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

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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.

Sweet Corn Challenge.....LOST!

I made a last minute training change Friday and decided to do an organized century ride. The sweet corn challenge begins and ends in Richfield Ohio just south of Cleveland. The ride is known for very tough hills and a feast of corn and chicken. I left the chickens off of my plate. Lots of CTC members took part including a strong showing by the IMKY group. For whatever reason the men and women all seemed to ride as two groups. I am unable to keep pace with the women, so I tried my hand with the fellas.

As we departed we immediately saw a down rider and an ambulance. I also realized that the rider was part of the fem' CTC group. I will refer you to Daisy Duc, Jodi, or Elizabeth's blog for details(all in my side bar). This caused lots of concern within our group, but it was being handled, so we peddled on.

The weather was great. The course is north east Ohio farm country. Aid staitions were well stocked. The hills were very challenging. I rode well and felt like I was getting in a good day of riding in.

Following the final aid station was a very steep climb. at this point I had 10 miles to go. I followed the rider just ahead of me.....................................................................
............................................................................... and discovered that I was no longer on the course. He and I studied the map and made a wrong decision. We rode south for a bit and turned around. He lived near by, so he just went home. I backtracked in hopes of finding my way.

As I rolled up to an intersection I saw Jack. I asked, "are you the search party, or are you lost to?".

He was also lost. Well at least I would have the company of a friend in finding my way. We took a series of wrong turns, but eventually got back on course to a section of the course we had both ridden. The section of the course that included the very steep hill......We both swore and grunted as we were forced to ascend this awful beast of a climb once again. We did take comfort in knowing that we were getting a work out that would provide the confidence we both needed to head into the final month before Ironman. In all we rode 120 miles. We are ready.

We headed to the post ride feast and joined a few CTCers for some corn and food. YUM.

Since Thursday I have logged 190 miles. I feel strong. I am ready. Next Saturday, Bbop and I are headed to Steelhead for a dress rehearsal.

Knowing limits

My favorite method of sharing humorous thoughts is to suggest a different point of view without ever actually telling the joke. My hope is to allow the imagination of whomever I am joking with to complete the tasteless humor that floats under my dome. If done correctly I can turn a simple smile into a very sick joke. If done poorly I end up having to explain myself. This is usually the point that my little joke fails and falls into inappropriateness. My theory is that I can share my most twisted thoughts without saying them. If successful, I can claim the thought was your own.

The line between appropriate and inappropriate is a fine one. When I cross it, I set myself up for problems. So I try to stay this side of a bad joke.

The past two weeks I have been pushing my training much further. Long swim days, long bike days, and long run days have dominated my training. The last big workout was a 2+ hr run Thursday. The run focus was to take advantage of the 90 degree heat and practice good hydration. The workout went well, but left my body a little tattered. My muscles were a bit dehydrated and tight. I battled some awful spasms late Thursday. I still feel the effects of the run and sensed a little cold looking for an opportunity to attack. There are many little things occurring with my body that tell me this is a good weekend to back off. At Rocco's, we have been setting sales records all week. Being on my feet all day and rushing about has also left me a bit tired.

So in an effort to stay a fit as I have been feeling lately, I am going to ere on the side of appropriate training behavior. If I reveal to much, my training might resemble bad joke.

For me the key to success is knowing when not to say to much.

Neighbors

I got a call from my neighbor AJ yesterday, letting me know he had won the Miltonman Oly this past Sunday. He and his roommate Brendon will be heading to Lake Placid this week as Brendon will be racing this coming Sunday. I have done some training with him and traveled to races with both of these guys. They are gifted.
Also racing in Lake Placid will be Kurt Molter. Kurt was my tent neighbor in the UK and the first person to say, "Charlie, you are an Ironman".
Any how Congrats to AJ, and good luck to Brendon and Kurt as well as Sam, Joe, Ben, and Ryan. Have a great race. I will be watching the finish line feed.

Today I become an Ironman

I am not in Austria. There will be no swim, no medal will be hung round my neck and no finish line celebration will happen. But what I do today will play a huge roll in whether or not I cross the finish line in Kentucky.

"Today I become an Ironman" is what I said to myself as I headed off for 90 miles around the Cleveland Metroparks.

I have to say, my attitude is back where I want it. When it began to rain midway through, I repeated this verse. When the climb out of the valley got tough, I repeated this verse. When I arrived home to see my running shoes waiting for the brick portion, I repeated this verse. When I finished my workout I repeated this verse.

"Today I become an Ironman".

What I do today is what matters most.

I did get a mini finish line celebration as I finished. E-Speed and E-Husband were headed to Tommy's for some dinner and saw me finish. E called out my name. Boy was I relieved to see someone that appreciates 7 hrs of sweat and grime. She is also one of those folks that I am glad to see every time I do.
So thanks Elizabeth for the finish line celebration. Today I became an Ironman.

I hit a low point in my training

Last week was a low point for me during my Ironman training. I found myself to be a bit depressed and disappointed by what went on in Morgantown. It didn't bother me that the race went slower then planned. All in all it was not a bad effort. The swim was into a current. It was going to be a bit slow. I am OK with that. The bike was 50 seconds slower then last year. It rained this year. I slowed for safety. The run went well till my stomach turned. Oops, it happens.

What caused concern was my poor attitude on the bike. I haven't experienced this during a race. I really didn't care about the race. I would look at my computer and think "15 miles?! Crap! When will this nonsense be over?. What is the point?". When I crossed the finish line I threw my hands up in defeat, rolled my eyes and smiled for the camera. I was happy to be done, but I was not happy.

The following week was spent exploring these feelings that continued. I took the time to recover from the race. I went out for a few beers Tuesday. I tried to go easy during workouts. My hope was that I was just tired.

July 4th came and my friend M and I went to a party along the lake. During this party, I had a few random conversations that seemed to ask the right questions.

The next morning I had coffee with another friend that really got my mind excited about future goals and my ability to achieve them. I recognized very clearly what I wanted to do as a recording engineer. I could see exactly what path to follow to realize these dreams.

As I began my workouts through the weekend I realized that my training had more energy and passion. I was caught in the excitement of organizing my thoughts. My lack of drive seemed to return as my sense of purpose became clear, not just as a triathlete, but as a human.

Ironman is no longer a goal. I have become an Ironman. Ironman is now a reflection of the kind of person that I am. I am capable of accomplishing great things. I do this race not to prove my worth. I do this race to remind myself of what it takes to achieve my dreams.

I have outlined my July training schedule. It is going to be tough, but I am focused. I am hungry and I want to train. Louisville may be my last full Ironman. I want to savor these next two months.

Next up, STEELHEAD!.

Spirit of Morgantown race report

Following the service for Patrick Saturday, we loaded the car and headed for Morgantown. I rode down with Brendon, AJ, and Ericson. All three are in their early 20's and all are very gifted and dedicated athletes. The ride was a lot of fun.
We got into town around 5:30, grabbed our race packets, racked the bikes and joined the CTC party for dinner. CTC is one of the rare groups where I genuinely like and admire everybody. I may disagree with some of them from time to time, But I still consider them all good and fun folk.
Needless to say, We had fun. After dinner we headed to the hotel and got some rest.

Race morning we headed down to the race site and joined the transition pre-race festivities of pumping tires, body marking and last minute repairs. USAT watches this race closely as it is a national qualifier. The officials had picked my bike out as a possible bar end violation with my aero bars. I duct taped pennies on and was ready to race.

We had so many Clevelander's present. My rack alone included Rob Reddy, Jack Carney, and John Telich. It was a very social affair.

After waiting for the first few waves start, I entered the water, The first thing I noticed was a reasonably strong current that was pulling us all forward. This made for a slow swim. For me it was very slow. 44 minutes. This is getting annoying. My pool work outs have been much stronger then my race results.

After exiting the water I stripped off the wet suit quickly and ran the 1/4 mile back to T1. Transition took :05 including the run and strip. I was happy as I it felt very smooth.

The bike began poorly. I was not mentally in a good spot. I was working hard, but I was questioning my self and my desire far more then I like to. The first loop also included some heavy rain at times. Most of the first loop I spent monitoring Jack as he was gaining ground on me. We are closely matched, so he is a good race target for me. By the end of the first loop I looked back and saw Jack within 50 yards. I tried to use this as motivation. Part of me wanted to slow down and ride with him. But this was a race, so race I would try.
As we headed over the bridge out of town a car pulled in front of me to escape the backed up race congestion.
I yelled "YO!YO!YO!".
The driver acknowledged my presence and I shot around him cursing to myself. My anger provoked a much more focused second loop. I dropped Jack and was out on my own saying hello to Jack and JT after the turn arounds. My bike split was 3:08.52. With the rain, hairpin turns, and poor surface, I am satisfied. Mostly I was happy to regain my focus. Next time I need to do this with out a negative trigger.
T2 went by quickly. I washed my feet of the debris from the rain and got going.
Results don't show T2 time.
The run began well. I went out at about a :09 minute pace and held it till devils hill. I was a bit smiley and was having fun with all the CTCers on the course. At devils hill I bopped up the first section and pushed my self past the second.
After passing through the campus I took a couple salt tabs. I had not been drinking anything but water and taking in gel. HFP is serving HEED. I don't like it. So I tried to compensate.
The next 6 miles were ugly. I watched my group start to pull ahead as my stomach went bad. At mile 10 I went into a walk run. Jack passed me by. Now the chore was to cross the finish line. If I could do it with out a personal worst I would be happy.
In 6hrs25minutes and :03 seconds I got across the finish having run most of the final mile.
Goal two accomplished.
The rain was beyond my control. Nutrition I should have taken better control of. My plan was to rely on what was provided on course. I should now remember that HFP serves Hammer products. I don't like Heed. The remainder of my races are WTC events.Powerbar/gel and Gatorade. That works for me. except the non vegan bar. I will carry and leave Cliff and Lara bars in my special needs bag.

My biggest concern during this race was the "I don't care" attitude that lasted through 25 bike miles. If this feeling had hit me on the run, I might have just walked off the course. I have a lot to figure out this month. I can not take this attitude into Ironman.

CTC as a group took home a ton of hardware. Congrats to you all.
I took home a hard lesson. Don't screw with race day nutrition and get your head in the game.

I had one of those moments early this week when I considered giving up and going back to the way things were. I hit a bump in the road that had me feeling completely hopeless. I worried that I was just not cut out for this.

Well, I some how have developed this odd persistence. It being a taper week, I have had extra time to address the issue and try to grow. It is not always easy. Change is difficult. I have to sometimes really stretch beyond my perception and just be open and willing. As I continue moving forward, good things happen.

Well after a few days really examining the issue and trusting my instincts, I have resolved the problem. Every thing works and I am still enthusiastic about the project.

I am talking about the switch to linux.

My system runs with amazing efficientsy. I love the desktop environment. Any software I want is available for free with no strings attached. The potential is amazing. Linux will link the 3rd world to the Internet. Linux will do this commercial free. Linux is and a techo-op.

I am dedicated to learning how to run Linux with confidence. Some drivers require research. Some time to a very frustrating degree. Ultimately the user groups are amazing in shared knowledge.

I get this also in the tri community. Zac had a problem with the bus, so he can't go. I called some neighbors, and they came through. I got a room nearby. I am excited to race. Morgantown is packed with CTC members.

We are saying goodbye to Patrick Saturday. I am playing "Into the Mystic". I am nervous. I will be with people that care about me.

In all the things I do I draw strength from others. Tips, applause, or the exhausted thumbs up from a fellow athlete at the end of the run. These things keep me going in life. I am who I am because of who we are.

Thank You.