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.

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.

Ironyman on healthcare

I am a bike commuter. It is my preferred mode of transportation. Currently the city of Cleveland is making the leap towards providing options for people like my self. From east 89^th to Cleveland State along Euclid Avenue a new pair of bike lanes have been created as part of the new Euclid Corridor project. Once the project is complete I will have my own lane from University Circle to Playhouse Square.

I only hope I live to see it.

Right now the project construction that continues, along with the never ending additions to the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals has created a barricade between the comfortable riding of the heights and the new bike lane. Everyday as I descend the hills and make my way past these two world class health care facilities, I pray that I will make it a mile and a half past the high volume of construction, shuttles, EMS, and thousands of cars ferrying overworked health care professionals and receivers. I assume many are on drugs and/or are under heavy stress as they work through health related issues. The preoccupation of thoughts amongst the drivers who the share road with me must be great.

As I am under insured, neither of these institutions is accessible to me. So aside from employing much of the population around me, I don't feel as though I am directly benefiting from the constant growth of these hospitals. I know they both are global leaders in healthcare, but locally I consider them to be the source of my greatest health concerns. I fear for my life every time I travel past these two medical giants.

Once I progress westward on Euclid into the crime and poverty of midtown, I am able to relax and enjoy a carefree ride to work.

A week from now I will be racing in Morgantown WV. I am doing the 70.3 distance. I will taper this week.

Finding focus.

Watching the US Open(Follow the link for story of the tourney), I was mesmerized by the absolute focus of Tiger Woods. I was rooting for Rocco, but I was in awe of Tiger.

During todays playoff, I turned to a friend and said of Rocco,"I hope he is enjoying every second of this."

Some how I need to find both properties in my training. As the work becomes more and more intense, having fun while remaining focused becomes a major challenge.

I see myself becoming very protective about time commitments. I get cranky when demands are made on my schedule. If I have to train, I find it difficult to enjoy other activities. That is accept all of the workout procrastinations I can come up with...(Blogging).

With the improved weather, the joy of training is returning. No more trainer. No more tights. No more indoor pool. The weather has been great for a few weeks(I want high heat).Training is fun when it is sunny.

Saturday I went long solo on the bike. These days are tough, but I truly believe in the solitude to build mental toughness. Ironman is a long day. Drafting is illegal.
Midway through the ride I ran into Bbop down in the Cuyahoga Valley. We rode for a bit. That was nice. The change of course also awarded me more climbing. This I need. I am sucking on hills this year.

The Open Mic has been amazing. Cleveland has so much great talent. Our lineup has filled every week. The audiances have responded well. The Phoenix staff is very sopportive of both the Open Mic and myself.

This is all where I want to be. I am enjoying every second of it. I am also becoming focused.

It is time to become an Ironman.

Up to Buffalo

I don't know if it will be the Sunday cup of coffee before or after a work out, or the subtle jabs at Browns fans that I will miss the most. Something always seems a little uneasy when a broadcaster has died while still broadcasting.

The thoughts I have regarding the death of Tim Russert go beyond the unexpected loss of someone that has become a common part of our life through radio or television. It has transcended the fear I have of the eventuality of loosing my own hero and favorite broadcaster. Tim Russert's death is a little different.

I have always believed that the media is the fourth branch of government here in the USA. The media is responsible for communicating the actions of our leaders with out bias. Very few have done a better job of clarifying the truth then Tim Russert. The man wouldn't accept non answers. I think we have lost a huge part of the election process. In my mind we have lost one of the most important Americans of our time.

Deer Creek race report

Double fisted was the best race plan of the day. I knew going into this weekend that it would be a hot one. Having gone though such a cool spring, I wasn't sure how well I would deal with it on the Deer Creek course. With the big goal being Louisville, heat will be an issue.


We left Cleveland in Zacs bus late Saturday afternoon. He has the VW looking good and running very well. The addition of a bike and rack make it really shine. We arrived at Deer Creek close to 9pm. We grabed a tent site about a mile from the course. It was privately owned and about a third of the cost of the State park.

The creek near our camp was very high. The area was enduring some flooding. This fact was sure to influence the race. We set up camp and had some food. Nicole is running a raw cafe within a Lakewood wellness center now. She is experimenting with lots of good food. Zac got a bag of chips. They were also quite tasty. At about 11pm I slept.

We woke at 5:50am. First me, then Max, then Zac, then Nicole brought up the rear. We rolled up to the park soon after. I grabbed my packet, set up transition, chatted and just enjoyed the pre race happenings. I met Mary Sunshine from the IMKY blog. She grabbed some AG hardware. Congrats!

Nicole went down to the water with me. We didn't have to go far, as the lake was a bit bloated. The beach of 30yrds from last fall was non existent.

I swam a bit and waited for the waves to go off. The race began 16 minutes late and was delayed after a swimmer had to be rescued. The swimmer was OK.

My wave went at 8:35. Immediately I was hit with a side stitch. Maybe it was the hammer I took before the start. Maybe the Gatorade. or maybe my water had been spiked with heed. What ever the intestinal distress was became unimportant as I began to take repeated blows to the head. I became a little defencive in establishing my space. My wet suit was tight on the left side. I was never comfortable. I also swam a little cooked as we were hit by a strong current of flood water headed to the dam.
My swim was :31. I expect better.

Once I hit T1 I got caught in a five minute comedy routine as I tried to remove my wet suit from over my calves.Body Glide is good stuff, but nothing beats a CFC hose down with a can of PAM.

Once on the bike, I went aero for 23 and 1/3 miles. I worked hard. I took in nutrition as planned. I worked at remaining cool as I kept pouring water over my self. The heat was in the 90's, but I feel I managed it well. My bike was 1:18

Once I was in T2, I knew it was going to be hot. The shock of becoming still beneath the sun was noticeable. I was out quickly.

As I started the run, I took more heed(electrolyte replacement). I again felt the same cramp as I had during the swim. I only drank water following the heed test. I noticed the returning runners all looked spent and dizzy. I went at a 9 minute miles, and really took my time at aid stations.

The end result was not fast (2:55), but it was steady. My endurance is good. I need to find speed and clean up details like sighting in the water and removing the wet suit.

The weekend was a lot of fun and I am a bit red. I now know what I must work on.

A tough nut to crack

I am confident in saying, Nicole is hooked. She is acting like a runner. She is dressing like a runner. She is researching like a runner. She is planning for a race a year away.

We are thinking of heading west for the Big Sur marathon next spring. This works for me. Next year I would like to focus a bit more on the Marathon and ultra marathoning. I plan on triathlon mid summer, but no more then one 70.3.

The marathon has always been a tough nut to crack. My PR of 3:53 was not my best race. If I had been on that day, I would have gone 3:30. That was a 9 years ago. I want to run Boston one day.

The ultra marathon also totally intrigues me. I want to go there.

Currently, I have Deer Creek this weekend. I am feeling fit and focused. I plan to go hard the whole race. I want to go through transitions cleanly. I also am looking for improvement on the swim. It is a training day. My one concern is water temps. Lake Erie is still in the 50's.

Sorry for my recent absense around here. I have been a little distracted.

I want to race

I have been a bit busy lately. Everything is going well, there is just a lot of well going on.

My swimming is on lately. I can't wait for the out door pool to open. 14 hrs of lap swim a quarter of a mile from home. One more week.

My cycling was feeling really flat. I wasn't getting enough frequency in. This weekend I began to feel the rewards of my work. My fitness seems to be coming together.

Just in time. Deer Creek is on. I want to race.

I have added another race to the plan. Nicole, Zac and I are going to do a relay at Cleveland.
ZAC?!. Zac is gonna race. We have him on the bike before he hands off to Nicole for the run. I am the swimmer. Should be fun.

Life is great.

Lone wolf with a solitary focus

Training for your first Ironman is a monumental task. You devote all of your energy to the process. Mostly everybody around you understands and provides support. Good bosses, friends, family, spouses, children, pets, bills, chores, guitars all are neglected to a degree. Nobody does Ironman alone. The energy given by those around us is ultimately what gets us across the finish line.

Having just read Jodi's TTT race report I am impressed by the spirit of team work that race emphasizes. Congrats to those of you who took on this race.

Training for my second Ironman has a different set of challenges.I am accustomed to the workload. I am more creative with time management. I am able to enjoy many other things in life that I would have sacrificed last year.

Sometimes I worry that I am not training enough. Mostly I have confidence in my training.

With IMKY within 100 days I begin to feel the juggle of life taking on more bowling pins and chain saws. Mid June will include a wedding and a memorial service on consecutive weekends. The service is for my child hood Friend Patrick who has been missing for a few years. I plan to do Deer creek Oly, but may let it go for a chance at a long ride instead. I have the Open Mic, but other gigs will wait until taper time. I have been seeing some one for about three weeks. This has only been a positive so far and I have been more then willing to work my schedule around this new development. I am very fond of her.

Somehow I am actually living a normal life right now while training for Ironman. My minds focus is much more evenly distributed then it was last year. I am training with others more often. I am relaxing with others. I am no longer the lone wolf with a solitary focus.

As I include others into my life and open my heart once again, I find that the sacrifices I make in training to spend time with good people has given me focus once again on what is really important.
I think I know why the wolf howls at the moon.