Success!
A year of training, over 3700 miles covered by bike, foot, and speedo, and 13 hours of working out in the desert, I am an Ironman. I finished the Ford Ironman Arizona Sunday November 21 in a time of 13:02:27. Finishing the 2.4 mile swim portion in 59:10, the 112 mile bike portion in 6:37:03, the 26.2 mile run in 5:05:57, with my transitions accounting for the difference. I am very thankful for everyone who came out to watch me tackle this task, each cheering spectator, and every encouraging word offered. I'm going to break down my thoughts on the race as a whole and each part over the next few days, but for now...
Miles Covered:
Swimming : 2.4
Biking: 112
Running: 26.2
Mission Accomplished
Monday, November 29, 2010
Saturday, November 6, 2010
#205
That's my number ball and chain.
Two weeks to go sports fans. Two weeks until an entire year's worth of training is boiled down into a dozen or so hours of racing. Two weeks until I'm an Ironman, and as the inimitable Tom Petty once said, 'The waiting is the hardest part." I'm physically ready, I've got my affairs mostly in order, but this is still a little terrifying.
In other news my partner in crime Greg VanVolkenburg and myself crushed a century ride this weekend. There are days when you just don't have it, and the workout can become a mental liability and cause you to doubt your ability to even finish half of what we're asking ourselves to do. And then there are workouts like the one we did on Friday morning. The weather was beautiful (if a bit blustery) and our spirits were high from mile 1 to mile 100 (ok maybe from mile 20 when we started feeling our fingers again). I got off the bike with a ton of confidence, and as it was the last real-long ride I'll get in before the race (I have to turn my bike in to tribike transport Friday) it was a great way to cap off the serious bike training. Also this weekend we learned that Tempe Town Lake has been refilled and reopened to the public. Amazing news because, despite my slacking off in the swimming department, I plan on giving myself quite a time-cushion in the first leg. I've also decided to participate in "No-shave" November (also known as Movember in some circles) in order to raise awareness for Prostate cancer (read: to grow facial hair without Jackie being able to get too angry). The progress is slow and patchy, but I love it. So at the finish line look for the Forrest Gump look-a-like, "I'm pretty tired, think I'm gonna go home now".
The time is now, now is the time.
Miles covered so far:
Swimming: 108.85
Running: 644.31
Biking: 2922.41
Two weeks to go sports fans. Two weeks until an entire year's worth of training is boiled down into a dozen or so hours of racing. Two weeks until I'm an Ironman, and as the inimitable Tom Petty once said, 'The waiting is the hardest part." I'm physically ready, I've got my affairs mostly in order, but this is still a little terrifying.
In other news my partner in crime Greg VanVolkenburg and myself crushed a century ride this weekend. There are days when you just don't have it, and the workout can become a mental liability and cause you to doubt your ability to even finish half of what we're asking ourselves to do. And then there are workouts like the one we did on Friday morning. The weather was beautiful (if a bit blustery) and our spirits were high from mile 1 to mile 100 (ok maybe from mile 20 when we started feeling our fingers again). I got off the bike with a ton of confidence, and as it was the last real-long ride I'll get in before the race (I have to turn my bike in to tribike transport Friday) it was a great way to cap off the serious bike training. Also this weekend we learned that Tempe Town Lake has been refilled and reopened to the public. Amazing news because, despite my slacking off in the swimming department, I plan on giving myself quite a time-cushion in the first leg. I've also decided to participate in "No-shave" November (also known as Movember in some circles) in order to raise awareness for Prostate cancer (read: to grow facial hair without Jackie being able to get too angry). The progress is slow and patchy, but I love it. So at the finish line look for the Forrest Gump look-a-like, "I'm pretty tired, think I'm gonna go home now".
The time is now, now is the time.
Miles covered so far:
Swimming: 108.85
Running: 644.31
Biking: 2922.41
Thursday, October 7, 2010
The Good, The Bad, and The October
The Good
Check this shit out:
Yup. That's the weather for the next 10 days here in Houston, and it's been like this the past 10 days, and most likely will be like this for the foreseeable future (if foreseeable future means until December). Weather like this makes training easy. Here's a scene from "Rob's Ironman Training Adventures." (working title, open to suggestions).
(Our hero returns home from an 8-ish hour work day, his energy level is low, his feet are dragging and his back is stooped as he walks through the door and up the stairs to his room.)
"Man that was a looooooong day" He thinks to himself, "Do I really want to train today? 2-3 hours of isolation and punishment sound a bit much..."
(Opens the curtains and the sunshine blinds the screen for a second before revealing a Utopian world of cloudless skies and smiling faces, music pipes in from a passing car "It's a beautiful morning" by the Rascals, odd because it is actually evening, but just go with it. Our hero's face brightens)
"Absolutely!"
It's kind of like that right now.
The Bad
The changing weather is also a sign of the changing seasons. Houston has seasons? Kind of... Here's a quick rundown of Houston's seasons and corresponding months.
Mid-February to Late May - Awesome
Late May to Late September - Hell, also Hurricane
Late September to Mid December - Awesome
Mid December to Mid February - Slightly less Awesome
But, I digress. With the changing seasons the days get shorter and the sun sets a little bit earlier every day. This is bad for two reasons, number one training in the dark is obviously less than ideal, number two Houston drivers do not drive better at night. I've got lights for my bike, and a reflective vest to run in, but these are not helpful when posted signs are completely ignored.
And, I'm not talking about the stupid "Share the Road" or "Bikes are Vehicles Too" signs which only infuriate Houston drivers more by informing them they may encounter a biker in their frantic race against nobody to get to wherever they are headed. So they are primed when they pass me. Nope, not those signs, I'm talking about the important ones. The signs that say "Stop" or "Yield" or "No Turns", in all the fancy shapes they come in. I'm half convinced Houston motorists cannot read, or at least don't know the meanings of these words. So I'm here to help with a handy guide to street signs.
STOP - these signs are everywhere it seems, totally getting between you and your all you can eat fajita buffet (I'd be in a hurry too if that's where I was going, totally understandable). But, they're also important. They are red with white lettering telling you what to do. Can't read? This guide won't be much help to you then, but the clever road sign makers have you covered, they are also octagon shaped, and they're the only signs out there shaped this way. So if you come across a red Octagon stop moving. Don't know what an Octagon is? It's got 8 sides and looks like a pointy circle.
Yield - This one is like a Stop sign, but not. So I can see where the confusion lies. Plus, the word "yield" you probably don't use in everyday conversation. Argggh what does it mean? Well I'll tell you what it means. It means be cautious because you're about to enter another roadway, and you don't have the right of way. Outrageous isn't it? That you wouldn't have the right of way, but it's true. So your ass needs to be sure no one is in the lane you're entering before you enter it. Don't blindly drive straight through the ting at speed, because as long as you're going the same speed as the other traffic you'll be ok, or if they hit you it's their fault, or because I'm on a god damned bike! I still have the right of way, Toyota Camry! Your half ass apologies at the red light that you barely made don't make up for the fact that you almost hit me going 45 mph in your car. Can't read? that doesn't surprise me because you are an idiot, it's an upside down triangle with a word that starts with the letter Y (the chromosome you lacked by the way). Don't know what a triangle is? Get off of the road. Mentally retarded people know what triangles are, all of them do. So next time you're blowing through that yield sign merging from Memorial to Waugh just take a teensy weensy peek in the direction of oncoming traffic and then try to resist the urge to hit whatever you may see with your car. Idiot.
NO TURNS - This one is more of a bother for me when I'm running than anything else. And really these sometimes don't even have words (just like your favorite books). Just a pictograph of what you can't do, turn left. So don't do it, and don't look pissed at me when you do and have to stop short because I'm running through that intersection and you're dumb. Sorry to embarrass you by stopping and pointing at the sign that forbids what you are in the middle of doing, actually no I am not.
With that guide you should be on your way to better driving, for more guides to better driving look for the bestsellers "Stop at Red lights", "Turn Signals; Their purpose and how-to guide" and "There's a completely wide open left lane on this road, who knew?"
The October
October is here, and the training has stepped up accordingly. A little over a month until the competition, and I really wish it was sooner. 10 months of serious training have me ready to go, so let's get this thing over with already.
Miles I've covered so far:
Check this shit out:
Yup. That's the weather for the next 10 days here in Houston, and it's been like this the past 10 days, and most likely will be like this for the foreseeable future (if foreseeable future means until December). Weather like this makes training easy. Here's a scene from "Rob's Ironman Training Adventures." (working title, open to suggestions).(Our hero returns home from an 8-ish hour work day, his energy level is low, his feet are dragging and his back is stooped as he walks through the door and up the stairs to his room.)
"Man that was a looooooong day" He thinks to himself, "Do I really want to train today? 2-3 hours of isolation and punishment sound a bit much..."
(Opens the curtains and the sunshine blinds the screen for a second before revealing a Utopian world of cloudless skies and smiling faces, music pipes in from a passing car "It's a beautiful morning" by the Rascals, odd because it is actually evening, but just go with it. Our hero's face brightens)
"Absolutely!"
It's kind of like that right now.
The Bad
The changing weather is also a sign of the changing seasons. Houston has seasons? Kind of... Here's a quick rundown of Houston's seasons and corresponding months.
Mid-February to Late May - Awesome
Late May to Late September - Hell, also Hurricane
Late September to Mid December - Awesome
Mid December to Mid February - Slightly less Awesome
But, I digress. With the changing seasons the days get shorter and the sun sets a little bit earlier every day. This is bad for two reasons, number one training in the dark is obviously less than ideal, number two Houston drivers do not drive better at night. I've got lights for my bike, and a reflective vest to run in, but these are not helpful when posted signs are completely ignored.
And, I'm not talking about the stupid "Share the Road" or "Bikes are Vehicles Too" signs which only infuriate Houston drivers more by informing them they may encounter a biker in their frantic race against nobody to get to wherever they are headed. So they are primed when they pass me. Nope, not those signs, I'm talking about the important ones. The signs that say "Stop" or "Yield" or "No Turns", in all the fancy shapes they come in. I'm half convinced Houston motorists cannot read, or at least don't know the meanings of these words. So I'm here to help with a handy guide to street signs.
STOP - these signs are everywhere it seems, totally getting between you and your all you can eat fajita buffet (I'd be in a hurry too if that's where I was going, totally understandable). But, they're also important. They are red with white lettering telling you what to do. Can't read? This guide won't be much help to you then, but the clever road sign makers have you covered, they are also octagon shaped, and they're the only signs out there shaped this way. So if you come across a red Octagon stop moving. Don't know what an Octagon is? It's got 8 sides and looks like a pointy circle.
Yield - This one is like a Stop sign, but not. So I can see where the confusion lies. Plus, the word "yield" you probably don't use in everyday conversation. Argggh what does it mean? Well I'll tell you what it means. It means be cautious because you're about to enter another roadway, and you don't have the right of way. Outrageous isn't it? That you wouldn't have the right of way, but it's true. So your ass needs to be sure no one is in the lane you're entering before you enter it. Don't blindly drive straight through the ting at speed, because as long as you're going the same speed as the other traffic you'll be ok, or if they hit you it's their fault, or because I'm on a god damned bike! I still have the right of way, Toyota Camry! Your half ass apologies at the red light that you barely made don't make up for the fact that you almost hit me going 45 mph in your car. Can't read? that doesn't surprise me because you are an idiot, it's an upside down triangle with a word that starts with the letter Y (the chromosome you lacked by the way). Don't know what a triangle is? Get off of the road. Mentally retarded people know what triangles are, all of them do. So next time you're blowing through that yield sign merging from Memorial to Waugh just take a teensy weensy peek in the direction of oncoming traffic and then try to resist the urge to hit whatever you may see with your car. Idiot.
NO TURNS - This one is more of a bother for me when I'm running than anything else. And really these sometimes don't even have words (just like your favorite books). Just a pictograph of what you can't do, turn left. So don't do it, and don't look pissed at me when you do and have to stop short because I'm running through that intersection and you're dumb. Sorry to embarrass you by stopping and pointing at the sign that forbids what you are in the middle of doing, actually no I am not.
With that guide you should be on your way to better driving, for more guides to better driving look for the bestsellers "Stop at Red lights", "Turn Signals; Their purpose and how-to guide" and "There's a completely wide open left lane on this road, who knew?"
The October
October is here, and the training has stepped up accordingly. A little over a month until the competition, and I really wish it was sooner. 10 months of serious training have me ready to go, so let's get this thing over with already.
Miles I've covered so far:
Swimming: 95.35
Biking: 2361.41
Running: 553.41
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
September?
Two posts in two weeks, what's going on here? A Lot.
Last weekend kicked off a whirlwind autumn that culminates, hopefully, in ironman glory. It was Jackie's birthday last weekend, and we celebrated in grand style. Wednesday trivia as usual, Thursday a trip to the Continental Club (my first, but certainly not my last), Friday getting lied to by the Internet and winding up at the Porch Swing, and Saturday dining in style at Brennan's (One of the top ten meals I've ever tasted) and finishing up the night at Nouveau Antique Art Bar. I managed to get some decent work in during the weekend despite the distractions, and I only hope I'm as lucky moving forward. Here's a glance of what's going on the next three months.
Sept. 5th - Jaryd and Lindsay's Wedding - Ocean City, NJ
Sept. 10th - Tubing - New Braunfels, TX
Sept. 17th - Vegas with Jackie
Sept. 22nd - The Black Keys
Oct. 2nd - Daniel Tosh
Oct. 9th - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Oct. 16th - New Orleans Bachelor Party
Oct. 23rd - Tobe and Jo's Wedding - Raleigh, NC
Oct. 29th - Interpol
Oct. 30th - Halloween
Nov. 13th - Matt and Staci's Wedding - Here in Houston
Nov. 18th - Leave for the Ironman
Nov. 21st - Complete Quest for Ironmandom
Whew, but not to worry most of those weekends I'll be in Houston and training hard. I'll just be having a ton of fun as well. Also anyone in the Houston area looking for a DD you can contact Greg VanVolkenburg, as my partner in Ironman-crime has gone dry until after the event. Except for the wedding that happens the week before apparently...
Miles Covered So Far:
Swimming: 83.55
Running: 466.41
Biking: 1957.41
Last weekend kicked off a whirlwind autumn that culminates, hopefully, in ironman glory. It was Jackie's birthday last weekend, and we celebrated in grand style. Wednesday trivia as usual, Thursday a trip to the Continental Club (my first, but certainly not my last), Friday getting lied to by the Internet and winding up at the Porch Swing, and Saturday dining in style at Brennan's (One of the top ten meals I've ever tasted) and finishing up the night at Nouveau Antique Art Bar. I managed to get some decent work in during the weekend despite the distractions, and I only hope I'm as lucky moving forward. Here's a glance of what's going on the next three months.
Sept. 5th - Jaryd and Lindsay's Wedding - Ocean City, NJ
Sept. 10th - Tubing - New Braunfels, TX
Sept. 17th - Vegas with Jackie
Sept. 22nd - The Black Keys
Oct. 2nd - Daniel Tosh
Oct. 9th - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Oct. 16th - New Orleans Bachelor Party
Oct. 23rd - Tobe and Jo's Wedding - Raleigh, NC
Oct. 29th - Interpol
Oct. 30th - Halloween
Nov. 13th - Matt and Staci's Wedding - Here in Houston
Nov. 18th - Leave for the Ironman
Nov. 21st - Complete Quest for Ironmandom
Whew, but not to worry most of those weekends I'll be in Houston and training hard. I'll just be having a ton of fun as well. Also anyone in the Houston area looking for a DD you can contact Greg VanVolkenburg, as my partner in Ironman-crime has gone dry until after the event. Except for the wedding that happens the week before apparently...
Miles Covered So Far:
Swimming: 83.55
Running: 466.41
Biking: 1957.41
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Blood in the Water
It has been a little over 4 years since I stepped up to blocks for the last time. A little over 4 years since my competitive swimming career came to an end. Not an abrupt end, nor an unforeseen end, but a logical conclusion to a campaign spanning a decade and a half of swimming. Starting with 1 lap in early June and ending with 66 in late February 15 years later it was not so suddenly over. The next morning wasn't the beginning of yet another off season, it was the beginning of THE off season. No more cramped locker rooms, no more 4-5 hour bus rides, no more 5 am wake-up calls, no more Saturday morning sessions, no more training, no more competing.
But the competitive fire doesn't switch off quite as easily, and I found myself training, and racing again. Competition is inherent to all of us, and there is really only one reason that I can see; overtaking another competitor. There are few feelings that rival overtaking someone. Whether you are training or racing, in that moment when you realize you're gaining ground on the person ahead of you, nothing else matters, you need to catch them. The pursuit is gripping, I've run extra miles chasing someone down, and stopped talking mid-sentence to mount an attack on another group of bikers. It's primal, it's the hunt, you can smell the blood in the water, and you care about little else.
Three months to go, I hope I'm the Shark.
Miles Covered So Far:
Biking: 1839.41
Swimming: 79.75
Running: 441.64
But the competitive fire doesn't switch off quite as easily, and I found myself training, and racing again. Competition is inherent to all of us, and there is really only one reason that I can see; overtaking another competitor. There are few feelings that rival overtaking someone. Whether you are training or racing, in that moment when you realize you're gaining ground on the person ahead of you, nothing else matters, you need to catch them. The pursuit is gripping, I've run extra miles chasing someone down, and stopped talking mid-sentence to mount an attack on another group of bikers. It's primal, it's the hunt, you can smell the blood in the water, and you care about little else.
Three months to go, I hope I'm the Shark.
Miles Covered So Far:
Biking: 1839.41
Swimming: 79.75
Running: 441.64
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Survival Guide: Houston Summer
Nearly three and a half years ago I moved from Central Pennsylvania to the quaint metropolis of Houston, Texas. It was during the month of March, the weather was perfect, blue skies, 70 degree weather, rarely a drop of rain, and I thought I had moved to paradise. Then March turned into April and April turned into May, and slowly my paradise became a sticky, oppressive, concrete broiler. My first taste of summer in Houston was a wet hot mess. Heat and humidity and relatively unpredictable storms make training for anything more physical than a chess tournament a tall task. This summer is no exception, with rain stealing weeks of training and the heat reaching record highs once the rain subsides, it's tough out there. I've been through 3 previous summers, training for various events, and I'm using lessons learned from those trials (by fire) to keep my training on track. The following is a short, but hopefully helpful, list of tips to survive the Houston summers.
- Stay Hydrated - This doesn't mean simply water, as you train you'll lose vital electrolytes such as sodium and potassium to sweat as well. Sports drinks can help you replenish those as well as many of your favorite beverages.
- Train Early in the Morning- And...
- Train Late at Night- Pretty much avoiding this part of the day is key..
- Train Indoors - Treadmills and Stationary bikes suck, but they are occasionally necessary, and sometimes fun.
- Swim - 71.11% of the Earth is covered in water, and if those dirty hippies are right that number is only going to increase. So stay cool and prep for the inevitable future.
- Use Common Sense - It's triple digits out there, but your mug is frosty. You can always run tomorrow...
Miles Covered So Far:
Swimming: 73.75
Biking: 1580.3
Running: 398.64
Monday, July 12, 2010
Things I Hate (Ironman Training Edition), volume 1
Finished a big ride this past weekend, an 89 mile test of wills Saturday morning, down nearly to Galveston and back again. Little John and G-money as my wing men we braved the dawn, the third ward, and Southeast Texas driving skills to make it 42.5 miles from home (Rice Village's Gingerman actually) and back again, but the true culprit was nutrition. Each one of us ,none of us properly prepared for the rigors of such a distance, fell victim to the slightly uphill and into-the-wind return ride from the coast on a literally and figuratively empty tank. Subway at mile 60 gave us the juice to power home, and a chance to reflect on the now shockingly apparent need for fuel during the ride. Reflecting on the endeavor it was a good ride, and honestly more enjoyable than the 56 mile bore-athon I endured in the half-ironman, but it also served to get me riled up about a few of the things that infuriate me during training. So without any more fanfare here's the list of Things I Hate (Ironman Training Edition) volume 1:
- Houston Motorists- It is hard enough driving around this city of motorized lunatics, but biking around town can be downright terrifying. The worst offenders? SUV's. For whatever reason SUV drivers are always in a hurry, their vehicles are big but they don't seem to realize it, and the prospect of waiting 15 more seconds to turn into their church's parking lot is always less appealing than nearly killing a cyclist.
- Houston Roads- Not surprisingly the top two both deal with cycling. The section of training that every triathlete is at their most vulnerable. Houston's roads are occasionally wonderful, but those occasions are few and far between. The majority of the non-freeway surfaces are a tire popping menagerie of narrow-shouldered pothole ridden asphalt and concrete patchwork with tire-sized cracks and uneven slabs keeping one on his toes.
- Houston Sidewalks- Sometimes just stop, sometimes they are woefully overgrown with weeds, normally they are covered in mud or water or both, and rarely are they even. I'd go so far as to say the sidewalks are worse than the streets, which is incredible when you think about the pitiful lack of soles they carry day to day. The only reason roads is listed first is, despite the fact that I'm just as likely to fall, I'm less likely to be hit by a car. Not much less, but less.
- Rain- Is intense on the Gulf Coast, and can last for weeks, but the worst thing about the rain is it forces me to use the next two on the list
- Stationary Bikes/Treadmills- And by extension fitness clubs. The very essence of futility, literally going nowhere for hours. I realize my displacement at the end of an actual training day and one I have to complete on machines is the same, but I've at least discovered some hidden gems while running and biking the streets of Houston. The only thing being discovered at fitness clubs is the inappropriateness of jeans as work-out apparel (there's always one).
- Pool Walkers- And anyone else using the pool for anything other than swimming. Get out of my lane!
- Humidity- Making 95 feel like 120 and me feel like staying on the couch.
- Red Lights- Making an hour and a half ride turn into a two hour ride.
And finally,
- Panhandlers- I'm not sure how many other people run or bike carrying spare change, or what part of my outfit gives you the impression that I do, but seriously I'm busy.
Miles covered so far:
Running: 347.59
Biking: 1395.87
Swimming: 67.95
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