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Monday, August 1, 2016

Lost in Transistion – 2016 Turtleman Race Report

It has been quite a while since I posted a race report, and I hope the hiatus is now over. Many know that the last year or so have been challenging for me and my family, and ‘Lost in Transition’ has a completely new meaning for me these days. However, we will put that back on the shelf for now and focus on what was a fabulous day, this past Saturday, July 30, 2016, at Turtle Lake Park located in Shoreview, MN.

According to the website, Turtleman was the first triathlon in Minnesota, and it ran consecutively for 14 years. It then took a 2-year sabbatical before coming back in 1995 and continued on for another 14 years. Tri Fitness, along with the City of Shoreview, revived the wildly popular event named after the lake and county park where the event is hosted.

Tri Fitness Coach Team "Chick'd Samich"
The event offers two classes, Classic and Modern. Both classes share the same route of a 1-mile triangular swim, 25-mile bike, and a paved trail 5 mile run around Turtle Lake. In addition, this year, Tri Fitness thru down the gauntlet and challenged all comers with a stacked relay team consisting of three of their finest coaches (Sharon (swim), Pete (bike), and Megan (run)). This team would be hard to beat. Tri Fitness's tri club also managed to assemble 3 teams, and I believe there was a fourth team, however, I believe only Vicky (swim) is on this year’s tri club team. In total, there were 9 teams competing in the Modern class. My team “All that and a bag of chips” consisted of me (swim), Angie (bike), and Theresa (run). We did not have any aspirations of toppling the coach’s team, but we definitely were out to have fun and to work hard. The club; however, did assemble a team that definitely had hopes of taking the top spot and had 3 stud athletes, Zach (swim), Nick (bike), and Mark (run).

Pre-Race and Transition Setup

Saturday morning was a gorgeous Minnesota summer morning with very little wind, temps in the upper 60’s, as the sun rose, with temps expecting to rise into the 70’s as the morning progressed. It would be a #superswell day of racing. Turtle Lake Park is picturesque; the lake was calm as I meandered into the transition area. I was the first of my team to arrive, but as I looked around, Nick approached and said good morning. Before I could even return my salutation, he was on about Pete’s bike setup. When it comes to the bike, Pete is a machine; I actually believe he has hydraulic fluid in his veins instead of blood. Pete had his bike set up with a single speed and obviously did so as a psychological strategy, and based on Nick’s reaction, it had worked better than anyone could have planned. As the morning progressed, Nick (who by the way is an amazing triathlete and probably has that same hydraulic fluid in his veins) was letting all of us know that he could not possibly let Pete beat him, or he may never live it down; game on as they say.

Howard, Amanda, and Matt
Angie, Theresa, and I got set up in transition, reviewed our strategy for the day, and even practiced the timing chip exchange before getting ready for race start. There was plenty of chitter-chatter with Amanda (swim), Matt (bike), and Howard (run) and the other Tri Fitness team members as we made our way to the race briefing. There were many friendly faces around, including a couple of colleagues from work, Jim and Glen, and many other like-minded athletes looking forward to a little swim, bike, and run party.

Swim 1.0 Mile – Triangular Clockwise Course – Time Trial Start

Warm-Up Shenanigans

After the race briefing I headed out for a quick warm-up. I was wearing the wetsuit knowing that my only goal for the day was to give my mates as much of a jump on the competition as I could. As I waded out a bit, the gal next to me said, “Hey, is that a snake”? Me, “Where, where…”(I do not like snakes of any kind), she points, “There”!, she squeals. I look down to my left about 2 feet away and there sat what looked like a snake lying on the bottom of the lake. We were standing in about 2 feet of water, and I am like, it sure looks like a snake, as I start to back away. Soon there are several others standing around the snake, and while I am trying to kick some sand or stones at it to see if it will move, a guy walks over and asks us what is going on. In stereo we echo, “There’s a snake on the bottom, right there”!, as we point at it. The guy is like, “I think it’s rubber, it’s not moving”. I’m not so sure and definitely not willing to go anywhere near this thing. After some trepidation, he grabs the thing by the end of its tail and says, “See, it’s rubber” as he tosses it in our direction. It sails about 10’ over our heads and lands in the weeds, and I am like, “That was so not funny”! Needless to say, so much for my warm up, by the time that drama concluded the race had started and the classic swimmers were lined up and heading into the water. I barely made it to my position in line when it was my turn to go. Sharon, the swimmer for the coach’s team, and Amanda were literally right behind me as we entered the water.

The Swim

About 50 yards into the swim I realized that I forgot to start my watch, but knowing that Sharon was on my feet, I decided not to try and start it now. The water was amazing, and I sighted the first buoy off on the horizon. There were very few weeds throughout, and the water temperature was great. I was worried about over-heating with the wetsuit on. I typically sight well in open water, and today was no exception; I was spot on. I worked hard knowing that I did not have to worry about biking or running today. As I made the final turn I realized that I was pretty much alone, I sighted the final buoy near shore and the swim exit and gave it all I had left.

T1 – Swim to Bike

As I scrambled out of the water I reached for my wetsuit cord before realizing I did not have to worry about it, I just need to make my way to transition so I could exchange the chip with Angie. I was really happy to see that all the team bikes were still in the rack, which meant I made it there first. Theresa helped with the chip exchange and Angie was off on the 25-mile bike course. Sharon was just a handful of seconds behind me, and just like that, Pete too was off. Nick sat nervously waiting for Zach, but next into transition was Amanda to exchange with Matt. I am sure it seemed like forever for Nick, but it was maybe a few minutes later that Zach made his way into T1. Zach, between gulps for air, said, “I had a late start; we are still in this thing”. Nick took off like a rocket with hopes of reeling in Pete who had an unknown lead at that point. As the rest of the swimmers made their way into transition, I peeled out of my wetsuit. My racing was done, but I had plenty of cheering left to do on this day.

T2 – Bike to Run

Theresa, Amanda, Howard, Sharon, and I chit-chatted for the next hour in transition (it was by far the longest I ever spent in T1 for any race) as we waited for the bikes to return. Mark and Megan did warm up drills and paced like a couple of thoroughbreds waiting to be taken to the starting gates.
Pete was the first back and was literally flying off his bike and running to make the exchange with Megan. Pete had apparently threw his chain about 2 miles from T2 and almost "arse over tea kettled" his way over his bars. Pete had battle scars on both his arms and legs and was bleeding from his right calf (I’m sorry that he was bleeding but was relieved that is was actually blood and not hydraulic fluid…). About 3 minutes or so later Nick came screaming and screeching down the hill to T2. He had made up some time on Pete, and after his exchange, Mark took off like a man on a mission with hopes of making up any remaining deficit. Nick averaged over 26 mph on the bike and stated that he threw up a couple of times on the course from exertion, and as Pete would say, “If you’re not puking, you’re not working”. A little while later, Angie was back to T2, and I helped exchange our team chip to Theresa. Angie rocked the bike and PR’d while averaging over 20 mph over the 25-mile course. Matt was not far behind, and then Howard was out for the run as well.

The Finish

"All that and a bag of chips"
The rest of us decided we had spent enough time in transition. We made our way up to the park entrance, which is where the finish line was set up, to await the return of our runners. Megan was first with Mark just a few minutes behind her. In the end, only 30 seconds separated the two teams with the coach’s squeaking out the victory. Theresa finished the run strong, and as we congratulated her and each other for a job well done, we picked up our finishers’ metals. We shared the highlights of the day with each other and the other Tri Fitness peeps that raced or volunteered. We even managed a few photos before saying our final farewells for the day.


Tri Club and my Tri Mates

6 months ago I was unsure of my endurance sport future. I had stopped swimming with my Master’s club before Christmas. I had signed up for a few events for 2016; however, I was struggling with self-acceptance and how my transition would affect my future in the sports I had grown to love. After coming out to a few of my mates, who have been beyond supportive and accepting, I decided to contact some of the coaches at Tri Fitness. I will not name names, but I will be eternally grateful to the coaches, the staff, the members of the tri club, and all of my endurance sport family for their unconditional welcoming back. Going to tri-club workouts became the highlight of most weeks, and it was the only place on the planet, at the time, where I felt real acceptance. With sincere gratitude and from a place of love, humility, and respect, I thank you for showing me how to “tri” again.


Saturday, July 9, 2016

A letter – I am what I am

About 10 months ago, three words spoken aloud would change my life and the lives of so many others; ‘I am transgender’. I spoke those words as if throwing out a lifeline, in hopes that someone might grab the other end and keep me from drowning. I think it is very important for anyone trying to understand this to realize that prior to speaking those words aloud they were “not real to me”. It was just something I knew about myself, something I was unable to accept or share, a secret, that for the most part was hidden from view.

Below are a few extracts from a work announcement and from a letter I wrote and read to my kids. I am hopeful that sharing this with you will shed some light on why being open, honest and being authentic are so important to me. I do not understand why this is my path and I may never fully understand, but I have come to accept it and even embrace that this is my path and my journey. I will do everything I can to approach this from a place of love, with humility, and with respect. I pray for a day when I may be able to look back on my life and be proud of the person I am. I believe that God is not done with me yet and I will hold my head high, my heart higher, and take every step knowing that God walks with me.

Work Announcement – June 15, 2016
“In that spirit, we would like to inform you, with permission, of an employee’s transgender transition.
This fall, Miles Burd, who is in the process of gender transition, will exhibit personal changes in appearance and identity. At that time, Miles will be referred to as Patricia and all employees are expected to use the correct pronouns (i.e. “her” and “she”) in any verbal or written communication references. In addition, Patricia will begin using the restrooms reflective of her new full-time gender presentation on the effective date which will be communicated later this summer.”

I had the opportunity to speak directly to Wilson Tool’s management and work with the Director of HR to put together a company-wide communication, which was delivered by executive management to all 800 employees. On Thursday, June 16, 2016, I stood in front of many of my peers in small group meetings. I was able to share a personal message with them (I have included some extracts below). After one of the meetings, Ken Wilson, the founder of the company, was in the parking lot speaking to another employee, as I approached he saw me and proceeded to walk towards me, hand outstretched, and as we touched he said, “Give me a hug, Patricia right?” I smiled, and as we embraced he said, “It is going to be okay; I am glad that you can now be happy”. I am completely overwhelmed by the response of my colleagues and I am truly blessed and proud of how Wilson Tool has responded. I will forever be grateful and I am extremely proud to stand amongst them.

“Wilson Tool has supported me, and my family, in so many ways over the years and today I once again look to them as my family and I face new life challenges. I wish it possible to have been able to have this discussion with each of you individually but unfortunately that is just not practical.
As we move forward, I hope for acceptance and for the opportunity to rebuild, or build a-new, the relationships we have formed. I realize that for many that may not be possible, or that it may take time, that things will be different, and you will see me differently. I hope that we may stand together, as Wilson Tool employees, and continue to carry on the mission, and together continue to grow an organization where many future employees will have the same opportunities that we have had and continue to have. Ken Wilson stated in his 50th anniversary talk that there are really only two basic guiding principles for Wilson Tool, the first is the “Golden Rule” and the second is to do it the “Wilson Way” it is through these principles that I am hopeful for the future.”

On December 20, 2015, I read a letter to my kids telling them that their Dad is transgender and self-identifies as female. There have not been many harder things, as a parent, as a father, that I have ever done. In the letter I attempt to explain to them why saying those words aloud and living my life openly, honestly, with integrity, and to the best of my ability, authentically, is my only option. Ultimately, I know that I cannot and will not run and hide from this; I will not live my life in the shadows, fretting that this part of me will be discovered; I am just not wired that way. I have to be able to look myself in the mirror each morning and believe that I am a good person. A person who knows that they are not without flaws but who believes that through God’s grace can achieve great things. Not in an attempt to prop myself up but to carry out the mission that God has planned for me.

A Letter to my kids – December 20, 2015
“I am transgender and I self-identify as female. I do not say this lightly or in jest; this is my truth, a truth that I have lived with my entire life…I cannot and will not apologize for being what I am; I have come to accept that I am not an abomination. I am a child of God, and even though I do not know God's plan, I believe he has one for me…”
“I have never been good with verbalizing my feelings. I am writing this letter so that I can say everything that needs to be said. I have tried to teach you life’s lessons through my actions. If only one positive comes from this, I pray that it is an understanding that no one, especially family, should ever have to hide his or her true selves.”
“I do not know exactly when I knew, but at an early age I was aware that I was different…There was no internet, and my information sources were limited to my family, my friends, and my small little world of Parma, Ohio. The only real life examples that I had were not positive, and I was certain (or at least it is what I believed to be true) that this was wrong. What I was feeling was something to be ashamed of, and I, most likely, was going straight to hell. Therefore, I kept quiet…”
“I have tried to teach you the lessons of life through my example. I know that I am not the perfect parent; I have made many, many mistakes along the way. I only want you to be happy, healthy, fulfilled, and to find people, causes, and things that you can be passionate and proud of. If I pass anything of value to you, I want you to know that life is about choices and consequences and that living your life openly, honestly, and with integrity, love, and respect is the ultimate goal. I believe that if you can do that, then when your life ends, you will have no regrets, no unfinished business. What kind of lesson would I be teaching you if I continued to keep this secret from you? In my eyes, I would be telling you what I believe is most wrong with the world today, which is, 'do as I say, not as I do!' I would have failed you, and ultimately I would leave this life with the heaviest of regrets, one that I could never forgive myself for, one that I would hate myself for, for all of eternity.”
“Your Mom is my everything. She came into my life and freely gave herself to me, without condition, without pause. She revealed a glimpse of heaven and gave me hope that someday I would be able to lift my veil from which I hid. It is through her unwavering love that I now have the strength to let my truth be free…We have experienced true heartache; we buried a child, and we nearly lost another. I know our love for each other is forever, regardless of how this chapter may end...”
“For my family and close friends, I only ask for acceptance. To some I may never gain this, and again, I understand. Gender is one of those things that seem to be at such a rudimentary level that it should never be questioned. You are the gender that you were born, and this is typically the first thing ever revealed about you; it is a boy! It's a girl! Right?...”
“For my friends and colleagues, I do not know what happens next. I never meant to deceive you in any way. Until I was able to accept this truth myself, it was not possible for me to share. I do not know where this revelation leaves us. I hope that we will have the opportunity to continue to share parts of our lives together. You are all important to me…but in the end, I am what I am.”
“Once breathe has been given to them and the pen has spilt-forth upon the paper, the words cannot be unspoken, I now place myself into thy hands...”

With unconditional love and respect,

Miles Patricia

Monday, April 20, 2015

2015 Campwannarunamileormore - Race Report


Race day this year was Saturday, April 4, 2015, Holy Saturday, the third day of the Triduum, better known as the day before Easter. This was the 6th annual running of the event which started in 2010. The course has been basically the same over its six years with only the start/finish line changing from the North parking lot entrance to the South parking lot entrance of Bald Eagle Park Reserve. The weather was almost perfect, sunny and low 30’s for the start with a WNW wind of about 7 mph.

On the ride up from Cottage Grove (CG), my thoughts were more focused on the events of the rest of the day and not so much the run itself. Holy Saturday is kind-of a big deal at my house. My Mom was in town visiting from Ohio, and we were having the immediate family and some close friends over later in the afternoon to enjoy the first Easter meal, which I would have blessed at Saint Casmir’s church in St. Paul.
My son and daughter in-law live about a mile south of the start/finish line, and as I have done now for the past three years, I planned to park at their house and jog over for my warm up. Liz (my daughter in-law) was running the 15K today, she has recently gotten back into the sport, and this would be her first event of the young season.

When I arrived, the car temperature stated 32 F, and it felt chilly as I made my way into the house hoping the coffee was ready. We still had 30 minutes or so before needing to be at the starting line. I was happy for the hot coffee; as the pre-run chatter carried on and my Grand-Puppy Meryl bounded around with excitement. I talked Christopher into driving us over; the 15K started about half an hour after the half-marathon, so he could visit with Liz and keep her warm before the start of her run (that was my excuse anyway).

I wished Liz luck on her run and made my way over to the starting line where I ran into a few Tri-Fitness peeps. This is a Tri-Fitness event, so there were many familiar faces. I started training
with Tri-Fitness’s triathlon team last spring; I have made many new friends along the way. Orien was volunteering today and was driving the SAG wagon (hopefully, he would not find me on the course today), and Shelley and Theresa, two tri-mates, were also running the half today. Orien took a quick pic, I wished everyone well, and I made my way to the start line.

I plugged into my 2015 Campwannarunamileormore play list (building of the playlist, this is a very important part of the pre-race preparation, you have to have the perfect playlist, right?) and jumped around a little waiting for the starting signal. With music already filling my head, the visual queue from those around me was my indicator to start my watch and get this going.

My only real expectation for the day was for it to be a consistent effort and not blow up with three miles to go. I set a time range that should result in a strong tempo run, which I felt I should be able to maintain
for the 13.1 mile trip skirting Bald Eagle and Otter Lakes. A group of about five runners, including Shelley and me, seemed to settle in at a brisk but maintainable pace (I knew Shelley would leave me in the dust at some point). We would pass Christopher and Liz’s house at about mile one and again at mile 12 on the return trip. I knew I would not see him on the way out but thought maybe he and Meryl might be there on the way back.

At about 3.5 miles or so in, as we made our way toward I35E and the west side of the course, Shelley lit the afterburners and within a few minutes was out of sight. The group of five that I started with began to dissipate and stretch out with me towards the back of the group. The wind was more noticeable on this side of the course, but with the warmth of the bright sunshine, I was still comfortable.

At about mile 6.5, the route turns east on Cedar and then makes its way back south to the north side of Bald Eagle Lake at mile 8.5 or so, and then follows around the perimeter of the lake, now counter-
clockwise, back to the finish line. It was nice to have the wind at my back for a while, but there was pretty gusty side wind along the east side of the lake. I could feel the energy I expensed in my legs up the last short climb at mile 12 and just held on for the last ½ mile or so to the finish line. Christopher and Liz were there, as were Shelley and Joe. We congratulated each other and briefly chatted about our runs, but it did not take long for the strong wind off the lake to bring a chill to my bones. After a quick (warm) shower at Christopher’s, I made my way back to CG with thoughts of the Easter goodness I would shortly enjoy with family and friends.


I highly recommend this race whether as your first half, as an early season warm-
up, a good Boston training run (if your fast - not me), or as a potential half-marathon PR. The course is mostly flat, the race is well supported, and the weather is typically ideal if you like cooler running temperatures (like I do).

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

2015 Race Schedule


My last blog post was two-weeks prior to my last Ironman in Madison, Wisconsin, on 08 September 2013. It was not my best Ironman Wisconsin finish, and it was not my worst. What I remember is the thousands of volunteers and spectators that cheered and encouraged the 2336 finishers across the line. I remember watching Dan Rotert, the last official finisher, cross the line at 17:00:10 and cheering for my many friends that raced and finished that day. I also remember that this racecourse has my number, that someday I will be back, and eventually we will reach common ground and make peace.

That last post was 576 days ago, holy hana-banana, no wonder my readership has gone in the tank…I guess life has a way of doing that sometimes. It has been quite the rollercoaster ride since then, and I hope to share some of those stories with you over the coming months, but for now, I just want to get a post out there with my 2015 event schedule; this way you can plan your vacation accordingly and be there to jump, yell, and cheer this now 51-year-old, middle of the pack, endurance athlete across a few more finish lines.


04 April 2015
Half Marathon - 13.1 mile run
Bald Eagle Lake Park
White Bear Lake, MN

The half marathon course is challenging and scenic. This has been an intimate event with good support. My son and daughter-in-law bought a home that I get to pass twice on the 13.1 mile run around Bald Eagle Lake. The ice will most likely still be on the lake, so the breeze can be bone chilling at times. I ran my best ever half-marathon here in 2011. I am not predicting a PR in 2015 but hope to have a solid training run and put together another awesome 13.1-mile play list. For the low-low price of an email with some shipping info, I will mail you the high pumpin’ CD. Additionally, my daughter-in-law is planning to run the 11K (she is training for the Twin Cities Marathon this fall, her first). Plus, the event is on Holy Saturday, so burning a few extra calories before the Easter feast is a nice bonus.


07 June 2015
Olympic Distance Triathlon
Buffalo, MN
website: 
http://www.tribuff.com

Buffalo Triathlon is my favorite triathlon, and I have done the event every year since 2007. Last year was the first year that I did not do the Olympic distance event. I was suffering a quad/calf/hip injury and opted for the sprint distance race. The event officially changed hands last year and is now one of three Graniteman Triathlons. They have added the Olympic distance to each of their 2015 event,s and I will be doing the entire series this year.

My daughter-in-law (Liz) grew up in Buffalo, and her parents still live there. Their home burned to the ground last January and they are in the process of rebuilding on the original property. I have always enjoyed this event weekend and look forward to it again this year. I have had some great results in Buffalo, not that I am predicting anything extraordinary for 2015. The 2011 race here was my best Olympic distance performance.





12 – 14 June 2015
C.H. Robinson MS 150 Ride 2015
Duluth to the Twin Cities

A new event for me in 2015, the bike MS ride is not a race, but a cycling weekend with great support and for a great cause. My son (Christopher) works for Cummins, and they have put together a team for the event; I am just along for the ride. I am looking forward to spending the weekend with Christopher. I am planning a little twist for the event. Instead of riding the bus up to Duluth on Friday, I plan to ride my bike up. I will ride 150+ miles on Friday from my house to Duluth and then make the return trip of an additional 150 miles on Saturday and Sunday. I am hoping for decent weather. If you are interested in supporting Team Cummins and me financially with a tax-free donation to the MS Foundation, please follow the link below:


03 - 06 July 2015
2015 National Senior Games Presented by Humana
/Minneapolis, Minnesota
website: 
http://www.nsga.com/2015-national-senior-games.aspx

The ‘Old People Olympics’ makes it way to the Twin Cities in 2015. This is a really big deal and will include opening and closing ceremonies and everything. For me, it is all about the swimming. I qualified for the event last year and will swim the 50, 100, 200, and 500 freestyle over a three-day period, 03 July – 06 July. The swimming events will take place in the aquatic center on the U of M campus, which is a great swimming venue. I have put a lot of energy thus far into my swimming this year. I have been swimming with SEMS (South East Metro Sharks) since October this past year and have been swimming 4 to 5 times a week. I am not expecting miracles, but I am hopeful for a few new PR’s this July, which at the ripe age of 51+ will be a real accomplishment.



11 July 2015
Olympic Distance Triathlon
Clearwater, MN
website: 
http://granitemantri.com/index.php/event-details/graniteman-clearwater

This tri is the second of three Olympic distance triathlons for 2015 and a new event for me personally. As stated earlier, I will be doing the entire Graniteman series this year and look forward to comparing the three venues. The three events are 4 weeks apart and should give me some indication of my overall fitness. I hope to stay healthy and injury free.




26 July 2015
Half-Iron Distance Triathlon
Chisago, MN
website: 
http://www.dutrirun.com/page/show/845808-toughman-minnesota-july-26-2015

I volunteered at the 2014 event and spent 6+ hours directing traffic, cheering, and encouraging the athletes that participated. A friend and training partner of mine has done this event several times, and I look forward to competing with him in 2015. The event has new ownership in 2015 and has been re-branded as Toughman Minnesota, which is now part of a national triathlon series and concludes with its championship in NY on September 13, 2015. This will be the first of two half-iron distance races for me in 2015.



08 August 2015
Olympic Distance Triathlon
Big Lake, MN
website: 
http://granitemantri.com/index.php/event-details/graniteman-big-lake

The third and final official Olympic distance event of 2015, One Last Tri, my last triathlon of 2015 which is in September, is not an official Olympic distance race. This is a new event for me and I look forward to experiencing a new venue. Graniteman took over the Buffalo Triathlon in 2014 and did a good job, so I have high expectations of the two additional events this year.


13 September 2015
Long Course Triathlon
Stillwater, MN
website: 
http://www.frontrunnerusa.com/event/square-lake-triathlon-long-course-sunday

This is where it all started for me in 2006. A family friend was diagnosed with cancer, and I did this event as a fundraiser that year. I bought a bike (which I still ride and Christopher will be riding for the MS 150 and for the bike leg of the Buffalo triathlon) from not-for-profit bike shop in St. Paul for $200. It was cold, it was drizzly, it was miserable that day. I flatted on the bike at mile 30, and I shivered for hours after I was finished. I swore I would never do another…

Now ten-years later, I will be back to do this course again, and Katie, I will be thinking of you as I swim, bike, and run my way around Square Lake. I pray that you will watch over me and the other athletes as we complete the nearly 71 miles of this challenging course, and I hope you know how much we love and miss you here.



20 September 2015
International Distance Triathlon
White Bear Lake, MN
website: 
http://trifitnesswbl.com/as_one-last-tri

My final triathlon of 2015, which is an odd distance race that we in the triathlon world refer to as an International distance race; an 800-yard swim, a 27-mile bike, and a 10K run. I started training with Tri-Fitness in 2014 and have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I have been a customer of Tri-Fitness for many years but have trained on my own for most of the past ten-years. Although I do not have an official coach, the tri-club coaches have been very helpful and encouraging (you know who you are). But even more importantly has been the comradery of the other Tri-Club members. I look forward to another year of racing, telling stories, and training with like-minded, motivational, comrades.



24 October 2015
50-Miles Trail Run
Savage, MN
I have not officially registered for this event (registration does not open until June) but I am planning to attempt the 50-mile distance this fall. A lot can happen between now and then but forgoing an

injury or other life-changing event, I am in! 50-miles is a long way to run, hell, it is a long way to drive. However, I am hopeful that I will be healthy and able to toe the line this October. I just need to find the right costume to wear…



I hope to share some of these experiences, the trials and tribulations, some stories, and new this year some video highlights, of this 2015 endurance sport season...Are you ready for the ride?



Sunday, August 25, 2013

Its Taper Time

I can't hardly believe that the race in Madison is only two weeks from today.Really, where does the time go?

The last long workout is in the books and taper officially begins on Monday with a DOR (day of rest). I'm not excited about tapering because it's kind of like being in a pitch black room, in the middle of the night, by yourself. You start to hear things and your imagination starts to play tricks on you; it can be very scary!
 
I have so many mixed emotions about this year's race. You'd think it was my first, not fourth, Ironman. It has been an up and down year filled with good, bad, and the indifferent. Sounds like any other year so far, right? I could be referring to any one of us with that statement, so what's the big deal? The year started with so many big expectations...and now that the time is near the reality of life starts to set in and those big, glorious, overreaching goals need to be harnessed in a bit and painted with the brush strokes of reality.

I know first hand that there comes a time in every endurance event when you hear that voice in your head. You know the one, the one that tells you its okay to give up now. In an Ironman you can expect to have conversations with this voice a half-dozen times or more. It's a wise voice, a voice full of conviction, logic, and persistence. It will tell you it's okay to walk now or even to just give up completely. You have to be ready for it, prepared with answers as to why you will not give in to its pleading. It's this voice that scares me the most because it knows me, it knows my weaknesses.

As most of you know, my daughter Alexandra was in a bad accident this summer. Just a little over four weeks ago, July 14th to be exact. We were on vacation in Michigan, on Mackinac Island, horseback riding. It had been a glorious day to that point. We had traversed the perimeter of the small island (9+ miles) on bicycle, had explored the island,s history with a horse drawn taxi tour, and had
sampled some of the picturesque town's food. The horseback ride was the day's last event and we were just finishing up when her horse (Lilly) bolted, a full- out sprint, down the road. My entire being screamed NO! STOP! but there was nothing I could do but watch, helplessly, in disbelief. Alexandra got Lilly stopped briefly, now 50 yards or so in front of me before she bolted again. This time she ran up onto a sidewalk and into a crowd of people. My mind was racing as I tried to get to her. The police report stated that her horse reared, throwing her to the pavement. Her skull fractured at its base on the left back side of her head. When I got to her she was face down, unresponsive, with blood seeping from her left ear. The next 10 days were a blur, from the logistical nightmare of just trying to get off the island and to a real hospital, to the endless nights in the ICU praying. Her list of injuries included the 6cm (nearly 2-1/2 inch) long skull fracture, a laceration on the back of her head, two bilateral bleeds in the frontal lobe of her brain, a subdural bleed in the left temporal lobe, a punctured left ear drum, a hemorrhage behind her left eye, brain swelling, and numerous abrasions on her shoulders, arms, and legs. We have lost one child in this life already and I could not bare losing another. Our prayers (and yours) were heard and after two plus weeks in the hospital, 10 days in Petoskey, Michigan, and another week in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Alexandra is on the road to recovery. We are very grateful her injuries were not worse and we are very hopeful for a full recovery. She's been going to outpatient Occupational, Physical, and Speech therapy about three times a week and her progress has been excellent. She still has some work ahead of her and she will miss competing during the Girls High School swim season and will have an altered school schedule but the poem below, that she wrote recently, will give you some idea where she is today.




Shattered
Sunshine rains down on me
I laugh. I smile
The breeze tickles me
Peace. Happiness
Air moves my hair across my face
Soft. Whispering
Father speaks to me quietly
Both aside me and above
Looking up I sigh
Life is-
Blackness
Eyes cracking open
Needles. Machines. Pain
Life changes
It is no longer happy
No longer peaceful
Why?
Anger. Loneliness
Frustration
Everything is different
Sound. Smell. Taste. Sight
Hatred burns
The Father whispers in my head
Hope
It's not over
Happiness. Peace
All is possible
I am different
Life was shattered
It was broken
Key word
Was
Sunshine rains down again
My eyes twinkle
And I smile
Finally
 

By Alexandra R. Burd
 
Alexandra is an amazing young lady and her courage, strength, and faith, along with a great group of supportive friends, will see her through this challenge. And I will definitely lean on her to inspire and motivate me on race day.




Thursday, July 11, 2013

Mid-Year Update

Mid-Year Update
I'm really getting kind of lackadaisical with my blogging. You know what they say; the older you get the faster time seems to pass. Well, if it goes much faster I might fall off this ride :)

Since my last post back in February, eight events have come and gone. With only one other event on the schedule between now and September, wow, it really has been a crazy year.

To try to get you up to speed without melting your brain with the gory details, my racing has been average. And I'm really okay with it. To some extent I have put the blinders on and my focus remains on the triathlon in Madison on September 8th. But at the same time I have noticed that my intensity on race day has changed. Not to say that I don't put out my best effort, but I'm less willing to push to the point of failure. It seems I was more willing to do that in the past. You know, the 'Go Big or Go Home' mentality. I might be justifying a little here but I think I paid for that in the past with longer recovery times and more injuries.

My recovery rate has been phenomenal this year, and I attribute that to my change in diet and to my 'keep it under control' B and C race day efforts. Although, even as I write this, I wonder if this is my own self-justification oozing out. Let me give you a couple of examples:

Last year following the Chippewa 50K I literally could not walk until Thursday the following week.
The race was on Saturday so that was four (4) days where I could not train, seriously, I could barely walk. This year I road the Minnesota Ironman bike ride (70 Miles) the following day and additionally had a normal training week following the event. This has held true with every event this year, including Grandma's and the 50K at Afton.

Besides the quicker recoveries; another highlight this year has to be the 50K at Afton. Yes it was a ATR PR by 20+ minutes. It was not a 50K PR but it was competitive with my best 50K. This I contribute primarily to executing my plan on race day. It was probably the first time that I actually stuck with me pre-race plan on race day. It's kind of sad, but up until this race it seems I put together a plan and then race day comes and I do something completely different. It has to be an adrenaline thing with me. But; anyway, this year I had a plan and I stuck to the plan most of the day. I only swayed from the plan due to the weather (90F, I think my head was baked by then) with just about 3 miles left. And additionally I had a normal training week following (so far at least, the race was this past Saturday).

So what's up next?
The Minnetonka 5-Mile Challenge. A 5-mile swim from Excelsior Beach to Wayzata Beach across Lake Minnetonka. I'm excited about this one but a little worried as well. Each swimmer for this event has a support boat and we have signed up as a family. My daughter (Alexandra) and I are swimming and my son (Christopher) and daughter-in law (Elisabeth) are operating the support boats. My worry comes with Alexandra, not about her swimming the 5 miles but about the weeds; she is freaked by weeds, really freaked by them. So I'm worried about how this will affect her if there are a lot of weeds. This is the first time we have done the event but I've heard from others that it can be weedy, especially towards the end of the swim. So I ask that you say a little prayer and keep her in your thoughts on Saturday, July 27th, that weeds or no weeds she has fun!