Boy Meets Tri

Say It Ain't So

2008-11-16T13:20:00.002-05:00

No blog posts for over a year ot maybe closer to two. There are technical reasons behind that; my work implemented tougher restrictions on internet usage. Hmmm could it be me??

In other developments I'm racing in Ironman Arizona in seven days. It promises to be a life chaning event. More details to follow...

Fall in NC

2006-10-03T07:49:00.000-05:00

I love autumn in NC. The days are still warm, and the evenings are cool. My taper run last evening was awesome; 3.5 miles in 29 minutes. I swam this morning and will spin at lunch today. This is in preparation for the Pinehurst Oly this weekend. Goal times are 25 min swim; 1:20 bike and 45 min 10K. It will be great to break 2:30, but I'll be satisfied with 2:40.

This is a reflective time of year. My second tri season is coming to an end, and there are accomplishments to go around. I did my first ever Oly and HIM races, and knocked 15 minutes off my sprint time. My boys got interested in tri's, finished their first race, and we're doing a kids adventure race together on the 21st. My wife just finished her second 5K, and made some strong friendships; her "Sole Sisters" as she calls them.

Am I fortunate? Yes. I chose this lifestyle, however, so the results are even more satisfying than just mere numbers. My family shares common experiences and supports one another, which go beyond typical parent/child relationships, and bottom line, we have fun. So, this season has been great on many levels and its been balanced. I'm not that eager to take my own tri experience to the next level because it may upset that balance. So, next year will be a grand journey like this one was, and I think I'll be happy with wherever I (we) end up. Is this a great sport or what...

Trick or Treat

2006-09-18T20:32:00.000-05:00

My birthday is coming up, and I'm deciding what to get myself. Everyone turning 40 should buy themselves a present. The decision is between 1) tricking out my current Specialized road frame with a newer, faster wheelset, or 2) treating myself to a brand new Cervelo, Equinox, etc. I can't decide. Buying the wheels means I can ride even faster in groups when not doing tri's, but on the other hand, a new bike??? Whatever the decision, the cycling skill have to match the ride; speed is earned.

Duke Liver Center Half IM Race Report

2006-09-13T08:28:00.000-05:00

I've waited a few days to post in order to think about the day, and my conclusions are that it was awesome. Being my first half, the course was challenging, but the weather was great and I stayed within my plan for the most part. Here are the results:

Swim 57:36 Really bad, but I am certain of what needs work on this off season. I laughed out loud under water counting the different colors of caps that passed me.

Bike 3:10:53 I'll take this for a hilly ride. After the bonk session two weeks ago, I enjoyed sailing passed familiar sights and erasing those not so good scenes from my mind.

Run 2:15:06 (not so bad) The run course was very hilly, but I never walked, except through aid stations. It was a very powerful experience to have thoughts of my family and training creep into my mind toward the end. I wanted to finish strong for them. I spotted TriDaddy on the course and gave a shout out. He was finishing strong on a difficult course despite a heel issue; he'll rock IMFL for sure.

A weird note: I was 1/3 of the way through the swim, and this black thing kept hitting my left arm as I reached. After a few hits, I realized it was a huge bumble bee! WTF! In the middle of a lake!?!

A nutrition note, I took a total of 5 Lava salts during the race. It was a risk because I had never trained with them, but it was well worth it. No signs of cramping.

Total time with transitions and a 2 minute penalty for not having my race number when crossing the finish line: 6:28:17 Bottom line, I can't wait to do another one. This sport is a drug and I'm addicted!

I Love Motrin

2006-09-08T11:25:00.000-05:00

But it makes me sleepy. I've been taking it the last day and a half because I think I irritated my ITB. The outside of the left hip can get sore after a bike or run. I've been experimenting with bike saddle height lately, and it started to hurt. Luckily it has really quieted down with the reduced activity of the HIM taper. I'll be fine for the race, but I'm anticipating some pain afterwards.

Speaking of HIM, Sunday morning will be my first, which is awesome. The water temp will be borderline, but it has been cloudy the last couple of days, so who knows. My goal is to finish strong, but finish nonetheless, so time goals are secondary. I say that but I don't think I really mean it. Seriously, if I limp in in 7-8 hours, I will be mad. 6:15 - 6:30 will make me happy, and faster will be even better.

One thing I've noticed about this race is the higher amount of non-SBR preparation required. The culmination of a well executed race plan will be very cool considering the time invested. Only the race will tell if I thought of the most important ones. I do good research though; when I'm interested in something, it totally consumes me. So, there is more than just athletic satisfaction at stake. A lot has been invested (by me and my family), and we've reaped some benefits already, but race day will be the biggest so far. What a great sport...

Yogataper

2006-09-06T08:23:00.000-05:00

I've been doing yoga lately, and I think its pretty cool. Its not the most masculine of sports disciplines, but neither are spandex shorts, and I seem to have plenty of them. I'm not into the whole meditation thing, just a good stretch/workout.

The taper is going fine. I have to cut back on coffee because I have too much energy. I just downloaded the official race information sheet http://www.set-upinc.com/rp5/duke/duke.shtml I can't tell you how pumped I am to finally try a longer race; a little nervous, but that is good. I'm also excited to see others attempt their first iron distance race. Go IronWil and TriSaraTops!

Other news over the weekend saw my better 2/3rds finally buy her own bike. We went to LBS and she found one she liked, and it was on sale to boot. Not wanting to spoil the moment, I said, "She'll take it!" She looked at me in complete surprise. "Why wait?", I said. After a superficial protest, she picked out her helmet, and we were on our way. We can now ride as a family, which is very cool.

Taper Officially Begins

2006-09-01T13:16:00.000-05:00

My biking and running taper started after my bonk session on Monday, but the swimming taper starts today. I did not swim much at all during vacation despite our rental house being on a pond. I swam one morning, but quickly realized that vacationers don't swim right after the sun comes up (only triathletes do). So, the part of my brain concered with safety and self preservation decided that it was not a good idea. Today I went to the pool at lunch and swam a continuous 2100 yds in 47.13. Have I mentioned that I'm a rock? I'll take it.

TS Ernesto has been interesting. My running partner is a guard reservist and was activated. No damage, just wind and rain, but the temp has gone from a high of 95 on Wednesday to 67 today...way to go Ernie.

With the upcoming race, I feel prepared, but I can't quote any technical terms about my training. I don't count wattage (can't for that matter), I rarely pay attention to minutes per mile and use my HRM about half of the time. I do focus on overall time, for example I do know that the 60 mile ride before bonk Monday saw 3hrs and 17 min. I've always trained-by-feel, but a half iron requires more than that. So here is what I've come up with:

For my first attempt, I'm shooting for a 6hr 30min finish. I'll carry two 20 oz bottles of Gatorade Endurance formula for 300 caloriess, one bottle of water, 5 gels (2 with extra sodium) for 600 calories, and pretzels on the bike for another 200 calories. That makes 1100 calories to absorb in 3 hours if I consume it all. I doubt I will, but I'll have extra. I'll carry 3 more gels on the run 300 calories and there will be gatorade on the course, so that makes approximately 500 calories to absorb on the run. Totals are 1780 calories and 2000 mg of sodium; 274 and 308 per hour respectively.

Depending on the temperature I'll need a quart or less of water per hour. There are 3 water hand-off points each on the bike and run. I've not trained with salt tablets, so I don't want to start now. The pantry will be stocked, and I'm comfortable with knowing how much I can tolerate. Thats my story and I'm sticking to it...

Looking Ahead

2006-08-30T16:11:00.000-05:00

As I think over my classic bonk session a couple of days ago, here's what will change. More sodium. I did some quick research today, and the highest sodium gel I could find is Power Bar Gel with 4X sodium @ 200 mg. It also has 27 grams of carbs, and at $1.50 per pack, its probably a good investment.

Then I did a little more research. Reduced Fat ToastChee from Lance has 250 mg sodium and 23 grams of carbs and 5 grams of protein. It retails for less than 40 cents per pack.

Then I thought, why not just add salt to my water bottles. More to come...

Wake Up Call

2006-08-29T08:07:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a wake up call for me. After returning from a vacation at Cape Cod, I went on my last long bike ride before the Duke HIM. Temps up there were a cool 65-70 degrees for the last couple of days, and buttered lobster was everywhere. Wanting to ride the course, I drove to the race site and started off at around noon. I wasn't prepared...for quite a few things.

The first hour saw 20 miles go by without a hitch. Not bad, I thought. The second hour saw only 13 miles. The road was full of 18-wheelers and construction trucks and I was constantly pelted by their flying debris. I was almost run of the road by a construction crew truck escorting cars past a resurfacing project and had to ditch on the shoulder. After a few minutes rest and an equipment check, I was back in business and rode hard for a while longer.

By this time the temperature was 97 degrees, probably hotter on the road. Salt crystals were forming on my skin, dehydration was setting in, and my legs started cramping really hard. I didn't anticipate the heat, and hadn't even looked at the weather forecast. Luckily, my head was clear, but it wouldn't stay that way with more hard riding, so I slowed down. I ran completely out of water and had to stop three times to fill up. One stop was a random house at the side of the road. After a short chat with the extremely nice owner, the well water went down nice and cool.

I limped back to the car, and barely rode over 10 mph for the last 15 because of the cramps and my overall sorry condition. I cursed myself for being so stupid. I've been in heat before and have seen the damage it can do. I've called in med-evac helicopters for heat stroke victims, and known people who have come close to death. It takes a long time to replenish water and electrolytes, and I put myself dangerously close to a serious state.

Lessons learned:

1) I will not train for a long time in hot conditions.
2) I will do long rides on the weekends.
3) I will always carry more water than I think I need.
4) I will take salt tablets during long rides; or find some other way to get more sodium.
5) I will be more prepared for the upcoming race and other events in general.
6) I have a hard head and need to make mistakes in order to truly appreciate the consequences.

Dad's World II

2006-08-17T17:47:00.000-05:00

Here are the pics of my older son. The last one is awesome as he pushed it at the end. He really swam well, and wants do do more.

Other training news; the Duke half iron training is going well. 60 mile ride and 10.5 mile run last weekend. Tomorrow is a 2500 yd swim. Next week is the final build week according to Friel. Then I start my taper. I'm headed on vacation next week, and I'm looking forward to many training opportunities. We've rented a house on a pond; open water!

Have a good week folks,

Dad's World

2006-08-14T20:32:00.000-05:00

I have two great boys. They act crazy most of the time at home (they're fine at school), but we usually have fun doing just about anything. I've mentioned before that my insanity is rubbing off on my family. My wife ran her first 5K in June, and seeing her compete and finish strong was so exciting. Recently, she heard about a group that does kids triathlons and other events in order to promote fitness for children. I was excited when I heard about it, and the boys just about jumped out of their skins when asked if they wanted to race a triathlon!

My 6 year old would swim 50 yds, bike 1.5 miles and run .5 miles, and the 10 year old would swim 100 yds, bike 3 and run 1. They were stoked!

I had one problem. The Mission Man sprint was scheduled the same day. There was no way to do both, and my wife even said, "You go ahead and run it." Well, the thought of my two boys whom I love more than anything competing in a sport that I love was too hard to pass up. After some schedule switching, Mission Man was dropped, and the Kids In Training Triathlon at Meadowmont was added to the schedule.

We had a blast swimming laps at the Y, I found it worked best if we all jumped in the same lane and did pull bouy, kick board or whatever in no particular order. At their ages, its all about attantion span. We biked and ran a mile course in the neighborhood. They always asked me to take them out; it was great! When the day came they were ready to race and I was ready to watch, and take pictures of course. It was awesome watching them go. The pictures are below and just about speak for themselves.

My youngest waiting for his turn.

He laid a huge black skid mark right after I snapped this image and almost ran over a course volunteer.

I wish I smiled when I ran...

I can't get any others to upload, so I'll post the older son's pics soon.

New Favorite Workout

2006-08-09T12:51:00.000-05:00

I have a new favorite workout...brick intervals. This morning I with a 3 mile bike that includes a large hill, and I added a .75 mile run immediately afterward. I completed 2 reps in the time available. The next session I'll go for 4 or more as I move toward the "build" phase of my half-iron training plan.

The weekend has a 60 mile bike scheduled. Looking forward to testing the new saddle. I've increased the frequency of bike workouts, so that they're at least half of my total workout time. Afterall, "its all about the bike..."

Other race thoughts include getting a "bento box" to mount on my top tube to hold gels and a PBJ or two! I also want hold a cell phone to call my wife and update her on my progress. Is it against the rules? I won't ask her and the boys to wait for hours to see me four times. We live about 45 minutes from the race site, so if I call her half way into the bike, she and the boys can see me transition to the run, and follow the race from there.

Latest Itunes download: Stardog Champion - MotherLoveBone

Training Highlights

2006-08-07T08:27:00.000-05:00

I started the weekend right with a 1' 20'' run on Friday night. The temp was a sultry 87 degrees at 8pm, but that is summer in the south folks. I had a gel after mile three and cytomax throughout with no stomach upset. Worries are starting to subside about the half-iron nutrition plan; as long as I save the black bean salsa for the post race party! What to eat for solid food is still a concern. Without it I will be starving during the 6 hour endurance party. I thought of cereal bars; low in fiber; small enough with enough carbs, and if eaten during the bike leg, they should be OK for the run.

I bought a new saddle last week hoping to ease some discomfort in my left leg. After about an hour of pedaling in the aero; I get a pain that starts under my left "sit bone" and travels down to the knee. My stock saddle has a channel running down the middle; and I think the edge of the channel is rubbing on a nerve. This will be a good experiment; but I need to get it right soon, or the highlight of my racing season could turn out to be 3 hours of torture.

This week will see a long run mid-week and long bike this weekend. I may go to the course and do some advance recon; but the jury is still out (haven't confirmed with my better 2/3rds yet).

Later,

2006-08-03T18:39:00.000-05:00

Well, summer break is over. At least mine is. I totally fell off the blog wagon. I have some catching up to so on your posts; which I look forward to reading.

I've done two races, Kerr Lake Olympic and the Triangle Sprint. Kerr was the first one for that distance and it was a total blast. I finished in 2:28, so I completely suprised myself. The Triangle Sprint saw improvement too, 1:28. I learned a valuable lesson on that one my friends. Black bean salsa is not good to eat the night before. Cramp city...

Today I signed up for the Duke half iron on September 10th. More to come on the mental saga that has been. I'll close for now, need to get the monkeys to bed. I'm back friends!

Apologies

2006-06-04T14:11:00.000-05:00

Well folks,

I've been absent for a couple of weeks, one was vacation. The second was adjusting to life's hectic schedule again. It seems like I need a vacation to recover from my vacation. More to come including pictures of the wild ponies of Carrot Island, and an after dinner coffee story that makes me realize how much I can't handle alcohol any longer.

On a more important note, Kerr Lake Oly was today, and everything was perfect. First one at this distance. A full race report with pics will follow as well. My triathlon world just got smaller...

Fish Out of Water

2006-05-19T09:40:00.000-05:00

Swimming at the Y has been difficult the last two days. I struggled out out of bed at 5am Thursday morning only to have the lifeguards not show. No guards, no swim; simple as that. My gear was not prepared for a bike or run, so I went home and had a cup of coffee. This morning saw the same 5am wake-up, and the lifeguards were ready, but apparently the pool was not; it was closed for repairs. Once again, I did not prepare my gear for a bike or a run, so I went home and had a cup of coffee. The bottom line is lots of coffee and no swimming make Batman nervous and cranky. Especially since my first olympic tri is 15 days away. Sunday I'm going for an open water swim...

On a less cranky note, yesterday my company's wellness department hosted a trail 5K. I did it in 23:10, or 7:27/mile. My times are coming down, and the outlook for this season is positive. The Mission Man sprint in July is the only repeat from last year, so that time will be apples to apples.

Next week, the boys will be at camp together, and my wife and I will be on vacation. There will be many workout opportunities as well and eating and drinking. I hope I don't everdo it, but if it happens, oh well. Have fun everyone.

Ramblings

2006-05-16T07:59:00.000-05:00

Wow folks,

This has been a busy stretch. A recovery week is supposed to be peaceful, but mine has been anything but that. Work continues to intrude on my personal space, so I've had to give it some attention. I set up a surprise Mother's Day party for mine and a few other wives this past weekend. My oldest son was sent off to camp for two weeks; the young one will follow on Monday for a week. In the midst of it all, training has found a small but welcome spot.

Kerr Lake is just 19 days away. It will be my first olympic race, and I can't wait. I've been thinking more about nutrition during the race, which is a new thing. I've been incorporating more sports drinks in place of straight water during my regular training. Gels are another story. Staying ahead of my dog has been tough; he goes into my gym bag and eats them when I'm asleep. No wonder he's so full of energy in the morning. This week officially starts the "Peak" period according to Friel. It consists of more intense/less duration sessions and more brick workouts.

At the swim workouts with Assassin Steve we have been using more fins. It has really made a difference in my kick. Now that my lower body is actually doing something, my entire body is in a better position. So, I'm becoming a more streamlined rock!

I would like to say a formal congratulations to all that rocked the White Lake Half Iron. I enjoyed reading the reports; they were incredibly inspiring (and funny).

Race Report: Riverwood Sprint

2006-05-04T09:53:00.000-05:00

After a cold morning, the race-day temperature warmed to the low 70s'. The swim was 300yds and I finished breathing heavy, but not destroyed. The bike was a great course; mostly flat with small rollers. Others said there was a big hill near the finish, but they must have confused it with the run. The last 3/4s of a mile went uphill in various levels of pain. It went from "Wow, I can't catch my breath" steep to "Mommy make it stop" steep.

My times were: swim(300yds): 5:47 T1: 1:20 bike(20K): 39:51 T2: 1:03 run(5K): 24:42 overall: 1:12:42

I'll take it. Base training with the club at the Y paid off. I gave my wife a huge hug and "thank you" for being a partner to my insanity. It was Mom's first experience at a triathlon, and after crossing the finish line, I said to her, "So, this is my new hobbby!" Next up, Kerr Lake Olympic...can't wait!

On the eve...

2006-04-27T17:58:00.000-05:00

Race day one day away. Clothing...check, bike...check, trunk carrier...check, nipple protectors...ugh, what to use...band-aids will probably come off, duct tape probably never will. Its a dilemma I often face when forced to run in a shirt, and the coolness on Saturday may require one. Chafed mommy parts are not fun; Madonna had the right idea. Everything else is taken care of, but this one may take a while to figure out...

Lovin' It

2006-04-24T09:19:00.000-05:00

Well folks,

Training is going great. Last week's volume was 10 hours, a little less than the plan, but still good. Sunday's long ride was great; hills all over the place; 35 miles in 2 hours.

The Riverwood sprint is five days away, and the gear checklist is being reviewed daily. I'm pumped! Mom will be in town to attend my festivities and the boys soccer games later in the day, so we'll have to go straight from the race to the first game. Now, I'm not a show-off, but a part of me enjoys it when the other parents ask why I have writing all over my leg. I get to explain the whole tri thing. Its fun.

The family is getting used to my longer Sunday rides, sort of. The boys were crazy yesterday, and my wife had a time dealing with them; but the resulting conversation is funny...now.

Batman: How was everyone while I was gone?

Wife: (agitated) They were crazy. Didn't you take your cell phone with you?

Batman: Yes...

Wife: (more agitated) Didn't you hear me call you?

Batman: No...

Wife: Well, why do you take your cell phone if I can't call you?

Batman: (Silence...)

Wife: What?

Batman: (jaw dropping) The phone is for my safety, in case I get a flat and need a ride home. I can't answer it while I'm riding.

Wife: (joking) Well, if you don't pick up when I call, I'm not coming to get you.

Batman: I'll remember that the next time I'm screaming downhill at 35 mph and the phone rings.

So the next time you see a cyclist cranking uphill, yelling into a cell phone for someone not to hit his brother or take his Yu-Gi-Oh cards, chances are it will be me.

Build 2

2006-04-17T15:58:00.000-05:00

I'm in the build 2 phase of my season according to Friel, and volume this week will be 11.5 hours. One objective during build phases is to simulate race conditions with bricks and other fun things like...races... My first official one of the season is two weeks away, and I'm stoked! I get to unleash all of this winter's base training on the Riverwood Country Club in Clayton, NC. It can't come soon enough. "Be the ball Danny...be the ball..."

Friel on Friel

2006-04-12T04:54:00.000-05:00

I'm in a recovery week between Build 1 and Build 2, and training volume should be around 7 hours total. I'll probably go over since its Wednesday morning, and I'm at 5 hours so far. The warm weather has a lot to do with it, I'm sure. Volume for each of the next three weeks is 12 hours with 1/4 of that coming from the long Sunday ride.

I had a great ride last Sunday. I did a portion of the Beaver Dam Loop and got in about 30 miles; weather was awesome. A funny moment happened when a totally "geeked out" triathlete caught up to me and started talking. I was in my own little world, and he startled me to the point I almost crashed. Now, I said this guy was "geeked out"; he had every piece of tri gear on his body and his bike (QR, sweet ride). We chatted at the red light at Six Forks and 98, and once we took off I tried to keep up, but he was too strong.

The posts of IM Arizona have been truly inspiring; congratulations to all who achieved their goals!

Structure

2006-04-06T08:09:00.000-05:00

I've gotten farther into the Joe Friel Bible, and have more exercises and questionnaires to complete. This thing is like a Cosmo for triathletes... All kidding aside, I really like the structure it will give to training over the entire season. Once everything is complete, the plan will show the entire picture and the component parts; I like that. One problem, however, is sticking to such a regimented approach. I've always leaned toward the "train according to how I feel" method, so this will be a good experiment.

On a different note, my insanity has definitely rubbed off on the household. We've entered as a family in the North Raleigh Rat Race 5K and 2K run. We're all doing the 2K. The boys, 6 & 10, jumped at the chance. I like their spirit.

Spring Is Here

2006-04-03T12:27:00.000-05:00

And I'm out training! The YMCA tri club has officially ended, but many of the training sessions will continue, like the swim sessions with assassin Steve. I plan on focusing on the bike for the next 8 weeks. My first race of the season, Riverwood Sprint, is four weeks away, but the first of two "A" races, Kerr Lake Oly, is only 8 weeks away.

Here is the plan. Tuesday lunchtime spinning class with Stanley, Thursday morning 10-15 mile ride with hill repeats. There is a decent hill near my house, so I plan on getting very familiar with it. Sunday will be the long ride, I've downloaded several routes from the NC Cycle club, and they all seem to start from Blue Jay Point in N. Raleigh. That just happens to be 8 miles from my door, which will give me a 30-35 miler for the shorter loops. Not too bad. They will need to get longer if the half-iron comes to pass. Any advice on cycle improvement will be appreciated.

I mentioned that the Y club base training is over, and my wife couldn't be happier! The "graduation" time trial was held on Saturday. My times are below:

Swim 400yd - 7:37 (10 secs slower than the last trial, I blame the beer and fries at the Hurricanes game the night before.)
Bike 30 min (inside due to rain)
Run 5K - 24.26

I'll take it. Riverwood will be a good gauge for how the next phase will go. I've set my weekly schedule to account for my wife's downtime, my boys soccer games AND getting 2-3 workouts in each discipline. It will be a highwire act for sure and will probably come crashing down more than a few times, but in the end, it will be worth it.

Pics From Recent Vacation

2006-03-18T09:16:00.000-05:00

As promised, here are some pics from our recent family weekend in NYC.

We saw Blue Man Group and the boys loved it. They are a seriously creative bunch. Thats me in the middle ;-)

What a coincidence running into TriSaraTops in the Museum of Natural Science!

Me and my wife in Times Square. I proposed to her here 15 years ago. I think I recognize the guy in the blue coat. Every New Years Eve, we get to revisit our moment via the TV. Thanks Dick!

Just a friendly image of the Batman with a dinosaur claw coming out if his head.

Back on Track

2006-03-16T12:48:00.000-05:00

Well,

The weekend in NYC was great. Great food and fun; pics coming soon, and my uncle gave me his cycle trainer, which was basically unused. It came back in my suitcase; which was heavy!

I haven't posted in a while, and I'll offer up the following lame excuses. 1) my hard-drive crashed, thereby eliminating my "favorties". 2) My sons started soccer (I coach both teams), so the weekends are whizzing by in a total blur 3) Work has been, well, work, which really gets in the ways of good training opportunities.

The tri club has a sprint time trial last weekend. My results are below:

400 yd swim - 7:27
10.5 mile bike (very hilly) - 39.46
5K - 25.07

All in all, not too bad. A winter's worth of spinning hasn't produced much gains on the bike. The first official race is just over six weeks away, so I'll start preparing for that. I need to hit the bike hard if I expect to be in shape for the Duke half iron. Oh, did I leave that out? Its officially on the plan for September. Any advice and experience will be appreciated.

Weekend

2006-02-23T22:49:00.000-05:00

I'll be traveling this weekend, so posting will be difficult. Training will be interesting; I'm going north to join in the deep freeze fun...can't wait...We've got a lot planned, so it should be a blast whatever the thermometer says. Great swim on Wed. with coach Jen. We had as she put it an "IM day" 1200 warm-up then 10x75 IMs. My backstroke has improved lately, but the butterfly is basically non-existent; she really got a kick out of watching me splash around. Ran on Thurs. with co-worker Brett. Super partner and funny guy. We don't go too fast, so the runs are always "base".

Have great weekend!

Freud Where Are You?

2006-02-21T08:22:00.000-05:00

Last night I dreamt I was in an olympic distance tri. While on the bike leg, my bike suddenly grew until I was high enough to see the entire course. I was flying past everyone, screaming up and down hills; it was very cool. I usually don't have dreams that I remember; they fade as soon as I wake up, so this must be different. But, what does it mean?

I blew off my run clinic yesterday morning and ran last night. I don't like running at night; not sure why. Maybe because all of my cold weather gear is black and I'm worried about not being seen. While getting ready my wife said I looked like a cat burglar.

The family schedule on Sunday left me with no choice but to put off the underground spin class. It will remain a myth for another two weeks. I was able to get in a 2600 yd swim. After a 600 yd warm-up, I did 10 x 200s (3rd 50 in each 200 breathing every 5 strokes, all else breathe every 3). I was tired at the end. Overcoming the panic to breathe near the end of the 3rd 50 was a challenge, and according to Jen it will pay dividends.

I did a quick weight session this morning and I have lunch-time spin class at work with Stanly. He's a dynamic trainer and does a good class. The weather is cooperating (highs in the 50s to low 60s) and a southern spring is right around the corner. Later y'all.

Recent itunes downloads: She Sells Sanctuary - The Cult, Get your Geek On #5 - Tri-Geek Kahuna & Iron Wil. (great stuff!)

Updates

2006-02-18T12:04:00.000-05:00

Well, its sleeting here in central North Cackalacky, so I may not run outside today. I'm a little bummed about missing the morning swim workout with the tri-club. After a really great workout (10 x 200 or something like that) they pulled three of the lane ropes aside and played water polo! I stopped by to say hi, and really had to fight the urge to jump in.

I'm not too bummed though. My 6 year old had his last basketball game of the season at the same time. My boys' time receives priority on the weekends. He scored two baskets to boot!

The weather promises more of the same tomorrow, so I may seek out this super secret legendary 2 hour spinning class at the Y. Its taught by outrageously fit, endurance athlete, Lance. Apparently he rides to the coast of NC on a regular basis just for fun (120 miles). The class is never on the schedule; so its underground, and attended only by triathletes and cyclists. I hope my legs are feeling more normal by tomorrow. On Thursday, I did 2 sets of lunges as part of a weight routine, and that afternoon did a 4.5 mile run. Friday and today, my legs have been screaming. Not the dull ache from a long run, mind you, but the fire burning, walk down the stairs without bending your knees kind of sore. I guess the week off set me up for that.

Have a great Saturday!

AM Swim

2006-02-15T08:58:00.000-05:00

I have a new swim coach for this portion of the tri club, and her name is Jen. I've told you about assassin Steve, but Jen has yet to earn a nickname. Personally she is nice and sweet, but as a coach she is tough. Today's workout consisted of 1200 warm up (400 swim, 400 kick and 400 pull), then 5 X 500 (first, third and 5th 500 was breathe every 5 strokes on the odd 100s and breathe every 3 strokes on the even 100s). Second and fourth 500 was swim 75 then sprint 25 choice.

After my slow warm up, I only got 2 500s in before I had to leave (45 minutes total), but I plan on doing this entire workout this weekend. It was a killer and more than once I got a mouth full of water instead of air. Another thing I noticed by breathing less often was how much my hips dropped when rolling to breathe. I was able to concentrate on maintaining a straight line.

Lovin the GSCs

2006-02-13T12:28:00.000-05:00

I'm trying to be good with nutrition; really. I got a steamed veggie plate for lunch today and dumped the spinach into my keyboard, but thats another story. Lets forget that its girl scout cookie season. Lets also forget the little beauties lined up in front of every grocery store from here to Mexico; and the girls are cute too...Lets pretend, for the sake of argument, I have the willpower to avoid the tempting flavors of Samoas, Tagalongs, and Thin Mints. I would be a much better person, right? Wrong! I might be considered some will-powered, dietary Obi-Wan Kenobi, but I would be one cranky s.o.b. Besides its for a good cause...

Zeitgeist

2006-02-12T10:49:00.000-05:00

OK Folks,

I know all of what they say about training when you get sick, but I'm coming to my own, separate conclusions. My approach for both of them have been totally opposite. I completely trained through the November cold with maybe an afternoon workout missed; even with the antibiotics. This cold, I've been off training for 5 days resting, taking vitamins and thinking good thoughts. Well, I've got another sinus infection. I've never had one in my life until now, so I need to evaluate my training limits, or some other factor because this totally sucks!

On a different note, Friday would have been my father's 67th birthday. He died 5 years ago. He was an interesting guy; incredibly smart engineer (held at least 5 patents); and lived his life like a fraternity party. In the end it was the diabetes and hypertension coupled with fast food twice a day and smoking that overwhelmed him. Along with stroke number 2. I don't miss his habits, but I feel cheated in not having him around as I got older. Needless to say that my monkeys don't have a grandpa. I feel selfish.

I'll close this post with chants of USA! USA! USA! Olympics have been great so far. Bummer about Michelle Kwan pulling out, but its probably the best thing that could have happened. She wasn't going to win; she's competing with girls half her age. Gold was her only answer and failing to medal would have made her a pariah. Now she gets to heal up, do the interviews, enjoy the attention the injury will receive, and then totally cash out with Stars On Ice. She's all set.

Recent iTunes downloads: Pat Travers Band - Boom Boom Out Go the Lights, Eric Johnson_ Cliffs of Dover

I hate this...

2006-02-10T05:40:00.000-05:00

Its 5:30 am as I write this and I'm going back to bed. This cold/virus/Bora Bora walking sickness I've had since Monday is really getting on my nerves. Each day it has found a different part of my body to disturb, and today its the lungs. I can't seems to catch a full breath, so no AM swim for me. This will be the 4th full day of no training. I'm getting impatient...

On a lighter note, some recent iTunes downloads: Michael Penn - No Myth, Fear Factory - Cars (Gary Newman cover), The Cult - Wildflower.

Training in Feb

2006-02-08T12:59:00.000-05:00

So far in February, training has been light. My tri club ran a time trial last Saturday. I was fairly pleased with the results:

750 yd swim: 15:00 flat

Bike was limited to indoor trainer due to weather, so we all did 1/2 hour.

5K: 23:59

Add the transitions, and my overall time was 1:10:12. The swim has been my biggest area of improvement. In a tri this summer, I did almost 13 minutes for 500 yds, or 6 minutes for 250. My time has dropped to 5 minutes for 250 over the last 6 months. Have I mentioned that I'm a rock?, but I'll take this as an indication that something is working.

I've also been nursing a cold, and have backed way off of training. In November I developed a sinus infection after training through a cold. I want to avoid that this time. My youngest has it too. He woke me up at 3:00 am and promptly threw up.

The half-iron beast has surfaced again (see previous post) in the form of the Duke Liver Half on September 10. My curiosity is too strong to stop me from taking a closer look at the effort required. I'll talk about it with my better 2/3s and get her input.

Stop the Madness

2006-02-06T11:05:00.000-05:00

"Work has been crazy!" Of course, everyone says that. "I've been so busy at home!" Everyone says that too, so the last thing you want to read is me whining about how busy my life is, so I won't. I will, however, pass some of the more relevant details.

Its performance review time at work, and I have 9 awesome staff members to who will receive more $ in their paychecks. This is my favorite part of being a boss; recognizing people for their accomplishments. My youngest plays basketball every Saturday morning, and soon soccer season will start for both boys. I coach my oldest's team and the coach for my youngest's team is not coming back, and have already been approached about taking over. My wife has really ramped up her workouts. She loves the classes: step, kickboxing, muscle, 4x4, the list goes on, and I'm very interested in what she does. Its the least I can do since she has to listen to me talk about my "hobby". She does so many different classes and knows so many people that I have a hard time keeping up that I now know all of these people by the way my wife describes them to me. Here's a recent example:

Batman: "How was your workout?"

Wife: "Not that great, Turquoise Thong taught tonight."

Batman: "Wasn't she the one that taught over the weekend?"

Wife: "No, that was Tatoo Butt-Hat"

Batman: "Really? Isn't she a teacher at the school?"

Wife: "No, that's Mrs. Ralston."

My oldest son had just entered the room...He sees her every day and she asks if my wife is coming to her class.

Batman: "Oh, I thought she was the one that did the funny moves"

Wife: "No, that was Lady-in-a-Cage."

Batman: "Huh? Were your friends there tonight?"

Wife: "Not all of them, Spandex-Donna was there, so was Katrina the Vegan. Her husband ran a triathlon, but I think it was a while ago"

Batman: "Who? Wasn't she the one...nevermind". Are you going to an early class tomorrow. Do you need me to pick up the monkeys?

Oldest Son: "I saw Mrs. Ralston today, and she said she was looking for a substitute for her class tomorrow."

Wife: "Really, then I'm not going, I'll pick up the kids."

So you see folks, the workout class thing is very hard to keep up with, and sometimes, no matter how hard I try, it just can't be done. My wife has an easier time keeping up with mine. There is something to be said for running with Paul, swimming with Tom or biking with John.

Training Highlights

2006-01-19T16:16:00.000-05:00

Training has been consistent lately; getting 3 of each per week. I'm amazed, since the holidays and training can compete for time. Aside from the cold in November, my health has been good, so tolerating the volume should not be a problem in the future. Quality will be the focus of the next phase.

Run: Has been one tempo/interval per week with two slower "base" runs. I expect to replace a base with a tempo/interval to build speed. I want to keep one base to help with distance.

Swim: I am in Assassin Steve's hands...typically we do 2000+ yds per session with mixed intervals. I really think I could swim in the bathtub and improve. Have I mentioned that I'm a rock?

Bike: I've been doing mainly spinning classes 2x per week with an outdoor session weather depending. As time goes on, a 2-3 hour outdoor session every week will be mandatory.

My club will do a sprint time trial next month, looking forward to that one. Last night at the Duke/NC State game I talked a buddy into a race this summer. He's done tris in the past but has slacked off, which is OK. I don't need the competition from a former NCAA div. 1 swimmer.

What Now?!?

2006-01-16T08:09:00.000-05:00

I received my USAT card a couple of weeks ago, and for a few days it didn't sink in. I noticed something was up with my latest Itunes downloads; I usually download tunes that my monkeys and I can listen to on the way to school and avoid the morning radio show stuff. Before I knew it, I had a CD filled with Cheap Trick, Thompson Twins (I know) even Kung Fu Fighting. They loved them, but where did the urge to listen to that come from? Then it dawned on me, actually it hit me like a cold head wind on a steep descent. I pulled out the USAT card again, and there, under the age group were the two digits I never thought I'd see..."40".

"Its too early", I thought, "They've made some mistake. My birthday isn't for another 10 months."

Nope, no mistake. This is the year I reach the milestone. When I was a kid, all the 40 year olds, were so much, well, older, and this caught me completely off guard. The initial shock has worn away, and I'm ready now. I will attack this like bike/run transition. A few years ago, I decided that skydiving will be the activity on my 40th, so that's on the plan. I've got my semi-solid race plan with 4 sprints and 2 olys as another. Then, walking back to my desk one day at work, an idea floated in as if a stranger had whispered something in my ear, "You can do a half-iron."

"Where did that come from?", I thought, I hadn't planned on doing the next distance until I conquered the international distance this year. Was it born from the same depths of my ego that produced the Thompson Twins CD? Hell, I hope not, but its there regardless. It won't go away either. Oh, it quiets down for a while, but in those moments where I think about where my multisport lifestyle is headed, it jumps out from behind a nice, soft couch and says, "Here I am, come and get me..."

Mars v. Venus

2006-01-09T18:34:00.000-05:00

My wife wants to try a 5K in April; I'm so proud. Some of my insanity must be rubbing off on her. Still, she approaches things in a way that leaves me speechless. I don't know if its a girl/guy thing, but here is a bit of a recent conversation:

Wife: "So, my friend and I are thinking of doing the 5K race."

Batman: "Thats awesome! I look forward to cheering you on as a spectator."

Wife: "I'm not sure if I can do it."

Batman: "You can definitely do a 5K."

Wife: "I hope so, my knees haven't hurt for quite a while, but I still would like to know if I could do it."

Batman: "Don't worry, the 12 week program I downloaded is for first-time runners, and it has you running only 5 minutes out of 30 to start. Besides, you do aerobics 5 days a week. If you start off slow, you'll have no problem."

Wife: "Yeah, but why don't you take the car through the neighborhood and measure 3 miles. I'll run it and see if I can do it."

Batman: silence...

Wife: "What?

Batman: puzzled look...

Wife: "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Batman: "OK, and when I want to do an Ironman, I'll just run one first to try it on for size."

Updates and 06 Schedule

2006-01-05T13:43:00.000-05:00

Good news! My son's appointment went well, no surgery, but the downer is that he has to live with this mass and deal with episodes of infection and swelling for a long time. Two surgeons would not consider operating, so thats good enough for me.

Early January training is going well, despite the early cold mornings (relatively speaking in NC!). Today the temp is a balmy 60. Assassin Steve continues to drive the swim practices, cycling is split between a weekly ride and spinning; once at work during lunch and the other on the weekends at the Y, and running mainly at lunch at work. I'm also doing a weight routine twice a week. My boss said I'm Forest Gump...running everywhere.

My forward seatpost from Ebay has been installed and although I've ridden only once, it feels like a great purchase. I hope it really transforms my road bike into a tri machine.

The 06 racing schedule is slowly taking shape. It looks like the following:

4/29 Riverwood Sprint
6/4 Kerr Lake Olympic
7/9 Triangle Sprint
7/29 Mission Man Sprint
8/26 Endurance Challenge Sprint
10/7 Pinehurst Olympic

There may be some road races before and after, but they need fit in with soccer season for my two monkeys. This one will be interesting for my oldest, the other coach left, so its just me and nine 10 year olds.

I'll try to include more pics on Boy Meets Tri in the future. Later folks,

Help Me Understand...

2006-01-03T11:20:00.000-05:00

Well folks, last night was a combo light run/weight routine at the Y. Things were going very well for me and all the others in my vicinity until a trio of female athletes came in and caused a fuss. These three were practically nude, making all kinds of noise on even the simplest exercises, and left make-up on every piece of equipment they came in contact with. Now, I'm not a puritan by any stretch, but even the ancient greeks used fig leaves. And the needless noise...if the weight you're pressing bends the bar, then maybe you have a right to growl; but stationary lunges look silly with a noticeable "Aaargh". Now, I mentioned there were three of them, it was actually one woman and her two augmented breasts. With all this activity and lack of clothing, they had the attention of all the guys (the teenagers just stopped working out and stared, jaws dropping) and the disgust of all the gals. After a half hour or so she put on a sweatshirt and left. What I can't figure out is why would someone intentionally add that much sex to themselves. She was fit and didn't need it; I think...Why was she at the YMCA?

No More Reflecting

2006-01-02T09:25:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year Everyone!

Its always the time of year to reflect on the past and future. I've done mine, and now I'm all finished. This year's reflection was much shorter than most. Probably because I set this year's goals last year. I plan on running at least two olympic distance races and a half marathon. My goal for the sprints can be summed up in one word...fast. This week will be a shock to the system. Holiday travel and food has put me in a corner, but we'll take care of that soon enough. Training this month will be in higher heart zones (base 2).

The medical appointments continue for my oldest son. His MRI last week confirmed that the cyst is diffused. It will be difficult to get to. We're seeing another physician, hopefuly this week.

Preoccupied

2005-12-23T09:02:00.000-05:00

Well, its certainly been a hectic couple of weeks since I've checked in. Sorry for the silence. Lots of health related issues floating around my household. I'll start with the bouts of strep that made their way through my boys; which is never fun. My oldest contracted an ear infection last week. They always cause my wife and I tremendous concern because he was born with a congenital malformation in his lymphatic system just under his jaw on the right side. He has had two surgeries to remove cysts in that area. They form when his lymphatic system can't drain properly following an infection; ears for example. Each cyst has been preceded by one of these, and just like clockwork, one has developed. We have an MRI next week.

I've fully recovered from a head cold/sinus infection a few weeks ago. It was a learning experience for me. You may ask what can be learned from a common virus? Well, I had my annual physical around the same time, which included the standard blood tests. My doctor was concerned because my platelet count came back low, so she ordered a repeat test. The second test came back lower, which caused more concern (not just the doctor). I got on the web and diagnosed myself with everything from a rare auto-immune disorder to leukemia. The third and fourth tests came back higher and within normal ranges, so everyone relaxed. The culprit was the virus that kicked off the cold earlier. Apparently, they can lower platelet counts. The blood test from the physical and head cold were just bad timing.

I promised a comparison of power bars and although preoccupied, I've been sampling different varieties. The Power Bar seems to have the most vitamins, especially the anti-oxidants A, C & E, which we, as endurance athletes, need more than most. The Cliff Bar has more fiber and is completely organic. The Zone bar has good vitamins, and even includes molybdenum. Anyone want to take a stab at that?

In conclusion, training with the Y club has been great this month. We've been keeping the training in lower heart rate zones, but next month, the coaches will increase the intensity of the workouts. A highlight for me was to 500 yd swim time trial. I dropped a full two and a half minutes from the same distance at a race this summer. Did I mention that I'm a rock? Maybe Steve deserves a new nickname...

I'm looking forward to a few days of relaxation. Merry Christmas everyone.

Assassins and Power Bars

2005-12-07T18:43:00.000-05:00

When the mountain stages were added to the Tour de France in the early 1900's, the racers were overheard cursing the organizers and calling them "assassins!". That's the way I feel about Steve the swim coach. He's pushing this newbie swimmer. Hopefully I'll respond. Tuesday's workout was the following:

W/U 6 x 50 stroke, 25 drill, 25 kick
400 pull
6 x 50 interval in 1:15
400 pull
6 x 50 interval in 1:05
4 x 150 50 stroke, 50 back, 50 stroke

2600 yds if I counted correctly. I expect no quarter from Steve tomorrow. Who knows, my swimming confidence might grow after a winter in the pool.

On a different note, the tri club had a seminar from a dietitian last night; very good info. A question came up about energy bars. There are too many to choose from and one for every person's taste. Some are packed with vitamins, carbs, or fiber. I'm interested in what everyone out there is using. I have my own favorites, but I'll hold off for now. Let me know your preferred bar and I'll do a highly un-scientific nutritional comparison. Price will definitely be in the equation!

Ready To Resume

2005-12-04T11:31:00.000-05:00

All right, I've taken two days off to combat this stubborn cold and I'm mad about it. I need to get back to the base program with the tri club, and today will happen no matter what. Yesterday's day off wasn't directly related to the cold. My youngest had his birthday party, so my wife and I had to reshuffle workout times. Mine was shuffled so much that when combined with the cold, it was easier just to skip. I wasn't interested in going for a run in 40 degree drizzle with pulsating sinuses. Today will be a long cycle, and I'm looking forward to it. The weather next week will be much colder, so I'm going to enjoy the outside while I can.

Invasion

2005-12-02T05:54:00.000-05:00

My body has been invaded by something this week. Whatever it was stuffed 10 lbs of wet cotton up my nose and sprinkled shards of broken glass down my throat. My face would throb when lying down, and my voice sounded like Yoda. Fortunately, thats as far as it got. I reduced training, but not entirely. A slow run and a light spin on a trainer temporarily cleared the sinuses. Its on the decline, and with any luck it will steer clear of the lungs. I'm interested in hearing what other approaches to training with bugs may be out there.

On a different note, while at the library the other evening, I saw a book about ancient Roman gladiators near the triathlon/marathon section. Gotta love Dewey Decimal. I thought there would be come common spiritual or psychological elements between the ancient bloodsport and our own. How wrong I was! It seems that Hollywood has provided an incorrect version (what? you're kidding), and the main theme was death. Most paticipants were forced to fight and they lived incredubly short, violent lives. Nothing at all similar to the deliberate, disciplined glory-achieving triathletes of today. I did uncover a few interesting facts though. Women were gladiators, and actually quite popular. ( You go girls) However, sometimes they fought dwarves. Being devoured by an animal was considered the lowest form of "combat"... Thats a double whammy, not only are you being eaten alive, but hey, nobody cares too. In the end, it was an interesting read, but nothing that lends itself to multi-sport. Any recommendations for my next book?

Training Update

2005-11-29T21:07:00.000-05:00

The start of Kerr YMCA's tri club training this year has been great. I mentioned the time trial in a previous post, and to date I've completed a running time trial and the inaugural master's swim practice among the first workouts. The time trial was called a Cooper test, which involves running on a track for 12 minutes and recording the distance. The result is compared to the times of a runner's age group. Here are my results from the coach:

Distance: 2850 yds age group=excellent
Estimated VO2 Max: 52.427 ml/kg/min superior range for age group

I've never heard of this test, so I can't say whether the predicted VO2 is accurate. I'm also a little shaky on the whole VO2 thing too, but at least I have a baseline to gauge my training this winter.

Swimming was another eye-opener. Steve, the coach, was very cool and full of good advice. My warm up yardage amounted to about 1/2 of my previous workout yardage. Did I mention that I'm a rock? I'm short with broad shoulders, and someone once described as a human fire hydrant, and float like one too. The next few months with Steve will certainly be interesting. I'm sure he was entertained with my kickboard drills. What is the proper technique with those things? There were times my legs were moving like hell, but my body was basically stationary. Any advice from the swimmers will be much appreciated.

My next tri-project will be to buy a new saddle for my bike; a converted Specialized Allez. Its been a good ride so far, I shortened the neck by 10mm to help with the aero bars, but I want to try a forward seat post. I feel like my body wants to move to the front of the saddle, which isn't comfortable for the sprints, and will get worse with longer distances.

Moons Over My Hammies!!

2005-11-22T10:12:00.000-05:00

They're sore...very sore. The first week of training with the tri-club at the Y has been great, but did I mention that my hamstrings are sore? Through a combination of core weight training with Ronnie, a cycle time trial with Kurt and running on my own, I can't tie my shoes without an audible grunt.

Our tri-specific swim was cancelled last week due to a short thunderstorm. The storm didn't do a thing to help the water situation, but the lightening cut practice short by all of about 15 minutes. I did meet the Masters coach, Steve, and will swim with him soon.

The cycle time trial with Kurt was an eye-opener. The route was a ten mile, out-and-back with small rollers. Going out was great; a lot of downhill, and the speed was fast. Coming back, however, was less of a party. Only one section was steep enough to climb out of the saddle, so the rest was just thigh-burning, lung-aching pedaling. I finished in 35:08 or 17.1 mph with a an average HR of 142. Kurt promised our group more improvement, and I'll need it.

Ronnie the trainer wrote a core weight program for the triathletes that is killer. It will ultimately consist of four phases with the first designed to strengthen core muscles and tendons and improve flexibility. Did I mention my hamstrings are sore? Hack squats, Rumanian deadlifts and medicine ball torso raises are just a few that have kept me in pain from my neck down to the back of my knees.

We're off to western NC for our annual Thanksgiving excursion. The boys have gotten older, so we'll hike more this year. The Blue Ridge Mountains are gorgeous and where Lance decided to comeback after cancer. Asheville expects light snow and cold temps, which is perfect for cutting the Christmas tree. I can't wait.

The God's Must Be Crazy

2005-11-17T12:50:00.000-05:00

After reading the posts about weather, here's the update from NC. Its not all sunshine and balmy temps in the south. We're in a severe drought this fall. Yesterday, Raleigh implemented stage 2 water restrictions in order increase conservation. Apparently, the city's water supply (Falls Lake) is less that a foot away from an all time low, and if current consumption is not curtailed, it could run out by mid January.

In related news, our local iron distance race, The Blue Devil, was cancelled for 2006. Apparently, they did not get the news that I have started doing tri's. This race was on my radar for the future. Where is the swim leg? Falls Lake, of course. The reason for the cancellation was listed as not enough participants, but the organizers may have had one eye to the skies.

My grass is dead and my car is dirty, but at least I can drink, bathe and swim laps at the Y. Duathlons anyone?

Race Report: The Old Reliable Run 2005

2005-11-14T12:58:00.000-05:00

Well, my 2005 racing season officially came to an end Sunday at the finish line of the Old Reliable Run 10K. It was a well run event; lots of activities for non-racers. Young and Associates does a great job; they have enough experience since they do just about all road events in the Triangle area. At race-time, almost 1000 people lined up for the 10K event, and the temp was 73 degrees with a little humidity. The course wound through the historic Oakwood district of Raleigh, went by the Governor's Mansion, made a U-turn at the bell tower on the NC State campus, and finished at the News & Observer office in the heart of downtown.

I saw some familiar faces from previous events including one tri-geek with a Garmin 301 (sweet); that's how I recognized him. He's got the speed to back up the gear because at one point on the course, I passed him and thought it was for good. Wrong! I heard him say to his partner, "Are you OK, I'm going to speed up". He blew by me and I never saw him again. I have got to get one of those things...

After starting intentionally slow, I hit the half-way point at 25:01 and picked up the pace. The five mile mark saw 40:03, and I was really pushing hard. I finished in 48:16 (7:50 per mile). My goal was to break 48 even, so I'm happy with the effort. The tempos and intervals definitely helped.

It was a good ending to a spontaneous "season": a 5, 8 & 10 K and three sprint tri's. Now its off to join the tri club at the Y for an off-season of serious base building and swim improvement. There are two Olympics in 2006 with my name written all over them.

To All Who Shall See These Presents, Greetings

2005-11-11T07:36:00.000-05:00

These lines are spoken first at any military awards or promotions ceremony. I thought them fitting to start my post today, since it is Veterans Day. All Veterans alive or gone deserve our thanks today. I am especially humbled by the sacrifices made by their families. Below is an article sent to me from a buddy in Iraq about their constitutional election last month...stirring.

Before I conclude, thanks to all those who commented on my first post. My first 24 hours as a blogger were cool, and I can tell there's a lot of passion and energy out there.

A few notes about training before I conclude: I'm running the Old Reliable 10K this weekend. My goal is to break 48 minutes. In the Dalmation Dash 8K last weekend, I ran 37:55 (7:39 per mile). More to come!

A Resentful Vote Amid deserted streets, Sunnis in Iraq’s insurgency-ridden Anbar Province swallow their bitterness and vote on a new constitution.
NEWSWEEK’s Owen Matthews recounts his day with U.S. Marines in Fallujah.

WEB EXCLUSIVE
By Owen Matthews
Newsweek
Updated: 8:17 p.m. ET Oct. 15, 2005

Oct. 15, 2005 - 7:30 a.m.: Only a few vegetable vendors and children playing move on the empty streets. Cars are banned today for fear of car bombs. About one kid in three waves at our convoy as we drive into Fallujah from the downtown Marine base—a relatively warm reception. We have heard one explosion early in the morning—an unsuccessful bomb attack on a U.S. convoy.

8:30 a.m.: Voters massively resent the government and the Iraqi security forces. Perhaps surprisingly, Fallujans seem to resent the Iraqi army, largely dominated by Shias, far more than the Americans. One man calls the Iraqi Army an "occupation force." People passionately hate Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jafari and his government. When pressed to say which politician they most respect, many Fallujans say Ayad Allawi, the U.S.-installed prime minister who preceded Jafari. He quickly allocated $200 million to rebuild their city after the U.S. war on insurgents in November 2004. Jafari seems not only to have ignored Fallujah but also deployed Shiite security forces in the mainly Sunni city.
"Jaafari? Go outside and see—there’s nothing but damage; half of our house was destroyed in the fighting last November and we still have not been able to repair it," complains Juma Abid, 30, an engineer. "Of course Allawi was much better than Jafari," says Abu Yasif, 28, a teacher. "It’s a rule. The last premier was better than this one, the last interior minister was better than this one. Things are getting worse for us Sunnis."
Sheikh Anad Aboud, 65, a tribal leader in a flowing robe and white headdress, said Allawi had been less sectarian. "Yes, he ordered operations in Fallujah, but he ordered operations in Najaf too," said the elder.

9:00 a.m.: "The government are just a bunch of liars," complains 42-year-old Yussuf Al’ Lami, standing in a huddle of his neighbors and children in a dusty street corner near a polling station in the Fillistin area of Fallujah. "They want just to annihilate Sunnis. They don’t want us to vote or have a voice in Baghdad. No one in Baghdad cares about us."
But the enthusiasm for Allawi is muted, at best. Some Fallujans also vehemently resent the rule of exiles. "We need a real Iraqi. These people sitting at desks now, they say they represent the Iraqi people but they have never passed through the real Iraqi experience," says Muntasar Al Alwani, a 36-year-old businessman. "Allawi is no better than any of those other politicians who came to our country on the back of American tanks."

10:00 a.m.: The Muslim clerics, or sheikhs, of Fallujah, are trusted above all politicians. Rafeh Al Wan, 48, retired movie producer, gave a typical response: "I trust the Ulema [clerics’ council] above all, they are the ones who have the interests of all Iraqis at heart," he said. "We need the Ulema to give an Islamic flavor to the government. You ask what Jafari did wrong—I ask what he did right? We feel no security here. My wife is a Shiite, she is the mother of seven kids, we have no problems in our family with Sunni, Shia, Kurds. This is all new. All I know is that before we were secure and now we are scared."

11:00 a.m.: Some people wax nostalgic for the days of Saddam. About one in five of the men I spoke to today support him outright (though more, about three in five, said they most respect the Ulema Council). "Bring back Saddam. He’s better than all of these people," said Sheikh Anan Aboud, 65. "Under the former regime things were better, the roads were safer. He was an oppressor but this gang is worse. We believe that [Abu Musab al-] Zarqawi was a legend invented by the Americans."

4:00 p.m.: U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad arrives at the Civilian-Military Operations Center in downtown Fallujah in a heavily armored humvee. I’m napping on a cot in the sandbagged hall when he arrives to meet with local leaders. Cots, kitbags and Marines’ laundry fill the room, once a theater. Sheikh Kamal Shawkur, chairman of the Fallujah City Council, begs for local boys held in Iraqi prisons to be turned over to the Marines. "At least we know that with the Marines they will be back in a month, a year," Shawkur told Khalilzad. "With the Interior Ministry you never know if you will ever see them alive again." Fallujah’s police chief General Salah Al Ani asks Khalilzad to allow 70 former Army officers to join the police, despite an Interior Ministry veto (on anti-Baathist grounds). "Of course Baathists should be allowed to stay in positions of power," says Gen. Salah. "We are all Iraqis in the end. Why call them ‘ex-Baathists’—ask if they are good Iraqis. The biggest mistake was to dissolve the army—I would like to ask [former U.S. administrator Paul] Bremmer why he did that."
The local dignitaries ask Khalilzad for two more things—to give Anbar Province more parliamentary seats than the current nine (which they reckon is too few), and to release money due for reconstruction and compensation.
Khalizad seems in his element. Fawzi Mohanad, deputy head of the city’s reconstruction council, says that the government owes the city $400 million. Khalilzad comes back with $110 million, and promises to work on it in Baghdad.
But when Sheikh Kamal Shawkur, chairman of the Fallujah City Council, mentions "the situation before 2003" as a benchmark for Sunni representation, Khalilzad steps in with a reality check. "We worry that people are nostalgic about the past," he says. "The past was not that good in Iraq. Iraq could do much better." The City Council chief invites him to break the Ramadan fast. Khalilzad says he has to meet the prime minister. The Fallujans smile politely.

6:00 p.m.: We dine on Meals Ready to Eat as polls close.

9:00 p.m.: Lt. Col. Patrick Carroll, the Arabic-speaking Marines Foreign Area Officer for Anbar, serenades downtown Fallujah with his Scottish bagpipes, a nightly tradition. He stands in the middle of a boxing ring in the courtyard and plays a selection of patriotic Scot and American airs, culminating in the Marine Hymn. The unit’s pet turkey, who lives under the boxing ring, appears calmed. The grunts say they’ve made the turkey a little joke ID card, which expires on Thanksgiving Day.

Midnight: As we prepare for bed, a State Department rep tells us that turnout has been very high in Fallujah, but low in the rest of Anbar province. "How low? Embarrassingly low?" we ask. "No, not embarrassing," he says. "Maybe just very low. But very high in Fallujah." That’s going to set off a lot of politicking—Fallujah has demonstrated that Sunnis can vote en masse (though they probably voted no). A lot of politicians will want to cultivate them in the two months before general elections in December.

© 2005 Newsweek, Inc.

Welcome to the launch of Boy Meets Tri!

2005-11-09T22:17:00.000-05:00

My goals are to enjoy triathlon and endurance sports in general and get to know others in blogdome doing the same. First, a little education about the name. I don't think of myself as the superhero (only a cell phone on my belt); it was my radio call sign in the Marine Corps. There were other characters like T-Bone, Sheriff and Sweetroll, and the names were used more than their real names. Eventhough its been a few years, alright thirteen...it still feels like yeserday.

I'm a tri-newbie. I ran my first three races this past summer. Three wasn't the original plan, but after starting "official" training in February, a mid-August race made me impatient. After training for four months, I ran the Mission Man Triathlon (awesome race!) and had a total blast. Funny newbie stories to follow. Four weeks went by and two more races went under the belt, and I was hooked. I've never had more fun doing such an intense thing as triathlon. Its a sight to behold seeing hundreds of people romp all over a course, push past their human limits and smile like kids at Christmas when they're finished (it must be the bagels covered in peanut butter!).

So here I sit typing my thoughts after running five miles today; eagerly awaiting my pool time tomorrow; thinking of my next post; and eating a bagel covered in peanut butter. Life is grand...

Me and my "monkeys" at the UNC Super Sprint in August. This was the original goal race, but as you can see, I'm wearing the Mission Man t-shirt. OK, I know...

Coming in off the bike leg. I was clipping out and wobbled a bit. Its a good thing my wife wasn't in position at the start of the bike; my chain fell off and I almost fell over from pedaling so fast. Thats the "young one" waiting for a high five...I couldn't have better fans.