I've been thinking of this blog for a while. Should I dive into a huge essay about the entire weekend? Doing so would easily fill up a lot of time and resources. On the other hand if I only take the time to highlight the fact that it's over then I'm doing a disservice to all my donors.
To that end I'll do what I can to give you as accurate and complete picture of my time in Oregon without making you read a mini novel about details that aren't very meaningful.
I knew this was going to be a special weekend when we got set to land and this is what we saw. There's nothing like hopping off a plane and seeing mountains. It's gorgeous. How fortunate I was to be there. The best part was we could see the mountain we had to bike around: Mt. Bachelor. The rest of this first day was spent putting our bikes together and making sure they work properly.
Friday was more of a relaxed day which really helped. We visited the expo &ndash a short 100 yard walk from the back of our town house &ndash to pick up all our registration gear and then headed back to organize our stuff for the big day ahead of us.
Saturday, of course, was the big day. It was a very early morning but luckily because we were on the west coast we got to benefit from a 2-hour time difference. That alone was a saving grace in the morning.
Probably the most stressful part of the morning was setting up the transition area. If you've never competed in a triathlon a typical transition area has both your biking and running gear. As you guessed this wasn't a typical transition area. The way this event was set up it consisted of two completely different transition areas. That means all our bike gear was set up in one location while our running gear was at a completely separate location. This made the logistics of the event tricky because if you forgot to set something up at one of the transitions you were in deep trouble. Fortunately each of us ran through it mentally about a hundred times so all our proper gear was in the appropriate spot.
After setting up our gear at Transition 2 (T2) in Sunriver we headed to Transition 1 (T2) which was at Wickiup Reservoir and the start of the half Ironman triathlon.
There's no doubt the air was filled with energy and emotion. Almost all 50 states were represented there and there were Team in Training (TNT) chapters from all over the west coast. They were mainly from OR but some were from WA, CA and even AK. This was definitely a wetsuit day. Not because of the blisteringly hot sun but because of the blisteringly cold water. The water temp was 60°F. It was COLD!
Other than a minor delay due to technical issues with one of the busses transporting athletes to the start line we were set off in waves to tackle the 1.2 mile swim. There's not much to be said about a swim other than it was a very refreshing swim once we got acclimated to the water. All you do is swim from buoy to buoy until you get back to shore. Everything went smoothly and I got back to shore in about 38 minutes.
T1 was slow but that was my intention. We had to pack our swim gear in a bag before leaving T1 on our bikes or else it was going to get left behind. I took my time, meticulously putting everything away and getting all my gear for biking. Overall I was going at a snails pace: 3.5 minutes to be exact. But that's just fine. Today was about enjoying the Pacific Northwest, the scenery and that really hot sun.
The bike course was challenging, beautiful and fun all at the same time. 58 miles of biking which included a tour around Mt. Bachelor and a pretty significant uphill climb on the back end of that mountain. I wish I could say I kept my positive mental attitude but when you're biking up an incline and going so slow that it'd be faster to walk up it you sort of lose perspective of enjoyment. At least I did. We were as prepared as you can get for living in MN. Two trips through Afton on the WI / MN border helped with that. But it was still an enormous challenge getting up that climb. However, once it was crested it was, as they say, all downhill from there. Literally. I got my bike going upward of 42 MPH on the downhill. It was a lot of fun. Plus, if I were to wipe out that'd be the end of me. HAHAHAHA
Once done with the bike it was off to T2 and the start of the run. T2 was fine. Nothing out of the ordinary there. Just rack the bike, put on my running shoes and hit the trail. It's at this point things take a turn for the worse. By now I found out I made some serious miscalculations of my nutritional needs on the bike. Top that off with the elevation change – turns out a few thousand feet of vertical climb makes a huge difference in athletic performance – and the desert sun and you've got the makings of the slowest half marathon in recorded history. Yes folks, it's true. I walked more than half of the 13.1 miles. The run was the worst part of the whole triathlon experience. It was brutal. I managed to be completely dehydrated by the time the run started. Sparing details of the whole ordeal, suffice it to say I had a breakdown in performance unlike anything I've managed to do before. I did finish the 13.1 miles but I did it in 2.5 hours.
And there you have it. I am now a half Ironman triathlete.
The important thing out of all of this wasn't that I crossed a finish line but I spent the past 6 months working toward raising funds for a very noble cause. I helped give families an opportunity to help themselves and their loved ones who may be going through cancer right now. And everyone who donated can give themselves a healthy pat on the back. It's your fundraising dollars that made this happen. You're the true champions and heroes. So again I say to you: "Thank You!" None of this is possible without your support!
Pictures are currently scattered throughout Facebook. Official ones are posted at the above link but I'm not paying for them. Call me crazy but $25 for a photo is a bit difficult to swallow. Once more pics are up I'll post links to them.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
2009 Lake Minnetonka Sprint Tri
Yesterday was a very special day. Not only was it a picturesque Minnesota summer day but it also marked the one-year anniversary of my title as triathlete. Last year on that day I participated in the Lake Minnetonka Sprint Triathlon and after finishing I could officially claim my title as triathlete.
This year I had a spectacular day. The only controllable element that stood in my way was myself. The weather was a bit too hot for this kind of exertion but I promised myself I'd shut that out and focus on what I could control. What was nice about that was it paid off. My times were, in my opinion, stellar.
But that brings me to the truly remarkable part of the event. In as much as my results impress me, what I'm more impressed with is the positive mental attitude (PMA) I carried with me. For quite a while my frame of mind while competing in any athletic event was less than positive. I focused on beating other people, being aggressive, and beating myself up when I got passed. This event was different though. I made a conscious effort to take out the trash and realize that out there in the field my only opponent was me.
That, combined with a healthy focus on carrying God with me during the event really paid off.
Not once during the swim did I get excited, angry, frustrated, or start to panic when I didn't catch a breath. Every stroke was smooth and in sync. To top that off I had an exceptional time sighting (e.g. making sure I was still swimming in the right direction.) Normally I sight ever 3-4 strokes. This time I sighted ever 4-6 strokes and kept swimming in pretty much a straight line. Simply incredible.
Both T1 and T2 were great as well. Smooth and relaxed. Except for one part where I am kind of ashamed of myself. The volunteers kept asking us what our BIB number was. You know. The number that's written on our calf and arms. Honestly, when I'm in competition mode my mind is focused on virtually ANYTHING except that. I completely forgot what my number was and was quick to the draw to let them know that. I feel ashamed for my quick and rude reaction. However, to ask an athlete what his BIB number is when all he's thinking about is how quickly can he get to his bike is very aggravating.
The bike leg was pretty straight forward. My friend Randall loaned me one of his bikes because mine is being shipped to Oregon for next weeks half Ironman. The fit was a bit off but I didn't care. My focus was on making sure I kept my PMA. Biking is my weak point. I'll just be up front about it. It's going to take me a long time and a lot of hard work to become a good biker. But until then I continue to keep a realistic focus about where I am with it and keep practicing good form and smart gear shifting. And when I got passed, which happened often, I didn't let it get to me. Instead I kept repeating to myself: "My only competitor out here is me." That really helped to keep things in perspective and kept my focus in check. The true miracle for me on the bike was the fact that I didn't get angry or frustrated once.
Not ONCE!
During the run I had a nasty cramp on my right side that wouldn't subside no matter how hard I tried to get rid of it so for 3 miles I put up with it. But that was fine because I still had an average of 7:06/mile.
At the end of the day I managed to beat every single timed portion over last year. The two transitions and the three disciplines. I was faster this year in every single one. That, combined with a healthy dose of PMA and God are the true victory stories for me that day.
Pacific Crest here I come.
This year I had a spectacular day. The only controllable element that stood in my way was myself. The weather was a bit too hot for this kind of exertion but I promised myself I'd shut that out and focus on what I could control. What was nice about that was it paid off. My times were, in my opinion, stellar.
But that brings me to the truly remarkable part of the event. In as much as my results impress me, what I'm more impressed with is the positive mental attitude (PMA) I carried with me. For quite a while my frame of mind while competing in any athletic event was less than positive. I focused on beating other people, being aggressive, and beating myself up when I got passed. This event was different though. I made a conscious effort to take out the trash and realize that out there in the field my only opponent was me.
That, combined with a healthy focus on carrying God with me during the event really paid off.
Not once during the swim did I get excited, angry, frustrated, or start to panic when I didn't catch a breath. Every stroke was smooth and in sync. To top that off I had an exceptional time sighting (e.g. making sure I was still swimming in the right direction.) Normally I sight ever 3-4 strokes. This time I sighted ever 4-6 strokes and kept swimming in pretty much a straight line. Simply incredible.
Both T1 and T2 were great as well. Smooth and relaxed. Except for one part where I am kind of ashamed of myself. The volunteers kept asking us what our BIB number was. You know. The number that's written on our calf and arms. Honestly, when I'm in competition mode my mind is focused on virtually ANYTHING except that. I completely forgot what my number was and was quick to the draw to let them know that. I feel ashamed for my quick and rude reaction. However, to ask an athlete what his BIB number is when all he's thinking about is how quickly can he get to his bike is very aggravating.
The bike leg was pretty straight forward. My friend Randall loaned me one of his bikes because mine is being shipped to Oregon for next weeks half Ironman. The fit was a bit off but I didn't care. My focus was on making sure I kept my PMA. Biking is my weak point. I'll just be up front about it. It's going to take me a long time and a lot of hard work to become a good biker. But until then I continue to keep a realistic focus about where I am with it and keep practicing good form and smart gear shifting. And when I got passed, which happened often, I didn't let it get to me. Instead I kept repeating to myself: "My only competitor out here is me." That really helped to keep things in perspective and kept my focus in check. The true miracle for me on the bike was the fact that I didn't get angry or frustrated once.
Not ONCE!
During the run I had a nasty cramp on my right side that wouldn't subside no matter how hard I tried to get rid of it so for 3 miles I put up with it. But that was fine because I still had an average of 7:06/mile.
At the end of the day I managed to beat every single timed portion over last year. The two transitions and the three disciplines. I was faster this year in every single one. That, combined with a healthy dose of PMA and God are the true victory stories for me that day.
Pacific Crest here I come.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Ready for Lake Minnetonka Sprint
The Lake Minnetonka Sprint Triathlon is this Saturday and marks my 1 year anniversary of being a triathlete. It's impressive how far I've come since then but what impresses me more is how much further I have to go.
I'd like to be a top class athlete and to do so will require a huge investment of time and capital. I'm willing to do it because one of my ultimate goals, qualify for and particpate in Ironman World Championship, will require at least that much.
Back down here in reality I needed to deal with a minor problem relating to the Lake Minnetonka tri. That problem was a substantial one too: no bike. My bike is being shipped to Oregon right now for the Pacific Crest Half Ironman so in the mean time I've been having to wing my bike workouts. But that won't cut it come Saturday when I absolutely need to have one.
To solve this problem, I ask my friend Randall if I could borrow his bike and he graciously agreed. In order to get to his house I ran the 10.25 miles to South Minneapolis, got the bike and rode with him back to my house. It was an adventure to say the least. But on the plus side I ran the first 6.2 miles in roughly 48 minutes. That's around a 7:45/mile pace. Not bad for me.
Now I'm sore and in desparate need of a massage. Luckily I've got one of those coming up this evening.
I'd like to be a top class athlete and to do so will require a huge investment of time and capital. I'm willing to do it because one of my ultimate goals, qualify for and particpate in Ironman World Championship, will require at least that much.
Back down here in reality I needed to deal with a minor problem relating to the Lake Minnetonka tri. That problem was a substantial one too: no bike. My bike is being shipped to Oregon right now for the Pacific Crest Half Ironman so in the mean time I've been having to wing my bike workouts. But that won't cut it come Saturday when I absolutely need to have one.
To solve this problem, I ask my friend Randall if I could borrow his bike and he graciously agreed. In order to get to his house I ran the 10.25 miles to South Minneapolis, got the bike and rode with him back to my house. It was an adventure to say the least. But on the plus side I ran the first 6.2 miles in roughly 48 minutes. That's around a 7:45/mile pace. Not bad for me.
Now I'm sore and in desparate need of a massage. Luckily I've got one of those coming up this evening.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Two weeks to Pacific Crest
My postings have been few and far in between because it's the busy time in my life where it's non-stop going to and fro. That said I did want to drop a line to let you know I have been keeping busy with my training and am still on track to completing the tri.
Last weekend I ran the Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon in the black hills of South Dakota. It was an amazing experience. The wilderness out there is breathtaking and I'm still practically speechless about it's rugged beauty. Here's a link to my event data. It was practically 13 miles up hill and then the rest was down hill. The down hill was far worse than the up hill but all in all the run was done in a decent time so I've got no room to complain. You can see the elevation map on the aforementioned link as well.
Yesterday I handed my bike over to Gear West. They're transporting it to Oregon (yes, they're taking two weeks... I'm still in the fog on that one).
From this point until race day it's time to rest and recover. I'm getting at least one massage this week and will hopefully be getting another one. I love taper weeks!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Sort of Ready for Dam to Dam
Chilling at the Apple Store in West Des Moines. They replaced my Apple In-Ear Headphones for free because the old ones were defective. Today has been amazing. I hope that continues into tomorrow!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
The Afton Strikes Back
We did it again. As if last weeks adventure wasn't enough the TNT coaches decided it'd be fun to hit that course up again but they added a little spice to it. Last week we biked 50 miles. This week was 62! 31 out and back.
The day started out like any other. Nothing unusual to speak of. I got my coffee prepared, bike clothes on, nice lathering of body glide and chamois cream (it's good to start with a visual), put on some sunscreen, and got all the rest of the equipment in check. All was well. Time to pack the car. And that's when the fun began.
As I opened the garage door the ground looked a little darker than usual. Granted it was about 5 AM and everything looks dark then but this was not right. After my first step outside I knew why: rain. I wasn't pouring. Actually it was more like a mist than actual rain but the roads were definitely not dry. I really don't like riding in the rain but a thought immediately came to mind: cancer patients don't exactly like chemo treatments but they do it. That instantly put the ride back into perspective, quieted the negative voices, and got me back on track.
As it turns out the rain was patchy. On the drive through the metro and into Afton I noticed many spots of dry pavement. My hope being restored I moved on. When I actually got to the ride start the roads were wet but it wasn't raining. Today would be a good test of mental endurance as well as physical because rain puts me in such a bad mood when I'm on a bike. I decided my task for the day would be to learn a new appreciation for the wet conditions.
Our team left at 7:20 AM on the wet roads. It was an interesting ride because I kept reminding myself that it could be worse and to keep the positive mental attitude (PMA). It worked too. I got 15 miles down the road and barely felt like 5 minutes went by. To top that off I was the leader of the pack too. Granted it was only practice but still cool. I also had to take my sunglasses off too because they kept fogging.
One thing that marks the Afton ride is the absolutely gorgeous scenery. The Mississippi River valley is amazing. Pictures simply don't do justice for this area. You really need to experience it for yourself to appreciate God's hand in shaping the land. It's breathtaking.
We were about 20 miles into the ride when I had my moment of zen and appreciation for the rain and wet roads. Looking at the rolling tree covered cliffs I noticed that the light rain and moisture had created a mist. The mist ran through the trees like a finely knitted web. Again, it was something a picture simply couldn't capture. It was so captivating that in that moment I felt one with my surroundings. I now have a much greater appreciation for the wet scenery. And the good thing was this happened only 20 miles into a 62 mile ride. That meant I had 42 miles left to focus on other things like form and technique.
On that note the rest of the ride went very smoothly. As the sun came up the roads dried and became much easier to navigate. The hills completely trashed me by the end (as expected) and the 4 mile transition run we did immediately after the bike left me completely spent. But that's what it's all about.
At the end of the day it was a great ride. 5,000 calories later a lot of team building, spiritual building, emotional building, and physical building got accomplished. I'll get a map up as soon as Garmin gets their services working properly again.
The day started out like any other. Nothing unusual to speak of. I got my coffee prepared, bike clothes on, nice lathering of body glide and chamois cream (it's good to start with a visual), put on some sunscreen, and got all the rest of the equipment in check. All was well. Time to pack the car. And that's when the fun began.
As I opened the garage door the ground looked a little darker than usual. Granted it was about 5 AM and everything looks dark then but this was not right. After my first step outside I knew why: rain. I wasn't pouring. Actually it was more like a mist than actual rain but the roads were definitely not dry. I really don't like riding in the rain but a thought immediately came to mind: cancer patients don't exactly like chemo treatments but they do it. That instantly put the ride back into perspective, quieted the negative voices, and got me back on track.
As it turns out the rain was patchy. On the drive through the metro and into Afton I noticed many spots of dry pavement. My hope being restored I moved on. When I actually got to the ride start the roads were wet but it wasn't raining. Today would be a good test of mental endurance as well as physical because rain puts me in such a bad mood when I'm on a bike. I decided my task for the day would be to learn a new appreciation for the wet conditions.
Our team left at 7:20 AM on the wet roads. It was an interesting ride because I kept reminding myself that it could be worse and to keep the positive mental attitude (PMA). It worked too. I got 15 miles down the road and barely felt like 5 minutes went by. To top that off I was the leader of the pack too. Granted it was only practice but still cool. I also had to take my sunglasses off too because they kept fogging.
One thing that marks the Afton ride is the absolutely gorgeous scenery. The Mississippi River valley is amazing. Pictures simply don't do justice for this area. You really need to experience it for yourself to appreciate God's hand in shaping the land. It's breathtaking.
We were about 20 miles into the ride when I had my moment of zen and appreciation for the rain and wet roads. Looking at the rolling tree covered cliffs I noticed that the light rain and moisture had created a mist. The mist ran through the trees like a finely knitted web. Again, it was something a picture simply couldn't capture. It was so captivating that in that moment I felt one with my surroundings. I now have a much greater appreciation for the wet scenery. And the good thing was this happened only 20 miles into a 62 mile ride. That meant I had 42 miles left to focus on other things like form and technique.
On that note the rest of the ride went very smoothly. As the sun came up the roads dried and became much easier to navigate. The hills completely trashed me by the end (as expected) and the 4 mile transition run we did immediately after the bike left me completely spent. But that's what it's all about.
At the end of the day it was a great ride. 5,000 calories later a lot of team building, spiritual building, emotional building, and physical building got accomplished. I'll get a map up as soon as Garmin gets their services working properly again.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
I got beat up today
And the sad thing is I got beat up by an inanimate object. This bike ride has been the hardest bike ride I have ever done. In fact, it must have been one of the hardest physical activities I've ever done. Check it out for yourself. The map is below with elevation. This was seriously insane. And I get to do it again next weekend.
You're not a true biker until you conquer this. Absolutely nuts.
You're not a true biker until you conquer this. Absolutely nuts.
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