A lot's happended since I've been away..

Well first off I'd like to say that my Kona Predictions were shot. Macca proved that he's not dead yet..and can still throw down a lava burning marathon. So to him congrats. He made it interesting with his big move on the bike to get just enough distance on Crowie to win the thing. The big battle will be next year to see if Ralert will break through to win or If Macca or Crowie will join Peter the great, The Grip and The Man as the only men with 3 or more titles. The men's race proved to be amazingly competitive, and the run splits seemed a lot faster than last year as Chris Lieto was only 4 minutes off his 2009 marathon time that got him a Gutsy second place, but this year couldn't keep him in the top-10. Likewise Andy Potts looked strong in the early going but faded as well as another prerace favorite Rasmus Henning.

Likewise an unfortunate case of food poisoning made the women's race a little more interesting as Chrissie Wellington sat out and Mirinda Cafrae was able to run herself to her first world championship. Dibens scraped a podium, but other favorites simmed to fizzle on the lava. Essential Kona proved that given the right circumstances everything you thought you knew and could predict can go right out the window.

But enough of my pro- punditing. On the personal front I sent in an application to the Timex Triathlon Team. I'm still waiting to hear back from the Navy but if I can't serve my country I might as well try my luck at getting on the most recognized tri team on the planet.
I've been increasing my running and swimming and will be starting spin classes to try to get myself ready for next season in what can best be described as an all out war on myself.

Indeed two nights ago while out on a routine 4 miler my body gave out about 2 miles in. I was going at a fairly good clip but all of a sudden got a light headed feeling, then a cold sweat, I managed to walk for a mile to get myself settled and managed to run the last mile or so home but it was frightening. It was if my body just said no mas. The next day I managed to run the same route with no issue, so it put me at ease. It's just scarry anytime your body just gives out on you for no apparent reason, granted I had been fighting off a little head cold.
The swimming is gradually getting longer this week I've gotten in a 3500 and a 3700yard workout in and I'll try for 4000 tomorrow as I'm trying to get and keep my weekly yardage at over 10k yards.

I could go more into depth on the home and personal life front, but right now things are really complex...also add in some unpopular policy changes at work and the stress factor goes up about 20 notches so for the time being I'll just keep quiet on them. Although having training as an outlet has helped me to keep what's left of my sanity.

Tonight was pretty productive in the weight room, I was able to increase both my squat and bench weights. My squat is still a measly 8 reps at 135lbs. but I've been trying to focus on form, before I build on weight. Likewise my bench is at 125lbs, for 6 reps. I've been working on my breathing and am now able to do more than 20 push ups at a time, and my sit ups are averaging about 3 sets of 30-50. So the strength is coming back I just need to keep working on it.

All in all there's a lot in the works and it's just taking one day at a time.
R.D.

Kona Predictions for 2010

Well I'm noticing a spike on my blog especially on last year's who will win Kona Post. This year I've been sort of out of the loop as I didn't race long course or spend hours looming over Slowtwitch and Xtri. I didn't really pay attention to Ironman results or spend hours tabulating and cheering and following some of the best athletes in world in their massive athletic endeavors. essentially my participation in tri has been pretty lackluster this season. Part of it is envy of the guys going out and living the dream, the other part has been I've just got bigger worries this season.

Still people are looking for Kona predictions so I guess I better not disappoint.

The men:

I'm going to err on the side of caution and state the obvious: Craig Alexander is the clear ,hands down favorite and Lord have mercy on anyone who thinks they can woop him. Crowie can run and unless your name is Alberto Contador or Andy Schleck, he will run you down no matter how good your bike split is. Lieto knows it, Sindbale knew it, and at Rev3 Matty Reed and Terenzo Bonzone learned it. Still since Mark Allen retired no man has won 3 in a row. Not Peter Reid, not Tim DeBoom, No body. Trends are made to be broken and Crowie will have a stellar field gunning for him but he has the skills to pull the hat trick.

Still as much Crowie is the favorite I like Terenzo Bonzone. Kid's been tearing it up on the 70.3 scene this year, and he had a pretty stellar run at Ironman New Zealand. Other guy to watch out for from the land of the Long White Cloud is Cameron Brown as much as Cam maybe over the hill he can still bring the heat if he wants to. Likewise Macca's struggled the last two years and this year he has been off the radar, still he has passion and you can bet he'll bring his A-game.

Sentimentally I'm hoping Chris Lieto can haul some ass and try to get the good ol' US and A back to the top step of the podium. Although the Andy Potts showed his balls at Ironman CDA and might be the best hope for the stars and stripes. Lieto is my go to guy. I fully expect him to go after Normann Stadler's bike record, and hopefully he'll have enough padding to get the job done.

Others to watch for:

Rutger Beke, this guy is a sleeper but he always performs well. He won Cozmuel last year and has one of the best run legs in the sport. If something happens to Crowie He can pick up the slack.

Eneko Llanos dude won Abu Dhabi, and is making an LD comeback, and speaking of comebacks what's the deal with Faris Al Sultan? Not to mention Henning who seems to be keeping the trend of Scandanvians who do obsurded well alive. Homeboy knows how to win in the heat, although this is only his second Kona race. I say in a couple of years he'll be the favorite although I still think he'll top 5.

I'm going to go out on a limb and here's my prediction for the men's top 10.

1. Craig Alexander

2. Rutger Beke

3. Chris Lieto

4. Andy Potts

5.Terenzo Bonzone

6.Rasmus Henning

7. Enenko Llanos

8. Macca

9. Faris Al Sultan

10. Michael Lovato

The Women: I guess the women's race should be classified as Chrissie Wellington versus the world. try as I might I just can not hate this chick. It's as if she's Paula Radcliff, with a splash of Alberto Contador, a smidge of Rebecca Adlington ( women's 400m free gold medal winner.) mixed with Mother Theresa. Seriously she'll stop in the middle of a race to help a group of orphans build a school still set a world record and then give half her prize cash to charity...seriously she's in the dictionary under the definition of Girl Scout. Everyone is throwing around comparisons to Paula Newby Fraser but PNF still had strong competition from Erin Baker, Karen Smyers and Natascha Badmann, Chrissie's in a league of her own.

So then the argument is who can give Wellington a run for her money.

Sam McGlone is coming back strong, Mirinda Cafree is fast and powerful. Then you've got women like Belinda Granger and Rebekah Keat who are proven and strong. Gina Crawford is quick, then throw in Canada's secret weapon Magali Tisseyre Bree Wee is always a sentimental favorite, seriously want to see the island explode watch a local girl win the Ironman. Lindsay Corburn is an animal, and just got her taste of the winner's circle. Then there are sleepers like Jo Lawn who's always solid, Van Vlerken , seriously the fight for second in the women's race is almost as competitive as the men's race, granted maybe someone will step up and come out of nowhere and challenge Queen Chrissie's dominance....

Women's Top 10 Predictions

1. Chrissie Wellington and she'll top 10 overall.

2. Yvonne VanVlerken

3.Magali Tisseyre

4. Sam Mc Glone

5. Belinda Granger

6. Lindsay Corburn

7. Rebekah Keat

8. Mirinda Cafrae

9. Gina Crawford

10.Bree Wee

I know I'm leaving out some big names, and likewise crazy stuff happens on the big island, but for the limited research I was able to do this year these are my Predictions. To everyone racing on the Big Island Good Luck this weekend.

R.D.

Congrats to the New Queen and King Of Kona!/ Bob-o starts thinking of 2010.

Alright I guess to write Craig Alexander is the real deal would be an understatement and have people saying "have you been living under a rock for the past 2 years?" But seriously his performance yesterday was amazing. My heart really aches for Chris Lieto who had the race of his life but came up just 5 miles short, but such is Ironman you can throw everything you got into a race but there still might be one guy who just has a better day than you do. Still it was a Classic race and it was awesome to see Lieto finally nab the top American rights and Podium spot he deserved. especially after his balls out performance on the bike. As for Crowie his run is dominating, it seems like the era of the uber biker is over with the retirement of Sindballe, the Normannator's so-so ride yesterday. Even Lieto had a large lead that was stomped out by the Aussie running machine. It looks like Criag Alexander has found a way to adapt and over come the uber biker, and that is keep them with in 10 minutes on the bike leg and run them down like a Cheetah at chow time.

The women's race was quite frankly the Chrissie Wellington Show. She ran herself to 22nd overall shattered Paula Newby Fraiser's Course record and pretty much stated "I'm the toughest woman in the sport!" The main drama of the day was Mirinda Carfrae's march up the standings from 9th to 2nd in the Women's race to the tune of a blazing Marathon. Likewise Rebekah Keat ran herself from Oblivion to the top 10 making me wonder what the Hell is in the Water in Australia that makes them run so fast? Other major stories were Sam McGlone's comeback from an Achilles injury to procure a top 10. Tereza Macel staying in the top 5 nearly the entire race, but all this drama unfolded as Wellington was laying down for a massage in the med tent and deciding what stationary to use for her victory speech....I have only seen one other woman dominate a race like that other than Wellington last year and that was Nina Kraft on EPO. Wellington is the real deal, whether she's just naturally built for this or she accumilated years of good karma working in Nepal, or she the result of a cold war bio-engineering plot by the British Government to create the ultimate athlete I don't know but she is unbeatable.

On the blogger front Congrats to Bree Wee and Charisa.

Bree Got into 18th for the women and was the the fourth American Pro Woman behind the New Englanders Dede Griesbauer and Caitlin Snow and last years top American Woman Lindsey Corbin. For more on the Kona highlights visit Claire's Examiner Blog as she can tell this story better than I can.

Charisa managed to finish fifth in a massively competitive age group which is a huge testament in itself, as any age group brack between 30 and 50 is as competive as the pro race.

This ends the Kona Recap.

As I sat infront of my girlfriend's computer with my compression sock covered feet raised above up on her sofa, I began to think ahead. Right now I've got job apps out and some personal crisises to handle but watching the whole thing on the net and having a bang up running day in Hartford got me thinking ahead to next season, I want to do Ironman and I want to get my ass to Kona, but so far the only thing I have to show for it is a bid that came up 70 seconds short. And a couple of massive bills for travel and equipment costs. So I'm going to use 2010 as a training season, perfect my marathon, work on my bike, essentially race local and suffer like I never have suffered before and maybe if the planets algin and I get my "real job" I'll fly out to Tempe next November and punch my ticket to the big dance. I know I have a sub-10 hour race in this body I've just to bring it to Fruition, I've got to get my mind clear and put in the proper training, not this hodge podge garbage of 3000 yard swims and long runs here and there and a few sporadic bike rides. I've got a gift to go the long haul and it's about time I use it, if I qualify for Kona great, if I don't then I at least want to know I was condition to the best level possible and left nothing in the tank. As some of my trasining partners have stated "You've managed to run 11 hour Ironmans on miniscule training, horrible nutrition and a stress load that have most people balled up in the corner crying for mercy, imagine what you could do with so proper structure." So here's to 2010 and hopefully some constructive off season.

Happy Training
R.D.

A Monster PR

Well ok it was only by about 5 minutes. I pulled a 3:21:27 this morning in Hartford. A big shout out to the "Anti-Pace Team Pace-Team" consisting of Cranky Runner, this dude Ari and myself. The 3 of us held with the 3:10 pace squad for about 12 miles before the 7:09, intervals became too much. To put things in persepective on how fast the pace leader was going I pulled a Half Marathon PR in the race. Eclispsing my previous best by nearly 2 minutes. Going a 1:34:59. Sadly my legs would pay for this later as mile 24 and 25 were well above my 7:47 average. also huge shout out for Josie for plowing through a crowd of 50 people about 200 meters to the finish line. I may have been in pain but it certainly put a smile on my face.

Now back to watching Kona. Chris Lieto is leading on the marathon as Macca and Faris are running him down in hot pursuit.

On the *yawn* Chrissie Wellington Show....I mean women's race, Chrissie Wellington is gunning for a top 10 overall spot, and the rest of the women are trying to keep the lead from going over 15 minutes.

My legs ache just watching...
R.D.

The top ten Reasons I want to qualify for Kona

I've gotten a bunch of comments asking me why do I want to do the Ford Hawaii Ironman World Championships at a young age while I'm a man of limited means. Afterall wouldn't it be better to do it in my 30's when I could afford all the fancy toys and have money as no object and could really afford to go crazy on the island? Well upon reflection I have decided to post the top 10 reason why I want to do the Hawaii Ironman ASAP.





10. Young, Single and Free


My Dad's mantra to me when I told him to talk me out of doing an IM in 09. Right now I have no girl friend most of my student loans are on in-school deferment, so realistically all I have are credit cards, a private student loan, my Y membership, and car note. Times have been tough the last couple of months and I'm getting out of it. I don't have a family to worry about, major bills to pay. I have a job in a field where I can take time off in October ( if I go into education I won't be able to race or I'll have to weekend it not because of cash but to be at work on Monday or Tuesday, I forgot the race is traditionally on Sunday.) In essence I don't want to be like some poor 30 year old who qualified this year at Eagleman. The guy went up paid for his slot and his jaw dropped as his ever suffering wife put her hands on her hips and muttered "over my dead body!" he then returned his slot and ripped the check, I do not want to be in that position, work my ass off for years finally qualify only to have to give it up, because the board of Ed. needs me at work on Monday, or the wife/ girlfriend won't stand for it, or Bobby the fourth needs braces or Harvard tuition. Figure now while I'm unattached it is probably best.





9. Narcissistic about the race photos.


Ain't going to lie I'd like my first Hawaii finish line pic to be of me as a hot stud 24-29 year old racing the sunset rather than as a wrinkly old man covered in glow sticks ( although I would like that one too at age 60+.)





8. Easier to Qualify.


Let's face it youth is all about speed. Most of the guys I race against in Olympic and Half-Iron races are speedsters. If given the option of Kona or Clearwater alot more will take Clearwater because


a. it's cheaper.


b. they can put the hammer down.


I'm not saying it's everyone. ( as evidenced by the field at Ironman New Zealand. and 6th place at Eagleman.) Most people looked at me when I said I was doing an Ironman and the average was response was " don't most people do that in their 30's and 40's?" next to the standard "are you crazy?"


Also most of the "true athletes " ( note the quotations, how are triathletes not true athletes...that's like saying decathletes aren't true athletes.) are still in one sport focus. So in 10-15 years the former track, swimming, soccer, football studs will be doing this to keep in shape/get back in shape, upping the ante. Needless to say can you guess the age groups where it is the hardest to get in, and funny it seems to be about that time that we all hit our peak incomes/net worth.





7. I want my freaking Tattoo!


I made a silent promise to myself before I did IM NZ that I was not getting a Tat until I qualified for Kona. I qualify I'm getting a tat on my leg and no it will not be an "M-dot."





6. I'd like to be able to go pro at some point.


To go pro in the US there are 3 criteria 1 is to top 3 in 3 major races and/or finish within 98% of the winner's time calculated by some really complex math equation. Second is a spin off of this just win 3 major races, math equation be damned! Third or I like to call it the Bree Wee Rule, win your age group in Kona once again, math equations be damned!





5. If I decide to quit triathlon/ athletics any time in the next 10 years I'd like to say I did it all.


If the long rides become a chore, I'm just not feeling it in the pool, my runs are boring me to tears, my wife/girlfriend want's a family, I want to devote my time to making insane amounts of capital, I get diagnosed with a fatal illness ( hopefully will not happen), I give up the expensive sport to become a humble member of the Roman Catholic Clergy ( not happening anytime soon.), etc.. I would like to have the two finisher medals I have wanted since Childhood:


The Hawaii Ironman Finisher Medal.


Boston Marathon Finisher Medal.( growing up in New England this is a must have!)





4. You don't always need cash to have fun on the island.


Well alright there is a lot of natural beauty , volcanoes, great surfing (which means I need to learn to surf.) and beaches which means bring cooler, bring sun block and collaspe in the sun. Tried the snokeling thing in St. Croix but I just can't breathe doing it. In either case I can enjoy the island without spending too much.





3. A feeling of massive accomplishment.

The old adage states: To get to Kona you have to be extremely lucky ( via the lotto) or extremely good ( via qualification.) If I can qualify that would be a great testament to my fitness level and proficiency. Even if I finish dead last in my age group it would be worth it knowing I competed against some of the best athletes in the world.



2. Would I try to win my AG: Hell yes!

Claire sent me last year's winner's time, yes he is a good 1:45 to 2:00 faster than me, yes he and the other guys that podiumed have mad skill yes I got schooled by guys with mad skill in NZ, but to go into a race without giving myself a shot is suicide, I have to set my goals in prority and trying to win is #3 under just finishing and not needing extended hospitalization. If I go in defeated then I might as well coast through it, or better yet not even start, but if I can make myself believe I have a shot even a microscopic one then I will leave it all out in the lava fields with no regrets if I'm 1st or 50th. Good things come from total effort even if it is only knowing I gave everything...and if I think I even have a 1 in 1 Billion shot of winning I'll give it everything.



1. A combo of chips on the shoulder.

From a young age it was drilled into me that I would never be a champion.

In grade school they said I never be able to hop on one foot or run. Gee I can do both, quite well infact. In swimming I was solid but never really a contender for titles made it to state swimming trials 3 years in a row and all 3 times failed to make to finals, (when the last place seed loafed it in my event ( 500 free.) my senior year I was pissed I would have killed for that spot and missed it by 3 seconds.) My track coach telling me Freshman year that a state title was never in my future, ( granted I sort of knew it because to make States you had to be insanely fast, and at that point I was suffering trying to break 5:40 in the mile.), but to say never got my blood boiling, so yes sometimes I race angry, it gives me focus, makes me driven. If I can earn my way into a championship event it would end my curse of being " the kid good enough to get to the qualifier but not a "championship caliper" athlete." So yes that's what drives me, I live to prove people wrong, and to make a championship event on my own merit would kill years of doubt. In essence I want to prove to myself that I am good enough and deserving of this crazy desire.

So that's why I put this out there, one day it will happen and hopefully when I'm in a position to do my best and turns some heads doing it.






R.D.

It's atumn in New England......which means I need to throw down for cold weather gear...

Yes that's right the cold weather along with soaking wet leaves and 8 pages of depressing Arab-Israeli and Iraqi Ntion building gone wrong nonsense has cut my plans of getting a long ride/run brick in. Yesterday I managed to eek out a 12 mile run in the pouring rain as Angry, and No wet suit girl engaged in epic battle in dresses. Also today Claire tackled the Marathon and it will be interesting to see her post tomorrow morning. Mr. Mortgage broker is supposedly coming up with the figures tomorrow and we should close on Tuesday...if not He's got a Louisville slugger with his kneecap's name on it becuase I'm broke as a joke and lending out the little I have to try to support the fam. So yesterday was me stress release zen run. tomorrow I'll finsh up my paper and lifeguard and start on my other downer paper, on Cholera and the social stigma this one little wait loss plan gone wrong creates. Now all my ranting aside I seriously need cold weather cycling gear. I went to get milk and eggs this morning and was shivering looking at my car's thermometer...it was 47 degrees at noon! So yes I need to get me a long sleeve quick Step Jersey and some Louis Garneau tights so I can ride when my papers aren't shackling me to my desk and the roads are not covered with rain slickened foilage. My Ironman traing and funding plans are not going according to plan at the moment but I am confident that my swim will be stellar as always and my run will bitch smack my time from the Country Music Marathon..It's just that damn bike that is the perverbal question mark. I've been tallying stats and and looking at run splits and bike splits and have determined that if I want to make Kona I NEED TO FLY! 10:39 was the slowest guy to make it from my age group last year...that means I need to at least top 5 to have a shot. Now I know I have a pure fire swim split and I should probably beat the elites out of the water...( Take that Cameron Brown) after that it's just survive the bike and run like Hell until I blow up and have to crawl or cross that finish line with my ticket to the big island punched. Maybe I'm just a little obsessed with this whole tri thing but seriously if I win this sucker outright I might just consider going pro. Now I doubt that I might be able to out ride or Run Cameron Brown, Luke Bell, or Macca if he shows up for an Early Season bitch stomping session, but beating the IM world champion out of the water would definately be an ego boost...and hey who knows weird shit happens when you least expect it.
R.D.

Also if you haven't do so or considered doing so please donate to the War on ALS, like I said even a dollar helps, and this disease is cruel.
DO IT FOR BLAZEMAN! DO IT FOR GEHRIG! DO IT FOR ALL THOSE SUFFERING NOW! and for anyone suffering from ALS or those that know someone suffering from ALS do not give up hope, because one day we will find a cure, and we will make this disease a thing of the past.
May God bless!
RD.

All Hail the King of Kona!!!

Yes I know this post is 3 days late, ( just wanted to make sure Macca cleared doping, that and I have two 8 page papers due about bacteria and political leaders with names that are both hard to spell and pronounce.) But yes, the man I most fashion my racing style after has finally come through and become Lord of the Lava Fields, Empitome of Endurance, The Arrogant Chap with the world's best aerobic threshold...Chris Mc Cormack You are the Ironman World Champion and you'd had a hell of a race to do it. On the Women's side Chrissie Wellington Won in a blow out. Her nearest competition was Sam Mc Glone and she was six minutes back getting off the bike and that's where she stayed, Kate Major had been second but faded to third nine minutes behind the unstoppable Wellington. The sad thing is Ironman .com stayed gluded to the Women's race or lack thereof...as Macca, Crowie ( Craig Alexander) Trbjorn Sinbale, Chris Lieto and Tim De Boom waged a 5 man Ironwar. Granted when I saw Sinbale only had a 7 min. lead off the bike I knew it was all over for him....let's face Macca proved he could chase down Normann Stadler ( who dropped out via stomach virus...somewhere in the backround I can hear Peter Reid shouting "suck it up, I puked all over myself in 03 and still won." Or De Boom shouting " Whimp!" * Tim DeBoom dropped out of the 2003 Ironman due to passing a kidney Stone at mile 14 on the marathon. Granted I can't Blame Normann for dropping out this year..after all there is a difference between puking like a cholera patient and having a temper tantrum over a "Flat f&*king tire!") The guy that impressed me was the USA's Chris Lieto
For the second year in a row he was the 2nd guy off the bike. Then he took it out hard on the run. He passed then Leader Sinbale and led until about the half marathon point, when Macca and Crowie sort of said "thanks for the lift mate we'll take it from here." Lieto was repassed by Sinbale, Tim De Boom and some other dude. I will say this 6th in Hawaii is damn good! Now if the guy just puts more into his run focus we might just have another American capable of winning in Kona.
So in a quick Kona Recap:

Lava= Hot

Queen K = Hot and Windy

Macca = The MAN!

Wellington= The Woman ( or possible EPO we'll see when the doping report comes out. sorry I'm a little untrusting of big breakthrough wins after the Nina Kraft, Floyd Landis, Vinokorov scandals)

Tim De Boom = still has it.

Stomach Viruses Suck! ( especially for Brown, Stadler, Jones, Al-Sultan)

Normann Stadler= Win or DNF

Bike Crash = No win and No smile for Natascha

Chris Lieto= Next American Champion?

and Max from HEAT finished in 9:55 no age group bling but still a kick ass time. Way to go Max!

So any Kona perdictions for Next Year?

R.D.