2012 Calendar of Events

As I reflect on last year and finalize plans for 2012, I think back to an episode of NBC's Biggest Loser (season 12). John (the eventual winner) was having an ah-ha moment which triggered one of my own. Dolvett (Quince), John's trainer, was trying to get John to understand that he needs to appreciate the Journey he is on or he'll end up right back where he started. John is definitely a type A personality. He has to be in control and is so focused on getting to the finals that he is missing out on the self-discovery process which will be the glue that will sustain the physical transformation that is occurring. Dolvett was partially successful, but based on John's game-play actions later in the episode, I think there is still work to be done. Bob (Harper), discussing John with Vinny (another contestant on the show), stated that John will put every pound he loses back on due to his one-mindedness.

As I watched, I thought back on my own personal journey. The Biggest Loser (online) played a big part in my lifestyle change. I think back to June 2005, I was still smoking a pack+ per day and was ~70 pounds overweight. And even though that image is still very clear, it seems a million miles away. But is it really? Have I really learned the life lessons along the way? Or am I so focused on the end-point that I'm missing it? And now, only a few inches from ending up in the ditch on the side of the road in a steaming heap, I wonder...

Am I really that different than John? I can, at times, be very one-minded. I have a tendency to grab on to things and not let go; maybe even borderline OCD. When living an unhealthy lifestyle, I did so with great passion...

The reality is that nothing worth having in life comes easy or without constant focus and commitment. My yogi reminds me; 'How you do anything is how you do everything".

Pause and reflect....

Whether you subscribe to the whole Mayan 2012 prophecy or not, welcome to 2012 and the new year! New year, with new goals, hopes, desires, opportunities, and challenges. 2012 is shaping up to be a busy and exciting year. My son Christopher (Cheese) and his fiance (Elisabeth) are planning a September wedding! I'm so very happy for them and I wish for them nothing but the best that life has to offer!


This will also be the first year since 2008 with no full distance triathlon in the schedule. For the past three seasons I have had 'that race' in September as my Capstone event. It has been a challenge puting together a schedule without that as my anchor. I have not run my last full distance race and I will be there to cheer on friends and to volunteer. This year's schedule will feature the RUN. With two marathons and two 50K distance events as the featured events,the year will take us to many new venues with some stops at some of my favorites. So without further adieu, here is the 2012 calendar of events; hope you enjoy the ride!

2012 Charity Challenge Indoor Track Events
Charities Challenge Mission: To Improve Health/Fitness, Reduce Health Risks, and Enhance Disease Management via Goal-oriented RxExercise Training Education Programs, Engaging Events Active Community Partnerships. Because...There is NO CURE for all the ills associated with lack of exercise except RxExercise!


Wow! Way outside my comfort zone. Track meets...really?
Well someone once said; If you want to run fast you have to train fast. So starting last November I started training with a group of like- minded friends at the University of Wisconsin River Falls on a 200M indoor track. The track meets started in December, with a total of five meets during the winter, all hosted at Bethel University. Three meets down with two more in February, it has been fun and I hope it pays off later in the year.


website: http://www.charitieschallenge.org/

29 January 2012

University of Minnesota Aquatic Center


It has been a couple of years since we participated in a USMS Swim Meet. I challenged my daughter Alexandra $10 for each event she beats me in. She has a meet on Saturday where she will swim three  of the same events I will swim on Sunday. Honestly, I have little chance, since she has PR's in most of the events that are way out of my league. So I think it is more of a challenge for me than for her. I plan to swim the 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1000 Free events. A lot of swimming in a morning meet, but what the heck, it should be fun.
website:http://www.minnesotamasters.com/

 04 February 2012
Yukon Days - Run and Snowshoe
6 Mile and 3 Mile Run on White Bear Lake


Not exactly sure what I was thinking when I registered for this event and really not sure about what to expect or how to preapre. You see, the runs will take place on White Bear Lake; yep, not around the lake, or near the lake, but on the lake. Hope there is plenty of ICE!

website: http://www.frontrunnerusa.com/event/yukon-days-run-and-snowshoe-pick-your-distance

 
07 April 2012

Half Marathon - 13.1 mile run
Bald Eagle Lake Park

White Bear Lake, MN

A Half Marathon, 10K, 5K and Fun Run.  Proceeds from Camp WannaRunAMileorMore help pay for special needs kids to attend Young Life Summer Camps. 

The half marathon course is challenging and scenic. The venue is beautiful and the field is intimate and competitive. There is good support and is for a great cause. It also gives me an early season look at where my training is and is a good warm-up for the 50K run in a couple of more weeks.

website: http://www.trifitnesswbl.com


28 April 2012
50K Trail Run
Ice Age Trail
New Auburn, WI.

This will be our second trip to New Auburn. Last year was amazing, very challenging, and I'm looking forward to going for a new PR at this distance, 50K = 31.0685596 miles. This is a very challenging trail run, with most of the course being single track trail.

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail is a thousand-mile footpath - entirely within Wisconsin - that highlights Ice Age landscape features while providing access to some of the state's most beautiful natural areas. The trail is maintained by an army of volunteers.

website: http://www.frontrunnerusa.com/event/chippewa-50k-and-10k-trail-run

06 May 2012
100 Mile Ride
Minnesota Ironman Bike Ride

Lakeville, MN

This event has become a staple of my early season cycle training. This will be our fourth consecutive trip to Lakeville in early May. It has proven to be one of the most challenging events, primarily because of the amazing weather we have experienced; rain, snow, hail, thunderstorms, hurricane force winds, and extreme windchill. I would like to say that you never know what to expect, but the reality is, you know exactly what to expect, Mother Nature at her best!

website: http://ironmanbikeride.org




12 May 2012
3 Mile Run / 14 Mile Bike / 3 Mile Run
Lake Elmo Park Reserve
Oakdale, MN



 This early season event is a good kick-off to the multi-sport year. The race is well attended and a lot of the big guns are out to test their off season training. Front Runner Events, the event sponsor, does a good job.It is a well organized event and has good support. And there are hot dogs and Classic Ruffle chips when you're done!

website: http://www.frontrunnerusa.com/event/oakdale-spring-classic-duathlon


03 June 2012
Olympic Distance Triathlon

Buffalo, MN



Probably my favorite race of the season. This year there is BIG news! Alexandra (my daughter) and two of her friends, Peyton and Maddy, are doing the Olympic distance race as a relay! The team, 'Triple Threat', will be coached by G4 Endurance Racing owner Coach T! Go Triple Threat!

Personally, I have a big star around this race. With road repairs now complete, which made the bike very challenging last year, the bike will be fast on the smooth roads around Lake Buffalo. I plan to go deep and push for a new PR.

website: http://www.tribuff.com




16 June 2012
Marathon - 26.2 mile run
Duluth, MN





Definitely on the list of favorite events. This year Grandma's celebrates its 36th Anniversary, and it will be our 6th trip to the north shore of Lake Superior. The 26.2 mile run from Two Harbors to Duluth is beautiful, with breathtaking views of the largest of the five Great Lakes. This event will always hold a special place in my endurance heart as my first Marathon.

Last year we ran very well here and it will be a tall order to lower last year's PR. I'm looking forward to the challenge.

website: http://grandmasmarathon.com

07 July 2012

50 K Trail Run
Afton State Park
Afton, MN

Last year we did the 25 K, which had to be moved to Afton Alps Ski Area due to the MN Government shutdown. The course last year was run primarily on single track MTB trails. The original course, which I hope we get to run this year, is in the state park, and is a mixture of cross country ski trails, hiking trails, and single track trails. Living a short 7 miles west of the park entrance, I hope to train on the same trails which I'll race. My biggest fear is the potential for extreme heat. July weather in MN can be extreme. I remember a Fourth of July a few years ago when the high temperature for the day was a scorching 105 F. Le'ts hope for something a bit more moderate.

website: http://aftontrailrun.com/50km-info/

15 July 2012
International Distance Triathlon
1/2 mile Swim, 21 mile Bike, 5.3 mile Run
Annandale, MN

A new event on this years schedule. This would typically be the weekend that we would make our way to Door County for the 70.3 Triathlon at Egg Harbor. Alexandra is leaving on the 14th for a mission trip to West Virginia. Charlene and I will pack up the car, drop Alexandra off for her long bus ride, and head west to Annandale for a little camping getaway. Although we have not been there I have heard nothing but nice things about this small midwestern MN town. With a strong downtown retail area I'm looking forward to a couple of relaxing days with my wonderful wife.

website: http://www.holtri.org/

12 August 2012
70.3 Distance Triathlon
1.2 mile Swim, 56 mile Bike, 13.1 mile Run
Wisconsin Dells

The classic half. I'm so excited about this venue. This is a new race for the Rev3 brand. An inaugural event, by a veteran organization. I've struggled a bit with how commercial and expensive Ironman events have become. I guess you can't blame them; it seems regardless of what the price is, people pay. It is nice to have some alternatives with Rev3 and HITS now becoming major players in the triathlon market space. Don't get me wrong, these events are still expensive, but competition at least provides the consumer with some alternatives.

The swim will take place at the Tommy Bartlett Show arena and will provide spectators with stadium seating for the swim.

My brother was able to book their time share, Wyndham Vacation Resort - Tamarack, so I'm looking forward to spending a few days with him and the family.

website: http://rev3tri.com/wisconsin/news/

 07 October 2012
Marathon - 26.2 Miles
Twin Cities, MN

After a three year hiatus from this fall classic, we will return for our third TCM Marathon. The spectacular and challenging course is point to point and runs from the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis to the State Capital in St. Paul.

This is another event with a big star on the calendar. It will hopefully showcase the focused effort on my run training for the year.

website: https://www.tcmevents.org/events/

Other 2012 events include:

Woodbury Days - 60 Mile Bike Ride
Woodbury Days - Country Mile Half Marathon
website: http://www.woodburydays.com/schedule_events.aspx

Bear Water Run
20 Mile Run
White Bear Lake, MN

website: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bear-Water-Run-presented-by-The-White-Bear-Lions/239857956033540

Run for the Apples
5 Mile Trail Run
Pine Tree Apple Orchard
White Bear Lake, Mn
website: http://www.frontrunnerusa.com/event/run-for-the-apples-5-mile

The Great Pumpkin Chase
10K + 5K = 15K Trail Run
Lake Elmo Park Reserve
Lake Elmo, MN
website: http://www.frontrunnerusa.com/event/the-great-pumpkin-chase-5k-10k-and-kids-run

Falltastic

Fall is without question one of the best times of year to get outside and run. The air is crisp and clean. The scenery in the upperMidwest is unsurpassed. And we Minnesota people have had an incredible stretch of weather, albeit a bit too dry.

I have three race reports for you in this installment. Two as a participant and one as a volunteer and spectator.




The 2011 Twin Cities Marathon, the 30th Anniversary of the race, was held on Sunday, October 2nd, 2011. It was an amazing weather day with dry conditions predicted, some wind, and high temperatures expecting to climb near 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and the forecast did not disappoint.

Congratulations to all those who participated in this year's races. With a special call out to those who ran the Marathon; Sara (her first), Gordy, Milan, John, and Sven. Way to Go!

I'm glad I had the opportunity to volunteer and give back to the racing community. I had two different jobs in my volunteer role this year. The first was timing chip assembly, which was two weeks prior to the race. My shift was from 9:00 - noon and consisted of matching up a timing chip, race bib, sweat bag sticker, and athlete label and then placing them in an envelope along with four safety pins and  a piece of junk mail advertisement. I finished my stack before noon and apparently was a little too efficient. My reward was being reassigned to help someone less efficient. I now know what I don't want to do when I grow up...

My second job was on race morning. I arrived at the Metrodome at 05:45 AM and was assigned to collecting Marathon sweat bags from athletes as they made their way to the start line. Alexandra and I did this job a couple of years ago, so I knew what to expect. After collecting the bags from the athletes, we put them in the correctly numbered bin and then load them on to a semi-truck. The bins were then transported to the finish line to be reunited with their owners. It is amazing how much stuff some people try to fit into this bag...

The good news is that my shift ended as soon as we were done loading the trucks, which gave me plenty of time to make my way out on to the course to cheer on the runners. I positioned myself between mile 21 and 22 just at the bottom of the hill that climbs up to Summit Ave. It's a great spot, runners are typically running on fumes at this point, and I was hoping to provide a little cheering fuel to help get them up that hill! It also provides an amazing view of the Mississippi River far below. With the help of the athlete tracker on my phone, I was able to see and cheer for everyone but Gordy; still not sure how I missed him. Watching and not participating was tough but  fun none the less. The 31st Anniversary race is tentatively on the 2012 schedule.

2011 Run for the Apples

The twentieth "Run for the Apples" was held Saturday, October 22, 2011. With a sunny, chilly start, it would be a great day for another trail run. This would be my fifth time participating in the fall classic; another Frontrunner event which has grown tremendously over the past few years. In 2009 there were 278 finishers, and in 2011 695 would finish the event. The event is held at Pine Tree Apple Orchard located in White Bear Lake, MN. The run is 5 miles and takes the participants through the apple orchard and strawberry and pumpkin patches. With dry conditions continuing into October, the footing was good with the usual ruts, sand, and mowed down corn that you'd expect to find in and around the grounds.

After the race, Charlene and I did a little shopping in the store and bought 3 half pecks of apples which we turned into to pies, apple bars, and applesauce later that day.

This event will remain on my short list for years to come. Randy offers half-price entries to all Frontrunner Events starting on Black Friday and continuing until Cyber Monday. For $12.50, how can you go wrong? The fee includes the event registration, a long sleeve shirt, and some delicious apple orchard treats!



2011 Great Pumpkin Chase

The 2011 Great Pumpkin Chase was held on Saturday, October 29th, at Lake Elmo Park Reserve located in Oakdale, MN. This was my first Great Pumpkin Chase and the last of my 2011 scheduled events. The event consists of two distances, a 10K and a 5K. I signed up for the double event challenge so I got to do them both. They are both trail runs that consist of blacktop, gravel, mowed grass, and dirt. The multi-purpose trails are wide and used for cross country skiing in the winter and  horseback riding, walking, and running the rest of the year. It was dry once again (crazy year for precipitation; extremely wet this spring and dry this fall) and the trail conditions were excellent.

The 10K started at 8:30 AM, temps were cold (26 degrees F when I left the car) with bright sunshine. The 5K started at 10:00 AM with just enough time between the two to get cold and stiff.

Some of the participants dressed in costumes for the upcoming Halloween holiday. I thought the lady in the black and white striped running tights and top with the ball and chain was the best. She carried the ball during the run, She did the 5K, but still!

This is another Frontrunner event and for $12.50 quite the bargain. I plan to be back in 2012.

With no Ironman planned for 2012 and with me still in Ironman denial and withdrawal, stay tuned to find out what's next, if you dare.

2011 IMOO Race Report

The 10th Ironman Wisconsin Madison was held on Sunday, September 11, 2011. It was also the 10-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States of America. I dedicated my race this year in honor of all who have sacrificed so much during and since that tragic day. There were many reminders throughout the day and many other athletes who honored the victims, the paramedics, the police and firefighters, the service men and women, and so many others that have been impacted by those events. Let us never forget and remain vigilant to make sure nothing like that ever occurs again.


Executive Summary
On a spectacular, yet warm September day, the main objective of the day was accomplished; I finished my third Ironman Wisconsin. Everything above and beyond that was pure bonus. It was not without help from a couple of strangers in Verona, especially the camera guy with the gorilla tape.

The day produced 5 PR's in each the swim, bike, run, and both transitions, which resulted in an overall PR by nearly 42 minutes. The largest time gain came on the bike in spite of a mechanical issue which cost me 15-20 minutes. And it was fun to cross the finish line hearing Mike Riley announce, 'Miles Burd; You are an Ironman for the third time', while the light of day was still upon us.

Pre-Race Activities
Thursday
I arrived in Madison on Thursday afternoon, checked into the hotel, and made my way down to Monona Terrace for athlete check-in. At Madison athletes can check-in Thursday between 10 - 4 PM and Friday between 10 - 4 PM. If you do not check-in on Friday, you do not race. I arrived at Monona Terrace around 3 PM and did not have to stand in a single line. The process seems to be a little drawn out with six separate stations that you must progress through to complete the process. It was well organized and well staffed. The traffic through here on Friday is mind numbing.

After completing registration I still had time to shop the Ironman Merchandise store. I learned this year that buying the previous year's event merchandise is the way to go. I bought both the 2010 IMOO cycling jersey and tri shorts and saved $90 (>60%) from the original sticker. The WTC (World Triathlon Corporation), the company behind the Ironman logo and events, has reported that the average athlete spends $250 on merchandise at each event they attend. Well I did my part to reduce that number significantly spending about half that this year on stuff.


Friday
After getting in a morning swim in lake Monona (the water was cooler than what I had been swimming in at Square, but still very nice. On race morning it was reported at 70F) and about a 3 mile run. I walked through the expo being grateful that I completed the process the day before. It was wall to wall people and lines that made my head spin. I made my way back to the hotel and prepared all of my gear and special needs bags for the race. I was taking a much different approach to nutrition, and my special needs bags consisted of one small Ziploc sandwich bag that contained a couple ibuprofen, nuun tablet, salted nut roll, and electrolyte tabs.

My brother and his family arrived around 5:30 and we headed out for dinner before heading back to Monona Terrace for the mandatory athlete meeting at 7 PM.

They do not take attendance at the meeting so I'm not sure the mandatory part is enforced. The meeting covers any last minute changes to the course, safety procedures, and a review of the rules, especially the drafting/overtake rules on the bike. All Ironman events operate under the rules of USAT, but without question, this event enforces the drafting/overtake rule harder than any other event I have ever participated in.

The rule states that while on the bike you can not be any closer than four bike lengths to any other bike unless while passing or being passed. You have 20 seconds to execute a pass or drop out of the draft zone after being passed. The problem is that with 2800 bikes out on the course and only a handful of officials the application of the rules is somewhat arbitrary. It comes down to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. If cited though, the penalty is stiff, four minutes stiff that is. There are penalty tents along the bike course. If the officials penalize you, you must report to the next penalty tent, where they hand you a stop watch and tell you to give it back when it reaches four minutes (ouch).

Saturday
Saturday is bike and gear bag drop off. So between 11 - 3 PM you take your bike down to Monona Terrace and put it in T1. For age group athletes the only thing allowed in T1 is your bike. Your helmet, shoes, etc. must be in your bike gear bag. I always let some air out of my tires to avoid them expanding and exploding. The floor of the bike transition is concrete, so it could get very warm on a sunny afternoon. It does require hauling a pump over in the morning to re-inflate them but I figure the inconvenience is better than the alternative.

Charlene and Alexandra arrived Saturday afternoon, and the balance of the day was spent relaxing and enjoying time with the family. Saturday evening we went to Granite City for dinner where I had my share of carb loading.

Sunday
Transition opened at 5 AM Sunday morning. I arrived about 4:50 AM, having already had a cup of coffee, oatmeal, and two bananas. I had two bananas Saturday night before bed and had another two that I would eat before the race started at 7 AM.

I pumped up my tires and filled my water bottles on the bike. I dropped my specials needs bags (one for the bike and one for the run) off. I ran in to Tina and Teresa at the bag drop off. They were both there volunteering, and I was glad to see their smiling faces.

I was supposed to meet the family outside of the building up near the helix leading down to the beach between 6 - 6:30. When 6:30 passed I thought that I might not get a chance for final hugs before making my way to the swim. Kyle found me and informed me that the others were just behind, running a bit late. I was relieved they made it and that we got to see each other before the race started. I was excited that they were there and would draw on their energy throughout the day!

The Swim - 2.4 Miles

The swim course is a large rectangle that consists of two counterclockwise laps. I cannot compare the swim start at Madison to any other Ironman event since it is the only one I've done. And it does not compare to any other triathlon I have done. It is a deep water mass start and is truly as mentally challenging as it is physical for me. Over the past several months I've debated and changed my strategy for the swim, and especially the start multiple times. In the end I decided to start about 20 yards to the right of the first buoy and attempt to stay about 20 yards wide around the entire loop. This approach results in a slightly longer swim but I was hopeful it would mean more open water and less battling. As I waited for the cannon to sound I tried to relax and just breathe. The blast startled me and I quickly remembered why this start is so challenging. I battled for what seemed the whole first 800 M, the length of the first side of the rectangle, and didn't seem to find clear water until I was about half way across the first short side of the course. On the back side I was able to get clear and got into a good rhythm. I kept my stroke long and felt good in the water. On the second loop things went fairly well until I was about half way down the back side of the course. All of a sudden I was surrounded again. The guy next to me was trying to push me even further wide of the course. I thought, you have to be kidding me, either go around or back off, why do you need to be in my face? After tangling arms more than what was necessary I pulled up and let him continue to swim wide. I briefly thought, go ahead and swim out into the middle of the lake, just get away from me already...

I exited the water feeling good about the swim. The wetsuit strippers quickly separated me from my suit, got me back on my feet, and I was headed up the helix to T1.

T1 - Bike to Swim Transition 

T1 and T2 at Madison require navigating the helix. Up the helix into T1, down the helix coming out of T1 on to the bike course, and back up the helix coming into T2. T1 and T2 are inside Monona Terrace. You enter the building after climbing up the helix, enter the bike gear bag room, and then into the changing room. There are volunteers in the rooms to help you, get you water, help get stuff in and out of your gear bags, etc. (Thank you volunteers! Your help throughout the day was greatly appreciated!) My goal for T1 was 7 minutes, I was very happy with my 7:07 this year.

The Bike - 112 Miles

It has been reported that due to a last minute reroute the course was actually 113.2 miles this year. The bike course at Madison is a lollipop shaped course with the stick being 16 miles and a 40 mile loop. The course is relentless with endless turns, shorts climbs, fast descents, and very few sections with flat terrain. You are not doing any one thing for more than a few minutes, which means you cannot just zone out and ride. I would classify the course as technical and challenging. There were many sections this year with new pavement and, in general, the course was in excellent condition.

 There is a no pass zone which you must navigate on the way out and again on the way in about a mile or so from transition. A few miles into the ride we went over some rough railroad tracks and I heard a loud snap. At the time I had no idea it came from my bike. Over the next 12 or so miles I realized that I had a problem. My seat kept getting lower and lower. Its funny that my seat had dropped nearly four inches before I mentally connected what was happening. When I got into Verona, about 16 miles or so into the ride, I pulled over. I had the allen key in my saddle bag and thought that the seat had just come loose. After further investigation my heart sank when I saw the crack in the seat post clamp! My first thought was that my race is over, there is no way I can continue. A volunteer came running across the street and he spent a minute or two looking at it and commented that I would probably not find repair parts. Then this camera guy, like a television camera guy, with a big camera, comes running across the street. After filling him in he commented that he did not know if he was allowed to provide assistance but had some really strong tape (gorilla tape) in his van. We sent him for it and in a minute or two he returned. The volunteer teared the tape and we put it around the bottom of the clamp and around the top of the clamp. Hoping that if it did start to fall again, maybe the tape would get wedged and keep it from dropping. After getting the tape on I tightened the one bolt on the side that was not cracked, put away the tools, thanked them both for saving my day, and headed back onto the the course. I don't know for sure how much time had passed, but I'm guessing somewhere around 15 to 20 minutes.

I saw the Burd Crew a few times on the bike course. When I saw them the first time around mile 40, I pulled over to tell them what had happened. While I was making my next loop they ran over to the hardware store and purchased some hose clamps thinking that we might be able to make additional repairs if needed. I saw them again around mile 70 and decided to keep going with the tape since it had held up so far. The seat did end up dropping about a half inch over the course of the ride but was not really a factor. I know that the help I received was probably not completely within the rules, but I'm extremely grateful for the help and am now a big fan of Gorilla Tape. I'm also wondering if I'll end up on the Universal Sports broadcast, since the camera guy taped the entire encounter.

T2 - Bike to Run Transition
I was happy to make my way back up the helix into T2 and was glad to hand my bike off to yet another great volunteer. My steed had survived yet another day and was on his way back into the the corral for a well deserved rest.

I started running out of T2 when I realized I forgot to take my cycling jersey and shorts off, whoops, there's a couple minutes I wont get back. My goal for T2 was three minutes and I stumbled out in a loping 5:34...

The Run - 26.2 Miles
The run at Madison is technically two loop out and back. The turnaround though is only two blocks from the halfway point as the bird flies (no pun intended). It is great for participants and spectators because you can see your athletes/support a lot more. The run course is challenging, it is not excessively hilly, but it is not flat either.

The high temp for the day was 85F and when you were in the sun it was HOT! The good news is that there was a breeze and there were quite a few shady areas. As the day progressed and the shadows grew, there were even more opportunities to hide from direct sunlight.

I had come down with something (flu-ish like symptoms) earlier in the week. My allergies this time of year also usually flare up. Some combinations of the above results in a GI that was less than happy all day. I fought with it on the bike and the run started off in much the same fashion. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, all in all, I felt pretty good all day. But this did impact my strategy on the run more than either the swim or the bike. I settled in with a walk jog approach. I jogged the first two miles and walked through the water stop. I followed this pattern pretty much the rest of the day. I would run to the next water stop, grab water, fruit, etc., and walk a bit and then repeat to the next. Every time I saw the Burd Crew along the way it would pick me up and get me going again. I can not thank them enough for their support!


The Results
Finishing with the sun still up was a good feeling. I came up short of my goal time but am very happy with the result given the challenges of the day. Hearing once again; Miles Burd from Cottage Grove, MN - You are an Ironman!.

The day produced a Madison PR and I improved in all disciplines. I did not sign up for the 2012 race but will be there to volunteer and give back and cheer on my fellow athletes. I tentatively plan to register for the 2013 race, I age up for 2013 to the 50-55 year age group. I will be one of the youngest 50 year old's on the course and I feel that there is another hour to hour fifteen out there I can get so who knows where that might lead...stay tuned...

The Human Condition

Eventually, I usually come around to the WHY question to this thing I call the Ironman Journey. Journey to where? What is it that I am looking for anyway? And do I really think I’m going to find it during a triathlon?

Unfortunately, you will not find the answers here within these texts. You will only find more questions.

What is it with us humans anyway? Why do we need to know? About life? Why we are here and what is it that we are supposed to do? I'm just one person, after all, so how can anything I do have any real effect? Geez, this sounds way too deep for a Friday afternoon, considering all that is in my water bottle is water...

Here is something for you to consider: When is it that you feel closest to the answers? Possibly when you feel connected to the universe? When you’re not really thinking at all, you're just being? There are lots of ways to get to that place; meditation or prayer, quiet relaxation, yoga, or maybe even endurance activities. Have you ever heard of 'Runners High'?

If we break it down, what happens when we exercise for prolonged periods of time? We make a mind, body, and breathe connection! Can it be that simple? When we focus on the breath; breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, and breathe out. We start to tune out our superfluous surroundings. We connect to ourselves and to the universe around us. It is then, and only then, that we catch a glimpse as to the real meaning of life!

So on Sunday when I'm swimming, cycling, and running around in circles; ending up exactly where I started, you'll know that what I'm really doing is breathing and connecting to life; breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out.

“Every breath is an opportunity to receive and let go. I receive love and I let go of pain.” – Brenda MacIntyre

In Honor of Those Who Serve

This year's Ironman Wisconsin race is on Sunday, September 11, 2011, the 10-year anniversary of the 911 attacks on the United States of America.

I dedicate my race this year in honor of all you brave service men and women who have sacrificed so much.

This event, along with just about everything we do in life, is made possible because you protect us and fight for our freedoms. Freedoms that most of us; unfortunately, take for granted.

So as I frolic around Madison this weekend, splashing around in Lake Monona, cycling through the rolling country side of Dane County, and strolling in and around the capital of Wisconsin and the campus of the University of Wisconsin, I do so in your honor. I am truly grateful for all you have given my family and me. Thank You!

I have made a donation to the Fisher House Foundation http://www.fisherhouse.org/. Fisher House provides military families a 'home away from home' to be close to their loved one during a hospitalization, illness, or injury. Please join me this weekend, reach out, and honor all those who have made your American Life possible!

Woodbury Days - Let the Countdown Begin

As the clock winds its way down to the start of Ironman Wisconsin, there was time for one last foray in the land of Woodbury; although, there would be little pillaging in this version.

Woodbury Days is a city- wide celebration that annually marks the end of the summer for its 30,000 plus residents. The three day celebration offers a variety of entertainment and activities. There are bands, food, a classic car show, and several athletic events including a bike ride, sand volleyball and tennis tournaments, and the Woodbury Chamber Country Mile.

The timing of the festival works well for me because it falls within a few weeks of IMWI and provides a perfect venue for some of my final race day preparations.

On Saturday, the 60 mile bike ride provided a great opportunity to get in my last big ride. I rode from the house to the start at Colby Park, completed the 60 mile loop, and then returned home. It ended up being about 75 miles, which was about what I needed. The weather this year was spectacular; very little wind, cool temps at the start, and bright sunshine. I was able to practice pacing and my nutrition strategy, and just to make it interesting, a bee sting to boot. I hoped no one was within ear shout as I bellowed some choice words and cursed that bee to hell and back! I'm lucky I'm not allergic; because if I was, I'd be DEAD! I was an hour from the next aid station on some county road with no one else around. Ouch!

On Sunday, the 30th Annual Woodbury Country Mile was held. What is a country mile you may ask? 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 you're 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.

This was my fourth Country Mile and will continue to be on my short list for future years.


With the last bulk week of training behind us, and taper and race week ahead, the butterflies are warming up their wings and slowly gaining momentum towards a feverish crescendo that with culminate on the morning of Sunday, September 11, 2011 @ 07:00 AM when the cannon sounds and Lake Monona becomes a sea of churning bodies.

I'm more anxious about this year's race than the previous two combined. The first year it was primarily the fear of the unknown. With each passing year, expectations for improvement grow. The Wisconsin course has dominated me the past two years. It has my number! It has thoroughly defeated me both physically and mentally in my previous two attempts. From the hair- raising swim start (talk about anxiety), to the relentless bike course, and let's not forget the little run to end the day.

With this year's sporadic training and with much less saddle time than I had hoped, I'm feeling less prepared. Along with mixed results this season in the events leading up to Madison, this year's race seems a scary proposition. The good news is that there is little else I can do now. I will mentally prepare and I will toe the line race morning with the other 2500 entrants and I will put forth my best effort; so all there is left to say is 'Que Sera Sera'!

Double Dipping

As IMWI approaches and the training season winds down, it's time to ramp up the racing, right? Well, I'm sure if I had a coach they might beg to differ, but in one of the strangest training seasons I have had, why not? 'Que Sera, Sera'. Besides, it does give me something to blog about.

So this past weekend we did a little double-dipping...On Saturday morning we did the Perch Lake 2 mile Open Water Swim and on Sunday, the St. Paul Triathlon - International Distance (1 mile swim, 4oK bike, 10K run). Throw in an additional training run on Saturday and you have your typical Ironman training weekend.

Enough babbling, on to the race reports:

Perch Lake - 2 Mile Open Water Swim
In general I have not done a lot of swim only events. This was my second open water swimming event. Let me tell you...swimmers are a lot nicer in the water than triathletes. It must have something to do with swimmers spending most of their time in a pool, with lane lines between them and their competitors. I like it like that, I like it a lot!

I don't like to be touched in the water by seaweed, fish, other swimmers, or sea monsters (Alexandra, hehehe...). Swimming with 'swimmers' was so pleasant. It was almost like, if you bumped into someone, you wanted to stop and say excuse me. Triathletes, on the other hand, would just as well rip your goggles off, grab hold of whatever they can to climb over you, and push your butt to the bottom of the lake.

You Tube Video


It is, for me, one of the most intimidating parts of a triathlon, especially Ironman when you have 2500 people starting all at the same time.

Perch Lake is located in Hudson, WI, just east of downtown Stillwater. It is within a regional park and is a pristine spring- fed bowl, with water depths of 60-70 feet. The water temp was warm at 78 degrees. The swim was a clockwise affair around the perimeter of the lake. The two mile swim was twice around. There was both a one and two mile distance, with the one mile swimmers going off 5 minutes before the two milers.

I wore my wetsuit only because I will be wearing it at Madison and need to practice. The start was pretty informal with a ready, set, go announcement. I got into a rhythm quickly, keeping my stroke long and alternating my breathing (Charlie would be proud) from right to left. I even did a little BC3 and BC5, not something I would do in a triathlon; that's for sure.

About a half mile in, Tina swam quickly by, and I had a brief thought of drafting...not. A tow rope and skis might have worked though. (Nice swim by the way, 1st overall F).

In the end, a nice effort on a beautiful morning with some really nice people.

St. Paul Triathlon - International Distance
A Front Runner (Randy Fulton) event, which are some of my favorites. There are always great volunteers, typically well attended, and usually a fairly relaxed atmosphere. This event did not disappoint in any of those categories. And to top it off, a spectacular weather day! The bonus was I knew quite a few people doing the event as well as some friends and family that were there to spectate. I could not have asked for anything more...well maybe one thing.

My in-laws are in town visiting from Ohio, and on Saturday night I had a few alcoholic beverages with my father in-law, wife, and son. I didn't feel like I overindulged, but come Sunday morning I was a little green. Not a great feeling heading into a few hours of AT exercise.

This was the sixth edition of the St. Paul Triathlon which is held at Phalen Lake Park in St. Paul, MN. This was my first, and I was looking forward to burning some calories and burning off some anxiety that is building for the race in Madison. Did I mention that it is less then three weeks away...

The Swim - 1 Mile
The swim course is a clockwise rectangle and consists of two loops. There were three waves and I was in wave two. My training buddy and friend Milan (like the city in Italy, nice race by the way, and a great story in Minnesota Tri News...hehehe) was in the wave ahead of me. Tommy (with another strong performance) was in my wave and lightened the mood as we waited for the start. I joked with Milan that he better take advantage of the three minute head start he'd have, and then they were off.

Three minutes later wave two got the call, and as with the day before, I quickly got into a rhythm. The water was very warm and kind of green, smelly, and slimy (sorry), at least compared to Perch Lake anyways. There was a guy off two my right that literally took off like a cannon shot. He was 25 yards ahead of me before we got to the first buoy, wholly buckets, batman!

As I started the second loop I was really regretting the adult beverages from the night before, and I blocked it out. As I approached the finish, I noticed a familiar swim stroke to my right. It was Milan and as I promised him I made up the three minute head start I gave him. But don't worry, I would give it all back, in chunks as the day progressed. I wished him well as we made our way into T1.

T1 - Swim to Bike
I really need to work on my transitions. I couldn't get my wet suit off my left ankle. It was stuck on the timing chip. 1:46 later I mounted my bike, ughhh...

The Bike - 40K (24.8 miles)
The bike course was closed to traffic (nice) and consisted of a two loop deal. Wheelock Parkway is a divided dual carriage way (for my friends in the UK). The course took us out to Como Park and back. The roads, although closed to traffic, were very bumpy. I'd call the course fairly flat and somewhat technical in nature. On the second loop it got pretty crowded as the sprint distance athletes were now making their way to the bike course. I had one close call when I was abruptly cut off and had to slam on the brakes and fishtail out of the way.

T2 - Bike to Run
Again, some practice is in order, especially for these shorter distance races. I need to learn the whole feet- out- of- the- shoe thing dismount. 0:57 double ughhh...

The Run - 10K (6.2 miles)
The run course is on a paved trail around the lake. It consisted of two loops. It is fairly flat with a couple of short hills at the start. There was a light breeze and good tree cover so the sun and heat were never really a factor all day. My legs felt a little lifeless for the first 1/8 of a mile but I did get into a nice rhythm before too long. I really tried to find the edge, that place where if you pushed just a little harder you'd blow up; uncomfortable but manageable.

The Results
One thing was for sure, if I finished the events this weekend, I was guaranteed a PR. Never having done either event provided that assurance. It's also really hard to compare events even if the distances are the same because there are so many factors that go into each race. The weather, the course conditions, the course itself, and a slew of other factors.

Those that really know me, know that there is a competitive fire that burns strong within me. If I have learned anything in the five years of competing in endurance sports; though, it is that the competition is the person looking back at you in the mirror. Its about beating that voice in your head telling you to stop. It's a nice voice, soothing you, encouraging you to quit. This is the true competition, not the time on the clock or the other athletes. The victory is in crossing that finish line knowing that on this day you put everything you had out there on the course and that you persevered all obstacles thrown in your way. Obstacles getting to the start line as well as getting to the finish line.

On Deck - Woodbury Country Mile
Same day registration is available, see you at the start line...