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.

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.

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

My hips hate me....

Well the last two days I've been abusing my hips. Tuesday was a 35 mile ride on the Griskus loops. Yesterday I got out of work early and hauled to the Waterbury Y to focus on technique from my Yoda on the Kettlebells Alexi. I will say this I have felt the power of the clean and Turkish Get up and I like them. My weight session yesterday looked like this.

Squats :
1set 12 @ 95lbs.
2Xof 105lbs.
Yes I know I'm weak.

TGUs
10 with a 4kgkettlebell focusing on technique...need to upgrade to a heavier kettlebell. Just got to work on getting that foot back faster.

Cleans
10 each hand w/12kg kettlebell. Got to focus on using the hips more than my arms.

Back hyper extensions:
3x10 with 25lbs. plate.

60 Medine ball pass- throughs

90 crucnches.

I followed up my Weight room exploits with 4100 yards in the pool

Main set
4x 400 swim on 5:30 /200 pull on 3:00

Not a bad few days of training. Tonight a run. Tomorrow more weights and swimming.

Saturday a long ride don't know how far yet because I have to pack go back home and crash on my parent's couch for a while and figure out where I'm moving to. Hopefully I'll hear back from one of my jobs soon. I've got at least 10 apps out so hopefully something will come through. My degree requirements are officially complete so hopefully the interviews will be starting sooner rather than later.

Well that's all from the neighborhood.
R.D.

Dancing on the pedals....

Alright it's midweek and it's a little late to be doing a recap of my Staurday ride but it was just too awesome not to mention. I met up with Josie on Saturday to get my first ride since Providence in. (My burnout is almost cured I'm just having a hard time dragging myself to the pool.) We were going to do our 100k loop of doom, but the bridge on Nettlehollow was closed for repairs so we were left with 2 options.

1. Ride 47 into Washington which isn't necessarily a bad thing except for an 11% grade descent on a narrow road.

2. Go back down 47 the way we came and head on to 132 and do a loop of the Griskus Olympic course.

We decided to tackle the Olympc route, or as I have called it in previous posts Connecticut's Alpe du Huez. Coming off my success of pushing ridiculously large gears at Providence I decided to power up the climbs in the big ring for as long as possible. Josie took notice on one hill as she rode along side me..."Are you in the big ring?" "Yep", I said as I puffed along. She droped back in behind me so as I got toward the summit of some of the hills I was expecting to look back and see her right on my shoulder. I looked behind me and she was still grinding up the thing. know she's normally a better climber than me so I continued to attack the hills expecting that she would regain her prowess and blow by me like I was standing still. For the first time in a while I was really enjoying being in the saddle and I was hammering. The Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin in my mind giving the color commentary. "He is absolutely tearing this field to pieces, just look at the gears he's using he just oozes power." "This is the man of old we are used to seeing, taking no mercy on the hills, he's going out until he wins or cracks." Josie caught back up on Weekeepeemee Road, at one point I thought she had hit my back wheel when I heard a slight thud and rubbing sound. I pulled away on the decent and had about a 2-3 minute lead as I got to the top of the last hill. We made it back to the car and called it a day after 35 miles. Apparently the thud, rub sound I heard was "no ejecto technology" failing her for the first time as one of her water bottles got launched out of her rear cage.

I need to ride like this more often. Just attacking climbs like my life has no other meaning. So tonight I have a post work ride out on the same course. I'm hoping that I can get back some more cycling prowess as I ramp up for Park City, which will be a flat fast time trial.

"He's dancing on the pedals now and he will not be denied..."
R.D.

Back in training and to those about to Rock Lake Placid I salute you.

Alright I started training again because was beginning to feel a little fat and lazy and I still have one race I want to kick major ass at this season: Park City Mossman. Last time I raced there I won my AG so I want to leave the 20-24 ranks with a bang. I swam about 3000 yards on Tuesday but I still feel like I have "black line syndrome" So I just went through the motions to keep my fitness up. I got back on the road on Wednesday and pulled a 9 miler out. Tonight I'm in the air about if I should swim at the Y or should I haul out to West Hill and get an open water swim in, and tomorrow I have a 100k ride on tap. Don't know yet if I'm going to do any races this fall although the Hartford Marathon sounds tempting. Also the job search continues as I've sent apps to schools, insurance giants, my own company, and communications groups either looking for a second gig or a bump up the corporate ladder...figure if I keep applying I'm bound to get something. Getting myself established in life may not be easy but then again neither was getting my bachelor's or training for 2 southern Hemisphere Ironmans in the midst of brutal winters a full time job and heavy course load.But there is one common theme I finished what I started, and so this too shall come to pass.

A big shout out to Ironmatron, Kona Shelly, The HEAT wrecking Crew, and everyone else tackling Ironman Lake Placid this weekend. Use that 6 mile descent to the fullest, enjoy the day, and Hopefully the weather is better than last year...otherwise a little shower on the bike will help cool you off. Good Luck Go Fast and Remember you are badass because this is probably the 3rd toughest Ironman currently on the calendar!

Have a Good Weekend!
R.D.

Burnout is a terrible thing....

When I came back from Providence last Monday I was fried. I was shelled, nuked, roasted, cooked, spent, burned out, and extra crispy. I had made that race my be all this season so when my plans for it started to fall apart about 2 weeks ago I was sort of dreading going. I maned up and got through it pretty well, but when other things started hitting the fan I really got a case of the "I need to quits." So started typing the I quit post and posted two of them. I took the weekend off no training, I slept late, watched the DVD set of Epitafios, threw out a couple of job apps and sent an email to my Anth Professor, about should I start saving to come back. My professor got back to me. I passed so now I'm a department chair and Dean's signature away from my BA in history. Which means now I can work on my resume for a "career" instead of a "job". I figure a little down time is in order so some reduced traning and no thoughts of the swim, bike, run for a couple of days are in order. Essentally I've been running full tilt for two seasons without a break so a week or two off might be what the doctor ordered. Give me time to focus and realize that I'm a person who does triathlons, and that maybe my hobby has grown a little too unheathly for itself. Figure out some life stuff, eat some of the unhealthy stuff ( without worrying will this make me fat?) and just unwind. Essentially I just need a break not a long one but just some time to clear my head without worrying about the Jerk in the Expedition running me off the road. Essentially I need a vacation from my hobby and hopefully when I pick t back up I'll be able to do so with a renewed vigor instead of the same old slog.
RD