Race report: the trail marathon

The day began in a fog. We had oatmeal at the Bigboy near the hotel and headed north to Silver lake in the Pinkney State recreation area Northwest of Ann Arbor Mi.

My first thought when we arrived was,"this would be a great place for a triathlon". We sauntered about. I took care of the morning personal mission to encourage intestinal comfort. I readied my race belt and cloths. packaged up the ipod Nike+. No headphones, just to record data. I was ready. As a triathlete, I was itching to adjust any piece of gear I could. But this set up was a simple one. With a chip on each shoe Mary wished me well and I headed to the starting line.

The marathon was a small field of maybe 250. The 1/2 drew a much bigger group of runners that left an hour after us. Everyone just sort of calmly waited for the start. An old hippie climbed up on a stump and made some announcements, and started the race. I hit the face of my Timex and the center button of the ipod and began running.

The first loop went smoothly. I ran without issue and felt strong. The fog was lifting, but the air was still heavy. The rising temperatures were also awakening zillions and zillions of little bugs. Many of them wanted me not to be a vegetarian as they flew into my mouth. Aside from bugs and humidity, the first 13 just consisted of me following a runner up and down hills along a single track path through the woods. the group slowly spread out, but we all remained within site of other runners.

At the half hay point we passed the start/finish and the only spectators along the course. This was welcome. I searched for Mary and announced to her and the crowd that I was no longer a veg as I had swallowed many an insect. I grabbed some food, talked for a moment with an aid worker about The Cleveland marathon. Mary walked with me as I gobbled down some food, and I ran off and onto the second loop.

Everything was going well and runners ahead of me were beginning to fall back. I began targeting folks and making my move. I had just over taken one runner and was cresting a hill ready to shoot down the other side when my right foot failed to clear a small obstacle. I tried to stabilize for one moment before preparing for an emergency landing. I got my arms in, tucked my chin, and rotated to my side. I landed evenly with light impact to my shoulder and a little scrape of the knee. The fall was a thing of beauty. The many years I have spent falling down paid off. I was a little dirty and scraped, but I was more then fine. I climbed to my feet, assured the runner who was now retaking his position that I was in good shape. and continued on with the race. At the next aid station I cleaned my wounds.
One volunteer asked, "Are you having fun?".
I told him, " I was doing somersault out there".
He assured me I was looking better then a lot of others.

Within a mile and a half, the wheels started to come loose. My stomach was not behaving and the heat was taking it's toll. I was not at all prepared for 85 degrees. Most of the rest of the run was spent walking the climbs, descending with care, and jogging the flats. At one point around 23 I paused to regroup when my heart rate seemed a bit to high.

I maintained a rhythm and finally crossed the finish line at 5:58.14. I had beaten 6hrs. I felt this was something to celebrate.
I don't recall my IMKY run time, but I think this was a personal worst. This was a tough day. I sat down and began my recovery. I looked over at a guy holding a hand full of finisher medals and asked. "Do I get one of those?"
He said, "Yep."
I crashed on the ground for a bit and took a cold shower of sorts before Mary and I headed into Ann Arbor to Watch the Cavs play. We missed the first half as the the locals were more interested int the Bulls/Boston game and the Tigers.

Final thoughts:
This race kicked my ass.
I have absolutely no complaints about the race itself. I will likely return.
I plan to run Cleveland now. My training went well and I think I can run better then I did.
I have a new respect for ultra racing. This was a tough race. I can not fathom 50k, 50, or 100 miles. This still boggles my mind. This usually means I can't shake the idea of trying.

So, I have a marathon Sunday.

I am excited right now for this race. More so then I was for IMKY. I think the reason is that I have goals in running. In triathlon I don't really have any major goals left. Right now I see triathlon as something that I love to do. It is fun for me, but I don't have any major goals left. I think I have peaked with Ironman. I love the sport and will continue to race for the joy of racing, I will train as a triathlete, and I will identify my self as a triathlete. But right now, Iam distracted bytwo new attainable goals. Both are running goals.

The first and most remote goal is Boston. I would love to qualify and run Boston. My next age up brings the times to within a more attainable time. I think with focused dedicated run training I could meet the 3:30 time standard. It won't be easy, but it is possible. I have a few years before I move up.

My other goal is a 50 miler. This one is more realisticly achieved in the "near" future. I get the LOOOONG DAYYYYYYYY. I just need to adjust to the idea that this race is a pure running race that will last longer then the Ironman bike. This intimidates me. Intimidation motivates me.

So this race this weekend is the first major race since I re evaluated my training plans and goals. I am entering this race having spent all spring with a desire to train. I have not had that hunger since Ironman UK. Last year I was completely uninspired. I had moments. Steelhead was an amazing race for me and at Louisville, I met my Maker. I look back in a positive way. But for the most part, I was just not into it, thhis made it very difficult. Since I have started flirting with the long term running goals I have entered into my training with a new desire.

My goals this weekend are to stay within my self and explore the world of long distance trail running. I don't think a PR is in the works, but I do know my fitness is high. I am peaking perfectly. I have absolutely no doubt in my training. My health has been good. Not one cold or flu all spring. I tweeked my ankle on an early trail run, but nothing bad enough to slow me. I have benefited grately from the CSU rec center. I have no reason to expect a bad race. So a steady pace is my ultimate goal.

I will try to update the blog through out the weekend.

Back to the Woods

In two weeks I will set out to run a marathon. In two weeks I will set out to run a marathon for the tenth time in my life. In two weeks I will set out to run a marathon for the first time off road.

I began running with trips around the Shaker lakes. I always enjoyed the trail portions best. This was the section that would pull me into the immediate moment as I would have to focus on each and every step or risk tripping over a root or stone. Turned ankles are often the result of not paying attention to oncoming obstacles, so for my own health and well being I would have ignore the common state of distraction that I often live in. The softer surface is more agreeable to my heavier frame whilst the constant climbing and descending remain difficult due to the same issue. The major attraction to an off road marathon is my love for nature and the chance to commune with the world in it's natural state.

Most of my marathons have been both flat and on roads. I have run the Towpath twice, which is flat with a crushed lime stone surface. A portion of the IMUK course was both hilly and off road. So I have limited experiance with this distance and terrain in combination. I hope to try ultra marathons soon, so The Trail Marathon seems like a good step in that direction.

I am healthy and my fitness is at a good level. My main concerns are loosing focus and turning an ankle or flying face first to the ground.

All in all I just look forward to a new challenge.

Brrridges to Recovery 5k (Race report)

This was the first race of the year for me. The Bridges to Recovery is a small 5k set up as a fund-raiser for Covenant House in the Ohio City area of Cleveland. I have been training for speed, so I was curious to see what I had .
We arrived with 45 minutes to spare. I signed up, hit the loo, and did my warm up. It was obvious that the winds were bringin' a chill from the west and that the warmer stuff was being pushed out. I was wishing I had some gloves, but aside from that I was ready to run hard around the 5k course that takes you over the Cuyahoga, past the Hard Rock Cafe, the Q, back over the flats and around the west side market. I really love this course for it's scenery. The bridges are deceptive and provide long inclines. My concern was the wind on the bridges coming off of Lake Erie.

A little past 9am the starting bell rang and we were off. The crowd was small, so I was able to settle in quickly and just focus on a hard pace. After the first mile I felt my pace was solid at about 7:30. The lead pack wasn't pulling to far ahead, so my ego remained healthy. After the aid station, we headed over the Lorain Carnegie bridge. The struggle to hold pace began as we crested the bridge. After turning onto w.25th I remained stable within the pack, but could never find a higher gear. I hit the finish in 23:54 for a 7:41 pace.

I worked hard and am regaining any lost speed from pre ironman form. I was happy with the effort. Hermes ran a good race and the residents at Covenant House were great volunteers. I have a fondness for this race and hope to return. This was my second.

Four weeks remain before the Marathon. All seems well.
5k's go by quick.

Perseverance

Today I had finished my run and headed to the stretching mats. I ran into an old friend and who has an Ironman dream. She asked me what my best discipline in triathlon was.

This has always been an odd question for me to answer. I enjoy running the most. I am strongest on the bike, and my swim has been where I have improved the most. In addition, I tend to be ranked evenly in each sport. So it seemed silly for me to name one.

What I came up was perseverance. This is what I am best at. This is what really drives me.

Later on in the evening the President and a Biggest Looser ( as a fat kid that has to work his ass off to stay at a healthy weight, I get caught up in the show from time to time) contestant emphasized perseverances as a means of achieving goals and overcoming obstacles. I know this was the biggest factor in both of my Ironman finishes.

Perseverance can be an incredible force. I wish Mr Obama the best with his. May all of mine be available to his goals.

Steady on America.

What we do now

Last night I had a gig at the Old Stone Church on public square here in Cleveland. The show was a send off for the buses headed to DC for the 6^th anniversary of the Iraq war. Passions still remain high, but the anti war movement has lost a little steam with Obama's change in policy. There seems to be a lack of urgency as most folks feel the President is taking us in a new direction. The voices of peace however are no less important. The move away from No bid contracts, torture policy, and the Iraq focus were important policy decisions, because we made them important issues. If we as citizens become complacent with the belief that things are changing, we will get what we have been getting. So I will continue to contribute with my music. Hopefully some part of my music will help to strengthen the cause of peace in the marchers in DC.

After the show we headed to nearby John Q's and the Little Bar (old downtown bars) to watch the CSU Vikings play Cinderella in the NCAA tourny. CSU beat Wake Forest. I was impressed at how CSU never backed off. The remained focused for 40 minutes.

The rest of the weekend will be devoted to training. I am 90% sure I am doing the trail marathon in Michigan on April 26th. It looks like a fun race. My only reservation is that my run training is right on track. If I do a fast flat race, I think I can go 3:40. My speed and strength training has been consistent and I am now really recognizing my fitness level rising. I am injury free and the pounds continue to drop. It all adds up to a good opportunity at a fast marathon. However, I don't think this race will lend it self to that goal. Non the less, The work I am doing will help me in having a good trail marathon. It will also continue to build strength and speed for a faster marathon in the future.

All of this is a reminder to me to take care of the present moment. I know if I do that, the future will fall into place.

How long have I left to write?

My battery is at less then 50%. I will try to say what I must say. I am doing what I can to make every word count. I know that when I least expect it, my netbook will be on empty and my ability to write will cease.

I have been thinking about mortality lately. I know that eventually I will no longer breath. At least not as Charlie. I had a friend get hit the other day. He is OK, but you never know. You never know when a random act will find you. You never know when decease or some other bodily malfunction can suddenly end your perception and being here on earth. It will happen. It always has before and it will happen to me. As I age my life grows shorter. Death will happen I am sure.

I also know that with death, there is life. I watch the seasons come and go. Right now we are coming into spring. Life will erupt once more. Within days, barren limbs will be covered with buds and within weeks the buds will be leaves so thick that the sky will disappear over our heads. Life will be rich and we will celebrate it. We will move from our homes out into the open air to breath run, bike, sing, dance, and rejoice in life as we do every spring.

Death returns to life. Resurrection, reincarnation and the four seasons are strong held beliefs. I am not afraid of death, because I know that death can only exist with life. Knowing that I am not dead reminds me that I am alive. This makes me happy.

My battery is getting dangerously low now. So I must end this post.
Happy Spring! Enjoy Life!

I have no idea what my plan will be

My training is going so well. I have shed 15 pounds in 6 weeks. I haven't missed a work out. Everything I am doing is quality. No Junk miles. I am moving toward a much improved marathon.

Now that I have establish a solid training regimen, I have to choose a race. Big Sur is not gonna happen. Nichole has had back issues and has been limited in her training as a result. So we decided to stay close to home and see the Dead in Philly. The Flying Pig is the same weekend as the dead and it is a week after my planned marathon week. So now we consider other races.

The trail marathon in Michigan is all trail running. It sounds really nice, but I am training for a road race. They offer a whole and a half. The cost is $35. It is right outside of ann arbor. Lodging should be easy.

Nashville Marathon. I have never been to Nashville. This is the center of the Universe as songwriters go. Seems a good idea to make a pilgrimage to music mecca and run my 10 th marathon. Cost is over $100 and I have no simple lodging plan.

The Glass City Marathon in Toledo. Flat road race. Out and back . Low cost. Close to home.

I have to toss this around with Zac and Nichole. We have choices that will keep my target date intact. I just have to pick one now.

moving sideways

As I sat on the bus today I noticed that I was not moving forward. My body faced not the front of the bus, but the center of it. My view was not of the oncoming day. My view saw the city through the opposite window. My anticipation and remembrances lacked as all I could see was only what was passing by at that very moment. Moving forward or backwards was not an option to me. My seat was a bench that ran along the wall of the bus.

My sports and music are based on linear time. Songs and races have a start and a finish. Tempo is a common term within both worlds. When I get confused I can always return to the beat, to my breath, to the moment that I am in. I can focus directly on the note or footstep and let go of what I expect to happen next.The truth is that I never know what is going to happpen next. I can make assumptions based on experiance. Like a weather forcaster I can look at all of my data and try to predict what willl happen. But when a moment arrives it is unique and I have to adapt to it for what it is and not what I thought it would be. When my expectations are wrong I must adjust. This is where I have learned to move from side to side. I find other routes toward my goals by taking a very indirect path as if I were sailing into a wind. My tack is patient but determined. I can't alwaysfollow a path that may have worked for you. The only path that will work for me is the path that is available to me. Sometimes the best path available to me is in a direction I have never considered.

Often times forward is the obvious choice. Today as the brutal winds whipped across lake Erie and through the streets of Cleveland, backward worked well. As I rode my bus, I found that my path was sideways.

Without goals what do we have?

I have really enjoyed all the indoor training. Oddly I am finding benift rather then boredom on the tread mill. The belt keeps me on target when it is time to go fast. my mileage is starting to climb and I am remaining consistent with my strength training. The odd thing is that I really have no major goals this year.

Since I began writing this blog, I have always had a motivating race in the future. Ironman UK and Louisville were so big in my mind that I felt missing any training would jeopardies my chances of finishing those races.

During my training for UK I was always eager. I would stand at a bus stop in the worst weather with out any reservation to get my swim in. My training goals were always met and nothing was going to stop me.

For Louisville I trained with the knowledge of how hard Ironman can be. What I lacked in enthusiasm, I made up for in wisdom. I feared not being prepared.

This year I have vague race plans. Big Sur is a goal. However money has been tight of late, and it is not going to get better immediately. The uncertainty of the economy has me trying to play it safe. Nichole and I have talked about the flying pig as an alternative. I have not raced Cinci, so I look forward to either option. My triathlon plans are without any real structure. I know I would like to do two or three 70.3 distance races,. I need that shock to my system. The relaxed strength that long course builds is something I crave. I hope to do more short cousre racing this year, but ultimately I like to spend race day racing.

This year I have really embraced my training. I spend my days at work looking forward to getting to the gym. I feel so lucky to be able to start working out within 15 minutes if I hurry. Commuting seems to really zap my energy and passion. Since I began working out at CSU, My desire to train has been strong.

I have no idea what races I will race. What I do know is that I am enjoying every moment of my preparation for the coming season. What is motivating me is the joy of training. Each moment is special. With no end goal in sight, I am able to truly focus on the miracle. I am able to focus on the present and really embrace what life is.
Life is now.

Relaxed

I can now relax. I have had a long couple of days.
Sunday I was up at 6:30am for tri swimming. Following the swim workout I met up with Nichole for our first long run in our training plan. The air was warmer then it has been in a while, It made for a very pleasant run through the rocky river reservation. We really lucked out with the weather. 50 degrees. Hello February. January was so cold and snowy. The run went well.
BTW- I am moving most of the workout specific stuff to my training log in the side bar.
After the run I went to my folks place to watch football, eat and do battle with conflicting anti virus software in my dads PC....
Monday was a 4:30 am wake up, as I was subbing for Zac as the opener. After work I got some laundry done and packed up for open mic. as I threw my guitar on my shoulder the lights went down....."NO! I paid that bill!" I said before I noticed the silence. When I poked my head in the hallway I was reassured that it was a wide spread issue and had nothing to do with the fact that I can ignore first energy for a Looong time.
Any how, I headed up to the phoenix in the dark to figure out what we were going to do. Honestly I physically could have used the rest, but finances rule right now so I was relieved to see power return to the street. We had a good line up of musicians, but the crowd was slower then normal.
After the gig I retired quickly. I was in at 8 this morning, so I was better rested. After work I ran, lifted, and swam before coming home. About ten minutes ago I finished some promotions for my upcoming gig at AJ Roccos on Valentines day.
So now I sit, listen to some middle eastern music, and enter a little blog.
I am relaxing.

Less tri More Folk

I am looking for a new way to recharge the blog. So this is the first posting to be linked to my Facebook page. I know that I will reach many more readers on Facebook with a wider range of interests/disinterests. So I plan to write more about music and random life stories in an effort to balance the focus of this blog. I will still write about triathlon and endurance sports, but I hope to not bore my non running friends with countless exercise abbreviations without explaining myself. I have a handful of Facebook friends that I could've known from either triathlon/running or music. I have many old friends from my youth that have found me on FB that have taken a similar athletic path to mine, some hope to, and some just think the whole endurance sport world is nuts. A lot of my friends want to know what is going on with me musically and have little interest in my intestinal discomfort during a recent race. My point is that I have a much wider demographic that potentially may read this blog, so I aim to "spread the wealth" a bit more in regards to topic.

I am sure that many of you that have followed my blog think I wander off track often. It is true. Eight hours on a bike tends to make your mind wander. I am never shy about writing down my thoughts on anything that I feel passionate about other than personal relationships. My mind sometimes bounces all over the place. In a very random sort of way. I use song structure mostly to keep me from chasing notes as though they were butterflies. I race becouse a finishline gives me direction in my fitness.

So Trifolk is now dedicated to less tri and more folk...............Happy reading.

All charged up and ready to roll

I has been tough getting the blog rolling again.

Last weekend I was busy with OS installations and hardware upgrades to my laptop. The thing is roaring now. It actually seems stable in vista. In Ubuntu, it is running amazingly smooth and fast. The graphics are awesome, and all in all I have my laptop running the way I would like it to.

After the New Year I just started training and haven't wavered from my base work. The CSU rec membership has been key in this regard. I go straight to the gym/pool after work and get busy. With the cold we have been hosting, it would have been difficult to maintain the same consistency with my former arrangements. At CSU I can go at my convenience without any additional commute.

I have been lifting/stretching, treadmill and outdoor running, plus trainer workouts, and most importantly I have been swimming with greater frequency. I can feel myself getting fit again and I am always eager to work out.

This all tells me how important the downtime really was. I needed a serious break. I took it, and now I am feeling very ambitious about the training. It is time to feel this way. Big Sur training begins next Sunday. Nichole is excited. I am eager.....So come on and let the good times roll!

Adapting to the weather

Over the past few years I have had to take a bus to Notre Dame for 7:30pm lap swim. I always found it welcoming, but difficult to get to and from. On cold nights it really sucked walking from the pool 10 minutes to the bus stop on Cedar. Once at the stop, the wind would cut right through me as my skin was saturated from the swim. My choice not to do polar bear swims the last two years was based in large part on this issue. I leave myself open to illness with the pool commute. Why add to it?

Today I have changed this. I took on a community membership at Cleveland State University's fitness center. The pool is amazing and it is located along my bus line/Bike lanes. The buses come by every 7 minutes and the station is just outside the center. The rest of the center is brand new. My cost is very reasonable. This made to0 much sense. This new arrangement will make training much more accessible to me.

Just in the nick of time. The mercury is headed for 0 degrees this week.

Changing my status is easier than blogging

Well.......
I have been taking my recovery period. a blog break just sorta happened. Since many of you are also on Facebook, I have been able to maintain communication via one liners.

I am getting my running back with some consistency. I do a trainer workout twice a week, and I have been doing the winter tri swim group workouts at Oberlin. Those are a blast. I haven't been in the pool since before XMas. I am all right with that, but I will be back in this week.

Music has really been fun this winter. I have been doing a lot of song writing and my performances have been to the level I expect and enjoy. I recieved a standing ovation at one show last month. This is a rare event for me, so I was very flattered. It also told me that I may have done something right. My relationship with my instruments has become much more delicate and deliberate. Some times I think I know what I am doing.

My race plans right now include:
The Big Sur Marathon
Maybe Race for Recovery 70.3 in June.
Steelhead(Tho Bbop suggested a half near the IMKY course)
GCT Sprint Followed by some guitar playing at the finish line

I will most likely toss in a few more Oly and sprints. My big plan this year is to have fun.

Anyhow, Big Sur training starts in two weeks.

Be well and Happy New Year.
Thanks for reading.

Chicago Turkey Trot and Poi Dog Pondering

My sister Sue and neice Sarah invited us to Chicago for the Thanksiving holiday. I always loved the windy city. I lived there for two years when I was younger. The only drawback to spending the holiday outside of Cleveland was knowing that I would miss the Turkey trot. I have raced a TT in Warren Oh. so I guessed Chicago might have a Thanksgiving race of their own. I googled it and found a race in Lincoln Park on Thursday called Turkey Trot.

Race morning I woke and headed from Evenston down Lake Shore Drive with Susie and Sarah to the Lincoln Park Zoo hoping to get my packet amongs 6500 runners. The race organization was Capri, who handles Steelhead and the Chicago Triathlon. Large numbers don't seem to be a problem for Capri, so packet and chip pick up went smoothly.

We had 45 minutes to kill prior to the race so we meanered around the sponser booths including a dog obedience school that entertained my 9 year old niece prior to the race with some friendly canines.

The weather was a crisp 39 degrees with no wind and sunny skies. I stripped down to a long sleeve CTC shirt and my tights. I wore an ACE ankle brace to protect my recent sprain. I lined up at 10 till 9 amongst the 6000+ runners and waited and waited and waited.

At 9:20 the race began a bit late,but it began. We walked to the start and started running slowly with the crowd. The 8K course followed park paths and was very narrow. I wasn't sure where my fitness was, having rested my injury all month, but I seemed to move well through the crowd. I knew no one so I just stuck to my running sans one quick conversation with another Ironman vet.

Aside from the density of the field and narrow course, I really enjoyed the scenery of the Chicago sky line and Lake Michigan. The crowd was so thick that I was never able to move at race pace. I crossed the finish line in 47:06. Best of all my ankle felt fine and I was in the top half of the field.

Following the race I found my sister and Sarah and we headed to the car so we could get back to Evenston to get dinner ready. Unfortonatly The parking lot was jammed for an hour as we sat and waited to leave. We literally did not move for 50 minutes. Sarah was not happy about this situation. Eventually we did get out and back north for a dinner of thanksgiving and togetherness. My brother, folks, sister and niece ate a bird. I had tofurkey. It was good.

Also while in Chicago, we had cocktails atop the Hancock building. I also went to see one of my favorite bands Poi Dog Pondering on Friday. My friend Mickey joined me for the concert as we danced up a storm. It was the first time we had a chance to hang out since she was married 2 months back. Poi Dog was great, but the crowd was much more subdued then I recall in years past. I realized most of the audience was my age and not as active as I remember from the last time I saw the band in '96. Mickey is in her mid 20's and I am kinda young and fit for a 40 year old, so we were the only folks really dancing.

It was lot of fun. I am so happy I stay fit. It really feels good to stay young. So many of my friends are active, so I forget that age slows down so many in my age group. Seeing the aging effect of my peers reaffirms the need and commitment to fitness.

“Thanksgiving for Every Wrong Move” is a Poi Dog song. Thanksgiving for my will to move is my thanks this holiday.

Keep on moving!

Looking back

I have been done with my 2008 season since Brierman. A few days before the election, I sprained my ankle and more or less shut down my training for the year. I have jumped on the trainer, one run and done a little lifting. I did the tri swimming workout this past week, but nothing else. I have decided to give my self a serious break. However I am becoming restless and know I have to get it going again.
The first step is to wrap up this past season. I intend to do that right here.

Having achieved such a long term goal in 2007 by completing an Ironman, 2008 was a motivational challenge for me. Coming off that race, I signed up for IM Louisville having not really spent the time considering what I had just done and what I had given up to achieve it. My off season seemed to be without seam. The motivation was not as natural. I rarely skipped workouts, but I was not always enthusiastic.

The spring included several road races, but the high light was training with Nichole for her first 26.2 and seeing her to that goal.

My tri schedule started with Deer Creek. It was a fun race. Camping was the highlight.
Morgantown was an awful race for me. I was ready to quit and I had stomach issues on the run. My attitude that day was a wakeup call. I had to do a serious gut check after this race. It did push me in a positive direction as I went into Steelhead. I was disappointed by the canceled swim, but I ended up having my best effort in long course racing. The positives from Steelhead carried me into Ironman confident and excited.
Ironman was a tough race for me. I had a mechanical breakdown which could have been avoided. I had a nutitional breakdown due to the heat. I made it through and overcame alot of adversity that day. I think a lot of folks might have dropped out under the same situation. I did not. I finished the race before being taken to medical. I am proud of my effort.
The Brierman was tough. I maintained my conditioning leading into this race, so I was fit. The course was as demanding as I have ever raced. It was also as beautiful as I have raced.

The best part of my '08 season was the camaraderie. I traveled to races with Tracie, Zac, Nichole, Bbop, Jack, AJ, Brendon and a couple other folks. Shared hotels and road trips make up most of the time spent racing, and I had a blast through all of it.
Overall I think I grew a lot this year. I developed some good friendships, stayed fit, and I had fun.
Goal achieved.

Citizen Houser

Cleveland has lost some great people this year. Fannie Lewis, Stefanie Tubbs Jones, Paul Newman and Herb Score.
For me the greatest loss is my friend Ed Houser. He died Friday. His level of activism was unmatched. If you ever visit Whiskey Island, know that Ed Houser made your visit possible. He single handedly fought the port authority and kept them from selling the land off for private use. He believed the lakefront should belong to all of us. He devoted ALL of his time and energy to this mission.
So long Ed.
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/11/ed_hauser_47_environmental_act.html

If you were paying attention.

Back in May I mentioned a sports story I thought worth paying attention to.
http://charliestrifolk.blogspot.com/2008/05/consistency.html

Congrats on another Cy Young for the Tribes starters.

I am a patriot.

I was born in 1968. MLK and RFK were both murdered that year. The city of Cleveland still smoldered from the Hough riots. Our nation in my early life was marred by the Kent State shootings, Vietnam, Watergate, the Iranian hostage crisis.
By the time I had become aware enough to start understanding politics, Reagon was being inaugerated and Jimmy Carter was sent to Germany to welcome the hostages back. The timing of the hostage release has never sat well with me. I have always suspected that GHW Bush played a dishonest roll in that negotiation. The Iran/Contra scandel futher fed this concern. Our nations intervention in Nicaugua and El Salvador while ignoring South Africa and the issues surrounding the Palestinian people left me to question our sincerety in promoting freedom. The invassion of Panama intentions also seemed a bit suspect, as the control of the canal was to return back to Panama within 11 years.
The Clinton years were good for me. However the deaths of Ron Brown and Steven Foster never sat well. The foolishness of Bill Clinton's perjury, behavior and the Ken Starr witch hunt left me still distrustful of our leadership.
I had been concerned with GW Bush since '92. His "election" left me feeling completely helpless. Any hope in democracy working on a federal level was vanishing. I do think he handled 911 with poise and confidence. I had hoped for a compassionate reaction, but I was realistic and understood the attacks on Afganastan. As the Bush adminastration began using our emotions to gain support for an attack on Iraq, my optimism weakened. The unbelievable failure during Katrina futhur cemented my absolute distrust in the intentions of the White House leadership.

The point I am tyrying to make in my look back on American history over the past 40 years is that I have never had the pride in America that I was taught I should have. I have never felt that we were living up to the promise. We were living on past success and our nation was no longer a model for liberty. We were relying on past glory. The will of America was tired and weak. We had been beaten down not by our enemies, but by our own leadership. Our elections had become nothing more then ceremonial. Democracy on a federal level seemed lost. Though I loved my country and all that we believed in, I lacked faith that we had actually maintained the vision that so many had fought for.

When the primaries began, I could have gotten behind Hillary Clinton or John McCain. Both candidates seemed capable and logical in the never ending succession of "Business as Usual" politics that we have lived with since my birth. Hillary did represent something more, but.....not much.
A year ago I lent my music to the Kucinich campaign. I felt Dennis would introduce discussion that I felt important. I had no expectation that his run would last long, but he shared my views and I wanted them to be heard.
As the Ohio primary neared, I struggled between Mrs Clinton and the young senator from Illinois. As I entered the booth I took a deep breath and made a choice.. I wondered if I had just voted for a candidate that had no chance.........I was however willing to go out on a limb to vote for not who I thought could win, but who I thought would bring real change to our nation.

Tuesday so did the majority of our nation.

I have never experienced pride in our nation like I have this week. I have never seen America live up to its past glory and promise of the American dream. I know there is still a long way to go. I know it is going to take time and at times it will be uncomfortable. But like anything worth doing, the toughest part is making the decision to do it. The tough part is believing that we are ready and able to acomplish the things we believe in.

This week we have made a decision to continue the true dream of America. This week I finally understand what it is to be proud to be an American.

Fear No More!

I haven't written much lately. I haven't been training and I am nursing an ankle sprain. I think my lack of posting though has much more to do with the changes we are experiencing. It all seems so much bigger then anything I have to say about it.

The past eight years have brought us three major events. 911, Katrina, and President elect Barack Obama.
The first event was fear. Fear has compromised our constitution and sense of humanity. It has taken us to war. It had promised no end.

Katrina was the slap in the face many of us needed. The responce was unacceptable. We had left our most vulnerable citizens behind. The recklessness of our leaders became obvious.

What has happened this week is hope.

Barack Obama's election has transcended race. Tuesday was not just special for black America, Tuesday was special for all of America. Tuesday we looked beyond fear and into a future of hope and unlimited possibility. We were able to rely on the strength of our constitution. Freedom would not be manipulated by fear. We stood in the face of every limitation and fear we had been taught and defied 20th century beliefs.

I am very happy that Barack Obama has won because I believe in his platform. I am happy that the "Glass ceiling" has been broken. I am happy that all Americans can believe in the same opportunities. I am happy that the perception of America will change within our country and globally.

Mostly I am happy because WE have changed. We have rejected fear and embraced hope.
This is the America I believe in.

Everything

I have been thinking about everything lately.
I have come to one conclusion:

Everything is really time consuming.

Anything is possible

Philladelphia

15 years ago my grandmother died. I never had a chance to get to know her very well. She lived in North Carolina and we would see her during vacations in Pennsylvania. My best memory of her was sitting on the porch as she gave me a red batters helmet with a "P" logo. She made me promise to always be a fan and root for that team.
I agreed.
After she died(in January 1993) I looked to the heavens and said, "The Philly's will win the pennet for you this year. They did.
true to her order, I am a Philly fan to this day. Sports are great in this regard. You don't have to have a good reason to root for your team. You cheer because they are your team. I always imagined the personal disdain my Grandmother would have had for John Kruk, Lenny Dykstra, and Mitch Williams. These guys were the bad news bears all grown up. Ripped uniforms covered in chewing tobacco and a guy nicknamed "wild thing" did not epitomize the traits that my dads mother admired in people.
This current run by Charlie Manuals 2008 Phills brings my thoughts back to the late matriarch of the Mosbrook family. I am sure she would have been charmed by the managers southern folksy humor.
Absolute beliefs are OK when it's pennet time. Immature childish behavior is perfectly acceptable toward rival fans. We are all guilty of leaving voicemails of the crowd roaring from the late Jake as Victor Martinez launches a HR into Alberts Alley for Some happless Red Sox fan in Iowa as she drops her tofu pup on the carpet....It is for this reason that I am hoping for the sox to comeback.

This was the only absolute allegiance she asked of me. That is a good thing, because during the other major contest this fall, I want to stick with the candidate that epitomizes the human traits that she admired. I want to support the candidate that has held his head up high and presented his plan for America and how it will work. I want to support the presidential hopeful that has focused on his campaign rather than to unleash rumors that stir hatred and fear.

I can't be sure that my Grandmother would vote for the same candidate as I. She was a southern women that shared comments from time to time that most people in Cleveland Heights find offensive.
My guess is she would identify with the other candidate more.
I don't write this to condemn her, or to point out flaws in my family. Her comments were shocking to us mostly because of the beliefs her own son had raised us with. He was always objective. He was a civil rights era news reporter in Cleveland, Ohio. He has had the opportunity to sit and discuss issues with MLK, Carl and Louis Stokes, and Desmond Tutu. He had a chance get a better understanding of who these men were. I never had the feeling that he ever had to look beyond race. I always felt he was far beyond race. His opinions were formed through thorough open minded investigation.

My Grandmother always expected us to stand with dignity. I can overlook a lack of dignity in Mr Dyksta. He was a Philly. His job was centerfield. The man that becomes president however will not be given the same blind eye. Implied bigotry is not a campaign. It is one thing to see people in the Dawg Pound, the old Vet, or Fenway act like a bunch of hateful idiots, but when I see it on a presidential campaign, it is a real turn off.

(I removed the Strongsville video from this post)

Brierman Race Report

The Brierman 50lite triathlon is a .85/40/9.5 mile race in Boonsboro state park near Hagerstown, Maryland. This race features a cold swim on a flat lake, a two loop bike course with a climb up the side of a Mountain, and a run course up and down a very long steep hill. The park is an amazing race venue.

AJ and I arrived Sat. at 2:30. We signed up for the race, listened to the course talk and drove the bike course. The bike course had us both intimidated. The climbs were long and steep. It was obvious we were going to spend much of the day below 10mph. After that we went to the hotel to watch the race in Kona and got a "good" meal.

Sunday we woke up at 5am and got ready to race. We headed to the race site, readied our transition, stood in line for the 2 toilets offered, pulled on the wet suits and headed for the shore.

The swim was two laps on a very calm lake. The water was cold, so I wore two caps. We all started together for a "mass start"(maybe 100 racers). The horn blew and we were off. The swim was really nice. I just swam nice long even strokes and enjoyed watching the sun rise over the surrounding mountains. I was bummed when the swim ended. This was a perfect swim for me. I think it was my best of the year.

T1. I entered on the wrong side of the rack. This slowed me a bit. I put on a long sleeve jersey, my helmet, glasses and headed up the first steep climb out of the park.
"clack,clack....."
Many riders were unable to stay up. I started in an easy gear and had little problem. The ride was a mix of fast descents (48mph top speeed) Long steep climbs, and sharp turns. It was far tougher then any I have ever ridden. The highlight was the amazing fall colors and veiws from the side of the mountain.

The course also was littered with McCain/Palin signs. My malicious side had plans made up for the signs, but they were never realized as I feared some folk may not be able to distinguish aero bars from antlers. The ride was mostly very lonley on the second loop. Once the sprint group left the course we were so spread out on winding mountain roads, that I never really saw other riders. I wondered how far back I was. feared I was dead last until I passed one rider and spotted another that rode 500' behind me.
As I returned to the park down the steep hill we had previously ascended I was excited to start running.
T2. I entered and had to push my way through two people from the sprint race chatting in front of my rack space. I got my run stuff together and headed out for a nice run.

So I figured we would start with a short climb and out and back run around the lake, along park roads. What actually happened was a long climb up a steep hill followed by a long steep descent before turning around and running it in reverse. Half way down to the turn around I was caught by the athlete who had been riding 500' feet behind me on the bike course. I began to match his pace, and we ran the rest of the course together. His name was Scott. We paced and managed the long climb well before opening up our pace as we ran the final fast mile back to the finish. We crossed at the same time. We were glad to be done.

I checked on AJ to see how he did. He said, "I won."
We had been told we couldn't have a race shirt due to our late entry, so I asked if they found an extra shirt for the winner of their inaugural race.
He replied "No".
This happened in front of a Newspaper reporter who was interviewing AJ.Hee hee hee.

I am happy with my performance. Had I planned on doing this race, I would have spent more time doing hill work over the last 3 weeks.
The race management really kind of sucked and the cost for entry was to high. They had made promises to us via email and danced around the issue when we arrived at the race site. AJ had been told he would be given a discount and I would be charged the online fee since the site closed earlier than indicated online. When AJ asked for the discount, the RD took a shot at him saying, "I will cut you a check when you get the 1st place medal."
After he won, the RD continued to dance around the issue. We are waiting to see if he actually honors his promise and sarcasm.
I loved the course both for the challenge and beauty. I will return if Piranha Sports keeps it's word. The venue is awesome. They have a good race. I just thought the management provided very little for an expensive race. If I do return I will register far in advance.

Season Finale

AJ and I are headed to Boonsboro, Maryland for the Brierwood half lite 50 triathlon. I am really excited because the race will be in the middle of the mountains. I am hoping to catch fall at its peak. I have to admit, I am most likely treating this one as a tour rather than a race. But then I do feel good.

Also, here are my predictions for Kona.

1 Craig Alexander
2.Andy Potts
3 Ferris Al-Sutan

1 Chrissie Wellington
2 Sam McGlone
3 Bella Comerford

Spread this

Gig this Saturday

For anyone interested, I will be playing my music at the Phoenix Cafe in south Euclid this coming Saturday at 8pm.
The Phoenix is at the corner of Mayfield and S. Green.

Hope to see some of you there.
Charlie

My Kona dream is selfish

With one last triathlon this season, I consider not where I have been, but where I would like to go. I am realy trying to figure out what I look to gain from the sport and what kind of goals I should try to work toward.
It would be obvious. I would like to win Kona. I am realistic however and I know that for this to happen , a great disaster would would have to befall all of humanity. Since I can not wish suffering on others, my Kona dream is selfish. I worry also that my hopes for world peace could be the result of much suffering before the world could go on in peace.
In my on going attempt to reduce the harmful impact of my life here on earth, I have created some simple goals for next season.

Goals
1. Have lots of fun!
2. Reach out to those who are new to the sport.
3. Continue to search for peace within my self. Be the peace I hope to see.
4. DREAM BIG dream small. Dream , always dream.

Yoga for a folk singer

This photo turned up from the Ride for Miles. This was a trifolk moment if ever I had one.

Yesterday I played during my friends wedding. We were outdoors for the ceremony and I played as guest took seats and the wedding party came down the isle. For the bride(Mickey) I played the chord progression for Sea of Love. After that, we went to Night town for one heck of a party.

I woke up yesterday feeling as though I was going to get sick. I scrapped all tri training and stuck with just the Yoga session M and I had planned. It seems silly, but this was my first time doing yoga.

I had always played a lot of hackey sack, so flexibility and balance were never a problem for me. Last year I decided to not play often for fear that I could injure myself. I didn't realize how inflexible I had become. I can see how beneficial yoga can be to both triathlon related sports, and hackey sack. I will make yoga my big off season addition.

Today I rode and ran. I also met up with AJ to plan for the Brierman race in two weeks. I feel healthy, recovered and ready to go.

Picnic and Ride. Happy Fall!

This past weekend offered up some fantastic weather. I love the fall. Saturday morning I joined the “Ride For Miles”. It was a memorial ride for a Biology professor from John Carroll University who had been struck and killed by a car during a ride last month. The ride had 500 people take part and the route followed my normal 24 mile loop.

Following the ride, lots of food was served and everyone was treated to music compliments of my a group called Roots of American Music. The group is led by an old friend of mine named Kevin Richards. As soon as he discovered me, he drafted me to perform a few tunes. Bike shorts, cleats, and an old Guild guitar seemed perfect for the Trifolk look, but alas, I had no camera.

Sunday was the Cleveland Triathlon Club picnic. I rode down with Jack and somehow managed to avoid politics. he has started a rumor that I have seen the light regarding the GOP ticket since our ride home from Louisville. What he didn't mention was how out of whack my electrolytes were following 15 hrs in 97 degree heat. Once I regained consciousness, I remembered how screwed up the current GOP administration has left us, and that only recently has the GOP hopefuls tried distance them selves from GWB.

The picnic was a good time and the weather was perfect.

Basic update

I have committed to a race in Maryland Oct 12th. The race is called the Brierman Half Light. I found the race because my neighbor said he needed a half prior to Clearwater. I really wanted 1 more tri this season. So I agreed to go along.

The distances are .85 mile swim, 40 mile bike, and 9.5 mile run. It is close to the first long course race I did in Medford Mass in '99. The course looks hilly, so it should be a challenge. It is also near the Appellation trail and the fall foliage should be awesome.

I have switched the bike over to a road setup and will only add the aero bars for the race. I will maintain the relaxed position for better climbing.

I have also done a lot of work on my Nishiki. It is riding really well and the morning commute has been a Joy.
Speaking of the commute, I was interviewed for the 9am show on WCPN (Clevelands NPR) about bike awareness. The segment will air tommorrow(9-19)

On the new frame search. I am leaning toward a Leader. Price is amazing, feedback is positive. The frame should be stiff and light with an aggresive position. This frame should do it and start me under budget.

Any how thats all I have right now. Be well.

I am narrowing my

Life after Louisville

I came so close to tossing the dice today in hopes of grabbing an Ironman Canada entry. I was in heavy debate with myself as 1pm approached. I passed. I am still tossing my 2009 plans around in my head.
Right now I am thinking:

1. Ironman Mexico
2. Ironman UK
3. Ironman Louisville
4. Ironman Nice/France
5. JFK50
6. Marathons and 50k focus with two or three 70.3 races tossed in along with a bunch of sprints.

Most likely I will do go with 6, but I am sure my imagination will get the best of me.

My bike that has given me thousands of miles, 2 Ironmans, 6 70.3s, and most of my triathlon life is getting a new makeover. I am converting it back into a road bike. I am bidding on some shifter/brake levers and switching the bars to drops. The seat post will return to a more relaxed position and I will forgo the aero bars. Once the switch is made, I will begin building a new tri specific bike. I may also check off season sales and do a law away plan.

The volunteer that found me withering on the convention center floor and made sure I got medical attention, found me on Facebook. He was concerned about my well being. I must have looked aweful. I am certain I was one of many to need medical aid after that race.
Anyhow, I can't thank him and the other volunteers enough for the job they did at Ironman. They were working all day and night in the same conditions we raced in. I am sure a few athletes are alive today because of the job these folk did. I am not sure where I would be if Mike had not spotted me.

Thank You.

Ironman Louisville critique

Following my IMUK race last year, I posted a critique of the the race overall. Not my race, just my observations of the event as a whole. That post is one of my most visited. Seems we all look for any information we can find on these events. With that in mind, I felt it important to once again provide information that is useful to others, so here is my critique.

This was my first Ironman race in North America, so I will try not to compare it to the events I visited in Europe.

Travel: I had the benefit of traveling across Ohio to Kentucky, so transportation was simple. We took I71 the whole way.
Lodging: We stayed in the host hotel, The Galt House. This is a huge (3000) room hotel that sits between the finish and transition area The convention Center (Welcome dinner, awards and athlete recovery area) is also within a block. The expo happens here and there is plenty of space to lounge with a large group. It is easy to spend a great deal of time in this complex and out of the heat of the day. The room was nice and clean. Also, free wi fi.
Post race food lacked options and the elevators were slow.
3 nights with parking and tax came to $537. Split in two it was affordable for me.
Race Management: This was a WTC event. They are the measuring stick. First Class. Registration was smooth, as was everything else they did. It did lack a personal feel at times. The welcome dinner and awards lacked the excitement I saw in Europe.
Volunteers and course support were amazing. I had the opportunity to use a bike mechanic and medical staff. Very helpful and attentive. They were both instrumental in getting me back going.

The Course: The unique TT start made for a really peaceful swim. The water is muddy and warm. Sighting is simple.
The bike course has lots of rollers but no true climbs. The first and final ten miles are flat. Auto traffic was a bit much and clueless how to behave with a race going on.
The run course is flat and in the shade for slow racers.
This course is an easy one....except for the probability of high tempuratures. Don't expect it to be an easy day.

The finish line at fourth street live is amazing. It is covered and packed with peaple.
The city of Louisville Kentucky: This is a really nice city. They had alot happening in town including lots of public music. It is small enough to keep everything close and big enough to offer every need that may come up. Veg options were kind of light. near fourth street.
The peaple were really freindly and got behind Ironman 100%.

Summery: This is a a great event, and Louisville gets behind it all the way. I will most likely be back. Hopefully with cooler weather, though I am not counting on it.

Reflections from my raceday: IMKY

I went into this race feeling fit and healthy. I felt my bike was running smoothly. I was confident in my race plan. I don't feel that the race course was a difficult one. My nutrition was solid. If things went smoothly, I don't think a 13hr race was out of the question.

The reality of ironman is that none of that matters. Ironman doesn't care.

The anticipation of swimming into a current without a wet suit in 84 degree water is worse then the reality. It is a slower swim, but no more difficult if you train for a swim of this distance.

The bike course is really ideally suited for my training enviroment. the first and last 12 miles are flat and very easy to spin through. I was never challenged during the bike. My problems came from a preventable equipment issue. I am solely responsible to have my bike ready to race. I considered swapping out the chain. I decided not to. I gambled and lost.
The heat was ending a lot of races during the bike. I saw many camped beneath the trees.

The run course was mostly flat. There was decent shade through most of the run. This could be a fast course, but Sunday was the hottest day I have seen this summer. It was destroying people. Ambulances and med crews were busy.

The heat was the element of IMKY '08 that made this race so difficult. My race plan was skewed by my failure to replace worn equipment.

Ultimately I am very satisfied with my Ironman experiance. I feel my year prepared me well for the obsticals I faced. My spirit was shaken and tested. I overcame everything and pushed myself as hard as my body would allow.

During Ironman we face some dark moments. You not only feel weak and vulnerable, you are weak and vulnerable. Ironman will deal its hand, and you will play it. The strongest fail. This is not an easy race. Ironman is where we face our demons. No matter how close you may be to the finish, it is never guanteed. But once you step over that finishline, nothing else matters. You did it.
For me, I had to pay a cost for my finish. I was done with ironman, but ironman wasn't done with me. I dared to defy all that ironman had dealt me. This was a race I should not have finished, but I would not stand down. I crossed that finish line despite all the struggles I had this year. But it came at such a cost physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally that when I finished I was absolutely spent and had to literally be revived by the help of others.

As I regained consciousnes and was able think more clearly, I found my self to be very happy. I had an awareness that I had lacked recently. I was not happy because I had crossed a finish line. I was happy because I was alive. I had come through some very dark struggles, and I was still alive.
I came to this race not to see how far or fast I could go. I came to this race to see how deep I could dig. I dug as deep as I could. For me, Ironman is a spiritual journey. I got what I came for.

It was a great race.

The weakest link is where I found my strength

Ironman Louisville Race Recap

Race morning we woke up at 4:15 and ate bagels fruit and Lara bars. Jack and I got rolling around 5AM both joking and feeling very relaxed.
I got into transition, filled my aero bottle and tires and headed to the swim with Micky Ryzmic, Jack and Tim Ritt. The mood was loose as we were all dropping middle aged white guy jokes left and right. Good stuff....body marking was quick and painless as were the facilities. We jumped in line for the swim with kar-Ming and Chris. We lost Jack some where, but figured he jumped in line with some other CTC folks....We waited an hour or so for the canon, and then 40 minutes to get in the water.

At the swim start we just ran down a dock in a single file line and jumped in, and started swimming. It seemed like a very smooth process. Once in, I focused on settling my heart rate and finding my stroke. The first 3/4 miles are into the current with an island to the left making the channel narrow. This caused some congestion but it wasn't bad. I did throw a few elbows in defense, but it was light contact for the most part. Once around the island you swim with the current. The river was moving slowly, so this wasn't much help. I just swam and enjoyed the meditation of a long open water swim. I never missed having a wet suit. The swim went smoothly. My swim time was 1:39.40. On the surface it was slow, but we also had no wetsuits or mass start pull. I am satisfied with my swim.

T1 was uneventful. I took my time and made sure every thing was sound and moved on. 7:42

I hit the bike feeling very good. my turnover was good and I felt as good on the bike as I have all year. I began passing peaple immediately. My race plan is generally to hang back early, butI felt fine and easy, so I just went with it. The first 12 miles are flat and easy. As I headed into an early climb I dropped my chain. No big deal, I got it back going with out a dismount. A little while later it happened again. This time I had to dismount. While clipping back in I was rear ended by another rider. I checked to makesure he and his bike were OK, checked myself and proceeded. At this point I became aware that the chain would be an issue and it made me tenitve when dropping into my small ring. My speed was good at around a 16.40 avg mph. This was my goal pace. At around mile 40 we hit a series of short steep inclines. On the toughest one I dropped into my small ring and spun out. I got my foot to the ground quickly as I had no power and was afraid I would go down. I heard other riders say "He broke his chain, that sucks". They were talking about me. I pulled the bike off of the course, took a leak, and got to work on the chain. This slowed me down, but I was able to do a quick fix. I hopped on and could not get the chain to stay in the small ring. At the next aid station I got off to do some adjustments. They had a mechanic that went to work on it, so I sat under a tent and had a Lara bar and bottle of water. I also watched the rest of the field roll past me. I was a teporary spectator and I was soon going to be far back. I thought of Jen C at lake placid and her determination to keep going. I remained calm and refused to become frustrated by my trouble.
Once the mechanic handed the bike back to me I got moving. I had to walk a line between getting back into position and staying patient. I still had 70 miles to ride and the heat was rising. The chain was working well so I began to feel more confident in the bike. I started moving up in the pack once again. I found another rider that was trying to recover time after a broken chain. We were together for a short time before a tube shot out of my tool bag. I had failed to zip it after the aid station. Duh! The tube got caught between my brake caliper and wheel. The other rider vanished. I shook my head, dealt with it and got moving. I was growing a little frustrated, but remained calm knowing I had 50 more miles and it was getting really hot. I maintained a good mix of urgency and patients. I began once again to pass riders that were familiar from before my many mechanical issues. The second loop was much less eventful. Just roller after roller and VERY HOT.
Within the last 25 miles I saw a lot of riders camped in the shade at the side of the road. My confidence was on the upswing, and I spun my way through the final flat 12 miles before arriving at T2.
Bike time 7:35. I am very happy about my effort and ability to stay positive through all of the mechanical issues. In hindsight I would have swapped out the chain a few weeks ago. It was the only heavy wear gear I decided to not replace. Lesson learned.

At T2 I saw the other broken chain victom. I was happy to know I had made up a lot of ground. I got ready to run, got sunscreen, hit the loo and headed off to the marathon. My legs felt good and I was feeling very positive. I had made the cut off. I was still going.

The first 4 miles of the run were going well. I ran from aid station to aid station and enjoyed the crowd along the course. The heat was brutel. Mid 90's. My pace slowed and the walk breaks grew longer as I was doing every thing I could to stay cool and hydrated. I began to see all the CTC friends I had lost contact with hours earlier.
During the mid section, my walk breaks were becoming jog breaks. My attitude was still good. I spent much of this time encouraging others. I think sharing my positive feelings helped me to maintain a good attitude myself.
Some where close to mile 16 I started to get into a funk. I was really growing tired and my focus was waining. I began to question my well being. I was having trouble consuming fuel. I really took my time trying to get pretzels, gels, banana's, water, gatorade, and coke inside of me. I fought off nausea and pushed forward. The finish seemed so far away, but I had come so far. I couldn't quit, but I wasn't sure if I could continue. the dark of night brought cooler temperatures, but the heat of the day had done its damage. I was spent. My goal was to remain upright and forward.
At the final turn around I broke through the darkness. I could see my path clearly. I was able to stretch my running further and further. Walk breaks shortened. I was rooting every one else on and geting chatty. I grabbed a full 24 ouce bottle of water and just sipped the rest of the way. The closer I got, the better I felt. I ran alot of the final section and turned onto fourth street feeling really strong.
The crowd on fourth was amazing. I couldn't help but to ham it up as I coaxed the crowed to get louder. Just before going under the Ironman arch before the finish, I cought my toe on a cobble stone. My hamstring completey seized and I stopped, hobbling in circles. The crowed quieted. I turned to the finish, picked up my legs and found my stride. The crowed roared as I ran into the finish. I was VERY happy. It was fun looking up at the big sceen to see my finish.
Run 5:51.18 Wow, that is a long time to be on a marathon course. I was so happy just to finish.This run was really hard. The heat was brutal.
Total time 15:24.25
After I finished I walked over to the convention center for recovery. I grabbed what limited food I could and laid down in the hall way with my feet in the air. I made phone calls to Bbop, M, and my folks. As I got off the phone with M, I felt a little quizzy and rolled on my side. A volunteer asked if I needed assistance. I declined. He said he would be much more comfortable if I went to medical. The next thing I know I was in a wheel chair with about five volunteers surrounding me. My hamstring was completely locked up and screaming and I was having a familiar hypoglycemic attack. This includes a seizure, blackout, fainting, and my skin turning ghostly white. They hooked me up to an IV massaged my hamstring and ran tests. As I began to feel better I got a hold of Jack. He said his son Michael had already retrieved my bike and gear. I became chatty with the other athletes starring at the ceiling. Michael came to escort meback to the hotel and all was good.
I am very greatful to the medical staff, volunteers and Michael.

Overall I achieved my goals. I dug deep and left every thing on the course. I fought through all adversity, stayed positive and had an amazing day. The city of Louisville is great.
Thank you all for your help and encouragement throughout the past year.

Track my race

Well, we are 12 hours from race time. Louisville is hot( mid to low 90s), but the humidity is low(43%). Wetsuits are out, but the river is comfy. Every thing is set and all we can do is rest and eat.

You can track my race at Ironman.com I am #1649.
If you have never done this before, it is updated as I pass over certain points on the race course. Last year it was a huge mental boost to know that so many were watching my progress. I remember passing over a timing mat and announcing "I am still going mom!". Thank you all for your support.

Also, this year you can view the finish line on ironman.com as well. I don't think that link is up yet, but look for the audio/video link. I will be wearing my CTC gear. My guess on a finish time would be between 13 and 17 hrs. But who knows? ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

One more thing, many of you have sent well wishes via Facebook.
Thank you.

Transition is full

DSCN1572
Originally uploaded by charliemosbrook

Empty Transition

DSCN1562
Originally uploaded by charliemosbrook

We are in Louisville

We got in at about 1pm. Much different than the UK. I haven't left the hotel except for a second. It is HOT here.
We are of to dinner.

Just two more

the last two
Originally uploaded by charliemosbrook

This is my bike after Steelhead

How deep the river

Ever since I watched Jen finish Ironman Austria back in 1999, I had dreamed of finishing one myself. Jen is a much better athlete then I, so it was hard to fathom myself having the endurance to cover 140.6 miles. I had completed a few marathons at this time, but Ironman seemed like such an impossible goal. It wasn't until my first 70.3 completion that I could imagine going the full distance.

My first Ironman in the UK was the magical experience I had dreamed of. I never struggled with my training and found race day followed in the same manner. My enthusiasm carried me through the tough times. I really never felt that the finish was out of reach as long as I was patient and followed my plan. The work was a lot, but it was what I wanted to do. finishing Ironman was my priority.

This year I have found it to be much tougher. I have other goals I am working towards. My time has been gladly spread to other area's in my life. Sometimes I have been to tired or bored of training. Week after week I have followed my plan whether I want to or not. Sometimes the desire to quit has been strong.

Sometimes I have wanted to do what other people do on Saturday or at happy hour. I have wanted to sleep in or spend more time with M. Time management has not been as easy, as my attention has been divided into area's outside of triathlon. I have sought methods to better manage my limited time, but ultimately my priorities have not been as focused on Ironman as they were prior to my first.

Some how the months rolled by and my training stayed on track despite my lack of enthusiasm. My fitness was intact, but my motivation was lost. I wasn't clear on why I wanted to do Ironman, I was just training because I was registered for the race in Louisville.

When I got to Morgantown for the ½ I found my self with nothing on the inside. I had the physical strength for the race, but my heart was weak. I didn't care. Leaving that race, I knew that if I was to finish Ironman I would have to do some real soul searching. I would have to look deeper then I had before. I would have to continue to build my physical strength, but if I wanted to succeed with Ironman I would have to focus on building my strength from within.

The next month was one of long and frequent workouts. I had a handful of big breakthrough workouts, but mostly I focused on the frequency of my workouts. I spent most of the big workouts looking deeply trying to find focus. At Steelhead I realised the results of my renewed commitment. I found strength and joy from within. I PR'd that day, but the real victory was in finding my self. The difference between Morgantown and Steelhead was not in my physical fitness, it was my heart.

Somehow this season I had forgotten why I do this. I had begun to compare myself to others and look upon outward results as a gauge of my development. When I made the conscious decision to return to my heart, everything began to fall into place.

As a triathlete my best is not demonstrated in how fast or far I am able to go. My best is a reflection of how deep I am able to dig. This is also true of my music, relations, work and life. My athletic goals are spiritual. I approach the start of Ironman as the final stage of a long look into my soul.

My second Ironman experience has been much tougher than the first. I have had to work much harder this time around. I have had to force myself at times to train. It was not always fun. I had doubt in my training and desire. Overcoming this, to reach the point I find myself today has been the true victory. I am physically, spiritually, and emotionally ready.-

My bike is also ready. Performance addressed my package improperly. I was able to get a refund and fill the order locally. They were able to help me resolve the issue. I am grateful for this.

One week out.

So I sit here Sunday morning sipping coffee and watching IMCanada. I am headed to the pool for a quick swim followed by a 24/3.5 mile brick.

Later this afternoon My friend M and I will be clipping my hair, and then Bbop and I are headed to Lakewood for a pre IM get together.

Friday Zac, Nichole and I had Indian food. A year ago we ate a lot of curry dishes together in the UK. This year we had the same as our pre IM feast.

Yesterday "M" and I were jogging at mentor headlands when Micky(GCT RD) pulled up and gave us some water. I was a little post dal gassy.

My family celebrated my moms birthday last night. They had a Ben and Jerry's cake. I ate fruit. My sister rubbed it in. I told her I would let her enjoy the cake, but to expect some links about dairy. My niece Sarah(age 8) said she was considering becoming a vegetarian. I told her to read up about it and keep her Ice Cream gloating mother informed about her diet.

One more thing. Congrats to the local bicycle maker on his gold medal in the Olympics. This young fella works down the street from Rocco's. I am wishing him luck in his next big goal. A freaking NBA title!.

1649

Race numbers have been assigned and I am #1649. If you would like to track my race, follow this link
www.ironman.com

The taper is going well I feel healthy and fit. My running is really at a high point. I have been running 7:30-8:30 miles. My HR is stable and the effort is reasonable. One key is my butt injury has mostly healed. I love running faster. I have to control this urge.
The helmet has produced some amazing results in field tests. In some spots I gained 5-6 mph. Mostly 2-3 at speeds above 20mph. Over 112 miles this could add up.

Swimming is going well. I am bummed that the pool will be closed after ironman. Last year, the post race swims were nice. The ND college lap pool is much more get in/get out. It is much harder to relax.

I am nervous about my package from performance bike. I ordered it on the 12th. It is not here yet, It contains brake pads, bar tape, cleats, tires and tubes. It is important stuff. I want to ride on the tires pre race. I want the bike to be ready by tuesday. Arrrrgggggg. I figured I would save time by going online.
Spend a little time, save a little stress.

Last night was a blast. Thank you to everyone who came to the gig. Singing is a great taper activity.

Into the waves

I hit the CTC open water swim this evening. The waves were huge(GCT/Steelhead huge). I hadn't taken my wet suit, so I was would be able to gain more confidence for the no wetsuit possibility in Kentucky. We swam for 30 minutes or so. Fun stuff.....I have a gig at AJ Rocco's Thursday at 8 PM.....I accept tubes for tips.

1 more thing: I am a nerd....I have an areo helmet.............

Taper blues

The taper is so stressfull to me.
I want to roll up in bubble rap and watch cartoons. I can't make sense of my emotions. I want to eat. I want to run. I want to buy gear. I want to register for 6 marathons, 3 ironmans, 1 ultra and the bi-athlon this sunday. I want to be in louisville right now. I want to hammer in thee pool, I want coffee, I want cookies, I want to race, I want my mom, I want to race, I want to do hill work, I want a strawberry tufutti shake from tommy's. I want to work on my bike. The Olympics have got me fired up. I can't wait. I want to be in Kentucky.

TickTickTick

I had to get a new watch today. My HRM is a bit beat up. I have had to hold the strap down with a zip Tye on the HRM and my older timex IM. With Ironman within 15 day's, I thought it time to replace my watch.

My first thought was to get a GPS/HRM. I can't afford the garmin stuff, and battery life seems to be in question. I wouldn't use it for the race any way. I found some good deals on the Timex bodylink Ironman watches, but it came down to the question of whether I would need it for race day or not.

After Ironman, I plan to train for nothing for a few months. I will exorcise and race, but it will be a loose affair. Heart Rate, speed and distance will not be a concern for some time.

I decided to hold off on the fancy stuff until I get my 50k training going
For now, I just need a good watch. 50 lap Timex Ironman. This is the one I got.

I am weighting for the USPS to bring some things for the bike. Tires, tubes, tape, cleats, brake pads.
I have new goggles from Steelhead. My running shoes have some hours on them. I need to replace them.

Ironman is 15 days away. The time is coming fast. I want to enjoy this time as relaxed as I am able. Being prepared early is important. I want to leave nothing till the last minute.

It is time to get my things in order. It is almost time for ironman..........

The Great Lakes Unplanned Duathlon series continued today as Lake Erie made Steelhead look like a pony ride at a rodeo.

I didn't race. My job was post race music. I told Micky I was doing the sprint next year before I play. I love GCT. Mickey takes very good care of me. He has since he received my first GCT entry in '05. His personal approach makes this race one nobody misses. It is getting to the point that if you don't race, you volunteer. I get the best job I can imagine. I get to play my guitar.

I am into my taper. I did a 5hr brick yesterday and 100 minute run today. Tuesday I want to swim 4500. After that, I have to keep my fitness sharp and stay healthy.

My confidence is high and I feel as though my training is right where I was aiming back in December. I have really had to reach deep this season.

There was a stretch where I really lost focus. I felt exhausted. I never considered quiting, but I wasn't clear on what I was doing it for. This culminated at Morgantown. I had a really bad day. I walked away feeling so dejected. A few emails found me and reassured me that we were all going through the same trials.

I hadn't struggled last year. Nothing was going to stop me. This year I wasn't so sure. I danced with doubt.

It was during the sweet corn ride that I broke through. I was standing at a cross roads when jack pulled up and assured me that I was lost, but not alone. Together we found our way. We forced our way back with the confidence a couple of guys wearing MDOT tattoos should have.

At Steelhead I executed my plan as well as I ever have. I adapted to format changes. I had fun. I came away from steelhead convinced.

My desire is back. Nothing is going to stop me. I am ready.

Steelhead 70.3....er....71.someting Du Race report

Bbop and I rolled into Benton Harbor Friday at 3:30. The area seemed dead until we got to the race site. At that point we were amongst LOTS of athletes.2500 registered. This meant a huge transition area and check in process.The organiation was top notch so this went by quickly. We were able to get some shopping done at the expo and sit down to some Cheeza hut. I at some cucumber. socialising with the other athletes was what this pre race party was for, so I wasn't to bent about the non vegan friendly menu. After wards we went to dinner and sat with Katy(from tri-swimming) and some other random athletes. Dinner was tasty and filling. We went back to the hotel and retired for the night.

While trying to sleep I experianced a little acid reflux, but nothing serious. It was never an issue again.

Race morning we headed back to the site. I got in and out of transition quickly and headed to the start up the beach. the lake looked rough, so we knew we were in for a challenge right away. I actually like rough water, so I was calm and just followed my pre race needs.....the loo. After I lost some weight it was anounced that a desision on whether we would swim would be made soon. The crowd had a mix of sighs and groans. I was disappointed, but I have dealt with unintentionalb du's 5 times before, so I just changed my focus and we walked back to transition to get ready for a run. My only concern was nutrition. I drank gatorade.

The swim was replaced by a 2.1 mile run. We would still start in waves. i went out at a 10k pace and just tried to hang with the crowd. Mostly in the shade and quick. One advantage was the preveiw off the finish chute. Lots of sand and uneven footing. I hit tansition and -prepared for the bike. I felt good. The knee pain I had beed dealing with was not a problem. 16.39 run/ 2:51 T1

I hit the bike and wondered if I had a flat. Bbop flew past me. I had no power. I decided to spin until my legs felt right.Within about 10 minutes I felt right again. This is normal for me. My plan was to start easy and hold back much like I would for 140.6. I mostly rode on my own and passed others slowly. I also found myself making room for the many pace lines that would blow past us all. The format of the race was to seed waves so that everyone would finish around the same time. This format allowed many slow racers like myself to witness the cheating that goes on up front. Cheaters suck.Congrats to all the drfters. You Cheated. Lame.
At the midway point I followed my plan to turn it up a notch. I began really moving fast. I was passing huge groups of riders. I continued to crank it up for the rest of the ride. At aid station I took water and poured it over my self to cool. I ate on schedual and took salt as planned. My only mistake was in running out of water while taking in the final gel. Bike: 2:53.57 My goal was sub 3.

In T2 I removed my shoes on entry. I was racked at the far end, so I went barefoot in. 3:16

The run started with a side stich. I ran thru it and took down plenty of water to dilute the gel from the bike. It worked. During the first lap I held off and ran relaxed. I used the sponges and dumped lots of water on myself to stay cool. I used gatorade and took a gel midway. the second half I once again ran with urgency. I pressed except at aid stations. I maintained my cooling plan and ran with strength the rest of the way. With 3 to go I ran with the plan of catching anyone with in my sight. Except for one runner I did that. At the finish I spinted past two more runners. Run- 2:09.32

Once I croossed the line, I pumped my fist as I knew my day went well. Final 5:26.18 PR adjuhsted with my worst swim time. I was a bit emotional in recovery. This year has been tough, and I felt that everything came together for this race. I am very happy about it, and I feel much better about IMKY.

CTC closed the day with 3 Clearwater spots. We went out and partied. Congrats to everyone.
I must sleep now.....More to come about this one.