Roi-Nomore

It would be nice to be back in the South Pacific Island of Roi-Namur right now. The cold weather here in Virginia is getting old, it hasn't been brutal just a consistent 30 degrees. I cannot get the real training of a good long bike ride, I tried the other day and just about froze my face off. In that frozen process, I would just reminisce about having that beach up above all to myself. Those were the days, actually seven years of pretty much a paid vacation.

Well that is no more and I'm starting to get in the grove of training 6 days a week. Like I said, went on 2 bike rides 11 miles each, poor performance average almost 17MPH. Not where I really want to be and the bike trainer doesn't seem to be working for me. I'm gradually starting to increase my running mileage, did a couple of 10k's training runs and for this month will try to get up to 8 miles and then 10 miles for March. For today, my 5k time was 24:14 and I felt pretty good and could have really gotten the time down into the 23's if I wanted. That Under Amour shirt really kept me warm and I don't mind running in the cold. Stretch Stretch Stretch, I have to start to stretch more. Get that laziness out of my butt, cannot afford any injury that's for sure. Well March 21st 8k is just around the corner and my April and May are loaded with races. The time has now come and a order of Sirloin and Shrimp from Ruby Tuesday is in the works, OUT.

Im Back 1-28-09

Well I'm back at it again, in my quest to complete a triathlon. Well the last couple of months they were many ups and downs. One of the ups was my finish of my second duathlon of the year, the Hagerstown Duathlon . I came in 1st for my age group, although I struggled on my bike portion of the event. Like the first Duathlon, my right calf muscle cramped up right at the end of the bike race. Thank god it is always at the end and I'm right at the transition area. I was surprised after that cramp I could finish the last 5k in 23+ minutes. Im planning on to do this event again in April and maybe do there Triathlon this summer if Im ready.



I also discovered trail racing during the end of last year, running in the Medoc 10 miler, Tobacco 10 miler and the Bear Creek 10 miler. The first 2 events were in North Carolina and the last one was located at Bear Creek State Park in Virginia. The Medoc race also had a Marathon to go along with the 10 miler and the event was held for the first time and was very well run. I love my long sleeve race shirt and was very happy with my performance in my first trail run. Now for the Tobacco 10 miler, well I would not consider this a trail race. The trail was wide like a road, there were no hills, and the dirt was compacted like you were on a hard top. I did achieve my goal of finishing it under 1:25:00. OK the Bear Creek 10 miler, I went in thinking that it would be similiar to the Medoc. HAHAHA, first of all there was snow on the ground from the previous night. Then no one told me I would have to cross over all those creeks, streams, navigating on the rocks to get across. First mile, first stream, first foot in the water, first time I could not feel my right foot. You have to go out 5 miles and then return the same way, at the turnaround point, they have a table with cookies and hot drinks. I ran with a group pretty much up into the turnaround, then they stopped and enjoyed the refreshments. Now I was on my own, except for the runners the I crossed paths with who were still trying to get to the half way point. I never realized all those hills during the first 5 miles, I got to really now them on the way back. I have to say I walked up every one of them and even though I did, I think I only got passed by one runner on the way back. At the end I was just happy to finish. The one thing I learned about trail races, guys will walk like a 1/2 mile into the woods and pee and ladies will like walk 10 feet of the main road by a bunch of houses and squat.



Here was some of downs, well I stopped my swim training in September after I went on the cruise from hell. My performance in the VA beach Rock n Roll half marathon, the previous year I completed it in 1:56:00 and then 2008 was 2:13:15. Well leading up to it I think the most distance I ran in training was like 8 miles once and the 9 miles once. Now for the Richmond half marathon, that one is hard to explain because I was running those 10 mile trail races and doing at a 8:30 mile pace. So how I finished the Richmond half at 2:16:30 is kind of a mystery, after the first mile I new I was in trouble. I just felt drained, I can only think that the previous week's trail run called the Blue Ridge Burn 10k took too much out of me.



Also I have failed to meet my goal of a time below 23 minutes in a 5k, I came close in Miami in Dec 2007 at 23:09, there was plenty of incentives of trying to keep up in that race. I was getting close to it recently in training getting into the 23:20 etc. but I caught a cold and at my age, missing a couple of weeks puts you back a couple of months. So its now time to go ahead and go hard, I got a trainer for my bike, Im going to join a local community center with a pool, and Im not that bad of shape, can do 5k in 25:00. I have my next race 8k in VA beach on March 21st and 2 Duathlons in April, a Half Marathon in May (the last race for me in the 40-44 age division) and of course the attempt of a triathlon in June with open swim of just 250 yards. I will also try another tri in August again with a swim of 250 yards. So its easy to write about it, now its time to put in the work and I still have my friend E Robb training right beside me God Bless

10K Saturday 9, 2008

Drove the 3 hours to Roanoke Friday night and stayed at the Extended Stay by the airport. I figured I would run a 10K this weekend in preparation for the RocknRoll half marathon later this month in Va Beach. Of course I signed up for the 1/2 marathon months ago, like 9 months ago and at that time had no intentions of the triathlon I will be doing 6 days later. Last year I finished the 1/2 marathon in 1:56, and prior to that had trained and ran 13 miles a couple times. This year I have yet to run up to 8 miles, so I need to get in gear.

Saturday was just a perfect morning for running, there were about 250 runners for both events a 5 & 10k. The race took place in Salem, I think at Longwood park. The gun went off and here we go, I was feeling pretty good up until it was time for the 5k ers had there turn around. As we approach that, it seemed to me I was the only one who kept going straight. I looked ahead and the next runner was like 200 yards away, so it was time to go to plan P, tuned into Pink Floyd's Run like Hell. And for the next 47.5 seconds plan P had worked to perfection, until I layed my eyes on what seemed to be the longest steepest hill I have set my eyes on. Now my mind is wondering back to my high school algebra class and trying to come up with the formula to the shortest point to get my ass back to my car. In the end I passed more people then passed me (started dead last) and I beat my 10K results 2 weeks ago by 4 minutes.

After the race I headed out to Mount Rogers and that place seemed like it would be a good place for a weekend trip and some Mountain Biking. Total for that Saturday : 13 hours of driving and 450 miles on the round.

Cake Mistake, August 7, 2008

Woke up this morning early 11AM, and headed to the mall to GNC to get my discount. Of course I could not find my membership card, so organized I am. Believe me Ukrop's and BJ'S Wholesale's customer services know me by my first name, here he comes again for another card. Well the GNC guy looked me up on the computer and I got my sup's and headed to get some breakfast. MMMMMMMMMMM Sbarro's, I'm a pretty big fan of same, since the days of living in Kuwait. Had a slice of cheese pizza and a slice of chocolate cake and then headed home for a training session.

My first, a milestone in the making, the bike and run combination. Took off blazing on the bike, as always for the first 6 miles, and then lets say, I completed the last 6 miles. The result, not to bad a 17.6 mile pace, drop the bike off on the back yard ramp, made the transition to elite biker to pathetic runner. Took a sip of G2 and headed off on that milestone journey. As the journey began I had forgot one thing, OHH I mean two important things and that were my legs. As I was running, or attempting to run, I just could not come across where I left them and furthermore at the 1/2 mile mark, I was beginning to remember where I placed another item. What could that be, nothing but that infamous chocolate cake and it wanted to leave my body right in front of my tanning salon. Some how I was able to keep it at bay, well at the least at the 3/4 mark of my throat and dispelled the notion to all those teenagers at the salon that I was in full blown midlife crisis. Before you know it, the first mile was done, and the result a 9 minute mile, better than expected and I continued to just stay on that pace for the next two.

Conclusion, stay away from chocolate cake, the bike to run is going to take some time to get use to.

What a day Aug 6, 2008

1st Tri Sept 6,2008

Well got up this morning and decided to go on a 6.2 run before it got to hot. Felt pretty good, considering 2 weeks ago at a 10k race up in DC, I really struggled. I just took it easy this morning and had a pace a little under 9 minutes a mile. So it was around 56 minutes, hard to believe just around this time last year I was doing it around 48 minutes.

After the run I decided to drive to Yorktown Beach and attempt to do an outside open water swim, all this talk on blogs and forums saying how much difference it is from the pool, Yea right. Since I have had a problem getting that breathing technique down, I decided (well Monday I saw I guy at the YMCA pool have a mask and snorkel on) to try it for myself. I surely can now go that 500 meters without stopping, instead of that 100 rest, to 50 rest, to 25 meters rest (out of breathe) intervals. Houston we have a problem, well the first 50 meters were fine, the next 50 not so fine, I was out of breathe and tired, how could this be, I was breathing nice and slowly out of the snorkel. I guess I'm just not in swimming shape, I mean it only like my 6 or 7 training session, but for me progress is pretty slow. This should translate into YMCU at the YMCA pool every morning.

Oh I almost forgot, the yea right comment, it's true, it's true, I was waiting for the Yorktown Police Dept, to breathalyze me when I came out of the water. The people on the beach thought I was playing charades, OK first letter is L, I could not swim 15 meters straight. I'm telling you, I was doing 90 degree turns, and the water was calm. I know I have a lot of work to do when it comes to swimming. This was a wake up call for the open water swim, I'm going to try to actually go to an Tri event next week to see the real deal..

Tomorrow some more swimming and biking