Sunday, November 23, 2008

Race Day in Arizona...

Race day dawned clear and cool. The water temps of 63 degrees made the initial plunge a bit shocking, but that wore off as we jockeyed for a space to start among the throngs. Space was at a premium, and my swim seemed a bit rough, with some pummeling happening as we all fought for a decent line along the buoys. Towards the end I was feeling pretty cold, so the steps to exit were a welcome sight. After a crappy transition due to a mass crowding the area, I finally got onto the bike, and shivered my way along. The cool air kept me shaking for a while, and finally at 25+ miles I could feel my left foot again. My Powertap seemed to have issues with bad readings( I knew I should have changed the batteries!), so I focused on keeping my Heart Rate in a range given to me by our Team performance director, Brett Petersen (Check him out at: www.petersenperformancelab.net, as he's great!). While the ride felt slow, the headwinds on the out and back loop we did 3 times were pretty tough. I ended up with a slow ride for me, but my energy stores seemed great and I needed to feel good on the run to make the trip back to Ironman a step in the right direction, as time off from getting hit by a car has taken a toll and I'm just feeling fit again. As I ran along paced by my perceived exertion, I was frankly waiting for the tough patch to hit me, as running's been slow to return to previous levels. 13, 15, 17 miles went by, and I felt fine, which was a nice surprise, as the run's almost all on concrete. My friend Andre passed by with some kind words on his way to a Kona qualifying performance, which helped pick me up a bit. The time passed pretty quickly, as I was very focused on my nutritional needs, which stayed solid. At 22 miles, I was feeling better than ever, so started picking up the effort a bit, which built through the ensuing 4+ miles. The crowd along the final 4 miles truly helped, as our race numbers with names on them caused many to cheer us by name. I felt as though I knew a lot more in Tempe than I actually did, and their voices were what fueled me to a strong finish. It was so nice feeling strong again, and driving to the line. While my time was a ways off what I have been accustomed to, I felt good about my progress on the road back, and now know that better times are just a bit away. I ended up 9th in the age group, and am focused on being back on the podium, which is within reach again. With the Team's help, I will reach Kona again; my dream and goal to return to the most amazing race in a magical place now feels within reach again. 
I do need to thank a number of people who have greatly affected my journey to the finish line. Debbie, my fiance, has been putting up with my training craziness in good humor and acceptance; Mom has always been my biggest fan and motivator, along with my family who is so dear to me. Mideast Team Elite has provided me with a needed shot in the arm, and just being chosen for this extremely prestigious group has given me pride and new life. Then the sponsors who have been so kind, and done so much.... and especially the Mideast Region USAT and Guy Petruzzelli, who went out on a limb and found a way to make this team happen. Thanks all for helping the dream stay alive!!!!!!

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Photo Shoot in AZ



We took some time the day before Ironman Arizona to do a photo shoot of fellow team member Lisa. Ryan, Tony and I braved the critters and heat to put Lisa through the paces to capture some great shots. It was an excellent way for me to get out, and keep from dwelling on the race. It also served to get to know each other a bit more, as we haven't had a lot of time together because of distances. Ryan offers a coaching service in Chicago, so all of you check him out.....

Friday, November 21, 2008

Visiting with some GREAT Sponsors!!!

We spent some time checking in with sponsors at the race expo in the days before the race. Ryan and I chatted with Jennifer and Cassidy of TP Massage Therapies about their great products and how they helped us "stay in the game". 


Then I stole a few cookies from Erica of Erin Baker's Wholesome Baked Goods. Actually, Erica was very kind and shared a bit of their great Granola with me, and outfitted me with a t-shirt that had many people commenting over the next day. Our Team is so fortunate to have such a wide range of exceptional sponsors and we want to do our best to help them succeed as well. Try these great products, as they truly sell themselves.

Tempe, AZ...getting ready...



Ran into Greg Welch taking his paddleboard in as I went down to the race site for a swim. "Welchy" was a world champion at all distances before health issues sidelined him. It's great to see him, as he always keeps that impish grin with him.
I took a practice swim with the crowd in the lake. 63 degrees made for a bit of a shock getting in, and the chop from the winds made a rough swim to unsettle a few. One never is sure what to expect race day, so it was good to get in and experience some tough conditions. I'll be ready race day, and my wetsuit felt great! 

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Team Party in Indy!

A few members gathered at Whitney's mom's house for a team party. We were treated to a taco bar, some carbo beverages, and a bit of craziness. Although Guy was still on the mend from surgery, co-director Greg made the trek and gave Guy's speech and listed team awards for the 2008 season. I'll update them later. Guy did make his presence known with a speaker phone call, which gave a bit of his feelings for the inaugural season of the team. Lesely presented Greg an award for he and Guy from the team to show our thanks in being considered worthy of this great team. I'm not sure how long things went, as I retreated to a location safe from the antics that surely were to follow......

Saturday, November 1, 2008

The Bike Felt Fast Today!


This was my last long weekend of training before my Ironman Arizona taper. Yesterday (Friday) was the day I had planned for my long ride, as the weather was looking good, and then I could spend a bit of time over the weekend doing other things. After loading the bike with all of the necessary calories and fluids, I headed out. As I rode, my legs were feeling dead and although I was going slowly, it seemed my previous days of training were catching up with me. I tried all of my tricks to bring the legs back, but it was not to be, so I headed home to recover and do the ride on Saturday. After downloading my Powertap and viewing, I realized what I had done in my haste to get out. The rear brake was rubbing so hard that 170 watts had only gotten me 14 miles per hour for an hour and a half! Now, I should be too embarrassed to post this, but I had to laugh, as sometimes we get so caught up in the moment that we miss the most obvious. Saturday I rode and had a great 100+ miles with the wheels turning well. 
Sunday was the long run, and my buddy Tony stayed over and we headed out to the local trails for the run. He set a tough early pace, and I was feeling the previous day's ride, but I loosened up and the park's beauty had me cruising. Tony peeled off after 90 minutes, and I enjoyed the trails for another hour+. Later in the day brought my second run, which went fine. Hopefully the run fitness is ok......as they say, the hay's in the barn.....

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Vegas for a Race!


Racing for the Mideast Team Elite took us to Las Vegas for a few days. In addition to seeing my son Brett and his girlfriend Cherish, we had a great time as he showed us his world as a sound technician at the Cirque Du Soleil show "Love" at the Mirage. It was a true joy hanging out with Brett, Cherish, and their 2 great dogs, Daisy and Angel. It was hard to leave the warmth of both their hospitality and the weather in Vegas, and we arrived home to the cold, rainy stuff we've come to expect here in the midwest.
While there, we did a quick photo shoot of some team members the day before the race. Race day dawned with a magnificent sunrise behind the mountains surrounding Lake Mead. The beauty truly masked the difficulty of the course, as there was 6500 feet of climbing on the bike, with the last 6 miles totally uphill at an average grade of 8%!!!! This was followed with a run with very long grades that completely sapped what was left in the legs, but as the course was an out and back, we at least got to see others suffering as we passed face to face. 2 Large troughs of ice water were a welcome sight at the finish line to soak the battered legs. 
Team Mideast Elite had a good day, as we garnered age group finishes of 2nd, 4th, 7th, 9th and 10th at this USAT National Championship event.