Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Another Quote of the Day (I can't help myself)
"Two men look out the same prison bars; one sees mud and the other stars." Frederick Langbridge
Quote of the Day!
“To be a great champion you must believe you are the best. If you’re not, pretend you are.”
––Muhammad Ali
––Muhammad Ali
Ironman baby, Ironman
June 22nd, 2008, that's the date.
It's official, one year from now my buddy Chris and I will be competing in the Ironman Cour D' alene in northern Idaho. 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking, 26.2 miles of running ....and a lifetime of bragging.
Well, that's what the ironman official video says anyway. I think it should go more like, 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking, 26.2 miles of running ... and a hell of a lot of work to get there.
We talked on the phone after signing up and agreed that this was a huge undertaking. We both just competed in the Pacific Crest Half Ironman in Sunriver, Oregon this last weekend, and it left us pretty tired.
The idea of running out onto the beach after that 1.2 mile swim this weekend, and jumping back in for a second lap, is pretty freaky. The 1.2 was hard enough (and slow enough, but more about that later), 2.4 is just plain daunting. What's more, the 112 mile bike course has been changed for 2007 and on at CDA (Cour D' alene), and it looks really tough.
On top of all that... to run a marathon? I just don't know. I ran my first marathon in May, with no swimming or biking before it, and it just about killed me. Of course, I didn't train for the distance, but still, very difficult.
What's the hardest thing you've ever done? What's the furthest you've ever pushed your physical and mental limits? Have you challenged yourself to the absolute maximum in your life? Is now the time to start?
I have my answers, do you have yours?
So the Half Ironman:
Chris beat me again. Damn that Chris Rodes! He finished in 5 hours and 4 minutes and I was 5 minutes behind him (in time anyway, physically, we started in different waves so we were further apart).
That's pretty incredible, to swim 1.2 miles, bike 56, and run 13.1 over the course of 5 hours and end up within 5 minutes of each other, we're pretty closely matched.
The swim was sad, not terrible by any means, but not good. I had a swim time of 44 minutes, 4 slower than my goal, and about 10 slower than where I really want to be. I hung back a little at the start and just really never got in the mix, ended up swimming alone the whole time and even going a little off course at 2/3 way through. I came out of the water all but dead last time wise (370 out of 443), had a very quick transition and headed out on the easy bike course.
Oh, wait a minute, the bike course we thought was going to be easy turned out to be pretty tough. My time was 2:30, a pretty fair bike time for rolling hills, which put me 84th time wise for the bike and in 122nd place.
Now the run, that was the bad part. 1:50 it took me, far from my goal of 1:30 or better. Right away on the run I had terrible cramps in my sides. My legs actually felt pretty good. In fact, my legs felt pretty good the entire time, I just couldn't get any more out of them because of my stomach and how tired I was. I walked every aid station, drinking gatorade, pouring water on my head and even stretching at every station. I probably threw away a good 5 minutes, but I felt like I had to have a reason to get to the next aid station. In any case, my body just is not used to trying to run 13 miles quickly after biking for so long. I ended up finishing 97th out of 443, and 9th in my age group.
So for now on, I'm going to do one long brick workout every single week, at least 50 miles on the bike and 8 to 10 on the run. People have all these different training philosophys and techniques, but here's what I think it comes down to: You have to DO in training what you expect your body to DO in a race. If I only ever bike 56 miles and run 13 in a race, how the hell am I going to expect myself to place high up at the finish? I can't, that's just it. You have to teach your body to do it. It's the same with everything in life, like they say, 'the losers are our figuring out how to do what they want to do, while the winners are busy fumbling through it, making mistakes and eventually succeeding'.
I'm so keyed up right now to go workout, but unsure of whether or not it's a good idea. It's only Wednesday, and I just raced hard on Saturday, how soon is too soon? I don't know! No one does! It's all individual. I think I'll swim.
Lastly, I was freaked out about signing up for the full Ironman, but mainly because it costs 500 bucks. I'll get ready to race physically, but that 500 bucks is huge! Well, it just so happens I got an email last night and I'm got a small modeling gig for Thursday and the pay is 400, so there you go!
I also found out yesterday that the listing appt. I went on last week (and did not get hired for), I lost out to the Leske Group, one of the bigger players in the area, so though, yes, I was dissapointed to not help those people sell their home, I was happy that they said my presentation was just as good as the other guy's. I'd rather loose out to a professional than a nobody, you know? The only reason they went with him, they said, was because he had shown them houses a couple months back and they never purchased, so they felt obligated to use him if his presentation was as good as mine.
So darn and hooray!
Until next time,
It's official, one year from now my buddy Chris and I will be competing in the Ironman Cour D' alene in northern Idaho. 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking, 26.2 miles of running ....and a lifetime of bragging.
Well, that's what the ironman official video says anyway. I think it should go more like, 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking, 26.2 miles of running ... and a hell of a lot of work to get there.
We talked on the phone after signing up and agreed that this was a huge undertaking. We both just competed in the Pacific Crest Half Ironman in Sunriver, Oregon this last weekend, and it left us pretty tired.
The idea of running out onto the beach after that 1.2 mile swim this weekend, and jumping back in for a second lap, is pretty freaky. The 1.2 was hard enough (and slow enough, but more about that later), 2.4 is just plain daunting. What's more, the 112 mile bike course has been changed for 2007 and on at CDA (Cour D' alene), and it looks really tough.
On top of all that... to run a marathon? I just don't know. I ran my first marathon in May, with no swimming or biking before it, and it just about killed me. Of course, I didn't train for the distance, but still, very difficult.
What's the hardest thing you've ever done? What's the furthest you've ever pushed your physical and mental limits? Have you challenged yourself to the absolute maximum in your life? Is now the time to start?
I have my answers, do you have yours?
So the Half Ironman:
Chris beat me again. Damn that Chris Rodes! He finished in 5 hours and 4 minutes and I was 5 minutes behind him (in time anyway, physically, we started in different waves so we were further apart).
That's pretty incredible, to swim 1.2 miles, bike 56, and run 13.1 over the course of 5 hours and end up within 5 minutes of each other, we're pretty closely matched.
The swim was sad, not terrible by any means, but not good. I had a swim time of 44 minutes, 4 slower than my goal, and about 10 slower than where I really want to be. I hung back a little at the start and just really never got in the mix, ended up swimming alone the whole time and even going a little off course at 2/3 way through. I came out of the water all but dead last time wise (370 out of 443), had a very quick transition and headed out on the easy bike course.
Oh, wait a minute, the bike course we thought was going to be easy turned out to be pretty tough. My time was 2:30, a pretty fair bike time for rolling hills, which put me 84th time wise for the bike and in 122nd place.
Now the run, that was the bad part. 1:50 it took me, far from my goal of 1:30 or better. Right away on the run I had terrible cramps in my sides. My legs actually felt pretty good. In fact, my legs felt pretty good the entire time, I just couldn't get any more out of them because of my stomach and how tired I was. I walked every aid station, drinking gatorade, pouring water on my head and even stretching at every station. I probably threw away a good 5 minutes, but I felt like I had to have a reason to get to the next aid station. In any case, my body just is not used to trying to run 13 miles quickly after biking for so long. I ended up finishing 97th out of 443, and 9th in my age group.
So for now on, I'm going to do one long brick workout every single week, at least 50 miles on the bike and 8 to 10 on the run. People have all these different training philosophys and techniques, but here's what I think it comes down to: You have to DO in training what you expect your body to DO in a race. If I only ever bike 56 miles and run 13 in a race, how the hell am I going to expect myself to place high up at the finish? I can't, that's just it. You have to teach your body to do it. It's the same with everything in life, like they say, 'the losers are our figuring out how to do what they want to do, while the winners are busy fumbling through it, making mistakes and eventually succeeding'.
I'm so keyed up right now to go workout, but unsure of whether or not it's a good idea. It's only Wednesday, and I just raced hard on Saturday, how soon is too soon? I don't know! No one does! It's all individual. I think I'll swim.
Lastly, I was freaked out about signing up for the full Ironman, but mainly because it costs 500 bucks. I'll get ready to race physically, but that 500 bucks is huge! Well, it just so happens I got an email last night and I'm got a small modeling gig for Thursday and the pay is 400, so there you go!
I also found out yesterday that the listing appt. I went on last week (and did not get hired for), I lost out to the Leske Group, one of the bigger players in the area, so though, yes, I was dissapointed to not help those people sell their home, I was happy that they said my presentation was just as good as the other guy's. I'd rather loose out to a professional than a nobody, you know? The only reason they went with him, they said, was because he had shown them houses a couple months back and they never purchased, so they felt obligated to use him if his presentation was as good as mine.
So darn and hooray!
Until next time,
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Quote of the day!
Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.
Thomas Edison
1847—1931
Thomas Edison
1847—1931
2 a.m.
Well,
Bryan Regan (our favorite comedian in the world) talks about how the worst day a kid ever has is the day of the science fair project, the alarm goes off and his head pops off the pillow, 'oh no. I've done nothing. I've had 6 months to do something, and I've done nothing.' And then he says, 'so I get to school and I see all these other kids with their parents their, and they're backing projects in on flat-bed trucks, one kids made a volcano, he can't even tie his shoes, but he's made a volcano? Here I am with a cup of dirt.'
So, anyway, not quite that bad, but I kind of just had a science fair moment. It's right before 2a.m. and I woke up needing water because I drank beer last night (and I dehydrate rediculously easy), and I'm laying there in bed and it hits me; I have a half-ironman in four days. Oh my god.
It's not that I'm not prepared, and well prepared. It's more that I'm lying there thinking, 'I was drinking last night? And the night before? After racing a very, very hard olympic tri on Sunday (more about that in a minute), I'm drinking? And, I've been drinking a ton of coffee, a ton. What am I thinking? There's no way I'm going to be recovered well enough to race hard!
So I decided no alcohol (obviously) for the next four days, and (gulp) no coffee until the day of the race. I'm going to drink protein and recovery drinks and do a light swim and a really light bike. In short, I'm going to do everything I possibly can to try and recover. Is four days enough time? I'm not sure, but it's better that I do what I can now then not.
So the olympic tri: It was Cascades Edge in Enumclaw, a 1.5K swim, 40K bike and 10K run (divide by 10 and multiply by 6 for miles).
I got up at about 6am and had coffee and breakfast, Audrey got the baby up and we left around 720 or so. The whole way up there, I was saying, gee it's interesting there are no other cars headed up there, maybe it's a really small race? Well, we finally get to about a mile from the race location and then we see it, the road is just lined with cars on both sides all the way up and past the entrance, with a bunch of people everywhere, so once again, we've managed to arrive late (all though, in our defense, some people were even later than us).
As we walked toward the beach we came upon a long line of people with their bikes and gear, curious, we thought. But, it seemed the prudent thing to get in line, so we did, and someone said it was the line for packet pick-up. I've never experienced a race morning like this one, and I hope I don't have to many more times. We stood in line for quite a long time, only to finally arrive at the tent and need my usat card which is in the car. So Audrey ran all the way back to the car and ran all the way back, and then they gave me my packet. So I get my bike number on and get into the transition area (the rack where I'm supposed to set up is COMPLETELY full), with, oh, five minutes till 9o'clock, when the race is supposed to start.
So I cram my bike in with all the others and try to get set up for transition, rushing like a mad man to set my things up, clean my goggles, get my timing chip on, don my wetsuit. And it's raining the whole time. So I set my things up with my towel covering them, best I could, and went scampering down to the water, in a hurry as usual.
I jumped into the water, which was very cold, and admired just how frightening the whole thing looked. It's 50 degrees, the buoys are way out on the lake, and the whole lake is obscured by rain, it looks really grey and hazy. Very scary beginning to a day. I swam about 100 yards to warm up and went back to the beach, staying in the water. At this point we were set to begin, when the guy with the microphone announced some important changes, which we really couldn't hear. Then he said which wave of people was going.
First, it was the male sprint race, then the female sprint, then the 'tri it' first timers, then finally, us. AT this point, we've been in the water for over a half an hour, freezing our asses off, one and all. Probably not ideal, I imagined my body burning all my fuel trying to stay warm as I shivered, half in the water on the beach. When the gun went off, I pretty much said, oh no, and a guy next to me says, ahh, it's good, have fun. Well, though he was right, it's partly about having fun, I really didn't have much of it at all.
The swim was tough, as every swim I do is. I decided to hang back just a little at the start to not get beat up as much. Then I got going and looked around for someone to follow, or draft off of. I found someone and the first half of the swim was terrific, I really did great and I was surpised with myself to be hanging with everyone. Then I lost my guy at a turn buoy and everything fell apart. The second half of the swim was much slower and I had no one to draft off of. Every time I would get behind somebody to draft it didn't work for one reason or another. One guy was doing a weird scissor kick and would speed up and slow down every time he did it, another guy couldn't swim straight, and then towards the end, I just plain old couldn't go anymore. My arms, specifically my biceps, cramped up about a quarter way into the swim, I imagine from the cold, and by the end I was toast.
It took 30 minutes, which really isn't bad for me, way, way better than last year, and I ran to transition where I found my things kicked around and getting wet. The bike, well not much to say. My chain fell off twice, it was freezing cold and rainy, and rolling hills the whole way. Really tough bike.
Now the run, this was the fun part. This is what they had been talking about having changed. I ran out on the run, waving at Audrey and Isaac, and was directed to a path. Oh no, I thought, not another trail run. But it turned out to be so much more, a 6 mile trail run on a trail with tough hills, jagged rocks and tree roots all over, and oh yeah, don't forget the mud. The whole trail was muddy with big puddles in spots. It was basically a hard core Xterra race, but without all the preparation and expectation. The run was just plain old brutal. I mean, I don't know how the guys who won were doing it, running like 530 miles on this completely rediculous course. Two of them passed me on their way to winning, just absolutely flying, I couldn't believe it. They ran straight through the huge puddles of water and mud, not around the edge like the rest of us. I clearly have a little ways to go before i can win a race.
I didn't do bad though, around 40th out of 120 men doing the olympic. Not amazing by any means, but not bad. With a time of 2:24, it puts me right on track to break 5 hours for my upcoming half-ironman, which has been my goal for now. This year, I would like to get to 4:45 for a half. Next year, I want to move that up to 4:15. And the cool thing is, I can do it! I've improved vastly over last year. My half-ironman last year was a beastly 7 hours and 30 minutes, oh my god, huh? My Ocean shores Olympic Tri last year was 2:44, with my swim being a whole 45 minutes. And, the Ocean Shores tri was a way easier course on a day with perfect conditions. So...I'm right on track, just have to keep working to improve, that's life right?
Just keep your head down into the wind and keep working to improve, doing your best to enjoy each day as it is.
Bryan Regan (our favorite comedian in the world) talks about how the worst day a kid ever has is the day of the science fair project, the alarm goes off and his head pops off the pillow, 'oh no. I've done nothing. I've had 6 months to do something, and I've done nothing.' And then he says, 'so I get to school and I see all these other kids with their parents their, and they're backing projects in on flat-bed trucks, one kids made a volcano, he can't even tie his shoes, but he's made a volcano? Here I am with a cup of dirt.'
So, anyway, not quite that bad, but I kind of just had a science fair moment. It's right before 2a.m. and I woke up needing water because I drank beer last night (and I dehydrate rediculously easy), and I'm laying there in bed and it hits me; I have a half-ironman in four days. Oh my god.
It's not that I'm not prepared, and well prepared. It's more that I'm lying there thinking, 'I was drinking last night? And the night before? After racing a very, very hard olympic tri on Sunday (more about that in a minute), I'm drinking? And, I've been drinking a ton of coffee, a ton. What am I thinking? There's no way I'm going to be recovered well enough to race hard!
So I decided no alcohol (obviously) for the next four days, and (gulp) no coffee until the day of the race. I'm going to drink protein and recovery drinks and do a light swim and a really light bike. In short, I'm going to do everything I possibly can to try and recover. Is four days enough time? I'm not sure, but it's better that I do what I can now then not.
So the olympic tri: It was Cascades Edge in Enumclaw, a 1.5K swim, 40K bike and 10K run (divide by 10 and multiply by 6 for miles).
I got up at about 6am and had coffee and breakfast, Audrey got the baby up and we left around 720 or so. The whole way up there, I was saying, gee it's interesting there are no other cars headed up there, maybe it's a really small race? Well, we finally get to about a mile from the race location and then we see it, the road is just lined with cars on both sides all the way up and past the entrance, with a bunch of people everywhere, so once again, we've managed to arrive late (all though, in our defense, some people were even later than us).
As we walked toward the beach we came upon a long line of people with their bikes and gear, curious, we thought. But, it seemed the prudent thing to get in line, so we did, and someone said it was the line for packet pick-up. I've never experienced a race morning like this one, and I hope I don't have to many more times. We stood in line for quite a long time, only to finally arrive at the tent and need my usat card which is in the car. So Audrey ran all the way back to the car and ran all the way back, and then they gave me my packet. So I get my bike number on and get into the transition area (the rack where I'm supposed to set up is COMPLETELY full), with, oh, five minutes till 9o'clock, when the race is supposed to start.
So I cram my bike in with all the others and try to get set up for transition, rushing like a mad man to set my things up, clean my goggles, get my timing chip on, don my wetsuit. And it's raining the whole time. So I set my things up with my towel covering them, best I could, and went scampering down to the water, in a hurry as usual.
I jumped into the water, which was very cold, and admired just how frightening the whole thing looked. It's 50 degrees, the buoys are way out on the lake, and the whole lake is obscured by rain, it looks really grey and hazy. Very scary beginning to a day. I swam about 100 yards to warm up and went back to the beach, staying in the water. At this point we were set to begin, when the guy with the microphone announced some important changes, which we really couldn't hear. Then he said which wave of people was going.
First, it was the male sprint race, then the female sprint, then the 'tri it' first timers, then finally, us. AT this point, we've been in the water for over a half an hour, freezing our asses off, one and all. Probably not ideal, I imagined my body burning all my fuel trying to stay warm as I shivered, half in the water on the beach. When the gun went off, I pretty much said, oh no, and a guy next to me says, ahh, it's good, have fun. Well, though he was right, it's partly about having fun, I really didn't have much of it at all.
The swim was tough, as every swim I do is. I decided to hang back just a little at the start to not get beat up as much. Then I got going and looked around for someone to follow, or draft off of. I found someone and the first half of the swim was terrific, I really did great and I was surpised with myself to be hanging with everyone. Then I lost my guy at a turn buoy and everything fell apart. The second half of the swim was much slower and I had no one to draft off of. Every time I would get behind somebody to draft it didn't work for one reason or another. One guy was doing a weird scissor kick and would speed up and slow down every time he did it, another guy couldn't swim straight, and then towards the end, I just plain old couldn't go anymore. My arms, specifically my biceps, cramped up about a quarter way into the swim, I imagine from the cold, and by the end I was toast.
It took 30 minutes, which really isn't bad for me, way, way better than last year, and I ran to transition where I found my things kicked around and getting wet. The bike, well not much to say. My chain fell off twice, it was freezing cold and rainy, and rolling hills the whole way. Really tough bike.
Now the run, this was the fun part. This is what they had been talking about having changed. I ran out on the run, waving at Audrey and Isaac, and was directed to a path. Oh no, I thought, not another trail run. But it turned out to be so much more, a 6 mile trail run on a trail with tough hills, jagged rocks and tree roots all over, and oh yeah, don't forget the mud. The whole trail was muddy with big puddles in spots. It was basically a hard core Xterra race, but without all the preparation and expectation. The run was just plain old brutal. I mean, I don't know how the guys who won were doing it, running like 530 miles on this completely rediculous course. Two of them passed me on their way to winning, just absolutely flying, I couldn't believe it. They ran straight through the huge puddles of water and mud, not around the edge like the rest of us. I clearly have a little ways to go before i can win a race.
I didn't do bad though, around 40th out of 120 men doing the olympic. Not amazing by any means, but not bad. With a time of 2:24, it puts me right on track to break 5 hours for my upcoming half-ironman, which has been my goal for now. This year, I would like to get to 4:45 for a half. Next year, I want to move that up to 4:15. And the cool thing is, I can do it! I've improved vastly over last year. My half-ironman last year was a beastly 7 hours and 30 minutes, oh my god, huh? My Ocean shores Olympic Tri last year was 2:44, with my swim being a whole 45 minutes. And, the Ocean Shores tri was a way easier course on a day with perfect conditions. So...I'm right on track, just have to keep working to improve, that's life right?
Just keep your head down into the wind and keep working to improve, doing your best to enjoy each day as it is.
Friday, June 15, 2007
20 dollar workouts
Cascadeds Edge, the Olympic Triathlon is this Sunday (the 17th)!...and that means, that..(gulp)..the Pacific Crest Half-Ironman is one week away. Excuse me for just a second...
Ok, so one week, that's fine, I'm ready. To prepare for the Olympic Tri this weekend I signed up for an open water swim clinic I attended on Wendesday (seriously, is Wednesday not the most rediculous thing to spell?),
So I paid 20 bucks to attend this clinic up in Enumclaw at Nolte State Park (where the tri is being held), and I showed up with probably 7 other people and a swim coach. The thing is, most of the people had little practice swimming in open water (like, none so far this year), and a couple people had never swam in a lake. So the coach talked for a few minutes, but all the tips were for total beginners, tips on how to get in the water and site and such.
I'm not sure exactly what I was looking for, but I didn't really get it. I guess I went in hopes of learning some tricks that allowed me to stay with the pack, or maybe discover what I was doing wrong.
We all walked down to the water, I swam a little to get used to the cold, and then joined the group at the start of the swim. They set up a buoy 400 yards away, on the other side of the lake and we were to swim to it and back, ready, go!
It was at this point that I figured it out: No, I didn't figure out the secret to open water swimming, I figured out, Hey! I should start holding swim clinics! I mean, I'm out here swimming anyway, why not hold a clinic? I'll get my workout, even get to swim with some people and make a little money... if I hadn't been swimming I would have rubbed my hands together like Homer Simpson's boss (Excellent Mr. Smithers, Excellent),
I started swimming out a little ways, kind of watching what other people were doing, and two people seem to be swimming much quicker than the others, so I went with them and drafted on their feet. By the turn-around, one of them slowed down and so I drafted the other one the whole way back, and I was a little nervous that she would be pissed off because I kept accidentally hitting her feet the whole time, but when we reached the shore she gave me a big high five and said I was terrific (the unexpected can be so nice sometimes). Turns out she thought I was a pretty good swimmer (which was news to me), and she, along with the coach, both seemed to be pretty good swimmers, so that was exciting.
All in all, it turned out to be a really good thing attending the clinic. I was able to focus on drafting, even stopping at one point and letting the two people on the way out get away from me and then working really hard to catch up. I was able to take it easy at points and watch what other people were doing and figure out what I wanted to do (which was really key, because in triathlons so far I haven't done this, I just go swimming along hoping not to get kicked anymore and hoping not to lose too much time). And finally it even gave me a little more confidence being told I was a pretty good swimmer, which, again was news to me.
So, here's to hoping this Sunday's race is a huge success. I'm going to race without a watch this time and just go as hard as I possibly can in each part of the race,
Have a great weekend, and if you weren't planning on it, go find something to do outside!
Ok, so one week, that's fine, I'm ready. To prepare for the Olympic Tri this weekend I signed up for an open water swim clinic I attended on Wendesday (seriously, is Wednesday not the most rediculous thing to spell?),
So I paid 20 bucks to attend this clinic up in Enumclaw at Nolte State Park (where the tri is being held), and I showed up with probably 7 other people and a swim coach. The thing is, most of the people had little practice swimming in open water (like, none so far this year), and a couple people had never swam in a lake. So the coach talked for a few minutes, but all the tips were for total beginners, tips on how to get in the water and site and such.
I'm not sure exactly what I was looking for, but I didn't really get it. I guess I went in hopes of learning some tricks that allowed me to stay with the pack, or maybe discover what I was doing wrong.
We all walked down to the water, I swam a little to get used to the cold, and then joined the group at the start of the swim. They set up a buoy 400 yards away, on the other side of the lake and we were to swim to it and back, ready, go!
It was at this point that I figured it out: No, I didn't figure out the secret to open water swimming, I figured out, Hey! I should start holding swim clinics! I mean, I'm out here swimming anyway, why not hold a clinic? I'll get my workout, even get to swim with some people and make a little money... if I hadn't been swimming I would have rubbed my hands together like Homer Simpson's boss (Excellent Mr. Smithers, Excellent),
I started swimming out a little ways, kind of watching what other people were doing, and two people seem to be swimming much quicker than the others, so I went with them and drafted on their feet. By the turn-around, one of them slowed down and so I drafted the other one the whole way back, and I was a little nervous that she would be pissed off because I kept accidentally hitting her feet the whole time, but when we reached the shore she gave me a big high five and said I was terrific (the unexpected can be so nice sometimes). Turns out she thought I was a pretty good swimmer (which was news to me), and she, along with the coach, both seemed to be pretty good swimmers, so that was exciting.
All in all, it turned out to be a really good thing attending the clinic. I was able to focus on drafting, even stopping at one point and letting the two people on the way out get away from me and then working really hard to catch up. I was able to take it easy at points and watch what other people were doing and figure out what I wanted to do (which was really key, because in triathlons so far I haven't done this, I just go swimming along hoping not to get kicked anymore and hoping not to lose too much time). And finally it even gave me a little more confidence being told I was a pretty good swimmer, which, again was news to me.
So, here's to hoping this Sunday's race is a huge success. I'm going to race without a watch this time and just go as hard as I possibly can in each part of the race,
Have a great weekend, and if you weren't planning on it, go find something to do outside!
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Quote of the day!
Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.
President Theodore Roosevelt
1858—1919
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Do you need a lift?
I went out to the lake this morning again, to swim a mile and run. I ended up running eight miles, but it was tough, especially the beginning, my legs feel very fatigued, so I think I'm going to take a day or two off from running.
In any case, as I was running a very funny memory came flooding back to me (Well, I guess it's funny now, in retrospect, but at the time it was just depressing). My first ever Half Ironman was last year on September 1st, the Umpqua Ultimate in Sutherlin, Oregon. And it was toughhhhh. Blazing hot and hilly, very hilly. I had a flat tire during the bike and didn't even notice (I thought it seemed awfully hard for a while) until 7 or 8 miles from the end at which point I decided to just ride it out (I don't know what I was thinking). On top of that, I ate nothing all day.
I thought there would be nutrition on the course, but nope. So I had my three Granola bars with me, one of which I dropped on the bike and sadly waved good-bye to saying 'I'll miss you sweet nectar of life, I'll miss you....'.
While I was on the run...ok, ok, while I was on the walk, I was at about mile 6 or 7 when an old woman slowed down on the road and said, 'do you need a lift young man?', to which I replied, 'errr, no thanks, I'm in a....race'. To which she said, 'oh, yes, I noticed other people running, but they were all moving much quicker than you, are you sure you're ok?', 'yes, yes, I'm fine, thank you'
And she drove off. Leaving in her wake a bitter, broken man. Seriously, what could be worse? Oh, that's right! Only one thing! At an olympic tri in July last year, Audrey, my wife, arrived a little late, after the swim start. I guess it took her a while to get parked and drag the kid over. So here I come out of the water, stumbling, tired from swimming for a very long time (yes, it was only a 1.5 K swim), and my wife says to me, 'Oh! Thank God! I thought something happened to you, everyone else is gone! I only saw your bike there and I got scared!'
'No, nothing happened, and thanks for that, I'm going to go hang myself now'.
Ouch, huh?
Well, I'm all better now. I'm looking forward to blazing my next half-ironman run, I'm looking for 1:30 or better.
Lastly, on a different note. I worked a little more on my Motivational Fuel book proposal today, revising it to send it out to more literary agents. I'm considering sending it directly to some publishers as well, not sure, but I'm going to get sending it out again tomorrow. So far, I sent it out to just 4 literary agents, and they all turned me down for various reasons. So I've changed some things and I'm going to try again, here's hoping!
In any case, as I was running a very funny memory came flooding back to me (Well, I guess it's funny now, in retrospect, but at the time it was just depressing). My first ever Half Ironman was last year on September 1st, the Umpqua Ultimate in Sutherlin, Oregon. And it was toughhhhh. Blazing hot and hilly, very hilly. I had a flat tire during the bike and didn't even notice (I thought it seemed awfully hard for a while) until 7 or 8 miles from the end at which point I decided to just ride it out (I don't know what I was thinking). On top of that, I ate nothing all day.
I thought there would be nutrition on the course, but nope. So I had my three Granola bars with me, one of which I dropped on the bike and sadly waved good-bye to saying 'I'll miss you sweet nectar of life, I'll miss you....'.
While I was on the run...ok, ok, while I was on the walk, I was at about mile 6 or 7 when an old woman slowed down on the road and said, 'do you need a lift young man?', to which I replied, 'errr, no thanks, I'm in a....race'. To which she said, 'oh, yes, I noticed other people running, but they were all moving much quicker than you, are you sure you're ok?', 'yes, yes, I'm fine, thank you'
And she drove off. Leaving in her wake a bitter, broken man. Seriously, what could be worse? Oh, that's right! Only one thing! At an olympic tri in July last year, Audrey, my wife, arrived a little late, after the swim start. I guess it took her a while to get parked and drag the kid over. So here I come out of the water, stumbling, tired from swimming for a very long time (yes, it was only a 1.5 K swim), and my wife says to me, 'Oh! Thank God! I thought something happened to you, everyone else is gone! I only saw your bike there and I got scared!'
'No, nothing happened, and thanks for that, I'm going to go hang myself now'.
Ouch, huh?
Well, I'm all better now. I'm looking forward to blazing my next half-ironman run, I'm looking for 1:30 or better.
Lastly, on a different note. I worked a little more on my Motivational Fuel book proposal today, revising it to send it out to more literary agents. I'm considering sending it directly to some publishers as well, not sure, but I'm going to get sending it out again tomorrow. So far, I sent it out to just 4 literary agents, and they all turned me down for various reasons. So I've changed some things and I'm going to try again, here's hoping!
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
PERSEVERENCE!
Yes! Perseverence my friend. That's what it's all about. (That and the ability to enjoy the present, accepting what you don't have and appreciating what you do have). But Perseverence, that's the ticket, because it's hand-in-hand with patience, a virtue (I heard that once..), which we seem to be utterly lacking in these days.
I'm guilty too, so don't think I'm pointing any fingers here; it's just so dang hard to keep yourself focused on what you are trying to achieve, and believing that anything is possible, when you don't see the results instantaneously. I think that's probably a lot of people's problem.
I was listening to competitor radio today (you can subscribe to their podcasted shows on itunes), and I was listening to an interview with Chris Mccormick, the guy that placed 2nd at Kona (Ironman world championships) this last year. And he talked at length about how he and his best friend had dreamed that someday they would be racing in Kona and winning. They had a list they made together of all the different races they wanted to win, and Chris says 'it's amazing, but back then, we were down at the post everyday, bugging them, is it here yet? Is the new issue of Triathlete magazine here yet? ...And now I'm in the magazine. How amazing! Too often these days people are saying 'ahh that kids a dreamer, he needs to forget about those silly things (whatever those things may be). But I say, buggers (he's from Australia), you follow your dreams, I'm living proof that you can live out your wildest dreams if you just want them bad enough."
It went something like that anyway, but the point is this, as you probably already figured, Anything is possible! We have to stop allowing ourselves to become discouraged and overwhelmed with self-doubt. Just work hard and believe in yourself, and it will happen mate! (oh, sorry about that, but I just love the way australians talk...I think I should move there).
It can happen. Whatever it is your striving for (or thinking about striving for), just go for it and believe. Believe that you are as good as anyone else...believe that opportunity is a bi-product of effort...believe that with enough focus any height is achievable, for God sakes believe!
It's at this point that, if you were standing in the room with me I would slap my palm on your forhead and say 'you're healed!'.
But, since that's not an option, I'll just continue to peck away at the keyboard.
I recently heard (don't know where) that you write the book you need. I thought about Motivational Fuel when I heard that and thought, 'well that pegged me'. Every time I pick up my book I get drawn in, I'm a real sucker for being reminded how to think right. I lose perspective on an almost continual basis.
And patience? Forget about it, I'm like a starved chimpanzee staring through the bars at a flock of bananas (that's right...flock, I don't have a clue what you call a bunch of bananas...or is it a bunch?). In any case, I really need to work on honing my patience. For when you're doing the right things, it's just a matter of time. And I know that.
I'll close with my race recap from the Issaquah Sprint Triathlon on Saturday.
I was up a 1 a.m., pretty typical for me before a race, even a small one, I can't sleep from all the excitement in me. Audrey and Isaac came up to Issaquah with me (Jack was with his dad), and we got there in plenty of time. Well, I should say, we got real close to there in plenty of time. Then, with an hour before the gun, we got stopped in traffic a half mile from the beach where it was staged. And we stayed there.
Finally, I unloaded my things and followed the other athletes on foot to the staging area and got set up. But by this time I was in a big hurry. I barely got situated and Chris (workout buddy) was saying we needed to get down there. So we went down to the water and got in to warm up (or cool down, however you want to look at it).
The water was nice and after swimming about 50 yards I was ready, they funneled us over to the starting area (where I was awaiting some sort of talk which was not to come). I had my goggles off and was rinsing them, with my nose plug in my other hand, when a guy said 'swimmers ready' bahhhhhhhh (horn). It was like the span of 2 seconds, and so I hurriedly threw my goggles on and my nosepiece and rushed after all the other athletes in the 'elite wave', most of which were probably elite enough to expect the gun to go off when I did not.
The swim was terrible. Terrible. TERRIBLE. Not to mention the elbows, knees and feet hitting me in the head and everywhere else, I couldn't keep up. At first I was fine, I found some guys feet and starte swimming behind him, but after the first turn buoy he somehow sped up (and I didn't). I ended up getting out of the water like 2 and a half minutes behind the big group (a 2 1/2 minutes I was never to see again that race).
ON the bike, ohhh look out. Man, my new race wheels are amazing. I averaged around 24 mph for the 15 miles, and had a great time. It was really funny in fact, my buddy Chris got out of the water only about 20 seconds ahead of me (a testament to our stellar training plan I suppose), and when I passed him on the bike going 26.5 mph, I said 'hey Chris' and thought to myself, 'I won't see him again'. Well, that wasn't so much the case. We ended up passing each other about 8 times, each time giving the other person a hard time, like 'hey buddy, have you seen my friend Chris?'
It was pretty funny, we ended up getting off the bike seconds apart and heading out on the run together. But that was about it, the heading off part, because I watched him slowly dissapear in front of me as I hobbled across the horrible bumpy grass trail they had us running on, thanks Issaquah Tri planners! I can't run on anything but hard surface, pavement or whatever, so my pace was like 7;10 per mile, pretty miserable considering what I can run.
So...for the second time in a row Chris has beaten me. But no more! I have an Olympic Tri in Enumclaw on the 17th (which Chris isn't signed up for), and then Our first Half Ironman of the year one week later. That's where I want to take the race to him, we'll see.
All in all, it was a great time, and a lot of motivation to go swimming (which I've done, along with running, every day since).
That's all for now I suppose, take care and Persevere, your dreams are but the whispers of a future that is all too achievable if you will only believe in yourself and have faith.
I'm guilty too, so don't think I'm pointing any fingers here; it's just so dang hard to keep yourself focused on what you are trying to achieve, and believing that anything is possible, when you don't see the results instantaneously. I think that's probably a lot of people's problem.
I was listening to competitor radio today (you can subscribe to their podcasted shows on itunes), and I was listening to an interview with Chris Mccormick, the guy that placed 2nd at Kona (Ironman world championships) this last year. And he talked at length about how he and his best friend had dreamed that someday they would be racing in Kona and winning. They had a list they made together of all the different races they wanted to win, and Chris says 'it's amazing, but back then, we were down at the post everyday, bugging them, is it here yet? Is the new issue of Triathlete magazine here yet? ...And now I'm in the magazine. How amazing! Too often these days people are saying 'ahh that kids a dreamer, he needs to forget about those silly things (whatever those things may be). But I say, buggers (he's from Australia), you follow your dreams, I'm living proof that you can live out your wildest dreams if you just want them bad enough."
It went something like that anyway, but the point is this, as you probably already figured, Anything is possible! We have to stop allowing ourselves to become discouraged and overwhelmed with self-doubt. Just work hard and believe in yourself, and it will happen mate! (oh, sorry about that, but I just love the way australians talk...I think I should move there).
It can happen. Whatever it is your striving for (or thinking about striving for), just go for it and believe. Believe that you are as good as anyone else...believe that opportunity is a bi-product of effort...believe that with enough focus any height is achievable, for God sakes believe!
It's at this point that, if you were standing in the room with me I would slap my palm on your forhead and say 'you're healed!'.
But, since that's not an option, I'll just continue to peck away at the keyboard.
I recently heard (don't know where) that you write the book you need. I thought about Motivational Fuel when I heard that and thought, 'well that pegged me'. Every time I pick up my book I get drawn in, I'm a real sucker for being reminded how to think right. I lose perspective on an almost continual basis.
And patience? Forget about it, I'm like a starved chimpanzee staring through the bars at a flock of bananas (that's right...flock, I don't have a clue what you call a bunch of bananas...or is it a bunch?). In any case, I really need to work on honing my patience. For when you're doing the right things, it's just a matter of time. And I know that.
I'll close with my race recap from the Issaquah Sprint Triathlon on Saturday.
I was up a 1 a.m., pretty typical for me before a race, even a small one, I can't sleep from all the excitement in me. Audrey and Isaac came up to Issaquah with me (Jack was with his dad), and we got there in plenty of time. Well, I should say, we got real close to there in plenty of time. Then, with an hour before the gun, we got stopped in traffic a half mile from the beach where it was staged. And we stayed there.
Finally, I unloaded my things and followed the other athletes on foot to the staging area and got set up. But by this time I was in a big hurry. I barely got situated and Chris (workout buddy) was saying we needed to get down there. So we went down to the water and got in to warm up (or cool down, however you want to look at it).
The water was nice and after swimming about 50 yards I was ready, they funneled us over to the starting area (where I was awaiting some sort of talk which was not to come). I had my goggles off and was rinsing them, with my nose plug in my other hand, when a guy said 'swimmers ready' bahhhhhhhh (horn). It was like the span of 2 seconds, and so I hurriedly threw my goggles on and my nosepiece and rushed after all the other athletes in the 'elite wave', most of which were probably elite enough to expect the gun to go off when I did not.
The swim was terrible. Terrible. TERRIBLE. Not to mention the elbows, knees and feet hitting me in the head and everywhere else, I couldn't keep up. At first I was fine, I found some guys feet and starte swimming behind him, but after the first turn buoy he somehow sped up (and I didn't). I ended up getting out of the water like 2 and a half minutes behind the big group (a 2 1/2 minutes I was never to see again that race).
ON the bike, ohhh look out. Man, my new race wheels are amazing. I averaged around 24 mph for the 15 miles, and had a great time. It was really funny in fact, my buddy Chris got out of the water only about 20 seconds ahead of me (a testament to our stellar training plan I suppose), and when I passed him on the bike going 26.5 mph, I said 'hey Chris' and thought to myself, 'I won't see him again'. Well, that wasn't so much the case. We ended up passing each other about 8 times, each time giving the other person a hard time, like 'hey buddy, have you seen my friend Chris?'
It was pretty funny, we ended up getting off the bike seconds apart and heading out on the run together. But that was about it, the heading off part, because I watched him slowly dissapear in front of me as I hobbled across the horrible bumpy grass trail they had us running on, thanks Issaquah Tri planners! I can't run on anything but hard surface, pavement or whatever, so my pace was like 7;10 per mile, pretty miserable considering what I can run.
So...for the second time in a row Chris has beaten me. But no more! I have an Olympic Tri in Enumclaw on the 17th (which Chris isn't signed up for), and then Our first Half Ironman of the year one week later. That's where I want to take the race to him, we'll see.
All in all, it was a great time, and a lot of motivation to go swimming (which I've done, along with running, every day since).
That's all for now I suppose, take care and Persevere, your dreams are but the whispers of a future that is all too achievable if you will only believe in yourself and have faith.
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