworks from the Health Center. Today was a lazy day. I went to church, cooked a cardiac nightmare breakfast ( bacon and eggs), and got in about 3 miles on the bike just for shits and giggles (I rolled through the burbs in my cycling shoes and cargo shorts, and got stares from all the middle school aged guys with their BMX toys, they were amazed any one could climb this one bitch hill by my house with out dismounting, their jaws dropped when they saw I never even got out of the saddle. BOO YAH!) So yeah Saturday I had a good hard workout and Today I sat on my ass and got fat. Tomorrow I will purge my high cholesterol treats from today out of my system with an ass kicking morning swim and a 6 mile run. Until then Happy Training!
R.D.
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