2009 Ford Ironman Wisconsin Race Report

It would be easy to fill this post with everything that did not go well for me yesterday, but I won't. There were too many good things and the number one goal of the day was accomplished, I Finished! And I heard Mike Reilly (the voice of Ironman) call my name as I crossed the finish line; Miles Burd from Cottage Grove, MN, "You are an Ironman"!

Pre-Race - The Parking Garage

Left the hotel without incident at 04:40 AM, I planned to park in the ramp I'd be using the last couple of days. It was right across the street from Monona Terrace near the bike staging area. The traffic was tough, as expected, me and 2400 of my fellow participants were all arriving for the long day ahead. I was about to turn into the garage when I saw the sign $4 advanced event parking. I did not even think about this. I left everything with Charlene. I had no money on me at all, and my heart rate quickly jumped into zone 4. I called Charlene (glad I had my phone) and told her the good news. Originally the support crew was not going to leave the hotel until 05:30. I pulled around the corner and there was an open parking spot on the street, right on the corner, and it was free. God was definitely watching over me this morning. I pulled in, thanked God, and immediately called Charlene back to cancel the emergency.

Pre-Race - Race Prep

There is a lot of prep for this race. You basically set up your transition areas on Saturday, the day before the race; your bike, swim to bike gear bag, and bike to run gear bag. When I dropped off my bike the volunteer helping me (great volunteers all weekend, thank you again!) said it would be a good idea to let air out of the tires and top them off in the morning. It was in the mid 80's Saturday and the bike staging area is all concrete. The last thing you need is a tire to expand and blow up. So in addition to bringing my special needs bags for the bike and run, I brought the pump and a gallon of water to fill my bottles. I used Hammer Perpetuim powder for nutrition and Gatorade G2 powder for electrolytes and had it in my bottles already. I just needed to add water, pump up my tires, and put the Garmin on the bike. I then visited my run gear bag to drop off the Garmin I borrowed from Ryan (thanks again Ryan), visited my bike gear bag and dropped off my cell phone which I planned to carry on the bike (just in case), dropped off my special needs bags (a couple of blocks away in front of the capital), and then, finally, dropped the pump and the rest of the water back at the van.

Finally, I could relax. I planned on meeting Charlene, Alexandra, Christopher, and my Mom before heading down to the swim start. As I was walking over to the pre-agreed meeting place I ran into Coach T. Thousands of people around and I run into someone I know (amazing). Teresa and Tina were volunteering today (again thank you volunteers!). I think I saw these two at least a half dozen times throughout the day cheering me on. Thank you! So after chatting with coach T for a bit I met up with the familyand got my final kisses and hugs in (thank you family for all the support. I'm grateful you were here with me and have put up with me over the last year, especially you Charlene!). Then I headed down to the swim start.

The Swim - 2.4 miles

The swim start at Madison is a deep water mass start. So at about 06:25 the pros got in the water. At 06:30 the age groupers started filing in and I was one of the first. The course at Madison is a large rectangle, the long sides of the rectangle are 1/2 mile long and the short sides are 0.1 miles long. You swim the course counter-clockwise and do two loops. The course is a few hundred yards from the shoreline. The starting line runs from the shore to the corner of the course. Swimmers can start anywhere from the shoreline to the corner buoy and behind. There is a water ski jump about 1/3rd of the way between the shore and the corner buoy, right on the start line, and this is where I planned to start. It meant swimming an extra 1/8 of a mile down the first side but I was willing to give up the couple of extra minutes if it meant less traffic.

The venue for the start is amazing. Monona Terrace has spectating areas on four levels. Behind Monona Terrace are several high rise hotels with viewing, and with the capital building in the backdrop, it is an amazing sight.

The morning was perfect, the water was calm, the sun was just coming up; truly beautiful. The water was a little warm, 75F, but manageable even in a wetsuit. The pros started at 06:50 to the sound of a cannon and the age groupers at 07:00. After the singing of the National Anthem we were off. I quickly found open water and swam pretty much unabated until the first turn. After that corner I decided to stay wide, which again added a little extra distance but avoided the extra traffic.

T1 Swim to Bike Transition

After getting out of the water volunteers guided you to the wetsuit strippers where two more volunteers pulled your suit off for you. Gotta love those volunteers. Then you run up the parking garage helix to the fourth level of the Monona Terrace parking garage. The helix is filled with cheering spectators. You then run into a conference room where more volunteers hand you your swim to bike gear bag. From there into the Men's changing room (another big conference room). Volunteers are there to help you, if you ask. When leaving the convention center out to the bike staging area some more volunteers slather you with sunscreen lotion.

The Bike - 112 miles

The ride starts with a spin down the opposing helix of the parking garage before heading out of town. The Ironman bike course is a lollipop shaped course. You ride the stick 14 miles from T1 and then ride a 42 mile loop, which you do twice before returning down the stick back to transition T2.

There are 87 turns on the bike course and I'd guess less than a few miles of flat sections. The course is continually rising and falling. There are not many huge hills up or down but there are few significant ascends and descends. You cannot put it in cruise control physically or mentally anywhere on this course. And by the way, the hills seem much bigger the second time around.

There are three fairly significant climbs that start about 10 miles outside of the city of Verona, which would be at about mile 40 and 80 overall. The climbs were lined with spectators, men in cheerleading outfits and bikinis, a woman dressed like a Harem girl, and plenty of other characters. It was a lot of fun to have the crowd cheering as you slowly ascended. It was just as much fun on the second loop as the first but the slow ascent was much slower. With 8 miles left there is one last significant climb and then from there pretty much down hill back into town.

With Monona Terrace in sight I was more than ready to stable my steady steed for the day.

T2 Bike to Run

Much like T1 the bike to run transition is in Monona Terrace. You run in and are handed your bag before entering the changing room. The volunteers provided me with some water and assistance with my gear. I changed and left the building for the run course were I was met with more sunscreen volunteers who lathered me up again.

The Run- 26.2 miles

The Madison run course is a two loop affair. The run course is relatively flat. There is one significant hill (Observation Hill) on the University of Wisconsin campus. This hill is at about mile 6 and 19 respectively. Which, by the way, is a beautiful campus, very impressive.

Some unique features of the course include a trip inside Camp Randall Stadium (home of the Wisconsin Badgers) where you run around the football field on the turf; pretty cool. There is an area I named 'Inspiration Mile'. Janus, one of the race sponsors, has a tent set up at the expo where family and friends can make signs. All these signs are placed along the path, this is at about mile 8 and 21. This was very cool.

There were a lot of spectators along the course and saw family and friends several times on the two loops. Aid stations were set up at almost every mile. The aid stations were very well- manned and well- stocked. Every aid station had sponges, water, Gatorade, fruit, pretzels, and potato chips. Some had energy bars and gu. During the second loop, chicken broth was available at most aid stations.

Finishing the last couple of miles or so in the dark with the State capital lit up coming up State Street is something I'll remember for a long time. The finishing shoot was at least a 1/4 mile long and lined with cheering spectators. There was a grandstand at the finish line packed with more cheering spectators and with the 'Voice of Ironman' Mike Reilly announcing every finisher's name overpowering it all. This was all visually and audibly amazing, quite the spectacle, and very welcome after a very long day.

Post-Race Thoughts

There are a lot thoughts bouncing around this head of mine today, the day after. Kind of feels like a bad hangover where you're trying to remember what exactly happened the night before.

But one consistent thought is; I finished and that was really my only goal yesterday, but I know I can perform at a higher level than what this day produced. This thought should not surprise any triathlete, runner, swimmer, or any other person on the planet that is looking to continuously improve themselves. But what I've learned over the past year or so is that training for an Ironman is a big commitment, and even though you try not to have it affect the other things going on in your life it does.

Your support system has to be strong, your commitment to training has to be unwavering, but most importantly you must work and focus on maintaining a balance between work, family, and training.

For now it is time for some R&R. I need some time to sit back and take it all in, to evaluate this past year, and then to plan what is next. So stayed tuned to find what happens next on this journey.

Swim 2.4 miles, Bike 112 miles, Run 26.2 miles, brag for the rest of you life!

Let the Count Down Begin

As I start writing this post there are but a mere 5 days, 20 hours, 30 minutes until the cannon sounds and the calm waters of Lake Monona start to churn, and the 2500 athletes become a human smoothie maker of sorts...sounds like fun...

This morning I started my final week of preparations. It's a taper week, obviously, and I had a mere 30 minute run today. My legs are feeling springy and had to hold back a bit. It was an amazing, beautiful morning for a run and 30 minutes seems oh so short!

I'm trying not to think too much about the actual race. There is plenty-O enough anxiety there but trying to push it out of my thoughts for now. For some reason the swim start has been keeping me up some nights. Can't imagine why...

Had the bike in for a once over this past week. Had a new rear tire mounted and purchased a new rear cassette. Kinda late in the game for a major change on the bike but based on my trial ride in Madison a couple of weeks ago a lower gear seams like a wise choice. I had the 11/23 cassette changed out for a 12/27. I must ride smart and focus on spinning up even the steepest climbs while staying in the saddle. I will heed the advice I've gathered combined with the first hand experience I've gained and will go into the bike with the strategy of JRA (just ride along). I will ignore the Ricky Racers that I will be surrounded by and ride like I have a marathon to run a little later in the day. Oh yeah, I do have a marathon to run!

I have not been able to avoid the weather watching activity which typically supplies very little useful information. But early indicators are for temps in the low 50's at the start with a high in the upper 60's, mostly cloudy conditions, and a 30/40 % chance of rain. My strategy for the weather; be prepared for anything and remember that the weather will be the same for everyone!

Just a couple of logistical items:

If your bored next Sunday, and tired of watching the Browns beat up on the Vikings and their "Cash for Clunkers" Quarterback!, check out live athlete tracking @ http://ironman.com/


It's not too late! If you would like to make a charitable donation to C.H.I.N - Congenital Heart Information Network, the charity I've partnered with, please proceed using the following link.
http://januscharitychallenge.kintera.org/wi09/imwhatim

34 Weeks in the Books

Well my training for Ironman Wisconsin is all but over. There are two weeks of progressive taper left before race day, Sunday, 13 September. It will be a small miracle if I can avoid driving myself or my family insane between now and then.

Today I ran the 28th annual Woodbury Country Mile (half-marathon). This was my third. When I did it the first time, I was not sure what a country mile was. Well, a country mile is an informal term meant to mean a great distance, significantly longer than a real mile. One possible origin of the term is that when one travels over unfavorable terrain the perceived distance between two points seems much longer, which fits this race very well. Not that your running through a corn field or anything, but the coarse meanders through the biking/walking trails of Woodbury, MN. There are lots of turns and plenty of short steep inclines and declines.

It was a cool start to the day (49 F), and I over dressed. It gave me an opportunity to practice my hydration strategy which I'm still fine tuning.

I parked at the club (Lifetime Fitness) about a mile and half away from the start line so I'd get a nice warm up and cool down in for the day. It would also allow me to get a short recovery swim in afterwards.

The race today produced a new Woodbury PR (-5:00 min from last year) and a new half-marathon PR (-3:00 min from New Prague earlier this year). My legs were tired from the start but I was able to find and maintain a rhythm. On a less positive note, I strained my right achilles, hopefully nothing a little R.I.C.E. won't fix; I'm sure looking forward to my two week taper.

Next stop is Madison, WI... all aboard!

Good Advice

The one consistent piece of advice that I have received from people I've talked to that have done Ironman Wisconsin is "Ride the bike course before the race". Well I'm not one who usually takes advice. I have a bad habit of doing things my way which typically means learning things the hard way. But this advice was something I planned to listen to. I just needed to work out when I'd get down to Madison to execute it.

I had the opportunity this weekend. It worked out that not only would I ride the bike course but swim, bike, and run the Ironman course. US Master's Swimming has been holding an open water swim in Madison for the past seven years. It is the same course as the Ironman course. So when I found this out I put together a plan to get there.

My plan consisted of doing one loop, 1.2 miles, of the swim (there was also the full 2.4 mile swim available), one complete loop of the bike, 72 miles, and one loop of the run, 13.1 miles. My plan was to swim and bike on Saturday and run on Sunday.

The Swim - 1.2 Miles
The swim course is a big rectangle. You swim it counter-clockwise, which is ideal for me since I favor breathing to the left. It was an in the water start, my first, same as Ironman. If you wanted your time to be an official US Master's time wetsuits were prohibited but the event allowed wetsuits and 85% of the swimmers wore them. My guess is that about the same number were using this event as a training day for Ironman and could care less about having an official time.

My goal for the swim; stay relaxed and warm up for the bike. I swam an acceptable pace but did not push at all. I focused on keeping my stroke long with good form. I know that the swim three weeks from now will be completely different. There were 350 swimmers for this event. There will be 2500 for Ironman and the bump and grind will be extreme (so I'm told). The water temp was a pleasant 71 degrees.

The Bike - 72 Miles
The Ironman bike course is a lollipop shaped course. You ride the stick 16 miles from T1 then ride a 40 mile loop (twice during the Ironman race) before returning down the stick back to transition.

I could not get over how many people were out riding the course. A lot more than those that did the swim earlier in the morning, that's for sure.

There are 87 turns on the bike course and I'd guess less than a few miles of flat sections. I only made the wrong turn FOUR times (sure could of used a TomTom). The course is continually rising and falling. I would not describe it as gently rolling, more like moderate rollers. If you like roller coasters you will love this course. There are not many huge hills up or down but there are few significant ascends and descends. You can not put it in cruise control physically or mentally anywhere on this course.

I was not impressed with the quality of the roads. I did not flat but I'd guess that there were several throughout the day. The course is made up of primarily older rural farm roads and there are some pretty bumpy sections. Anyone for a nice butt massage...

I've debated a bit about renting a set of ZIPP race wheels for the race. I've been hesitant to commit because I'm still not completely comfortable with cross winds when descending. I've experienced a few scary moments even with my TTR3 40mm deep wheel set. This weekend's ride has sealed the deal. No race day wheels for Miles. It was not a real blustery day but had to brake and be cautious on several steeper descends. I'll stick with my stock TTR3 wheel set this time.

The Run - 13.1 Miles
I bailed on the Ironman run...the run course is not ideal for a Sunday morning run. It is on mostly downtown Madison city streets and I'm sure will be a lot of fun on race day. So instead I ran around Lake Monona. I followed some markings on the pavement "LMR". I guess it stands for Lake Monona Run. It is a half-marathon course. Most of the markings were visible and I avoided the numerous wrong turns I made on yesterday's bike. A very enjoyable Sunday morning run in near perfect weather conditions.

It's hard to believe that there are only three weeks left before race day; one more full week of training followed by a progressive two week taper. Can anyone say butterflies? The butterflies have awakened from their cocoon...the question is can they fly?

GCT - Greater Cleveland Triathlon

When I was planning my race schedule last fall for this past weekend I penciled in the Cleveland race or Shoreview's Turtleman race as my two options. This race would be my final triathlon tune-up prior to Madison. I wanted a mid-distance (Olympic) race and both fit the bill. The final decision was whether we would make the annual trip home to Cleveland that week. When we finalized our vacation schedule, the Cleveland race was firmed up.

Last year, the swim was canceled due to rough water conditions. The race was changed to a duathlon consisting of a 1.25 mile run, 24 mile bike, 10k mile run. The Coast Guard is responsible to make the call. If they do not feel they can adequately monitor and keep the swimmers safe then they have to cancel or modify the swim. The main problem with this area is that there is no break wall and with Lake Erie being the shallowest of the five Great Lakes, water conditions change rapidly. This race has a MO of not getting the swim in. I guess that since it's inaugural year in 2003 the swim has been canceled or modified more times than not. This year was no exception.

A couple of friends were participating in the Shoreview race this year which was held on Saturday 08 August 2009. The swim was scheduled to be modified because of water levels in the lake. It was being shortened. Well, due to extremely poor weather conditions on Saturday the swim was replaced with a 50 yard water run. I have not had a chance to talk with my friends directly yet but I'm curious what exactly a 50 yard water run is? I did hear that the weather was so bad that the race was stopped before all athletes could finish. A strong thunderstorm rolled in while a significant number of participants were still out on the run. From what I've heard, maybe the race should not have even started. It seems to be just one of those crazy weather years.

For the Cleveland race, the forecast was for very warm, windy, and humid conditions, but most forecasts were calling for clear skies. Well guess what, the forecast was off by several hours and a strong cell was still over the area when we arrived at Mentor Headlands State Park at 05:45. It was warm, about 75 degrees with high humidity and was very windy with thunder and lighting and rain. You could sense that the swim was in jeopardy, but it had not officially been scratched.

After picking up my race packet and getting into transition, the inevitable announcement came that the race format was being changed to an Olympic and sprint distance duathlon for all. The Olympic distance would consist of a 5K run, 40K bike, 5K run. The sprint would consist of a 2 mile run, 12 mile bike, 2 mile run. The event was scheduled to have both a triathlon and duathlon, so the change was easy for the race directors, and everyone would be doing the duathlon.

The First 5K Run
Last year's Cleveland's race was my first duathlon experience. This year's race format was different again. As I stood at the starting line contemplating my strategy I was unsure on how to approach the first 5K. How hard should I push? The course forced the issue for the first half mile. The run starts on a 6 foot wide path. I did not start far enough up in the pack and was trapped behind some slower runners with little option but to bide my time. When the course opened up I pushed forward and settled into a pace that I could maintain.

The Bike (24 miles)
The bike course was the same as last year. The roads were wet, but the sun was out. The course heads south out of the park; the wind was out of the southwest and was a minor nuisance. The course is on good roads (mostly), and is up hill for the first half or so with a couple of ridiculously steep climbs. The climb at about mile 11 is fun (23% grade). These steep climbs are very short.

The Second 5K Run
A second chance; the run is identical to the first. It is an out and back run course. Nothing too exciting to report. This time traffic was not a problem. Legs felt a little heavy but I quickly got into a rhythm. Carried a water bottle and drank most of it over the 3.1 mile run. It was in the mid 80's with near 100% humidity.

Overall I was pleased with the result. My track workouts are starting to pay some dividends. I'll never be Usain Bolt but have definitely made some improvements. I was disappointed that for a second year I did not get to swim in Lake Erie. But the MO in Cleveland when it comes to sports is "There's always next year".

Door County - Half Iron - Race Report

The 2009 Door County, Half Iron Triathlon, the second annual half iron event. The race weekend consists of a sprint distance race (1/4 mile swim, 18 mile bike, and a 5k run) which is held on Saturday, July 18 and the half iron race (1.2 mile swim, 56.3 mile bike, and 13.1 run) held on Sunday, July 19. Apparently, the weather on Saturday was less then ideal and the swim was shortened to something less than a 1/4 mile. I'm glad Sunday turned out much better, but anyway.

The Door County Peninsula is often referred to as the "Cape Cod of the Midwest." This popular midwestern tourist destination offers an abundance of lodging, dining, shopping and entertainment options. The sandy shorelines and majestic bluffs along Green Bay north of Sturgeon Bay provide an ideal setting for a triathlon. With over 300 miles of scenic shoreline dotted with bustling harbors and quiet coves, Door County offers a wealth of water-based recreation.

Door County prides itself on its cherry orchards and a history of cherry growing that dates back to the 1800s. Soil and weather conditions - warm days and cool nights - influenced by Lake Michigan and Green Bay have created an ideal environment for growing these delicious fruits. Today with around 2,200 acres (8.9 km2) of cherry orchards and another 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) of apple orchards, Door County is filled with blossoms in the spring and is richly decorated with the fruits in the late summer and fall. Montmorency cherries are usually picked from mid-July to early- to mid-August. Early varieties of apples, such as Paula Reds, are harvested as early as late August. Golden Delicious are harvested through mid-October. Door County has five wineries and one microbrewery. We stayed at the Shipwreck restaurant which has rooms on the second and third floor of the building and is home to the only micro-brewery in the county.

On to the race:
The swim (1.2 miles)
The swim takes place in the bay. The course, after about a 150 yard out from the beach, parallels the shore in a counterclockwise thin oval. The water temp was 66 degrees, which according to USAT rules, gives the swimmers the option of wearing a wetsuit. The rule is, wetsuits are mandatory below 65 degrees and illegal above 75 degrees, optional in between. The water was very clear, the average water depth of the swim was 13 feet, and the bottom was clearly visible throughout. Once beyond the pier (out in open water) 2 to 3 foot rolling waves were consistent. Not something I've had much experience swimming in and took some getting use to. I encountered a few aggressive swimmers when swimming through some of the earlier waves. I was in wave 8 so there were almost 400 swimmers in the water before me. Over the 1.2 miles I had the opportunity to meet quite a few of them as I swam through.

The bike (56.3 miles)
The first question, why the extra 0.3 miles. A full Ironman race has a 112 mile bike, this being half you would think okay, 56 miles. It must just be the way the course worked out. This was a very nice bike course. The first half is pretty flat and fast, the second half is rolling, one slightly steep but very short (3/4 mile) climb at about mile 45, and a fast finish. There are a few sections where you cover the same ground going out as coming back but I'd guess 75% of the course is only seen once. The roads, with few exceptions, were very well maintained, free of gravel, and very smooth. It is an open course so you have to pay attention to traffic but all intersections were patrolled. I'd give this course a 9 out of 10 rating, very nice.

The run (13.1 miles)
Similar to the bike in that about 60% of the course was only covered once. It was kind of set up like an out and back except the back varied here and there from the out. The first half of the run had a lot of tree cover. It ended up in the mid 80's for the high with bright sunshine, so the shade was very welcome. The last 3 miles or so were in direct sun, so it got a bit warm toward the end. There are two significant hills on the run. One at about mile 6, significant enough to walk part of, and one that starts at mile 9.3 and climbs 200 vertical feet to mile 10. The saying here is, "You can't bluff the bluff". Oh my, I have not practiced anything like this. I did not see anyone run this hill. Some started to but quickly went into walk mode. There honestly is not much point to sky rocket your heart rate to the point of no return with 3 miles to go.

For me, the day produced a new half iron distance PR by more than 45 minutes. And I learned a few things along the way that should help me in September. Like, you need to actually drink on the bike. (I only drank 1/3 of one water bottle and paid dearly on the run for that blunder) And, oh yeah, this is only half, what the bleep were you thinking when you signed up for Madison?

In conclusion, I would definitely recommend this race. It is a wonderful setting, well organized, and a well attended race. If not for the half, then give the sprint a try. There are relays for the half also, if you have a couple of like- minded friends. Or if you're not into Triathlon then come for the scenery, cherries, wine, and micro-brew.

2009 MiracleKids Triathlon

The 2009 MiracleKids Triathlon was held at Lake Nokomis Park on July 18 in Minneapolis, MN. This is one of many events held throughout the year to raise funds for the Miracles of Mitch Foundation.

Who was Mitch?

Mitch was a kid who loved to swim, bike and run, and always seemed to be up to something with his pals. Then one day he was diagnosed with bone cancer. Though the cancer quickly ravaged his body, it hardly made a dent in this 9 year old boy’s incredible spirit. In fact, it was when Mitch was at his sickest that his spirit shined brightest. That’s when he reached out with generosity and kindness to other cancer kids, giving them his life savings and all the encouragement he had left to give.

For his final wish, Mitch made his family promise they would keep helping cancer kids and he sealed it with a “pinky swear” made with his father.

The Miracles of Mitch Foundation has two major giving priorities:

1) to provide cost of living financial assistance to the families of children diagnosed with cancer, and
2) in those cases of a child facing an advanced stage of cancer illness, to facilitate an individually tailored quality of life initiative for that child and their family

Biggest Event of All

The MiracleKids Triathlon is by far the Miracles of Mitch Foundation's most important fundraiser of the entire year. If not for the hard work of each MiracleKid raising pledges and the generosity of each and every donor, the foundation would not have the funding needed to support cancer families across Minnesota.

This year Alexandra and two of her SEMS swim mates, Jacob and Adam participated in the event. The event is for kids ages 7 - 17 years old. For Alexandra, Jake, and Adam, the triathlon consisted of a 200 yard swim. For these guys the swim was not nearly long enough. They are all very good swimmers and of the three disciplines the swim is definitely their strength. The bike was 6 miles, two laps around the lake, and the run, a 1 mile out and back. All three did very well and we are all very proud of their effort.

New this year the kids received a bio card of the child that they were racing for. In previous years they would only know the child's name when it was written on the back of their calf. Alexandra was racing this year for Jacie. Jacie is 3 years old and was diagnosed with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) on October 2, 2008. The money that Alexandra was able to raise will go to help make a mortgage payment for Jacie's family. Thank you all for your support.

26.2 Miles Closer to Madison

2009 Grandma’s Marathon Race Report

19 June 2009, I arrived in Duluth at about 11:00 AM Friday morning. I was staying at Spirit Mountain Campground for the third year. It is convenient (about 15 min from downtown) and relatively inexpensive at $30 per night (2-night minimum). The campground is full of runners for the weekend, so there is usually a lot of like- minded chatter around. This year Gordy (my running mentor, 12th in his age group this year) had the adjacent site, and I was sharing a site with Jay and his son Jason, in all we had a posse of 7 full-marathoners and 3 half-marathoners with connections to the Tool (Wilson Tool International, where I’m gainfully employed) in this year’s event. Jay was towing his pop-up camper up so I had little setup to worry about. So after a quick check of email and the latest forecast I was off to the DECC (Duluth Entertainment Convention Center) for packet pickup and the expo. I was hoping to catch a couple guest speakers before heading over to Pizza Luce for our traditional pre-race meal.

After picking up my packet and a few GU energy gels (Strawberry Banana and Vanilla, oh yum) I settled in to listen to Joan Benoit Samuelson and Dick Beardsley speak. Both are amazing American runners, and both had interesting stories to tell. I’d like to share the story that Dick concluded with about a Special Olympics Athlete named Bruce.

Dick was at the event as a guest speaker and was helping do some announcing. The next event up was the mile. The gun sounded and the race started. Bruce was the last out of the starting blocks and only ran about 10 yards before falling to the ground. Bruce got up and started to run again. He ran another 10 yards or so and once again fell to the ground. At this point the rest of the field was more than half way around the first lap but Bruce paid no attention. He pulled himself up and continued on. When the rest of the field finished the race Bruce still had two laps to complete. Bruce would run, fall, get up, and run some more, obviously determined to finish what he started. Bruce fell again just as he started his final lap but this time he was just lying there. The announcer working with Dick said we need to stop this; he is going to hurt himself out there. Dick looked and Bruce was struggling to get up, his teammates, and other Olympians now standing around the track began to clap and call out his name. Dick said to the announcer there is no way we’re going to stop this race. Bruce pulled himself up once again and began running. The crowd joined in and starting cheering for Bruce. It took Bruce 45 minutes to run the mile that day but at no point did he ever give up. He gave everything he had without reservation and completed what he started out to do. On that day Bruce demonstrated to everyone who witnessed what it meant to be a true Olympian.

20 June 2009, 03:30 AM, Saturday morning; race day came early. Our plan was to leave the campground at 05:00 AM to catch the bus to the starting line in Two Harbors. Jay made oatmeal, a hot breakfast was nice. As we piled into the car the sun was coming up over the tree tops and there was not a single cloud in the sky. We all knew it was going to be a warm, sunny day but did not dwell on it as we drove off. We parked in the ramp at the DECC (a little known secret, absolutely no waiting) and the traffic going into the open field parking was backed up for a half mile or more. We were directed to get on the train (something new this year). As we loaded we thought this is kind of cool, a few minutes into the ride we were passed but I guy on his bicycle, and after the hour and 20 minutes, to go 26 miles up the north shore, cool is not the word we were thinking. It was 7:15 AM when we finally arrived; the agonizing ride was finally over and we had 15 minutes before the race was to start, not nearly enough time to properly prepare. We all did make it to the starting line on time albeit a little frazzled. After the singing of the national anthem and the F16 fly-over the race started and we were off.

When the race started the red flag was out indicating a high risk of Heat Stress. The red flag indicates that all runners should slow their pace and those with previous heat stress problems or heart disease should consider not running. When I passed through the water stop at mile three I noticed that the black flag was out indicating that the risk of heat related problems was elevated to the highest level. I had adjusted my goals before the race ever started and knew that today was not going to be a PR day.

For the first 20 miles I focused on keeping my heart rate under control, which meant slowing my pace as it climbed. I wanted to maintain zone 3 (70 – 80% of maximum), staying aerobic as long as possible. I wanted to practice my nutrition plan and keep the big picture in focus, Madison in September. The weather definitely helped me do that. If it had been a better weather day I would have struggled not to go out and push harder than I should have at this point in my training, a blessing in disguise!

In the end the day did produce a new Grandma’s PR for me (about 5 minutes better than last year) but 5 minutes shy of my PR at Twin Cities last fall. The last 10k was a struggle and I thought of the story Dick told of Bruce several times as I witnessed thousands of courageous runners pick themselves up and finish what they started out to do earlier that morning. I congratulate them all!

I found the following quote by Hal Higdon, a running writer and coach, fitting of this year’s Grandma’s Marathon: "The difference between the mile and the marathon is the difference between burning your fingers with a match and being slowly roasted over hot coals."

VO2 Max...VO2 What?

According to Wikipedia, VO2 Max (also maximal oxygen consumption, maximal oxygen uptake or aerobic capacity) is the maximum capacity of an individuals body to transport and utilize oxygen during incremental exercise. The name is derived from V - volume per time, O2 - oxygen, max - maximum.

VO2 max is expressed either as an absolute rate in litres of oxygen per minute (l/min) or as a relative rate in millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min), the latter expression is often used to compare the performance of endurance sports athletes.

Measuring an accurate VO2 max requires an all-out effort (usually on a treadmill or bicycle) performed under a strict protocol in a sports performance lab. These protocols involve specific increases in the speed and intensity of the exercise and collection and measurement of the volume and oxygen concentration of inhaled and exhaled air. This determines how much oxygen the athlete is using.

An athlete's oxygen consumption rises in a linear relationship with exercise intensity -- up to a point. There is a specific point at which oxygen consumption plateaus even if the exercise intensity increases. This plateau marks the V02 Max. It's a painful point in VO2 max testing where the athlete moves from aerobic metabolism to anaerobic metabolism. From here, it's not long before muscle fatigue forces the athlete to stop exercising. The test usually takes between 10 and 15 minutes and requires an athlete to be completely rested and motivated to endure the pain long enough to find the true VO2 max.

VO2 max results vary greatly. The average for a sedentary individual is close to 35 ml/kg/min. Elite endurance athletes often average 70 ml/kg/min. One of the highest ever recorded, was cross-country skier Bjørn Dæhlie measured at an astounding 96 ml/kg/min. Cyclist Lance Armstrong's VO2 max was reported at 85 ml/kg/min.

To put this into perspective, thoroughbred horses have a VO2 max of around 180 ml/kg/min. Siberian dogs running in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race have VO2 values as high as 240 ml/kg/min.

I had my first test performed in February 2008 at Tri Fitness in White Bear Lake, MN. If you're ever in the neighborhood I strongly suggest stopping in and checking them out. A great little store, with everything tri, and good people to boot! In addition to finding out your VO2 Max, the test will inform you about your metabolic heart rate training zones, which was my primary motivation.

There are some very simple formulas (like 220 minus your age) for determining your max heart rate. Your maximal heart rate is the anchor point for determining your five training zones, which are simply percentages of your maximum. But simple in this case is not better (in my humble opinion). Heart rate training is the basis for my Ironman training plan.

The test, in addition to producing your VO2 max results will determine your metabolic heart rate zones, including your AT (Anaerobic Threshold). In an attempt to oversimplify, your muscles can "burn" glucose (fuel) two ways, aerobically ("with oxygen") and anaerobically ("without oxygen"). Your AT is the point where your body switches between aerobic fuel burning to anaerobic fuel burning.

When your body is working aerobically, your primary fuel source is fat. Even the leanest of athletes have an abundance of fat that can be used for fuel. For the endurance athlete this is a primary key to improving performance in ultra endurance events like Ironman. By raising your AT you increase the range of your aerobic zone. The greater the aerobic zone the longer and harder the athlete can work.

Tomorrow I'm having my VO2 rechecked, as I move into the final 12-weeks of my Ironman training, my purpose is primarily to reestablish my heart rate zones. This final 12-week phase has a focus on AT threshold interval training. This training is designed specifically to raise my AT in preparation for my race in Madison. Rechecking my AT at this time will ensure that my training is on target and will help train my heart to perform at its optimal level come September.

Buffalo Triathlon – Race Report

Buffalo, MN is about 40-miles northwest of downtown Minneapolis off MN-55 and MN-25. Buffalo got its start in the 1800s as a resort town for wealthy day-trippers from the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. There were several resorts located around Lake Pulaski, one of the two largest lakes in Buffalo. Visitors would take a train from the Twin Cities and arrive in Buffalo only an hour later.

The Buffalo Triathlon, now in its 6th year, is second in the state only to the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon in the number of participants. This early season race is a sign that the outdoor triathlon season is now open in the state of Minnesota. The triathlon kicks off Buffalo Days, a week-long celebration featuring a carnival, medallion hunt, royalty coronation, street dance, fireworks display, and much more.

For the last several years Race Director Brett Oden has brought in professional triathletes to race along side the amateurs and/or first timers. Participants get to meet them at packet pick-up, rack their bikes in the same area, and stand along side of them at the swim start like they were just another participant, which is really cool. Previous years have seen the likes of Chris Legh, Natascha Badmann, Becky Lavelle, and Brian Lavelle on race day. This year will be no exception with reigning Ironman 70.3 World Champion Terenzo Bozzone participating in the race.

Pre-Race Preparations

We arrived in Buffalo about 06:20 AM after the 90-min drive from Cottage Grove. The sun had been up for about an hour although it was nowhere to be seen. The bank thermometer just behind where we parked flashed 48 F. A light mist fell as I unstrapped the bike from the car and grabbed my transition bag. I headed off to get setup and left Charlene with the car as Alexandra was still sleeping in the back seat. After I put my bike in the rack I went and picked up my race packet. This is an exceptionally run event. There is a very good number of volunteers which make the whole day better for all of the participants. I made every effort to thank as many of them as I could throughout the day. Without their support these types of events would never happen.

As I finished laying out my bike and run gear it became even more obvious that it was going to be a chilly day out on the bike. I laid out my bike jacket and gloves, still not sure if I’d wear them later. The mandatory pre-race briefing started at 08:15 AM. Terenzo Bozzone was introduced along with a local racer who is battling Stage IV melanoma. After the athlete’s prayer and national anthem I headed back to transition to get ready for the swim. Lucky for me, Charlene was just outside of the transition area to help me get my wetsuit zipped. I have not figured out how to get that thing on by myself. I headed down to the beach to get in the water for a quick warm-up.

The Swim

I was in wave 7 of 8 for the Olympic distance race. There were 25 waves for all events. The race was scheduled to start at 09:00 AM with 2 minutes between waves. I was shaking, almost uncontrollably, as I waited for my wave to be called. It was much warmer in the water than it was standing on the beach. The water temperature was announced as 70 F but I’d guess it was slightly cooler than that. But either way it was about 20 degrees warmer than the air temp.

When they announced my wave I made my way to the water’s edge and readied myself for the start. The water level of Buffalo Lake (like most area lakes) was down significantly, so when the horn sounded I did several more dolphins than normal before finally settling in to my stroke. The 1500 M (0.93-mile) swim course is a rectangular shaped counter-clockwise single loop. Counter-clockwise is ideal for me since I naturally breathe to my left which makes sighting the buoys (big giant inflatable yellow duckies) much easier. I ran into significant traffic from the previous waves prior to making the first corner. Open water swimming in a crowd takes some getting use to (a very funny triathlon swim start training video). It’s hard to describe, but it always reminds me of a spillway full of carp fighting for scraps of bread thrown in by the passerbys. The swim is by far my strength. I did not push too hard today but felt good about the effort. Coming into shore I always try to swim until my hands scrape the bottom. With the water level being down I was still 25 or 30 yards from shore when I stood up to run the rest of the way in. I was able to have my wetsuit down to my waist before exiting the water and making my way into T1.

T1

My goal today was to shave about 1-minute off last year’s T1 time. I had recently watched a training video on youtube on how to get out of your wetsuit faster. The concept basically was to peel it down to just below your knees before stepping on it and pulling your opposite leg up to get it to your ankles and then rip your feet out one at a time. It basically worked but nearly caused a calf cramp. Putting on the long sleeve pullover wind/rain jacket, which turned out to be well worth the extra time, cost me 30 or 40 seconds. I opted not to wear the gloves. The result was adding 28 seconds to last year’s T1 time. Transitions are definitely an area that I need to make improvements.

The Bike

The 40 K (24.85-mile) bike course is primarily a single loop. There is a short out and back section starting at about mile 12 that concludes at about mile 16. The course is moderately hilly but nothing too steep or long. The hills are more rolling in nature. The roads were wet, there were periods of misting, and the wind seemed to be in my face more than it was at my back. I purchased a new bike earlier this year and felt that I needed to have a good showing to justify the purchase. Probably not the best motivation on a day that was less than ideal for setting personal bests. The ride overall was uneventful other than the near miss with a fellow rider with about 3 miles to go. He was waving at one of the leaders on the run and nearly took me out as he swerved from the right to the left side of the road (where is the horn when you need it?). In the end my bike split was 6 seconds slower than last year’s time. There were a couple of bright spots in the effort; my average heart rate was down nearly 10-beats per minute, and I averaged a cadence of 97 rpm; two things that will be significant later this year in Madison.

T2

Again the goal was to improve from last year. I had targeted about 30 seconds which I thought I could get from better organization of my run gear layout. Getting the long sleeve pullover off didn’t help, but in the end I managed an 18 second improvement. A small accomplishment but I’ll take it on a day that was proving to be tough to yield any gains.

The Run

The run is an out and back with an extra little ½ mile out and back branch between mile 3 and 4. The first half of the run is a gradual climb with a steeper incline just before mile 3 at the cemetery turnaround, which means coming back is basically down hill. I had pebbles in my shoes (turned out to be in my socks) which were annoying, a slight ache in my lower quads, and that almost-cramp feeling in my calves. I pushed as hard as I thought I could without causing further issues. My Garmin did not start when I thought it did so I did not get any data for the first mile. But as I came into the finish I knew any overall improvement for the day was going to come from this run.

The Result

Although it did not end up being the day I had hoped for, there were a few bright moments (and they did not come from the sun poking through the clouds). All of the 6 minute improvement in my overall time came on the run. I’m no Dick Beardsley (nor will I ever be) but I’m happy with the progress I’ve made with my run. The run had been my weakest discipline but appears to be climbing out of the cellar. Additionally, based on my heart rate data, I did not have to work nearly as hard as in previous years, indicating that my training is heading in the right direction. So I’ll take what I’ve learned and see if I can apply it and make some additional improvements for the rest of this season.

One final bright spot, with the help of Gary and Walt I will be making a $140 donation to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation in memory of our friend Mike.

Tribute to Mike

In Memory of Bruce 'Mike' Melton March 5, 1955 - May 13, 2009

Bruce Michael Melton was born March 5, 1955 in Cleveland, Tennessee, the son of Bennie Joe and Pauline (Higdon) Melton. He moved to Minnesota while in junior high school. In 1973 he graduated from Henry Sibley High School. On August 9, 1986 he was united in marriage with Beth Shafer. Mike enjoyed watching CNN News, fishing, and traveling to California to see his granddaughter. He ran a charter boat on Lake Michigan prior to working 23-years at Rainbow Foods Meat Dept. He was a member of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 653.

He is survived by his mother Pauline; wife Beth; sons Christopher and Michael (Nikki); sister Pam; loving grandpa of Giovanna "Gigi"; and many more family and friends.

Mike (as I've always known him) died suddenly from complications associated with a ruptured brain aneurysm.

I met Mike in 1995 when we moved to Cottage Grove. At the time we moved in we were one of just a few homes in our neighborhood. His son Mike and my son Christopher quickly became good friends. Over the 14-years I've known Mike we had many good times, from escorting the boys on Halloween to hanging with the Friday night crew in the driveway to our ice fishing trips to Lake of the Woods. I'm blessed to have had the opportunity to know him and will miss his friendship.

To honor my friend Mike I'm dedicating my race June 7, 2009, at the Buffalo Triathlon to his memory and will pledge a donation in memoriam to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation.

The Brain Aneurysm Foundation is the nation's only nonprofit organization solely dedicated to providing critical awareness, education, support and research funding to reduce the incidence of brain aneurysms.

So if you can, please help out by making a donation. Every donation matters - every dollar counts. Your donations are used to further educate the public about brain aneurysms, to support patients and families, and to develop awareness programs and educational materials for hospitals, clinics, and other institutions worldwide.

Awareness levels and education of the general public and medical professionals, especially in ER's and primary care settings, need to be addressed to promote early detection and prevent misdiagnosis. Your gift will help to fund essential research that can directly benefit those affected and help to reduce the incidence of ruptured aneurysms.

New Prague Half-Marathon

I can not think of a better way to mark the half-way point of my Ironman training then running in the 24th Annual New Prague Half-Marathon.

I woke this morning with anticipation; I was hopeful it would be a nice morning for a run. I poked my head out the door to blue bird skies with a few white wispy clouds on the horizon. My pre-race meal consisted of Rice Krispies with some Grape Nuts sprinkled on top, a randomly sliced Chiquita banana, and skim milk. I also made a quick latte to get the motor running.

New Prague is about 56 miles SW of cottage grove with an estimated 1-hour 17-min drive time according to Google maps. The race started @ 08:00 so I left the house at 06:00. I arrived in town @ 07:10 a little ahead of schedule so I stopped for a non-fat white mocha (hold the whip) at a local place "The Coffee Corner", a quaint little shop that has a nice looking lunch menu, so I'll have to come back for lunch some time soon.

This was my third New Prague half-marathon, so I'm a little familiar with the area and knew just where to park. The air was very brisk and the grass equally as wet as a crossed the ball diamond in route to packet pick-up. No line, got my packet and shirt in a flash and was headed back to the warm van to finish my race preparations. The event shirt is a technical shirt this year, very nice. In the race packet I found my number and timing chip. The timing chip was new as well. It was a very thin rectangular shaped plastic coated thing, cool I thought. I got my number and chip on, got my iPod and Garmin ready, finished my coffee and water and headed over to the start line. After a quick pit stop I ran around the parking lot a few times to stay warm before settling into the starting corral.

The gun sounded and we were off right at 08:00. We were escorted out of town by a 2009 Chevrolet Camaro pace car and a variety of emergency vehicles. The half-marathon course (see map) follows primarily a rectangular route, starting and finishing in Memorial Park. The first and last 1-1/4 miles is a an out back, runners head south of town and out into the countryside. The terrain is comprised of rolling hills, with a few moderate climbs. The course is USATF certified.

This is a memorable event for me. The first year because it was my very first half-marathon race, last year because I was fighting with an lower abdominal injury, a souvenir from my trip to Berlin last year (an archived entry if you care to investigate further), and this year because it is the first running stop on the road to Madison. And by the way, the New Prague half-marathon returned to its roots this year and brought back the cow print theme and had cow print balloons lining the course (happens to be the theme in Madison as well, coincidence?, I think not!).

I'm pleased with the result, a new half-marathon PR. There was a younger lady who was running about the same pace I was. We went back and forth a dozen or so times starting at about the 5K mark. I was not really racing her but it helped with my pacing throughout the run. I stayed relaxed, did not pay much attention to my Garmin (I think I only looked at it three times in the first 10-miles or so), and was able to finish very strong.

I would recommend this race to anyone interested, from first timers to experienced runners. The event is well run, there is great town support. (The water stops are manned by different clubs within the town. The runners vote for the best water stop at the end. The winning club or group receives $250) And they serve ice cream when your done. I'd do almost anything for ice cream!

2009 MN Ironman Bike Ride

"It was cold. It was wet. It was windy. It was the 43rd Annual Minnesota Ironman Bike Ride." - MN Ironman Website

According to the MN Ironman Bike Ride event website there were over 4000 riders on the road Sunday, 26 April 2009. I honestly wish that I could report that it was an enjoyable event but I'd be lying.

This by far was the worse weather I've experienced for any event that I have done. Hopefully it is not a sign of things to come this year. The weather is not something we can predict (with any accuracy) or control (at least not that we common folk know of) and I'm OK with that.

When an event is on the horizon the weather becomes a daily topic of discussion amongst the participants. We report to each other what we've heard and discuss how the weather may effect our event day strategies. This ritual usually starts 12 to 15-days before the event, depending on what long range weather forecast you subscribe to. But in the end, "the weather is what it is" - Miles Burd (I'm probably not the first to use this phrase but I did not copy it intentionally). We either find a way to cope and deal with it or it deals with us. Over the course of a 36-week training and event schedule you're going to run into a variety of weather conditions. The best way to prepare for adverse conditions on event day, train in adverse weather on training days.

Event Report
All things considered the event was very well organized and run. I was surprised just how many people were involved. I'm not sure how many people actually registered, but if there were over 4000 on the road Sunday, I'd imagine there were a fairly high number of no shows (due to the weather). The registration process on event morning was smooth and quick. I checked in and got my wrist band and map with very little waiting. I was on the road a tad before 7:00 AM. Heading out of town, the busy cross roads had State Troopers directing traffic. I made a point to thank as many of them as possible (I can't image standing and directing traffic in these conditions was any better then riding in it). The ride for me was broken into five stages. The stages coincidentally correspond to the four rest stops on the 100-mile route. When I was planning for the event, I had originally only planned to stop once, but as we know, as the weather goes, so does the plan.

Stage 1 - Lakeville North High School to Jordan High School - Rest Stop 1 (mile 23)
Within the first mile or so I was warmed up. Body temperature came up nicely, I felt warm, it was dry, and I did not notice the wind. I passed a group of 10+ riders on unicycles. Big ones, the wheel on these machines had to be 4-feet in diameter, incredible skills these people have. In that first 23-miles I saw a variety of interesting machines. Tandem road bikes, tandem incumbent bikes, mountain bikes, a bike with ape-hanger handle bars, an older gentlemen on what looked like an old ten speed with a milk crate strapped to the back.

I made great time (just under an hour). There were a lot of people at this first stop. This was a shared stop between both the 65 and 100 mile routes. In the pre-race information, riders were asked to remove there cleats when entering the schools. Apparently only 90% of the riders can read and follow direction. I made a quick pit stop, ate a cliff bar and headed out. There were many comments from riders about how dark the skies looked as I departed.

Stage 2 - Jordan High School to LE Seuer-Henderson High school- Rest Stop 2 (mile 47)
About 5-miles in to stage two, thunder, lighting, and heavy driving rain joined me on my way south-west towards Belle Plaine. It didn't take long before I could feel the water seeping its way into my shoes, gloves, and everywhere else. I started to cool off quickly, I could not maintain the warm body temp I enjoyed for the first stage. I'm not positive but at one point I swear it was hailing. I thought of the movie Forrest Gump, when Lieutenant Dan was on the shrimp boat with Forrest in the hurricane, and Lieutenant Dan is daring God, if this was the best he could do. Believe you me when I say I was not daring God but there was a point were I thought, what next, burning hail?

As I approached the second rest stop I passed a couple of late teen or early twenty something young men in shorts and short sleeves. Now there's some planning for you (OMG). I later saw one of them in the rest room shaking uncontrollably, I'll assume his ride was over (I hope) for the day.

As I tried to warm up I heard announcements for bus pickups. They were announcing that there would be buses coming about every 30-minutes. I saw several people being assisted by EMT's, obviously hypothermia concerns. I ate some trail mix, M&M's, a Snicker bar, a bagel with peanut butter, had two cups of coffee, a banana, and a little water. I changed my socks, wrung out my gloves (both pairs) and my face mask, and then started putting it all back on, as I thought, IDIOT!

Stage 3 - LE Seuer-Henderson High school to Montgomery Middle school- Rest Stop 3 (mile 70)
The route leaves Le Seuer and heads primarily due east. The wind at this point was relentless. The rain was intermittent (more on then off). Occasionally when climbing I'd warm a little. Because of the wind I started to dread the down hill sections. I felt the cold more, but worse, the wind made it tough to keep control. I found myself having to focus more intently on steering and at times did not feel in control of my bike at all. I paid little attention to my surroundings and watched the road. There seemed to be long stretches were I was completely alone on the road. As I approached Montgomery apparently I was not paying as close attention as I thought. I turned south on county road 13, went for about 10-minutes, before intuition told me maybe I was not going the right direction. One of the SAG vehicles doing a u-turn in front of me helped my intuition a little. So after my little detour, I pulled into rest stop number three.

As I approached the school building I noticed that I could not see clearly out of my right eye. I blinked a few times before realizing I no longer had my contact. A sense of panic came over me, without a contact my day most likely would be over. I did not plan for that and had no spare (I'll be carrying a couple spares in Madison later this year). My only hope was that it was on the inside of the sunglasses lens (this happened to me once last summer on a ride) and it was. I managed to put the contact back in and began what was becoming my rest stop ritual.

The scene at the third stop was similar to the second. There was a lot more talk about the buses and when the next one was to arrive. I drank a lot more water, changed socks again (I had three extra pairs, in zip lock bags, one of the few good decisions I made this day). The bathroom had hand dryers, so after ringing out my gloves and face mask in the sink, I hopelessly tried to dry them off a bit. If nothing else the warm air from the dryer felt good on my hands.

A side note, this might be TMI for some but, getting in and out of bike clothing to use the restroom can be quite the challenge, especially when wet. I had on more layers then a Bloomin Onion. I'm sure glad this was not a timed event.

Stage 4 - Montgomery Middle school to Lonsdale Legion Hall - Rest Stop 4 (mile 80)
When I left Montgomery Middle school and headed east/north-east, I had no intention of stopping in Lonsdale. I had 30-miles left and planned to just keep going. Two to three miles in, my right contact came out again. It was raining as hard as it had all day, I assumed I would not be so lucky this time, and besides, without some kind of reflective device (a mirror) I'd probably end up poking myself in the eye. So I kept going, my mind seemed to adjust, and the fact that I couldn't see much out of my right eye didn't seem to bother me that much. I focused my attention on blinking to keep my left contact lubricated and in my head. The 10-miles seemed to just happen and before I knew it I was at the Lonsdale Legion.

This stop, like the second, was shared with the 65-mile route. There must have been several hundred riders here. The parking lot was littered with bikes and school buses, with several other SAG vehicles coming and going. There was a bonfire burning under the bike repair tent. And it was pouring.

I found a space behind the building for my bike. I was pleasantly surprised to find my contact stuck to the inside of my sunglasses lens again. As I was putting my contact back in my head, my sunglasses fell and hit the ground. The right lens fell out and was laying next to the frame. When I picked them up I noticed that the frame was now split. I put them back together the best I could and went inside.

The place was wall-to-wall with riders. You could barely make your way through the crowd. There was music playing, they were serving hot food (chili and some kind of pasta). I found a few paper towels to wipe my glasses and headed for the door. Outside people were lined upped to get on the buses. I heard volunteers telling them to just get on the bus and not to worry about their bikes. A guy was putting bikes into a open trailer, he must of had 30 bikes piled on top of each other. I'm thinking there is no way my bike (that I just bought a couple of months ago $) is going on that pile, I'll carry it home before that will happen.

Stage 5 - Lonsdale Legion Hall to Lakeville North High school (mile 100)
My goal at this point was to just make it back. In the last 20-miles my bike starting making a variety of weird noises. The dirt and grime was building everywhere. My rear brake starting sticking. The left aero bar loosened up and would move up and down when I shifted. The rear derailleur starting having intermittent shifting problems. My right knee and left elbow started to hurt noticeably. I'm not sure which road it was but there was a section were traffic had picked up noticeably, the road got extremely rough, and there was no shoulder to speak of.

Why is it that when you start to approach your mental limits, all of this stuff seems to take on a life of its own. Now that I reflect on it, could it really of been that bad? After all it's just a bike ride, right?

When I saw the Lakeville water tower I knew it couldn't be that much further. Since the route came up from the south I did however get the grand tour of the city of Lakeville, which by the way is a pretty good size town.

Epilogue
When I pulled up to my car I was relieved and glad that this ride was over. It was just about 3:00 PM, my Garmin indicated that my actual saddle time was just under 6-hours, with a total elapsed time of about 8-hours.

I had packed a change of clothes but had no real desire to go into the school to shower. I pulled on a pair of jeans over my wet bike clothes, put on a winter hat I had in the back, loaded up my bike and headed in to collect my finisher shirt. I ate three M&M cookies, picked up my finisher shirt, and bought a souvenir pin. I thanked the volunteers I encountered and headed for the door. My only thoughts now were of a long hot shower at home.

The event website says that we earned our bragging rights for the year. I don't know about that, but I did learn somethings that will better prepare me for future events. I hope I do not have to experience anything like this again any time soon, but as the saying goes, "the weather is what it is".

2009 Minnesota Masters State Meet

I had the opportunity this weekend to once again swim at the University of Minnesota's Aquatic Center for the 2009 Minnesota Masters State Swim Meet.

My swim club, SEMS, only had two swimmers this year at the meet. Up until a few days ago the team was planning on having several additional swimmers (and there were even rumors of a men's relay team) but due to illness and work (darn work, always getting in the way; although, these days, just having work is a blessing) issues a larger turnout was prevented.

The meet started Saturday evening at 6:00 and concluded Sunday morning with an 8:30 AM start. The late evening early morning thing is less than ideal but, none the less, was fun. Now that SEMS no longer has evening practices I very rarely have the chance to actually swim with the team. It was fun to swim and hang out with Jill again (this lady can really swim). I think she owns just about every women's team record and has many state records to her name as well. We joked about swimming a relay but figured that someone would catch on if we alternated our way through a medley or free relay event.

I swam six events in total, three each day. All the freestyle events, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1650. I threw in the 200 IM just for the halibut. All in all I was pleased with the results. I had three personal bests and was very close with the others. My goal was to work on pacing and felt I achieved my objectives. Honestly, I do not spend nearly enough time in the water to expect to see any great improvement. My training plan calls for about 2-1/2 hours per week in the pool. I would need to double that effort to see any real gains. To put things in the Ironman perspective, the swim is 2% of the total distance and about 8% - 9% of the total time I'll spend on race day. My training, obviously, reflects that fact.

The 1650-free was the last event of the meet. The 1650 is a fun but scary event to swim. If things do not go well it can feel like it will never end. But if you swim it right it can be exhilarating. With the prerace strategy from my coach, Sharon, and with my daughter, Alexandra, counting for me, I was able to shave 27-seconds off my best 1650 time. So it was a nice way to close this year's competitive swimming season.

Namaste

Taken literally, the word namaste means "I bow to you". In yoga, namaste is said to mean "The light within me honors the light within you," and is used as a salutation spoken by both the yoga instructor and yoga students.

I’ve been practicing yoga (practicing is a nice way of saying I’m really not all that good but I try) for a little over a year. In the off season I’ll practice two to three times a week. During the season I make every attempt to attend one class per week. As the training weeks progress and the durations increase, keeping the weekly goal is challenging. I’ve incorporated several yoga positions (called asanas) into my daily stretching routines, some of my favorites daily stretches are; cat-cow, downward facing dog, pigeon pose, standing forward bend, and lizard pose.

Honestly I never thought that I’d ever be practicing yoga. I was encouraged to try it by one of the studio cycle instructors at Lifetime Fitness (Sarah L). When I walked into my first class, I thought to myself, ok Sarah, I’ll give you six weeks. I was completely intimidated after my first class, I was one of two men in the class (over the last year or so I’ve learned that fitness classes at Lifetime are comprised of 90% women, except for studio cycle where the mix is more like 60/40) and I felt completely out of my element. I was about as flexible as a piece of peanut brittle, had absolutely no clue what any of the poses were or how they should be done, and was pretty sure that this yoga thing wasn’t going to be for me. But I committed to six-weeks so I was determined to stick it out. And I’m so glad I did, my flexibility has improved well beyond any of my expectations, along with core and upper body strength. Yoga can be quite the workout, it is completely up to you, you are in control, the instructor is their as a guide and a mentor.

Every instructor teaches differently; I feel extremely lucky to have had some excellent instructors over the past year. I enjoy the different approaches each brings but one thing they have all had in common is a genuine passion for their practices and the ability to encourage and challenge their students. For this I thank them and am grateful. Yoga is now part of my daily fitness routine and is becoming an integral part of who I am. I know yoga will play an important role in my overall fitness, be it swimming, running, cycling, or just daily life activities, and will help prevent injuries common to endurance sport training.

In class when we do tree pose the instructor commonly says “and you can be any kind of tree you would like” well, I think I’d like to be the tree in the photo above, a strong and sturdy tree, growing up out of the rocky soil, right on the edge of life. Defying gravity, in a way, I overlook the world around me, surrounded by such amazing beauty.

So with that I say to you… namaste …

Let the Head Games Begin

As week eleven (of the 36-week training plan) ends and twelve begins, my appreciation grows of just how much of a mental challenge this Ironman thing is.

On Saturday, I participated in a charity event at Lifetime Fitness. Augie’s Quest, a fundraiser for ALS, (“Lou Gehrig's Disease”), put on by the Lifetime Fitness Foundation. The Woodbury Lifetime had lots of activities as part of the event; a silent auction, cardio and core classes, and an endurance studio ride. I participated in the 4-hour endurance ride. Lifetime’s Group Fitness department lead the event with four instructors, one each hour, and a DJ. The instructors were great and the DJ was fun (a little loud at times, even for me) but was integral for survival during the four hour studio ride. This brings up a funny story. On Tuesday, earlier in the week, I rode my bike on the trainer in the basement (not brave enough to head outside quite yet). When I finished I came up for dinner, my daughter Alexandra asked, “So what did you see on your bike ride today, Dad?” With a the sweet sting of sarcasm in her voice. It makes a Dad so proud to see that the apple does not fall far from the tree. Anyway, during the endurance ride I got to practice my race-day nutrition strategy, magic beans, cliff bars, and water. There really isn’t any magic in those beans (Jelly Belly Sport Beans) but I like to think there is. As hour three progressed I developed a familiar pain in the ball of my feet, a pain, at times intensive enough to bring tears. I’ve tried a variety of things over the past couple of years (the Specialized Footbeds have helped the most) but the only thing that works is to stop, get off the bike, take off my shoes, and relax my feet. About 5 minutes does the trick, and then I’m ready to go again. I can only imagine at this point what that will be like come that Sunday in September. Oh yeah, and then, when I finally do finish the bike, a mere 26.2 mile run to massage my feet into submission. Oh Lord, what have I gotten myself into?

LTF Indoor Triathlon Race Report

The 2009 race season is officially under way! Yeah!

Well, I got up early this morning, (04:00, not really all that early for me). Had a banana, took a shower, used my newly purchased men's body shaver/trimmer...TMI...

I arrived early, it was a beautiful morning, sunny, -19c, a great day for a triathlon!
The water was rough, oh, not really but it makes for a better story...doesn't it?

I was in the first wave, it was a mass start, all ten of us. After the whistle blew I had to sprint and fight my way to the lead...okay Miles, enough, just tell the story already.

Really, this is a great way to start the season off. For me, having an event every four weeks or so keeps me motivated, keeps me focused, and eliminates the monotony that sometime comes with endurance training.

The LTF Indoor Triathlon is a timed event. A 10-minute swim, 30-minute studio cycle ride, followed up by 20-minutes on the tread mill. The transitions are fixed at 10-minutes for T1 and 5-minutes for T2. The event is scored based on how far you go in each discipline and is graded on a curve based on the number of participants. If there are 50 total entries, the person that swims the farthest in 10-minutes gets 50-points and so on.

My only goal was to improve over last year. I'm pretty happy with the results, I was +1 length in the pool, +1.2 miles on the bike, and +.13 miles on the run. I owe the improvement to the group fitness staff at LTF. In the winter, in Minnesota, you end up inside a lot. Endurance training inside can be a tough lonely road. The group fitness staff has been a lot of fun to work with and provide motivation you just cannot get training alone, thanks!