or go back to work...whatever is less permanent...
I went out for a tune up ride with Josie from Hartford to Granville Mass. and back again. About 56 miles. Most of the ride is pretty uneventful. There are a lot of stops and traffic lights as you make your way out of Hartford ( along with a lot of switch backs I was having Providence 70.3 night mares at this point.) You pass through West Hartford, shoot past Uconn Law School and then it's out on to roads you only know by Route Numbers Route 183 through Bloomfield, then 189 you stay on it on what looks like a limited access high way with exits and merge lanes, it reminded me of the drive out of Auckland back in March where there were bike lanes along Route 1 and warnings to cyclists to mind cars merging on and off the high way. Then you're out in Bumpkin Country....as noted by the crushed beer cans of Busch Light and Pabst Blue Ribbon in the shoulder. As we rode out I noticed that while the rode looked flat I was really having to push to stay above 16mph. We approached the State Border and hit a couple of rollers, then as soon as we passed in to Massachusetts we got the biggest and longest whiff of Cow Dung. As we passed by a fairly large dairy farm. As Josie put it "Massachusetts stinks!*" We rode through the rollers to a little farm stand and then turned around to head back. As we flew back into Bumpkinville....I mean Granby, CT the reason we struggled so long to get out there became clear...we had been going gradually up hill the whole time and now were reaping the benefits of the descent. The rest of the ride was pretty uneventful but all in all Josie looks ready for Redman this weekend.
So that was it for me, I better go before the Barista makes me buy something.
R.D.
*this reference refers to The Western, MA town of Granville and one particular stretch of road passing said dairy farm and not the whole Commonwealth...granted I would glady use this phrase in reference to one Major League Baseball team located on Yawkey Way in Boston. GO YANKEES!!!!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
The trainer is back...
Well last night I was feeling fat and lazy and after picking up my kid sister from cheerleading, there was no time to get my planned swim workout in. So as I sat in my room watching TV the weather too dark and crappy to go out and get an evening run in I decided to break out my trainer. Now yes I don't have a race coming up for at least 5 months. Yes I know it's boring as hell, but I had recieved a copy of the 2008 Ironman DVD from the same friend who got me the Timex hotline number so I figure it would be a good way to christen it and give me a repreive from adding to my growing gut. I managed to get a half hour in on the trainer working the big ring ( I believe it was big ring 23 but I'm not positive.) I just figured I would work a high cadence for a while. In the grand scheme of things this workout was probably piss in the ocean but watching the DVD sort of rekindled my passion for Ironman.
Needless to say this has set off World War 3 in my head as rational adult dull boring money grubbing me, faces off against crazy, psycho, spend it all and go for it me. It's never pretty, especially not for my check book. So I plan on keeping my training up...whether there is a race or races in the future is yet to be determined.
RD
Needless to say this has set off World War 3 in my head as rational adult dull boring money grubbing me, faces off against crazy, psycho, spend it all and go for it me. It's never pretty, especially not for my check book. So I plan on keeping my training up...whether there is a race or races in the future is yet to be determined.
RD
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
I'm back..
Well ok I'm using my Alumni privlegdes at CCSU to access the inter web...hence the reason for my non existent blog. This week was hetic and involved moving 2 sisters to Newport, moving one sister back from Newport, one of my Golden retrivers keeling over, being broke, still not having any luck on the job front and having one bud come up to visit from Nashville, essentially my life has been a country song. People keep asking me if I'm going to race, hell one of my friends managed to get me an inside line to a sponsor. Part of me is like yes I want to call and get sponsored and race to my hearts content. The other is like dude, you've got bills to pay, jobs to find an apartment to get...etc...give up the stupid tri crap already...hell you haven't raced in a month and other than gaining 5 lbs. and about 50 gray hairs, nothing really horrible has happended to you...So I'm seriously up in the air about 2010...hell I'm up in the air on where I'm going to be living in 2010. Alright enough of my sprial....
Claire is getting ready to kick mas ass at Cozmuel. Bullet kicked some serious ass at Plymouth Rock, and Judi, John Hirsch, and my training partner Tony L decimated Louisville. Reading their stories has made me want to get back into hardcore training and do an Ironman again in 2010...Hopefully the fates will allow that to happen. As of now there is nothing on tap. I'm batting around the idea of the Hartford Marathon but I'm just not really sure if it would be wise on the fiscal front. Plus my training has been hodge podge granted I'm back up to doing a 12-15 mile weekly long run. The last few days I've sort of slacked off on my training granted I was driving back and forth to Newport, on both occasions. So tomorrow I'm hoping to get back into to a stable training routine. I rode with Josie on Monday taking full advantadge of good riding weather. She is definitely ready to tackle Redman.
Again my apologies on my slack blogging hopefully somethings will work out I'll get myself a stable and real job and hopefully have my own place and stable internet connection soon.
Until then happy blogging and training people.
R.D.
Claire is getting ready to kick mas ass at Cozmuel. Bullet kicked some serious ass at Plymouth Rock, and Judi, John Hirsch, and my training partner Tony L decimated Louisville. Reading their stories has made me want to get back into hardcore training and do an Ironman again in 2010...Hopefully the fates will allow that to happen. As of now there is nothing on tap. I'm batting around the idea of the Hartford Marathon but I'm just not really sure if it would be wise on the fiscal front. Plus my training has been hodge podge granted I'm back up to doing a 12-15 mile weekly long run. The last few days I've sort of slacked off on my training granted I was driving back and forth to Newport, on both occasions. So tomorrow I'm hoping to get back into to a stable training routine. I rode with Josie on Monday taking full advantadge of good riding weather. She is definitely ready to tackle Redman.
Again my apologies on my slack blogging hopefully somethings will work out I'll get myself a stable and real job and hopefully have my own place and stable internet connection soon.
Until then happy blogging and training people.
R.D.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
I'm alive but my net connection isn't....
Well for those people left that still happen to read my blog....I'm sorry. My parent's intenet is currently down at the moment and my corporate minions have blocked me from the blogosphere at work. Apparently posts on my weekend 70 mile rides are inversely proportional to my checking account and credit card refferal capabilities....or something like that.
Irregardless, there will be fewer blog posts for the time being. I'm still racing I'm still training and I'm still trying to follow when ever I can get my self to an unblocked computer.
Currently my life is revolving around running and trying to get a job with Trek. The postion with Trek is doing travel logisitics...this should be cake for a guy who spends every waking moment planning and replanning where to race his next ironman right. So I'm sending in my cover letter, fine tuning my resume and writing my reference letters ( the people I aksed to write them for me gave me the ol' you write it we'll sign it routine....which is kinda frustrating because I have to sned this app via email.) so hopefully this will go well and I'll be sporting the Stomper 2.0 a sexy fast TTX time trial get up next season...after training out west, down under and in the old country... So hopefully....hopefully this will go well.
On the race front part of me was considering either doing the Hartford Marathon or Nutmegman...my legs really aren't looking forward to the hills on the bike so I'm thinking I'll save myself some dinero and just run Hartford. But we'll see Also good luck to Judi and my buddy Tony from HEAT racing in Louisville this weekend. Kick some ass take some names and may a cold front pass through the night before the race and make the heat tolerable. Also to anyone rocking Ironman Canada good luck and kick ass.
Also if I con't get to an internet connection before then Bullet Good Luck at Plymouth Rock.
Alright the college student next to me really wants her laptop back.
Living in the Dark ages
R.D.
Irregardless, there will be fewer blog posts for the time being. I'm still racing I'm still training and I'm still trying to follow when ever I can get my self to an unblocked computer.
Currently my life is revolving around running and trying to get a job with Trek. The postion with Trek is doing travel logisitics...this should be cake for a guy who spends every waking moment planning and replanning where to race his next ironman right. So I'm sending in my cover letter, fine tuning my resume and writing my reference letters ( the people I aksed to write them for me gave me the ol' you write it we'll sign it routine....which is kinda frustrating because I have to sned this app via email.) so hopefully this will go well and I'll be sporting the Stomper 2.0 a sexy fast TTX time trial get up next season...after training out west, down under and in the old country... So hopefully....hopefully this will go well.
On the race front part of me was considering either doing the Hartford Marathon or Nutmegman...my legs really aren't looking forward to the hills on the bike so I'm thinking I'll save myself some dinero and just run Hartford. But we'll see Also good luck to Judi and my buddy Tony from HEAT racing in Louisville this weekend. Kick some ass take some names and may a cold front pass through the night before the race and make the heat tolerable. Also to anyone rocking Ironman Canada good luck and kick ass.
Also if I con't get to an internet connection before then Bullet Good Luck at Plymouth Rock.
Alright the college student next to me really wants her laptop back.
Living in the Dark ages
R.D.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Now I know How Chris Lieto Feels: The Park City Mossman Race Report.
Well my 2009 tri season looks to be done. Today was the Park City Mossman Oly in Bridgeport and ironically enough it was the first race I signed up for when I got back from New Zealand. ( Figured if cash became an issue as it usually does I wanted to have an August race.) So this morning I drove out at 5am to tackle CT's fastest Oly. I got to the race site about a half an hour before Transition closed so I didn't do much of a warm up. Things have changed since the last time I did this race. While it's still a multi loop run and bike the swim course has been lengthened so it could all be done in one shot. My times are all estimated as I haven't been able to find the official results and I'm trying to remember off of the sheet I looked at this morning.
The Swim: Lots of Changes
This year unlike year's past they sent the "older guys" infront of the kids so I went off in the second wave about 5 minutes behind the leaders. Races on the Connecticut shoreline always tend to be hit or miss with the tides and today was another miss. You could seriously run to the first buoy. Several guys took this strategy but I'm not one to run in humidity and neoprene so I dove in when the water was knee high and began to swim. I was amazed at how fast we caught the first wave. At the second buoy. After that the swim was pretty uneventful. I came out about 3rd in the wave, and it looked like I was in a good spot to retake my 20-24 age group title. My total swim time was 18:08 about 3 minutes slower than the fastest guy in the group but I figured that the flat and fast bike course would allow me to make up time as there were no climbs to upset my mash in the big ring rhythm. I managed to get my wetsuit off pretty quick and got on the bike and began to hammer away.
The Bike: This week's sign of the Apocalypse...
I love the bike course at this race as it's flat and multiple loops. There are a few turns and rough pavement but for the most part it is ideal for time trialing. I kicked the stomper in to the big ring and just hammered like Miguel Indarain. This guy, Mark from Staten Island came along on the 2nd loop and we began to swap the "lead" for the next three loops. I would lead one half of the loop and then he woould lead the other. We each tried to break away and build a lead only to have the other wear it down. I asked "What's your 10k time?" "About a 42." he answered crap this guy was about my pace so I was going to have a real race on my hands. We came around to enter T-2 and I did my sexy barefoot dismount, and I finally figured out how to do the one leg over the rear wheel thing. It would have gone off flawless except for my worn cleats. I ended up having losing a shoe, thankfully the volunteers at this thing are awesome. My bike split was about a 1:07 and I averaged 22.3 mph. I was really happy with this split because I never and I mean never average over 21 mph on the bike.
The Run: Now I know how Chris Lieto Feels...
T-2 was a comedy of errors as my Yankz lace came un hooked and I spent about 30 seconds reconnecting it. Mark took off in the lead and I doggedly followed. I got passed by a kid from our age group as he cooked along. ( come to find out this kid won my age group at the Griskus and would win here as he threw down a 15:00 swim and a 35:00 10k I'm just shocked I managed to make up that much time on the bike.) He caught Mark at the first aid station as I soldiered along trying to catch him As I passed him at the turn around we both sort of looked at one another and talked about the kid Bib 154 who had passed us. "I really hope he's a relay." I stated..."All I know is he's flying. " Mark said as I got around. seriously if this were Kona this would have been the Sindballe Lieto conversation once Normann Stadler had run past. We had led the Age Group off the bike and now were getting picked off. I knuuckled down as I saw some older guys ahead and figured if I could pick them off I would be in business. We got to the turn around and I was passed by two guys from team Tri Fitness. One of them had a 23 on his Calf. I tried to hold with him but got dropped after 400 meters. The rest of the run I seemed to be in no man's land. I passed a few more people but no one from my age group. I figure from my recollection of the bike Split that I was in 3rd in my AG so I would be getting on the podium all I had to do was defend at this point. I still dug deep as I could hear foot steps rapidly approaching from behind. I came down the finishing chute and was caught by a relay runner but nothing really to worry about. My 10k was about a 43:48 and my overall time was 2:10 after subtracting the stagger. I looked at the results and I had pegged 28th overall and 4th in the AG. I'm still trying to figure out where this 3rd guy to pass me had done it, but for all I've been through in the last month it was a good day.
Granted I think i'm going to talk to John Hirsch and Chris Lieto to get in on the support group for guys who have been in the lead on the bike only to lose it on the run.....
R.D.
The Swim: Lots of Changes
This year unlike year's past they sent the "older guys" infront of the kids so I went off in the second wave about 5 minutes behind the leaders. Races on the Connecticut shoreline always tend to be hit or miss with the tides and today was another miss. You could seriously run to the first buoy. Several guys took this strategy but I'm not one to run in humidity and neoprene so I dove in when the water was knee high and began to swim. I was amazed at how fast we caught the first wave. At the second buoy. After that the swim was pretty uneventful. I came out about 3rd in the wave, and it looked like I was in a good spot to retake my 20-24 age group title. My total swim time was 18:08 about 3 minutes slower than the fastest guy in the group but I figured that the flat and fast bike course would allow me to make up time as there were no climbs to upset my mash in the big ring rhythm. I managed to get my wetsuit off pretty quick and got on the bike and began to hammer away.
The Bike: This week's sign of the Apocalypse...
I love the bike course at this race as it's flat and multiple loops. There are a few turns and rough pavement but for the most part it is ideal for time trialing. I kicked the stomper in to the big ring and just hammered like Miguel Indarain. This guy, Mark from Staten Island came along on the 2nd loop and we began to swap the "lead" for the next three loops. I would lead one half of the loop and then he woould lead the other. We each tried to break away and build a lead only to have the other wear it down. I asked "What's your 10k time?" "About a 42." he answered crap this guy was about my pace so I was going to have a real race on my hands. We came around to enter T-2 and I did my sexy barefoot dismount, and I finally figured out how to do the one leg over the rear wheel thing. It would have gone off flawless except for my worn cleats. I ended up having losing a shoe, thankfully the volunteers at this thing are awesome. My bike split was about a 1:07 and I averaged 22.3 mph. I was really happy with this split because I never and I mean never average over 21 mph on the bike.
The Run: Now I know how Chris Lieto Feels...
T-2 was a comedy of errors as my Yankz lace came un hooked and I spent about 30 seconds reconnecting it. Mark took off in the lead and I doggedly followed. I got passed by a kid from our age group as he cooked along. ( come to find out this kid won my age group at the Griskus and would win here as he threw down a 15:00 swim and a 35:00 10k I'm just shocked I managed to make up that much time on the bike.) He caught Mark at the first aid station as I soldiered along trying to catch him As I passed him at the turn around we both sort of looked at one another and talked about the kid Bib 154 who had passed us. "I really hope he's a relay." I stated..."All I know is he's flying. " Mark said as I got around. seriously if this were Kona this would have been the Sindballe Lieto conversation once Normann Stadler had run past. We had led the Age Group off the bike and now were getting picked off. I knuuckled down as I saw some older guys ahead and figured if I could pick them off I would be in business. We got to the turn around and I was passed by two guys from team Tri Fitness. One of them had a 23 on his Calf. I tried to hold with him but got dropped after 400 meters. The rest of the run I seemed to be in no man's land. I passed a few more people but no one from my age group. I figure from my recollection of the bike Split that I was in 3rd in my AG so I would be getting on the podium all I had to do was defend at this point. I still dug deep as I could hear foot steps rapidly approaching from behind. I came down the finishing chute and was caught by a relay runner but nothing really to worry about. My 10k was about a 43:48 and my overall time was 2:10 after subtracting the stagger. I looked at the results and I had pegged 28th overall and 4th in the AG. I'm still trying to figure out where this 3rd guy to pass me had done it, but for all I've been through in the last month it was a good day.
Granted I think i'm going to talk to John Hirsch and Chris Lieto to get in on the support group for guys who have been in the lead on the bike only to lose it on the run.....
R.D.
Monday, August 10, 2009
I'm Alive..
And no I'm not chowing down on the deceased members of an Urguarian Rugby team...
Ok refrences to the movie Alive are done for the night so pass me another hunk of co-pilot and settle down.
Well this week is hectic. After chilling on Shelter Island with Bjoern and the Crew at Sunset Beach...seriously the staff parties heartier than a bus load of guys from a Tokoyo office on Karaoke night. It was back to the "Real World" this morning first I had to pick up my new insurance policy for my little Red subaru. Another six months of Premiums in Progressive's pocket , but at least I'm covered. Wednesday I need to be out of my Grandpa's place which means I will be couch crashing as I attempt to find myself a career to replace the job. I won't bitch about my job, it's been pretty sweet, but I need more challenges, than getting screamed at by an old lady because I gave her 2 20's and a 10 instead of 3 10's and a 20. I've reached the point that I want my career to be just as fulfiling as my sports, that I want a challenge and I want to meet it. I want each day at work to be an adventure not the same old slog. I want to be a mover and shaker...I'll cut the rhyming out before I get a size 10 wing tip tossed at me. Essentially I don't want to get paid to check the BBC or file signature cards that I have filled n times before because I'm bored out of my mind. Also I want a pay grade that will hopefully elevate me from Calcutta beggar, to say, Boy in da hood. Yeah I know alot of random movie reffrences..bear with me.
So anyway in the midst of all this job seeking, arrangement making, moving packing madness, I have a little Oly in Brigdeport this weekend. Also my HEAT membership has expired I do need to renew but I'll cross that bridge later....like once I get the more pressing expenses taken care of...like my student loans. But needless to say Park City this year is going to be for the enjoyment of it. I love to race but my mind has been elsewhere lately so I'll see how I do. If I win my Age Group I'll put in for team Timex. Because quite frankly my results this year haven't been to steallar save for a Podium at the Griskus and an 8th in my Age Group in Taupo. So maybe some boosters like that will increase the likeihood of sponsorship. Well that's it from here I've got bags to pack, bills to pay, cover letters to write and a little taper week training to crank out for Park City.
Tally Ho!
R.D.
Ok refrences to the movie Alive are done for the night so pass me another hunk of co-pilot and settle down.
Well this week is hectic. After chilling on Shelter Island with Bjoern and the Crew at Sunset Beach...seriously the staff parties heartier than a bus load of guys from a Tokoyo office on Karaoke night. It was back to the "Real World" this morning first I had to pick up my new insurance policy for my little Red subaru. Another six months of Premiums in Progressive's pocket , but at least I'm covered. Wednesday I need to be out of my Grandpa's place which means I will be couch crashing as I attempt to find myself a career to replace the job. I won't bitch about my job, it's been pretty sweet, but I need more challenges, than getting screamed at by an old lady because I gave her 2 20's and a 10 instead of 3 10's and a 20. I've reached the point that I want my career to be just as fulfiling as my sports, that I want a challenge and I want to meet it. I want each day at work to be an adventure not the same old slog. I want to be a mover and shaker...I'll cut the rhyming out before I get a size 10 wing tip tossed at me. Essentially I don't want to get paid to check the BBC or file signature cards that I have filled n times before because I'm bored out of my mind. Also I want a pay grade that will hopefully elevate me from Calcutta beggar, to say, Boy in da hood. Yeah I know alot of random movie reffrences..bear with me.
So anyway in the midst of all this job seeking, arrangement making, moving packing madness, I have a little Oly in Brigdeport this weekend. Also my HEAT membership has expired I do need to renew but I'll cross that bridge later....like once I get the more pressing expenses taken care of...like my student loans. But needless to say Park City this year is going to be for the enjoyment of it. I love to race but my mind has been elsewhere lately so I'll see how I do. If I win my Age Group I'll put in for team Timex. Because quite frankly my results this year haven't been to steallar save for a Podium at the Griskus and an 8th in my Age Group in Taupo. So maybe some boosters like that will increase the likeihood of sponsorship. Well that's it from here I've got bags to pack, bills to pay, cover letters to write and a little taper week training to crank out for Park City.
Tally Ho!
R.D.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Shut down by the man!
Well the company finally took notice that I was blogging between customers so my writing on company time is over...sigh...oh well I can see it their way...after all what would get accomplished if everyone was blogging on company band with... so if my posts are a little more infrequent...this is why..granted it does let me think them out some more so maybe I won't seem as "off the handle" as I have for the past year.
Training has been going well I got in a 72 mile ride on Saturday and am hitting the weight room twice a week. Yesterday was a 4-5 mile run and go out with the little bro to celebrate his birthday. Seriously it's frightening when I look at him it's like looking in a mirror 10 years in the past. Today I hit the weights mostly working on the back and arms, with some wood chops and TGU's thrown in for good measure. I followed that up with a 3000 yard maintenance swim. Park City is coming up in 2 weeks and I want to end 09 with a win damn it. There is debate to if I will do anything else this year but right now it's pretty low on the priority scale. Just got back from dinner and coffee with a rather intriguing woman and this weekend I join Bjoern on the Island for some rest and relaxation.
I've got a few job applications out and I'm hoping that I get some positive news from at least one of them. But life is moving on. Tomorrow is a short day at the office so hopefully a morning run and an evening bike or swim. I do have photos from most of the races I did this summer so I will post a summer photo album soon. I just want to wait until after Park City and my weekend away from it all.
Fight the man!
RD
Training has been going well I got in a 72 mile ride on Saturday and am hitting the weight room twice a week. Yesterday was a 4-5 mile run and go out with the little bro to celebrate his birthday. Seriously it's frightening when I look at him it's like looking in a mirror 10 years in the past. Today I hit the weights mostly working on the back and arms, with some wood chops and TGU's thrown in for good measure. I followed that up with a 3000 yard maintenance swim. Park City is coming up in 2 weeks and I want to end 09 with a win damn it. There is debate to if I will do anything else this year but right now it's pretty low on the priority scale. Just got back from dinner and coffee with a rather intriguing woman and this weekend I join Bjoern on the Island for some rest and relaxation.
I've got a few job applications out and I'm hoping that I get some positive news from at least one of them. But life is moving on. Tomorrow is a short day at the office so hopefully a morning run and an evening bike or swim. I do have photos from most of the races I did this summer so I will post a summer photo album soon. I just want to wait until after Park City and my weekend away from it all.
Fight the man!
RD
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