Picture of the Day
Vacation Fun
October 30, 2008
Holy Cow!
I've now had 2 days in the past week where I've been done workout out before 7pm! I've still had a couple where we've not been done until 9 or 10, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel....and I get to actually play for a little bit tonight....
50 lb. Weight Limit - Checked Bags....yeah, right.
So pizza and breadsticks for lunch probably isn't on the pre-race diet for optimal performance, but I'm making these rules up as I go. The machine needs fuel....higher the octane (read: grease/fat/carb content) the better, eh? Well then, screw you all. It was good, it was my first (ok, maybe my second, the mac'n'cheese dinner last night probably isn't on there either...) transgression (of the week) and I did drink a ton of water this morning.
Speaking of "things you need"....if you ever consider an Ironman (or have ever listened to me whine about how much crap I've "neeeeeeeded" to acquire), here's part of the "official list" of things to launder, pack, ship, buy, steal or otherwise utilize on race day:
-Wetsuit
-Shorts to wear under wetsuit (for cycling)
-Sports bra/top to wear under wetsuit
-Goggles (cap is provided - so I saved $.80)
-Bike (singly THE most expensive thing - outside of my house and car - that I own)
-Race Wheels (borrowed from one very nice accomplice to insanity)
-AeroDrink Bottle (aerodynamic water bottle on my bars)
-4-5 other bottles (for bike and bags at various points on course - does not include bottles of water that will be obtained at "rest stops"
-Cycling socks
-Tri shoes (for bike)
-Sunglasses (please God don't let me forget the sunglasses)
-Jersey (to put on over sports bra/top - this IS a family event)
-Arm warmers (I'm not thinking it's going to be toasty at 8:30a)
-HELMET (even more important than the sunglasses)
-Running shoes
-Running socks (yes, I'll change. Yes, I'm special)
-Running shorts (you run 26 miles with padding on your butt and tell me how it feels)
-Running shirt (after 112 miles, I'm going to just want to be in different clothes, ok?)
-Visor (ditch the sunglasses, it'll get dark soon)
-Long-sleeve shirt (with dark comes cold)
-Compression Calf Sleeves - Leg warmers of the 80's have grown up. These are fairly tight (read: I'm lucky that blood still gets to my toes) sleeves that go from my knees down to my ankles. They help with a number of things - most notably helping me stay vertical for 26 miles. They're red, and they just look damn cool. (I have socks, too, but the sleeves allow me to wear cushier socks and still get the compression on my calves, shins and post-tibs)
-Body Glide (run 26 miles with my body and DON'T chafe w/o assistance....yeah, right)
-editor's note: this is NOT the tawdry lubricant you're all thinking of - that starts with "Astro". This is some scientifically engineered, deodorant-looking magical stuff that keeps things or parts of your body from rubbing holes in other parts of your body. I will be liberally coated in this stuff from my neck to my ankles (and many points in between) both at the beginning of the day and prior to running.
-Gu2o - (my energy drink of choice in powdered form. I will most likely have enough of this to power a small city throughout the day. At ~100 calories/16oz, and me shooting for about 20 oz/hr.....and 3 scoops/20 oz bottle...that's a lotta powder folks. Approximately 39 scoops worth over the course of the day...)
-Gu (my energy gel of choice - another calorie-efficient package that comes in a multitude of "yummy" flavors. So they're slightly less disgusting than eating cardboard. Again will be consuming 1/hr, I can plan on consuming around 13 or 14 of these. Tri Berry, Orange Burst, Vanilla Bean, Blueberry Pomagranate....)
-PBJ - my special needs go-to. The only time I like PB&J's is when I'm training, oddly enough. I'll have one ready for consumption halfway through the bike and again halfway through the run.
These are the big things that I'm hoping to remember. Believe me, there is more and I have plenty of time to forget to pack the vast majority of it between now and then.
As a triathlete, you have to accept very early on that you are OK with looking completely ridiculous for long periods of time and eating things that could also be used as super glue. (Gu is nothing less than permanent once in contact with another surface. I swear they use it on space shuttles...)
As I think about it, I have most of the above things and haven't really had to acquire most of them new for this particular race. It's a fairly standard list for most races (minus the PBJ and large quanities of Gu products). Stay tuned, the more entertaining list that might get written is what has been acquired new just for this endeavor. Let's just say I'm keeping a certain bike shop in business and there are marketing teams out there that I shall curse forever.
Speaking of "things you need"....if you ever consider an Ironman (or have ever listened to me whine about how much crap I've "neeeeeeeded" to acquire), here's part of the "official list" of things to launder, pack, ship, buy, steal or otherwise utilize on race day:
-Wetsuit
-Shorts to wear under wetsuit (for cycling)
-Sports bra/top to wear under wetsuit
-Goggles (cap is provided - so I saved $.80)
-Bike (singly THE most expensive thing - outside of my house and car - that I own)
-Race Wheels (borrowed from one very nice accomplice to insanity)
-AeroDrink Bottle (aerodynamic water bottle on my bars)
-4-5 other bottles (for bike and bags at various points on course - does not include bottles of water that will be obtained at "rest stops"
-Cycling socks
-Tri shoes (for bike)
-Sunglasses (please God don't let me forget the sunglasses)
-Jersey (to put on over sports bra/top - this IS a family event)
-Arm warmers (I'm not thinking it's going to be toasty at 8:30a)
-HELMET (even more important than the sunglasses)
-Running shoes
-Running socks (yes, I'll change. Yes, I'm special)
-Running shorts (you run 26 miles with padding on your butt and tell me how it feels)
-Running shirt (after 112 miles, I'm going to just want to be in different clothes, ok?)
-Visor (ditch the sunglasses, it'll get dark soon)
-Long-sleeve shirt (with dark comes cold)
-Compression Calf Sleeves - Leg warmers of the 80's have grown up. These are fairly tight (read: I'm lucky that blood still gets to my toes) sleeves that go from my knees down to my ankles. They help with a number of things - most notably helping me stay vertical for 26 miles. They're red, and they just look damn cool. (I have socks, too, but the sleeves allow me to wear cushier socks and still get the compression on my calves, shins and post-tibs)
-Body Glide (run 26 miles with my body and DON'T chafe w/o assistance....yeah, right)
-editor's note: this is NOT the tawdry lubricant you're all thinking of - that starts with "Astro". This is some scientifically engineered, deodorant-looking magical stuff that keeps things or parts of your body from rubbing holes in other parts of your body. I will be liberally coated in this stuff from my neck to my ankles (and many points in between) both at the beginning of the day and prior to running.
-Gu2o - (my energy drink of choice in powdered form. I will most likely have enough of this to power a small city throughout the day. At ~100 calories/16oz, and me shooting for about 20 oz/hr.....and 3 scoops/20 oz bottle...that's a lotta powder folks. Approximately 39 scoops worth over the course of the day...)
-Gu (my energy gel of choice - another calorie-efficient package that comes in a multitude of "yummy" flavors. So they're slightly less disgusting than eating cardboard. Again will be consuming 1/hr, I can plan on consuming around 13 or 14 of these. Tri Berry, Orange Burst, Vanilla Bean, Blueberry Pomagranate....)
-PBJ - my special needs go-to. The only time I like PB&J's is when I'm training, oddly enough. I'll have one ready for consumption halfway through the bike and again halfway through the run.
These are the big things that I'm hoping to remember. Believe me, there is more and I have plenty of time to forget to pack the vast majority of it between now and then.
As a triathlete, you have to accept very early on that you are OK with looking completely ridiculous for long periods of time and eating things that could also be used as super glue. (Gu is nothing less than permanent once in contact with another surface. I swear they use it on space shuttles...)
As I think about it, I have most of the above things and haven't really had to acquire most of them new for this particular race. It's a fairly standard list for most races (minus the PBJ and large quanities of Gu products). Stay tuned, the more entertaining list that might get written is what has been acquired new just for this endeavor. Let's just say I'm keeping a certain bike shop in business and there are marketing teams out there that I shall curse forever.
October 29, 2008
Background....
Let me state that this race was not my idea. I was kicking around the idea (again) of doing an Ironman either this year or next. A friend of mine lost his mind and said he was doing "this one", figuring that if he was going to pull the trigger he was going to do so with a really hard race. My ego being what it is, I couldn't let him have all the fun and do HIS first Iron-distance without the "me too" effect kicking in. And so the saga began....most of you reading this have been involved with this story at some point or another and know a good deal of it...I need to point out a couple of individuals...
Noah - Dude has taken the brunt of the punishment on this endeavor. Living with me in general isn't easy. Make me tired, cranky, hungry, tired, over-extended, injured, cranky and just a little tired and it gets even worse. I don't think I've cleaned the house in months, my laundry has become our third roommate and both my dogs and the yard are more his than mine. And that's not even to mention the crankiness he's crossed or how much he's had to cook for me. I've even complained to his girlfriend in Jersey!! It's been amazingly hard for him to watch me train as he's been laid up on the couch after knee surgery, but he's coming back with a vengance. I may have some swimming competition on my hands...but I'll never admit it.
The Dan - If there's anyone that's dealt with more crap than Noah, it's Dan. I'm not the most stable person when I'm exhausted, and Dan makes a pretty easy target (he's 6'8", pretty hard to miss, eh?). He's been yelled at, cried to, picked on and has had to deal with just a whole bunch of shit from me. Not to say he didn't deserve it all, but I might have made up for lost time....he calls what I do 'suicide' and thinks I'm crazy. He may also be the only person that will be sad when this is over, because I'll inevitably have more free time to nag him and whine about seeing him and such. What a lucky guy.....
Tanya & Nila - Holy crap, I wouldn't be close to trained enough without my girls. They've drug me out for long runs, accompanied me on boring swims, gone on grand adventures to races, listened to me whine and complain and in general just kept me going. Neither has done an IM before, but I'm hoping that when the time comes, I can help them half as much as they have me. Or I'm at least hoping that they'll let me know so I can keep calling them SUCKERS.....
Gar - I'm blaming him, officially, for this whole thing. From putting my bike together every year, to buying bottles and Gus, to doing my laundry when I'm out to visit, to cooking my meals when I'm too sick to function in California, to providing a constant sounding board for all sorts of stupid questions (why does - insert any body part that has hurt, ever - hurt and what did I do?) Gar is the one that pushes me to go further and keep pushing myself. Not only is this single race his fault, but my whole triathlon career can be placed singly on his shoulders. I thank him for that but my bank account, on the other hand, feels nothing but pain and rues the day Megan Quigley gave me his name for a coach.
Smeltzer - I really hate to say "thanks" to him and to be nice at all, but he's been a fantastic sounding board and has guided and encouraged me throughout this process. He's kept things in a pretty good perspective. He's still a sarcastic ass, but I appreciate that, too.
The Parents - Of course, there's always the parents. Mine have given me motivation and encouragement, of course. A large part of that has been through doubt and fear. They know me better than anyone and are perfectly right in their feelings. They have funded a large portion of my endeavors far longer than they should....They are also my #1 fans and will be waiting at the finish line with a cheeseburger and a beer - possibly crying harder than me!
There are so many people I can point out directly for various reasons - helping me with running advice, telling me to pull the trigger, listening to me whine, riding with me in Louisville, putting up with my slacking, travelling to Vegas to cheer, fitting me on my bike, etc. and I appreciate everyone that's in my life and has played a part in this. The next episode of this should be a bit more entertaining....but I wanted to make sure I got my thank you's made public BEFORE I forget what a great idea this is...and how great everyone else is. You are all a part of my family and thank you.
There will be a point in a number of days where I call you all mean names because you are relaxing somewhere and haven't been sweating for multiple hours. Think of me and laugh.
Noah - Dude has taken the brunt of the punishment on this endeavor. Living with me in general isn't easy. Make me tired, cranky, hungry, tired, over-extended, injured, cranky and just a little tired and it gets even worse. I don't think I've cleaned the house in months, my laundry has become our third roommate and both my dogs and the yard are more his than mine. And that's not even to mention the crankiness he's crossed or how much he's had to cook for me. I've even complained to his girlfriend in Jersey!! It's been amazingly hard for him to watch me train as he's been laid up on the couch after knee surgery, but he's coming back with a vengance. I may have some swimming competition on my hands...but I'll never admit it.
The Dan - If there's anyone that's dealt with more crap than Noah, it's Dan. I'm not the most stable person when I'm exhausted, and Dan makes a pretty easy target (he's 6'8", pretty hard to miss, eh?). He's been yelled at, cried to, picked on and has had to deal with just a whole bunch of shit from me. Not to say he didn't deserve it all, but I might have made up for lost time....he calls what I do 'suicide' and thinks I'm crazy. He may also be the only person that will be sad when this is over, because I'll inevitably have more free time to nag him and whine about seeing him and such. What a lucky guy.....
Tanya & Nila - Holy crap, I wouldn't be close to trained enough without my girls. They've drug me out for long runs, accompanied me on boring swims, gone on grand adventures to races, listened to me whine and complain and in general just kept me going. Neither has done an IM before, but I'm hoping that when the time comes, I can help them half as much as they have me. Or I'm at least hoping that they'll let me know so I can keep calling them SUCKERS.....
Gar - I'm blaming him, officially, for this whole thing. From putting my bike together every year, to buying bottles and Gus, to doing my laundry when I'm out to visit, to cooking my meals when I'm too sick to function in California, to providing a constant sounding board for all sorts of stupid questions (why does - insert any body part that has hurt, ever - hurt and what did I do?) Gar is the one that pushes me to go further and keep pushing myself. Not only is this single race his fault, but my whole triathlon career can be placed singly on his shoulders. I thank him for that but my bank account, on the other hand, feels nothing but pain and rues the day Megan Quigley gave me his name for a coach.
Smeltzer - I really hate to say "thanks" to him and to be nice at all, but he's been a fantastic sounding board and has guided and encouraged me throughout this process. He's kept things in a pretty good perspective. He's still a sarcastic ass, but I appreciate that, too.
The Parents - Of course, there's always the parents. Mine have given me motivation and encouragement, of course. A large part of that has been through doubt and fear. They know me better than anyone and are perfectly right in their feelings. They have funded a large portion of my endeavors far longer than they should....They are also my #1 fans and will be waiting at the finish line with a cheeseburger and a beer - possibly crying harder than me!
There are so many people I can point out directly for various reasons - helping me with running advice, telling me to pull the trigger, listening to me whine, riding with me in Louisville, putting up with my slacking, travelling to Vegas to cheer, fitting me on my bike, etc. and I appreciate everyone that's in my life and has played a part in this. The next episode of this should be a bit more entertaining....but I wanted to make sure I got my thank you's made public BEFORE I forget what a great idea this is...and how great everyone else is. You are all a part of my family and thank you.
There will be a point in a number of days where I call you all mean names because you are relaxing somewhere and haven't been sweating for multiple hours. Think of me and laugh.
October 27, 2008
Two weeks out....
I figured I should document this adventure step-by-step since there are BOUND to be some entertaining moments. There will also undoubtedly be boring ones, so just suck it up and skim those parts.
Yesterday was "Two Weeks to Go" day....the official beginning of the full-on taper-fest. So for now, back to work. Tonight is a night off of athletics, so possibly some time to bring you up to speed.
Oh, my best friend of late - sQueakR (the bike) ships out today. California-bound baby, all packed in, padded up, taped down, taped up, and mooshed into his case. Godspeed, my friend. We'll meet again in the desert.
Yesterday was "Two Weeks to Go" day....the official beginning of the full-on taper-fest. So for now, back to work. Tonight is a night off of athletics, so possibly some time to bring you up to speed.
Oh, my best friend of late - sQueakR (the bike) ships out today. California-bound baby, all packed in, padded up, taped down, taped up, and mooshed into his case. Godspeed, my friend. We'll meet again in the desert.