Well talk about your nice weekends! Saturday, Jen and I rode out to Vass and picked up her new pistol, and then I got to go to Cary to pick up my new bike. BTW, make sure you update your GPS, or it WILL play a trick on you and have you drive 7 miles out of your way, just to turn you around and send you in the right direction. Awesome.
But I arrived at Inside Out Sports (which will now be referred to as "My Tri Mecca"), because once I walked in, I was blown away by the selection they had in there. Wow, too bad it is a almost 2 hour ride to get up there! But Justin helped fit me on my new Quintana Roo Tequilo and even helped fix my form up a little bit. Needless to say, my form kinda sucks, but hope the little hints and tweaks help. I even took the new ride for a quick spin to test it out, so no major faults, guess it was time to check out. But OF COURSE, I had to shop a little bit while up there, and found a few things that I needed.
Decided to take the new bike out for a longer shakedown ride, and boy was that painful. Rode the Longstreet Range loop, a nice 26 mile rolling hill ride, and despite having the bike fitted to me, my nether regions we NOT fit for the task. OUCH! Despite the minor rub (read: hamburger like consistence) down under, the bike was sweet, but still have to get used to aero, but while in aero, I get at least 3 mph fast (and into a headwind no less), so that has me excited for racing it later in March.
All in all, not too bad, even helped the wife with some gardening, vacuumed the car out, it was a nice weekend.
Workouts for this week:
Monday - 3 mile run, nice and easy 8:00-8:30 pace
Tuesday - 3 mile run - 7:30-8:00 min pace; swim 1000-1300 yds
Wednesday - 5 mile run
Thursday - 3 mile run - 7:30-8:00 min pace; swim 1000-1300 yds
Friday - Off
Saturday - 8 mile Long, slow Run; Swim 1600yds
Sunday - 16 mile bike; 3 mile run (Brick); T2 practice
Pictures of the new bike (Elenor) to follow! Enjoy your week!
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Monday, February 28, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Sanford President's Day 5K Race Report
Well, I have slacked a little bit, but I have been busy this last week, and I'm really lazy when it comes to writing! But here is the race report (minus photos, the wife stayed home and official photos won't be available until March 7th), so okey-dokey artichoky...
Well got up somewhat early on Saturday and the wife informs me that she has a bad migrane, so I was going to go it alone. So grabbed my gear, a couple of bananas and a Diet A&W and jumped in the car a drove the 45 minutes to Sanford. It took me a little time to find the race, but GPS hasn't failed me yet! I got to the church where they were holding the race and got my race packet, chip, and goodie bag and headed back to the car.
My back was a bit sore, so I turned on the car and the heated seats (Best. Thing. Ever.) and listened to some music while I attached my chip and race number (whoo hoo, got #7, Lucky!) and after about 30 minutes got out and stretched and took a light jog and got ready for the race. Took a GU, first time for that, about 15 minutes before the start. I think that it helped.
I headed (read: followed everyone) towards the start line, which was 1/4 mile down the street. The run route was a very odd one, as it was described to me as a ugly bow tie. You see, you start a 1/4 mile away and run toward the church, around the back, back towards the start line, go to the turn around, come back and pass the start line again, around the church and finish. Just a little odd, but not bad. I did take offense to the term "slight rises", which were slight, but just about 3/4 of a mile long, times two! But you do get to run down them, so that is good.
Ok, back to the start, I had to ask which way we were running, since I was facing the wrong way, oops. But I looked around and made three goals: don't get beat by a guy in headphones, anyone pushing a stroller, and try not to be passed by too many females! Well, despite one hellishly fast lady (who showed up in a New Balance Truck no less, and took 4th overall) I accomplished my goals.
The first mile was somewhat flat and fast, cruising thru at about 6:33, and I could still see the leaders too! But I was dueling with one guy for a bit when I finally dropped him at the two mile mark (I think I was around 13:50ish) and I continued to close on the pack in front of me, but it was hard and I was pushing it pretty good. I passed the start line for the final time and started a burst to make sure I wasn't going to get caught from behind, and rounded the church and put in a little kick to finish at 21:14, good for 16th overall. I was surprised with the time, because I hadn't felt particularly fast, but I will take it. Ended up cheering other runners in while I stretched and drank some water, which was fun. Then watched the kids fun run, some of those kids were hopped up on sugar, because they were moving kinda fast!
But all in all, it was a fun race, nice small race atmosphere, and even took 2nd in my AG! Nice! I think that I might do this race again next year. I will post pictures when I can get my hands on them!
Well got up somewhat early on Saturday and the wife informs me that she has a bad migrane, so I was going to go it alone. So grabbed my gear, a couple of bananas and a Diet A&W and jumped in the car a drove the 45 minutes to Sanford. It took me a little time to find the race, but GPS hasn't failed me yet! I got to the church where they were holding the race and got my race packet, chip, and goodie bag and headed back to the car.
My back was a bit sore, so I turned on the car and the heated seats (Best. Thing. Ever.) and listened to some music while I attached my chip and race number (whoo hoo, got #7, Lucky!) and after about 30 minutes got out and stretched and took a light jog and got ready for the race. Took a GU, first time for that, about 15 minutes before the start. I think that it helped.
I headed (read: followed everyone) towards the start line, which was 1/4 mile down the street. The run route was a very odd one, as it was described to me as a ugly bow tie. You see, you start a 1/4 mile away and run toward the church, around the back, back towards the start line, go to the turn around, come back and pass the start line again, around the church and finish. Just a little odd, but not bad. I did take offense to the term "slight rises", which were slight, but just about 3/4 of a mile long, times two! But you do get to run down them, so that is good.
Ok, back to the start, I had to ask which way we were running, since I was facing the wrong way, oops. But I looked around and made three goals: don't get beat by a guy in headphones, anyone pushing a stroller, and try not to be passed by too many females! Well, despite one hellishly fast lady (who showed up in a New Balance Truck no less, and took 4th overall) I accomplished my goals.
The first mile was somewhat flat and fast, cruising thru at about 6:33, and I could still see the leaders too! But I was dueling with one guy for a bit when I finally dropped him at the two mile mark (I think I was around 13:50ish) and I continued to close on the pack in front of me, but it was hard and I was pushing it pretty good. I passed the start line for the final time and started a burst to make sure I wasn't going to get caught from behind, and rounded the church and put in a little kick to finish at 21:14, good for 16th overall. I was surprised with the time, because I hadn't felt particularly fast, but I will take it. Ended up cheering other runners in while I stretched and drank some water, which was fun. Then watched the kids fun run, some of those kids were hopped up on sugar, because they were moving kinda fast!
But all in all, it was a fun race, nice small race atmosphere, and even took 2nd in my AG! Nice! I think that I might do this race again next year. I will post pictures when I can get my hands on them!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
To quote Ice Cube...
It was a good day. Ran up north in Sanford, NC today (race report in a day or so) and went to a hockey game at night. The bonus was that the FireAntz (yes, spelled with a "Z") won, and got to hang out with a great friend and his family. Greggy and I, when we get together, crack each other up! I actually watched some of the game when he got up for food for his kids, we were that busy doing our own "play-by-play" and might have missed a goal because I was laughing so hard.
But ran well today and set another MDPR (modern day personal record), so yeah I was channeling my inner Ice Cube. But all I have to say for the kid who won the race (it was his third time in a row), youth is wasted on the young! Just kidding, congrats. But I do believe that quote, yeah I'm hatin'! Ah, well another fun day for tomorrow, pick up the new bed (king sized, baby!) and hoping to slide in a 25+ mile ride along with a 6 mile run when the weather here in NC is expected to be in the 70s, and as a bonus, Monday is off too! Life is sweeeet!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
NHL All Star Game 5k Race Report
Pictured: Sparky and Me sharing a moment before the raceOK, I am going to try my hand at my first race report, from the 2011 NHL Allstar Game 5K in Raleigh, NC on Jan 29, 2011. This was a fun race to run, kinda disappointed that not too many NHL players came out to watch / run, but hey, it was still a well put on event.Jen (my wife) and I left early (too early for her I think) and had to drive the 1 ½ hours to Raleigh, which I wasn’t sure I was going to make it for packet pick up in time, but alas we made it just fine. Parking was good, just amazed at how many came out, I was thinking a few hundred, but the overall turnout was around 2000! Oh ok, just a little crowded. Well picked up my packet, and then stood in line to get chipped up, and still had about 30 minutes to stretch, get my picture taken with some of the mascots (Like Sparky from the NY Islanders, who was stretching out too) and I had to get rid of my nerves. True I have toed the line many, many times over my running and racing career, but I still get the butterflies most times. But got them all worked out, kissed the wife and ran over to the start line to do some strides and pickups. Got back to the line area for the brief brief, and then followed the masses to the start line.
Uhhh, bad news, the start line was very tight, only a two lane road width, and I was a ways back. My last minute stretches were hard, because it was like stretching in a phone booth! But the gun went off, and oh about 30 seconds of standing around, I finally crossed the line (more on this at the end), so as I weaved in and out of “traffic”, I high-fived all the mascots, and then went wide right and on to the side walk (where no one was running) and picked up the pace a bit. The good part was I had great motivation ahead of me, all the slower runners that were in the chute ahead of me, I could reel in, so that was a great confidence booster right there.
Pictured: Me wayyyyy off in the distance before mile 1A lot of folks were running in hockey jerseys, so when I ran past a guy in a Bruins jersey with a “4” in white tape, I gave him a thumps up and “Number 4, Bobby Orr!” and that made him laugh, since most folks don’t know the classic players, just the ones on the Canes. But I continued to pick off folks and I can safely say that I passed everyone that I could, and only got passed by one person, which we passed and repassed each other a few times (later, she passed me and I lost her). At the finish line I talked with her for a bit and told her good race (Mollie, thanks for stopping to chat after the race).
Back to the action, the last mile or so, I picked up the pace and was rewarded with a nice smooth downhill that a kid I was closing on decided was a good time to sprint. Well bad news bub, he made it to the bottom and was repassed by everyone he had passed in his “mad dash” including me as we went back up hill towards Carter-Finley Stadium. The final turn, I had a few folks that I could still pick off, so I turned on the burners and held them fairly well. At the finish line, I had to breath deeply so I wouldn’t toss the cookies (I had a spell of a few races dating back to the Rudolph Red Nose 7.2 miler in 2009, where after racing hard at the end, I puked. Unfortunately it was almost onto the “Crocs” of my Masters Swim Coach! Whoops). So my standing goals for every race is, don’t puke! I think it is just me being out of shape.
Back to the action, the last mile or so, I picked up the pace and was rewarded with a nice smooth downhill that a kid I was closing on decided was a good time to sprint. Well bad news bub, he made it to the bottom and was repassed by everyone he had passed in his “mad dash” including me as we went back up hill towards Carter-Finley Stadium. The final turn, I had a few folks that I could still pick off, so I turned on the burners and held them fairly well. At the finish line, I had to breath deeply so I wouldn’t toss the cookies (I had a spell of a few races dating back to the Rudolph Red Nose 7.2 miler in 2009, where after racing hard at the end, I puked. Unfortunately it was almost onto the “Crocs” of my Masters Swim Coach! Whoops). So my standing goals for every race is, don’t puke! I think it is just me being out of shape.
Pictured (T): Trying to pass the last few I could! (B): Got all but one!
Ok, I digress. In the end, I clocked a 21:34 chip time (22:09 gun time) for 69th overall out of 958 runners. For me, that is a modern PR. I am not counting my faster college and high school days. But the two times I received were both MDPRs. Here in lies the rub that gets me, the results were ranked by the gun time, not the chip time, which was when you ACTUALLY cross the start line. I am only a little mad, since I would have moved up one whole place, but I noticed one guy was 20 places from where his chip time had him. Now that would suck! I hope he didn’t miss a podium because of that. But over all, it was a good race, my calves got a little tight, then the wife and I went shopping at the Cane’s gift shop and I picked up a sweet Nick Lidstrom All Star jersey and she got a light weight hoody. Good times!
Pictured (T): Me in front of the Finish Line with my new Lidstrom Jersey (B): The finisher's medal
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Getting up and running
No not me, just this blog, after a few abortive attempts at blogging. In this blog I envision race reports, training reports, my rants (might be a few of them) and other things that make my heart go pitter-patter. I will post pictures from the races that I am going to run, either tris or bikes or road races, I will have something to say about them all.
Plus I want to meet others in the community, since very few of my friends share my love of competing (I'll use that term loosely). But mainly because I enjoy reading funny tri-blogs like DCRainmaker and Steve in a Speedo, to name a few, I do have a little "ha ha" in me. So hope to see folks out there in the the races in North Carolina this year, so if you recognize me, say Hi!
Plus I want to meet others in the community, since very few of my friends share my love of competing (I'll use that term loosely). But mainly because I enjoy reading funny tri-blogs like DCRainmaker and Steve in a Speedo, to name a few, I do have a little "ha ha" in me. So hope to see folks out there in the the races in North Carolina this year, so if you recognize me, say Hi!
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