MIDZ

Time to Move On

2011-06-19T21:56:00.002-05:00

Well, it's been 2 months sine the 50 miler. I've done almost nothing in the mean time. I slow jog at Run to Remember and a less than acceptable effort at the Law Enforcement Torch Run. But it's time to go. I have my eyes on a new prize and it's time to start working towards it. November 19th, just a short time after my 39th birthday and I will be taking on Tough Mudder Indiana! I'm really stoked about it and am looking forward to the challenge. My training will allow me to get in great overall shape. I should have the perfect mix of strength, endurance, etc. It wont be easy, but I'm looking forward to the journey getting there. I'll have some trail runs and maybe a few mtb races, some duathlons and an adventure race along the way getting there. But make no mistake about it....Tough Mudder is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. And this is where it all starts.

Potawotomi Trail Run 50 Miler

2011-04-10T15:16:00.005-05:00

Well, it's in the books! I completed my first 50 miler. I again learned from the experience and will be smarter next time....oh yeah, there's gonna be a next time.

I camped out on Friday night at the race area. It was great. I backed the Jeep overlooking
the lake and enjoyed my LaGondola tortellini dinner. The 50 deg temps made it was a great night for sleeping. I woke up at about 0330 hrs to thunder and lightening followed by a steady rain. It wasnt uncomfortable but it was just enough to slop the trails up.

I started the race feeling great. My prep had been flawless and I couldnt have felt more ready. Stag had my pit area dialed in and the race was on. It was a slow start and took some time for the herd to thin out due to the sloppy hills. Eventually I found a rhythm and stuck with it. Maybe I was feeling too good because my lap one time was 2:06...entirely too fast.

After a quick pit stop for a fresh bottle I was off again. I stayed steady again on this lap and was really feeling no ill effects. The trails were still a mess but I pushed on. My lap 2 time was 2:17...again...too fast.

Going out for loop 3 I told Stag that this one would take a bit longer and not to worry. About halfway through the loop I started to lose my legs again. My quads were on the verge of cramping up whenever I attempted anything more than a power walk. I had been religious on my e-caps and even my fueling on the days leading up to the race. My tight werent even helping at this point. As I neared the finish line, Milkman was there to greet me. He knew what was going on. I didnt have to say a word. He has plenty of knowledge and experience in pushing himself in similar type races. He got himself geared up, we talked over some strategies and out we went...Me, Milkman, Stag and Ol' Poo.

I got a few last minute words of advice from Klop, Tapp and a few others and I was on my way. Loop 4 was the worst yet. I hurt and the thought of dropping was always right there. Every time I made it up a hill, I could only think of the next one which had become so familiar by this stage n the race. Milkman was pushing calories on me hard at this point. I had lost my appetite almost completely. All I wanted was water, but I managed some bananas, ham sandwiches and grapes at most of the pit areas. I finally made it back in and had 1 loop still ahead. Klop had told me the night before "just get your 4th loop in, the last one is a victory lap." That thought was ringing loudly. I changed shoes and socks for the first time in the race. I took in as much food as I could stomach and carry and we were off.

I started loop 5 with a surge of energy but it only carried me about 2.5 miles. Afte
r the first aid station I was hitting the wall again. The next 3 miles would be the 3 toughest miles I've ever traveled and over the 3 toughest miles of this course. Milkman had to remind me on every hill that it was my last time on each particular one. We rolled into Heaven's Gate aid station and I was spent. I was hunched over and at my end. I stuffed some more food down and just kept moving. A gentleman named Pat ran past and we struck up a conversation. For whatever reason I picked up my pace and started to feel a little better. I told Pat I wanted to beat the sun going down and get in under 14 hours. He didnt seem to think that was going to be possible. That was the last time I saw Pat. I went around and never looked back. After a cup of ice water and a handful of gummy bears I just went. I told Howie I was out and he could see it in my eyes. Off I went. It was just a power walk, but it was the fastest I had moved in hours. It was fast enough in fact that Milkman had a hard time catching back up to me...Stagola never did. The closer I got to the end, the faster I went. When all was aid and done I finished in 13:42 with just a little daylight left. I think it was 3rd fastest loop of the day.

Now I rest...I have two weeks of schools and a lot of hotel pool time and elliptical trainers. When I get back this guy is going to concentrate on having fun. Fun with Tiffers, fun on my bikes (all varieties), fun in my kayak and even some fun short races...just to have fun.

The Time is Now

2011-04-08T11:39:00.003-05:00

Well, As I sit here typing this I feel like I'm stuck on a railroad track and the the Potowotomi Trail run is the train chugging at me. By this time tomorrow I am hoping to be well into my 3rd loop of the race, maybe even at midpoint of the whole thing. My 30 miler went well 2 weeks ago. Since then I feel like I have stuck to my plan dead on. I've really concentrated on recovery and fueling since then. I've spent many spare moments visualizing the race and how I might handle certain situations. On my last little run on Wednesday, my legs felt great! They were as snappy and fresh feeling as they have felt in a long time. Only time will tell.

This little journey started not long after I cut my arm. I think the whole brush with death thing sent me down this path. I've slept in a 2007 McNaughton Tshirt every night since I made the decision. "4/9/11" is written on my mirrors. It also ties into my sniper mentality. It's all about enduring, overcoming discomfort and obstacles but getting the job done at the end.

Stag and Milkman, couldnt do this without you guys. It makes me feel so much better knowing the two of you will be there for me tomorrow. Tiffers....You have had to put up with entirely too much of this nonsense. You stepped up and took on a lot when I got hurt and I reward you with "Hey, now I'm going to go train all the time so I can run 50 miles." You deserve much more, but I thank you for letting me chase my dreams and your undying support of every crazy thing I want to do. Love ya, Tiffers!

The time really IS now!

Final Tune Up - 50 Miler 1 Week Away

2011-04-02T11:01:00.005-05:00

I went over to Black Partridge today to do the 10 K run for the CITRA series. Very nice course layout. I also ran with my buddy, Milkman the whole race. Nice to see him out on the trails. Not many folk can just wake up and go do a 10K without much running, but he's a machine. Legs felt ok, still a little dead. Fortunately I'm not haveing any stiffness or aches from last weekend. I'm hoping I can be smart and get some snap back in my legs this week. I love my new Salomon 3/4 tights. I think they will help hold me together next weekend.

Everything is pretty much set. My lists have been made and I have all my supplies for next weekend. I'm hoping we can luck out on the weather and have a dry course, but I'm not holding my breath. Doesnt really matter one way or the other. It's on. Gotta be smart this week. Rest/hydrate/fuel/stretch/repeat often. I'll get a couple short runs in at WPP but other than that its concentrating on recovery and prep.

Clinton Lake Recap

2011-03-27T12:19:00.004-05:00

Overall a success. It didnt go down without its share of pain and misery but I learned from some mistakes and finished with a respectable time of 6hrs 24 mins.

Loop 1 was probably about 10 minutes too fast, but I fealt strong feeling my way through the course as it was my 1st time there. It wsnt super technical, but the constant up and down was challenging at times. I eventually found a good rythm and stuck with it. Nothing but a splash and go of water at the aid station. I finished the loop at 1:54, again, a little too fast for me probably. After a handful of MM's from the start/finish area and a fresh bottle and supplements it was on to lap 2.

Loop 2 was steady as she goes. I found myself alone for most of the race which is fine by me since I train alone almost exclusively. I again had zero issues during the lap. I probably started walking a little sooner on a few hills but no change to the game plan. Another handfull of MM's and a splash of orange drink at the aid 5.5 mile mark and I finished loop 2 at 4 hrs straight up. MM's again at the start/finish area. I had to mix a new bottle this time around and I doubled up on my Hammer E-caps. By my watch my pit time was about 5 minutes before I started out on loop 3.

It didnt take long before I was feeling the effects of the day. My quads were tightening and I had neglected to give myself a good dose of Chamois Butt'r. This would also add to some of misery. At mile 23 I was physically and mentally hurting a bit. I started concentrating on the race mile by mile. Eventually I made it to the aid station and drank a few small cups of cola which tasted fantastic at that time. I could tell my pallet was changing at that point n the race and my Heed/Sustained Energy combo wasnt cutting it anymore. At that point I was 4.5 miles from the finish. MIles 26 and 27 were tough on me. I was really nursing my quads at this point. I was looking at my watch and saw that 6 1/2 was going to be tough, I was close to falling off that pace. When I hit 28 I had a runner in sight closing in on me. I used it as motivation and had a really good finish. I think I finished with 12 minute miles on the last two and got me in under my goal.

I made mental notes throughout the race and documented them all to help prepare for McNaughton in two weeks. I am confident at this point about it. I just have to be smart over the next two weeks. I'm looking for lots of sleep, short runs, smart fueling.

No Excuses

2011-03-13T13:46:00.003-05:00

My last two weeks have been....worthless in terms of training. Two weeks ago I was traveling and spending time with family after the death of my step-father. This past week was all about our ILEAS assessment which I helped coordinate with West Peoria. With both of those incidents behind me, I need to get back to training. I'm two weeks out from Clinton Lake 30 miler, just a long training run for McNaughton which is now 3 weeks and 6 days out. I had very high hopes of getting in two loops at McNaughton today but I woke up with a sore throat and some sinus congestion. Instead I have rested, hydrated and fueled to get some recovery and beat this cold. Tomorrow's tac practice will be a low key range day so that should help, but Tuesday I am getting at least a loop in at McNaughton. Everything from here out has to be smart prep for Clinton and then on to McNaughton. I'll still have a cheat day here and there but only to reward myself for solid efforts put in.

A Great Honor

2011-02-26T13:22:00.002-06:00

I received the award Outstanding Young Law Enforcement Officer for 2010 this past Thursday night. The award was presented by the Peoria Jaycees at their Distinguished Service Award banquet. I am very honored and humbled by the award. I would like to thank the Jaycees, all my fellow officers, my command staff for the nomination, family and friends for their support and Tiffany who's inspiration gives me passion, strength and devotion in everything that I do.

McNaughton Recon

2011-02-23T11:39:00.002-06:00

I finally got a guided tour to refresh my memory at McNaughton. There are still plenty of hills, the creek is still cold this time of year and the field loop to start is still my least favorite part. Aside from all of that I had a GREAT loop with 'Wood yeasterday. I ran it at a very controlled and comfortable pace that I can see sustaining for awhile. Our loop ended up at 2 hrs 3 min. I'm looking to average 2:15-2:30 for the race...at least that's my goal. After yesterday I think it will be attainable. Gotta stick with it the next few weeks then maybe taper down some for Clinton. I'm looking forward to getting back to McNaughton on Sunday for 2 or 3 loops.

Not a Good Finish

2011-02-13T20:29:00.002-06:00

I had a decent week going along until today. Instead of getting up and getting a run in, I slept in and took no steps forward in my goals. Everything was back from training to nutrition to hydration and everything in between. I simply did nothing positive today. Sure, I was a little sore from the snow run yesterdat at Wildlife, but no excuses for how badly I dropped the ball today. Coach Kane always said "you either get better or worse every day. You never stay the same." I know he paraphrased that from Woody Hayes, I believe, but you get my point. Today was definitely a step (or more) back kind of day. Tomorrow begins a new week. No extra meetings or events until Friday which shouldnt interfere with my schedule at all. My goals are very simple....take positive steps topwards my goals every day. That means not missing runs or workouts, recovering smart, fueling right, hydrating and stretching regularly. Cant have days like today. April 9th is coming fast!

Back to Back

2011-02-06T14:16:00.002-06:00

Those are my big focus from here on out. I need to get quality runs in every Saturday and Sunday. If I can focus on 2 hr Sunday runs and continually building my Sunday runs, I should be more that ready for Clinton and McNaughton. I will continue getting some saddle time in on Wednesdays and some strength on Mondays as well. I'll Throw in some shorter 1hr to 90 min runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays and take Fridays off except some stretching or yoga. My confidence is sitting high right now. As long as I'm putting in the work, there's no reason for it not to be. I'm doing a decent job keeping my weight up so far too. I've let it slip to 202 or 203 a couple times, but I've stayed right in that 205-210 area most of the time which is where I need to be. Should be a good week ahead. I get to end the week with the Winter Wildlife run on Saturday (I'll get in a little extra after or before) and then maybe a road trip to Clinton on Sunday, have to see what the weather does.

The First Step is Always the Hardest

2011-01-30T17:10:00.002-06:00

Despite working late last night I still got up early to make my Tiffers cinnamon rolls for breakfast. I followed that up with....4 hours and 18 miles out at Wildlife Prairie Park. Once I got there and started I was fine as is usually the case. I always dread it and delay the inevitable, but once I get started it always gets better. Until that last 3.5 miles anyway...cause those sucked. My wind is good, my legs even felt good, but my hip flexors and low back were tight as hell. Anyway, I finished up my run and did a little trail work when I finished. I then treated myself to a pizza....and I don't even feel guilty about it.

Tac practice tomorrow with a quick workout and stretch at lunch. Tuesday I'm hittin' McNaughton with Hazlewood.

Keep On Keepin On

2011-01-24T19:32:00.002-06:00

Finally getting a string of nice training sessions put together again this past week. Lots of positives including another nice long run yeasterday. I ran from Howie's house back home and used part of the old railroad bed that is in the process of becoming a trail. I only wish it would've taken me a bit longer. With no football to speak of this weekend I'm really hoping to get a solid long run in again, shooting for 3+ hour or so and preferably on a trail system nearby.

Unfortunately I came home from Tac practice today to find out our water heater needs replaced. The plan is to have that picked up and installed tomorrow before I go to work.

The Path

2011-01-16T22:22:00.002-06:00

Had a nice run this morning at Wildlife Prairie Park. I cut it just a little shorter than what I wanted so I could watch some football, but I got in a nice 2 1/2 hrs on the trails and in the snow. Sunday mornings will be my time to get these quality long runs in. I'm hoping to get back in a decent routine this week now that my class is over. Last week was long and unproductive in the way of training.

Looking to get some more decent miles in this week and a dungeon session with Howie on Wednesday on the trainer.

Let the McNaughton Pain Train Begin

2011-01-04T19:58:00.003-06:00

As I write this I am FINALLY getting over some crazy stomach virus from last week. Not really sure what happened but two days after the caving trip I got it bad while at work. I toughed it out the rest of the night and have been inactive ever since. I'm just now staring to feel "normal" again, enough to try a dungeon day at Howie's tomorrow.

The caving trip...one of the hardest things I've ever done. I wanted a mental and physical test and I got it. 9+ hrs, 5+ miles, 50 deg water throughout and a physical beatdown. That could explain the weak immune system and illness. Hopefully I will get my hands on some pictures soon. I might have one more cave in me yet. I'd still like to take on Waynes sometime.

So, sick or not, it's back to the dungeon tomorrow. I'm going to tackle the Siberian Express on Saturday in Danville and need to get moving again. My initial plan is to attempt to loops on the course which would put me at about 15ish miles. We'll see how I feel though. I know time on my feet and miles have to start piling up though and the train hard, recover harder mentality will have to take hold. Good thing I have a new bed on its way this weekend. Hopefully my back issues will soon be a thing of the past.

Ready For Some Caving

2010-12-26T15:00:00.002-06:00

At least I better be. I'll be leaving in just a few hours and after a couple rendezvous points we'll be on our way down to Missouri. It will be a short night of sleep because we will be up early to hit the cave. I'm anxious to get under way and chalk this one up. Hopefully I will have some pictures and/or video to post soon.

Upon my arrival it is running, running and more running. It's all about time on my feet and bumping those long runs up. April will be here very soon ans I need to be prepared for the 50. After today my posts will almost exclusively be geared towards that day.

Hope all had a good holiday. I know I did, even though I was working Tiffany and I had a great Christmas morning with cinnamon rolls and eggnog and exchanging our gifts. She got me an assortment of very handy gift cards and a great GPS system for the motorcycle. I cant wait to put together some killer trips in 2011.

Caving Back On and Greetings From the Dungeon

2010-12-16T12:56:00.002-06:00

Wayne's is off but apparently I will be embarking on a different cave adventure on 12/27. I know little about this cave except that it is in Missouri and I will need a wetsuit (yikes!). So, screw it...might as well throw it all at me I guess.

Hit the ol' Dungeon with Howie yesterday. Aside from my equipment not being ready it went ok. It was a decent start anyway. It's always nice training with Howie because he motivates me and we have some similar type goals. He has a wealth of experience and I learn a lot from him too, but mostly he inspires me. Sucky stuff like riding a trainer or doing a time trial seems so much better with him around. Thanks, Dude!

Words of the day...outside, suffer, hydration
I need more of all of them

No Waynes, No Problem

2010-12-12T13:54:00.002-06:00

Well, It appears the Wayne's trip is off. Too bad, but I wont let it get me down. Hopefully we can get it done early in '11. That just means more running for me. Time to really step up my running efforts. To accomplish that, I'm hitting Howie's for my first "Dungeon" session of the off-season. After today, I'm hoping that the Wednesday sessions with Howie will be my only inside training (asside from my strength work. Time to start suffering and welcome pain and being uncomfortable.

Bumpin Up the Miles

2010-12-07T13:07:00.002-06:00

With a completed CIERT agility test completed yesterday, my training can now focus on McNaughton and the journey taking me there. Weekly long runs are now a priority. I will continue to work on and maintain my overall and core strength also. I will also keep a close eye on my weight and calories in/out to help maintain. It's also important to keep my running outside. I need to continue running and making myself uncomfortable in unfavorable conditions. My mental toughness will come to the front if I want to accomplish my goals. I'm hoping that I will finally do Wayne's Cave at the end of this month. I have wanted to do this for a long time and it will be another test and exercise in my menatl and physical strength.

Time to Light This Fire

2010-11-29T14:48:00.002-06:00

I've got only one date in mind right now and it's April 9th, 2010. The McNaughton Trail Run where I'll be taking on the 50 miler. I've got the ultra bug bad and this is either going to satisfy it or have me looking for more. At worst, I fail miserably but will have established a great base to start working from for faster events throughout the year. I have no idea what my "at best" scenerios are. I just really need to take this journey. The mental aspect of it is really what is calling me back. I know it will mean a lot of ups and downs but I've not only accepted it, but I need it.

One think I am already doing differently this time around is that I will continue to do some strength training over the entire winter consisting of a lot of Simple Fit and core work. I will also incorporate some yoga into the mix to assist with the core and flexibility stuff. I will also watch my caloric intake better this time around and maintain my weight much better at 205-210.

So, those are the plans. My journey has already begun and I feel good about where I'm at. I'll feel better thinking about the prospects of where I will be.

It's Official

2010-10-17T21:33:00.002-05:00

Doc gave me the green light. As of tomorrow I'm back, bitches! Now I need to get ready to settle a score with the FOLEPI 4 miler next month. After that, it's all about 2011! If you listen closely I think you will hear the Clinton Lake 30 miler calling my name!

Early Start on '11

2010-10-10T22:01:00.002-05:00

Well, here I sit in October already plotting my 2011. To recap the last two months I take you back to 8/28/10. On that day I tied my 5K PR and was feeling good. I had 4 weeks of training until the Charleston Challenge Du which was THE "A" race for me this year. I was running fast and was doing weekly time trials on the bike. It was the first time by running and riding were in sync. I was on a mental high and traveled to Kickapoo to celebrate for the weekend at the Kickapoo Bash with friends and even family. I returned home and went to tac paractice on 8/30...and then it happened. We were doing some low key entry work on an old school. I was to go through a ripped out window into a basement, about a 5' drop. I felt me right hand go numb before I hit the ground. Not uncommon for some debris to fall, no biggie. When I hit I noticed all the rusty water spraying the walls around me and on my back. I looked to see its source so I could stay dry and noticed...."that's not rusty water...that's my fucking blood!!!" It was bad...really bad. I contined moving through the basement and tried to relay to the team to call for an ambulance. I made my way into a hall and onto a stairway that looked like it might lead out. At one point on the stairway I realized I was alone and admittedly...scared. I told myself "Not today, not on these fuckin' stairs". I made it out of the school and was immediately under the care of my team. They were a machine. They had me in a tournaquet and compression bandages in no time. I was put in a squad car and taken to an ER nearby. Once stabilized I was then taken to surgery where I had two tendons and an artery repaired. Tiffers was there with me and could not have been any stronger or braver. I know it was tough for her but she held the situation and me together mentally.

It has been a long six weeks and many small battles won; The first time I tied my shoes, putting on my watch by myself; writing, shaving, shooting, etc. I go back to the doctor on 10/11. With any luck I'll be clear to return to regular duty on 10/18. I cant thank evryone enough who have stood by me and supported me throughout. You know who you are and everything from a kind word of encouragement to washing my bloody clothes to keeping me alive has not been forgotten.

Over this past weekend, I ran the Farmdale Trail Run 10 miler. It took me an eternity at 1 hr and 52 minutes, wrist wrap and all. But I have never been happier to be on the trails. 2011 will bring good things. Adventure racing and ultras are on the agenda, and I'm going to finish a few things I started this year too.

Computer Woes, Road Trips and Other Ramblings

2010-08-27T10:35:00.002-05:00

I must apologize for the lack of postings. My computer was deatly ill and had to be taken to the shop. It was just bad all around. Junk emails were going to people from me, it shut down all the time, on and on and on. Anyway, its fixed now.

I am ready to embark on a fun and exciting weekend. Tomorrow I have the Hanna City Hustle where I will be attempting to break my 5K PR. I'll immediately be picking up Lesater and taking our bikes...both mtb and moto down to Danville for the Kickapoo Bash weekend, always a good time. Sunday it's back home to spend QT with my sweetie for a few days since we both have long weekends.

At the conclusion of the weekend its all about getting ready for the Charleston Challenge on 9/25. Unfortunately 10 days of that will be in Libertyville for training. And most importantly....on 9/23 Tiffers and I will be celebrating our 10 year mark together! I'm a lucky man!

Canton Bi-Tri Classic Recap

2010-08-08T11:27:00.002-05:00

Overall I'll call this day a solid effort with room fro improvement. I had a decent first run, a solid bike and hung on for the last run. I was happiest with my bike which showed some improvement on a tougher course. In fact, I won my age group! It was a great tune up for Charleston which has become an "A" race for me. Two things need to be a contant in my training for the next few weeks...bricks and speed. My transitions sucked. I can honestly sit here and tell you I lost around 90 seconds on transitions alone. Also, I have to be stronger on the 2nd run. The only way to get over that hump faster is by doing some bricks. I also need to find another gear. It's just that time of the season where I can and should be a little faster. My 7:30 pace on the first runneeds to be closer to 7 or just under. And my second run should absolutely be more like 8 than the 8:45 I turned in. I have it in me, I just need to work for it.

My fleet has grown again! You can now add a motorcycle to my array of bikes, kayaks, etc.

Swampy Indeed

2010-07-24T19:06:00.003-05:00

A stormy morning left the Swamp Dog course slippery and slimy in places. Overall, the course stayed firm, but greasy...especially on the hills. Lucky for us we were on Plank and New trails so there were many small hills with sketchy footing. I had a decent race coming in at 63 minutes. I screwed around behind some walking traffic as we ducked into the trail and it cost me some time. The elusive 60 minute trail 10K still unatained. I did have an unexpacted surprise when my buddy the Milkman showed up to run. The guy literally signed up about 15 minutes before the start. He came in right behind me too! The guy is an animal!

Later in the afternoon I stopped by Bushwacker and picked me up a new PFD for the kayaks. When I got home I took em out on the pond again for a quick couple laps. I had a great opportunity to shoot down the Mackinaw tomorrow, but I'm working a little side gig at the airshow. Maybe next week.

Swamp Dog 10K This Saturday

2010-07-21T11:20:00.002-05:00

Wish I could tell you I've been training hard and getting ready for this race, but that's not the case. Fact is, I havent done much this past week. I'll get a bike patrol ride in tomorrow and probably hit Jubilee on Friday for a nice tempoish run to loosen my legs up but that will be it. I'v got to put some solid weeks together the next couple weeks leading up to Canton. I would like to have a strong effort there. My speed work will start becoming a priority as well over the next 5 weeks leading up to The Hanna City Hustle 5K. That should be my fastest 5K of the season and I'm really shooting for a PR at that one.

I am the proud new father of two kayaks! Thanks to Brother Matt Brakeville for allowing me to provide the new home. I havent even had them out on a river yet but they have been a blast on the pond here. I even got Tiffers out on one yeasterday and she did great! I was really proud of her for both the willingness to give it a try and the fact she did so well. She got everywhere she wanted to go. She got herself out of a couple tight spots and she never panicked.

Jubilee Trail Race Recap

2010-07-10T10:45:00.002-05:00

Nice day to run a 10K out at Jubilee today. The numbers were down a little for this race today, not sure why. Too bad because the course was a blast. It had some familiar favorites in it like Ski Hill and West Side Hill, but we got to run on a few of the North trails too with some creek crossings which made for a good time. Also got to run on Shawn's Trail which I havent been on in years. My race went ok. I stuck to my plan of staying relaxed and comfortable for as long as I could. I really tried not putting any numbers in my head, but as the race wore on I thought I had a shot at sub 1 hr. At about 1.3ish miles out I was just over 50 minutes and still had a chance. I stayed steady until the last couple rollers and picked it up for the finish gaining a couple spots in the process. Unfortunately I missed my time and came in just over 61 minutes. I made at least one tactical error that cost me some time not making a pass on some singletrack when I should have. I'm not sure it cost me the minute I needed but in hindsight, I would have done that differently. All in all it was a solid effort and my legs felt strong and quick at the end. I'm definitely on the right track with about 4 weeks left until Canton Bi.

Are They or Aren't They

2010-07-06T15:10:00.002-05:00

I'm unsure about where my legs are today. I stuck with my plan and only rode the parade on Sunday, then refueled/hydrated/recovered. Monday was spent at tac practice and no training. Today I went out to Jubilee and ran a very ez paced 35 minutes on the roads. It was 1130 by the time I got there and temps were already close to 90 so I never pushed myself. My legs felt fine for what I was doing, but didnt answer any questions. I'm hoping to get some kind of ride in tomorrow, but I have an appointment in mid to late morning so hard to tell if I can squeeze a ride in or not. Thursday will be an off day and if the weather cooperates I'll head back out to Jubilee to run a few sections of the course for Saturday for 30 minutes or so. I'm hoping to get out there early and make an attempt to at least reach and maintain speed for a few minutes. Hopefully that will give me some indication of where my legs are at.

Tired Legs

2010-07-03T13:33:00.002-05:00

I'm finishing up a solid week of training for me. In fact, probably one of the more complete weeks I've had in 2 or 3 years. However, The weekly grind has taken a toll on my legs. I went out to Jubilee today for a longish run of 75-90 minutes, but 30 minutes into it I was suffering from some very heavy/lethargic legs. They simply had no spring or bounce to them at all. I cut the run short and headed back home. I've decided that my bike patrol ride tommorrow will be all the cycling I do and cancel my 2 hr. road ride I was planning on getting in. I think I'll focus more on stretching and recovering. I'll keep my time down a bit this week leading up to the 10K at Jubilee on the 10th. Although it's not an "A" race for me, I'd like to have a solid effort.

Solid Week so Far

2010-07-01T13:36:00.002-05:00

This has been one of my best weeks so far this season in terms of training. Monday was my tac team fit test, Tuesday was a 3.5 mile ez run, 26 miles on the bike with Howie on Wednesday and a relaxing trail 5k today at Jubilee. I'm planning on some repeat 800's in the morning for some speed work and maybe a very early group trail run at Jubilee on the upcoming race course. I'll finish it all up on Sunday with a nice road ride, maybe 30+ miles or so.

Back to Training

2010-06-24T12:28:00.002-05:00

I had taken the lastfew days off to recover and rest a bit. I dont have any more races scheduled until mid July so I thought it was a good time to rest a couple aches and pains away. I woke up feeling pretty good today and my heel was finally feeling better so I decided to get an ez paced 60 min run in. I havent ran on the roads here by the house for awhile and it was actually enjoyable to get back out on them . I better get used to it because I have no idea when the trails will ever be dry enough to run on again. If we can get a few days of sunshine maybe I'll try them out this weekend at Jubilee.

Blog, I missed You!

2010-06-20T23:25:00.002-05:00

Despite my blogs inactivity, I've actually been quite active. I'll start with a "Readers Digest" version recap of the season so far...The triathlons just not happening right now. Noone's fault but my own for not swimming. I made the decision about a month ago to look into the du's/bi's again and I felt like a weight was taken off my shoulders. It's been fun again. Since my last post in April I won the police division of Run to Remember, won my age group at the West Peoria Jamboree, completed my first Adventure/Orienteering race (despite some errors I had a blast. definitely hooked and am looking into buying a kayak); and just yesterday got a top 10 finish in my first du of the year in Newman albeit a limited field. Throw in some trail runs here and there and I've done o.k. Unfortunately I havent been able to get a mtb race in yet this year but I'll keep trying.

On the work front, guess what has two thumbs and is a certified sniper....this guy!

Fell Off the Horse

2010-04-03T11:10:00.002-05:00

Since I left for Alabama, training has been non existant. I finally got some Simple Fit in on Tuesday and got out to Jubillee on Thursday to run the CRUD 8 course, but thats been it. No swims and no bike in the last two weeks. No one to blame but myself though. I've already wasted today and tomorrow is Easter. With any luck, I can slip a ride or run in after Tiffers goes to bed. Then next week needs to be on spot. No missed workouts and solid efforts all week before leaving for Chapaign for a week. I will have plenty of time to run and even swim while I'm there and I know the area which will help. I have some important events coming up starting next month like Run to Remember, CRUD 8 Relay and two fit tests for the tac teams.

Easter Sunday: afternoon gravel grinder
Monday: tac practice
Tuesday: simple Fit/core/swim
Wednesday: Ride (2 hr)
Thursday: Trail run (45-60 min)
Friday: bench/core/swim
Saturday: long run (90 min-2hr)
Sunday: Ride (3-4 hr)

Puttin in the Miles

2010-03-14T21:15:00.002-05:00

44 of em today with a nice group. The winds from the North were BRUTAL, but made for a nice challenge. Thanks to Milkman, Bob, Tony, Betsy, Nick and Brett for making it tolerable. This week will be a crazy one with Tac stuff tommorrow and Tuesday. I'll be celebrating St. Patty's Day on Wednesday and probably detoxing Thursday. Hopefully I get some work done on Friday and Saturday cause then it's off to Alabama on Sunday for a week. Not sure what I'll get done while I'm there, but I'm hoping for to get some runs and maybe a swim in.

Schedule Changes.....

2010-02-26T23:55:00.002-06:00

So far the Wildlife Prairie Park tri is a no(SWAT school), Western States a no (cant get those days off) and Heart of America Games is out(Not having them this year). No worries...I'll focus on some other Xterra events, the QC Tri and the CRUD 8 Hour Run. That will actually be a relay for me and 3 of my tac team brothers. In addition, I wont be surprised if I end up doing the Lake Evergreen Tri in July. Regardless of the cancelations, there are planty of events for me to take part in and a lot of work to do until they start rolling in fast. I've got two more weeks before my next CITRA race...a 10K on sandy trails. That should be fun!

Not Exactly Dolphin Like

2010-02-18T10:59:00.003-06:00

Well, I've been in the pool twice now...it's ugly. I have a lot of work to do before June, luckily I have until June. I think once I get the breathing techniques down, things will get much, much better. I orderd a swimming DVD/book the other day and I hope it gets in facst. I am also planning on doing an indoor tri at my gym just for the experience in a little over 1 month. It's not much, but its something on the not so distant horizon that I can shoot for. Aside from that I'm having a pretty good week in terms of getting my sessions in. Saturday I did the first CITRA race of the year at WPP. I followed that up with my first swim session on Sunday morning before Tiff and I skipped town for Valentines Day (which was awsome by the way. We had a great long weekend together). I had a nice trainer ride with the Milkman yesterday and followed it up with a short run today. Tommorrow it will be back in the pool. I'm going to really concentrate on getting my breathing down by swimming one length at a time, rest/evaluate and repeat. I am hoping to get 9-10 laps in total. The rest of the week will go something like this:

Fri: swim-focus on breathing
Sat: long run-45 min @ Indy
Sun: swim-more breathing work bike:45 min gravel grinder

Have Pool, Not Excuses

2010-02-05T12:50:00.002-06:00

I am officially a member of the Riverplex. My county discount was great and if I go 12 times/mo it is free. I couldnt really argue with that. The best part is that I can lap swim just about anytime during the day so I have no excuses for not getting my swimming in now. Plus I can sign in and then run along the river front if I want so that's cool. Overall, it just made sense. I'm not thrilled about the 25 minute drive in, but am willing to suck it up. Plus I can drive the squad car in and get some training in prior to my workday starting. Just no good reason to not do it. I might even hit it up tomorrow just to tour he place and see what all it has to offer.

The Return to the Dungeon

2010-01-27T11:25:00.002-06:00

It was a long walk down those wooden steps to the darkness and cold air. Setting up the trainer and bike seemed so tiresome and daunting a task. But then...the video kicked in and in his familiar position to my left was the Milkman. The sweat started rolling and the gears were clicking. Out of the saddle we went tearing up the imaginary hills and twists and turns of the European sideroads. 45 minutes later, it was over and I was a better man because of it......Now I have to follow it up with a run tomorrow. An outside run that is. It's time to start braving the elements more and strengthening my resolve. Kicking my ass mentaly in tough conditions preps me for taking care of bisiness in maybe better conditions later...or perhaps worse. I need to continue to push myself in both areas. I have big plans and big goals ahead this year in several arenas. My physical shape and mental resolve will be tested like it never has before.

2010-01-14T10:48:00.002-06:00

I've made some progress the last couple weeks. Not very much mind you but at least I'm going in the right direction. I'm finally settling into a doable workout schedule...I think. Changing shifts, days off, joining the CIERT/ILEAS teams and deciding I want do add a whole new discipline to my game (swimming) has been a challenge to say the least. I'm finally sticking some workouts as scheduled. I am hoping to finally take the plunge on the swimming within a week. I'm a little nervous to start it, I admit that. But I've gotta take that first step. My new jammers and goggles are waiting by the door. They just need a ride and someone willing to use them...guess thats me.

I took the Roubaix to Little Ades on Tuesday and had my bike fit done. I've never had one done before and Mike Just got back from Specialized FIT program school. It was impressive to say the least. We made a few minor as well as a few major changes to my setup and I could feel an imediate difference in my shoulders and hands. I would reccomend it to anyone who rides much. As soon as he gets some more experience, we're gonna research the Tri fit and give it a go on the new bike. I took the Kona out today for a snow ride and will be making some adjustments to it based on what I learned with the Roubaix.

About that snow ride...started off good. I was actually dressed a bit warm for the 32 deg temps, but easy to take layers off if needed. I noticed the back of the bike was all over the place early into the ride. I checked the skewer and wheel a couple times and it couldnt find the problem. The situation worsened about 40 minutes in and I couldnt ride ride the bike at all. The play was so bad it was rubbing both chain stays. I decided maybe I had a broken spoke and checked them. To my surprise, almost every spoke on my rear wheel was loose...VERY loose. I'm not sure how that happened but it was unsafe to ride. I called Tiffers and had her come pick me up. Looks like its back to Little Ades tommorow for a fixer up.

My buddies were happy to see me again. They come out to see me every time I run or ride by.

Walking It back home

The End of MNF...The Start of Training 2010!

2010-01-04T12:12:00.002-06:00

You bet your sweet ass! Today begins anew the hopes and dreams of 2010. Starting weight...213 lbs. About 8 up from normal so not too bad actually. With the training comes a new works schedule and probably tac team stuff to be coming soon. This week will be all about getting my ass up and getting work in. Next week I hope to literally, test the waters and beging a swim program. I consulted with the head of aqauatics for Peoria Park Dist on this one and she suggests I get with one of her staffers for a few 1/1 time sessions just to work on some fundamentals to get me started and touch base with them every so often to see how I am progressing. Depending on how my week goes, I may even slide down this week and get in the pool a time or two and introduce myself. $1.50/lap swim session...not too bad. JUst gotta want it and get my ass up and out the door early enough to get it in. If my work gets done early I can always catch a cat nap before work.

Please....No Salt!

2009-12-24T11:54:00.002-06:00

I have officially become a fat slug the last two weeks. I have been on my bike once since my test on the 9th and that is it. No running, no lifting, no nothing excepy Holday parties, eating and sleeping. I'm disgusted and VERY ready to go buy groceries and start moving again.

I'm contemplating joining the RiverPlex downtown. Its free if I go 12 times/mo and it has a great pool I can get my swim on in. It might be what I need to continue my motivation as well. The downside is that I want to be outside as much as possible and dont know if I can get the 12 times in. Then I would be stuck paying for it. The jury is still out on that one.

I spent my morning today at the Children's Hospital of Illinois handing out gifts. Makes me appreciate the things I have...most importantly my health and my family and friends. Count your blessings all. Like the fantastic rock band of the 80's Cinderella said....Dont know what you got til its gone.

Top Of The List

2009-12-15T18:19:00.002-06:00

Well, it didnt take as long to find out about the test results as I was anticipating. I was told on 12/10 that at the conclusion of the process and after the committee had time ti talk it over that I was #1 on the list for appointment to the tac teams. This still wont be official until 2010, but it's nice that I dont have to sweat it out anymore worrying and wondering about it. Now my focus can be on me staying in great condition for the teams and in turn driving me to get ready for what I'm hoping will be a strong 2010 season.

I took this past week off but am more than ready to get back into training mode. I know that the caloric intake doesnt look promising the next couple weeks either so getting back to some level of activity will be a good thing. I intend on starting things off tomorrow with a nice run at Bradley park after coffee. I seem to "find" myself there at it has ofetn been a place for me to collect my thoughts and regroup.

Now Its Out Of My Hands

2009-12-09T23:33:00.002-06:00

Well, I made it through my test today. Some parts were easier than expected and some were much more difficult than expected, but its over and I made it. It made for a very long day. Once the physical fitness testing was completed, we immediately went into the firearms qualifications. Due to the weather, we actually did those indoors on our AIS machine. As soon as that was done we went straight to the oral interviews. Lucky me, I got to go straight to the locker room from there and get ready for work. Luckily it was a slow night. My knees are a wreck right now from the testing. Probably wont know anything until after the 1st of the year, but I've done all I can do and the decision rests in the hands of others.

Less Than 48 Hrs. To Go

2009-12-07T16:17:00.002-06:00

Wednesday morning is essentially here. I took today off and will spend the day tomorrow stretching and doing some light maint. to be ready for thye next day. I'm feeling pretty confident now and just want to use the time I have left to make myself as ready as possible. My weight was at 209 this morning which is within my acceptable range, but if I can knock a couple more pounds off by Wednesday, I'll be happy. It looks like the testing will move indoors as the forecast says that Winter is here. Extremely cold temps, high winds and some snow are on the menu.

.7 seconds Seems Like a Year

2009-12-01T11:30:00.003-06:00

So the FOLEPI went o.k. for the most part. I had a goal of sub 30 minutes going into the race and was a little disappointed at the finish that I thought I had missed it bt 2 seconds. I just looked at the official times and I actually missed it by .7 seconds! I wont deny that I'm a little bummed. My first mile was so bad. I warmed up decent enough and everything but I just didnt want to get too aggressive early with the crowd and blow up later. The result was that my first mile was 15 seconds slower than my eventual race pace. As I type this I'm trying to understand why I'm beating myself up over it. Oh, well. There's always next year.

FOLEPI Tomorrow

2009-11-27T11:44:00.002-06:00

The Festival Of Lights East Peoria, IL (FOLEPI) was a good race for me last year. I was very close to a sub 30 minute race, like 5 seconds away actually. I know that this year was a pain in my hamstring for the biggest part of the year, but I feel like I'm pretty healthy right now. I am carrying a couple extra pounds, but I think they're good pounds. I hate to have number goals at a race like this. But I'd be happy to go sub 30 this time. Aside from that. I want to do all the other things right like good prep before the race including fueling and warming up and then just run a smart race. I want to finish feeling strong, not all blown up. Those are mentally hard for me to bounce back from for a few days. I tend to beat myself up over them too much. I got a nice pre race tempo run in today and kept it to just over 15 minutes. I even snuck in a pre meal Thanksgiving day ride yesterday in the cold and wind just to fire up the furnace to help burn off some food.

After the race I will embark on my annual trip to Champaign to visit with my high school friends at The Ribeye for dinner and a few drinks. Not the healthiest of meals, but I'll burn it off quick enough. It's always a good time and one that I look forward to every year.

I'm closing in on my 12/9 test day for the CIERT/ILEAS teams. I'm pretty confident right now. The next 12 days will be about fine tuning and assuring myself so I go into the test with absolutely no questions about getting through it.

The New Addition to the Fleet

2009-11-23T17:34:00.002-06:00

The Specialized Transition finally made it home today. It still needs some pedals, a bottle cage and computer yet but it's home. It would be great to get a ride in on it before the weather goes to junk. We'll keep our fingers crossed on that. Today actually would have been a great day, but I've swore off the bikes until after my test in a couple weeks. I hope it wasnt my last chance before the trainer comes out. This bike will take me some time to adjust to and having it on the trainer wont be of much help.

Training for my test is going ok so far. I've been doing some weighted pull ups to assimilate the added weight I'll be wearing for the test. My bench is also progressing nicely. I have to say, I'm enjoying lifting heavy again. It's been a really long time, but the feeling came back quick. I'll never be as powerful and brute strong as I was 15 years ago, but I think what I'm doing for the test will be beneficial for what I want out of my 2010 season.

Kick Ass Show!

2009-11-20T12:49:00.002-06:00

So, last night one of my favorite bands made a stop in Peoria. Split Lip Rayfield f'ing brought the goods too. Seriously one of the best shows I've ever been to. I think they were surprised by how great the crowd was and I'm guessing they wont mind coming back. To make the night even better, I was there with Stag and and some friends from work and everyone had a blast. The Amber Bock sledge hammer kept me in bed for a little longer than usual today and delayed my run, but once I got going it went great. I got in a nice interval workout on the treadmill and actually did a couple more than I had planned. Now I'm just killin time before I head off to work. I'm actually looking forward to going to work today too. I've taken some days off here and there the last few weeks and had my school last week. I'd love to have a nice steady weekend with some decent work.

I laid out a nice plan for my test on 12/9 and I'm confident it will ensure that I'm ready when it gets here. Testing in full gear will be my biggest struggle I think. I'm in better shape than most taking the test, but most of them are considerably younger and come from some recent military experience. Doing this kind of stuff in gear isnt a big deal to them. We used to always talk about guys with great track speed but once you put pads on them, they had zero football speed. I dont want to be one of those guys.

Date Set

2009-11-15T10:21:00.002-06:00

Looks like my test for the CIERT team will be on 12/9. About a week sooner than expected, but no worries. I will be ready. It will keep me extra motivated the next few weeks for sure. I'll be keeping my training short and hard for the most part during that time. Probably no biking and no runs over 45 minutes. I have a 4 miler scheduled for 11/28, but that shouldnt interfere with anything. I'll just use it as a training run. I'll need to saty focussed on my bench and make sure I'm doing some weighted pull ups between now and then but as of now I'd say I'm on track. After that it will be Tri-Training mode. The tri club here gets some lap time at a couple of the local high schools for a very minimal charge so I plan on taking advantage of that. Which reminds me, I actually signed up for my first tri which will be the Quad City Sprint Tri on 6/19. Hows that for a reality check?

Quick Update

2009-11-11T16:39:00.002-06:00

Not much to report really. I've been in school all week for work and had meetings in the evenings. Not much training time or energy left by the time I get home. My bench press has improved dramatically already though and that's a positive. I may try and get a bench session in tonight after my Neighborhood Watch mtg to keep it going. Either that or I'll come home and get a quick treadmill run in. My diet has been out of friggin control this week since I'm eating out evey day. Next week will probably have to be a detox week for me.

Back To Bradley Park

2009-11-04T13:10:00.003-06:00

It had been a long time since I did a run in Bradley Park and today seemed to be as good a day as any. I was already going into town early for coffee, so I decided to bring my running gear with me. I really enjoy running there and it has everthing from scenery to some ass kickin' hills to run. In '07 when I was running the ultras, Bradley was my training ground in the nasty winter months. So on a day when I really wasn't planning a run of any kind, a quick loop at the park was a positive. So positive in fact that I plan on hitting it weekly after my coffee with Coach Smith.

I attempted benching on Monday night...it was ugly. I know that I'll have my physical agility test coming up soon so I'll be throwing some dedicated bench sessions into my planning starting tonight. I dont have a lot of time so I'm going right into 3 sets of 3 so I can get my 1 rep max up fast. I'm guessing I have 4-6 weeks to get ready, but who knows. It could be next week for all I know. The other tests on the list, although challenging, look very doable for me right now. 60 yd dash, 400 m run, tower sprint, pull up, team member drag are all some of the other tests and they will be done while in full gear.

Sent my sign ups in today for the FOLEPI run and the Siberian Express. These are two really fun and well ran events that will keep my training honest for the remainder of the year.

Last Weekend of Bike Patrol

2009-10-30T08:30:00.003-05:00

The new routine will be a bit altered the next couple nights to squeeze in my last two patrol rides. It being Holloween weekend and all, there should be plenty to see as long as it stops raining. Its been like a monsoon season here the last few days and it's getting old. I'm begging for a little sun. Hopefully the weekend is nicer for Holloween and me mum's 70th birthday party on Sunday. Tiffster and I will be making the trip over for that as part of our long weekend.

My first Simple Fit session went great Wed night. It was my record for max reps on 1/1 with 38. As long as I'm smart and dont overdo things I will really have a jump on 2010 in terms of base and overall fitness. I will be including some benching to the mix too though for the remainder of the year, simply to test for another specialty position at work. I'll probably throw in some other cross training activities as well that may help me for the test.

A New Beginning

2009-10-27T20:42:00.002-05:00

Break time over! I start on 2nd shift tomorrow and a new training schedule will commence. It will be a lot of trial and error early on, but we'll get the bugs worked out soon enough. I'm really jacked up about going again too. It helps the motivation factor when you get to check out your new tri bike at the shop. I have to go in next week so D can get everything adjusted accordingly. It is sweet! Probably too fast for the motor right now, but I expect to fix that over the winter.

The general plan is to get my swim/bike/run sessions in after I wake up in the mornings. After work I''ll be hitting the Simple Fit and core or some simple yoga emphasising either strength or flexibility. That all sounds great, but I have to start really cleaning up the diet and eating good. Oddly enough, I'm actually hoping to put on some muscle mass over the winter and shed some fat. I'm really hoping to be sitting at about the 215 lb. mark next season. And it all starts back up again with purpose and focus tomorrow.

My 2009 Season is Over

2009-10-20T09:17:00.002-05:00

And I'm happy to say that it ended on a positive note. The Farmdale race went pretty smooth. I didnt set any land speed records but I had a blast and ran it pretty much pain free, including the hills. I got everything out of it I was hoping for and then some. I'm taking it easy for the most part this week and doing a little planning towards 2010.

I'll have my schedule change starting next week and it will only be good until the new year, so I've use that time to experiment a little bit and see what works and what doesnt. I plan on starting some strength training and will continue to run and ride 3-4 times per week. I hope to have one "long" ride or run per week and get a head start on my base training. I will also be starting some pool time and making it a regular part of my training, probably in the mornings. I got the new tri bike ordered yesteday and it should be at the shop by the end of the week. Hopefully I can sneak some rides in on it before the wather gets nasty and cold.

Now I can Relax

2009-10-15T19:52:00.002-05:00

In about two weeks I'll be going to 2nd shift. I got the position at work I put in for. It will be a lot of work early on, but the benefits from this position are huge. As long as I do good work, it will put me in a prime position for advancements later on. It will take some adjustments to my schedule, but I've thought it through for a long time and am finding some advantges, especially with training. As far as Tiffster goes, it really wont change a thing. Same days off and instead of us both going off to bed, I'll be going to work. As long as I am diligent with a routine of getting up in the mornings by 7:30 or 8 things will be good. The crucial step will be winding down after work so I can get to sleep at a decent time.

But first things first...Farmdale. My goals for this race are simple. 1)have fun 2)run smart and 3)kickstart my training for 2010.

Farmdale Trail Run

2009-10-13T10:30:00.000-05:00

Four days out from the Farmdale race, the unofficial end to my season. A season that really ended back in July. Once the Farmdale race is in the books I can start really planning and working towards 2010. My motivation right now is low for this race and I'm almost looking past it towards next year. This season has just been a grind on me both physically and emotionally. I will be happy to see it end. That said, I need to find some focus for Saturday or it will be a miserable experience. Any small victory will allow me to end it on a positive and help springboard me towards next year. It's a stressful week already as I wait to interview for a new position and attempt to kick the chew...again. I'm not dealing well with any of it right now. I'm moody and short tempered. Maybe a nice run through the woods will be good for me.

Flu Bug

2009-10-05T16:52:00.002-05:00

It seems that I've been truck by the flu the last couple days. I went to work Saturday night feeling...not myself. By the end of watch on Sunday morning I was becoming miserable with chills and gi distress. I slept most of the day Sunday and decided to tough it out at work. That was probably a mistake. The horrible bloat was the worst I'd ever had. It hurt to even hit bumps in the road. At about 0400 on Monday I was beginning to get some relief. I went out of sevice at home and again went right to bed. When I woke up I finally felt much better. I have a slight lingering headache but I'm attributing that to all the sleep and probably a little dehydrated. I've been sipping Heed all day and was finally able to eat this afternoon...some scrambled eggs. Unfortunately I'm working OT tonight and tomorrow so I'll need to manage my rest and hydration accordingly. I really need to get a very short, fast run in tomorrow just to loosen my legs for my FIT test bonus on Wednesday morning. I know I can get it in my sleep, but I still like to be prepared.

I've decided to continue on course for the Farmdale Trail Run. At its conclusion, I'm going to start adding some strength training back to the mix. There's probably going to be an opportunity for a position at work for 2010 that I'm interested in and I want to be prepared when its time to test for it.

Finally....Back to Some Speed Work

2009-10-02T09:03:00.002-05:00

Albeit very minimal. I did 6 short intervals today on the treadmill. That's the first real speed work I've done in over 3 months and I feel pretty good. I followed it up with some nice stretching and really targeted the hamstring. I feel great actually. I had to stop myself at the 6 though. I was doing 12 prior to the wheel going bad on me and I decided I'd do as many as I could comfortably, but no more than 6. Farmdale could end up being one of my better races of the year!

I also got my sign up in for the River Trail Classic at the end of November. That was a great race for me last year and set the tone for my early season training. Today I'm off to see the boys at Little Ades to do some checking on a possible Tri bike and maybe even a 29er singlespeed.

Another Small Victory

2009-09-28T11:45:00.003-05:00

Race for the Valley at Indy Park was another small step in the right direction. Although I never mentioned it, I was a bit aprehensive about this race duew to the length and the fact that Indy is an ornery bitch of a trail. One that plays havok on healthy hamstrings, let alone mine. I ran smart, never pushed beyond my limitations and had a decent race. Ther hamstring actually felt better than it had in a long time. In fact I just got back from a nice and easy 30 minute recovery run. I havent been able to do that for 2-3 months now. I came home and got a nice stretch and recovery meal in me. I can say I havent felt this positive in a long time about things. I'm actually excited about my goals again, albeit altered a bit. Next up is the Farmdale Trail run on Oct 17. Eight miles of singletrack goodness at "the Farm". And the way things are going now, I may actually be prepared for it!

Double Spoiled by Rain

2009-09-27T08:52:00.007-05:00

With the rain the last couple days, the double has been reduced to a single. The intense rain forced PAMBA to adjust the start times for todays races by two hours to allow them to hold the event. Even if I had a strong bike race, it would have been a challenge to get to the trail run on time. Since I have more invested in the CITRA series, I've decided to skip the mtb race and focus on the trail run at 2 p.m. Five miles on a slippery Indy will be challenge enough for me at this point. Todays goal...run smart and injury free, let the race come to me and finish strong. Then I have a few weeks to prepare for the CITRA finale, an 8 miler at Farmdale. I'm trying to keep my attention on finishing '09 as best I can, but it's been hard to not think about next year. I've been noting my strengths and weaknesses that I want to address over the winter and changes to training for next year to maintain over the course of the year. I'll discuss those here at a later date when I recap the season. For now, I need to keep my mind on today's race and prepare.

Warmer than avg. temps today around 80 and sunny at race time. I'm sure I'll be welcomed with sloppy conditions at Indy, however Indy dries the fastest of all the area trails so I wont be surprised if they are better than expected. Little less than 5 hours til race time. I'm gonna head to to Farmdale to see the beginning of the races and catch up with a few buddies then its off to take care of my own business. Tonight Tiffany and I will celebrate our 9 year mark together. It was actually on Thursday the 24th. I'm a very lucky guy to have her so no matter what happens today I have something to celebrate.

The Double and Some Future Plans

2009-09-24T00:43:00.002-05:00

Ith the Du behind me and breathing some new life into me, I'm pretty stoked for the Farmdale MTB/Indy Trail run double on Sunday. Again, I know that my results wont be spectacular, but completing it will be noteworthy for me. From there it's continuing to heal and maybe even train for the Farmdale Trail Run on Oct. 18th. That will pretty much conclude my season. I will probablydo another race or two, but mostly I'll be planning for 2010. A new seed has been planted also...I plan on competing in the biking events and/or triathlon at the 2011 World Police and Fire Games in New York. At least one other guy from my department will be going out for Judo also. The schedule looks doable for us to get out and get our events done. Not sure about the tri. That will depend on how things go in 2010. 2010 prelim ideas include some tri/XTerra events, the CITRA series, and some MTB races. Maybe dabble in some endurance stuff too. One event I'd like to do is the tri at the Heart of America Police and Fire Games in Kansas. It would be a nice set up for the Worlds in 2011. But first, the double on Sunday. I hope to get out today and ride the mtb course then hope for no rain this weekend.

Success

2009-09-19T13:44:00.003-05:00

I got everything and more out of the Wildlife race than expected. I was stronger on the bike, I ran smart (walking the hills so not to blow the hammy), and all of my other goals were accomplished. I walked away with new passion and a brighter (faster/stronger) future. Here's a couple pics (Thanks Nick!)

Bout half way through run...and suffering

Finally finished

It's A Go

2009-09-16T12:57:00.002-05:00

Looks like I will be doing the WPP Du on Saturday. My hamstring is feeling ok a of now as well as my back. I'm going for a short ride tomorrow at Jubilee around the grassy prarie and a very short brick on Friday. Nothing I do right now is going to prepare me for the race, it's more of just a systems check at this point. How do I expect to do? I expect to finish and free my mind a bit. I expect it to reignite my fire and I expect to promote and be part of a race that I think will lead to better things in the future. That's all this race is about to me right now. That's really all on of my races are about right now. Next year is next year and I'll focus on those when the time comes. My remaining races are simply about jump starting my training for next year and put me in a good place when this season winds down.

Magic Fingers

2009-09-11T14:50:00.002-05:00

Finally got in fo a massage on Thursday....wow! Jon came highly recommended to me from someone at work. He used to live in Phoenix where he worked on many of the Cardinals, Suns and Coyotes. He worked my ass over for over an hour and it was nice in a painful sort of way. I came home and slept through the evening with no pain in my back and my hamstring much better. I've decided to not race this weekend and start back in light next week, jst enough to be able to finish the dirt du at WPP next weekend. I've been super hydrating the last two days to help flush the toxins and crap and will dobike patrol nice and easy tomorrow for a few hours. Finally, light at the end of the tunnel.

New Race

2009-09-06T12:16:00.002-05:00

I've been disapointed in the fact that we dont have any trail du's in the area. Some have popped up over the years, but none have ever really grabbed hold and stood the test of time and they were all before I was ever interested in them. Well, that has now changed. Wildlife Prairie state park is having one along with a tri in two weeks. It's extremely short notice, but I'm all in. The guy in charge of the park has big plans for the venue and its future and is wants to build it from nothing into our areas only XTerra event and he wants the transition to be fast. I'm actually going to assist in the development of the trails as far as laying them out. He has all the manpower, just needs some experienced opinions and eyes to make sure they are built to IMBA standards. The whole idea has drawn me back into the advocacy game a bit. The best part....about a ten minute drive from my house.

Massage appointment(s) this week and Comlara on Sunday. Hopefully then I'll be back to running a bit and can get myself as ready as possible for the du on the 19th. Then the 27th is my Farmdale MTB and Indy Park trail run. Got about 6 hrs of bike patrol in last night and felt ok. Hopefully I can sneak a couple short trail rides in at some point this week. Might even slide over to Comlara one morning.

Some Ups, Some Downs

2009-08-31T17:02:00.002-05:00

Hanna City Hustle was a mild success. I ran a sub 24 and got what I wanted out of the day which was a fast 1st mile and no real pain. That was accomplished with a 6:43 first mile. I hung on and just tried to run comfortable and pain free for the rest. My finishing time was acceptable at this point and I proved to myself that I can still run fast but need to heal and train accordingly before I try and do it for repeated miles. That was the highlight.

I knew going into the Kickapoo race that it would be a stretch to do well. I had about 6 hrs of sleep in the two previous days and had run the 5K. I decided to not push and just get comfortable and get into a flow. That plan was working as I got into the race and I was really making up time and catching people. I was actually feeloing pretty strong, even on the technical stuff which Kickapoo throws at you....and then it happened. I had a nice flow and was really pushing as I was reeling in a group of 6 riders. I took my attention off the trail to yell at a course marshall and went off the course into a hole and a log. As the bike started to throw me ass over tea kettle I got out of the pedals, threw the bike between my legs and hurdled forward. It was actually a great dismount. The problem was that I landed on my right leg and the force of the landing just exploded in my hamstring. I had to continue running forward to a coasting turnaround because I just had no power to put on the brakes. I gathered myself for a minute, adjusted the bike and got going again very gingerly. I was hurt and I knew it. By the time I could really go again it was too late...race over. I made the most of it and tried to just pick off as many people as I could. My time was terrible, and my hamstring was now worse than it has been since this whole problem started. All that said though, I had a blast. Probably my favorite trail system to ride. Unquestionable (past) time to see someone and start healing up. I've got a couple weeks before my next mtb race and almost a month before my next trail race. It's gotta be now if I'm gonna get right to end the season on a positive.

Milkman...always smiles on his bike

Higgins subtly reminding me I'm supposed to be handing off a bottle, not taking pics

My pre-race pit area

Another Weekend of Racing

2009-08-28T07:54:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow is the Hanna City Hustle 5k and from there it's off to Kickapoo for the big Kickapoo Bash with the xc race on Sunday. the leg feels slightly better today so I'm not going to do anything and wing it tomorrow. I havent been on my bike for two weeks, so we'll see how that goes. It's my longest mtb race so far this year so it will be a challenge for me. I did bike patrol on Wednesday night so I have been on a bike...sort of. I am contacting a massage therapist today. She's the sister of Betsy Silzer, my PAMBA sister if you will. Hopefully she can get me back on track before the whole season is lost. I'll start out slow tomorrow and get fster as I warm up and see how it responds. Should be flat and fast....all things considered.

Eureka Trail Run Recap

2009-08-22T10:16:00.003-05:00

Well...I ran it anyway. Actually I'm not terribly upset about it. The injury thing is just frustrating. I have to take it so easy on the wet trails, particularly on the hills that I lose a lot of time. Early in the season hills were my strength. I'd actually gain spots on them, but now...not so much. I am at a walk on steep ones just nursing and babying my hamstring along. The most frustrating part is I feel like I have gas in the tank. I did stride it out and pushed at the end today for my dismal time of 25ish. I took two whole weeks off and feel like I'm not really all that much better. My back has improved, but not the leg. It just hits a certain point ad says "nope, this is all the better I'm getting." I know, I need to see someone about it. I get it, but I'm a self admitted hard head about the whole doctor thing. Big brother is right, I'm not invincible....anymore. Shootin for an easy road ride tomorrow then maybe hit Kickapoo on Monday if it dries up over there the next couple days.

Starting Over

2009-08-18T20:52:00.002-05:00

Well, I've been off for 10 days now. I've finished a great book and got some other things accomplished. I'm now on the bike team at work, I go to FTO school next month and I got some GREAT news regarding a financial situation. All that said....my hamstring isnt much better. I still have a slight twinge that concerns me. So here's the plan. I have Eureka trail race Saturday, luckily its flat. I'm going to start running again tomorrow but keep it flat, emphasize warm up/cool down and stretching. I'll hit the Stick often and probably still get a massage or two. I'm hoping to follow up thye race with an easy road ride on Sunday and I'll re-evaluate from there on how I train next week. I was really hoping to get a pre-ride in at Kickapoo on Monday, but we'll see how it goes. I end next week with Hanna City Hustle (flat 5K) and then Kickapoo MTB race on Sunday. It's going to be day to day on how things go and what kind of work I get in. I still maintain that if I'm smart and dilligent with protocol I can get through this and finish up the season with some solid efforts. I'd love to pick at least one more "A" race, but I'm just not going to put that pressure on myself until I feel healthy enough to train accordingly.

Too Much Time on My Hands

2009-08-14T08:27:00.002-05:00

Ahhh, Styx. The most underated band of our time in my opinion so long as you forget that gay Dennis DeYoung garbage. Anyway, I indeed have too much time on my hands this week. I've yet to see a doc of any kind, but I have taken it easy...and its killin' me. The weather has been great too. I've done some yard work but that's about it. I am hoping to feel better by Monday because I'm heading to Kickapoo for some pre-race recon. It also gives me a chance to see me mum and have some tasty vittles while I'm there. I've been killing time by reading "Born to Run". What a great book. It's making me at least think about a lot of running issues like technique, equipment, etc and how a lot of it is just garbage and marketing. It makes a lot of sense actually. As for th injuries...hammy is still pretty tight. It's worse than it was a week ago. The back is a disaster. I can't sleep for more than 3-4 hrs before it is so tight it hurts to breathe or change positions in bed. Whine session over. Here's some pics.

Towards End of BP Race

Jubilee

Me and Milkman after Run to Remember

Small Victory

2009-08-10T18:01:00.002-05:00

Despite an aching body, working 3rds the night before and running a demanding trail 10K the day before, I was able to complete the BP race...and no flats this time. Whatever, I'll take it. I just wanted to race. I actually felt ok till the finish. When I neared the end, all my pains started setting in. I was 5-7 minutes slower than I was hoping for and I have A LOT of work to do...after I get well. I'm officially putting myself on the shelf for a couple days and maybe even look into some chiro/massage/therapy of some kind. Next up will be the Eureka Trail Run in a couple weeks. It's just a 5K and pretty tame course so it will be welcomed at this point.

Trainwreck

2009-08-08T12:01:00.002-05:00

That's how I'm feeling after the Swamp Dogs race today. I started slow and was hoping to make a push at about the halfway point. I knew the course well and had my spots picked out but that plan never came through. About two miles in I felt the hammy twinge on some muddy climbs. That twing turned into pain quickly...to the point I was walking many of the climbs. By mile 4 I had struggled with the hammy to the point that my opposite side low back was screaming. I got passed by two women on some climbs that I had initially picked out to just own. It was VERY humid today too and my fluid loss was big. I was well prepared with hydration and such though and never really had any issues with them. I thought they would be my toughest task, instead it was the freakin hamstring again that let me down. I'm still planning on the mtb race tomorrow but will need to be smart. I'll have a better idea when I wake up tonight.

All Systems Go

2009-08-06T11:08:00.002-05:00

Got my last ride in at BP today after work. Probably my smoothest ride I've had there too. I can only hope I'm doing the course right. I also went in last night for my bike team test. It was 8 laps around the jail ring road, then up and off a curb then dump the bike and sprint 50 yds or so. I did well. I actually took it easy on the sprint since I knew I had plenty of time to spare and I didnt really want to re-injure the hammy during a test. I had about 4 1/2 minutes to spare which according to my LT. is a very good time. Anyway, I should know something about that by Monday. As far as this weekend goes, I have a quick tempoish type run tomorrow and then I'm taking it easy and getting my gear ready to go.

Not Too Trashed

2009-08-04T10:29:00.002-05:00

I made it through the weekend in MO. in pretty good shape. My weight by Monday morning was very manageable and I had began thr hydrating detoxing as soon as I got home on Sunday. By Monday afternoon I was ready to ride. I swung out to BP for another quick ride on the course. My legs felt pretty heavy at times, but better by the end. I needed the ride to blow my legs out a little bit. The rest of the week will be tricky to plan because not only do I have another double this weeked, but I also have a bike test at work to be on the bike team and as of now, I'm not really sure when that is. It's kind of a fly by night thing right now. It's not optimal, but the plan is to take today off, bike test on Wednesday and keep things short but solid on Th and Fri then race it up over the weekend. After that it's back to getting some speed work in for the next couple 5K's on the schedule, one trail and one road.

Quickie Update

2009-07-29T10:10:00.002-05:00

Well, I finally got back on trails over the last couple days starting with a quick recon ride at Black Partridge. Stagola took me out and showed me all the new trails and what he thought was the race course. Wow, those are fun! Obviously I had a bit of an issue with Black Partridge over the last few years since my presidency with PAMBA, but I can honestly say the trails are great. I had a blast on them. Many thanks to those that have put in the time and effort the last few years. It's a great trail system. I'm going to head back out tomorrow and hit them again. I just walked in the door from a nice trail run. I was hoping for 90 minutes but ended up at just over 60 before I felt I was pushing the hammy too hard. I knew running trails was going to be the real test. Some of the short steep climbs began taking their toll. But it was still a good run and I definitely benefitted from it. The hammy is coming along. I think I just expected a little more out of it today. As I mentioned. I'll try for a mtb ride tomorrow at BP and then I'm off to STL for the weekend of dubachery. Gonna need a detox upon my return. Then it will be prepping for Swamp Dogs and BP race on the 8th and 9th.

Success

2009-07-25T07:51:00.002-05:00

I got through the ride relatively unscathed. I didnt have ant trouble with the hammy during the ride at all and I didnt even hit the Aleve before I left. The ride itself was a good one for me, my longest of the year in fact. We did 50 miles in 3 hrs. Not a blinding pace by any means. We finished into the wind on some less than pristine roads. I had some minor cramping at about 35 miles but hit some extra Enduralites and was able to spin out of them for a strong finish. My hamstring tightened on me a little when I woke up for work but its not too bad. Overall I feel pretty good today. I'm off to bed now so I can work a double tonight. Probably take tomorrow off too unless I do some light running. That will give the hamstring a bit of a break. Then I plan on going to Black Partridge with the Stagola of Rock n rolla on Monday evening.

Just Call Me Stupid

2009-07-23T12:35:00.002-05:00

Cause although I know I'm not healed yet, I'm going to ATTEMPT to do 50+ miles on the road bike tomorrow with the Milkman. I'm going to feel it out and if I feel it strain, I'm calling it a day. I havent rode with my buddy in a long time and time spent with him on a bike makes me better in every aspect.What's the worse thing that can happen besides losing the rest of my season?

Still On The Mend

2009-07-22T12:51:00.002-05:00

Every day I walk around and think to myself "yeah, its good today. I'll be able to hit it tomorrow." But then while getting out of the car, walking up from the pond, going up the stairs, or something...I get another twinge in my hamstring. I'm really frustrated and tired of it. I'm missing some crucial time running and on my bike and I know I'll pay for it later. I've continued stretching and using The Stick to alleviate some flare ups. I'm also using Hammer Balm before bed. All of it seems to be helping but I cant get over the hump. Tomorrow I have court so I'm down for sure. If all goes well I'm goint to attempt a RIT ride on Friday. Flat and easy and I wont push. Then we'll just wait and see about the weekend.

Note to Self

2009-07-18T10:52:00.002-05:00

When you do a trail race and follow it with a mtb race the following day, sometimes you may be a bit strained and fatigued. You might even have a twinge in your hammy. When that happens it is smart to take it easy for a few days until you are back to good health. The first day you almost feel good after some light pedaling on the RIT is NOT the right time to try and do repeat 400's and 200's. Even if in your mind "I need to get some speed workouts going again". I'm guessing that no one should do this and someone say...36 and closing in on 37 has no business at all doing it. That's just my take on it. Because here I sit now with what I will call an aggravated hamstring. It's not blown, but I would say it is slightly strained. I was hoping to get a trail ride in today, but I decided to leave my bike at the shop until Monday and see how I'm feeling. I'm now down today and I took some gravy OT tomorrow just to make sure I stay off the bike and out of my running shoes. Minor setback, but one I didnt need. I'm guessing The Stick and my new sample of Hammer Balm will be put to the test the next couple days. See ya on Monday...hopefully post-ride at Black Partridge.

Back to the Basics

2009-07-16T12:24:00.002-05:00

After a few days off I got back into training mode today with an ez spin on the RIT. Nothin too hard. I wanted to keep my HR in check and get a nice 90 min. ride in. Mission accomplished. Tomorrow I have some repeat 400's planned on a track. I havent done any speed work in awhile and its more than past time to start it back up. I've lost some overall speed as of late and need to get it back. Swamp Dogs is on 8/8 followed by Black Partridge mtb on 8/9...another double weekend. No worries though. I should be better prepared for both of those races than I was last weekend. I've detailed my training again like I was earlier in the year and included some more speed training. As far as the mtb goes, its just a matter of saddle time and doing solid recon on the courses. I've planned all my training out until that weekend and feel good about the plan. After that I'll re-evaluate and go from there, but its lookin like yet another double on 8/29, 8/30 with the Hanna City Hustle 5k and Kickapoo mtb.

Any Race Is A Good Race

2009-07-12T15:31:00.003-05:00

Especially when its your first one back in a long time, and even when you are in 2nd place in your age group with a mile and a half to go and you get a flat and have to run the trails (again) to finish up in 4th. It was fun and I look forward to the next one. What more can be said? Found some (many) weaknesses and am looking forward to planning and training to get them corrected. Gotta check, but I think I have another trail run in about 3 weeks at Jubilee again, The Swamp Dogs classic. Nighty Night!

One Down, One to Go

2009-07-11T11:26:00.002-05:00

Jubilee Trail race went pretty much as expected. I didnt feel particularly strong and I was absolutely not tactical. In all I was.....slow. 1:04 for the 10K on a very sloppy trail. Bout what I figured. No rain today though and it should be that much better by tomorrow. Time to actually plan a couple more "A" races instead of these training races I've been doing. Learning a lot about where I'm at though and that's good. I'll check back in tomorrow.

F$cking Rain!!

2009-07-10T11:20:00.002-05:00

Seriously, this is getting old. I got a loop in today on the run course and then did a little trail work prior to more rain. I hate that shit....I seriously do. Anyway, we'll see what I got in the tank tomorrow. I'm clueless as to how I feel going into it. It's gonna be sloppy if it goes at all. As far as mtb on Sunday...anybody's guess.

Ready Or Not....Here They Come

2009-07-07T17:28:00.002-05:00

CITRA #3 and I74 MTB Series #2, both at beautiful Jubilee State Park are this weekend. Am I ready you ask?.....Hell No!! In all actuality I think the run might surprise me. I had a great run out there last weekend on the mtb course. I wasnt running for time, yet my time was surprisingly fast. The last time I did the bike course I felt pretty good too but my ass aint seen a saddle since then. Too many doubles at work last week to get any solid training in. I'm gonna try to get an hr run in tomorrow out there and follow it up with some trail care to get the mtb course ready...again. I've held my weight down to a manageable level the last few weeks and should be lookin good for race day on Saturday. Then I'm gettin the hell off my feet and refueling for the mtb on Sunday morning. Should be fun and educational for me at the same time.

New Race Date

2009-06-30T17:44:00.002-05:00

Jubilee race has now been rescheduled for July, 12. Which is cool, but a challenge for me now since the Jubilee trail run is on the 11th. No sweat though. The heart of my race season is starting up and races of different disciplines on back to back days will be great training for me. I'll get to do it again in August with the Swamp Dog Classic trail run and the Black Partridge mtb race. Since I've been planning on the double in one day at the end of September, this will be good for me. I've looked at what I had scheduled for training the next couple weeks and I don't think I'll change much. I may switch a couple road rides to mtb rides at Jubilee and probably throw in an extra rest day somewhere. Other than that, I'll leave it alone. I'm watching the sky now and just hoping the rain stays away tonight so I can get a trail run in tomorrow at Jubilee on the mtb course.

Jubilee Race Cancelled....More Rain

2009-06-28T12:37:00.002-05:00

Well, that sucks. I actually felt good too. Got my loop in yesterday and was feeling like I could put together a solid effort. Then I woke up last night to find that two inches of rain had fallen along with high winds so the race was called off. No word yet on a reschedule, but I will be pissed if we don't have a Jubilee race this year. Fortunately my focus will stay at Jubilee for the trail run on July 11th, CITRA series #3.

2 Days Left

2009-06-26T12:35:00.002-05:00

Well, it's the day before the day before. I took it easy as scheduled for the most part. I did go out to Jubilee for some course clearing, but it was really a nature stroll. We'll call it active recovery. I'm not exactly where I wanted to be but I doubt many are with the limited trail riding so far this year. I've felt pretty strong on the road bike so we'll see if it transfers over on Sunday. Tomorrow I'll go out and do one loop on the course and probably do a little bit of trimming. Then it's home and off my feet. Temps are going to be in the upper 70's at race time I suspect, so a little cooler than what we've had as of late. We'll put the new bibs, gloves and socks to the test and see how they work out. I'm off to bed. Gotta get some good sleep in today.

One More Week...Back To Racin'

2009-06-20T21:05:00.002-05:00

So here we are, one week out from the Jubillee race. I was hoping to be more prepared by now, but we'll go with what we've got. The key is to just ready myself as best I can this week and be smart. I'm not gonna get any faster this late in the game so its a matter of balancing prepping and staying as fresh as I can. I'm not planning on anything over 90 minutes this week except for a trail sweep/clearing day to help get the course ready. I just ordered a new pair of shorts from Hammer for the race and I'll steadily get the bike cleaned up and tuned for the race.

Howie and I walked the course today removing dead fall from the recent storms and made notes of trouble spots we need to hit before the race. If we stay dry we'll be in good shape. It's gonna be important for a few of us to walk the course this week and do some pruning and grooming to get it ready. In the past, I'd always prided myself with how well our courses had been prepped for the races. This year wont be any different. That's in part to the time that Howie and Betsy have put into it. Between the two of them, a modern miracle has been pulled off in getting the park where it needs to be. Now we just need some help from Mother Nature.

It's an exciting time. I have a lot of races coming up soon. I also should hear something about the bike team at work this week. I want on it so bad and I've waited for a long time to get my chance. Plus, it'll be fun to make money doing two things at once I love to do. Can't really top that!

Just Say No

2009-06-11T05:20:00.002-05:00

To overtime. Atleast for the next few weeks. I've got a bulk of my race schedule coming soon and I need to focus on getting back in shape and bike ready. I'm not disapointed that the Jubilee race got pushed back a couple weeks to give me more time to get ready. Instead of the 14th, it'll be on the 28th. I finally got back to work yesterday and did a little over an hour at Indy. I'm actually a little beat up now, but felt good doing it. Just having some races on the horizon has improved my state of mind. Having a four day weekend to rest and refocus didnt hurt either. I'll probably still work some extra 1/2 shifts just to keep honest, but planning on staying away from the crazy hours for awhile.

Transition To Trails

2009-05-25T04:37:00.002-05:00

I've been a little light on training lately due to OT but time for that to change. I was in great shape and right where I wanted to be 3 weeks ago but now I've lost some ground. I need to refocus on some upcoming events and get back after it. I'm about 3 weeks out from PAMBA's first race and I'm planning on being at the starting line. I was able to get out a couple times last week and ride Indy. I'll hit it as often as I can till Jubilee opens. By the looks of things, about everything I have planned for the next couple months is all trail so that's probably where you'll find me...as long as it stays dry.

It's Only a Run

2009-05-17T13:35:00.002-05:00

I know I said I'd post up a decision for the Du, but we'll leave it to say that it didn't happen. Poor weather, lack of prep, a rush to get there in time after work all on top of what I considered a pricey entry fee kept it from happening. I'm coming off a spell of inactivity the last two weeks except about 40 hrs. of overtime which has taken its toll.

In about 2 1/2 hours I'm going to take part in Citra #2, The Black Partridge Trail Run. It's just a 5K and I'm keeping any aspirations in check. This is really just a "get your ass off the couch" run for me today and get me going again. The OT bug hit me hard and early this pay period so I wanted to take advantage of it and took all I could get. I even turned down another 8 today just so I could sneak in 4 hrs of sleep before the race. But all that said, my weight was still at 202.5, the same as Run to Remember and I don't feel fatigued. I just want to get through the race as strong as I can, get through one more night of work, then get some rest and some training going again. I anticipate some more biking the next few weeks to get ready for my mtb race next month. Unfortunately that will mean a lot of road miles since the trails were just hit with another monsoon leading into the weekend. If possible I'd like to get out at Jubillee and get some trail work in though to help get the trails ready for the race.

Anyway, it's time to get my act together againn and refocus my energy on the season at hand. I'm going to be hitting the heart of it within a few weeks and now I've got some catching up to do.

Another 3rd

2009-05-06T10:54:00.003-05:00

I'll go ahead and call the Run to Remember a success. My finishing time was 22:28, two seconds ahead of my goal. I also finished 3rd in my age group again this week. I ran a smarter race and stuck to the game plan for the most part which was good. And I had a very strong finish at the end. I was hoping to medal in the Cop Challenge, but wound up 5th, but in the hunt. As far as things to work on, I need to hold my speed at the 2 mile marker. I slowed down a bit there until my last sprint to the finish. I'd like to carry that speed more consistently throughout. My 3rd mile was drastically slower than the first two. My splits were something like 6:45, 14:02 and 21:52. I can work on those to hold my speed better.

Milkman put out a nice run also at the race. I think he ran his best 5K time ever. Not bad for how little the guy runs!

Since the race, I've taken it easy. A little by necessity and a little just because I wanted to rest a few days. I had a bit of a chest cold after the race, probably from little sleep going into it. Then I worked OT on Monday and got called into court Tuesday. I was hoping to catch up on some rest, so I'm kind of using today to not do much. I'm hoping to get back at it again tomorrow and at least get something in to freshen up some. I also need to look at the rest of May and see what Ive got going on. I for sure have a trail race on the 17th at Black Partridge and my fitness test for work is at the end of the month. I'd like to set a PR at my run this year. I'm still considering a Du next weekend in Hopedale. It's a little pricey, but the distance for and to the race is perfect for me right now. I'll need to really think about it the next day or two and make a decision this weekend so I can train correctly for it.

I'll post up when a decision is made and lay out the plan. I got some pics that need to go up too.

I'm Flyin Out...

2009-05-01T01:37:00.002-05:00

of the Airport that is!! Tonight is my last night here for my month. I am stoked to get back in the street on Friday night. It has been a struggle to say the least. The only real positive is that I've stayed dry with all the rain. Now it would only start drying out so I can get on some trails.

I missed out on some quality rest today due to court. I need to get a short tempo type run in tomorrow and then get off my feet for Saturday's race. I REALLY want to pull off a good time for this race. I'll have many peers there and motivating me to run well. If I can run close to 22 minutes, I'll be happy. I've thought the course through several times and about how I'll approach it. The 1st half should be fast by itself. I need to find a rhythm early and just stay with it and be comfortable. The second half is when I plan on pushing. I plan on being uncomfortable towards the end and really pressing to the finish. This is the first "A" race of the year for me and will tell me a lot.

Outlook Is Good

2009-04-27T15:23:00.002-05:00

Well, I have finally seen the official race results from the Wildlife Trail Classic on Saturday. The times weren't excactly impressive due to the sloppy/muddy conditions, but I put together a decent effort. I was 45 seconds off my goal time I set for the day, but I'm not terribly disapointed with it with the conditions. I haven't actually seen the medal, but I'm told I took 3rd in my age group. If so, that's the first running medal I've ever received. I left to do some trail work at Jubilee and the thought never crossed my mind I would medal. Why would it?! I've never really been that close so I just never bothered.

I think I've set myself up for a decent race this Saturday at the Run to Remember. I wish I'd have gotten something in today, but the weather has been hit or miss all day. I really wanted to get a ride in, but wasnt willing to risk getting caught in these fast moving storms we've had. Instead, I'm going back out to Jubilee to work on a couple bridges. I'll have another smart week with training and rest and keep close tabs on my diet and hydration. Unfortunately, I didnt get a pre-race weight but I'm hoping to be at 203 lbs or so for Saturday.

Race Ready?......We'll Find Out Soon

2009-04-24T01:57:00.002-05:00

Wildlife Trail Classic is on Saturday. Unfortunately (more) rain may make the course on the sloppy side. I think I'm going to opt for the trail shoes to be on the safe side. It should tell me at least a little about what kind of shape I'm in and tell me what I need to do for the Run to Remember next weekend. I'm not setting any numeric goals, just want to race smart and feel strong. Times will take care of themselves.

Normally I would have taken Thursday off before a race, but I really wanted to get some saddle time in. I chose to get a 20 miler in today around home. I probably went a little hard early and attacked some hills I shouldnt have, but what's the point of being on it if you aint gonna ride it?

Those dark clouds would prove to be the real deal later in the Evening

After my ride I enjoyed a recovery shake while wacthing the backyard critters. Always enjoyable and relaxing for me. I caught a glimpse of the proud new family the other day. Today they paid the feeding tree a visit.

There was somebody not to glad to see them, however. Mr. Squirell was trying to have some feeding frenzy time all to himself. Unfortunately, Papa Goose wasn't to keen on having any dinner guests.

After a bit, the family moved on and the squirell was able to have some privacy before he was ran off by 6 more adult geese not interested in waiting their turn or sharing.

So Friday get a nice quick pre-race tempo run in and swing into town to pick up my race packet. Then it's back home to get my gear ready to go for Saturday. Looks like promising weather with some wind.

Light at the End of the Aiport Tunnel

2009-04-20T01:15:00.002-05:00

As I'm writing this, I have 7 more full working nights at the airport...assuming I make it through tonight. I'm in desperate need of my weekend when I get off. 12 nights in a row and all but one out here. I suppose the check will look good though.

I've had a pretty decent few days training. Wednesday I put together my longest run of the year thus far, a nice 10.5 miler. I was pretty beat up following the run so I used Thursday as an active recovery day and just walked to loosen up. I spent Friday morning on the treadmill doing some 90 sec. intervals working on speed. Not a bad workout actually. I was pretty spent. My goal for the week was to balance my training and resting since I was feeling slightly less than good. I knew I had some races coming up and with me feeling sub par and working some extra hours I wanted/needed to be smart. I was feeling a little better on Friday evening so on Saturday I took advantage of the weather and got my 1st mtb ride in a long time. All in all, not too bad. I definitely need to spend some more time on the bike though on trails. It didnt take long to start getting my feel back. I had to laugh at myself a few times though as I recognized many mistakes as I made them. Eventually I quit evaluating and just rode.

Post Ride

I will probably just sleep today for as long as I can. When I get up I'll stick to an easy run more than likely. A hard effort on the bike sounds great, but I'm not going to risk being full blown sick all week. I think I'll focus on rest, refueling, and recovery the next couple days. Come Wednesday I'll start getting the engine ready to run for Saturday at the CITRA race.

Under the Weather

2009-04-14T01:24:00.002-05:00

In both regards actually. We got another dumping of rain the last day or so. The trails are going to take some time to dry out. Anything I had scheduled as trail this week will be have to be altered some. Too bad, I was really hoping to get some trail time on the bike and running this week. As far as the stampede....its gonna be a no go for me. Too much going against me right now. I'm not 100% health wise right now and working my weekend so a balancing act of training and rest is big. I dont need the added pressure of making the drive after work to compete in a race I'm not prepared for. I have scheduled races starting next week so probably better I get myself ready for those. Monday and Tuesday both gonna be off days while I strictly rest and refuel to get healthy and fresh for the weeks ahead. Run to Remember is coming up and what I do now will have an impact.

Im def going to keep the Training Peaks subscription. I really like planning the workouts then plugging in the HRM info to look at later. I've found out how to include all my shoes and bikes on the program too which is cool. It's proving to be a pretty useful tool for me. Now, if I'd just get some work done all would be good with the world.

To Race or Not to Race

2009-04-09T01:54:00.003-05:00

That is indeed the question. The Sylvan Island Stampede is just over a week away and I still dont know if I'm doing it or not. I dont really need to make a hard decision until next week, but I for sure need to be thinking about it. If I could just get one or two trail rides in I'd be more confident in it, but with crazy April weather, who knows if that will happen or not. Sounds like something I should think about tomorrow hopefully getting some road miles in.

The last few days have been bad ones by all accounts. I've been pretty lazy about getting any work in. I have to stop and ask myself how bad I want it. I need to do some soul searching the next few days and find myself. One sure way to get through this airport tour is through focussed and dedicated training. I need to remember that and get after it. SIS or not, the Wildlife Trail Classic is coming up and then it looks like plenty of races after that on the calendar. This is a critical point in my training. I need to not only get through it, but make strides during this period. My mental toughness will either improve or leave me hangin when my races start. Wow, I feel better already. That's what I love about this thing.

I've included a new link in my People section. It's the blog for David Goggins. If you dont know him, check it out. He's a hero of mine and it won't take long for you to realize why and I'm sure he'll be a hero of yours too.

The Weather and My 'Tude

2009-04-05T02:58:00.002-05:00

Both suck. This time of year is painful with a nice outdoor day, then crap and snow. It eats me up. Then I get to come work at the airport which just makes it worse. Anyway, no workouts yesterday or Today due to OT. I did get a nice interval session in on Friday which was nice. Calling for snow on Monday so I'm guessing my ride will be inside if I can bear another trainer session (the thought makes me cringe). Hoping that by Wednesday I can sneak outside for some miles on the bike. The Run to Remember is com ing up soon. That is really keeping me motivated right now. As far as the Stampede goes, no decision made yet. I would love to at least ride the new bike on a trail before I jump into a race for the first time in 4-5 years. I need to be deciding though, huh?

I am still digging the new HRM and Trainingpeaks.com. I have found it to be very useful and fun to tinker with. Anyway, that was my short rant for the day. I'll get over it eventually.....like May 1st perhaps!!

Month of Hell

2009-04-02T00:23:00.002-05:00

It's no April Fool's joke..my month at the airport started tonight. I'm trying my best to settle in, but it's hard. Knowing that I have a month of this makes it difficult to be very upbeat. I look at it this way though, I can really crank my training up this month and get familiar with the new HRM.

Speaking of which, I put to work for the first time today. I did a 9 mile run on a country road near the house. The Timex worked well. I was concerned with some crazy numbers at first, but it seemed to settle in quickly and worked great after that. I was able to download it easy and then plug it ino my training peaks account and look at the data which was pretty cool. I got the upgraded training peaks account for this month and will make a decision on whether to keep it or not later. So far, so good though.

Here are a couple pics from Monday night's ride.

This is the last I would see of these guys before the sprint to the finish

Getting my game face on for the sprint

Outside on the Road Bike?!

2009-03-31T11:34:00.003-05:00

You bet yer sweet ass we were. I was going through some crazy cabin fever too. In fact Saturday night and into Sunday morning we had 4-6" of snow on the ground from a freak snow storm that completely immobolized things for a few hours. But then came Monday and I'm out on the road with Milkman and Tony. It was only 25 miles, but it did a world of good for the spirit. All in all I felt good on the ride, even into some killer headwinds at times. I didn't have as much left at the end as I wanted, but it will come. We took off for a sprint to finish things up and those two flat out left me. I was trying to get to 30 mph, and at about 28.5 my right calf cramped up on me. I had a few more gears to grab, but it wasnt's happening. I backed off and watched them head for the horizon. They said they were up around 34 or so. I just dont have that in me yet. I'll get some pics up from the ride soon.

The new Timex Race Trainer should be in today too. I've already started my training Peaks account and am loking forward to downloading the HRM info. I'll be at the airport for April so I'll have plenty of time to learn the ins and outs of it. I'm not sure the online logging/monitoring is for me but I'll give it a try. I really like my handwritten logbook. I'll stay in it too though as my time spent writing in it is a nice way to end my days before going to bed.

Matt, you may be on to something with that sweep idea. Unfortunatley I think my standing will be sweep even in Novice at this point.