Decided to eat a grilled cheese sandwich and some chips.....then do a one mile race around the Capitol square. Seemed like a good idea at the time. Surprisingly, I couldn't talk Jennifer into giving it a try. (she's too smart to be lured into such foolishness.) She did agree to come along to take some pic's though. I should probably mention I hadn't run for the month leading up to this.....
Luckily the masters race didn't start until 4:15, so I had plenty of time to register, and get decent warm-up in. I also got to use the restroom in the Capitol...quite an upgrade from the usual porta-potties.
I watched a few of the other categories prior to my race. The mens open was won by a 20 something guy....with a time of 4:14. Even young kids were putting in competitive times....this did not bode well for me.
We finally line up for the start of the masters race. I recognize another racer from some of my duathlons. Again, not a good sign, as he always finishes ahead of me. The start was pretty fast, as expected. I tried to settle into about 6th place or so. I felt good for most of the first lap, but the uphill section started to take it out of me. The lead group of 5 gapped me by about 15 yards. I managed to maintain that gap, but couldn't close it down. The last turn into the finish had my legs feeling like noodles. Aerobically I was doing ok, but my legs weren't used to the speed.
I ended up being passed by two guys, and a really fast girl....all in the last 75 yards or so. I ended up with a decent time of 5:25. I was pretty happy with that, considering I hadn't run in a month or so.
I was completely and totally done after the race. I couldn't stop coughing for 30 minutes, and generally felt pretty crappy. I guess that's what happens when you decide to run a fast mile after eating a grilled cheese, and not running for a month.
I think if I focus more on this race for next year, I could go sub 5 minutes. The winner of the masters race came in at 4:56, so I think I'd have a chance.
Overall, not a bad afternoon, sure beat sitting on the couch watching tv.
Here's a link to the results.
I'll post some pic's soon.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Holy Hill Superweek Road Race
Alright, I'm almost caught up on posts.
Chris, Karl, and I made the trip over to Hartford on July 21st. Somehow I thought it would be a good idea to ride 5 laps of a hilly 8.1 mile course. (I was about to find out that it wasn't such a good idea....well, for me anyway.)
Chris and I loaded up the Element and made the 1 1/2 hour drive to Pike Lake State Park. Fairly uneventful drive over, without much traffic. Karl and Becky were driving separately, as they had to retrieve the pop-up camper from Becky's parents after the race. We made our way to pick up our numbers, and were a little surprised, for such a big event, the registration process was pretty slow. (and one woman was not what you'd call "customer service friendly") We eventually got our numbers and made it back to the vehicles. Other riders really started to pile in, and the lot was filling up fast. Karl and Becky got a spot right next to ours, which worked out well. I spoke with a few Brazen Dropout Masters riders before the race....trying to get some advice from them. Basically, ride fast, stay towards the front, and of course....watch out for crashes. I was able to watch out for crashes....but that was about it.
The atmosphere was pretty cool. A lot of big name teams, and the SRAM neutral support vehicles were sweet! We rode around checking out the scene, and eventually rolled out on the park roads for a quick warm-up. The actual "warm-up" didn't take very long, as it was already getting pretty toasty outside. The heat was definitely going to be a factor today. We were luckier than most, as the sun came out full force for the afternoon races. The starts times were running about 20 minutes behind schedule, so we rode around the parking lot waiting for the Masters race to go, and we were right after. I elected to do the Cat 4 race instead of Masters. Mostly because I didn't think I had the legs to go 50 miles, and I also wanted to race with Chris and Karl. (the young guys)
All 3 of us had pretty good start positions, but that didn't last long for Karl and myself. The "neutral" roll-out wasn't exactly neutral. There was a lot of jockeying for position on the way to the start. Unfortunately, Karl and I ended up towards the back. (we were "foolishly" following the yellow line rule) Chris was smart and wedged his was towards the front....while still obeying the yellow line rule. As I was to find out, a good front position was going to be key. (as it always is...)
The gun sounded and we were off. No real accelerations materialized, as it was mostly downhill for awhile. A few hard brake checks, but nothing too crazy. We eventually made a hard right, after a steep downhill....and the s@@t hit the fan. The first short kicker hill induced a hard acceleration, and I knew I was in trouble. I told Karl earlier that he should try to move up in the pack....I wish I had taken my own advice. I was off the back by about 20 yards, and try as I might, I just couldn't close down the gap. The group kept on the gas, as they knew they had some of us in difficulty. Karl fared better than I, but he never really made it back into the main group either. Chris was smart and strong, he stayed in the front half of the group and matched their accelerations.
I spent the rest of the race in time trial mode. I'm too damn stubborn to just admit I was out of contention. I gave it all I had for the rest of the race. I'd eventually catch a lone rider, and we'd work together for awhile....until they said, "oh, there's my support vehicle, I'm done." So, I'd move on to the next rider, or small group. I started cramping on lap 3 or so, and it only go worse from there.
I caught a guy just before the downhill on Cty E, and recovered in his draft for awhile. I eventually pulled around to take my pull....unfortunately, he never returned the favor. He looked like he was in his mid-twenties, and in decent shape, so I'm sure he was capable of taking a pull. (come on, we've been dropped big time, I'm not able to pull you back up to the group) He eventually came around and slowly pulled away from me on one of the climbs. I latched onto a couple of dropped Master racers, they were flying, and I took my turn at the front. Unfortunately, two of us couldn't hold the pace on the next climb....so I was all alone again. I dragged myself around for the final lap....the thought of getting caught by the field was enough to keep me moving. While it was close, I managed to not get lapped. I "sprinted" in by myself for DFL. I'm pretty sure there were a lot of guys who called it quits. (maybe they were racing the series, or maybe they just had enough) Either way, I finished the race.... dead last, but I was NOT going to quit.
Chris had an awesome race, even though he had a few close calls. Apparently there was some close quarters fighting for position, and one guy bumped another rider....sending him towards Chris. He thinks a quick release, or maybe a pedal made into his spokes. He managed to keep it upright, and stay in the group! (now there's some bike handling skills for you) He fought hard to the finish, and managed a well deserved 15th place. (in the money no less)
Karl managed to catch onto dropped rides throughout the race. He'd try to get them to work together, but didn't have much luck. He ended up hammering it to the next group, then the next, and so on. He pulled a young guy to the finish line, where Karl barely lost the sprint to youth....and good looks. (both of which Karl is in short supply;) I shouldn't talk, because I rolled in quite a bit later....for 45th place. I was cramping so badly at the finish, I couldn't bend my left leg. I managed to lean on the finishing barriers for a few minutes....until I could actually move.
Overall a fun race, but bad positioning, and a lack of experience made it a tough go. I wish I could have hung in there for a few laps, but hopefully I learned a little bit for future races. Here's a link to the results.
We did stay around to watch the Pro 1/2 guys race. I have to say, they are at a totally different level. The Rock Racing Team was there with the Escalade, and the CTS.....pretty sweet set-up. Karl and Chris both took some nice pic's, check them out. Here are a few of the hi-lites.
The calm before the storm....
Karl cresting the feedzone hill....where's everyone else?
Karl getting pipped at the finish...by a youngster
Mark, barely able to get out of his own way....(notice no one near me)
Chris....show me da' money!!
Chris, Karl, and I made the trip over to Hartford on July 21st. Somehow I thought it would be a good idea to ride 5 laps of a hilly 8.1 mile course. (I was about to find out that it wasn't such a good idea....well, for me anyway.)
Chris and I loaded up the Element and made the 1 1/2 hour drive to Pike Lake State Park. Fairly uneventful drive over, without much traffic. Karl and Becky were driving separately, as they had to retrieve the pop-up camper from Becky's parents after the race. We made our way to pick up our numbers, and were a little surprised, for such a big event, the registration process was pretty slow. (and one woman was not what you'd call "customer service friendly") We eventually got our numbers and made it back to the vehicles. Other riders really started to pile in, and the lot was filling up fast. Karl and Becky got a spot right next to ours, which worked out well. I spoke with a few Brazen Dropout Masters riders before the race....trying to get some advice from them. Basically, ride fast, stay towards the front, and of course....watch out for crashes. I was able to watch out for crashes....but that was about it.
The atmosphere was pretty cool. A lot of big name teams, and the SRAM neutral support vehicles were sweet! We rode around checking out the scene, and eventually rolled out on the park roads for a quick warm-up. The actual "warm-up" didn't take very long, as it was already getting pretty toasty outside. The heat was definitely going to be a factor today. We were luckier than most, as the sun came out full force for the afternoon races. The starts times were running about 20 minutes behind schedule, so we rode around the parking lot waiting for the Masters race to go, and we were right after. I elected to do the Cat 4 race instead of Masters. Mostly because I didn't think I had the legs to go 50 miles, and I also wanted to race with Chris and Karl. (the young guys)
All 3 of us had pretty good start positions, but that didn't last long for Karl and myself. The "neutral" roll-out wasn't exactly neutral. There was a lot of jockeying for position on the way to the start. Unfortunately, Karl and I ended up towards the back. (we were "foolishly" following the yellow line rule) Chris was smart and wedged his was towards the front....while still obeying the yellow line rule. As I was to find out, a good front position was going to be key. (as it always is...)
The gun sounded and we were off. No real accelerations materialized, as it was mostly downhill for awhile. A few hard brake checks, but nothing too crazy. We eventually made a hard right, after a steep downhill....and the s@@t hit the fan. The first short kicker hill induced a hard acceleration, and I knew I was in trouble. I told Karl earlier that he should try to move up in the pack....I wish I had taken my own advice. I was off the back by about 20 yards, and try as I might, I just couldn't close down the gap. The group kept on the gas, as they knew they had some of us in difficulty. Karl fared better than I, but he never really made it back into the main group either. Chris was smart and strong, he stayed in the front half of the group and matched their accelerations.
I spent the rest of the race in time trial mode. I'm too damn stubborn to just admit I was out of contention. I gave it all I had for the rest of the race. I'd eventually catch a lone rider, and we'd work together for awhile....until they said, "oh, there's my support vehicle, I'm done." So, I'd move on to the next rider, or small group. I started cramping on lap 3 or so, and it only go worse from there.
I caught a guy just before the downhill on Cty E, and recovered in his draft for awhile. I eventually pulled around to take my pull....unfortunately, he never returned the favor. He looked like he was in his mid-twenties, and in decent shape, so I'm sure he was capable of taking a pull. (come on, we've been dropped big time, I'm not able to pull you back up to the group) He eventually came around and slowly pulled away from me on one of the climbs. I latched onto a couple of dropped Master racers, they were flying, and I took my turn at the front. Unfortunately, two of us couldn't hold the pace on the next climb....so I was all alone again. I dragged myself around for the final lap....the thought of getting caught by the field was enough to keep me moving. While it was close, I managed to not get lapped. I "sprinted" in by myself for DFL. I'm pretty sure there were a lot of guys who called it quits. (maybe they were racing the series, or maybe they just had enough) Either way, I finished the race.... dead last, but I was NOT going to quit.
Chris had an awesome race, even though he had a few close calls. Apparently there was some close quarters fighting for position, and one guy bumped another rider....sending him towards Chris. He thinks a quick release, or maybe a pedal made into his spokes. He managed to keep it upright, and stay in the group! (now there's some bike handling skills for you) He fought hard to the finish, and managed a well deserved 15th place. (in the money no less)
Karl managed to catch onto dropped rides throughout the race. He'd try to get them to work together, but didn't have much luck. He ended up hammering it to the next group, then the next, and so on. He pulled a young guy to the finish line, where Karl barely lost the sprint to youth....and good looks. (both of which Karl is in short supply;) I shouldn't talk, because I rolled in quite a bit later....for 45th place. I was cramping so badly at the finish, I couldn't bend my left leg. I managed to lean on the finishing barriers for a few minutes....until I could actually move.
Overall a fun race, but bad positioning, and a lack of experience made it a tough go. I wish I could have hung in there for a few laps, but hopefully I learned a little bit for future races. Here's a link to the results.
We did stay around to watch the Pro 1/2 guys race. I have to say, they are at a totally different level. The Rock Racing Team was there with the Escalade, and the CTS.....pretty sweet set-up. Karl and Chris both took some nice pic's, check them out. Here are a few of the hi-lites.
The calm before the storm....
Karl cresting the feedzone hill....where's everyone else?
Karl getting pipped at the finish...by a youngster
Mark, barely able to get out of his own way....(notice no one near me)
Chris....show me da' money!!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Levis/Trow 2008 (aka Levis Trousers)
I know, I'm way behind on posting.....but I'm working on it.
Karl and I drove the Element up to Hatfield for the Levis Trow 100 Endurance MTB Race. Neither one of us had done a mountain bike race.....especially one that lasted 6 hours.
We met Chris, Gail, John, and Michele who had arrived earlier in the day. (and saved us a sweet parking spot, Thanks!) Upon arriving, we noticed an inordinate amount of ambulances in the parking lot.....not a good sign. We thought maybe they were preparing for our inevitable crash. (No doubt they had heard of our mad skilz' on the mtb's, and were anxious to practice their triage technique.) Thankfully it turned out to be some fairly minor crashes, but we were still a little worried. Experienced, fully capable mountain bikers were being carted off by ambulance...this did not bode well for us. The weather was surprisingly cool....and occasionally rainy. Thankfully by the time our race started, the sun had come back out, sort of.
The race begins with a Lemans style start. (everyone running to their bikes) Karl and I were probably two of the fastest runners there. Unfortunately, we were also probably two of the slowest mountain bikers. We could have led the race....for about the first 20 seconds or so, but opted to hang back and stay out of the way.
The start was fairly uneventful, since it was double track for the first 1/4 mile or so. Once we dumped into the single track, the fun really started. I managed to stick with Michele for awhile. The course got pretty technical, and Michele graciously let me go around. (so she'd have a better view of me crashing no doubt.) I actually felt pretty good that first lap. There was A LOT of climbing, and riding the single speed with a 32/19 gear didn't really help. I could have used a 22, but no such luck. The trail eventually leveled out and got faster. I was just starting to get a good flow going.....and the next thing you know my front tire rolls off the rim. Sweet, now I have a fully inflated tube wrapped around my fork. I jump off and commence to the repair. (while Michele passes me by the way) Karl stops to make sure I'm ok, and hangs out for awhile. (Thanks!)The tube seems to be in good shape, so I re-use it. (of course that causes a problem later on) I used my hand pump, instead of bringing CO2....big mistake, way too slow. I re-mount and take off down the trail, trying to make up time. Unfortunately, the tube must have a slow leak, so I end up stopping again to replace with a new tube. Nice, there goes another 5 minutes. I eventually roll back in around 1 hour 54 minutes.
I grab a quick bite to eat, and head back out. The second lap was less eventful...as far as no major mis-haps. I did manage to almost launch myself over the bars. I over cooked it into a loose left hand corner, and the front wheel started to wash out. I saved it, but at the expense of some skin. The momentum from the slide threw me forward on the bike. I smacked my knee on the two bolts holding the stem....needless to say, this was really painful. I told myself to keep pedaling and work it out. I knew if I stopped, it would lock up tight. Also on my second lap I rolled up on fellow blogger Brittany. I linked to her blog off Renee's Madcross site. I introduced myself best I could. (although breathing was difficult at the time) Brittany always has some interesting, funny, and entertaining stuff on her blog...check it out. We parted ways at the 25 mile turn off, and I was on my own for awhile. I started cramping later in the lap....never a good sign. I did manage to roll in at 1 hour 44 minutes....better than expected.
Karl was back at the vehicle re-fueling, so we decided to try and ride the last lap together. I was doing ok until we hit the first real climbs. The cramping kicked in with a vengeance. I was relegated to walking a few times....even on some of the "easier" climbs. Karl was nice guy and waited for me....although I think both of us were feeling the affects by then. Karl gave up one of his gels in an attempt to stave off my cramping. We managed to straggle in with a 2 hour 3 minute lap time. (including our rest break) We debated going out for a 4th lap, but decided against it. I was cramping bad enough during the last lap, a 4th would have been really tough. Hind site....we probably should have gone out for the 4th, but at the time, it was the right decision.
Michele was riding like a woman posessed, and ended up first in the Women's 50 Mile Solo. She was riding consistent 1 hour 40 minute lap times. Nice job Michele, way to go! Gail rode a strong race knocking out 3 laps, and finishing in 4th place.
Chris and John were battling it out for bragging rights. Chris finally heard the unmistakeable "ding-ding" of John's infamous compass bell. John eventually pulled in about 9 minutes ahead of Chris. Both rode some pretty impressive lap times...in the 1:20's for most of the day. John finished 15th, and Chris 16th, in a very competitive 50 Mile Men's Solo Division. Nice job guy's! Here's a link to the detailed results.
After the awards we packed up and headed towards Black River Falls. Everyone was pretty hungry, so we chowed down at the local Perkins.....good food, but kind of slow service. I also had a MAJOR hamstring cramp while sitting at the table. Needless to say, I was hopping around trying to work that out. I'm sure the other customers thought I was a freak....but you gotta' do what you gotta' do in a situation like that. We ended up rolling into Stoughton around 12:30 am. Overall a really fun race. I learned a lot....things I'd have to put into use at 24 Hours of 9 Mile.....but that's another post all together.
Here are a few pic's courtesy of Karl...
The Element comes in real handy
John, Michele, and Chris hang out in style
Chris welcomes Gail back from her last lap
Do I really need to say anything?
Karl and I drove the Element up to Hatfield for the Levis Trow 100 Endurance MTB Race. Neither one of us had done a mountain bike race.....especially one that lasted 6 hours.
We met Chris, Gail, John, and Michele who had arrived earlier in the day. (and saved us a sweet parking spot, Thanks!) Upon arriving, we noticed an inordinate amount of ambulances in the parking lot.....not a good sign. We thought maybe they were preparing for our inevitable crash. (No doubt they had heard of our mad skilz' on the mtb's, and were anxious to practice their triage technique.) Thankfully it turned out to be some fairly minor crashes, but we were still a little worried. Experienced, fully capable mountain bikers were being carted off by ambulance...this did not bode well for us. The weather was surprisingly cool....and occasionally rainy. Thankfully by the time our race started, the sun had come back out, sort of.
The race begins with a Lemans style start. (everyone running to their bikes) Karl and I were probably two of the fastest runners there. Unfortunately, we were also probably two of the slowest mountain bikers. We could have led the race....for about the first 20 seconds or so, but opted to hang back and stay out of the way.
The start was fairly uneventful, since it was double track for the first 1/4 mile or so. Once we dumped into the single track, the fun really started. I managed to stick with Michele for awhile. The course got pretty technical, and Michele graciously let me go around. (so she'd have a better view of me crashing no doubt.) I actually felt pretty good that first lap. There was A LOT of climbing, and riding the single speed with a 32/19 gear didn't really help. I could have used a 22, but no such luck. The trail eventually leveled out and got faster. I was just starting to get a good flow going.....and the next thing you know my front tire rolls off the rim. Sweet, now I have a fully inflated tube wrapped around my fork. I jump off and commence to the repair. (while Michele passes me by the way) Karl stops to make sure I'm ok, and hangs out for awhile. (Thanks!)The tube seems to be in good shape, so I re-use it. (of course that causes a problem later on) I used my hand pump, instead of bringing CO2....big mistake, way too slow. I re-mount and take off down the trail, trying to make up time. Unfortunately, the tube must have a slow leak, so I end up stopping again to replace with a new tube. Nice, there goes another 5 minutes. I eventually roll back in around 1 hour 54 minutes.
I grab a quick bite to eat, and head back out. The second lap was less eventful...as far as no major mis-haps. I did manage to almost launch myself over the bars. I over cooked it into a loose left hand corner, and the front wheel started to wash out. I saved it, but at the expense of some skin. The momentum from the slide threw me forward on the bike. I smacked my knee on the two bolts holding the stem....needless to say, this was really painful. I told myself to keep pedaling and work it out. I knew if I stopped, it would lock up tight. Also on my second lap I rolled up on fellow blogger Brittany. I linked to her blog off Renee's Madcross site. I introduced myself best I could. (although breathing was difficult at the time) Brittany always has some interesting, funny, and entertaining stuff on her blog...check it out. We parted ways at the 25 mile turn off, and I was on my own for awhile. I started cramping later in the lap....never a good sign. I did manage to roll in at 1 hour 44 minutes....better than expected.
Karl was back at the vehicle re-fueling, so we decided to try and ride the last lap together. I was doing ok until we hit the first real climbs. The cramping kicked in with a vengeance. I was relegated to walking a few times....even on some of the "easier" climbs. Karl was nice guy and waited for me....although I think both of us were feeling the affects by then. Karl gave up one of his gels in an attempt to stave off my cramping. We managed to straggle in with a 2 hour 3 minute lap time. (including our rest break) We debated going out for a 4th lap, but decided against it. I was cramping bad enough during the last lap, a 4th would have been really tough. Hind site....we probably should have gone out for the 4th, but at the time, it was the right decision.
Michele was riding like a woman posessed, and ended up first in the Women's 50 Mile Solo. She was riding consistent 1 hour 40 minute lap times. Nice job Michele, way to go! Gail rode a strong race knocking out 3 laps, and finishing in 4th place.
Chris and John were battling it out for bragging rights. Chris finally heard the unmistakeable "ding-ding" of John's infamous compass bell. John eventually pulled in about 9 minutes ahead of Chris. Both rode some pretty impressive lap times...in the 1:20's for most of the day. John finished 15th, and Chris 16th, in a very competitive 50 Mile Men's Solo Division. Nice job guy's! Here's a link to the detailed results.
After the awards we packed up and headed towards Black River Falls. Everyone was pretty hungry, so we chowed down at the local Perkins.....good food, but kind of slow service. I also had a MAJOR hamstring cramp while sitting at the table. Needless to say, I was hopping around trying to work that out. I'm sure the other customers thought I was a freak....but you gotta' do what you gotta' do in a situation like that. We ended up rolling into Stoughton around 12:30 am. Overall a really fun race. I learned a lot....things I'd have to put into use at 24 Hours of 9 Mile.....but that's another post all together.
Here are a few pic's courtesy of Karl...
The Element comes in real handy
John, Michele, and Chris hang out in style
Chris welcomes Gail back from her last lap
Do I really need to say anything?
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Metlife Duathlon 2008
OK, I'm slowly catching up on posts.
Karl, Jennifer, and I made the long haul to Tinley Park Illinois for the Metlife Du. We've done this race four years in a row, so we couldn't pass it up.
Karl's parents are nice enough to let us stay with them. Lucky for us, they only live 30 minutes from the course.
We made it to the race early, with intentions of getting a good warm up. The course is a 2mi/11mi/2mi, so it's fast from the start. Unfortunately, just as we pulled into a spot, it started to rain. We waited it out, but lost valuable warm up time.
We did manage to get decent spots in transition, so that was a plus. The weather was warm and humid, and if the sun came out, it was going to be brutal.
Karl and I lined up together for the Men's start. I made into a fast group...and we were flying. I checked my watch at the one mile turnaround....5:25. Needless to say, I figured I'd better back it down for the second mile. Karl wasn't too far behind me, and ended up passing me before transition. We were both passed by a guy pushing someone in a wheelchair. I give this guy HUGE kudos for giving it everything he had. I believe he was part of a relay team, but still, an awesome display of drive and determination.
We were on our bikes quickly, and out onto the flat, fast course. I tried to stay with Karl, but as usual he slowly pulled away from me. I rode a steady pace and felt pretty good. No offense to the FIB's, but most of them can't climb to save their lives. No fault of their own mind you.....it's pretty flat down there. I hammered it up and over the only "climb" on the course. (which was actually an overpass) I dropped a half dozen guys right there. Unfortunately, they may not be able to climb, but they sure can run.....
I came out of T2 feeling ok, but definitely not great. I haven't been doing a lot of bricks, and it was going to cost me at this race. I must have lost 6-8 spots on the second run. My legs never really came around, and I had to really gut it out the last 100 yards or so. I probably could have pipped a guy on the line, but I felt a little bad for him, so we came in neck and neck.
Jennifer had good race as usual, but there was some tough competition this year. Her runs are coming along, but her bike was where she put some time into people. I'm not sure how she managed it, but she had a faster bike time than last year....with a lot less training. Go figure. Hopefully she can improve her runs for next year, as I really think a top 3 AG finish is possible.
Here's the lowdown on every one's results, as well as a link to the race site:
Jennifer - Run 1: 17:01 T1: 1:01 Bike: 31:46 T2: 1:05 Run 2: 18:31 Total: 1:09:22
She finished 7/28 women in her age group, and 127th overall (out of 372) Jennifer also had the 7th fastest women's bike time, (20.8 avg.)and the 75th fastest bike time overall.
Karl - Run 1: 13:06 T1: :48 Bike: 27:03 T2: :43 Run 2: 14:16 Total: 55:54
Karl had an awesome race. He's really picked it up this year. He finished 5/39 in his AG, and 12th out of 372. He also had the 3rd fastest bike time overall. (24.4 avg.) Keep it up.....but stay out of the 40-49 AG. I've got a enough competition as it is.
Mark - Run 1: 13:08 T1: :48 Bike: 28:03 T2: :52 Run 2: 15:29 (bummer) Total: 58:19
I had a decent race....right up to my second run. I ended up 6/35 in my AG, and 28th out of 372. Overall I can't complain, it's my own fault for not working those second runs harder. I have a lot of work to do for next year.
Thanks to Karl's parents for letting us hang out at their place, very much appreciated. Looking forward to next years race.
Here are a few pics' courtesy of Karl:
Karl and I heading back in from the first run.
Look really close...behind the guy in the hat...next to the short guy...that's me.
Jennifer's moving so fast...she's out running the shadows.
Here's the view from Katrina's world...she's short...we're tall.
We managed to smile....although it was the first time none of us came home with a medal this year.
Karl, Jennifer, and I made the long haul to Tinley Park Illinois for the Metlife Du. We've done this race four years in a row, so we couldn't pass it up.
Karl's parents are nice enough to let us stay with them. Lucky for us, they only live 30 minutes from the course.
We made it to the race early, with intentions of getting a good warm up. The course is a 2mi/11mi/2mi, so it's fast from the start. Unfortunately, just as we pulled into a spot, it started to rain. We waited it out, but lost valuable warm up time.
We did manage to get decent spots in transition, so that was a plus. The weather was warm and humid, and if the sun came out, it was going to be brutal.
Karl and I lined up together for the Men's start. I made into a fast group...and we were flying. I checked my watch at the one mile turnaround....5:25. Needless to say, I figured I'd better back it down for the second mile. Karl wasn't too far behind me, and ended up passing me before transition. We were both passed by a guy pushing someone in a wheelchair. I give this guy HUGE kudos for giving it everything he had. I believe he was part of a relay team, but still, an awesome display of drive and determination.
We were on our bikes quickly, and out onto the flat, fast course. I tried to stay with Karl, but as usual he slowly pulled away from me. I rode a steady pace and felt pretty good. No offense to the FIB's, but most of them can't climb to save their lives. No fault of their own mind you.....it's pretty flat down there. I hammered it up and over the only "climb" on the course. (which was actually an overpass) I dropped a half dozen guys right there. Unfortunately, they may not be able to climb, but they sure can run.....
I came out of T2 feeling ok, but definitely not great. I haven't been doing a lot of bricks, and it was going to cost me at this race. I must have lost 6-8 spots on the second run. My legs never really came around, and I had to really gut it out the last 100 yards or so. I probably could have pipped a guy on the line, but I felt a little bad for him, so we came in neck and neck.
Jennifer had good race as usual, but there was some tough competition this year. Her runs are coming along, but her bike was where she put some time into people. I'm not sure how she managed it, but she had a faster bike time than last year....with a lot less training. Go figure. Hopefully she can improve her runs for next year, as I really think a top 3 AG finish is possible.
Here's the lowdown on every one's results, as well as a link to the race site:
Jennifer - Run 1: 17:01 T1: 1:01 Bike: 31:46 T2: 1:05 Run 2: 18:31 Total: 1:09:22
She finished 7/28 women in her age group, and 127th overall (out of 372) Jennifer also had the 7th fastest women's bike time, (20.8 avg.)and the 75th fastest bike time overall.
Karl - Run 1: 13:06 T1: :48 Bike: 27:03 T2: :43 Run 2: 14:16 Total: 55:54
Karl had an awesome race. He's really picked it up this year. He finished 5/39 in his AG, and 12th out of 372. He also had the 3rd fastest bike time overall. (24.4 avg.) Keep it up.....but stay out of the 40-49 AG. I've got a enough competition as it is.
Mark - Run 1: 13:08 T1: :48 Bike: 28:03 T2: :52 Run 2: 15:29 (bummer) Total: 58:19
I had a decent race....right up to my second run. I ended up 6/35 in my AG, and 28th out of 372. Overall I can't complain, it's my own fault for not working those second runs harder. I have a lot of work to do for next year.
Thanks to Karl's parents for letting us hang out at their place, very much appreciated. Looking forward to next years race.
Here are a few pics' courtesy of Karl:
Karl and I heading back in from the first run.
Look really close...behind the guy in the hat...next to the short guy...that's me.
Jennifer's moving so fast...she's out running the shadows.
Here's the view from Katrina's world...she's short...we're tall.
We managed to smile....although it was the first time none of us came home with a medal this year.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
The "Great" Evansville Duathlon 2008
Karl and I made the short trip to Evansville to attend, "The Great Evansville Duathlon. "Great" might be a bit of an exaggeration, but it's definitely "good", of course that wouldn't sound quite right....so "Great" it is.
This is definitely one of the tougher duathlons we compete in, due to the distance....and the hills. The course is 3.1 mi/20 mile/3.1 mi, certainly longer runs than we're used to doing. The weather was pretty warm and muggy, but we were ready to give it a 100%....as usual.
The first run started out pretty quick. Karl and I stuck together for most of the 3.1 miles, with him putting a slight gap on me in the last 1/4 mile or so. Again, no splits, but as I recall we were in around 21 minutes. We were neck and neck heading out of transition, but Karl ramped it up on the bike. I tried to stay with him, but eventually had to settle into my own pace. I rode the Cervelo with a disc wheel, which may not have been my best choice. I love the bike, but it's not the best geometry for climbing.....and there was plenty of that in this race.
The turn around for the bike leg is a pretty steep uphill grind to Magnolia Park. (I'm guessing somewhere in the 9-10% range) Complicating the descent after the turnaround, is a fast right hand sweeper at the bottom of the hill. I didn't have my computer on, but I imagine I was hitting high 30's coming down. I tried to maintain as much speed around the sweeper as possible.....unfortunately half the road had been re-paved. I managed to run wide, and catch both wheels on a 2 inch rise of new/old pavement. Needless to say this caused some issues at that speed. I managed to ride it out without touching the brakes, (remember, this is a race...of course crashing would have really slowed me down) however, I did end up over correcting and ended up riding off road for awhile....still no brakes mind you, that would be crazy. I guess my limited mountain biking time is paying off after all.
After returning my heart rate to something below 200 bmp, I tried to put the hammer down. I kept a solid pace on the way back in, no thanks to the corner guy who gave me no heads up on the traffic situation. ("go ahead, pull out onto the highway...I'm sure it's clear"....dude, that's why you're there) I had a good tailwind for some of the ride back in, and I was making good time. I rolled into transition, but Karl was nowhere to be seen. He's really stepped it up this year, both on the runs, and the bike. The longer the bike leg is, the better he does. Again, no splits, but I think I was pushing 22mph avg.
My second run had me trying to chase down Karl, but to no avail. I haven't been doing a lot of brick work, and I'm really paying for it this year. I must have been passed by a half dozen people....thankfully most of them appeared to be high school cross country runners, so that made me feel a little better....but not much. I was really smoked, and the heat was really taking it out of me. I managed to roll in with an overall time of 1:44:52. Good enough for 13th overall, and 2nd in my age group. Karl had a fantastic race and finished in 1:41:07. He was 9th overall, and 2nd in his age group as well. We went home with our super fantastic "Certificates of Achievement." Yeah, that's right, who needs medals when you can have a COA. I bet no one in Beijing will get a COA....Gold, Silver, Bronze, yes, but a piece of semi-official looking paper that you have to write your own name on....I think not.
Jennifer didn't make the race this year. I may have "accidentally" talked her into doing a women's only mountain bike clinic at the Blackhawk Ski Area. Mountain biking is not Jennifer's favorite pastime, but she gave it a try, and give her all the credit in the world for going. I'll leave the details for her to post later....but I'll warn you up front, there might be a lot of profanity....not to mention a compilation of derogatory comments... possibly directed towards me. I'm not sayin' I don't deserve it....but still....
Here's a few pic's courtesy of Karl, Becky, and Katrina:
Getting things set up in transition
Neck and neck in transition...as usual
Karl accepting yet another COA from the Academy
My very own COA....I'm so overcome with emotion
Karl and I display our COA's, while Katrina contemplates being a tank driver
Here's the link to the race site.
This is definitely one of the tougher duathlons we compete in, due to the distance....and the hills. The course is 3.1 mi/20 mile/3.1 mi, certainly longer runs than we're used to doing. The weather was pretty warm and muggy, but we were ready to give it a 100%....as usual.
The first run started out pretty quick. Karl and I stuck together for most of the 3.1 miles, with him putting a slight gap on me in the last 1/4 mile or so. Again, no splits, but as I recall we were in around 21 minutes. We were neck and neck heading out of transition, but Karl ramped it up on the bike. I tried to stay with him, but eventually had to settle into my own pace. I rode the Cervelo with a disc wheel, which may not have been my best choice. I love the bike, but it's not the best geometry for climbing.....and there was plenty of that in this race.
The turn around for the bike leg is a pretty steep uphill grind to Magnolia Park. (I'm guessing somewhere in the 9-10% range) Complicating the descent after the turnaround, is a fast right hand sweeper at the bottom of the hill. I didn't have my computer on, but I imagine I was hitting high 30's coming down. I tried to maintain as much speed around the sweeper as possible.....unfortunately half the road had been re-paved. I managed to run wide, and catch both wheels on a 2 inch rise of new/old pavement. Needless to say this caused some issues at that speed. I managed to ride it out without touching the brakes, (remember, this is a race...of course crashing would have really slowed me down) however, I did end up over correcting and ended up riding off road for awhile....still no brakes mind you, that would be crazy. I guess my limited mountain biking time is paying off after all.
After returning my heart rate to something below 200 bmp, I tried to put the hammer down. I kept a solid pace on the way back in, no thanks to the corner guy who gave me no heads up on the traffic situation. ("go ahead, pull out onto the highway...I'm sure it's clear"....dude, that's why you're there) I had a good tailwind for some of the ride back in, and I was making good time. I rolled into transition, but Karl was nowhere to be seen. He's really stepped it up this year, both on the runs, and the bike. The longer the bike leg is, the better he does. Again, no splits, but I think I was pushing 22mph avg.
My second run had me trying to chase down Karl, but to no avail. I haven't been doing a lot of brick work, and I'm really paying for it this year. I must have been passed by a half dozen people....thankfully most of them appeared to be high school cross country runners, so that made me feel a little better....but not much. I was really smoked, and the heat was really taking it out of me. I managed to roll in with an overall time of 1:44:52. Good enough for 13th overall, and 2nd in my age group. Karl had a fantastic race and finished in 1:41:07. He was 9th overall, and 2nd in his age group as well. We went home with our super fantastic "Certificates of Achievement." Yeah, that's right, who needs medals when you can have a COA. I bet no one in Beijing will get a COA....Gold, Silver, Bronze, yes, but a piece of semi-official looking paper that you have to write your own name on....I think not.
Jennifer didn't make the race this year. I may have "accidentally" talked her into doing a women's only mountain bike clinic at the Blackhawk Ski Area. Mountain biking is not Jennifer's favorite pastime, but she gave it a try, and give her all the credit in the world for going. I'll leave the details for her to post later....but I'll warn you up front, there might be a lot of profanity....not to mention a compilation of derogatory comments... possibly directed towards me. I'm not sayin' I don't deserve it....but still....
Here's a few pic's courtesy of Karl, Becky, and Katrina:
Getting things set up in transition
Neck and neck in transition...as usual
Karl accepting yet another COA from the Academy
My very own COA....I'm so overcome with emotion
Karl and I display our COA's, while Katrina contemplates being a tank driver
Here's the link to the race site.
Albany Duathlon
Alright, here's a long overdue race report. I figure better late than never....
Jennifer, Jennifer's parents, Karl, and myself made the trip to Albany on May 24th.
This is a really small local du. The first time for all of us, but it was a good course and well organized. Jennifer's parents were good sports about coming along. I can't imagine watching a bunch of crazies run and bike being on their top 10 list, but we were glad they came along.
The weather was nearly perfect, maybe a little warm, but not much wind. The course was 2/15/2. The first run included a long downhill....unfortunately, it also included the uphill on the way back. Karl and I ran together, he led on the way out, and I took over on the way back. We also had some help from local speedster Tara Sheetz. (and she was racing with an injury...lucky for us, or she would have left us in the dust) I don't recall the exact times, and we didn't get splits, but it had to be around 13 minutes.
Karl and I were out of transition within a few seconds of each other. The bike course included a short out and back, with the bulk of it on a two loop section with a few rollers. I stuck with Karl for awhile, but he eventually pulled away from me. Tara Sheetz caught Karl and the race was on between them. I think Tara eventually pulled a small gap on him, but they both had great times. (I'm guessing somewhere in the 40 minute range...around 23mph avg.) I rolled in 30 seconds or so later. I had a pretty quick transition to the second run. I was slowly gaining on Karl, but just couldn't close it down. Tara was flying and had at least a minute plus on both of us. Karl sprinted in for an overall time of 1:07:41 for 1st in his division, and 5th overall. I was right behind him at 1:07:52 for 2nd in my division, and 6th overall. Tara Sheetz came in at 1:05:45....crazy fast, and 4th overall.
Jennifer had a great race as well. She's not very confident about her runs, but her bike is always fast. I'm not 100% sure of her splits, but she was fast enough to take 1st place in her division, and 2nd fastest women overall. She finished with a time of 1:24:49 and 19th overall. (including the men)
Overall a really fun race that I'd do again in a heartbeat. Very well organized and super friendly people. Good times.
I'll post some pic's when I can find them......
Jennifer, Jennifer's parents, Karl, and myself made the trip to Albany on May 24th.
This is a really small local du. The first time for all of us, but it was a good course and well organized. Jennifer's parents were good sports about coming along. I can't imagine watching a bunch of crazies run and bike being on their top 10 list, but we were glad they came along.
The weather was nearly perfect, maybe a little warm, but not much wind. The course was 2/15/2. The first run included a long downhill....unfortunately, it also included the uphill on the way back. Karl and I ran together, he led on the way out, and I took over on the way back. We also had some help from local speedster Tara Sheetz. (and she was racing with an injury...lucky for us, or she would have left us in the dust) I don't recall the exact times, and we didn't get splits, but it had to be around 13 minutes.
Karl and I were out of transition within a few seconds of each other. The bike course included a short out and back, with the bulk of it on a two loop section with a few rollers. I stuck with Karl for awhile, but he eventually pulled away from me. Tara Sheetz caught Karl and the race was on between them. I think Tara eventually pulled a small gap on him, but they both had great times. (I'm guessing somewhere in the 40 minute range...around 23mph avg.) I rolled in 30 seconds or so later. I had a pretty quick transition to the second run. I was slowly gaining on Karl, but just couldn't close it down. Tara was flying and had at least a minute plus on both of us. Karl sprinted in for an overall time of 1:07:41 for 1st in his division, and 5th overall. I was right behind him at 1:07:52 for 2nd in my division, and 6th overall. Tara Sheetz came in at 1:05:45....crazy fast, and 4th overall.
Jennifer had a great race as well. She's not very confident about her runs, but her bike is always fast. I'm not 100% sure of her splits, but she was fast enough to take 1st place in her division, and 2nd fastest women overall. She finished with a time of 1:24:49 and 19th overall. (including the men)
Overall a really fun race that I'd do again in a heartbeat. Very well organized and super friendly people. Good times.
I'll post some pic's when I can find them......
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Beloit Duathlon
I figure I'd better catch up on some posts.....before I forget everything.
Myself, Jennifer, Chris, and Karl made the short trip to Beloit for the "Beloit Biathlon." (no ski's or rifles) I wasn't expecting much, since I'd strained my calf muscle a few days before. Normally I can just run through that sort of thing, but this was really causing a problem.
Karl and I were in the "Elite" heat. Not because we're elite mind you....but it does make it easier than picking your way around people on hybrids....with baskets....and flowers. Chris and Jennifer started in the 3rd wave, and as it turns out, Chris had no problem getting around the people on the hybrid bikes.... with the baskets.
No split times this year, and I don't remember everyone's times, so I'm just going to post the finish times. (and besides, I have like 3 more posts to catch up on all the racing.)
Jennifer had a good race and ended up 4th in her age group. The women's overall winner came out of Jennifer's AG, so she moved up a spot for 3rd. She's on a roll this year for medaling in every race. I'm still waiting to see how she does when she actually starts training. Finish Time: 1:09:13 (10th fastest woman overall)
Chris should probably take up duathlons....as long as he stays out of my age group. Since we didn't have splits, it's tough to say, but I'm guessing Chris had one of the fastest bike times at the race. (somewhere in the 24mph range?)Combine that with two pretty good runs, and he ended up with a finish time of: 57:47 (7th in a tough age group, and 13th overall) Throw in some off-road sections, and he'd be winning these things.
Karl had a strong race as usual. He continues to train like a mad man, and it's really paying off this year. I finished just ahead of him on the first run, but after that, he took the lead and kept it. I tried to keep him in sight on the bike, but as usual, he slowly pulled away from me. He's been working on his run off the bike, and it seems to be doing the trick. I tried to close it down, but just didn't have the juice. Karl came in with a finish time of: 56:26 (4th in the 30-39 age group, and 7th fastest overall.) Awesome job....now stay the hell out of the 40-49 AG!
Like I mentioned earlier, I wasn't expecting much at this race. Surprisingly things went better than anticipated. My calf loosened up nicely on the first run, and I felt decent on the bike. My second run wasn't anything to write home about, but I haven't been hitting the bricks like I should be. Overall a pleasant surprise with a finish time of: 58:05 (4th in my age group, and 14th overall) Turns out I missed 3rd in my AG by 38 seconds....bummer, but that's racing.
Here's a few pic's....thanks to Karl
Jennifer heading to the finish.
(actually 1:09:13 because of third wave start)
The only one of us to medal at Beloit!
Jennifer hanging out with one her many fans.
Chris showing us how it's done in his first duathlon.
Chris still has enough energy to lift his thumb.
Myself, Jennifer, Chris, and Karl made the short trip to Beloit for the "Beloit Biathlon." (no ski's or rifles) I wasn't expecting much, since I'd strained my calf muscle a few days before. Normally I can just run through that sort of thing, but this was really causing a problem.
Karl and I were in the "Elite" heat. Not because we're elite mind you....but it does make it easier than picking your way around people on hybrids....with baskets....and flowers. Chris and Jennifer started in the 3rd wave, and as it turns out, Chris had no problem getting around the people on the hybrid bikes.... with the baskets.
No split times this year, and I don't remember everyone's times, so I'm just going to post the finish times. (and besides, I have like 3 more posts to catch up on all the racing.)
Jennifer had a good race and ended up 4th in her age group. The women's overall winner came out of Jennifer's AG, so she moved up a spot for 3rd. She's on a roll this year for medaling in every race. I'm still waiting to see how she does when she actually starts training. Finish Time: 1:09:13 (10th fastest woman overall)
Chris should probably take up duathlons....as long as he stays out of my age group. Since we didn't have splits, it's tough to say, but I'm guessing Chris had one of the fastest bike times at the race. (somewhere in the 24mph range?)Combine that with two pretty good runs, and he ended up with a finish time of: 57:47 (7th in a tough age group, and 13th overall) Throw in some off-road sections, and he'd be winning these things.
Karl had a strong race as usual. He continues to train like a mad man, and it's really paying off this year. I finished just ahead of him on the first run, but after that, he took the lead and kept it. I tried to keep him in sight on the bike, but as usual, he slowly pulled away from me. He's been working on his run off the bike, and it seems to be doing the trick. I tried to close it down, but just didn't have the juice. Karl came in with a finish time of: 56:26 (4th in the 30-39 age group, and 7th fastest overall.) Awesome job....now stay the hell out of the 40-49 AG!
Like I mentioned earlier, I wasn't expecting much at this race. Surprisingly things went better than anticipated. My calf loosened up nicely on the first run, and I felt decent on the bike. My second run wasn't anything to write home about, but I haven't been hitting the bricks like I should be. Overall a pleasant surprise with a finish time of: 58:05 (4th in my age group, and 14th overall) Turns out I missed 3rd in my AG by 38 seconds....bummer, but that's racing.
Here's a few pic's....thanks to Karl
Jennifer heading to the finish.
(actually 1:09:13 because of third wave start)
The only one of us to medal at Beloit!
Jennifer hanging out with one her many fans.
Chris showing us how it's done in his first duathlon.
Chris still has enough energy to lift his thumb.
Monday, May 5, 2008
First Duathlon of the Year
Yeah, I know, I haven't posted in forever. Not like you don't have better stuff to do anyway.
Karl, Jennifer, and myself made the trek to Rock Cut State Park on Saturday. The first duathlon of the year was called "The Peanut Butter Duathlon." Freaky. I much preferred the old name, "Law Day." Anyway, we get there and it's raining sideways and about 46 degrees. Very nice.
I no rikie the weather...
Our plan was to warm up on the trainers, but I putzed around and got bascially no warm up whatsoever. We listened to a somewhat drawn out pre-race meeting. The jest of it was that the run course was basically all mud....ankle deep in some spots (see below, that's not hair on my legs....) Again, nice.
Kid watching me puke while timing chip is removed
The run course was in the opposite direction from previous years. I had no preference, as it seemed to be no less/more difficult. My plan was to stay with Karl and use the first run as a warm up. We came in around 13:30 or so, and I didn't feel too terribly bad. Jennifer came in around 17 minutes and had a quick transition onto the bike. Karl was out and flying about 10 seconds ahead of me....unfortunately, that was the last time I'd see him until the finish.
The bike leg was supposed to be my strong point. I haven't been running much, so I wasn't expecting anything extraordinary. I tried starting out easy, hoping to build up a nice pace after the first lap. Unfortunately, I never really seemed to get warmed up. My legs felt heavy, and my hamstrings were tight. I traded spots back and forth with a guy on a Kestrel tri bike. My average ended up being 19.5 mph, it was one of my worst bike legs ever. Hopefully I can pick it up for Beloit in a few weeks.
My second transition was really slow. I couldn't get my fingers to work right. (did I mention it was cold?) I lumbered out onto the run course with two other guys. I quickly fell off their pace and found myself running alone. The mud was pretty nasty in spots. The first run had really churned up the mud, making it slow going. I was passed by one guy with about a 1/4 mile to go. I wasn't too surprised, he looked like a 20 year old cross country runner. I came in about 15:30 or so for the last run. I was actually pretty surprised with that time. I believe I've done one brick workout this Spring.....so I figured I'd just fall over in transition and call it a day - so actually being able to run was a shocker. I ended up 5th out of 19 in my age group. A bit of a disappointment since I scored 2nd last year.
Results: Run 1 - 13:50 Bike - 43:08 Run 2 - 15:29 Finish - 1:14:27
Jennifer had a great race....although she didn't think so. She thought her runs were too slow to be competitive. Karl and I checked the posted results...and they had her WINNING her division!!!! We were a little suspect because they listed only one person in her division...her. We found out later there were five other women. She finished in 1:30 and some change. Jennifer did have the fastest AG bike time at 16.6 mph. Considering she hasn't been training a whole lot, I think this was a fantastic result!!!! I can't wait to see how she does when she actually starts training....
Results: Run 1 - 17:23 Bike - 50:42 Run 2 - 19:58 Finish - 1:30:07 1/5 in division
The Women's 35-39 Winning Time
What's up with the creepy dude behind Jennifer?
(nice umbrella....freak)
Karl had an awesome race as well. He's been training like a fiend, so it was no surprise. He posted a 20.9 avg. on the bike, and a 14:36 second run. He's really starting to put everything together, so I expect he'll get a AG win sometime this Spring....if not a top 3 overall. His secret training method is to get a stomach virus a week before the race....quick way to lose 3 pounds. He's definitely going to be a big factor at every duathlon this Spring. I'll really have to step it up if I want to stay close to him in the overall this year.
Results: Run 1 - 13:46 Bike - 40:09 Run 2 - 14:36 Finish 1:09:59 2/13 in division
That dog was in every picture
The second fastest man....in THE WORLD!
Overall a fun race despite the weather. The new Element worked out great, especially being able to keep the bikes dry....for awhile anyway. Gas mileage isn't great, but we knew that going in. I think it will work out great for the weekend bike trips.
Next race on the schedule is Beloit on May 17th. A short flat course of 2/11/2. I'm hoping for a better showing. We're also hoping our friends Chris and Gail will try their first du......this is the course for it.
Karl, Jennifer, and myself made the trek to Rock Cut State Park on Saturday. The first duathlon of the year was called "The Peanut Butter Duathlon." Freaky. I much preferred the old name, "Law Day." Anyway, we get there and it's raining sideways and about 46 degrees. Very nice.
I no rikie the weather...
Our plan was to warm up on the trainers, but I putzed around and got bascially no warm up whatsoever. We listened to a somewhat drawn out pre-race meeting. The jest of it was that the run course was basically all mud....ankle deep in some spots (see below, that's not hair on my legs....) Again, nice.
Kid watching me puke while timing chip is removed
The run course was in the opposite direction from previous years. I had no preference, as it seemed to be no less/more difficult. My plan was to stay with Karl and use the first run as a warm up. We came in around 13:30 or so, and I didn't feel too terribly bad. Jennifer came in around 17 minutes and had a quick transition onto the bike. Karl was out and flying about 10 seconds ahead of me....unfortunately, that was the last time I'd see him until the finish.
The bike leg was supposed to be my strong point. I haven't been running much, so I wasn't expecting anything extraordinary. I tried starting out easy, hoping to build up a nice pace after the first lap. Unfortunately, I never really seemed to get warmed up. My legs felt heavy, and my hamstrings were tight. I traded spots back and forth with a guy on a Kestrel tri bike. My average ended up being 19.5 mph, it was one of my worst bike legs ever. Hopefully I can pick it up for Beloit in a few weeks.
My second transition was really slow. I couldn't get my fingers to work right. (did I mention it was cold?) I lumbered out onto the run course with two other guys. I quickly fell off their pace and found myself running alone. The mud was pretty nasty in spots. The first run had really churned up the mud, making it slow going. I was passed by one guy with about a 1/4 mile to go. I wasn't too surprised, he looked like a 20 year old cross country runner. I came in about 15:30 or so for the last run. I was actually pretty surprised with that time. I believe I've done one brick workout this Spring.....so I figured I'd just fall over in transition and call it a day - so actually being able to run was a shocker. I ended up 5th out of 19 in my age group. A bit of a disappointment since I scored 2nd last year.
Results: Run 1 - 13:50 Bike - 43:08 Run 2 - 15:29 Finish - 1:14:27
Jennifer had a great race....although she didn't think so. She thought her runs were too slow to be competitive. Karl and I checked the posted results...and they had her WINNING her division!!!! We were a little suspect because they listed only one person in her division...her. We found out later there were five other women. She finished in 1:30 and some change. Jennifer did have the fastest AG bike time at 16.6 mph. Considering she hasn't been training a whole lot, I think this was a fantastic result!!!! I can't wait to see how she does when she actually starts training....
Results: Run 1 - 17:23 Bike - 50:42 Run 2 - 19:58 Finish - 1:30:07 1/5 in division
The Women's 35-39 Winning Time
What's up with the creepy dude behind Jennifer?
(nice umbrella....freak)
Karl had an awesome race as well. He's been training like a fiend, so it was no surprise. He posted a 20.9 avg. on the bike, and a 14:36 second run. He's really starting to put everything together, so I expect he'll get a AG win sometime this Spring....if not a top 3 overall. His secret training method is to get a stomach virus a week before the race....quick way to lose 3 pounds. He's definitely going to be a big factor at every duathlon this Spring. I'll really have to step it up if I want to stay close to him in the overall this year.
Results: Run 1 - 13:46 Bike - 40:09 Run 2 - 14:36 Finish 1:09:59 2/13 in division
That dog was in every picture
The second fastest man....in THE WORLD!
Overall a fun race despite the weather. The new Element worked out great, especially being able to keep the bikes dry....for awhile anyway. Gas mileage isn't great, but we knew that going in. I think it will work out great for the weekend bike trips.
Next race on the schedule is Beloit on May 17th. A short flat course of 2/11/2. I'm hoping for a better showing. We're also hoping our friends Chris and Gail will try their first du......this is the course for it.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Badger State Trail
Took a little trip out towards Belleville on Sunday. Karl, Chris, Gail, Bob, and myself decided to ride the Badger State Trail. We figured with all the warm weather, trail conditions would be a little sloppy....to our surprise it was more frozen and snowy than sloppy.
This was actually ice covered with a little water, even though it looks like snow.
This also marked the spot where we decided the "trail" was a basically unridable. Don't get me wrong, there were some ridable areas.....this just wasn't one of them.
We eventually made it back to the trail. Gail had to pay the toll to this guy...aka "Yeti Tunnel Troll."
Our ultimate destination was this.
I have to tell you.....this was pretty freakin' cool. We ended up walking our bikes the entire length of the tunnel. (with two small bike lights to guide our way) There were a number of times where you couldn't see your hand in front of your face...or someone else's hand in front of your face. We almost made it out unscathed....but eventually ran across ankle deep water. Chris and Gail, being the bike handling guru's of the group attempted to ride their way out. Gail almost made it, but took a low speed digger into six inches of REALLY cold water. I would have helped her.....but as everyone knows, I can't swim..... Gail righted herself and soldiered on to the end of the tunnel.
We were actually able to ride the rest of the trail.....since swimming back didn't seem like a good idea. We eventually hit the road and made some good time. Unfortunately Bob was pretty much frozen after hitting mid 30mph on the way down some hills. We passed a giant dead "fox" (also known as a coyote) on the way back into town. Also saw a dead cat with no eyes. (sorry no pic's of either)
Overall a really fun ride despite the trail conditions. The tunnel was our big goal, and it was awesome. We're already planning a trip back there as things thaw out.
Trip stats: about 12 miles, (half of that was walking) avg.speed.....about 8.4mph. Yeah, that's right.....don't mess with us, we'll kick your A**!
This was actually ice covered with a little water, even though it looks like snow.
This also marked the spot where we decided the "trail" was a basically unridable. Don't get me wrong, there were some ridable areas.....this just wasn't one of them.
We eventually made it back to the trail. Gail had to pay the toll to this guy...aka "Yeti Tunnel Troll."
Our ultimate destination was this.
I have to tell you.....this was pretty freakin' cool. We ended up walking our bikes the entire length of the tunnel. (with two small bike lights to guide our way) There were a number of times where you couldn't see your hand in front of your face...or someone else's hand in front of your face. We almost made it out unscathed....but eventually ran across ankle deep water. Chris and Gail, being the bike handling guru's of the group attempted to ride their way out. Gail almost made it, but took a low speed digger into six inches of REALLY cold water. I would have helped her.....but as everyone knows, I can't swim..... Gail righted herself and soldiered on to the end of the tunnel.
We were actually able to ride the rest of the trail.....since swimming back didn't seem like a good idea. We eventually hit the road and made some good time. Unfortunately Bob was pretty much frozen after hitting mid 30mph on the way down some hills. We passed a giant dead "fox" (also known as a coyote) on the way back into town. Also saw a dead cat with no eyes. (sorry no pic's of either)
Overall a really fun ride despite the trail conditions. The tunnel was our big goal, and it was awesome. We're already planning a trip back there as things thaw out.
Trip stats: about 12 miles, (half of that was walking) avg.speed.....about 8.4mph. Yeah, that's right.....don't mess with us, we'll kick your A**!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
2008 Cyclocross Schedule
Here's the low down. Please plan your life accordingly....thank you, that is all.
September 27 - Mad Cross I UCI C2 Cyclocross Race
September 28 - Mad Cross II UCI C2 Cyclocross Race
October 4 - Cam-Rock Cyclocross
October 5 - Lapham Peak Cyclocross
October 18 - Badger Prairie Cyclocross
October 19 - Gibbs Lake Cyclocross
October 26 - Washington Park Cyclocross
November 1 - Kletsch Park Cyclocross
November 2 - Estabrook Cyclocross
November 15 - UW Whitewater Cyclocross (new venue TBA)
November 23 - Hales Corner State Cyclocross Championship
September 27 - Mad Cross I UCI C2 Cyclocross Race
September 28 - Mad Cross II UCI C2 Cyclocross Race
October 4 - Cam-Rock Cyclocross
October 5 - Lapham Peak Cyclocross
October 18 - Badger Prairie Cyclocross
October 19 - Gibbs Lake Cyclocross
October 26 - Washington Park Cyclocross
November 1 - Kletsch Park Cyclocross
November 2 - Estabrook Cyclocross
November 15 - UW Whitewater Cyclocross (new venue TBA)
November 23 - Hales Corner State Cyclocross Championship
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Weekend Ride...finally!!
Well, we finally got out for our first weekend ride in a couple of weeks. Sunday afternoon was sunny and around 34 degrees. (we couldn't pass that up) The roads are in freaking horrible condition, but hey, it beats the trainer.
We met at Chris and Gails place about 2:30. We managed to find a fairly unobstructed route out of town towards Oregon. The downhill sections were a little spooky....trying to stay in the narrow tire tracks was a challenge. I've got to say, the GF Rig is an awesome bike for these conditions. No gears to freeze up, big tires to soak up the bumps, disc brakes to slow things down, and a really confidence inspiring ride.....it's sweet. C&G rode their old Trek hardtails, and Karl rode his Trek XO cross bike. (I'm guessing that was a little sketchy, but he seemed to keep everything under control....of course we never ventured off road, where no doubt he would have immediately fallen over for no particular reason.)
We stopped twice along the route, (taking in some of the SVC's Badfish TT course)to snap a few pics's. Thankfully Chris remembered to actually bring a camera. (like I said before, I'm going to have to remember stuff....or have someone remember it for me) We used the snow as a make shift bike stand for this one.
The next one was just outside of town. We decided to stop and pet a horse....which turned out to be a really big dog. Now when I say "big" I mean BIG. I'm guessing this horse-dog was about three feet taller than Gail....but then again, who isn't three feet taller than Gail... (sorry Gail, I couldn't resist) anyway, here's photographic proof.
We also have a little bit of snow around here.
Coming back into town Chris and Karl "put the hammer down" on our usual summer sprint hill. Needless to say, the SS and I were having a tough time. Chris summed it up pretty well when he said, "I think your cadence was higher than your heart rate."
I was going to break out my one-legged 190rpm sprint drills, but I didn't want to show off....or fall down.
The overall ride was a blast...as usual. Thanks to Karl's calculations, 21.6 miles in 1 hour and 55 minutes...for a blazing average of 11.3 mph. Hey cut us some slack, the roads are in rough shape....and at least we were outside.
Stopped by Phil's new place last night for the first official meeting of the Stoton Velo/Brazen Dropout Club. That will need a post all it's own....
We met at Chris and Gails place about 2:30. We managed to find a fairly unobstructed route out of town towards Oregon. The downhill sections were a little spooky....trying to stay in the narrow tire tracks was a challenge. I've got to say, the GF Rig is an awesome bike for these conditions. No gears to freeze up, big tires to soak up the bumps, disc brakes to slow things down, and a really confidence inspiring ride.....it's sweet. C&G rode their old Trek hardtails, and Karl rode his Trek XO cross bike. (I'm guessing that was a little sketchy, but he seemed to keep everything under control....of course we never ventured off road, where no doubt he would have immediately fallen over for no particular reason.)
We stopped twice along the route, (taking in some of the SVC's Badfish TT course)to snap a few pics's. Thankfully Chris remembered to actually bring a camera. (like I said before, I'm going to have to remember stuff....or have someone remember it for me) We used the snow as a make shift bike stand for this one.
The next one was just outside of town. We decided to stop and pet a horse....which turned out to be a really big dog. Now when I say "big" I mean BIG. I'm guessing this horse-dog was about three feet taller than Gail....but then again, who isn't three feet taller than Gail... (sorry Gail, I couldn't resist) anyway, here's photographic proof.
We also have a little bit of snow around here.
Coming back into town Chris and Karl "put the hammer down" on our usual summer sprint hill. Needless to say, the SS and I were having a tough time. Chris summed it up pretty well when he said, "I think your cadence was higher than your heart rate."
I was going to break out my one-legged 190rpm sprint drills, but I didn't want to show off....or fall down.
The overall ride was a blast...as usual. Thanks to Karl's calculations, 21.6 miles in 1 hour and 55 minutes...for a blazing average of 11.3 mph. Hey cut us some slack, the roads are in rough shape....and at least we were outside.
Stopped by Phil's new place last night for the first official meeting of the Stoton Velo/Brazen Dropout Club. That will need a post all it's own....
Monday, February 18, 2008
The Weekend (and since I'm lazy, a few extra days)
Yippee, my first weekend blog report. You'd think since it was the weekend and all, I'd have some fantastic stories and pictures about biking......unfortunately not the case. The weather on Sunday put the brakes on any sort of ride...or any sort of outdoor activities for that matter.
Saturday we spent the day window shopping. (not actually looking for windows mind you) Jennifer is in need of some glasses, so we went to this place. I have to say, they have some crazy looking stuff there. Jennifer managed to find some frames she liked that didn't cost 500.00. (yes, there were some) Awhile back she found some at Lenscrafters, so we might check those out again. I think the last time Jennifer bought glasses was 7 years ago.....so I guess she's about due.
Besides glasses, we looked at planters for outside the garage. (too expensive) We also looked at a ton of furniture. We need a new bed....and some new living room furniture....and a new tv.....and some bike stuff....well, we "need" new everything.
The only things we actually bought were biking mags, gardening books, and some winter gloves for me, (on sale) and some summer riding gloves for Jennifer. (REI giftcard)oh, and some hand/toe warmers. Very exciting stuff.
Our friends Chris and Gail invited us to Club 121 in downtown Stoughton Saturday night. Jennifer and I have talked about going there for awhile, so it was perfect timing. The place is really nice, a renovated downtown building from the late 1800's. Nice to see people taking an interest in restoring the old downtown buildings. The band was good.....but really loud. I'm pretty sure they are used to playing for a bunch of really loud Harley guys.....We eventually walked across the street to Vincenzo's Wine Bar. Nice place, very laid back atmosphere....and comparatively quiet. There was one weird thing, (well actually a number of weird things) but an 8-sided face vase was the winner. Yeah, a white vase with 8 faces circling around it....needless to say, it was freaking me out. Other than that we saw a guy break a leg off a bench he was sitting on.(funny) We also saw people laying in a window with a blanket on, and last but not least, a psychic. He was sitting in the window when you came in....that freaked me out too. (but not as bad as the 8-sided face vase thing) We had a really fun time. Definitely need to do that more often.
Wow, this post is getting freakishly long, so I'm going to cut to the chase:
Monday - Work, shovel, bike trainer, shower, eat, bed.
Tuesday - Work, eat, bed.
Wednesday - Work, order Jennifer's glasses, bike trainer, shower, eat, bed.
Thursday - Work........that's it so far. I'm still here.
Friday - Vacation Day (run some errands)
Saturday - Bike Ride?
Sunday - Bike Ride?
There, that was much easier.
Hopefully I'll actually have something interesting to blog about after the weekend.
In the meantime check out this, and this.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again......monkeys are natures comedians.
Saturday we spent the day window shopping. (not actually looking for windows mind you) Jennifer is in need of some glasses, so we went to this place. I have to say, they have some crazy looking stuff there. Jennifer managed to find some frames she liked that didn't cost 500.00. (yes, there were some) Awhile back she found some at Lenscrafters, so we might check those out again. I think the last time Jennifer bought glasses was 7 years ago.....so I guess she's about due.
Besides glasses, we looked at planters for outside the garage. (too expensive) We also looked at a ton of furniture. We need a new bed....and some new living room furniture....and a new tv.....and some bike stuff....well, we "need" new everything.
The only things we actually bought were biking mags, gardening books, and some winter gloves for me, (on sale) and some summer riding gloves for Jennifer. (REI giftcard)oh, and some hand/toe warmers. Very exciting stuff.
Our friends Chris and Gail invited us to Club 121 in downtown Stoughton Saturday night. Jennifer and I have talked about going there for awhile, so it was perfect timing. The place is really nice, a renovated downtown building from the late 1800's. Nice to see people taking an interest in restoring the old downtown buildings. The band was good.....but really loud. I'm pretty sure they are used to playing for a bunch of really loud Harley guys.....We eventually walked across the street to Vincenzo's Wine Bar. Nice place, very laid back atmosphere....and comparatively quiet. There was one weird thing, (well actually a number of weird things) but an 8-sided face vase was the winner. Yeah, a white vase with 8 faces circling around it....needless to say, it was freaking me out. Other than that we saw a guy break a leg off a bench he was sitting on.(funny) We also saw people laying in a window with a blanket on, and last but not least, a psychic. He was sitting in the window when you came in....that freaked me out too. (but not as bad as the 8-sided face vase thing) We had a really fun time. Definitely need to do that more often.
Wow, this post is getting freakishly long, so I'm going to cut to the chase:
Monday - Work, shovel, bike trainer, shower, eat, bed.
Tuesday - Work, eat, bed.
Wednesday - Work, order Jennifer's glasses, bike trainer, shower, eat, bed.
Thursday - Work........that's it so far. I'm still here.
Friday - Vacation Day (run some errands)
Saturday - Bike Ride?
Sunday - Bike Ride?
There, that was much easier.
Hopefully I'll actually have something interesting to blog about after the weekend.
In the meantime check out this, and this.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again......monkeys are natures comedians.
Friday, February 15, 2008
I got nothin'
Alright, day 3 of blogsville.....and I got nothing. Allow me to elaborate on yesterday and today:
Yesterday:
1) Got up, went to work
2) Drove home from work
3) Chased cat around the house, fed cats
4) No workout (remember, treadmill is broken)
5) Eat dinner
6) Sit on couch, watch Lost (don't get me started....that's a whole new blog)
7) Go to bed
Today:
See yesterday.....but subtract Lost and add shoveling snow
Thankfully it's the weekend, so I have that to look forward to.
Bike ride on Sunday!!....Unfortunately it will be accompanied by 14 inches of snow and 35 mph winds. Either way it still beats work.
Yesterday:
1) Got up, went to work
2) Drove home from work
3) Chased cat around the house, fed cats
4) No workout (remember, treadmill is broken)
5) Eat dinner
6) Sit on couch, watch Lost (don't get me started....that's a whole new blog)
7) Go to bed
Today:
See yesterday.....but subtract Lost and add shoveling snow
Thankfully it's the weekend, so I have that to look forward to.
Bike ride on Sunday!!....Unfortunately it will be accompanied by 14 inches of snow and 35 mph winds. Either way it still beats work.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
"Treadspill"
I'm lucky to be writing this after a brush with.......not death mind you, but a treadmill.
Jennifer had just finished running 4.5 miles, and now it was my turn. I was in the middle of my 3x800 intervals, (at a 6:22 pace) when I heard a loud thud behind me. (You have to understand, I have a hard time running that fast, much less actually looking behind me while running that fast.)
I thought maybe one of the many boxes we have stacked up in the basement had fallen over. Apparently that was incorrect, because a few seconds later the treadmill belt is on the floor. Just in case you were wondering..... going from almost 10mph to 0mph in a half second does cause you to fly face first towards the control panel. Anyway, I managed to stay upright and not crash into all our boxes full of Christmas ornaments. Not quite as smooth as this guy, but darn close.
Upon closer inspection it appears that one of the plastic (yes, plastic) brackets that hold the rear roller had broken off. I'm no treadmill engineer, but that seems like something that shouldn't be made out of plastic. I wasn't really in the mood to tear the whole thing apart, but I'm pretty sure I can fabricate a new metal bracket. Jennifer has already declared she will not run on the treadmill ever again. I don't believe she has much faith in my ability to repair said treadmill to her satisfaction.......which basically means she doesn't want to be maimed by a treadmill that I cobbled back together with superglue, zipties, and an old spoon. (I guess I can't blame her.)
I guess if worse comes to worse, I can always run outside. I'm not really fired up about running on ice, at night, in single digit temperatures......fortunately I'm even less thrilled about buying a new treadmill. I'll tear it apart this weekend to see the extent of the damage. Who knows, maybe I'll take a few pic's.....or better yet video! (too bad I have no idea how to post video here.....or anywhere for that matter.)
Jennifer had just finished running 4.5 miles, and now it was my turn. I was in the middle of my 3x800 intervals, (at a 6:22 pace) when I heard a loud thud behind me. (You have to understand, I have a hard time running that fast, much less actually looking behind me while running that fast.)
I thought maybe one of the many boxes we have stacked up in the basement had fallen over. Apparently that was incorrect, because a few seconds later the treadmill belt is on the floor. Just in case you were wondering..... going from almost 10mph to 0mph in a half second does cause you to fly face first towards the control panel. Anyway, I managed to stay upright and not crash into all our boxes full of Christmas ornaments. Not quite as smooth as this guy, but darn close.
Upon closer inspection it appears that one of the plastic (yes, plastic) brackets that hold the rear roller had broken off. I'm no treadmill engineer, but that seems like something that shouldn't be made out of plastic. I wasn't really in the mood to tear the whole thing apart, but I'm pretty sure I can fabricate a new metal bracket. Jennifer has already declared she will not run on the treadmill ever again. I don't believe she has much faith in my ability to repair said treadmill to her satisfaction.......which basically means she doesn't want to be maimed by a treadmill that I cobbled back together with superglue, zipties, and an old spoon. (I guess I can't blame her.)
I guess if worse comes to worse, I can always run outside. I'm not really fired up about running on ice, at night, in single digit temperatures......fortunately I'm even less thrilled about buying a new treadmill. I'll tear it apart this weekend to see the extent of the damage. Who knows, maybe I'll take a few pic's.....or better yet video! (too bad I have no idea how to post video here.....or anywhere for that matter.)
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Now What?
Alrighty then......I've got myself a blog. Now all I have to do is think of stuff to post here. The more I think about it, the more this seems like a lot of work. I'm going to have to carry a camera on rides. (or talk someone else into carrying it.) I'm going to have to actually remember things that happen during a ride........and then remember them long enough to post them here. I may have to quit my job just so I have enough time to keep up with my blogI told my wife, "I created a blog." She responded by saying, "I don't know what a blog is." So, I showed her. (sorry, a little Rowan Atkinson humor.) I just realized something else, I have no idea what most of the icons are for on the post page........sweet. I apologize in advance if I accidentally post this in mandarin chinese.
Hopefully someone will actually find my incoherent jibberish somewhat entertaining. Unfortunately as of right now, I believe a grand total of 3 people are aware of this blog. (and as far as I know none of them will actually read it......for which I cannot blame them I plan to post pic's and info about my cycling related activities, (which this time of year involves sitting on a trainer watching tv......you're glad you decided to read this now aren't you? Should be very entertaining stuff.) I also plan to post things I think are funny, like this:
or this:
Other than that, I really haven't given it much thought. I do understand it's good blogger etiquette to post on a regular basis........so with that in mind, I'll see you in 2 weeks.
Hopefully someone will actually find my incoherent jibberish somewhat entertaining. Unfortunately as of right now, I believe a grand total of 3 people are aware of this blog. (and as far as I know none of them will actually read it......for which I cannot blame them I plan to post pic's and info about my cycling related activities, (which this time of year involves sitting on a trainer watching tv......you're glad you decided to read this now aren't you? Should be very entertaining stuff.) I also plan to post things I think are funny, like this:
or this:
Other than that, I really haven't given it much thought. I do understand it's good blogger etiquette to post on a regular basis........so with that in mind, I'll see you in 2 weeks.
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