Okay, I must respond to the the attached article by Jemele Hill which was forwarded by my teammate Ryan D:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hill/070731&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos1
Here goes the response...
Do you remember studying the Salem witch trials in American history class? After the defendant maiden drowned in the river, the accusers stood along the lakeshore scratching their heads and declared that she wasn't a witch afterall. "Mea culpa!" might have been uttered if they spoke French.
Call it my American indoctrination (and hyprocrysy), yet I am repulsed by the "guilty until proven innocent" approach of the Tour's "dopey" counsel. I read Armstrong and Ulrich's biographies, and its just unbelievable how the testers can barge into the private lives of these athletes, demand they alter their plans to accommodate "random" testing, and make public accusations although test results were mishandled and completely suspect. I'm so disappointed that many of the cycle greats chose to walk away from the Tour and the sport, remarking they no longer want to deal with the unfairness of the dope test harassment.
Prior to reading the article by Ms. Hill, I read this morning on AP that Alberto Contador, the winner of the Tour de France, has been accused of doping. Oh, what a surprise! Is this really possible? Again? Didn't those pro cyclists learn to stay clean when Landis was stripped of the "winner" title last year? BTW, that decision to strip Landis of the title is still pending a final ruling, but few seem to track the status of such a charge after the headlines report the doping scandal. There was a time when I eagerly tuned in each day of the Tour for athletic inspiration. I didn't this year...only saw a few highlights and read limited articles, trying to avoid those re doping accusations.
This article by Ms. Hill makes an assumption that the dope officials' actions are fair, accurate, and promoting good for the sport. It fails to address the politics, test result inconsistencies, interference with people's lives and incriminating damage to the professional reputations and careers. While I'm certain that the dope nazis cleaned things up a bit in the sport of cycling, I'm bewildered by the level of hardship and stench they were willing to cause the innocent and the sport.
Perhaps I'm a bit naive about the prolific use of illegal drugs in professional sports, yet I still believe we have some amazing athletes who can perform beyond the boundaries of yesterday's records without illegal chemical assistance. Don't we? I certainly hope that if or when American professional athletic orgs decide to "clean up" their act, the process is conducted with more civility and fairness, minus the Inquisition tactics of the cycle dope officials and hopefully causing less destruction to athletic inspiration.
Whew, I feel better now. Thanks for reading although I sound like a haughty hypocritical American...my apologies to Ms. Hill.
G
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Saturday, July 28, 2007
P
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Vineman Race Day
Wow, this turned into a really long post, so you might want to get a glass of wine or a cup of tea and something to snack on before you sit to read :)
Race morning started at 3:58am for me. I rolled over in bed to look at the alarm clock and watched the remaining two minutes tick away before the alarm buzzed. Here we go. I got up and showered, dressed in my race garb and headed out to the kitchen to eat breakfast. I pulled out my water bottles from the freezer and ran them under hot water to get the thawing process started. I froze two bottles, one with Cytomax mix and the other with Hydralyte mix. My other two bottles were chilled in the fridge, one with Cytomax and one with plain water. The roommates were just starting to rustle and get themselves put together while I ate a bowl of oatmeal, half a bagel with peanut butter and two bananas. I washed it all down with a glass of water and a cup of hot green tea.
I was in one of the earlier race waves, starting at 6:38am, so I was anxious to get to the race site. While I waited for my roommates, I stretched and then double and triple checked my tri bag, ensuring that I had everything needed for the swim and the bike. We had set up T2 the previous day, so my run gear was already waiting for me at the transition area at Windsor high school. This was my first race with two separate transition areas. Can't say that I'm a fan of the double transition areas...I like having everything in front of me just in case I need it. I must have spent about 1 hour setting up my transition area in Windsor...well, 10 minutes setting up my shoes, hat and run bottles...then 50 minutes trying to go through a mental inventory and visualization of every possible scenario that could occur when leaving the bike to head out on the run. All of us were expecting hot temperatures on race day, and Paul A was kind enough to loan me a small thermos which I filled with ice and left at T2. My equipment was ready, I had eaten plenty, I was ready, my roommates were ready, and so at 5:15am, with just a hint of light in the sky, Paul, MoMo and I biked the 3/4-mile distance from the cabin to the race start at Johnson's Beach.
Within a couple blocks of the race start, the roads became crowded with excited and friendly triathletes, greeting one another with race wishes and clacking bike shoes on the street. We headed down the hill to the beach where we were body marked as we entered the transition area. At this point, I needed to separate myself from everyone. It was that time before the race when I limit the distractions and just mentally run through the course and my preparations. I also take time to pray...I always pray before a race, and no, its not about my race speed :) I recognize that not everyone believes in God, and I'm pretty certain that my idea of God is unique to many who do believe. In the midst of life's peak experiences, I become most in tune with my faith, and I think of these times and the people I meet along the way as gifts. I ask for a safe race for me and my fellow triathletes, and I express thanks for these opportunities, awareness that not everyone has the physical ability, and enjoyment of the incredible beauty of the course location. During all of this, I also set up my T1 area, said hello to my transition area neighbors, and stretched out a bit. Then, I ran through a final check before seeking out my teammates, coaches and friends...and a final trip to the porter pot.
I put on my wetsuit, cap and goggles and entered the swim corral with my fellow lavender-capped wave...its the first time I had a pretty colored race cap instead of neon green, white or red. I swam to the first couple buoys to warm up a bit, stretching my arms and shoulders...also worked to ease the race jitters. The water temp was warm at about 74 degrees. The current was mild, and there was a light mist rising from the river. The sun was just starting to make its way over the redwood trees that lined the river. It was gorgeous, and I felt so lucky to be there. At some point, we settled down, lined up behind the starting kayak, and just waited out there in the water for the horn to sound. We could hear the race announcers talking, yet out in the water you couldn't understand what they were saying...it was like the adult mumble sound that was featured in the Charlie Brown cartoons...mwaaah, mwaaah, mwah, mwah, mwah...HONK! That's the sudden start sound, and so I began to swim through the bodies that aggressively kicked and stroked with all four appendages. Someone hit or kicked me in the eye...I winced, yet it only motivated me to swim harder and break away from the pack. I found my stroke pace about 10 minutes into the swim. From that point on, the swim was all about the rhythm. This out-and-back 1.2-mile swim course in the narrow Russian River was easy on navigation...I'm one of those navigation-challenged swimmers, and I usually cover extra milage in an open water swim. This day, my swim seemed to be relatively efficient and right on target. I hit the beach in just under 40 minutes, and ran into the first transition area.
One of my key challenges on the bike was nutrition, and I had a mass of food waiting at T1 for me to load into my shirt pockets...3 plain gu's, 2 halves of a PBJ sandwich, a tick-tac box filled with salt tabs, and two Powerbars. I sort of just jammed everything into my back pockets without any kind of order and I fumbled around as things fell out of my overloaded pockets each time I bent over or moved suddenly. I ran my bike out of the transition area and decided to continue running my bike up the short hill to avoid the bike jam that was building at the mount line. My bike start was pretty smooth, and soon I was comfortably maintaining a high cadence and speed around 20 mph, while keeping my heat rate below 155.
The bike course headed out of Guerneville along the roads that travel between the vineyards. The roads were rolling hills with a great deal of redwood shade. One concern to watch out for was poor road conditions, cracks that could perfectly catch a tire in a groove and cause a pinch flat. Another concern were several sharp turns, which seemed to only occur at the bottom of the hills, just as you were gaining speed. Overall though, it was one of the best bike courses I have experienced. Beauty, speed, some challenge, and the rising sun.
My nutrition plan was to consume most of my solid calories before I crossed the half-way mark of the bike course, so in these initial minutes, I started sipping the cold Cytomax in my aero bottle and consuming bite-size pieces of a Powerbar. The first aid station was at mile 13 on the course, and by that time, I had emptied two-thirds of my aero bottle, so I snagged a Gatorade Endurance, and without thinking I poured it into the aero bottle. That next sip was an eye opener and mouth twister...grape flavored Cytomax and orange Gatorade Endurance is about the most disgusting mix ever...so after a few sips, I decided to water it down with some water, yet instead of my water bottle, I must have grabbed the bottle containing the Hydralyte, so I found a way to make a bad mix even worse. Well, I went on ahead and sipped on the suicide brew...it was all I had for liquid electrolyte and calorie replacement. I also finished that Powerbar, and that's about the time that I became aware that I wasn't really digesting any of the calories I had consumed...it was all just sitting uncomfortably in my stomach. I decided to slow down my heart rate and pace for 20 -30 minutes, hoping that would allow my digestive track to kick in and clear out my belly full of liquids. That worked like a charm, and it also gave me some recovery time. I was able to pick up my pace for the remainder of the ride, yet I only could consume two gu's and half of the PBJ. I just couldn't force myself to eat more in addition to consuming the necessary liquids. BTW, freezing the Cytomax and water bottles worked like a charm. About half-way into the bike, with the day heating up, it was really refreshing to drink my Cytomax slushy and pour ice cold water on my head and down my back.
While biking, I did see a few of my friends on the course. Paul J was the first to ride up behind me and greet me with a "Hello, gorgeous!" Thanks, Paul! Then, Ryan D zoomed up shortly after that with a bold, "Is that Ms. Reha?" Go gettem, Denner! After that, an official passed me on the back of a motorcycle, and he waived a penalty flag. "Crimony!" I couldn't figure what I had done to deserve a penalty...no one was around me, so I wasn't drafting. I was all the way over on the right side of the road, so I don't think I had interfered with anyone or passed on the wrong side. As I was running through these possible penalty worthy actions, the official turned his head and smiled. It was Coach Gurujan officiating at this race, and it wasn't a penalty flag but his notepad that he was waiving at me. I laughed (totally relieved), and acknowledged Coach G's waive, then he sped off to give penalties to someone in my age group I hoped.
The 56-mile bike course winds its way 40 miles inland from Guerneville and finishes at Windsor high school. It was significantly warmer in Windsor, and I was so looking forward to that cooler filled with ice water waiting at T2. As I approached Windsor high school, I saw people heading out on the run. At the dismount line, the race volunteers ushered us into a narrow walkway that circled half-the perimeter of the transition area...it seemed like a rather long distance to get from the dismount to the T2 area; however, once I found my things, I racked my bike and opened that cooler and dumped the entire thing on the top of head. It was shocking, yet soooo good! Then I changed my shoes, hat and grabbed my water bottles. I decided to make a stop at the porter pot in the transition area...there's just no good reason to be uncomfortable out there on the run. I also stopped at the aid station to fill my water bottles with ice cold water. One of my bottles had Cytomax mix, while the other had just cold water. Now, these extra stops extended my time in the transition area to roughly 6 minutes, way beyond my norm, yet I think it was worth taking the extra time. I sipped the Cytomax throughout the run course, and I continually poured the ice cold water on my head and down my back, refilling with ice water at the aid stations along the course. I maintained a comfortable pace, running roughly 9-minute miles, and besides the aid stations, I didn't have to make any additional stops along the course.
On the way out, not even 1 mile into the run, I passed Michellie Jones as she was heading towards the finish...she started about 10 minutes ahead of my wave, and now she was finishing about 2 hours ahead of me...wow! The 13.1-mile run wasn't flat as promoted on the Vineman course description. It was rolling hills, not severe, yet I was keenly aware of every incline. However, the toughest part about the run was that it was hot. I heard others say that the temp reached 101 degrees out in the vineyards along the run. However, I kept myself pretty comfortable with ice water. I also took advantage of every volunteer's offer to spray me with water. My shoes made a "squishy" sound as I headed back towards the finish. After I made the turn-around, I started seeing my teammates who were either passing me or heading out on the run....the run was getting really warm, and I was so fortunate to have that early race start. I yelled and cheered for them, and they yelled and cheered for me. The night before the race, Coach Jon encouraged us to give while we're out on the race course. When you give and share your enthusiasm with others, it only returns greater enthusiasm and energy for you...its one of those amazing life equations.
Coming into the finish, I saw ahead of me a purple clad triathlete walking. It was my teammate Walter. He must have hammered that bike ride...I didn't even see him pass me. I ran up alongside of him. He was having some stomach issues. I tried to encourage him to run it in, a strong finish and all of that...after all, we can stand just about anything for 1-2 minutes, and that's about all we had left of the race. At that moment, my buddy Damian blew past us, and Walter got his second wind and picked up his pace, faster than I could go :) I was about 30 feet from the finish line when a lady in the crowd yelled, "Hey, you can beat him!" I looked around, and there to my left about 10 feet ahead was this guy comfortably making his way to the finish line. I responded, "Yeah, I think I can!" I pushed hard into a sprint, and the guy must of seen and/or heard me, cause he picked up his pace, too. I crossed the finish line just barely in front of him. We laughed and high-fived as we tried to catch our breath, waiting in the line for our finisher's medals. That's totally the way to finish a half-ironman race ;)
After the pictures and the cold wet sponges, they encourage the competitors to go to the food tent. I couldn't force myself to eat at all. I nibbled on some watermelon and pineapple, yet I couldn't swallow anything. It was hot, I was tired, and all I wanted was fluids, so I kept the cold fluids going down. Greg helped Damian and I find shade to rest under, while we consumed a new recovery drink by Powerbar. It was really good, and I'm going to have to research the name and where its sold. We eventually joined our coaches and teammates who gathered at the finish line to cheer on those finishing the race. Everyone on my team completed the course. It was a great day for the San Diego TNT Tri Team!
My roommates and I returned to the cabin to clean up and get ready for the TNT Victory Party that evening. While I waited for my turn in the shower, I went down to the river for a relaxing swim. Its kind of odd to casually swim after training with such intensity these many months. I also spent a few minutes in the hot tub just letting the warm water ease all of the muscle aches and tension. I had entered that post-race phase of amazement...and delirious goofiness. Coach Trent's funny saying was correct...the hay was in the barn. Haaay! I just completed a half ironman race!
My overall time at Vineman was 6:10:05. That's quite a bit faster than my projected 6:30:00. Completing this race is a huge achievement for me. Its something that I dreamed about doing for a long time, and then I trained many months in preparation. Reaching this goal and this level in the sport not only has physical significance, there's also some emotional and philosophical meanings for me. My thoughts and emotions are jumbled right now, yet I'll post more once I sort through the significance. I also have pictures to share, which I'll post later this week. For now, I need some rest and recovery time. I'll be in touch soon!
G
Race morning started at 3:58am for me. I rolled over in bed to look at the alarm clock and watched the remaining two minutes tick away before the alarm buzzed. Here we go. I got up and showered, dressed in my race garb and headed out to the kitchen to eat breakfast. I pulled out my water bottles from the freezer and ran them under hot water to get the thawing process started. I froze two bottles, one with Cytomax mix and the other with Hydralyte mix. My other two bottles were chilled in the fridge, one with Cytomax and one with plain water. The roommates were just starting to rustle and get themselves put together while I ate a bowl of oatmeal, half a bagel with peanut butter and two bananas. I washed it all down with a glass of water and a cup of hot green tea.
I was in one of the earlier race waves, starting at 6:38am, so I was anxious to get to the race site. While I waited for my roommates, I stretched and then double and triple checked my tri bag, ensuring that I had everything needed for the swim and the bike. We had set up T2 the previous day, so my run gear was already waiting for me at the transition area at Windsor high school. This was my first race with two separate transition areas. Can't say that I'm a fan of the double transition areas...I like having everything in front of me just in case I need it. I must have spent about 1 hour setting up my transition area in Windsor...well, 10 minutes setting up my shoes, hat and run bottles...then 50 minutes trying to go through a mental inventory and visualization of every possible scenario that could occur when leaving the bike to head out on the run. All of us were expecting hot temperatures on race day, and Paul A was kind enough to loan me a small thermos which I filled with ice and left at T2. My equipment was ready, I had eaten plenty, I was ready, my roommates were ready, and so at 5:15am, with just a hint of light in the sky, Paul, MoMo and I biked the 3/4-mile distance from the cabin to the race start at Johnson's Beach.
Within a couple blocks of the race start, the roads became crowded with excited and friendly triathletes, greeting one another with race wishes and clacking bike shoes on the street. We headed down the hill to the beach where we were body marked as we entered the transition area. At this point, I needed to separate myself from everyone. It was that time before the race when I limit the distractions and just mentally run through the course and my preparations. I also take time to pray...I always pray before a race, and no, its not about my race speed :) I recognize that not everyone believes in God, and I'm pretty certain that my idea of God is unique to many who do believe. In the midst of life's peak experiences, I become most in tune with my faith, and I think of these times and the people I meet along the way as gifts. I ask for a safe race for me and my fellow triathletes, and I express thanks for these opportunities, awareness that not everyone has the physical ability, and enjoyment of the incredible beauty of the course location. During all of this, I also set up my T1 area, said hello to my transition area neighbors, and stretched out a bit. Then, I ran through a final check before seeking out my teammates, coaches and friends...and a final trip to the porter pot.
I put on my wetsuit, cap and goggles and entered the swim corral with my fellow lavender-capped wave...its the first time I had a pretty colored race cap instead of neon green, white or red. I swam to the first couple buoys to warm up a bit, stretching my arms and shoulders...also worked to ease the race jitters. The water temp was warm at about 74 degrees. The current was mild, and there was a light mist rising from the river. The sun was just starting to make its way over the redwood trees that lined the river. It was gorgeous, and I felt so lucky to be there. At some point, we settled down, lined up behind the starting kayak, and just waited out there in the water for the horn to sound. We could hear the race announcers talking, yet out in the water you couldn't understand what they were saying...it was like the adult mumble sound that was featured in the Charlie Brown cartoons...mwaaah, mwaaah, mwah, mwah, mwah...HONK! That's the sudden start sound, and so I began to swim through the bodies that aggressively kicked and stroked with all four appendages. Someone hit or kicked me in the eye...I winced, yet it only motivated me to swim harder and break away from the pack. I found my stroke pace about 10 minutes into the swim. From that point on, the swim was all about the rhythm. This out-and-back 1.2-mile swim course in the narrow Russian River was easy on navigation...I'm one of those navigation-challenged swimmers, and I usually cover extra milage in an open water swim. This day, my swim seemed to be relatively efficient and right on target. I hit the beach in just under 40 minutes, and ran into the first transition area.
One of my key challenges on the bike was nutrition, and I had a mass of food waiting at T1 for me to load into my shirt pockets...3 plain gu's, 2 halves of a PBJ sandwich, a tick-tac box filled with salt tabs, and two Powerbars. I sort of just jammed everything into my back pockets without any kind of order and I fumbled around as things fell out of my overloaded pockets each time I bent over or moved suddenly. I ran my bike out of the transition area and decided to continue running my bike up the short hill to avoid the bike jam that was building at the mount line. My bike start was pretty smooth, and soon I was comfortably maintaining a high cadence and speed around 20 mph, while keeping my heat rate below 155.
The bike course headed out of Guerneville along the roads that travel between the vineyards. The roads were rolling hills with a great deal of redwood shade. One concern to watch out for was poor road conditions, cracks that could perfectly catch a tire in a groove and cause a pinch flat. Another concern were several sharp turns, which seemed to only occur at the bottom of the hills, just as you were gaining speed. Overall though, it was one of the best bike courses I have experienced. Beauty, speed, some challenge, and the rising sun.
My nutrition plan was to consume most of my solid calories before I crossed the half-way mark of the bike course, so in these initial minutes, I started sipping the cold Cytomax in my aero bottle and consuming bite-size pieces of a Powerbar. The first aid station was at mile 13 on the course, and by that time, I had emptied two-thirds of my aero bottle, so I snagged a Gatorade Endurance, and without thinking I poured it into the aero bottle. That next sip was an eye opener and mouth twister...grape flavored Cytomax and orange Gatorade Endurance is about the most disgusting mix ever...so after a few sips, I decided to water it down with some water, yet instead of my water bottle, I must have grabbed the bottle containing the Hydralyte, so I found a way to make a bad mix even worse. Well, I went on ahead and sipped on the suicide brew...it was all I had for liquid electrolyte and calorie replacement. I also finished that Powerbar, and that's about the time that I became aware that I wasn't really digesting any of the calories I had consumed...it was all just sitting uncomfortably in my stomach. I decided to slow down my heart rate and pace for 20 -30 minutes, hoping that would allow my digestive track to kick in and clear out my belly full of liquids. That worked like a charm, and it also gave me some recovery time. I was able to pick up my pace for the remainder of the ride, yet I only could consume two gu's and half of the PBJ. I just couldn't force myself to eat more in addition to consuming the necessary liquids. BTW, freezing the Cytomax and water bottles worked like a charm. About half-way into the bike, with the day heating up, it was really refreshing to drink my Cytomax slushy and pour ice cold water on my head and down my back.
While biking, I did see a few of my friends on the course. Paul J was the first to ride up behind me and greet me with a "Hello, gorgeous!" Thanks, Paul! Then, Ryan D zoomed up shortly after that with a bold, "Is that Ms. Reha?" Go gettem, Denner! After that, an official passed me on the back of a motorcycle, and he waived a penalty flag. "Crimony!" I couldn't figure what I had done to deserve a penalty...no one was around me, so I wasn't drafting. I was all the way over on the right side of the road, so I don't think I had interfered with anyone or passed on the wrong side. As I was running through these possible penalty worthy actions, the official turned his head and smiled. It was Coach Gurujan officiating at this race, and it wasn't a penalty flag but his notepad that he was waiving at me. I laughed (totally relieved), and acknowledged Coach G's waive, then he sped off to give penalties to someone in my age group I hoped.
The 56-mile bike course winds its way 40 miles inland from Guerneville and finishes at Windsor high school. It was significantly warmer in Windsor, and I was so looking forward to that cooler filled with ice water waiting at T2. As I approached Windsor high school, I saw people heading out on the run. At the dismount line, the race volunteers ushered us into a narrow walkway that circled half-the perimeter of the transition area...it seemed like a rather long distance to get from the dismount to the T2 area; however, once I found my things, I racked my bike and opened that cooler and dumped the entire thing on the top of head. It was shocking, yet soooo good! Then I changed my shoes, hat and grabbed my water bottles. I decided to make a stop at the porter pot in the transition area...there's just no good reason to be uncomfortable out there on the run. I also stopped at the aid station to fill my water bottles with ice cold water. One of my bottles had Cytomax mix, while the other had just cold water. Now, these extra stops extended my time in the transition area to roughly 6 minutes, way beyond my norm, yet I think it was worth taking the extra time. I sipped the Cytomax throughout the run course, and I continually poured the ice cold water on my head and down my back, refilling with ice water at the aid stations along the course. I maintained a comfortable pace, running roughly 9-minute miles, and besides the aid stations, I didn't have to make any additional stops along the course.
On the way out, not even 1 mile into the run, I passed Michellie Jones as she was heading towards the finish...she started about 10 minutes ahead of my wave, and now she was finishing about 2 hours ahead of me...wow! The 13.1-mile run wasn't flat as promoted on the Vineman course description. It was rolling hills, not severe, yet I was keenly aware of every incline. However, the toughest part about the run was that it was hot. I heard others say that the temp reached 101 degrees out in the vineyards along the run. However, I kept myself pretty comfortable with ice water. I also took advantage of every volunteer's offer to spray me with water. My shoes made a "squishy" sound as I headed back towards the finish. After I made the turn-around, I started seeing my teammates who were either passing me or heading out on the run....the run was getting really warm, and I was so fortunate to have that early race start. I yelled and cheered for them, and they yelled and cheered for me. The night before the race, Coach Jon encouraged us to give while we're out on the race course. When you give and share your enthusiasm with others, it only returns greater enthusiasm and energy for you...its one of those amazing life equations.
Coming into the finish, I saw ahead of me a purple clad triathlete walking. It was my teammate Walter. He must have hammered that bike ride...I didn't even see him pass me. I ran up alongside of him. He was having some stomach issues. I tried to encourage him to run it in, a strong finish and all of that...after all, we can stand just about anything for 1-2 minutes, and that's about all we had left of the race. At that moment, my buddy Damian blew past us, and Walter got his second wind and picked up his pace, faster than I could go :) I was about 30 feet from the finish line when a lady in the crowd yelled, "Hey, you can beat him!" I looked around, and there to my left about 10 feet ahead was this guy comfortably making his way to the finish line. I responded, "Yeah, I think I can!" I pushed hard into a sprint, and the guy must of seen and/or heard me, cause he picked up his pace, too. I crossed the finish line just barely in front of him. We laughed and high-fived as we tried to catch our breath, waiting in the line for our finisher's medals. That's totally the way to finish a half-ironman race ;)
After the pictures and the cold wet sponges, they encourage the competitors to go to the food tent. I couldn't force myself to eat at all. I nibbled on some watermelon and pineapple, yet I couldn't swallow anything. It was hot, I was tired, and all I wanted was fluids, so I kept the cold fluids going down. Greg helped Damian and I find shade to rest under, while we consumed a new recovery drink by Powerbar. It was really good, and I'm going to have to research the name and where its sold. We eventually joined our coaches and teammates who gathered at the finish line to cheer on those finishing the race. Everyone on my team completed the course. It was a great day for the San Diego TNT Tri Team!
My roommates and I returned to the cabin to clean up and get ready for the TNT Victory Party that evening. While I waited for my turn in the shower, I went down to the river for a relaxing swim. Its kind of odd to casually swim after training with such intensity these many months. I also spent a few minutes in the hot tub just letting the warm water ease all of the muscle aches and tension. I had entered that post-race phase of amazement...and delirious goofiness. Coach Trent's funny saying was correct...the hay was in the barn. Haaay! I just completed a half ironman race!
My overall time at Vineman was 6:10:05. That's quite a bit faster than my projected 6:30:00. Completing this race is a huge achievement for me. Its something that I dreamed about doing for a long time, and then I trained many months in preparation. Reaching this goal and this level in the sport not only has physical significance, there's also some emotional and philosophical meanings for me. My thoughts and emotions are jumbled right now, yet I'll post more once I sort through the significance. I also have pictures to share, which I'll post later this week. For now, I need some rest and recovery time. I'll be in touch soon!
G
Saturday, July 21, 2007
MoMo's B-Day - 2 Days before Vineman
Friday was my rest day...sort of. My cabin roommates and I had invited the TNT half-team over to the cabin for a bbq in the evening, so a good part of the day was spent preparing for the festivities. Also, Friday was MoMo's birthday, and several of us made plans to surprise her with cake, ice cream, flowers and make much fuss over her special day.
MoMo was flying into Oakland Friday morning and then driving to Guerneville in a rental car. I was expecting her to arrive at the cabin around 1pm. My cell phone doesn't have reliable reception in Guerneville, so I've been a bit out of touch with my family, friends and team since I've been up here. About 1:30pm, Paul received a call on his cell...he seems to be the only one with good reception up here. I was in the kitchen while Paul answered the call on the patio, yet I could still hear excited MoMo's voice.
Evidently, MoMo arrived at the Oakland airport and went to the car rental place and was informed that they couldn't rent her a car because her driver's license expired yesterday...happy birthday, MoMo! The woman at the rental counter advised that MoMo could go to DMV to get a license renewal and then return for the car. It was MoMo's good fortune that Coach Trent happened to be at the car rental office at the same time, and recognizing MoMo, he stepped in to offer to give her a ride to the DMV. Now, my experience at the DMV over the years has taught me to avoid going to the DMV unless you have an appointment or don't mind wasting the better part of your day waiting for your number to be called. MoMo was able to get a ride to the DMV office in Oakland, apply for her license renewal, wait in line, obtain her renewal, and return to the car rental office in 2 hours. I'm amazed! When MoMo arrived at the cabin around 3pm, she was excited to share her story while we ate a late lunch. With her story told, she seemed to relax and then announced that she needed a nap. MoMo went to the back bedroom, and we didn't see her again until bbq time :)
While MoMo napped, we had two other groups of visitors arrive. Paul's mom and niece came over for the afternoon and evening, and Ryan D, Alana, and Nelson came over to drop Greg off at the cabin. Everyone was pretty impressed with the cabin and took unguided tours...I was busy in the kitchen still. At some point, Ryan D came out and announced that MoMo is solidly out :)
Well, the bbq went totally smooth. Greg was on the grill, Paul had drinks covered, and I kept the sides filled. It was so much fun to see my teammates relax and enjoy the time, the company, the food and the cabin's amenities. We had people in the kayaks, in the hot tub and resting on the patio. It was a well behaved fun group who cleaned up and left at an early hour, so I don't think we alarmed the neighbors...too much. I counted 22 people in attendance, and my mentor, Derrick, with his accomplice, Rob decided to go get a couple cases of beer...so glad the property management didn't decide to drop in on us!
After our dinner guests left, Paul, Greg, MoMo and I finished clearing up the kitchen and rearranging the cabin furniture, My roommates and I relaxed for a time on the patio, in the quiet, with candles glowing, and birthday cake remnants to finish. We decided to spend a little time doing yoga stretches, and then we turned in for the night. These are sweet times.
This morning I'm heading out for a short run, and then Paul, Greg and I will drive the entire bike course on our way to meet the team at the Expo. We plan to pick up race packets and set up our T2 areas this afternoon. Wow, we're really going to do this :)
G
MoMo was flying into Oakland Friday morning and then driving to Guerneville in a rental car. I was expecting her to arrive at the cabin around 1pm. My cell phone doesn't have reliable reception in Guerneville, so I've been a bit out of touch with my family, friends and team since I've been up here. About 1:30pm, Paul received a call on his cell...he seems to be the only one with good reception up here. I was in the kitchen while Paul answered the call on the patio, yet I could still hear excited MoMo's voice.
Evidently, MoMo arrived at the Oakland airport and went to the car rental place and was informed that they couldn't rent her a car because her driver's license expired yesterday...happy birthday, MoMo! The woman at the rental counter advised that MoMo could go to DMV to get a license renewal and then return for the car. It was MoMo's good fortune that Coach Trent happened to be at the car rental office at the same time, and recognizing MoMo, he stepped in to offer to give her a ride to the DMV. Now, my experience at the DMV over the years has taught me to avoid going to the DMV unless you have an appointment or don't mind wasting the better part of your day waiting for your number to be called. MoMo was able to get a ride to the DMV office in Oakland, apply for her license renewal, wait in line, obtain her renewal, and return to the car rental office in 2 hours. I'm amazed! When MoMo arrived at the cabin around 3pm, she was excited to share her story while we ate a late lunch. With her story told, she seemed to relax and then announced that she needed a nap. MoMo went to the back bedroom, and we didn't see her again until bbq time :)
While MoMo napped, we had two other groups of visitors arrive. Paul's mom and niece came over for the afternoon and evening, and Ryan D, Alana, and Nelson came over to drop Greg off at the cabin. Everyone was pretty impressed with the cabin and took unguided tours...I was busy in the kitchen still. At some point, Ryan D came out and announced that MoMo is solidly out :)
Well, the bbq went totally smooth. Greg was on the grill, Paul had drinks covered, and I kept the sides filled. It was so much fun to see my teammates relax and enjoy the time, the company, the food and the cabin's amenities. We had people in the kayaks, in the hot tub and resting on the patio. It was a well behaved fun group who cleaned up and left at an early hour, so I don't think we alarmed the neighbors...too much. I counted 22 people in attendance, and my mentor, Derrick, with his accomplice, Rob decided to go get a couple cases of beer...so glad the property management didn't decide to drop in on us!
After our dinner guests left, Paul, Greg, MoMo and I finished clearing up the kitchen and rearranging the cabin furniture, My roommates and I relaxed for a time on the patio, in the quiet, with candles glowing, and birthday cake remnants to finish. We decided to spend a little time doing yoga stretches, and then we turned in for the night. These are sweet times.
This morning I'm heading out for a short run, and then Paul, Greg and I will drive the entire bike course on our way to meet the team at the Expo. We plan to pick up race packets and set up our T2 areas this afternoon. Wow, we're really going to do this :)
G
Thursday, July 19, 2007
First Day in Guerneville - 3 Days Before Vineman
I met Paul A at his home this morning at 4am. We loaded his vehicle with bikes, gear and our luggage, and then, started the journey by 4:30am. "Vineman or bust"...we didn't actually have this painted on the windows of the vehicle, but we should have. The drive was smooth with little traffic and only a couple stops, once for breakfast and Starbucks, and the second for fuel and lunch. We pulled into Guerneville at 2:15pm.
Our cabin is located right on the Russian River, about 1 mile outside of "downtown" Guerneville, and its on a mysterious side road that Paul and I seem to miss and have to double back to each time we try to return to the cabin off of the main road. This cabin definitely has character, with a strong scent of a freshly burned wood fire and a kitchen about the size of my childhood closet. We wrestle with the old-fashioned door handles, struggling to fully unlatch and release the sticky knobs. The property management left a rule book that I perused, and then panicked when I read they only allow 2 day guests in addition to the 4 residents staying at the cabin. I had invited the entire team over for a bbq on Friday night...about 15 people have confirmed. I called the property management office and begged and pleaded with them, emphasizing that it was only dinner without alcohol and we would call it an early evening as we're all going to compete in Sunday's triathlon. The property management was hesitant, extremely leary, yet she agreed to allow our get together as long as we kept it quiet and closed down early. Whew!
Paul and I unloaded the vehicle, contacted our friends and family to advise them of our safe arrival, and then we headed down to the path to our private dock for a refreshing swim in the river. The water was a murky greenish yellow color, rich in algae nutrients...that's the explanation that I'm comfortable with. Visibility is about an arm's length. The water is reasonably cool, and it appeared and felt clean. We only swam in swimsuits this afternoon, not wanting to bother with the wetsuits. I think I would have been more comfortable temperature wise in my wetsuit...it was a little too cool for my taste...still spoiled by that Lavaman swim. The current was mild, almost negligible during our short swim. The water depth is shallow, going just about 2 feet above my head in the deepest part of the stream. We swam leisurely for about 20 minutes, and then we layed out on the dock to dry and relax in the sun. I could have fallen asleep at that point, except that Paul noted that we should probably clean up and search out our dinner...oh, dinner sounded good.
Paul arranged to meet his mom and neice for dinner at a grill located by a local golf course, and I was invited to join them. Always glad to meet the family of my friends. I also really enjoyed eating my plate of capellini pompodoro with chicken...delicious and the perfect carb-loading meal.
On the way back to the cabin, we stopped at the grocery store to pick up two absolute necessities...toilet paper and drinking water. We'll return for "intense" grocery shopping in the morning. We did that miss-the-street-and-double-back thing on our return to the cabin. We've now settled in for the night. We're expecting two of our teammates to show up to crash in the cabin tonight, yet it won't be until 10:30pm or later. I plan to be asleep by then, so I hope it isn't too much later.
Its been a long day, yet I'm glad to have made the trip to get here today. Family and friends called, emailed, and visited yesterday and today, checking on my preparations, sharing advice, wishing me a good race. I'm so grateful for their encouragement and support. I don't know if I could or would do this kind of event without sharing it with others, and I'm certain I wouldn't enjoy it as much if it wasn't for the smiles, cheers, pats on the back and commaradery. Taking this all in, I find that I'm not so nervous about the race. I'm actually looking forward to Sunday's catered training...thanks for the new perspective :)
G
Our cabin is located right on the Russian River, about 1 mile outside of "downtown" Guerneville, and its on a mysterious side road that Paul and I seem to miss and have to double back to each time we try to return to the cabin off of the main road. This cabin definitely has character, with a strong scent of a freshly burned wood fire and a kitchen about the size of my childhood closet. We wrestle with the old-fashioned door handles, struggling to fully unlatch and release the sticky knobs. The property management left a rule book that I perused, and then panicked when I read they only allow 2 day guests in addition to the 4 residents staying at the cabin. I had invited the entire team over for a bbq on Friday night...about 15 people have confirmed. I called the property management office and begged and pleaded with them, emphasizing that it was only dinner without alcohol and we would call it an early evening as we're all going to compete in Sunday's triathlon. The property management was hesitant, extremely leary, yet she agreed to allow our get together as long as we kept it quiet and closed down early. Whew!
Paul and I unloaded the vehicle, contacted our friends and family to advise them of our safe arrival, and then we headed down to the path to our private dock for a refreshing swim in the river. The water was a murky greenish yellow color, rich in algae nutrients...that's the explanation that I'm comfortable with. Visibility is about an arm's length. The water is reasonably cool, and it appeared and felt clean. We only swam in swimsuits this afternoon, not wanting to bother with the wetsuits. I think I would have been more comfortable temperature wise in my wetsuit...it was a little too cool for my taste...still spoiled by that Lavaman swim. The current was mild, almost negligible during our short swim. The water depth is shallow, going just about 2 feet above my head in the deepest part of the stream. We swam leisurely for about 20 minutes, and then we layed out on the dock to dry and relax in the sun. I could have fallen asleep at that point, except that Paul noted that we should probably clean up and search out our dinner...oh, dinner sounded good.
Paul arranged to meet his mom and neice for dinner at a grill located by a local golf course, and I was invited to join them. Always glad to meet the family of my friends. I also really enjoyed eating my plate of capellini pompodoro with chicken...delicious and the perfect carb-loading meal.
On the way back to the cabin, we stopped at the grocery store to pick up two absolute necessities...toilet paper and drinking water. We'll return for "intense" grocery shopping in the morning. We did that miss-the-street-and-double-back thing on our return to the cabin. We've now settled in for the night. We're expecting two of our teammates to show up to crash in the cabin tonight, yet it won't be until 10:30pm or later. I plan to be asleep by then, so I hope it isn't too much later.
Its been a long day, yet I'm glad to have made the trip to get here today. Family and friends called, emailed, and visited yesterday and today, checking on my preparations, sharing advice, wishing me a good race. I'm so grateful for their encouragement and support. I don't know if I could or would do this kind of event without sharing it with others, and I'm certain I wouldn't enjoy it as much if it wasn't for the smiles, cheers, pats on the back and commaradery. Taking this all in, I find that I'm not so nervous about the race. I'm actually looking forward to Sunday's catered training...thanks for the new perspective :)
G
Welcome to Guerneville!!!
After 9 hours 45 minutes of driving north, we're here at Guerneville, the site of the Vineman race start, my first half-ironman triathlon. Paul Anderson drove and was kind enough to let me co-pilot the roadtrip. We made great time with little traffic. What a small eccentric town! There are about 3 blocks of downtown...leisurely blink while driving, and you'll miss the town. The cabin is this little rustic wood-smelling cottage...completely adorable. It has a beautiful patio view overlooking the Russian River, and the patio is equipped with a hot tub, grill and a dining set...looking forward to tomorrow night's bbq. There is a little trail from the cabin that leads through the woods and blackberry bushes to a private dock on the river, equipped with two kayaks and a row boat. Its just gorgeous with redwoods along the river. The water is green, and the water temperature is close to 73 degrees. I'm guessing the air temp is close to 80 degrees this afternoon. After we get the car unloaded, we're heading out for a swim to get familiar with the river current and exercise our road weary bodies. Quick arrival post and more to follow this evening...
G
G
Monday, July 16, 2007
So How's That Taper Going?
Coach Trent asked this question with doubting arched eyebrows after yesterday's practice tri. Fact is, the taper is going great. I have way more energy and extra time this week than I've had in months! All of my laundry is finally caught up. I've been at home to cook dinner almost every night, so I'm eating well. I actually chatted with my parents over coffee this weekend, and I've touched base either by phone or in person with just about every friend that has accused me of being MIA these past couple months.
Also, I'm really excited about my conditioning, almost to the point of doing something crazy like signing up for...dare I say it?...an ironman. I ran approximately 10 miles one evening last week on the trails behind my home, a slow paced run, and about halfway into the workout it struck me that I wasn't tired, winded or hurting. This same run was such a challenge last summer, so its pretty darn satisfying to realize the improvement in my fitness...but I'm holding off on making the ironman commitment till after I finish Vineman and pending the level of post-race pain.
Yesterday's practice tri took place at Glorietta Bay in Coronado, CA. The swim was close to 300m in Navy Seal territory, followed by a 15-mile bike along the flat and windy strand (headwinds both directions...for real), and wrapping up with a-supposed-to-be 3-mile run (well, I ran passed the turn-around...I didn't know...so I was alone, lost on the island and wandering along the golf course for an extra mile or two). Still it felt good to push and get in a little transition practice.
I also attended Coach Gurujan's talk about the Vineman course yesterday. The key information that I walked away with was ice is your friend and the bike course roads are in bad condition...lots of flats. I'm so tempted to go purchase Kevlar tires this week before we make the trip up north, yet I keep hearing a whispering voice of caution, "Nothing new on race day." If I buy them tonight, and ride them tomorrow that means they wouldn't be new, right? Hmmm....still need to resolve this issue.
Well, the team's final prep meeting took place yesterday afternoon. I think we're all eager for the trip up to Guerneville and Santa Rosa. There was little talk of our race preparations, and quite a bit of convesation on social activities. We're pretty set on having fun regardless of the race, and that's a great place to be today...not sure if I can hold onto that frame of mind come race day :)
G
Also, I'm really excited about my conditioning, almost to the point of doing something crazy like signing up for...dare I say it?...an ironman. I ran approximately 10 miles one evening last week on the trails behind my home, a slow paced run, and about halfway into the workout it struck me that I wasn't tired, winded or hurting. This same run was such a challenge last summer, so its pretty darn satisfying to realize the improvement in my fitness...but I'm holding off on making the ironman commitment till after I finish Vineman and pending the level of post-race pain.
Yesterday's practice tri took place at Glorietta Bay in Coronado, CA. The swim was close to 300m in Navy Seal territory, followed by a 15-mile bike along the flat and windy strand (headwinds both directions...for real), and wrapping up with a-supposed-to-be 3-mile run (well, I ran passed the turn-around...I didn't know...so I was alone, lost on the island and wandering along the golf course for an extra mile or two). Still it felt good to push and get in a little transition practice.
I also attended Coach Gurujan's talk about the Vineman course yesterday. The key information that I walked away with was ice is your friend and the bike course roads are in bad condition...lots of flats. I'm so tempted to go purchase Kevlar tires this week before we make the trip up north, yet I keep hearing a whispering voice of caution, "Nothing new on race day." If I buy them tonight, and ride them tomorrow that means they wouldn't be new, right? Hmmm....still need to resolve this issue.
Well, the team's final prep meeting took place yesterday afternoon. I think we're all eager for the trip up to Guerneville and Santa Rosa. There was little talk of our race preparations, and quite a bit of convesation on social activities. We're pretty set on having fun regardless of the race, and that's a great place to be today...not sure if I can hold onto that frame of mind come race day :)
G
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Cramming
Vineman is two weeks from today! I'm a mix of nerves and excitement when I think about this. The fast approaching event kind of stirs me up to an old habit...cramming. This study technique was key to my passing several college exams, yet its probably one of the worst things I can do for my body now that we're so close to race day. My rational side is counselling that I'm conditioned to go the distances in all of the events...I've been training hard, long hours, and now its time to taper. I can't build or improve at this point, and any extreme exertion will only risk injury. However, my not so rational side is thinking, "Hmmm, I wonder how fast you're going to run 13 miles after the bike...maybe you ought to do a final full-distance brick." Truth is that I haven't gone the full distance in all three events in one day, so there's a question of how its all going to come together on July 22nd.
I counted this past week as my last full workout week. I ran 13 miles on Monday and Friday. I ran 5 miles and swam drills at the pool on Tuesday and Thursday. I lifted weights and did yoga once this week. I biked 72 miles on Wednesday, and then I did the Del Dios Brick workout on Saturday (30-mile bike and 4-mile run). I also met a teammate for an easy-paced 6-mile run this morning...my legs were pretty tired.
Today marks the beginning of my workout taper. The team has one workout scheduled for 5 days this week, shorter distances and times. Then, next Saturday is our full-transition practice...a taste of event day. I don't like to taper...sort of feels like I'm losing ground. Also, there's a growing level of anxiety...not necessarily the bad kind, but that building anticipation. Then too, I'm suddenly faced with lots of extra time on my hands...again, not such a bad thing because I have several projects that I'd like to finish at home while I also can use the time to get ready for my trip up north. I also have several friends that I've neglected during these past few weeks of intense training, so it might be a good opportunity to catch up with them. Then, there's work, and I'm going to try to get a bit ahead of schedule so there's no problem when I take a few days off for the triathlon week. You know, I'm now thinking these next couple weeks would be a lot simpler and easier if I could just ignore the rest of my life and cram several more workouts in before race day :)
I counted this past week as my last full workout week. I ran 13 miles on Monday and Friday. I ran 5 miles and swam drills at the pool on Tuesday and Thursday. I lifted weights and did yoga once this week. I biked 72 miles on Wednesday, and then I did the Del Dios Brick workout on Saturday (30-mile bike and 4-mile run). I also met a teammate for an easy-paced 6-mile run this morning...my legs were pretty tired.
Today marks the beginning of my workout taper. The team has one workout scheduled for 5 days this week, shorter distances and times. Then, next Saturday is our full-transition practice...a taste of event day. I don't like to taper...sort of feels like I'm losing ground. Also, there's a growing level of anxiety...not necessarily the bad kind, but that building anticipation. Then too, I'm suddenly faced with lots of extra time on my hands...again, not such a bad thing because I have several projects that I'd like to finish at home while I also can use the time to get ready for my trip up north. I also have several friends that I've neglected during these past few weeks of intense training, so it might be a good opportunity to catch up with them. Then, there's work, and I'm going to try to get a bit ahead of schedule so there's no problem when I take a few days off for the triathlon week. You know, I'm now thinking these next couple weeks would be a lot simpler and easier if I could just ignore the rest of my life and cram several more workouts in before race day :)
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Independence Day Ride
This was the reckoning ride...Encinitas to Couser Canyon on the 4th of July. I was joined by Derrick, Greg K, Jennifer, Richard, Greg B, and Arianne.
Within the first 3 miles of the route, I ended up with a flat tire..."Great! Here we go again." I quickly changed it, and made the extra effort to stay upbeat while stuffing that nagging memory of the last time on this route. The rest of the ride was flat-free for me, yet about half-way into the ride I opened my big mouth about not having any more flats, and just within seconds of the words passing my lips, I heard "POP"...Richard's back wheel. Greg K warned me about never again saying the "F-word" ("Flat") while on a ride. Sorry, Richard...I didn't know the rule.
I rode at a moderate pace, trying to stay in Zone 2 or less the entire workout. All worked well until I reached the 4-plus-mile hill on Couser Canyon Road. Throughout the duration of the hill, I fought an internal battle...I wanted to stay in my training zone, yet I also just wanted to hammer and be done with the darn hill. So, my ride up was really mixed...in the saddle...out of the saddle...high cadence...low cadence....push...rest...schizophrenic cycling. The only consistent thing was my body temperature...HOT!
The news predicted a heatwave with temps close to 110 degrees in east county for the day. Its going to be toasty at Vineman, so I sort of shrugged at the high temps as good training conditions. Fortunately, we had overcast skies until about noon, and even in the afternoon, I think the temp may have just barely reached the low 100s. Oh, it was HOT, yet we were spared severe heat. All of us consumed tons of water, electrolytes and salt tabs. We made stops at the gas station both on the way out and on the way in to refill our bottles. Later, Derrick reported that he tried to talk the young woman behind the cash register into letting him go into the back freezer to cool down; however, she wasn't having any sweaty unsupervised cyclists mingling that close to the Haagen Daz.
We took our sweet time about getting this route done, yet we all finished in time to clean and meet up with family and friends for fireworks. I was pretty exhausted as one should be after riding 75 miles in the heat, yet I felt good about the workout, and I didn't feel like I was totally spent...just sweetly satisfied with completing this route.
G
Within the first 3 miles of the route, I ended up with a flat tire..."Great! Here we go again." I quickly changed it, and made the extra effort to stay upbeat while stuffing that nagging memory of the last time on this route. The rest of the ride was flat-free for me, yet about half-way into the ride I opened my big mouth about not having any more flats, and just within seconds of the words passing my lips, I heard "POP"...Richard's back wheel. Greg K warned me about never again saying the "F-word" ("Flat") while on a ride. Sorry, Richard...I didn't know the rule.
I rode at a moderate pace, trying to stay in Zone 2 or less the entire workout. All worked well until I reached the 4-plus-mile hill on Couser Canyon Road. Throughout the duration of the hill, I fought an internal battle...I wanted to stay in my training zone, yet I also just wanted to hammer and be done with the darn hill. So, my ride up was really mixed...in the saddle...out of the saddle...high cadence...low cadence....push...rest...schizophrenic cycling. The only consistent thing was my body temperature...HOT!
The news predicted a heatwave with temps close to 110 degrees in east county for the day. Its going to be toasty at Vineman, so I sort of shrugged at the high temps as good training conditions. Fortunately, we had overcast skies until about noon, and even in the afternoon, I think the temp may have just barely reached the low 100s. Oh, it was HOT, yet we were spared severe heat. All of us consumed tons of water, electrolytes and salt tabs. We made stops at the gas station both on the way out and on the way in to refill our bottles. Later, Derrick reported that he tried to talk the young woman behind the cash register into letting him go into the back freezer to cool down; however, she wasn't having any sweaty unsupervised cyclists mingling that close to the Haagen Daz.
We took our sweet time about getting this route done, yet we all finished in time to clean and meet up with family and friends for fireworks. I was pretty exhausted as one should be after riding 75 miles in the heat, yet I felt good about the workout, and I didn't feel like I was totally spent...just sweetly satisfied with completing this route.
G
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