Okay, I know it's been a LONG while since my last post, but I promise as race season gets into full swing, I will keep a little more current with my posts. Training has been going quite well and now that I am 16 days away from a 1/2 Marathon, I thought I would post an update.
I started my official training for this season back at the beginning of January. Things have been going quite well, especially after my training plan was tweaked by my good friend, who is also our team captain, Kurt Maw.
I had my first race of the season back on April 10th. It was a 5K in Salem, called the Wellness 5K. Well, things must have been going well, as I finished the race in 39:59.51, which they rounded up to 40:00. It put me in at 294 out of 312. That time was a PR beating my previously best time by more than 2 minutes.
The race I am doing on May 15th is called the Katie Lynch Heartbreak Hill 1/2 Marathon. Katie was an LP I never had the chance to meet, but a number of my friends with District 1 of the LPA knew her quite well. She passed away in 2003 and this race is now run in honor of her life. She was an advocate for other LPs and physically challenged athletes as she was determined to make sure there were athletic opportunities for all, regardless of physical limitations.
I promise as the weeks progress into the race season, I will post more often.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Training Started for 2011 Season
I started my training for the 2011 last Sunday and tomorrow is my first REST/RECOVERY day. I have hit all my numbers so far. Will be doing a lot of reading over the next few weeks on weight training and nutrition.
I decided I will seek some coaching help for some single sessions but don't think I will get a coach on a monthly basis. I kind of figured out, since no one has worked with a little person, most of what they suggest will be a lot of "guess work" on their part. I will seek some help on specific matters, but I think that's all I need at this point. That may change, but we'll see.
I worked out a plan using an IRONMAN distance training plane. The reason being, since I always finish races at about twice the time of the best finishers, it should make sense I use an IRONMAN plan. All plans I have seen are based on time, so since it takes me about twice as long, if I use a 1/2 Ironman training plan, I won't have put in enough time. That's what I think will work.
About 3 weeks before the event, I will be at my peak training time at about 16 hours per week. Right now I am at about 6 hours. I don't know where the time will come from, but we'll see.
On the trainer in the basement I've been enjoying catching up on SHOGUN. A mini-series I remember from the early 80's. SO RETRO.
Happy New Year !!
I decided I will seek some coaching help for some single sessions but don't think I will get a coach on a monthly basis. I kind of figured out, since no one has worked with a little person, most of what they suggest will be a lot of "guess work" on their part. I will seek some help on specific matters, but I think that's all I need at this point. That may change, but we'll see.
I worked out a plan using an IRONMAN distance training plane. The reason being, since I always finish races at about twice the time of the best finishers, it should make sense I use an IRONMAN plan. All plans I have seen are based on time, so since it takes me about twice as long, if I use a 1/2 Ironman training plan, I won't have put in enough time. That's what I think will work.
About 3 weeks before the event, I will be at my peak training time at about 16 hours per week. Right now I am at about 6 hours. I don't know where the time will come from, but we'll see.
On the trainer in the basement I've been enjoying catching up on SHOGUN. A mini-series I remember from the early 80's. SO RETRO.
Happy New Year !!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Happy Holidays
Hello all,
I just wanted to send out a message to the few of you who regularly read my posts. I appreciate all of the feedback and encouragement you send my way.
I wanted to let you know that while watching the Ironman World Championships in Kona on NBC last weekend, I made a BIGGER leap into triathlon.
I signed up for the PATRIOT 1/2 Ironman Triathlon!! The race is in mid-June right after the end of school for me at Pingree.
I will be doing a couple of warm-up races leading up to this one which will include the Heartbreak Hill 1/2 Marathon. That race is in the middle of May and is held to honor the life of LP (little person) Katie Lynch.
Happy New Year to all !!!
I just wanted to send out a message to the few of you who regularly read my posts. I appreciate all of the feedback and encouragement you send my way.
I wanted to let you know that while watching the Ironman World Championships in Kona on NBC last weekend, I made a BIGGER leap into triathlon.
I signed up for the PATRIOT 1/2 Ironman Triathlon!! The race is in mid-June right after the end of school for me at Pingree.
I will be doing a couple of warm-up races leading up to this one which will include the Heartbreak Hill 1/2 Marathon. That race is in the middle of May and is held to honor the life of LP (little person) Katie Lynch.
Happy New Year to all !!!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Last race of 2010 is DONE.
A much longer post will come in a few days, but I wanted to write a bit well things are fresh in my mind. Today I completed the JOLLY JAUNT in Danvers, MA. It is a 5K race that benefits the Special Olympics of Massachusetts. I managed to get a whole team of PINGREE RUNNERS and we were able to raise about $800 for the cause.
I know Thanksgiving is more than a week gone by, but I do want to write a bit about what I am thankful for. My health for sure. I was able to compete in 12 races (7 triathlons) this year including a 1/2 Marathon and 1/2 Iron Aquabike. Plans are BIG for next year in the hopes of completing my first 1/2 Ironman at the Patriot Triathlon.
I think I am most thankful for my lovely wife and son. Sue has done so much that has made it possible for me to race. Her patience, love and support are SO NEEDED and appreciated. I know I would not be able to do all of this if it wasn't for her.
A more detailed race report will possibly come later. One note, I took more than 6 minutes off of my time from last year, finishing in 43:55. It was a GREAT DAY!!!
I know Thanksgiving is more than a week gone by, but I do want to write a bit about what I am thankful for. My health for sure. I was able to compete in 12 races (7 triathlons) this year including a 1/2 Marathon and 1/2 Iron Aquabike. Plans are BIG for next year in the hopes of completing my first 1/2 Ironman at the Patriot Triathlon.
I think I am most thankful for my lovely wife and son. Sue has done so much that has made it possible for me to race. Her patience, love and support are SO NEEDED and appreciated. I know I would not be able to do all of this if it wasn't for her.
A more detailed race report will possibly come later. One note, I took more than 6 minutes off of my time from last year, finishing in 43:55. It was a GREAT DAY!!!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Wicked 1/2 Marathon Race Report
This report is long overdue but things at work have been a little hectic lately. Finishing up college recommendation letters have taken a priority. If I am totally honest about it, I could have done the letters if I had sat down one afternoon, but those letters can sometimes be difficult to start but are usually easy to finish.
Anyway this race was scary, daunting and a total blast all at the same time. Leading up to the race, I was a little concerned about my prep and training. Two weeks prior I completed the FIRM MAN 1/2 Iron aquabike (1.2 mile swim and 56 mile bike). I did my longest run (8.7 miles) to date 3 days after the aquabike and felt pretty good. The run included going from Salem State College all the way to Marblehead and around the "Neck" and back. It included all of the big hills (both up and down) on the course. Living so close to the run course helped so much allowing me to do most of my training on the actual course. That next weekend (1 week prior to the 1/2 marathon) I did my last triathlon of the season. The TDD sprint in Douglas, MA.
The week before I did two more shorter runs (3.1 and 2.8 miles) and a short bike ride. The weather forecast was looking pretty warm for late September with no rain in the forecast. I was excited to know that Rob and Maggie were coming down from NH with their children and Maggie's mom to watch the race. They are friends from NH I met doing the Timberman sprint race. Rob was offering to be there for me after the race for a post-race massage as he is a registered massage therapist. We invited them to stay for lunch at our place after the race. This was looking like it was going to be a great day.
One of the things I have started to do with my races, is to determine a "target" finish time. I worked hard to figure out I thought I could stick to 14:30 minutes/mile. That would put me crossing the line at 3:09:57.
The race was set to start at 7AM at the Bentley School in Salem. I was up at about 4AM in order to go through my usual pre-race routine of nutrition. A protein smoothie I put together and a bagel with PB. I make sure to drink one full bottle of water and then another 1/2 water and 1/2 Gatorade prior to the race. I make sure I am done drinking 1 hour prior in order to make my usual (3) trips to the porta-john prior to the race.
I got to the Salem Willows around 5:30AM and waited for the shuttle ride down to the Bentley School. Once at the school I went inside and started to get ready. Some simple stretching in the gym and then of course, a chance to see some familiar faces. I asked Sue to write on both of my biceps, "My 1st 1/2". I got a number of well-wishes from strangers and 2 people mentioned it was there first 1/2 as well.
I saw John Russell from the Y and Denise from Team Comp, with all of us wishing each other well. As we got ready I could sense a lot of people commenting on how warm and humid it was feeling. I didn't really sense that at all. I don't know if it was from my triathlon racing, since the run portion is usually later in the morning of a race. I did see Rob and Maggie before the race start and told them where Sue and Owen would be waiting. They chose to hang around the start and then find things to do prior to my finish.
I did some light running and stretching outside and then proceeded to the start area. As usual, I set myself up near the back of the pack on the right side.
There was a very loud air horn to start the race and before I knew it, we were off. The starting pace was fine with me with lots of people passing me, but also a number staying with me as we went along. I knew that Andrea from Team Comp was planning on waiting for me near her home off of Lafayette, but I did not expect to have her run with me. Her place was a little before mile 2 and there she was ready to run with me. It was a real boost and much appreciated. As we approached SSC, I could Sue and Owen at the intersection and hear him ringing the cowbell.
I knew Sue and Owen would be there, but none the less, it was GREAT to see the both of them. Owen came out to give me a big "HIGH - 5" and then I continued on. Sue and Owen went off them to do a few things prior to meeting me at the finish. They were going to have breakfast out at the Salem Diner ( SO JEALOUS) and then Owen would have his swimming lesson at the Salem Y.
Andrea continued on down the hill towards Marblehead before she turned around to head back home. Again, it was amazing to have a friend along. I managed to run up a lot of the big hill into Marblehead but had to walk some of it. As I passed mile 3 I made note of the time and I was already ahead of my pace. I was hoping I wasn't going too fast, but I felt great. Heading towards West Shore Dr. I noticed a runner walking the other way. As I past him, he yelled out that he couldn't finish, but encouraged me to keep going strong. A little while later, I started to see the leaders already heading back in.
The water stops along the course were about 1.5 miles apart which worked out well for me. I didn't like the smaller "DIXIE" cups they were using. I later found out the race organizers were trying to be a bit "greener" this year so they avoided bottles and the larger green Gatorade cups. Something they said they would reinstate next year.
I turned the corner onto Ocean Ave. by the firehouse and there was a crowd there with a lot of people cheering. A number of my students said they might come out to watch and cheer. I guess it was a little too early (about 8AM by now) for them, because none made it out. No big deal at this point. At mile 4, my pace was about 4 minutes faster than planned. As I reached the causeway, the crowd of runners heading back now was pretty big. Lots of us cheering each other on. I recognized a few, Denise from Team Comp and Brian Travers (more about him later), to name a couple. Also, lots of people cheering us on by the parking lot to Devereux Beach. Right in the middle of the causeway I chose to yell at the top of my lungs, "If it was easy, everyone would do this!!!". Lots of people cheered. I don't know what caused me to say that, but I felt the need.
As I neared the end of the causeway I could hear a couple of people calling my name. It was Jeff and Janeen Barnett. They have 3 children who went to Pingree, in fact their youngest daughter is a senior here this year. I was lucky enough to teach Jake a couple of times when he was a student here. Jeff was in fact, carrying a flip cam and filmed me as I approached. Here is the link of that video.
Video #1 -The Causeway
As I passed by, Janeen gave me a big hug and it was such a BOOST emotional state. The run was going to become really hard now for two reasons. The "neck" of Marblehead is the hilliest part of the course with a few rollers. More importantly, I would no longer be seeing runners going the other way. The only other people I would see on the course now would be those who passed me, and those I might pass. Jeff cycled with me for a while chatting about other races and then he took off ahead of me.
I was really feeling pretty good as I went along and was managing to still keep ahead of my 14:30/mile pace. There was a water stop just past mile 6 and at this point, still no back pain at all. As I was just reaching the half way point, I mentally wrapped my mind around the fact, that I was starting to head back towards Salem.
Just before mile 7, as I reached the bottom of a pretty tough hill, I noticed Jeff and Janeen again, cheering and filming my approach. Had there been no one there, I probably would have walked up the hill. But, with someone filming, I had to run.
Video #2 - Back side of Marblehead Neck
You might notice a person in the video. She was ahead of me (within eyesight) for most of the run and I was actually able to pass her down the neck hill. After I reached the bottom, she promptly passed me and I was never able to pass her again. I wanted to, but was trying best to stay WITHIN THE BOX. This is a mental place I have read about that helps you stay within the parameters YOU set for yourself. You can leave the BOX near the end of race, but the last thing you want to do is try to blow past someone to early and then have nothing left as the pass you near the end.
As I got to the end of the "neck" I could feel a stiff breeze and it helped cool me down some. One last water stop and then I was almost at the Marbledhead Fire Station. Another Team Comp member was planning on meeting me at the station and was going to run with me the rest of the way. As I got close to the corner and I could see Nancy Hatfield warming up and waiting for me. And then I could hear her cheering as well.
Five miles to go and I was almost back into Salem. It was so great to have Nancy there with me. Part of wished she pushed me a bit and then another part of wondered if I was running slower because of her. Whatever it was, mentally I was glad she was there. We talked about racing, life, family, our jobs, God, music, and other things I can't remember. Nancy was offering me water along the way which was so very helpful.
Before I knew it, I was running up towards SSC on my way into downtown Salem. When we reached the last water stop we noticed they no longer had cups left. Luckily, Nancy was able to fill up her water bottles. Running towards downtown I realized I had now been running further than I ever had before. My knees were starting to get sore, but otherwise all else was fine. There was a group of volunteers cheering us on as we neared the corner at Derby St. Then I almost lost my cookies!
As we passed by the Wendy's a group entered the restaurant and I got a big whiff of the smells coming out of there and it almost made me sick. I usually like Wendy's, but at this point, after running 11 miles, I was not in the mood for their food. The odor quickly left as I turned the corner and headed for the Salem waterfront.
After passing the Friendship, I remembered standing on the steps of the Customs House when I became a US citizen back in 2007. Salem really is a great town. I was disappointed as we passed a runner who had already finished the race, when she yelled out. "There is no use running anymore. They have run out of medals." I wasn't upset about the medals, but more about her view that there was now no more reason to run.
Well, we kept going and Nancy was still at my side doing her best to take my mind off of the running. We talked more about playgrounds and a bit about both of our spouses. We are both amazed how much support we get from them respective partners. Neither one of them has a desire to do what we love to do, yet they are there either cheering or simply being there with our children when we are off making fools of ourselves.
With about a mile left, another friend showed up to run with me. Bryan Lyons is a local guy who is also a triathlete. We've connected at a number of different races and he wanted to help motivate me to finish strong.
I now was a bit behind pace, looking to finish over my target time, but I WAS GOING TO FINISH! With a mile left, we closed in on Salem Willows. Lots of athletes were heading back to their cars and cheering me on to keep going. I mentioned about about the lack of medals at the end and remarked, getting a hug from my son Owen, is all I need around my neck when I'm done. Nancy later remarked that she almost burst into tears hearing me say that. One last push and we passed by Kathy Karch's place. She knew I was running, and just as I passed her house she came out (8 months pregnant) to cheer me on to the end.
I was going to do this, I could see the school and then the finish arch. More importantly, I could see and hear Sue and Owen. Both Bryan and Nancy peeled off as I made the "sprint" for the finish chute.
I looked at my watch and I was to later find, times were a bit off. According to the official times, I was done in 3:11:00. I was hoping for a 3:09:58, so not much to complain about. Hugs from Sue and Owen and then a big surprise. A finishers medal. Bryan put it around my neck. I guess after the rush of finishing I realized that Bryan had given me his medal. What a awesome gesture from a fellow racer.
About 5 minutes after finishing, a woman came up to me in tears and wanted to tell me about her cousin who lives in Seattle. He has achondroplasia like I do, and he also suffers from some major back and leg pain. I faced the same pain 3 years ago and now can't believe I am doing what I'm doing. I think the main reason I don't want to stop is that I'm worried I won't be able to do it in the future.
I ended up finishing 2nd as a challenged athlete to Eric Stairs who finished first. He was on a hand-cycle and by coincidence, his children go to the same elementary school as Owen.
Well, a 5K in late October here in Salem, a mile 5 run on Thanksgiving, and then another 5K in December to benefit Special Olympics are the races left on my schedule for 2010.
This will probably be my last race report until 2011. Thanks so much for those of you who take the time to read them and comment as well. It is much appreciated.
Anyway this race was scary, daunting and a total blast all at the same time. Leading up to the race, I was a little concerned about my prep and training. Two weeks prior I completed the FIRM MAN 1/2 Iron aquabike (1.2 mile swim and 56 mile bike). I did my longest run (8.7 miles) to date 3 days after the aquabike and felt pretty good. The run included going from Salem State College all the way to Marblehead and around the "Neck" and back. It included all of the big hills (both up and down) on the course. Living so close to the run course helped so much allowing me to do most of my training on the actual course. That next weekend (1 week prior to the 1/2 marathon) I did my last triathlon of the season. The TDD sprint in Douglas, MA.
The week before I did two more shorter runs (3.1 and 2.8 miles) and a short bike ride. The weather forecast was looking pretty warm for late September with no rain in the forecast. I was excited to know that Rob and Maggie were coming down from NH with their children and Maggie's mom to watch the race. They are friends from NH I met doing the Timberman sprint race. Rob was offering to be there for me after the race for a post-race massage as he is a registered massage therapist. We invited them to stay for lunch at our place after the race. This was looking like it was going to be a great day.
One of the things I have started to do with my races, is to determine a "target" finish time. I worked hard to figure out I thought I could stick to 14:30 minutes/mile. That would put me crossing the line at 3:09:57.
The race was set to start at 7AM at the Bentley School in Salem. I was up at about 4AM in order to go through my usual pre-race routine of nutrition. A protein smoothie I put together and a bagel with PB. I make sure to drink one full bottle of water and then another 1/2 water and 1/2 Gatorade prior to the race. I make sure I am done drinking 1 hour prior in order to make my usual (3) trips to the porta-john prior to the race.
I got to the Salem Willows around 5:30AM and waited for the shuttle ride down to the Bentley School. Once at the school I went inside and started to get ready. Some simple stretching in the gym and then of course, a chance to see some familiar faces. I asked Sue to write on both of my biceps, "My 1st 1/2". I got a number of well-wishes from strangers and 2 people mentioned it was there first 1/2 as well.
I saw John Russell from the Y and Denise from Team Comp, with all of us wishing each other well. As we got ready I could sense a lot of people commenting on how warm and humid it was feeling. I didn't really sense that at all. I don't know if it was from my triathlon racing, since the run portion is usually later in the morning of a race. I did see Rob and Maggie before the race start and told them where Sue and Owen would be waiting. They chose to hang around the start and then find things to do prior to my finish.
I did some light running and stretching outside and then proceeded to the start area. As usual, I set myself up near the back of the pack on the right side.
There was a very loud air horn to start the race and before I knew it, we were off. The starting pace was fine with me with lots of people passing me, but also a number staying with me as we went along. I knew that Andrea from Team Comp was planning on waiting for me near her home off of Lafayette, but I did not expect to have her run with me. Her place was a little before mile 2 and there she was ready to run with me. It was a real boost and much appreciated. As we approached SSC, I could Sue and Owen at the intersection and hear him ringing the cowbell.
 |
| Andrea and I approaching SSC. |
 | |
| Owen giving me the boost I needed to RUN!! |
I knew Sue and Owen would be there, but none the less, it was GREAT to see the both of them. Owen came out to give me a big "HIGH - 5" and then I continued on. Sue and Owen went off them to do a few things prior to meeting me at the finish. They were going to have breakfast out at the Salem Diner ( SO JEALOUS) and then Owen would have his swimming lesson at the Salem Y.
Andrea continued on down the hill towards Marblehead before she turned around to head back home. Again, it was amazing to have a friend along. I managed to run up a lot of the big hill into Marblehead but had to walk some of it. As I passed mile 3 I made note of the time and I was already ahead of my pace. I was hoping I wasn't going too fast, but I felt great. Heading towards West Shore Dr. I noticed a runner walking the other way. As I past him, he yelled out that he couldn't finish, but encouraged me to keep going strong. A little while later, I started to see the leaders already heading back in.
The water stops along the course were about 1.5 miles apart which worked out well for me. I didn't like the smaller "DIXIE" cups they were using. I later found out the race organizers were trying to be a bit "greener" this year so they avoided bottles and the larger green Gatorade cups. Something they said they would reinstate next year.
I turned the corner onto Ocean Ave. by the firehouse and there was a crowd there with a lot of people cheering. A number of my students said they might come out to watch and cheer. I guess it was a little too early (about 8AM by now) for them, because none made it out. No big deal at this point. At mile 4, my pace was about 4 minutes faster than planned. As I reached the causeway, the crowd of runners heading back now was pretty big. Lots of us cheering each other on. I recognized a few, Denise from Team Comp and Brian Travers (more about him later), to name a couple. Also, lots of people cheering us on by the parking lot to Devereux Beach. Right in the middle of the causeway I chose to yell at the top of my lungs, "If it was easy, everyone would do this!!!". Lots of people cheered. I don't know what caused me to say that, but I felt the need.
As I neared the end of the causeway I could hear a couple of people calling my name. It was Jeff and Janeen Barnett. They have 3 children who went to Pingree, in fact their youngest daughter is a senior here this year. I was lucky enough to teach Jake a couple of times when he was a student here. Jeff was in fact, carrying a flip cam and filmed me as I approached. Here is the link of that video.
Video #1 -The Causeway
As I passed by, Janeen gave me a big hug and it was such a BOOST emotional state. The run was going to become really hard now for two reasons. The "neck" of Marblehead is the hilliest part of the course with a few rollers. More importantly, I would no longer be seeing runners going the other way. The only other people I would see on the course now would be those who passed me, and those I might pass. Jeff cycled with me for a while chatting about other races and then he took off ahead of me.
I was really feeling pretty good as I went along and was managing to still keep ahead of my 14:30/mile pace. There was a water stop just past mile 6 and at this point, still no back pain at all. As I was just reaching the half way point, I mentally wrapped my mind around the fact, that I was starting to head back towards Salem.
Just before mile 7, as I reached the bottom of a pretty tough hill, I noticed Jeff and Janeen again, cheering and filming my approach. Had there been no one there, I probably would have walked up the hill. But, with someone filming, I had to run.
Video #2 - Back side of Marblehead Neck
You might notice a person in the video. She was ahead of me (within eyesight) for most of the run and I was actually able to pass her down the neck hill. After I reached the bottom, she promptly passed me and I was never able to pass her again. I wanted to, but was trying best to stay WITHIN THE BOX. This is a mental place I have read about that helps you stay within the parameters YOU set for yourself. You can leave the BOX near the end of race, but the last thing you want to do is try to blow past someone to early and then have nothing left as the pass you near the end.
As I got to the end of the "neck" I could feel a stiff breeze and it helped cool me down some. One last water stop and then I was almost at the Marbledhead Fire Station. Another Team Comp member was planning on meeting me at the station and was going to run with me the rest of the way. As I got close to the corner and I could see Nancy Hatfield warming up and waiting for me. And then I could hear her cheering as well.
Five miles to go and I was almost back into Salem. It was so great to have Nancy there with me. Part of wished she pushed me a bit and then another part of wondered if I was running slower because of her. Whatever it was, mentally I was glad she was there. We talked about racing, life, family, our jobs, God, music, and other things I can't remember. Nancy was offering me water along the way which was so very helpful.
Before I knew it, I was running up towards SSC on my way into downtown Salem. When we reached the last water stop we noticed they no longer had cups left. Luckily, Nancy was able to fill up her water bottles. Running towards downtown I realized I had now been running further than I ever had before. My knees were starting to get sore, but otherwise all else was fine. There was a group of volunteers cheering us on as we neared the corner at Derby St. Then I almost lost my cookies!
As we passed by the Wendy's a group entered the restaurant and I got a big whiff of the smells coming out of there and it almost made me sick. I usually like Wendy's, but at this point, after running 11 miles, I was not in the mood for their food. The odor quickly left as I turned the corner and headed for the Salem waterfront.
After passing the Friendship, I remembered standing on the steps of the Customs House when I became a US citizen back in 2007. Salem really is a great town. I was disappointed as we passed a runner who had already finished the race, when she yelled out. "There is no use running anymore. They have run out of medals." I wasn't upset about the medals, but more about her view that there was now no more reason to run.
Well, we kept going and Nancy was still at my side doing her best to take my mind off of the running. We talked more about playgrounds and a bit about both of our spouses. We are both amazed how much support we get from them respective partners. Neither one of them has a desire to do what we love to do, yet they are there either cheering or simply being there with our children when we are off making fools of ourselves.
With about a mile left, another friend showed up to run with me. Bryan Lyons is a local guy who is also a triathlete. We've connected at a number of different races and he wanted to help motivate me to finish strong.
I now was a bit behind pace, looking to finish over my target time, but I WAS GOING TO FINISH! With a mile left, we closed in on Salem Willows. Lots of athletes were heading back to their cars and cheering me on to keep going. I mentioned about about the lack of medals at the end and remarked, getting a hug from my son Owen, is all I need around my neck when I'm done. Nancy later remarked that she almost burst into tears hearing me say that. One last push and we passed by Kathy Karch's place. She knew I was running, and just as I passed her house she came out (8 months pregnant) to cheer me on to the end.
I was going to do this, I could see the school and then the finish arch. More importantly, I could see and hear Sue and Owen. Both Bryan and Nancy peeled off as I made the "sprint" for the finish chute.
 |
| Right near the finish chute!!! |
 |
| Feeling pretty good after running 13.1 miles |
About 5 minutes after finishing, a woman came up to me in tears and wanted to tell me about her cousin who lives in Seattle. He has achondroplasia like I do, and he also suffers from some major back and leg pain. I faced the same pain 3 years ago and now can't believe I am doing what I'm doing. I think the main reason I don't want to stop is that I'm worried I won't be able to do it in the future.
I ended up finishing 2nd as a challenged athlete to Eric Stairs who finished first. He was on a hand-cycle and by coincidence, his children go to the same elementary school as Owen.
 | |
| Getting my engraved pint glass for 2nd place from Steve Dion |
Well, a 5K in late October here in Salem, a mile 5 run on Thanksgiving, and then another 5K in December to benefit Special Olympics are the races left on my schedule for 2010.
This will probably be my last race report until 2011. Thanks so much for those of you who take the time to read them and comment as well. It is much appreciated.
Friday, October 8, 2010
What a TEAM is all about. - and the TDD Triathlon
In the aftermath of FIRM MAN I wanted to write a bit about some of the support I received from my fellow Comprehensive teammates. As I mentioned in my previous entry, I really struggled nearing the end of the 56 + mile ride in Narragansett. Being alone for most of the race really played on my psyche. I thought it had a lot to do with being last on the bike (for most of the race, but not all) but when I emailed the team for some advice and support with this, I was floored by the response.
Too many team members to count, quickly emailed me, all giving their own stories of feeling the same way during races. I was relieved to find out that it happens no matter where people are in their race. They could be the lead bike, somewhere in the middle of the pack, or at the back like me.
If I am going to continue to pursue longer distances (1/2 Ironman or Ironman) I need to be mentally prepared to experience this feeling of isolation, especially if the race is a loop course as opposed to an "out and back". At least with "out and back" courses, riders will pass each other going out and then back in.
Now, heading into the TDD Triathlon, I was psyched for my last triathlon of the season. I again, had times worked out in my head and was hoping for another big gain. Of course, I was not paying enough attention to the fact that only a week before, I had completed a 1/2 Ironman Aquabike. And to top it off, I did a 9 mile run in the middle of the week to prepare for the Wicked 1/2 Marathon.
The race went well and I did make improvements in my times, but I did not hit my targets. I was initially bummed about it, but that feeling soon went away as the overwhelming feeling of a great race season started to settle in. My swim was great and this was the first race where I RAN out of the water all the way to my bike in transition.
While on my bike, my legs felt heavy for most of the ride, but I was able to cycle faster than 66 of the 383 riders. Also good to note, I was no where near the slowest swimmer and I actually was faster than 4 of the runners. I was most bummed about my run, but I got some good in news in the fact that the 3 mile course was actually about 3.5 miles, so my actual pace was not that bad. In last years race, I finished in 1:59:44 and this year I did it in 1:53:47. It was really was a good day when I take the time to look back on it, having taken off 6 minutes and doing that with a longer run.
I went down to the race in Douglas, MA with Andrea and took her back as well. It was nice to stop off for lunch after the race with a few team mates before heading back to Salem.
Another big bonus was having both Kurt and Jen at the race cheering us on and taking some pics.
Too many team members to count, quickly emailed me, all giving their own stories of feeling the same way during races. I was relieved to find out that it happens no matter where people are in their race. They could be the lead bike, somewhere in the middle of the pack, or at the back like me.
If I am going to continue to pursue longer distances (1/2 Ironman or Ironman) I need to be mentally prepared to experience this feeling of isolation, especially if the race is a loop course as opposed to an "out and back". At least with "out and back" courses, riders will pass each other going out and then back in.
Now, heading into the TDD Triathlon, I was psyched for my last triathlon of the season. I again, had times worked out in my head and was hoping for another big gain. Of course, I was not paying enough attention to the fact that only a week before, I had completed a 1/2 Ironman Aquabike. And to top it off, I did a 9 mile run in the middle of the week to prepare for the Wicked 1/2 Marathon.
The race went well and I did make improvements in my times, but I did not hit my targets. I was initially bummed about it, but that feeling soon went away as the overwhelming feeling of a great race season started to settle in. My swim was great and this was the first race where I RAN out of the water all the way to my bike in transition.
While on my bike, my legs felt heavy for most of the ride, but I was able to cycle faster than 66 of the 383 riders. Also good to note, I was no where near the slowest swimmer and I actually was faster than 4 of the runners. I was most bummed about my run, but I got some good in news in the fact that the 3 mile course was actually about 3.5 miles, so my actual pace was not that bad. In last years race, I finished in 1:59:44 and this year I did it in 1:53:47. It was really was a good day when I take the time to look back on it, having taken off 6 minutes and doing that with a longer run.
I went down to the race in Douglas, MA with Andrea and took her back as well. It was nice to stop off for lunch after the race with a few team mates before heading back to Salem.
Another big bonus was having both Kurt and Jen at the race cheering us on and taking some pics.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
FIRM MAN 1/2 IRONMAN AQUABIKE - Narragansett, Rhode Island
Last year I attended the Multisport Expo in Boston, MA in March. At the expo I was approached by Wendy Fiske and Elaine Vescio about speaking at the pre-race dinner at the FIRM MAN Triathlon in Narragansett, RI. I was honored to be asked and was excited about getting the opportunity to talk to other athletes and their respective families and friends about what has drawn me into the sport of triathlon.
At that time I was planning on racing in the Patriot 1/2 Aquabike, but soon realized it would be better for me to get another season of racing sprint (and an Olympic) distance races under my belt and attempt the FIRM MAN 1/2 Aquabike at the end of the season. Since I was going to be coming down to give the speech I might as well race as well.
As the season has progressed all has gone better than expected. I have become extremely comfortable racing and the anxiety of open water swimming is gone and I am actually excited about running. As I neared the date for FIRM MAN, I started to read race reports from others who have done the race. There was a common theme, and that was, that the swimming (1.2 miles) portion has the potential to be difficult. You are required to swim out past some breakers and then swim parallel to the beach. If the wind is up, the rollers can be quite daunting. Well, it was at this point that I thought maybe I should get some more open water ocean practice before attempting the race. I posted a message online through ACTIVE.COM about backing out of the swim, trying to see if it was a common occurrence in racing. I also phoned Kurt, our team captain, to ask his opinion. Kurt asked me if it was more a fear of the race, or the thought that I was unprepared. I told him I was thinking it was more my lack of preparation. In hindsight, I realize now, it was probably more, that I was nervous.
I emailed both Elaine and Wendy to tell them I would be at the talk, but I was going to back out of the race. They both were understanding and said I could do the race next year. A few days later, I received an email from Elaine that made real sense. She suggested I come down with my gear and make a race-day decision. If the swim looked too rough, maybe I could simply do the bike course. I had thought of that but was reluctant. Half of the fun of racing for me has been the preparation. How could I properly prepare, knowing I might only be riding. I guess, hearing the choice from Elaine, made it clear to me, that would be the best option. As the end of last week neared, I finished up my speech and kept my eye on the weather. The weather looked good with not much wind in the forecast.
I headed up on Saturday afternoon and arrived at the race site at about 3:30pm. I checked in and got my packet and went out to the beach. The water looked pretty calm and the forecast was for much of the same. I drove over to the transition area to check things out and then headed back to where the dinner would be. I got a book and sat out by the beach for a while to read a relax before dinner started.
The dinner and speech went very well. Wendy and her crew put on a great HOMEMADE feast. The food was all fresh and very tasty. They even had beer for those who wished it. There were even Hula dancers to great us and give out leis as we entered the hall. My speech was a lot about my childhood experiences with athletics, my trip to the 1993 World Dwarf Games and of course what got me into triathlon. As most of my close friends and family know, I am not shy when it comes to talking in front of large groups.
When the speech was done I was invited to stay at the home of a local doctor who would be helping out at the race along with his wife. It was a beautiful home and I got a surprisingly great night of sleep. I got up at 4AM and ate my usual pre-race meal of my protein smoothie, bagel with PB and J and a bottle of V8. I started to also hydrate myself when I drink water up until 1 hour before race time. The house I stayed in is only about 15 minutes from the race site, so I had a short trip to transition. I arrived a little after 5AM and it was still very dark. I noticed lots of racers with headlamps on and made a mental note to get one of those for next season. I parked right across the road from transition and found my spot pretty quickly. I got body marked and walked about a bit before it was light enough to start to set up my area.
Prior to the race I found most of my Comp team mates. Chaz was there as well as Tracy and Tonya. Peter and Jodi from Rhode Island were also racing and they gave me some "inside" info about a rough patch on the bike at about 25 miles. It seems there was an area that was gravel after a quick downhill and there was potential for a crash without knowing this ahead of time. It should be noted that there was a marshall there during the race to remind us to slow down.
As the sun came up I started to get ready. I noticed lots of familiar races from other FIRM races and two people came up to me to thank me for the speech from the night before. That certainly made it worthwhile.
I did take note of the surf now and noticed it was going to be a manageable swim. It didn't look too rough and I was convinced now I had made the right decision to race. I got things in order, put on my swimming gear and started the long walk down the beach to the race start. I got a chance while walking down the beach to get into the water. It was sure a lot warmer than the water in Salem a few weeks ago. No headache this time. The swim was a trip out about 200 yards and then a sharp right turn and we were to swim parallel to the beach. At the end, take a sharp right turn and swim back up the beach a bit and then get out onto the beach.
I was in the third wave (out of 4) and the start went off without a hitch. I did my usual thing and stayed at the back and to the right. I got out to the turn buoy pretty well and made my right turn. I was warned to take lots of looks because you could stray off course pretty easy. Well things were going well and then I noticed a lifeguard pull up to me to tell me I was heading out too far. I looked to be heading to the marker down the beach OK, so I pretty much ignored him. Well, he didn't really like that got more animated each time he paddled over to tell me I needed to head in towards the beach. I finally got into the grove and another kayak came over to guide me to the buoy. I finally reached the turn and headed back up the beach and then out of the water. I looked at my watch and it read 51 minutes. It was actually about 12 minutes faster than I had planned. There must have been a good current going with us down the beach. I made a point to take it easy in transition. I had to carry a lot more with me than I have in other races. I had a bottle on a waist belt, some gel, and a PB&J sandwich. I got changed and headed out of transition.
I was the second last (or last, not sure) swimmer out of the water at FIRM MAN, but was definitely the last cyclist to get out of transition. As a special "treat" I got to be followed by the scooter who carries a sign that says, "LAST BIKE" or something like that. Not a real psychological boost for sure. As I rode along on the course, I could hear the engine behind me and could see the head light each time I looked back. I was hoping it would be a motivator to help keep me going, but after about an hour or so, it was starting to get old real fast. As I turned onto "King's Factory" I did start to feel better as I saw so many cyclists coming out back onto route 1. Some I knew and some I didn't, but we cheered for each other. Unfortunately, I could still hear the buzz from the scooter reminding me where I was in reference to everyone else. Soon the crown thinned out riding in the other direction and I was pretty much alone again. As those of you who have done the course know, the hills in this section are not killers, but they seem to come one after the other and just after you get up one, another one comes along.
I have tried to follow the rule that I never walk my bike up a hill. I have been able to keep to that, but that thought was coming into my mind. Hill after hill, I was starting to feel tired. But, just as I was seriously thinking about getting off my bike to walk for a bit, I saw someone walking his bike up the next hill. Not to put him down at all, but I immediately got a boost and said to myself, I can finally lose the scooter. It was a tough little hill, but I pushed and went past him, in my panting breath, I told him, to keep "going strong". The scooter was now behind me.
With some renewed energy, I picked it up a bit and made my way around the lollipop and noticed it was quite a bit easier heading back out to route 1. When I got out on the highway I wondered all along, would that rider catch me, giving me back my escort scooter. I got to the turnaround and headed back to transition with some 20 or so miles to go. Now I had read we were to expect a tailwind heading back and to my surprise I was not happy about the headwind we were now facing. It was pretty strong all the way back in. About a mile past the turn around I looked over and saw the rider I had passed, looking pretty strong. The driver on the scooter was nice enough to give me a big "thumbs up". I was sure he would catch me and pass me, but to my delight that never happened. I even had time to stop and relieve myself and do a bottle switch with one of the bottles I have on my seat cage. It's a great thing to have, but with my shorter arms, I can't reach it while riding.
Now, I don't know why that rider was where he was at that moment I most needed him to be there, but he was. Again, I am not trying to take anything from him, but I am so glad he was there to give me the emotional boost I needed. I also want to thank whoever it was who told the police detail what my name was. More than 1/2 of the cops at the intersections, yelled "GO JOHN GO", when I passed through.
The long ride back along route 1 was pretty hard. Very lonely and lots of wind. I did find it rough as I neared the end of the ride. There were mile markers at 20, 30, 40, etc. and my computer was "bang-on" for them but as I neared the end, my computer read 55 miles (supposed to be a 56 mile ride) and I was no where near the end. Was I lost? What was going on?
I don't think I have ever been more discouraged, angry, pissed off, during a ride or race before like I was then. I know it was all in my head, but I was not feeling good about my finish. It felt like each marshal I was seeing was saying, "one more mile" left. When I finally got close, I was SO relieved. I headed into transition, racked my bike and made my way to the finish line. With the aquabike, I was not to do the 13.1 mile run. I would save that for two weeks later at the Wicked 1/2 Marathon.
I took some time to hydrate, have some of the nice post-race food and then pack up and drive home. Oh, one really good thing, there was a Tim Horton's about 30 minutes from the race site on my way home. I stopped there for a nice bowl of soup and a GREAT cup of coffee. Things were feeling a starting to feel a lot better. Only my Canadian friends now how Tim Horton's can make your day feel so much better.
At that time I was planning on racing in the Patriot 1/2 Aquabike, but soon realized it would be better for me to get another season of racing sprint (and an Olympic) distance races under my belt and attempt the FIRM MAN 1/2 Aquabike at the end of the season. Since I was going to be coming down to give the speech I might as well race as well.
As the season has progressed all has gone better than expected. I have become extremely comfortable racing and the anxiety of open water swimming is gone and I am actually excited about running. As I neared the date for FIRM MAN, I started to read race reports from others who have done the race. There was a common theme, and that was, that the swimming (1.2 miles) portion has the potential to be difficult. You are required to swim out past some breakers and then swim parallel to the beach. If the wind is up, the rollers can be quite daunting. Well, it was at this point that I thought maybe I should get some more open water ocean practice before attempting the race. I posted a message online through ACTIVE.COM about backing out of the swim, trying to see if it was a common occurrence in racing. I also phoned Kurt, our team captain, to ask his opinion. Kurt asked me if it was more a fear of the race, or the thought that I was unprepared. I told him I was thinking it was more my lack of preparation. In hindsight, I realize now, it was probably more, that I was nervous.
I emailed both Elaine and Wendy to tell them I would be at the talk, but I was going to back out of the race. They both were understanding and said I could do the race next year. A few days later, I received an email from Elaine that made real sense. She suggested I come down with my gear and make a race-day decision. If the swim looked too rough, maybe I could simply do the bike course. I had thought of that but was reluctant. Half of the fun of racing for me has been the preparation. How could I properly prepare, knowing I might only be riding. I guess, hearing the choice from Elaine, made it clear to me, that would be the best option. As the end of last week neared, I finished up my speech and kept my eye on the weather. The weather looked good with not much wind in the forecast.
I headed up on Saturday afternoon and arrived at the race site at about 3:30pm. I checked in and got my packet and went out to the beach. The water looked pretty calm and the forecast was for much of the same. I drove over to the transition area to check things out and then headed back to where the dinner would be. I got a book and sat out by the beach for a while to read a relax before dinner started.
The dinner and speech went very well. Wendy and her crew put on a great HOMEMADE feast. The food was all fresh and very tasty. They even had beer for those who wished it. There were even Hula dancers to great us and give out leis as we entered the hall. My speech was a lot about my childhood experiences with athletics, my trip to the 1993 World Dwarf Games and of course what got me into triathlon. As most of my close friends and family know, I am not shy when it comes to talking in front of large groups.
When the speech was done I was invited to stay at the home of a local doctor who would be helping out at the race along with his wife. It was a beautiful home and I got a surprisingly great night of sleep. I got up at 4AM and ate my usual pre-race meal of my protein smoothie, bagel with PB and J and a bottle of V8. I started to also hydrate myself when I drink water up until 1 hour before race time. The house I stayed in is only about 15 minutes from the race site, so I had a short trip to transition. I arrived a little after 5AM and it was still very dark. I noticed lots of racers with headlamps on and made a mental note to get one of those for next season. I parked right across the road from transition and found my spot pretty quickly. I got body marked and walked about a bit before it was light enough to start to set up my area.
Prior to the race I found most of my Comp team mates. Chaz was there as well as Tracy and Tonya. Peter and Jodi from Rhode Island were also racing and they gave me some "inside" info about a rough patch on the bike at about 25 miles. It seems there was an area that was gravel after a quick downhill and there was potential for a crash without knowing this ahead of time. It should be noted that there was a marshall there during the race to remind us to slow down.
As the sun came up I started to get ready. I noticed lots of familiar races from other FIRM races and two people came up to me to thank me for the speech from the night before. That certainly made it worthwhile.
I did take note of the surf now and noticed it was going to be a manageable swim. It didn't look too rough and I was convinced now I had made the right decision to race. I got things in order, put on my swimming gear and started the long walk down the beach to the race start. I got a chance while walking down the beach to get into the water. It was sure a lot warmer than the water in Salem a few weeks ago. No headache this time. The swim was a trip out about 200 yards and then a sharp right turn and we were to swim parallel to the beach. At the end, take a sharp right turn and swim back up the beach a bit and then get out onto the beach.
I was in the third wave (out of 4) and the start went off without a hitch. I did my usual thing and stayed at the back and to the right. I got out to the turn buoy pretty well and made my right turn. I was warned to take lots of looks because you could stray off course pretty easy. Well things were going well and then I noticed a lifeguard pull up to me to tell me I was heading out too far. I looked to be heading to the marker down the beach OK, so I pretty much ignored him. Well, he didn't really like that got more animated each time he paddled over to tell me I needed to head in towards the beach. I finally got into the grove and another kayak came over to guide me to the buoy. I finally reached the turn and headed back up the beach and then out of the water. I looked at my watch and it read 51 minutes. It was actually about 12 minutes faster than I had planned. There must have been a good current going with us down the beach. I made a point to take it easy in transition. I had to carry a lot more with me than I have in other races. I had a bottle on a waist belt, some gel, and a PB&J sandwich. I got changed and headed out of transition.
I was the second last (or last, not sure) swimmer out of the water at FIRM MAN, but was definitely the last cyclist to get out of transition. As a special "treat" I got to be followed by the scooter who carries a sign that says, "LAST BIKE" or something like that. Not a real psychological boost for sure. As I rode along on the course, I could hear the engine behind me and could see the head light each time I looked back. I was hoping it would be a motivator to help keep me going, but after about an hour or so, it was starting to get old real fast. As I turned onto "King's Factory" I did start to feel better as I saw so many cyclists coming out back onto route 1. Some I knew and some I didn't, but we cheered for each other. Unfortunately, I could still hear the buzz from the scooter reminding me where I was in reference to everyone else. Soon the crown thinned out riding in the other direction and I was pretty much alone again. As those of you who have done the course know, the hills in this section are not killers, but they seem to come one after the other and just after you get up one, another one comes along.
I have tried to follow the rule that I never walk my bike up a hill. I have been able to keep to that, but that thought was coming into my mind. Hill after hill, I was starting to feel tired. But, just as I was seriously thinking about getting off my bike to walk for a bit, I saw someone walking his bike up the next hill. Not to put him down at all, but I immediately got a boost and said to myself, I can finally lose the scooter. It was a tough little hill, but I pushed and went past him, in my panting breath, I told him, to keep "going strong". The scooter was now behind me.
With some renewed energy, I picked it up a bit and made my way around the lollipop and noticed it was quite a bit easier heading back out to route 1. When I got out on the highway I wondered all along, would that rider catch me, giving me back my escort scooter. I got to the turnaround and headed back to transition with some 20 or so miles to go. Now I had read we were to expect a tailwind heading back and to my surprise I was not happy about the headwind we were now facing. It was pretty strong all the way back in. About a mile past the turn around I looked over and saw the rider I had passed, looking pretty strong. The driver on the scooter was nice enough to give me a big "thumbs up". I was sure he would catch me and pass me, but to my delight that never happened. I even had time to stop and relieve myself and do a bottle switch with one of the bottles I have on my seat cage. It's a great thing to have, but with my shorter arms, I can't reach it while riding.
Now, I don't know why that rider was where he was at that moment I most needed him to be there, but he was. Again, I am not trying to take anything from him, but I am so glad he was there to give me the emotional boost I needed. I also want to thank whoever it was who told the police detail what my name was. More than 1/2 of the cops at the intersections, yelled "GO JOHN GO", when I passed through.
The long ride back along route 1 was pretty hard. Very lonely and lots of wind. I did find it rough as I neared the end of the ride. There were mile markers at 20, 30, 40, etc. and my computer was "bang-on" for them but as I neared the end, my computer read 55 miles (supposed to be a 56 mile ride) and I was no where near the end. Was I lost? What was going on?
I don't think I have ever been more discouraged, angry, pissed off, during a ride or race before like I was then. I know it was all in my head, but I was not feeling good about my finish. It felt like each marshal I was seeing was saying, "one more mile" left. When I finally got close, I was SO relieved. I headed into transition, racked my bike and made my way to the finish line. With the aquabike, I was not to do the 13.1 mile run. I would save that for two weeks later at the Wicked 1/2 Marathon.
I took some time to hydrate, have some of the nice post-race food and then pack up and drive home. Oh, one really good thing, there was a Tim Horton's about 30 minutes from the race site on my way home. I stopped there for a nice bowl of soup and a GREAT cup of coffee. Things were feeling a starting to feel a lot better. Only my Canadian friends now how Tim Horton's can make your day feel so much better.
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