RI 70.3 RR

Thanks to a ridiculously early 6AM start time, I was up at 3 AM (2 Central!) for the usual pre-race breakfast. It had been raining all night and continued as I ate. While the precipitation had ceased by the time we arrived to the race site, there was still an ominous feel in the chilly air as the landscape was marred by dark clouds and a choppy ocean. Arriving at my bike, I immediately got to work wiping it down in order to affix my gels. After more rushing and prepping for the logistical hassle of having the finish line 50 miles from the start of the race, I was ready to pull on the wetsuit and get head to the start.

At this point, the first of what would be a number of delays came over the loudspeakers; the race would be delayed 15 minutes while the buoys were reset. While I don’t think anyone really minded having a few more minutes before the start, the fact that the race staff was having trouble keeping the buoys in place was indicative of the level of chop in the water.

Eventually they corralled all the pros at the start and were finally ready to get the race underway sometime around 6:30. Before I knew it, we were off! My start was less than stellar. After only a couple of strides in the water I went down hard although I’m still not really sure why. The water level was still low at that point so it was a bit baffling. This left me playing catch up less than a minute into the race. Once everyone was swimming I swam through quite a few people before finally settling with a couple others I couldn’t drop. The water was fairly chopping but the swells were fairly regular so I enjoyed the challenge of trying to maintain a decent stroke.

After getting through T1, it was out onto the bike. Still overcast, the ride was chilly. Right off the bat Lovato came flying by me but I had no chance of staying with him. After that though, I passed Lisska, rode alone for a while then passed another dude and a cramping Cotter around mile 20. I continued on alone until around mile 45 when I was passed by Evoe, Frank, and another guy. I tried to match their pace but just couldn’t respond. Although I was upset about not being able to stay with them, I was hopeful I could ride hard to the finish and catch them on the run.

Coming off the bike I set out to catch the three ahead of me knowing I had plenty of time to run them down. I caught the first guy a little after mile 5 and was still feeling good. Coming through the halfway mark, I was ready to open it up the second half of the run and catch the other two. I kept the pace on and finally reeled in Evoe right after the turn and then Frank around mile 9. Unfortunately, that’s when then wheels came off. I blew up like a champ allowing Frank and Evoe to both re-pass me as I shuffled home the last few miles to a 7th place finish.

The details:
Swim: 23:47
Bike: 2:18:34
Run: 1:19:59
Total: 4:04:10

Next up: Music City Triathlon in Nashville on 7/24 then Steelhead 70.3 on 8/1

Taper Time and Summer Fun

With RI 70.3 this weekend, it has been taper time this week. I was all excited to "only" have a 2.5h ride + 30min run last Saturday but then for some really felt pretty worn down at the beginning of this week. However, after a few nights of getting to bed early I'm looking forward to the race this weekend.

With the shorter workouts last weekend I had plenty of time to enjoy the holiday. Saturday, being the 4th of July, provided a great excuse to hang out at the pool and enjoy the spectacular weather. In particular, I went up to a cookout up at the Monte Sano Pool to feast on some pulled pork (for the second week in a row), coleslaw, black eyed peas, and beer. Here are some pictures.... if this isnt Americana at its best, I dont know what is...

I swear it was a coincidence that I took this picture while there was a guy riding by on some kind of personal cart. Alabama is AWESOME.

Its Miller Time!

Summer fun at the pool. Wish I was a kid again!

Sarah and me with the band in the background.

Jun29-Jul5

S: 26,400 yds
B: 6h 52min
R: 4h 25min

Total: 18h 14min

Overall a suspiciously lighter week on the training front which made me wonder if there was something wrong with Paulo as this is a bit out of the ordinary. After a bit of pondering though, it didnt take me long to figure it out: Paulo is getting soft.

Let me explain... last weekend I had a housewarming party here at the HHPTC which Paulo drove down to attend. At the gathering there was a plethora food, the highlight of which was Greg's pulled pork, pictured below.


Indeed, even Paulo, the self-proclaimed bacon hater, couldnt get enough. Pictured below is sandwich #3, but who's keeping count?

QOTD

“We’re at the point we don’t want respect; we want to win.” –Landon Donovan in a post game interview immediately after the conclusion of Confederations Cup final.

Jun22-28

S: 25,600 yds
B: 11h 39min
R: 5h 13min

Total: 23h 36min

What can I say... it was seriously HOT here last week. The heat, combined with the humidity, caused the quality of some of the workouts to suffer a bit. Luckily though the effect was small and really only prevalent in PE as the power and paces werent too far from expected values. (This, BTW, is not a complaint as I would much rather have 95F w/ 90+% RH than 35F.)

Next race: RI70.3 on July 12... less than 2 weeks away!

New shoes!

OK, OK… I know what you’re thinking, “Avia makes technical running shoes?? Really???”

Yes, really.

Admittedly I was a bit skeptical at first as well. In high school I worked at Track Shack, a technical running shoe store in Orlando, FL, and while I was working there Avias were considered nice enough shoes but certainly not for real runners. Maybe for walking or generic gym usage they would get the job done but we didnt carry them.

So needless to say I was a bit skeptical when my friend Shawn suggested I try a pair. Shawn previously worked at Asics and has put down some pretty serious times himself (certainly faster than me!) so I figured I’d at least have to give them a chance. He recommended the Avi-Lite which is, according to Avia, a “lightweight trainer for a neutral to slightly overpronated foot type.” The description sounded about right for me, as I have run the Asics DS-Trainers and Nike Zoom Elites in the past, so I decided to give them a go.

When I first laced them up, my initial reactions were that they were really soft and possibly a bit wide. They seemed to feel pretty comfortable just walking around but I was harboring concerns about how that feeling would translate out on the road while running. I relayed the information back to Shawn and he informed about the 2nd set of holes which can be used to tighten up the fit and convinced me the shoes would feel just as good running as they do while just standing. At that point I had no excuses; I had to give them a try.

My first run in them, surprisingly enough, felt fine. This was about 3 weeks ago and since then I haven’t run in anything else. While they are soft while walking, this is just a result of the cushy liner Avia uses for inserts. Once I started running though, they were nice and responsive. Additionally, they provided a nice ride, allowing for a smooth, efficient foot strike. Finally, I’ve done some faster running in them as well and haven’t felt weighed down as I sometimes do when trying to run fast in other trainers.

Finally, I should mention that in addition to feeling good, I have not had any knee pain since switching to the Avias. So not only do they feel good while running but after as well. And although I dont blame the injury on the shoes in which I was previously running, it is certainly a credit to the new shoes that they arent giving me any pain.

So consider me a convert!

A little tribute...

Really???

Paulo generally does a good job of giving workouts that are challenging but not impossible. If you want to get better, you're going to have to suffer from time to time. At the same time though everyone has physiological limits. Sometimes however, I think Paulo looks past this and gets a little carried away. After looking at the schedule for yesterday's bike workout, it was time for a little "feedback" on my part. The conversation went something like this...

me: you realize this workout is ridiculous, right?
Paulo: Yes
me: ok, just checking
Paulo: Now go out and do it

So I did most of it although the results certainly weren't pretty.

In other news... never, ever underestimate the convenience of air conditioning. This is an unconfirmed suspicion but I believe the facilities people here turn off the A/C over the weekend in order to save energy/money. Seems reasonable enough. My only request is that (especially on particularly hot weekends) they turn it back on a little earlier than they did this past weekend. Last Monday morning I couldnt stop sweating once I got to my desk which got really old after about 10 minutes. This was exacerbated by the fact that the pool had been warm and the water in the showers at the pool was hot (usually a good thing...) so I really hadnt had a chance to cool down after the swim. Now I'm not asking for 70F here but something under 80 would be nice. Luckily things have seemed to returned to a more manageable temperature the last couple of days, so I'm fairly confident it was the weekend shutdown that was the culprit.

OK, I think thats enough bitching for the day. Might as well get it all taken care of in one post!

Jun15-21

S: 27,200 yds
B: 9h 43min
R: 2h 12min

Total: 19h 5min

As usual, I was beginning to recover nicely from the 70.3 the previous weekend (Kansas) until the long bike ride came and smacked me in the ass. This week's ride was especially brutal because I procrastinated starting while watching the ITU World Championship event in DC on Universal Sports. In the end though the procrastination was well worth it as the race was really exciting to watch.

Dear jonnyo....

Dear jonnyo,

I just wanted to say "thank you" for this awesome set of 30x100 Zn4. You see, my schedule says, "30x100 Zn4, all same exit (Jonnyo's special test session)" and I just cant tell you how much fun that set was this morning. In fact, it was so awesome that it was almost as awesome as COLORADO! So from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Yours Truly,
Andrew

PS I also really like your posts.
PSS I hope the meaning of this message doesnt get lost in translation....

Coleslaw

I know, I know... it has been entirely too long since the last food post but with the new house, races, traveling for work, etc., things have gotten in the way. So enough for the excuses and on to the food!

With the arrival of summer came my second year as a member of the Doe Run Farm CSA. (For more information about CSA programs or to find a farm near you, I highly recommend Local Harvest.) Already this year I've received a variety of goodies but the cabbage in my box last week inspired the following recipe for cole slaw. I'm not a big fan of the typical mayonnaise based variety but this vinegar based option is quite tasty.

A couple notes... All of the veggies used were from the CSA except the carrots... I used a couple of full green onions (bulb and "leaves") because thats what I received but a single medium sized white onion is probably more traditional.... I realize this isnt quite up to the Kevin or Judy standard but its a start...

Hardware:

• Food processor
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Large, deep bowl
• Small saucepan
  
• Whisk

Software:

• 1 cabbage
• 2-3 carrots
• 1 bell pepper
• 2 green onions
  
• 1 cucumber
  
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp celery seed
• 1 tsp mustard seed
• 1 tsp salt
  
• 2 tsp pepper
  

Method: Using knife and cutting board, finely dice onions, cucumber, and pepper before pouring them into the large bowl. Using the grating attachment on your food processor, grate the cabbage and carrots and add them to the other veggies in the large bowl.

For the dressing, pour all remaining ingredients except the oil in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Once this happens, pour in oil while whisking. Pour this mixture over the diced veggies and mix thoroughly. (Note: You may not need all of the dressing.)

Refrigerate for a couple of hours and serve chilled with grilled chicken or pulled pork. Enjoy!

NYG and TIMEX Announce Partnership to Collaborate on Training Solutions

Middlebury, CT & East Rutherford, NJ – (June 17, 2009) Timex Group USA, Inc. announced today a unique partnership with the New York Giants that enables both brands the opportunity to collaborate on training solutions for athletes of all levels that participate in various sports across the world. This partnership grants TIMEX, one of the world’s largest watch companies, the naming rights for the Giants’ new training facility and corporate headquarters. The facility will be named the TIMEX Performance Center.

The 15-year partnership with the New York Giants is part of the company’s ongoing initiative to increase the awareness of its state-of-the-art sports and fashion products.

“I am excited that we have secured a partnership between two great American icons—Timex Group and the New York Giants—both with great families behind them” said Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard, Timex Group President and Chief Executive Officer. “Like Timex Group, the Giants organization operates at the highest level. I have the greatest respect for what they have built and look forward to many years of collaboration.”

In addition to the naming rights, TIMEX, as the Official Performance Equipment of the New York Giants, will have its brand integrated into the Giants game day experience at Giants Stadium during the 2009 season and the Giants’ new stadium set to open in 2010. At the new stadium, Giants fans will see a TIMEX “Countdown to Kick-off Clock” on the video towers that encircle the perimeter of the facility. Additional branding programs include a major sponsorship with New York Giants Radio Network, Giants.com, the “Giants GameDay” television show on WNBC, and placement within the Giants’ health and fitness magazine, “Giants Health Monitor,” which is distributed in more than 10,000 doctors’ offices around the New York metro area.

“This is more than a marketing relationship,” said New York Giants President and Chief Executive Officer John Mara. “This is about achieving the highest possible performance for our organization and our team. We look forward to working with TIMEX and utilizing their digital technology in training our athletes. The positive results we achieve will be in part due to our use of TIMEX devices in our team’s training programs.”

"This exciting partnership brings together two iconic brands - TIMEX and the New York Giants—with a strong heritage, shared values, and a very loyal fan and customer base," said Adam Gurian, President, TIMEX. "Having the opportunity to display the TIMEX brand on-site at the new team facility and work closely with a first-class organization like the Giants makes this relationship a natural fit with tremendous potential to grow both our brands."

The TIMEX Performance Center will host the annual TIMEX Multisport Team Training Camp, which will create an opportunity to share insight amongst the most accomplished professional endurance athletes and professional football players / coaches and trainers. The TIMEX Multisport Team is comprised of a complementary mix of amateur and professional athletes from around the world who serve as brand ambassadors for TIMEX.

An advisory board, comprised of Giants medical and strength & conditioning personnel and TIMEX athletes and coaches, will also be formed. This new advisory board will meet quarterly to share insights, discuss the latest trends in athlete training, and provide input on new product development and review product usage and testing. The board will collectively publish articles and reports on training and conditioning techniques as well as various research studies to enhance consumer training programs.
“TIMEX is a trusted brand for all athletes in terms of training. They are nationally recognized for an outstanding assortment of products – from training instruments to men’s and women’s style watches,” added Steve Tisch, New York Giants Chairman and Executive Vice President. “It was important for us to find the right partner who shares our core principles and values. This partnership will enable our coaches and players the opportunity to utilize the best high-end training equipment throughout our offseason preparation and the NFL season.”

TIMEX’S presence in the fitness world has been evident for years via its partnership with the New York Road Runners in conjunction with the New York City Marathon, Ironman Triathlon event series and several worldwide marathon sponsorships. With a wide array of wellness and training timepieces priced at various levels, TIMEX has established a broad appeal to the millions of consumers who want to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

About TIMEX:

Timex Group designs, manufactures and markets innovative timepieces and jewelry globally. Founded in 1854, TIMEX is part of Timex Group, a privately-held company with numerous brands and over 5,000 employees worldwide. It is one of the largest watch makers in the world with companies and exclusive licenses worldwide.

About New York Giants:

A cornerstone franchise of the National Football League, the New York Football Giants began play in 1925. With seven (7) championships, including a victory over the 18-0 New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII at the conclusion of the 2007 season, and with more than 600 victories, the Giants are considered one of sports all-time great franchises. Headquartered at the TIMEX Performance Center in East Rutherford, NJ, the Giants enter their 85th season of play this fall.

KS 70.3 Pics

I updated the RR with pics courtesy of my buddy Greg Reynolds. They are spectacular... almost as good as his pulled pork! See below...

Kansas 70.3 RR: A study in contrast

FL 70.3: Hot
KS 70.3: Cold

FL 70.3: Awesome bike, less than awesome run
KS 70.3: Less than awesome bike, (relatively) awesome run

FL 70.3: Flat bike course
KS 70.3: Very much not flat bike course

FL 70.3: 8^th place
KS 70.3: 8^th place
(OK, so maybe that last one doesn't work…)

Race morning started out a bit ominous as Kurt Nelson and I saw lightning on the drive over to the race. Undeterred but admittedly a bit apprehensive, we arrived at the race site and proceeded to head to T2. This race featured two transitions which meant we had to drop off our running shoes at T2 before heading to T1 to setup everything we'd need for the bike ride. Although I thought this would be a huge hassle, it ended up not being too much of a problem.

Swim, 24:51 (9^th)
Into the water and we were off. I had a decent start but then after 6-7 minutes realized I had missed the first pack. A bit of a bummer, but it looked like it wasn't too big, so I was hopeful I could still salvage a decent place at the finish. After leading what (I think) was the 2^nd group for about 700m, someone came by me and I ended up exiting the water with a couple of others.

Bike, 2:17:27 (12^th)
As I began the bike ride I was feeling pretty decent. While the severe weather appeared to be holding off, there was still significant cloud cover which kept temperatures cool and the general mood a bit macabre. Riding with my lovely PowerTap, I was getting dropped on the way up the hills but making up time on the way down and on the flats. On this course, this little series was not an isolated occurrence. Yes, believe it or not, Kansas (at least the eastern part, anyway) does have some hills. This course contains most of them. So between the constant up and down, the slightly less than desirable roads, and what was actually turning out to be a pretty chilly day, I was more than ready to get off the bike when I finally arrived back in Clinton Lake Park.

Run, 1:15:07 (5^th)
Off the bike I thought I was around 15^th but wasn't really sure. After the disappointing swim earlier in the race and fast start on the run at the Florida 70.3, I was really just focusing on starting off controlled and trying to pick off as many people as possible. While the cool weather made biking uncomfortable, I knew it would mean fast times out on the run course so I just wanted to make sure I got invited to the party. Additionally, the whole feeling of near death for the last 8 miles of the run in Orlando just wasn't much fun.

So I set off in what I thought was a conservative pace. First mile: 5:20. Just for a refresher, this was the same time I ran my first mile in Florida and that didn't exactly end up so well. On the other hand, I felt good, the weather was cool, and who knows, it could've been short. Continuing on, I slowly began picking people off while running around 5:35-5:40. I just tried to keep things nice and easy, telling myself I could always pick it up over the last few miles if necessary. Finally I got to mile 10 at which time I had maneuvered myself into 8^th place with Simon Thompson a couple of minutes up the road but moving pretty quickly. I started feeling the effects of my hot early pace but was able to hold it together reasonably well for what I thought was a pretty good run, considering the circumstances.

Finish: 8^th Place, 3:59:36 (Full Results Here)

Up next: RI 70.3 on July 12th

PS A huge "Thank You" goes out to Dale Brueggeman who apparently didnt learn from last year and graciously hosted me again this year. Also, thanks to Dale's friends from Dog Days who came out to volunteer. Every aid station was full of enthusiastic and extremely helpful volunteers and according to Dale a large majority of them were from the Dog Days workout group.

Jun1-7

S: 22,800 yds
B: 6h 50min
R: 6h 11min

Total: 19h 1min

After a pretty solid ~10 day training block, I had a nice light training weekend in Boulder courtesy of fellow Posse member and all around BAMF Will Ronco who got married on Saturday. Thanks, Will, and congratulations! (Of course, he likely wont see this seeing how he is currently out on a sailboat somewhere with Stephanie, his newly minted bride!) Up until then though training had been really solid and I seem to be having glimmers of hope with regards to my run. I'm finally feeling comfortable out on most training runs but am still lacking the top end speed.

This week should be pretty light with Kansas 70.3 next Sunday so I'll just finish with some pictures from the weekend...

Chipotle!

"Will's triathlon friends"

The newlyweds

Paulo cant get enough of the cake