Hands

My uncle died on Monday. The one thing that I always marveled at, the thing most striking about him to me, were his hands. He was a dairy farmer in Wisconsin and had the strongest hands I have ever seen. This wide pad of a palm was topped with five stocky fingers.

These hands milked cows, lifted hay and worked, probably every day of his life. They were strong hands... powerful hands.

These hands also lifted me onto the back of a cow so I could "ride" it, these hands held my aunt's and they squirted milk at the barn cats for a treat. These were powerful hands.

My uncle had a pool table down stairs in the house. This was a scared place, where my uncle and the other adults played pool after work. These huge hands held this thin piece of wood and made the balls move around the table at his command. Hard breaks, soft cuts and precise banks were all shots he, and his hands, could make. These were powerful hands.

I look at my hands, not stocky, not the hands of a dairy farmer. But maybe strong in their own way. I hope I often look down at my hands, when writing or on the computer typing away and think of Andy (Unky). I know I can always get a table, grab a cue and remember him.

Trashed

I can tell when I get trashed... physically... from training. The dishes pile up in the sink, the journal has multi-day lapses and my damn bookmark is in the same place on the book(s) I am reading.

I'll have a moment of reprieve... then nothing again. Like this post not really anything, but I need to add something it's been over a week of me looking at the same last post thinking 'I really should update that.' Funny thing is watch out in about a week... taper starts and I'll be spouting off more nonsense... than normal.

Ironman prep is going good... a 20 mile run today trashed me... good for 17 miles... 1 mile of 'Hold on!' and 2 miles thinking 'Just... get... home...' Tomorrow is an "easy" day with just a 1.5 hour spin on the bike. Then a monster bike workout on Saturday and some more volume on Sunday.

Otherwise things are... well they just are.

5430 Long Course Race Report

5430 Long Course Triathlon 2007

The Swim
As is tradition the start of the swim, there are several of us cupping our hands around our eyes, trying to block the glare of the sun off the water, trying to see the last buoy on the first leg of the swim. "There it is," someone points, "Just right of the sun." ‘One, two, three... ahh there is the 4th buoy’. We line up and the horn goes off. I think I swam a little too hard at Boulder Peak a couple weeks ago, trying to catch the wave ahead and getting out of the water with some of those people. So this swim was just my pace, smooth and strong. I get a little off course and the kayak comes and gets me going the right way. After a bit I start catching the wave ahead of me and make it to the first turn. Get around that and then site the furthest buoy I can see and make for it. The back side of the swim is uneventful and I just cruise into the finish. My hand hits some sand so I pop up and start running up the hill. I see a flat spot so I stop and take off the wetsuit, then run with it to the transition area. Beep.

T1
My bike is in the opposite corner of the transition area from where I run in from the swim, and out for the bike. I knew T1 would be slow but I know I will be in the lead here and my spot will allow for a quick T2 should I need to get out with someone. Little did I know how accurate this would be. I get to my bike and throw my wetsuit, goggles and cap to the ground. Put the sunglasses on, then the helmet, grab the bike and go. Run out of T1, Beep… and hop on the bike.

The Bike
Riding out of the reservoir is a little hill, ‘just try and stay smart, start watching your watts and ride you race’. That was the goal ride strong, CTS and Nick have really been working on my biking and it’s time to test it. I settle into my rhythm and ride, out onto Jay road, then the highway. The ride is going very smooth, about 12 miles into the ride. WHACK! Something big hit’s my helmet. Riding you are use to bigger bugs smacking into you every once in awhile. I wasn’t expecting the dying yellow jacket to land on my arm and sting me in its death throes. Ouch! I brush it off and squeeze where it stung me seeing if the stinger is still in there. Luckily I am not allergic to it and don’t have any reactions to bee stings. Turn onto St. Vrain and it’s time to fly. Down hill section and just turn it over. This is the furthest I have lead this race but I wasn’t looking back like I did in Lubbock (o.k. I looked back once). We turn off of St. Vrain and head up to the diagonal highway. Once on the diagonal I look back and see someone gaining. We turn back onto Jay Rd. just as Mr. Yellow catches me. He gets a head of me as we are riding back to the reservoir to start lap 2. Around the turn around and I get all the encouragement I need from Nick, the CTS and all my friends. I head back out keeping Mr. Yellow in sight and see others riding in. We get out of the park and turn onto Jay Rd. Mr. Yellow decides he doesn’t want me around and starts pushing it. I look at my SRM and say bye, as I wasn’t going to push that hard. All along the highway out of Boulder Mr. Yellow is pulling away but I am feeling strong and controlled. A few miles before the turn onto St. Vrain, the race really started. Mr. Orange… wait that’s Dennis Meeker rolls by (See it’s not as much fun once I know names to it). Then Mr. White… err Craig goes by… dang it! Finally Andy Biglow (he would have been Mr. Grey) goes by. They didn’t pass hard and I went from 2nd to 5th with at least 2 good runners in that group. I knew I couldn’t let them get out of sight. We upped the watts just a bit and ‘Hey, this doesn’t feel that bad’. Being the bigger guy of the group on the flat I actually ride past them and then there is a slight uphill and Craig goes around. We are coming up on the right hand turn to St. Vrain and there are 3 recreational riders right there. Craig is far enough ahead he get around them right before the turn and takes his line. Unfortunately as I get to the turn they make their intention of going straight know and I have to dive in behind them and take the corner tight. Well at that speed the corner is too sharp. The back wheel does a few bounces and I am going sideways skidding! The side of the road and a slight bank is all I see, coming towards me. Somehow… I don’t know how… I stayed up right and on the pavement with a good foot to spare. Dennis Meeker was next in line and looks at me and just says "Nice save." I reply "Well that will get your heart rate up," as I try to calm down. Everything was tense and I could feel my heart beating. Luckily St. Vrain is fast, downhill and non-technical. As we had passed each other I had let people know the Joe Forgarty wasn’t in the race and Mr. Yellow was up ahead and in the lead of the age group. Up ahead I see Mr. Yellow coming back to us, that was exciting. The rest of the ride was the 5 of us Me, Craig, Dennis, Andy and Mr. Yellow all within site of each other. On the diagonal highway I started thinking about the run. This is what I race for, this was going to be great, 5 of us out racing together, no split waves, no 5 minute differences to worry about. Just 5 warriors, 5 athletes, 5 guys finding out what they have left in them today. It was going to hurt… Andy and Craig are running fast, Dennis is a past Ironman CDA AG winner, and I had no idea about Mr. Yellow. Yes it was a fast bike with the cloud cover, but it all comes down to the run. We turn into the park and down into the reservoir. Every single corner since the near crash I was extremely tentative… I was imagining my tire rolling off my rim, or with the skid there being a worn spot that would blow… totally irrational fears, but in the heat of competition things come to mind. But as we got off our bikes at the line for T2… Beep… only one thing was in my mind. RUN!

T2
My rack was the closest to the bike in point. I quickly got my bike racked, helmet off, socks on, shoes on and GO! Visor and race belt on as I was running out of transition. Beep

The Run
Running out I see Dennis right ahead of me, the Andy and then Craig, not sure where Mr. Yellow was but I knew who I was worried about. I roll up on Dennis and say a few words then off. We start running out of the park and Nick is there yelling. ‘Can’t go slow with the coach watching… go. Strong run Strong’. A slight downhill and I catch Andy, as I pass he gets on my feet and goes with me. ‘Uggg, don’t worry about him. Run your race.’ I am catching Craig slowly and tell him "This run is going to hurt." "Not if the cloud stays there," he says, a nice cloud was blocking the sun, but there weren’t any others around. "I meant all of us coming off the bike together," I tell him. He says he was going to take a few miles to get into the groove. We run up to the first mile marker and I take the split 5:40… fast but not overly concerned. I didn’t want to wait for Craig to warm up, he’s fast! So I pushed it. I pulled away and I heard him and Andy talking. ‘Great, they are going to work together,’ the next mile is a 5:59 and I am feeling good. We come upon a little out and back section where you can see your competition and Craig and Andy are still running side by side. Dennis has dropped of a bit. I keep it flowing and miss mile marker 3, but somewhere in here that cloud decides to drift off and the sun came out. I start taking as much water and Gatorade as I could get. The next few miles blur by. It’s part of the Boulder Peak course, just run. ‘Don’t look back, don’t think about them, no sign of weakness,’ I tell myself. Across the dam and to the dirt road leading back to the transition area. I get on the pavement and tell myself to just keep pushing for a few minutes, then you will be passing the spectators for lap two, they will cheer you up and get you motivated. Down the hill and through the crowd to start lap 2, hearing my friends gets me going just like I hoped. Head out to lap two I get some motivation seeing some friends and then Nick getting me pumped up. Nothing like the words of a coach to get you going. Down the hill and trying to keep it strong. Mile 7 was a 6:39… ‘Ohh things are starting to tighten up. I wonder where Craig and Andy are?’ I know looking back won’t help much as we are joined now by people on their first lap. ‘Just run strong to the out and back, you will see him there.’ The two little hills on the run course are a bit bigger this lap. Get to the top of the second and think ‘It’s all flat now, just roll.’ I get to the turn around and start heading back, I am instantly pleased to not see those two, the first lap they were close. A bit later I see Craig running… no flying towards me. Man that guy is a smooth runner! I look at the watch and think I have about a 1:20 on him. ‘O.k. 4 miles to go… you can lose 15 seconds a mile and still win… no just keep running,’ The legs were starting to really get heavy and the glutes were tightening up. Through the aid station and pour as much water on you and in you as you can stand. On the out and back I had seen my friend Amanda. The new race strategy ‘Catch Amanda’. I messed up on the mile markers and didn’t get some splits until Mile 11… 6:24. That’s still good! But I think the mile before was slower as I really had to talk myself up for mile 11. I was using everything I could to keep the legs moving fast ‘Imagine a string pulling you forward… that didn’t work… Mantra… Strong, Smooth and Strong… that didn’t work… The ‘You’re Not Going to Lose’ because game… You aren’t going to lose because of a bee sting! You aren’t going to lose in the last 2 miles! You aren’t going to lose…’ Mile 12 6:51… that is not working. Just before I had looked back at a flat piece of road and didn’t see Craig. ‘Keep running, think about the overall,’ I tell myself. Across the dirt road part again before the pavement and I am falling apart. The legs have nothing, no turnover, and no power. I look back and don’t see… there he is. ‘Is that him?’ Don’t think about it… that’s at least 30 seconds. You have less than a mile…Run!’. I see Nick ahead he is telling me to push it all the way in. I try, I try opening up my stride. Sweet downhill section, try to pick it up. The crowd, don’t turn around. Run all the way… the chute… the finish. Beep.

A few (14 actually) seconds later Craig flies across the finish line. We are both smiling and excited. Hurting mostly though. Both PR! Both incredible races! We high-five each other. What a race.

Kids, Bikes and Lance

As Chris Carmichael put it that was my evening last night. What a night. I went to a fund raiser for a local charity Kids on Bikes, Lance Armstrong was the key note speaker. I have heard him talk before, post race interviews, commentaries, that sort of stuff. He was a great speaker, I am sure over the last 9 years he has had A LOT of practice. But he came off as down to earth and really... grateful. That is the word I think best describes his persona, at least to me last night.

I was going to say some more on it but be grateful I'm not. :-)

All you need...

All you need is Jimmy... Buffett. Some might know, but that is where the title to this blog came from. A song by Jimmy titled 'One Particular Harbor'. No matter what your mood or what you are doing Jimmy is a great choice. I put the iPod on and I have 19.5 hours of Jimmy to listen to.

The well known hits Come Monday', 'Margaritaville', 'What Don't We Get Drunk', 'Son of a Son of a Sailor', 'Changes in Latitudes'. All the greats.

The covers 'Uncle Johns Band', ''Brown Eyed Girl' and 'Mexico'

Then there are the less well know songs I love 'Jolly Mon Song', 'Havana Daydreamin'', 'Love and Luck', 'Smart Woman in a Real Short Skirt', and so many more.

In fact it's time to go start the iPod and listen...

"Take it all in, it's as big as it seems. Count all your blessings, remember your dreams."

Just like that

So the high I felt from rocking the Steady States (Nick even said so!) I was recharged... until my run today.

I am a swimmer... everyone knows that. But my run is also really a weapon. Coming off the bike I know if you are out there I will hunt you down on the run. Lately I have been doing my long runs with some Tempo's inserted in them to make me work. Today's assignment... 2 Hours. No qualifications... no Tempo's... just run.

What a ugly run. There are other factors involved in the run, not for sharing. Just a glimpse at the human frailty that is confidence. Have no worries tomorrow's long ride will allow reflection and dare I say redemption.

Power

The last few weeks I have been hammering out some Power Interval on my bike, throwing down as many watts as I could for 3 minutes... rest for 3 minutes and do it again. Do this 7 times... that was the workout. God I suffered.

So now it is Steady State pace... 4 X ( 10 minutes on, 6 minutes off) or 5 X (8 minutes on, 6 minutes off). Naturally you go slower. But I so enjoy these workout more. It's twice as long being "on" but it's not at the high end. Naturally you want to be suffering at the end (and I have been) but there is something about the hard long burn vs the blow up and burn out that I can suffer better.

The last two days have renewed a little bit of confidence I have been lacking since Boulder Peak. I lost a little bit of swagger with the race. It's slowly coming back... add a good run hopefully this weekend and all will be right again.

One thing at a time... get the training going and then work on other things.

A book

So I finally finished one of the three books I have been reading.

I flew through the first half of the book, then slowed down for the 3rd quarter and rallied for the finish. A good read overall especially for the athlete looking for the edge.

But it was a drop in the fish bowl I guess. Lately change has been happening all around and I have been re-evaluating things. I won't spoil any of the book as I think it should be a must read for everyone.

I have a shelf full of books that have made an impact on me. They range from 'The Fellowship of the Rings' to 'The Monkey wrench Gang' from 'A Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy' to 'Sea Biscuit' from the 'Tao Te Ching' to 'Me Talk Pretty One Day' and from 'The Fountainhead' to 'Silent Spring'.

I am lucky my parents taught me to read. According to them early I didn't enjoy reading. They asked my teacher for help and she recommended the Choose your own adventure type books. My earliest memories of reading recalls me devouring these books to find out what happens next. Then came 'The Chronicles of Narnia', 'The Fellowship of the Rings' and many others. I remember in Junior High reading 'The Clan of the Cave Bear' and my Jazz band teacher being dismayed I was reading such a book (both sexually and material wise). Since then my reading has lead me to new idea's, new worlds, new people, places and things. I have seen the ugly in man and the beauty in the world. I have see loss, treachery, love, honor, war and hope. In far of worlds, our own and inside the human soul.

All this without a remote, a Internet connection or a hit off a line. Open a book and open yourself.

Cheating

Big news in the Tour today... it was a rest day so you weren't expecting anything. Vino... Vinokourov... pre-race favorite, fallen warrior, reborn hero... a cheat. He tested positive for having someone elses blood in his system after his win at the time trial... WTF!

He wins the stage he knows he will be tested... He wins another stage and has the audacity to throw his fist in triumph. Give me a break.

I don't get it? How can you look at yourself in the mirror? How could you look your competitors in the eye? How could you talk to your friends and family, those that support you and not die inside. That kid who bought his jersey what is he thinking now. As a parent how do you tell you son that his hero... cheated.

Of course there is a double standard here. All my co-workers will watch ESPN tonight and here the story and bring it up tomorrow. Then go on talking about American Football and Baseball... like those sports aren't dirty. Just laws protect the players here. They are just as dirty I can't believe Barry Bonds is still swinging a bat.

The sad thing is the message it sends. Win... win at all costs. The ends justify the means. They say sports reflect the society and in this I can believe it. What other aspects of our world is that the mantra... win... win at all costs. The sad truth is all aspects.

But I am an optimist. I do believe it is the minority. That most men and women are good, don't cheat and in sports (and all things held in high standards in their life) they do follow the rules and want the honest competition. To compete, win or lose, fairly and feel good about themselves.

Look in the mirror and I hope you like what you see.

Yesterday was the Boulder Peak triathlon. I had an ok race it's just hard when people ask how I did to express what how it went. They see a 2nd overall in the age group race and think great. They don't understand the 314 average watts was way below the 360 I was hoping to hold. The don't understand the 6:12 mile pace is slow for a 1/2 marathon... and this was less than half that distance.

So I say I had a good race and try to leave it at that.

Sanctuary

I have been house and dog sitting for my parents for over a week and a half now, I just have 3 more days and I am done. But "I am done"! Naturally I will finish it out, but I just can't handle being away from my place, my sanctuary, for this long. I'm not sleeping (or eating) well there, in quality and in how I feel when I wake up. I have tried a number of beds there but none agree with me. It's the little things too... they all add up.

It's worse as I get older I think, years ago I didn't mind. Of course years ago I would get drunk every night blasting the stereo and shooting pool. Now it's get comfortable in the sun room with my book and relax after training. But now as I am getting set in my ways deviations annoy me. Which is interesting as I more flexible in other things lately.

But this combined with everything else has me all out of center, moody and despondent. This weekend I go home and have a race in Boulder so hopefully everything gets back to normal again.

Women...

Women... lately nothing but pain. Not all just mainly two... twins. I know what you are thinking... 'twins... yeah boy!' Not so fast. Their names Helga and Gerta. That should warn you off... but no I like the pain. Kind of. It was a good relationship until tonight... then things got ugly. Long work week, tough training and a lot to work through left me a tired mess. But come Friday night and it's time to see the girls.

I was sore, tired and man was my back sore from all the stress. A simple massage and then the girls came out... ok enough of the teasing. My massage therapist, the reason I can train the way I do, named her elbows. Meet Helga and Gerta... 'The Girls'

There I was totally defenseless lying on the table and they showed up. My back, which usually isn't a problem area for me, was a mass of twitchy fibers, trigger point and just painful points. Did they care... no! They have one mission... to get my muscles loose. I love them and fear them. There were points where it hurt so bad all I could do was laugh. That is when Carrie, therapist extraordinaire, knew I was hurting. She didn't stop mind you but she probably took it a little easier.

So now women= evil.

Until the next massage and then I will love Helga and Gerta until it's over. Then once out out their reach I will curse them. ;-)

Soooooo slooooooow

So I am house sitting and the computer here is an old 533 with 128MB RAM... on dial-up. I think my watch has more power than this thing.

I am dying just trying to connect to the minimalist sites I can think of...

Budget

So the budget was due today (well actually 8 a.m. tomorrow morning). The mental energy of the last two days was draining. It really affected my training, but that is life. I guess if I didn't want that I would find a different job or turn pro ;-)'

But I like my job, the people, the different tasks. It's a good place to learn about myslef and grow.

Crash... not what happened in the Tour today (well maybe) but I was thinking about the movie toaday. How everyone is connected and my actions today may affect others, or myself later. Then there was a crash today in the Tour. A wheel touch by someone you can't even see and your race is over, or you breeze right by the pile up happening around you and escape untouched.

Double isn't always Double

Today's workout was a 4 hour ride. The first two hours were great. Flying along, feeling great, moving at a good clip. Then the turn around happened and things changed. Not just the headwind and the rain. Just the accumulation of effort... it's exponential... or at least not linear.

My hamstring started hurting, the energy fell off (mainly mental!), it wasn't just double the distance coming back it was a new realm. Yes I have been here before and know all this it's just reliving it or experiencing it again makes me ponder. And therefore end up here.

The relativity of duration (or whatever unit of measure) for something... at some point becomes more as it increases. A comforting thought.

Of course a spasming lower back didn't help.

Sunburns and Strawberry Shakes

So today was swimming then a long run with some 30 minute steady states. Ouch! I was hot out there today and I maybe not have had adequate sun protection (read as I went shirtless with just sunscreen on my face and head). So we are a little burned, not smart. But it was a good run so that counts for something right?

And I went and got a strawberry shake at the Drive-In... Yummmmmm

Power and Nerves

So Monday my coach had me doing a 1.5 hour bike ride with 7 X 3 minute Power Intervals. Basically as hard as I can go for 3 minutes with 3 minutes recovery in between. Well I had a small breakfast and a small lunch at work but didn't think anything of it. I like doing Intervals on my trainer since I don't have to worry about anything and I can just concentrate on throwing down the power. So I start off and numbers 1 and 2 go fine... 3 no problem... 4 towards the end got really tough. I sit up for my rest part and and get a little dizzy... 'Huh... that's odd'. I don't dwell on it too much and soon enough number 5 is here... and it's ugly. About half way through I was cooked. I struggle through the 3 minutes and realize how little I had eaten. I know there isn't too much I can do for the last two and I just struggle through them watching my power drop rapidly through each interval. I get done down load the file and am dismayed. 'Move on' I tell myself.

So today I have the same thing on the schedule (I have a lot of Power Intervals in the next two weeks... I think Nick is telling me something!). I had a big breakfast, a good lunch, had my Power Bar Endurance and Gel ready to go! I was going to OWN this set. I haven't been worried or nervous before my races lately but this workout was getting me all worked up! I warm up and think 'Conservative... start smart and finish strong'. Naturally being who I am, here I am done with the workout... all 7 intervals were withing 3.3 watts of each other and I am worried I was too conservative. :-) I am sure Nick will let me know. But it was fun to look forward to a workout like that.

Ohhh look there it is again next Wednesday. :-)

Balance

I was wondering what I was going to say today (not that I feel I have to post everyday... ok... I am competitive and feel I have to post everyday... back off!) when I realized just post what you are thinking. Today was all about balance for me. Training, work, social, personal and relaxation. As a triathlete, and maybe especially as an Ironman one, life is a full plate. Or actually it's like everyone else it's as full as you want to make it, I just choose different entrees?

I am a budget analyst for the Water System Maintenance Department at our utilities... hey wake up! It's not that boring is it? Any way as I was saying. I do the budget for my department... first budget submittal is Wednesday the 11th... a lot is going on in work between then and now. What else in this time frame? I have a house/dog sitting responsibility. A friend is having a birthday dinner. I have my personal things to take care of (laundry, shopping, cleaning). I am behind on my book reading. I have a ton of training to do. This is normal right?

Balance... it will all work out. Why... this is life. It's fun, fast and furious... was going to say fabulous but didn't feel right. But it is... life is fabulous. You just have to live it that's all.

Now excuse me I have a movie to watch, dishes to do, emails to check and some meditation.

Newbie

So I had a MySpace account but I got tired of all the crap. Then I saw Renee's blog and thought 'That's cool' so here I am making my own. I am sure it will take a while to get the hang of everything. Plus between working, eating, sleeping and training... I don't have a lot of extra energy.

So the 4th was a good day. Went to a BBQ in Manitou, then a group of us went to the Velodrome to watch some track racing. I have lived here since I was 6 and never been there. A shame as it was fun to watch. Poor Renee had to keep answering all my questions. :-)