Ironman New Zealand Update.

Well last night I got in my infamous hour swim. My split for 4000 yards ( The IM distance was) 53 min so that's go enough for a top 50 placing. I managed to crank out 4500 total yards. in 60 min. So all in all not a bad night. My long ride on tap has been scrapped..last night as we were closing up our normal Saturday part timer, called in ...cough cough sick...so instead of cranking out laps and miles I was cranking out deposits and withdrawls. I did get in 15 miles around the lake a woefully short ride. Tommorrow I'll go to early mass and head up to the Lake for my long ride/long run brick. All and all not much to talk about. I'm thinking of posting a new poll along with this week's current poll. Who will finish higher at the Disney Marathon: Leena or Angry? Inquiring minds want to know.

My swim coach is going to kick my ass.

Yep that's right Stef Karas has decided to see how fast this long distance glutten for suffering can crank it. Friday night I have my Hour swim.

The Goal: over 4000 yards. If I can't get that in it might be a long ..er day in Taupo.
Goal yardage: haven't set that yet.
What I plan to do afterward: I would set up my bike trainer on the pool deck but the guards might frown on that. So the hot tub is looking good.

Tonight was pretty good a 4500 yard workout. main set 500 on 7:00 1000 on 14:30 500 on 7:00. I managed to pull a 6:38 on my first 500 a 13:30 on the 1000 and I have no clue what I did on my second 500 I know it was under 7 min. if that counts.
I also got on one of those Expresso road race simulator bikes....I will say this no where close to the real deal... although I did manage to climb a 34% grade....at 9 mph. And did a 40min time split for an 11 mile mostly up hill course. Also got in some time with the weights...man I feel weak I could barely lat pull 50lbs. After the the Ironman its time for some serious strength training. All and all nothing new in da hood. Tomorrow's weather is supposed to suck, don't know if I'll run outdoors, the spinervals and charmichael training tapes look tempting. Anyway I need sleep long day at the office.

Oh on the side note last semester's grades are in. I got straight A's and made it back on dean's list...Wahoo!

The Flattener of the Fast Lane
R.D.

You Can't Coach Desire....

I bumped into my Old track coach on Monday at the Y. After a few minutes of shooting the shit, we got to talking about the team. He started complaining that none of his current kids like to work, and as result the cross country and track teams have suffered a "fall from grace". It got me to thinking what was different when I ran there. Sure most of us weren't the next Prefontaine, but well all showed up to practice, we all bitched about coach because we didn't understand his style then...I think I sort of get it now....I think it was we had a desire to run, a desire to compete, a desire to bust each other's balls on the next long run. For me it was something different...I was told point blank Freshman Year "I would never be a Champion." Will I dispute the fact..no...In my shape freshman year it was a miracle I was cranking out sub-6 min miles. Now most guys probably would have quit hearing words like those, but the following day I was back at practice ready to bust my ass that much harder. I busted my ass for three more years and while it would be a great Hollywood style ending If I said I became Conference Champion in the 2 mile as a senior...The closest I came to a Varsity Gold was a 5th Place at The Waterbury City Championship. A bad result some would say, but not bad for a guy who was struggling to run a mile in 8th grade and was doing it in roughly the same time as it took me to do that top 5 3200.

Even Yesterday as I cranked out a 15 miler I ended up bumping in into one of the track Runners for Wilby High School in Waterbury. The kid was doing 7 miles in an old beat up pair of Asics he'd borrowed from his coach because his other pair were about to disintegrate, and like me he was running on a day where cold and sloppy road conditions kept most drivers at home.



I sort of got to thinking most of us bitch about not having THE Bike, or THE running shoes, or THE coach. But in essence all the $5000 tri bikes, $200/month coaching sessions, the newest running shoes, or God given VO2 max that would make the most competitve Kenyan tremble with fear, mean jack Shit if you don't have desire.



Alright that was my semi- soft post post for the year



R.D.

This Week's Poll.

Last week sucked mostly because my question sucked which I hope hasn't given me blog leporsy...(Don't visit his site he's unclean. UNCLEAN!) So now I have a new more controversal question....
Which of these 5 major bike brands are in your opinion the most overrated

Cervelo....or as I like to call it the Nazi bike. These things are spreading through transition areas across the country like a virus. Gone are the days when you go through the bike racks and admire truly unique machinery, any one remember those crazy Softrides, or how about the Merlins, or a full carbon Look Time trial bike.Now on almost every rack there are rows of P2 Carbons, Solists, P3 Carbons for those with the dinero or sponsorship. Cervelo has spread through the transition area like a plauge. Why? Friendlness towards triathletes? Results? ( enter Chrissie Wellington here.) Manical marketing plots for world domination? Idk? I just hate it when people become part of the herd.

Trek: Now I have nothing against the brand. Made in the USA...kinda sorta...if Tawain is a new State....Carried Lance to TDF Glory along with some kid called Contador. Their Time trial bikes are decent, road bikes are sexy so why did I put them in the poll? For the 50 something mid-life crisis CEO's that throw a size XXXL Discovery Channel Yellow Jersey on then they mount a $10,000 piece of speedass and do it no justice. I have nothing against riding to get in shape or emulate Lance but please don't desecrate the TTX 9.9 yes its fast but trian to go fast to be worthy of such a bike...buy a Pilot or a nice 105 equipped rig to train on then go for the speedass.That's what Lance would want you to do.

Specialized: My brand....Bob Why the F**K did you put your brand in the poll? Two Reasons
1. For the legions of the Cervelo army to get a chance to fire a pot shot.
2. Those freaking I am Specialized Commercials. Effective marketing yes but so is Team Quick Step sprinting to Glory...Macca lording over the lava fields, Peter Reid giving S-Works his seal of approval...man this marketing scheme is almost as bad as Cervelo's....minus the free t-shirt to all the guys who rode their bikes at Kona.

Cannondale: The C dizzle or as some in the industry have dubbed it "Crack and fail" granted the term was used for the mountian bikes. But still it does leave a lingering stigma. Granted Team Barloworld, Faris Al Sultan and others have riden them to great accomplishments....The jury is out What is your verdict?

Litespeed/QRoo : Once upon at time there were two companies. One (QRoo) made triathlon specific wetsuits and bicycles. The other (Litespeed) made bikes out of this wonder material called Titanium Alloy, which was just as light as carbon fiber but a little bit stronger. Then some guys in the lab found away to make carbon fiber ( "Titanium is dead!"they exclaimed.)and the guys at lightspeed had to think fast to CTA (cover their assests). So they bought out QRoo and made deals that if you fork over $5000 you get a high end bike and a free wetsuit. Now from what I hear QRoo makes some mean products, but I have to be a little leary if you're giving me a wetsuit with my bike...its sort of saying " you need a 3 minute advantage on the swim because everybody and their brother is going to fly by as soon as you leave T1."

Ones that should have but didn't make the list:

Motobecane...in the 70's they were Euro Gods...then disco died....granted $1100 for full Ultegra is pretty sweet.

BMC: $12,000 for a custom TT1 Time Machine Frame comes with your choice of Phonack Testosterone or Team Astana EPO...

Kuota: Ok so Normann Stadler is sex on wheels and you think its the bike......seriously I didn't see the Kueen K patting him on the back or healing his GI distress.

Krestel: Macca's former ride. The day he signed with Specialized "Baby come back "could be heard blaring in the sobbing manager's office.

ok now that I've insulted the bike industry I will go langish at why no one wants to sponsor me. Hope you get some laughs.

Still Specialized
R.D.

Alud lang Syme....or however you spell it.

Well happy New Year everybody from the crazy kid training for an Ironman in the midst of a New England winter. I could end this year with a post that's classy, inspirational, and heartwarming but if you're not a regular reader you know that's not my style...ok maybe it is my style make that New Years' resolution #1 develop unique writing style. well since this is my last blog in the 2 to the 007 I guess I have to end with a couple of top ten lists

Top 10 things that made me cry or close to crying in 2007

10. the scene in Rocky 3 when mickey died.

9. Finishing my first marathon ( I didn't cry but I was damn close.)

8. The continuing rising death toll in the Iraq war.

7. The Cleveland Indians losing the ALCS to the Boston Red Sox

6. The New york Yankees losing the divisional series to the Indians ( in anger)

5. The Red Sox Winning the World Series. ( In anger)

4. The Hoyts on Real Sports with Byrant Gumble

3. Finishing my First Half Iron.

2. Macca Winning Kona.

1. First watching the Blazeman video on You Tube.

Top 10 greatest moments in 2007

10. Finding out how to work this whole blogspot thing from Angry Runner.

9. Finishing on the podium at Waramaug

8. Getting in a 40 mile ride with Claire in freezing temps.

7. Getting in the infamous "mother of All Bricks" With Angry.

6. Signing up for IM New Zealand

5. Winning my age group at the Litchfield Hills Tri

4. Finishing on the podium for my First Half Iron (tie) Joining HEAT

3. Getting the day off from work, finishing in the top 10 overall, and Meeting Claire at the Nutmeg State Sprint.

2. Finishing the Marathon in Nashville

1. Winning my Age group at the Nutmeg State Half Iron.

Top 10 Worst Racing moments of 2007

10. When the clouds opened up with 1 mile left in the griskus sprint

9. Getting passed by Georgetown Mike at the Nutmeg State Sprint and dropping to second in my age groupr.

8. The bike leg of the Nutmeg State Half...nuff said.

7. Nearly taking out the guy behind my as I went through an aid station at the Patriot Half.

6. Finding out the hard way that there were only two portolets on the Patriot Half Run and they were 2 miles apart.

5. Getting passed for third place in my age group within the last half mile of the Pat Griskus Sprint tri.

4. The swim at Niantic Bay......you know its bad when my bike split is better than my swim split.

3.Mile 15 of the Country Music Marathon when I had to wait for 5 minutes to get into a portolet.

2. The run leg of the Park City Mossman and the aftermath...GI distress is never pretty.

1. Mile 23 of the Country Music Marathon...it added a whole new definition to the word pain.

Those were just a tiny fragment of the memories from 2007...2008 looks to have just as many if not more moments like these. Happy New Year!

Riding into the future

R.D.

What do I have to do to get 100 miles in.

Yesterday's long ride was productive but I'm not sure if it was productive enough. I got in 8 loops of the lake (65 miles), before having to "use the facilities" numb feet, imending darkness, and a rip roaring headache forced me to stop. I got in a good 4 hours in the saddle..so if I can maintain a 16-17 mph pace i'm looking at a 6:30 bike split. On my 5th loop I managed to meet up with Greg, a local cyclists/cycling coach logging 50 miles on his cross bike. Shot the shit told him I was doing an Ironman..asked who I was working with...Told him I was self coached at the moment but I'll probably work with John Hirsch once I have the dinero and get a little more serious...when I don't have this whole school thing going on. Definately talked up John and told me to invest in a power tap when I have the greenbacks. I found out that having a single large back pocket is not as good as having the standard three. Now with the three pockets you can seperate one pocket for powerbars, one pocket for gels, one pocket for EPO syringes, last will and testament, 9mm if riding through the North End of Hartford. Also winter gloves make picking up gel packs near impossible. Also cold weather tends to freeze already rock hard powerbars but irregardless I managed to get adaquate fuel, although this cold weather riding screws with hydration, you need it but you don't feel like you need to drink...it's just a mess. I figure when I get to NZ I'll plan on going through at least 1 gatorade every hour and a bottle of water every 10 miles....pretty much I'll set a base hydration plan and adjust according to the weather. Fuel wise I plan on going through at least 4 gels and 2 powerbars on the bike, which seems about average figure a gel at the 13 and 25 mile mark a bar at the 45 mile and 60 mile mark then gels at the 75 and 90 mile marks. Once again these are base estimates and will be adjusted with hunger and the amount of fluid taken in. I want to be well fueled but I don't want a 15-20 min. T2 time from "quality reading time". Anyhow the loops were uneventful. I spent a good deal of time in the aerobars, but only managed to average 16 mph, which is what I'll probably average in Taupo maybe I might be a little faster due to some "net"downhills but all in all I plan for a comfortable ride and a Macca-esque suffer fest on the run. This weekend looks to be clear and above freezing so I'll probably be back at the lake looking for more punishment....I hope to get all these long rides out of my system before Classes resume late this month. Afterall I won't beable to justfy spending 6 hours on a bike when I've got a 20 page paper on Yasir Arfat's hemroids looming over me. So that's how I spent my weekend on tap for today is a quick trip to the waterbury Y for 3000 yards in the pool before they close for the holiday, maybe a run it's still above freezing otherwise I'll ring in the New year with a trainer ride and year in review blog post before champange and finger foods.

The Lord of the Lake
R.D.