What?!

Seven. That's the number of runners that made the 4:45 PM run from Parkview tonight. I never thought Jimmy's popularity could be challenged, but apparently the charisma and machismo that is Allen Burris has some sway with the exercise-minded. Or it could be the calves. Either way, there were indeed seven runners for tonight's run.

We did the usual Thursday route I can never quite remember. I was reminded we do it every week, though that is a bit of an exaggeration; this was only the third Thursday. It is fair chide me, because I am usually much quicker on patterns.

Galloway made it, though I'm pretty sure by the end he wish he hadn't. The knee is really hurting him. I knew it was so when I made an egregious error regarding high school basketball and he didn't ride me like a cheap quarter ride outside a supermarket (kids, you might be too young to understand that one). He said he "was trying to keep his mind on positive thoughts." I'm so sorry, man.

Roy is beginning to assert himself in the absence of Scott. He led most of the run tonight, and by the end had dropped the pace significantly. We started a bit past 9 and finished a bit past 8. One minute per mile dropped by the time we finished 5. Yeah, Roy's coming on.

Twenty Miles of Nowhere is getting somewhere! Leisa and I worked on the graphic a bit tonight, she has her flyer about done, and she has spoken to the local health clubs. Things are moving apace, almost as if it was meant to be. I may have to tap some of our celebrity talent for promo videos. More on that later. 

Semantics

Like my new Strava profile pic? Made it myself. Dang, I got skilz.

There was another good-sized Wednesday night running group tonight. It featured about every available local runner in our circle, including Scott. What is notable about Scott is he is scheduled to see Dr. Fox next week about his knee. That didn't stop him from handing it to us.

Scott's typical MO is to lead out after the first half mile. The idea is to make a gap so he can go completely around the 27 Street route, getting the full 5-mile distance by the end of the run. True to form, Scott broke off before the alley headed to Norton Lane.

I knew what he was doing, and decided if I was going to chase, I'd better do so immediately. I broke smartly off the front of the group, but it took a long time to catch. I'd picked the very moment he'd accelerated more to go, and it made the catch all the harder.

We did the extra loop, ran back to the group, and for a while played nice. Soon Scott was busting off the front again, preparing to add a little extra to the second part of the run. I went with him, as did Miller. About half a mile later I began to feel more than hear another person behind us. It was Jake, an impressive move considering the pace. The four of us followed Scott to his turn, the U-turned to go back up to Jimmy's.

We could see Jimmy and Rand had already turned, and the distance was perhaps a 10th of a mile. "You guys go get 'em. I can't catch them tonight", said Scott. Laughable. We were doing 7:30 pace, and I'd guess Jimmy and Rand were doing 8:30-8:45 max. Not only would we catch them, but we'd do it relatively quickly.

We caught them midway between 21st and 22nd, a fair distance from the office. Would Scott play nice the rest of the way in? No way. Soon he was off again. Miller started to feel a little saucy by then, and he started to lead out. Scott urged me to catch, but I declined. Couldn't if I'd wanted to, and besides, my whole purpose of breaking off the group was to run with Scott.

So we took it in, a solid effort. I felt good the whole way, not pressing, and though the time was not impressive, it was faster than I have been averaging. That has to count for something.

Run from Parkview tomorrow at 4:45. 

CHECK THE GARMINS AT THE DOOR! CHECK THE GARMINS AT THE DOOR! CHECK THE GARMINS AT THE DOOR!

One thing is always certain when Jimmy and Allen get together to run; there will be the give-and-take discussion/debate over Garmins/running watches. It's always hard to say who starts it, and even harder to divine the purpose. Fact is, it's been going on for so long I can't remember a run in a long time where it wasn't brought up.

It's not like anyone is changing anyone's mind. You either wear one or you don't. There are people that take anything to the extreme, and though I can be one of those people, in this case I'm fairly neutral. I see Garmins as a tool with a purpose, but certainly not the infallible end-all/be-all of running neophytes tend to believe them to be. Truth is usually in the middle in most cases, and I think this is certainly one of those times.

I will note, however... those without Garmins can't seem to shut up about them. Playing upon a similar psychological phenomena, let me just dub this practice here and now as "Garmin Envy". More, those without seem to be engaged in more than a little "overcompensation". ;)

We did do our tempo tonight, "we" being Allen, Jimmy, John T., Rand, and myself. This was a bit more organized than last week, and if I do say so myself, a bit more "tempo-ey". This was 2 miles instead of 1, the time taken more closely approximating a true tempo duration. 2.5 miles might be the perfect distance for us time-wise, though I'm not sure that's a can of worms I wish to open just yet.

I wanted to let Jimmy set the pace. He and John T. settled on 7:10, and we started together. Allen took off early (as usual), and Rand did his thing. We were bunched fairly closely until traffic on darkening roads strung us out a bit. Our quarter-mile checkpoint had us a little up, so we started to adjust. Too much, because before long I saw 7:15 pace on my Garmin. I picked it up after calling the pace, but Jimmy wasn't having it. The last thing I heard him say before I pulled away was, "Okay, that was 7:20 pace". He'd just seen their half-mile split.

Dropping down Industrial I just let gravity work. The result was a faster than planned 6:44 pace. This is much slower than last week, and it was in no way difficult. I pressed up the incline heading into mile 2. this mile went fine as well, other than congestion in my throat beginning to choke me. I suppressed the gag reflex and finished the mile smoothly at a 6:36 pace. Somehow Garmin turned this into a 6:39 pace for 2 miles, I won't argue this way or that. Let Jimmy and Allen do that.

John T. and Jimmy were something like 7:05 - 6:58, Allen 7:29 - 7:28, and I never heard Rand's times. Perhaps I should call him "Mysterious Rand", because getting this type of information from his is usually very difficult. Of course tonight maybe I just didn't hear him.

We run from Jimmy's tomorrow at 5:15.

3 x 220

The answer is NOT 660!

No, the meaning is not really mathematical at all... it's how many guys in tonight's run wore Garmin 220's. I was the first to break the ice on this truly wonderful all-around watch/GPS. John T. soon bit, and now our good friend Scott has recently begun sporting his black and red beauty. He even convinced his Orleans buddy Chris into buying with him.

Jimmy keeps sniffing, but he doesn't bite. He had a shot at a $199 Garmin 910 (which he should have bought), but passed. Now he is looking hard at the 220. I do understand the problem a bit. He needs something he can wear as a watch. I had the same issue, and the 220 has filled that void beautifully. With a 10-hour battery and a completely waterproof case, it's nearly the perfect all-around piece of equipment. I do wish it tracked swimming better, but the truth is my 910 wasn't accurate in open water either, making that portion useless. The one thing I do truly wish was the 220 had the same 20-hour battery of the 910.

We ran 5 tonight - at least, I did. I ran from my house to the office, then ran home afterward to get my miles. The rest of the guys cheated themselves. The regular time, the regular route, the regular crew. Nothing much to note here except one thing... the end of the run.

Bartlett, as he sometimes does, broke off the front. I let it go for a few moments, but decided if I was going to cover, I had to make the move. I did. Then so did Rand. Then John T. Bartlett looked surprised we were all there, not because he didn't think we could, more like he didn't think we would.

It felt good to run a faster tempo. It wasn't fast as in the old days fast, but it was fast enough to feel like I was working. I like that feeling, and enjoy running that way.

Good thing. Tomorrow is tempo Tuesday. We will be going 2 miles at speed, at least, that's the plan. 5:15 from Parkview!

Cookies and Santa Go Together, Don't They?

First off, I want to thank the City of Bedford. No one has ever thrown a party for my birthday, and while that may still be true, I can now say an entire city just threw a parade for me. Never in a million years did I see that coming. Floats, lights, crowds of people waving and cheering as I took my evening jog... forgive me, I'm choking up right now. You guys are the best, really!

In the words of Mike Myers, "I'm verklempt!"

The day actually started when Jimmy, Rand, and I took a short trip down to Loogootee. Debbie (of John T. fame) hosted a 5k benefit run this morning, and as it was her first try at a race, we felt we should support her. It almost didn't happen though... when I awoke at 4:45 to the sound of sleet pounding my window, I couldn't imagine making the trip. Thankfully that let up.

There weren't a lot of people there, maybe 30-40. It was a nice group though, and for a startup race, maybe the best thing that could have happened. It kept things manageable. The three of us started the race, quickly moving to the front within the first half-mile, with only 4th grader little Lucas Britton hanging with us.

Okay, maybe it is my birthday, and maybe I was tempted to go for a rare birthday win. But how do you stomp on the dreams of a little kid? Especially a little red-headed boy. You can't. You just can't. As I always say (sometimes), "Don't punch down."

So we coached him through it. We didn't hit his time goal, but we did let him sprint to the win. Jimmy's competitive nature did get the better of him - too late. He began to protest loudly and persistently about the illegal nature of Lucas's shoes. I don't know what the deal was - sounded like sour grapes to me. It was Jimmy being Jimmy.

He did wind up snaking me on the awards. Lucas was first, Jimmy 2nd, I was 3rd, Rand 4th. Rand was proud he was 4th, because EVERYONE knows 4th is better than 2nd (well, everyone whose name rhymes with "penny"). My poor luck was to be in the male 51-59 age group. If only I'd been 50. Or 60. Not sure where those folks wound up award-wise, but I would have had a shot.

Later we got together again for the Santa Hat Run. Things got off to a weird start when a busload of band kids made for our gym doors as soon as we opened. Someone had called Jimmy asking for permission to let the kids in to use the restroom. It's an awkward thing; we didn't have permission to do that, but at the same time we wanted to be human. Jimmy told them to come in, get dressed, use the restroom, then go back out. They looked shocked. We tried over and over to explain the situation, but they still looked shocked.

Later their band director came in. He started to really take liberties when he directed his kids out onto the hardwood. This was too much, and before I could jump up Jimmy was all over it. One more time he tried to explain about permission, to which the band director declared defiantly, "I have permission!" "From whom?" I asked. I really needed to know this more than he realized. He gave me a name that in nearly 30 years of working for the corporation I'd never heard. Once again Jimmy jumped in with "She does not have authority over this facility."

Jimmy was as diplomatic as only Jimmy can be, and though dissatisfied, the band director eventually accepted the directions. I want to make clear in no way did any of us wish to be harsh or unfair to anyone related to the bands. We were caught between a rock and a hard place. We had very specific permissions, and there was no custodian on duty. We were prepared for a certain level of traffic, We would have accepted the additional traffic, and did. What we could NOT have was the public on the new hardwood floor with street shoes.

It all worked out in the end, and the run portion was very well attended. I was glad to see many of my running friends, community, and even some of my girls' team present. I was especially glad to see Dale Lynn and Mark Ryan there. They've been through so much lately, and it was a blessing to have them there.

The weather was very nice and I can't say that it could have gone any smoother - the small band issue aside. That's easily solved, of course; next year we'll simply broaden the permission. 

A Cold Drizzle

Standing on the corner this afternoon while performing traffic duty, the light, cold drizzle covered my jacket. Luckily Leisa loves me, and bought me a waterproof Northface that seemed to resist the elements nicely. Though I was warm, I could only think ahead a couple of hours to when I wouldn't have that jacket, but I would be back out in the drizzle.

You see, it's Thursday. Jimmy doesn't run on Thursdays, ergo rain was certain.

What I could not be certain about was having company. I would run regardless. Would Allen make it? As far as I knew he was the only other person planning to come. Allen can sometimes be... sketchy... about iffy days.

I rolled up to find Roy in his car waiting. A few moments later Allen arrived. We three would be the complete company of today's run, so with little ado, we were off.

Allen only changed the course one time. We headed down Park Avenue instead of Washington. I didn't care - made no difference to the run. Roy seemed used to it, so it's clearly something they've done regularly.

Roy really pulled the run. At times Allen appeared pressed to keep attached, though Roy didn't seem to notice. I let him do his thing, running just off his shoulder. I would comment it really is amazing to see how much improvement he's had over the last few years. He is not the same guy that tried to hang in there for a mile a few years back.

Allen started working on Roy about Boston. I have to say I would agree, Roy can get a qualifier if he wants it. I hope he goes for it, because there would be no better time to try than right now, at the peak of his adult fitness.

Jimmy, Scott, and I are planning to go to Loogootee Saturday. The race is at 9 AM. I have one more seat if anyone wants to ride with us.

Another Wednesday

Just another Wednesday, nothing remarkable to report. Miller was back, healthy enough to run. Jimmy was overdressed - again. Same old, same old.

We did run a hard mile last night, and for myself I can say I felt no ill effects. I'd go as far to say I felt pretty good. The nearly 5 mile run went by pretty quickly.

I've hurt my right shoulder, and lifting has been seriously curtailed. I don't want to have surgery, but it may have finally come to that point. If swimming is not possible, triathlon is not possible. That will force my hand.

The other concern I have is my foot. I've ridden one time in 6 weeks, and I can feel my foot already. That's not good. It may have brought me to the place where I either change my shoe/pedal situation, or try to fix the old bike. I'm leaning toward fixing the old bike. After all, I know it worked. More, and this is no small thing, it would be cheaper.

I think the acid test will be once I spin indoors. I will use the Cannondale for this, which uses Speedplay pedals. If that bike does not hurt my feet, then it's something in the Kestrel setup. If it does, it's the pedals. Seems like a smart way to test

Tomorrow we run from Parkview at 4:45. 5 miles.

Saturday... a few of us are going down to Loogootee to support Debbie's 5k. More on this tomorrow. 

First hard(ish) run of the new cycle

I alluded to the need to push the boys to go hard tonight... well, I was right. There we were, right at the starting mark for the tempo course, and the other three guys were ready to run right by it. Nu-uh. Jimmy and Allen, both of whom were there tonight, have been talking a lot about starting tempos on Tuesdays. It was Tuesday, they were both there, it was time to start.

Jimmy began to bargain. "Well, what do you think? 7:50 pace? WHAT?! Not in your dreams. I know for a fact he can go much faster. Now maybe he was thinking we would all run the same pace, but... when have we ever done that? We start together, but we run our paces. Same as it ever was.

Due to a snafu on my timing gear, I waited for a moment or so before chasing the others down. The plan was to only go one mile hardish. I had no intention of running 7:50, but I would have been happy with anything sub-7. Since it was the first time running at speed for a while, I set it for quick turnover without a push. To that end I was felt it went well. At the end of the mile it was 6:20, a good start.

Jimmy, though using the supposedly dependable running watch, lost his time. I would judge he and John were right around 40-45 seconds behind me, and Allen another 40-45 behind that. The rest of the run was easy, nothing spectacular.

Well. We've now kicked it off, haven't we?

The rest of the week looks like regular run tomorrow, 4:45 run Thursday, afternoon run Friday, and Saturday morning at Parkview. That looks to be 7 miles at this point. For me, that finishes the week, other than the odd spin here and there.

Hope everyone gets healthy enough to train soon!

Got the ride yesterday, run today

I did get out and ride a bit yesterday. Sure it was windy, but it was so warm how could I not? It was the Jimmy workout of hill repeats on Industrial. Not a biggie though, since speed didn't matter. Just time.

Today was a run. To be honest, watching the downpour throughout the day gave me little hope it would be an enjoyable run. Temperatures dropped all day too, so there was a chance I would tell the guys to flake off - that's why I have a gym membership! Since Jimmy was running, it all worked out in the end.

Tomorrow we do the Parkview run. Whether or not this is the day we start running faster remains to be seen. Galloway is hurt, Scott may be hurt, and Rand always gets his feelings hurt when we tempo. Allen has a way of blowing this stuff off too... but you know what? I don't need any of those guys. If I decide tomorrow is the day, it's the day - for me.

Kicking a fund raiser idea around. We talked about it a bit on the run tonight. I will post here a bit more when I know... a bit more...

Day Off?

It was 66 degrees out this afternoon when I finally pulled on my riding gear to begin the next phase of training. I'd set the goal of restarting bike training over Thanksgiving, so technically I did so. Long? No. But that would have been a terrible idea. I am going to move slowly on this to see if I can bring the foot up in training without hurting it. I have had no pain for weeks, so here's hoping it stays that way.

I've been thinking about the running thing too. It might be a good idea to start running a short bit before the group runs. This would extend my running days a bit, and would greatly enhance my base. On paper it's solid; in practice it doesn't always work out. Every year brings new health challenges to overcome, and who knows what lies around the corner this time.

Completely off topic, I've spent a lot of time in recent weeks traveling down different, but oddly converging paths professionally. My teaching centers on business IT, which in itself is a broad category. Essentially that would be any technology that enhances or aids in the conduct of business, and sometimes even creating business. I don't want to get into the weeds too much there, it's rather dull to those not interested, just suffice to say it is not the engineering IT most commonly associated with IT.

With the advent of 3D printing coming home, it occurs to me that before long most homes will have printers. That means having at least a cursory knowledge of 3D design would almost certainly become a life skill. That leads me to believe I need to add that to my classes.

Now as I move along that path and dig into what it would take to conduct this type of activity at home or in the small office, I find there is still a great deal of graphic design involved, particularly in vectors. Programs like Illustrator are the industry standard for vector design, so now I will need to bring that into the class.

And while I am at it, might as well bring them both together in a fun way by doing basic game design and execution. Students create their worlds, characters, vehicles, and cause them to interact. No, it would never get to the place where it would be commercial, but it would open some possibilities.

It is not small arrogance to assume I could learn all the directions to a high level. I have no illusions about that happening, and there is no chance I will go back to school. However, I can still learn enough to introduce the concepts. In the first year that will be enough. As time goes, I will pick up more and more, and it will get better.

I'm excited about it. It's one of the wonderful things about my profession... there are standards you must hit, but how you hit them is up to you. Especially in my field, where change happens so fast, flexibility is itself a life skill. My classes will naturally have to evolve - the technology we use never stands still.

There's a commonly held precept in the computer world known as "Moore's Law". Essentially, computer power doubles every two years. That means software is written to keep up with the new ability of more powerful computers. Everything you know today about computers will be completely different in 10 years time. Fact. The sooner kids understand the need to constantly update their knowledge, the better off they'll be. This too is something I hope to share through this added curriculum.

Running tomorrow! 5:15 from the Quack's office. 

Disruption

You would think being off would make it easier to get things like blogging done. Quite the contrary. I'm a regimented guy, and when the schedule gets skewed, things go haywire in a hurry. I have a time of day I tend to do everything, and I do follow patterns; this has prevented me in large part from procrastination, because I know there is only so much time in a day. When I am off... well... I have all day, so why get in a hurry...

Training is back to 30 a week. That will now rise in some way. Either I start biking, raise my running, or both. With a marathon on the calendar for April, training does have to pick up. I'm not mentally ready, but hey, will I ever be? Put one foot in front of the other, see what happens.

An aside... I posted my Strava runs for the last three days only 5 minutes ago. Instant kudo. You know what they say though... 10,000 screaming fans can't be wrong...

Tomorrow is off for running. I will most likely set up a bike ride, either in or out. It will be short either way. I can't afford to hurt my foot so early in training. I have no pain in it whatsoever, and I'd like to keep it that way.

The Bub's dinner is on again... just a matter of when. Tentative date is 12/30/14 - that's a Tuesday night. Time is to be determined, but generally we go for around 7 PM. Post some feedback either through text or email if you have a problem with the date/time. Everyone who can read this is invited, and bring your families. They may be bored, but they will be fed a pretty tasty burger. 

On the edge

I can feel the cold coming on. The weather is up and down, my room at work is up and down, and the cough is starting. I hate it. It's not that I am seriously sick, which would probably end a lot quicker, it's that I'm going to drag for 7-10 days. Meh.

Ryan Roberts ran with us tonight - us being Jimmy, Rand, John T., and Miller. Regular Tuesday run, with the exception Allen, the chief architect of getting this Tuesday stuff going again, blew us off. Something about his birthday, but I don't buy it. Seems a guy shouldn't be surprised by his own birthday. ;)

Galloway is still a no-show. I fear his knee may not be a short-term deal. We were all there when it happened, a snowy run with light ice beneath in places. It's always risky going out when it's like that, and the older we get, the worse the risk. Still I hope for the best.

Tomorrow I am off work, but it is my daughter's birthday. (Allen take note) I may not be able to make the afternoon run, because I know there will be plans. They may be secret schedule stuff, but the pattern is established and consistent. There will be a few there at Jimmy's - a few.

Allen's run on Thursday morning. I hope he doesn't have plans and blow it off... 

Windy, but okay

We had a healthy crew of Jimmy, John T., Bartlett, Rand, Roy, and myself to face the sketchy weather tonight. Though the temperature was fine, the wind made it feel much worse. I wore a long-sleeve with a windbreaker, and that worked fine. John T. took no chances and went the further distance of wearing long tights. He's manly enough to pull that off, I suppose.

So this is the week I'm supposed to set up the trainer. Yuck. I have no appetite for that at all right now. Unfortunately, I seem to have a big appetite for everything else - food, that is. There is no choice here; training level has to go up or my weight will. That's not an option for me.

I am glad to hear everyone so fired up about training. Maybe that will rub off on me? I know once things get going it will all fall back together, it's just every year it gets just that much harder to get started. Never fear, it will get done.

I am looking at very limited riding. I will shoot for 60 miles a week. I think that will be a good enough supplement to running. My formula, in case you have forgotten, is one third your overall biking miles can be added to your running week for an approximate total. That's always felt about right. By that measure 60 miles a week riding equals one 20-mile run - without the stress on the joints. That's a good trade off. It also adds about 3-3 1/2 hours of activity, and that doesn't hurt, either.

Tomorrow at Parkview, 5:15!

Today or Sunday?

I'm for sure running Saturday, that plan was set yesterday. My weekly plan is for six days running, one day rest. Having run Monday through Thursday, planning for Saturday too, I had to decide if today or Sunday would be the day off.

I ran tonight. It's the smart play, given Sunday's weather is supposed to be so bad. Sure it will be warm, but it's supposed to rain and storm all day. Might as well get it over with today.

Not as easy as it sounds. I'm always blown by the end of the work week, and like to take Friday off. Things sure followed form today, and the last thing I wanted to do was to get the shoes on and run. The weather was calm, actually the best day of the week so far, the time was there... why not?

I did the circle thing. It actually wasn't that bad. I've always found that, for the most part, if you just put on your shoes and get out the door, things will ultimately come around sooner or later. It depends on how quickly the mind can focus on the right topic to carry the run Sometimes that's about work or family, sometimes racing, and sometimes it's just about good old form.

Not to sound overly complex, but I'm always monitoring form, even when in groups or the mind is mainly on other things. It's a habit I developed in my running heyday, when most of my running was alone. Trying for your very fastest 5k effort means leaving no stone unturned, and form is easy money. I never ignore it.

One of my favorite form assessing tricks is to watch my shadow. If the sun is behind you and you have the shadow in front of you, it's easy to see shoulder sag, arm carriage, and bounce. It's not everything, but it is a view you don't ordinarily see.

Back to tomorrow's run... 8 AM, Parkview. 

Cold and Hot

The weather is all over the place, isn't it? I mean, a few days ago we had an all-too-early snowfall, and heading into the weekend we are facing uncharacteristic thunderstorm activity. It's a crazy time of year.

People are starting to get rolling with training. All the familiar faces, save Scott's (who faced surgery) have been present I think the big event is Galloway's farewell tour mini at Louisville, though I suppose in the near term it's more like the Give Thanks For run hosted by Allen. Any way it goes, folks are getting back in the groove.

Lost my toenails today. Well, "lost" isn't exactly correct - I know exactly where they are. It's more accurate to say they were removed from my feet. I knew the day of the marathon they were toast, and it was only a matter of time before they were gone. Black toenails do not recover. Usually if you wait a couple of weeks, they die and you can simply tug and pull them right out painlessly. Sounds gross, but it really isn't a big deal.

The year is drawing to a close, folks. Events still on the calendar, aside from the aforementioned race by Allen, include the December 6th Santa Hat run, which is part of the Christmas Parade downtown, the Santa Hat run Christmas Eve morning, the New Year's Day morning run, and finally the banquet, assuming we have one. That's right, it's not too early to start thinking about if/when/where we might do that. Just throwing it out there to see if there interest.

Saturday morning, Parkview, 8 AM. That's the next scheduled run. Channeling my inner Rand on the topic, I'd just like to say

Resuming training

I think we are all in the same place. Most of us are within a month of huge race efforts, and the letdown in training has been both nice and corrupting. After even a short step away, it can be hard to believe what level of training you took just a few weeks ago, and the thought of climbing the ladder again can be staggering.

Baby steps, my friend.

There is no need to pop things right back up to full-bore - in fact, I would counsel against it. Better to bring it up in stages, running first, for instance, then the biking and swimming. I would also suggest a little lifting or (dare I say it) Yoga. If you're going to add something unique to your training regimen, now is the time.

My plan is shaping up thusly - I will run 30-45 miles per week by the end of the year. With another marathon looming in April, I will shoot for 45-50 miles per week running after the start of the year. Biking will be greatly curtailed this time around, more in the 60-100 mile range per week. I will not chase the Fondos this year! I will swim if I feel like it, when I feel like it. Lifting will be three days a week. This is pretty much scaled far back from last year, which was an Ironman year. This year is not, so it's time to rest.

Running tomorrow and Saturday. I will add either Friday or Sunday, depending on which works best.  

Only 3

That's right, only three stalwarts braved the elements tonight. Jimmy was notably absent, and for the second night in a row the elements seemed all the harsher because of it. Like last night, the wind bit our faces as we headed out. Luckily that only lasted a bit. It is hard to believe how cold it is so early this year.

Darkness sure falls fast now. By 5:30 we are definitely into twilight, and by 6:00 it is dark. It gets worse when you consider we are still a full month until the Winter Solstice. That means we'll be losing daylight every day until on or around December 20-22.

We talked tonight about the Jimmy plan. Alan wanted clarification. Once again, my understanding is 7:10 pace for one mile the first week, and every week after that we add a mile until we reach 10 miles. I would take the time here to clarify my statement last night about it not accurately being called a "tempo". That type of run is based on time and heart rate, and Jimmy's planned run is both too long and too easy to classify as a tempo. It doesn't really change anything though... it's a plan, and there's nothing wrong with it for the goal in mind. Call it "steady state run" and you have it.

It's still rest time for me, but that is ending soon. The trainer will be set up, and I will begin riding very soon. I'm not looking forward to it very much. This is going to be a maintenance year, I think, and goals will be scaled back a bit. If I race well, great. If I don't, great. Other things will have to take a higher priority. 

First Snow Run of the Season

November 17th, and we had a 2-hour delay. November 17th. I can remember only one other time in my teaching career where we had any sort of weather-related delay/cancellation, and that was maybe 20 years ago. It was October, and we actually had a snow day. I remember it because we were getting ready for the Lincoln Fall Carnival, and I was in charge of the haunted house. Two days before the event school was cancelled. That was an aberration, of course. I sure hope today was too.

We did run tonight - that is, Galloway, Heatherly, Bartlett, Rand, Roy, and I did. It was slick, no fooling, and the wind was decidedly unpleasant when running to the west/northwest. Fortunately for us we didn't have to spend too much time that direction. It was uneasy running all the way, no matter the wind.

Everyone is talking about the next big thing. Funny, isn't it, how having a good event makes you want to look forward to the next thing? It's fair to say everyone had a good finish to their respective seasons, and that makes a great launching point for the upcoming year.

Jimmy has staked the first claim with his "Tempo-Tuesday" revision. He's pointing at the marathon distance, or half if your name rhymes with "Galloway". He wants to work off Galloway's projected race pace, except extend the run out to the 10-mile mark (eventually). I wouldn't call that a tempo; it's more of a steady state run. Whatever, let's not get caught up on the jargon. Jimmy has a plan, and we can join or not join on our own accord.

Galloway asked me tonight if I was thinking about sub-3 at Louisville. I'd be a liar if I said it hadn't crossed my mind. It's not much of a leap of logic to envision the realistic possibility of the breaking the barrier given the ad hoc training I'd put into this cycle. It's something I'll mull over, but there is much scheduling to work around before it becomes a realistic proposition.

Two-hour delay tomorrow? I'd count on it. 

First Full Day in Milwaukee

We got up early and started off right - with a trip to McDonald's. The meal the night before was REALLY expensive, and a bit fru-fru for us. Time to get back to basics.

I went for the combo breakfast because I knew we'd be all over town before it was done. Leisa ate the roll, as she usually does. That would be all there is to say about it except for the all-too-familiar homeless element that always frequents big-city McDonald's'. (Hey! Name another time where you get to use the double apostrophe!)

Our main man started by talking to himself - loudly. Later, as we were preparing to leave, I went to the restroom. He was in there, and I almost turned out right away. No, it was cold and I needed to take care of business, so I stayed. It was probably a mistake, because he appeared to be trying to drown himself in the sink. His head was buried face-first in as much water as he could run. He was apparently trying to draw the water into his sinuses, then he would raise his head, blow snot into the sink, then stick his face back in and repeat. You can't make that stuff up folks, it really happened.

First on the list today was visiting churches. There were two in particular we hit, one in Milwaukee, another in a neighboring town.

The first was good-sized, with a mixture of old and new. There were the traditional altars and pews, stained glass, and candles, like any Catholic church. Peppered here and there were signs of modernization, such as the sculpture suspended from the ceiling in the middle of the sanctuary, or the relatively modern painting adorning the sides. The final feature of note were the portraits lining the upper walls - might have been local bishops, may have been bishops of note in Wisconsin over the years - but some looked like painting, some like photographs. That was a little jarring for my taste. I've been to the Vatican, I know what they were trying for, and it fell way short. It was very striking on the outside, but on the inside... meh.

Our next stop was a basilica in a neighboring town. It was a Polish Franciscan church, and WOW! I've been to the Vatican, to St. Mark's, and this one compared very favorably. Naturally it was smaller, but it was very ornate and traditional. It was very much worth the trip, not only to the town but perhaps Wisconsin itself. This quality of church is seldom seen in the U.S.

There were touches of eastern European influence here and there, starting with the Polish writing. The paintings were also more of a reflection of Polish history and viewpoint on the church - subtle, but present. Classic Roman paintings tend to have angels and cherubim fighting for God, whereas the paintings in the basilica showed human warriors on the battlefield. It was an interesting difference.

The awe factor could be felt the second you entered. Your eyes started on the angels holding Holy Water and immediately swept forward down the aisle to the altar. From there your gaze lifts upward to the dome some 60 feet above, replete with intricate paintings commissioned to an Italian artist in the 1920's.

Everywhere you looked, the layer upon layer of art and finish work swept over you. Moreover, the scale of the room was breathtaking. It's difficult to relate using a meager iPhone camera the scope of the room - the size, the openness, and complexity of design and finish. To finish it all off, numerous exquisite stained glass works glowed in the morning sun, providing all the ambient lighting necessary. It was atmospheric and spellbinding.





We headed to the Historic Third Ward, a revitalized downtown area where the 19th century architecture is preserved and repurposed for modern usage. There were any number of shops, ranging from restaurants to fitness centers. Actually, that's one of the remarkable things about Milwaukee I didn't catch the first time... it's a fitness-centric town. There must have been a half-dozen fitness centers within a one-mile radius, and tons of fitness apparel stores to boot.

We also went to the museum, finally. Leisa liked it, or at least, appreciated the design. It is something to see when in Milwaukee. We didn't get to see any big exhibits, as they were closed for renovation, but we walked around the building admiring the design. It was too long to wait for the wings to close and open, so we moved on.

I did get a run in while Leisa did her thing. She went to the flea market stores, I went down to Veterans' Park to run. This is where the running portion of the Nationals has been held the last two years. I must say, it's a much more pleasant run when it's cold - and I haven't been churned in the harbor and ridden for an hour first.

We headed out to an REI outlet to see what a brick-and-mortar version looked like. I would fairly describe it as an upscale Dick's. Lots of name-brand outdoor gear at premium prices, and people lining up to purchase like it was being given away. I'll stick to the online version, thank you very much.

Our dinner was nice - it was a local pub known for its fish. The fish was okay, but the cheese sticks! O. M. G! I've never had mozzarella sticks dipped in beer batter before, but I can tell you this - it won't be the last. Best. Sticks. Ever.

Finally we wound up back at the hotel. I suggested we locate the hotel's fitness center, which we did. Leisa hadn't run for a few days, and she really needs to keep up on it for health reasons. Anyway, it was a really nice one, best I've seen in fact. It inspired me to show off for my loving wife. I... well, heck, let me just show you.

Been a while

I haven't posted a great deal here this year. There are lots of reasons, ranging from work, coaching, and frankly not much interest from the readership. In the end though this was never about any of those things - it has been an outlet of expression for me pure and simple. In some ways I find it to be very therapeutic and for that reason I'm going to attempt to go about it again on a fairly regular basis.

Leisa and I have traveled to Milwaukee, WI this weekend for an early anniversary getaway. It's a cool town, maybe not the Mecca of Anniversary trips, but it does have many of the things Leisa likes... great old architecture and statuary, museums, old churches, and tons of quality flea markets. It's my gift to her and I'm happy so far it's been a good choice.

While getting ready for a candle-lit dinner in a hole-in-the-wall cafe, she spotted a bike shop open across the street. As it was near closing time, I excused myself for a quick peek. It was work the trip. Though I would never be likely to buy a bike there (specialized in commuters) I LOVED their community room concept. The

ambiance was what set it apart - a mid-1800 brick building with original wood plank floors was rustic and cozy and perfect for hanging out after a ride. There was a bar where one could order any variety of drinks and order food. Think of it as a hipster cyclists' hangout, and super, super cool. I don't know if the concept can fly in Milwaukee, let alone Bedford, but I sure liked it. Count me in!

Check out the clever palette bike rack - a brilliant piece of ingenuity if you ask me. I'm not sure if that's an energy lab addition or not, but I could see where it might be useful in the correct venue.

Back to Bedford Sunday afternoon. I plan to run again from the Palm Reader's at 5:15.

Monumental Day

In racing, things seldom go completely to plan. Sometimes the plans change early, sometimes later, but almost always the plan changes at some point. The longer the race, the closer the probability nears "1".

Scott, Chris, and I were to meet up at the corrals at 7:45, near the 3:30 pacers. Sounds like a clean plan, doesn't it? Well... not so much. Thousands of people in a tight area, the entrance gates were way behind the 3:30 pacers, we didn't say which side of the corrals we'd use, my usual parking space was not open... yeah, things went haywire right from the start.

I got to the corrals late because of parking, and it was too close to start time to wait too much before entering the corral. I went in, looked around furtively, but it was no use. I was behind the 3:50 pacer, and there was absolutely no way to fight through the mob to get to 3:30. I decided to Rand it - I was going to run until I caught the pace group. I would do my best to watch for Chris and Scott as I moved through the group - a daunting task - and hope that it worked out.

The odds were long from the start. In a big city race, there is simply too much road/too many people to see as you work your way through. It was going to take a miracle to find them.

My legs felt very good. Moving in and around the crowd wasn't difficult at all despite being way below the original race pace (8:00-8:20). Mentally I cautioned myself about blowing up. Simultaneously I chided myself for missing the meeting, so it was a risk I was going to take.

The first couple of pace groups were easily caught. Of course after that it took longer and longer to reach the next group. At first they were only separated by seconds, but soon it was minutes. I finally caught the 3:30 group at around 7 miles - yeah, it took that long. I was 3:25 behind the start clock after all, and I wasn't trying to gobble it all up at once.

Now for you girls that might be reading, the lesson is about to begin.

There comes a point in every race where you have to decide why you're there. I might not have come to the event today to race it, but everything had changed. There was absolutely no way to find Scott or Chris now amongst nearly 6,000 runners - that would be finding a needle in a haystack of needles. My choice was now to jog or to try to make a race of it. There wasn't any time to dwell on it, it had to be one way or another.

I chose to fight on. Something good could still come out of the day if I pressed on. I left the 3:30 group and set the next group as my goal. I lied to myself - said if I could get to them I would settle for that time. Pretty soon I could see the sign bouncing up and down ahead. Without much effort I caught them. Slow down or move on? I still felt good, might as well go to the next group.

This took a bit longer. The groups were getting faster, and the gaps greater. I was also beginning to feel the front of my quads. Of course the pace was a full minute faster than the plan, so this was only logical, but it was nonetheless cause for concern. The end can come swiftly in a marathon if you disrespect what it can do to you. I wasn't even halfway through yet, and already feeling muscle fatigue. Only a fool ignores that.

They were too slow, and I felt I could catch the next group. This is the point where the race became work. I got onto the 3:15 group right after the mile 14 marker, and by then I could really feel the effort coming on. Of course forgetting to take Advil this morning didn't help, as my hip flexors were beginning to flair up. I ran with this group for about a mile, mainly because I needed the mental rest, and they were going right about where I felt I could hold. I maneuvered myself near the pacer and we started talking a bit. In passing I mentioned forgetting my Advil and my flexor, and he offered me one. Perfect! He handed me the sign (that's right, I was the pacer for a while!) and dug one out. That in hand, I returned the sign, and we were back on it.

I really did plan to stay with the group the rest of the way. However, my racing spirit kicked in again. They were 50 seconds behind the clock, meaning if I stayed with them I would come in at 3:12:25. That's roughly halfway between 3:10 and 3:15, and the thought of breaking 3:10 grew very tempting. Could I press on? Would it be wise?

The point was moot. At around 18 miles I was pulling away. Whether or not it was because I got faster or they got slower doesn't matter, it was done. The pacer's chatter got dimmer and dimmer, and after a point there was no way I was going to slow down or back up to let them back on. Up ahead there were a few runners that were just barely hanging onto a slight lead over me. I upped the pace to catch up.

Bill's Running Axiom #37: if you catch a runner, it's because they slowed down.

No matter how tempting, if you are still racing, you can never stay with someone you caught. When I did catch these runners, I said, "Good job!" and moved on. Catching them had distracted me from the growing pain in my quads, so their purpose had been served.

It was now around 22 miles. My rough math had me around 31 minutes out. It was closing in on the home stretch, though things were starting to get tough. "Just finish this mile strong and you can rest" I kept telling myself. And when that mile would end, I would say it again. Mile by mile, it went that way.

There had been a runner who passed me at 19 miles. I now caught him. Odd thing to say in a way... in a race this big (and at my age) you would think I would get passed a bunch. Other than the start, this was the only person I remember passing me all day. But I digress.

I caught him, or more accurately, he started to collapse. He seemed a nice enough sort, and since I hadn't helped Scott I suppose I was feeling a bit guilty. "C'mon, we can bring this on in!" I said to him. He declined, saying something about his hamstring. The wind was blowing viciously in our faces at that moment, so I offered to draft for him, which he did accept. After a bit he came alongside again, and we talked over the next few miles. It was a nice distraction, and I was thankful I'd helped him.

At 25 miles, he started to really push again. I was doing just fine at my pace, and I'd already run the numbers - I had sub-3:10 in the bag so long as I did nothing stupid. I could not afford to go sub-7 again judging by the way my quads felt. Better to heel-toe the rest of the way.

Finally the last straightaway, and a few blocks until the final turn. I was good. There was no way I was going to miss my new goal. Then life came full circle.

Half a block from the final turn I look to my right - and see Chris Galloway! He was on the course cheering on runners, just as his father Tim had done one year earlier. This time I yelled, "Chris Galloway!" He looked just as surprised to see me as did Tim last year.

So the finish came, a near perfect 5-minute drop from last year's time. Mandy Bartley found me right away and told me Chris and Scott had missed their hookup too. She also mentioned he was on for a 3:43 finish - a fine first marathon. I told her I would grab some stuff and head out to watch him finish.

I stood out there for around 15 minutes before he came, Chris right alongside. I was violently shivering by then, and my legs were incredibly sore. As a result I could not race alongside them to the finish, and by the time I hobbled to the area they were long gone. I'd had enough cold by then, so I headed back to the car and went home.

So the day ranks first as a failure: my primary goal of helping Scott run his first marathon was utterly kaput out of the gate.

On the other hand, in the category of "Making lemonade out of lemons" it was a overwhelming success. I still cannot believe I ran 3:14:29 last year, let alone 3:09:27 this year. I have no idea where todays run came from, I just know it happened. The weather was perfect for me and I managed both my physical needs (in the form of water or Gatorade at every stop and gels every 5 miles) and mental game. I probably should have blown up running like that, given nothing I'd done during this cycle prepared me for that qualitative level. I suppose it serves as a lesson on what motivation does for an athlete, and what can happen if you aren't afraid to lay it on the line once in a while. 

In the water!

On his way! Scott, Roy, Rand, Debbie, and I were there. 

Test

Getting Better, Going Longer on the Run

This is the first week since May I haven't taken any medicine to run. Things are slowly getting better, though there is the nagging plantar pain I can't quite pin down. I'm sure it's coming from the new bike somehow. Q Ring, new pedals, seat adjustment... one or all of them perhaps. Those are the most likely culprits anyway.

I've been thinking about last night's ride. The trend this summer has been to go east harder and harder each week (on 337). Last night we held a pretty even average both ways, going a bit faster out than back. I can't be sure what to attribute that to other than a slight wind which seemed to migrate from the southwest to the northwest. It didn't bother me on my pull on the front, but I can't speak for the other guys. I felt things were more or less neutral, at least as much as they have been in a few weeks.

The reason I have been mulling it over is because our two-way average was 25.1 mph for a total of 19 miles. If you could promise me I would hold that average in a triathlon I would eagerly accept it every time, as it would probably be the fastest bike leg in any race we do. While it's true we took a break halfway through this portion, the next question is whether or not we (I) could have turned right around and ridden the same speed back. Speaking only for myself, I think, for last night anyway, the answer would be yes.

Extending that idea a bit, it occurs to me this might be an interesting thing to try for all of us. After all, we have several Ironmen in the group; it seems logical that any sustained effort at speed might be exactly the type of sports-specific workout we need. If we started at the old 337 entry farther west, we could turn this into a 20-mile circuit that would give a true average speed, as all hills and wind conditions would be neutralized.

I propose we do just that. Next Tuesday, instead of turning left on 337, the men of the group (you decide if you are a man or a mouse) turn right and head to the true start. From there it's a time trial start (or pace line if you must). The idea is simple; instead of going full-out, establish an effort level you can sustain over 20 miles. The idea isn't to blow yourself up, instead try to get an idea of where your line is and learn how to ride right on the edge. Keep in mind this turns a 20-30 minute hard effort into more like a 50-60 minute hard effort, so early caution is necessary.

I realize this won't appeal to everyone. The weather will have a lot to do with your (my) willingness to give it a go. I'm laying it out here early enough for you to mull it over and consider if it fits into your training plan. If it doesn't, obviously you can stick to the normal, going out semi-hard and standing at the pee tree waiting for someone to make the call about what you want to do. ;)

I will say I'm about 90% certain this is what I will do. Join me if you wish, no hard feelings if you don't. I figure we'll finish around the same time regardless. 

No Top, No Doors - Look at Me!

Hot as it was tonight, there wasn't much wind, and it was enough cause for concern many of us wondered if we'd last the evening. Like a heavy quilt on a summer evening, it stifled enthusiasm to push too hard. At least, it did for me.

I went ahead and did the first pull on 337 because that's what I do, a bit slower than last week. It wasn't that I felt weak, but this week I wanted to have something left for the return trip. John T., Miller, Troy... they were all there, and it could be pretty hard for me if I let too much go on the way out.

We made 25.6 mph average on the way out. It wasn't full-out for me, and I'm quite certain the guys behind weren't taxed either. The sweat was beginning to build by the end, and when we stopped it got suddenly very hot. We refueled while the last few guys caught up. We also discussed the plan.

As before, no one really seemed up to push very hard. Troy took the first, held a moderate pace, handed to John T., who lifted it slightly, as did Miller, and finally as did I. Our overall average was 24.6 mph, giving us a round-trip average right at 25 mph. That's a pretty solid effort. For my part, I didn't feel particularly tapped, but I definitely didn't have a lot of top-end speed. The effort I could have sustained for much longer in both of my pulls, and I'm guessing I could have done the round-trip in alone in a similar speed.

Most of us found our way to Wendy's afterward, which is always a good time. We razz one another back and forth and generally just have a fun with it, though tonight was a bit special.

Roy asked for my help on figuring mileage on a century ride idea he had. He started rattling off the route road by road, but Roy's voice is, shall we say... monotone, and he tends to drop off in volume the longer he speaks. In the small crowd around the table, it soon came to the place where I could no longer hear him. First I deferred to Troy, who truly was the person that was better qualified to give the mileage in that particular area. Then I tried to get him to pause so we could work it out piece by piece, but in typical Roy fashion he just continued to talk as if I had said nothing.

What followed was actually my fault - I thought I could help him. I should have just shut up and stared out the window and when he was finished said, "Gee, I don't know." That would have satisfied him. It didn't matter to him if I could follow it or not, he was going to play that tape beginning to end, and if I couldn't understand him, well, that was my problem.

To the outsider, this exchange was just funny. Roy has a particular inflection to his voice that is just deadpan funny. So when he chastised me for not letting him speak uninterrupted (which would have been useless, but okay, point to Roy) and offered ever so condescendingly to repeat it for me I kindly retracted my offer to help. If I'm so dumb, my input wouldn't be valuable anyway, right? :)

I can't say who won that exchange - Roy wound up answering his own question (he usually does), but it did provide some entertainment for the rest of the table. It was all in good spirit, no hard feelings at all.

The jab of the evening easily went to John T. We were talking about cars and the subject of Jeeps came up. We talked about colors, engines, and many other aspects of Jeeps. Allen made a comment about he didn't get the "Jeep Thing", to which I agreed, he didn't. I thought I had him - and then John T. got me.

"No doors, no top, look at me!" says John T.

I started to respond, but you know what? Sometimes you have to let a comment sit alone with no follow-up. It was a great moment, and it was his. The Great Sage Galloway taught me this, and tonight he was certainly right.

Only two Tuesdays left in my summer. I'm going to miss it!

Whatever happens, keep going

I've often said some of the best workouts happen when you feel awful. This was the thought I carried with me to the ride. The morning run had been very tough despite perfect running conditions. My legs just felt blown. Undoubtedly a result of the century ride two days ago, along with a weekend of shortened sleep. No matter how it happened, or why, I felt awful.

Eleven guys showed for the ride tonight. Troy, John T., Roy, Allen, Jimmy, Scott, Miller, Galloway, Jimmy Dean, and myself made the effort, the highest number we've had all summer. This would give us at least two strong riding groups, depending on what we decided to do.

To that end, the weather made the choice for me. I knew a hard ride into the wind was out of the question; I didn't have the legs for that. I could give going hard on the way out a try. My plan was to push hard going out, and if I had anything left, make an effort for the way back. One step at a time on this day!

It wasn't easy going out, even with the wind. As I suspected, the legs simply wouldn't push very hard. We made great time, but I sure had to work for it. I know it was just me, because the guys behind barely broke a sweat. No matter. I had a hard effort, and that was what I wanted.

What I didn't want (or expect) were the scorched lungs at the county line. That hasn't happened before (at this point), and I wondered if I would be able to push at all on the way back. Troy started talking about going very hard, and I knew then if he did, I was going to get dropped. And that would be okay. I warned the guys to not wait on me if I fell off. They laughed. If only they knew!

Scott took the first pull, and at first I thought the end would come for me right away. He was pulling 27 mph, and the way the line was forming, I couldn't catch a draft. That was leaving me out there on my own (effectively), and the thought of trying to make that speed into the wind seemed hopeless. It didn't take long for the speed to start to drop to a more reasonable 22-24 mph, which I could sustain even without a draft. Scott's pull was long, perhaps too long, because he was pretty flat by the time he came off. Next up, John T. If he went hard, Scott might be in trouble.

John T. resumed the 22-24 mph Scott had for the most of his pull. This was a long pull, perhaps the longest of our group. I was comfortable but worried - Troy came next. And the timing would have him on during Lost River climb. Could be bad!

Indeed Troy did get that hill. He didn't blast it though. The wind really was pretty tough on the front end, and it curtailed speed for everyone all the way back. Troy did a solid job, then tapped at the top of the climb.

Miller's turn was next. He took us through the rollers at a slightly faster clip than the others (no surprise there) and tapped in time to give Jimmy the last hill. Jimmy tried to carry his smash over the last climb, and in that wind did a great job of it. Then he continued on - I wondered if he would hand over for the last bit - and waited for the pass that would surely come.

The guys didn't disappoint. First Troy, then John T., then Miller, then Bartley... I had no intention of trying. I was second in line, and since I couldn't see behind, I risked crashing with anyone right behind me on the pass. Besides, I hadn't any draft to speak of the whole way back. I didn't have much in the tank to try to out sprint those guys.

Turns out Troy made his move too soon, Bartley made his too late. Miller nipped John T. by a hair in the end by drafting until the last second. Troy's early move meant he was nothing more than the launching pad for the other guys to sprint. Bartley failed to catch the wheel of the train soon enough, and as a result never really got on. Timing is everything!

I thought the hard part of the ride was over, and in truth I was looking forward to cruising in. It was not to be. It seemed, for one reason or another, we kept yo-yoing across one another. First Scott would pass, then the other guys, then I'd think, "If they can do it, so can I!", and I'd go. Funny thing is, the more we did it, the stronger I felt. Each acceleration got easier than the one before. In the end I felt better than when I began the ride, something I definitely did not expect.

Speaking only for myself, I got what I needed from the workout, and then some. I hoped to have two strong segments on 337, which happened. I also wound up finishing with a bit more confidence than I carried in, proving my opening point.

I'm not sure about my crank setting yet. Mitigating circumstances such as the wind make it difficult to accurately compare efforts so far, but my guess is it was likely the right adjustment to make. Sooner or later we'll get a more neutral day to try this, and then I'll have a clearer picture...

Being IronBird Deckard

There was a movie a few years back titled "Being John Malkovich". It was filmed from the viewpoint of a person inside Malkovich's head, sort of an omniscient observer to all of his thoughts and sensory input. It seems an interesting way to go for this post, so I'll give it a shot. I invite you to be that omniscient observer in my head!

Man, I don't want to do this ride. I mean, I really DON'T want to do this. Why am I, anyway? I won't be racing anymore this season. Training is going to get very limited soon. Why is 100 miles today important?

It's not. So I won't. I'll just go 75. That will give me my minimum of 125 miles for the week. I went a little longer on the runs, so my plan to go more run/less ride is already in play. Yup, I'll just go 75.

Maybe I'll just go 43. That would give me 100 miles, which would be plenty. Yeah, if I start to feel bad, I'll cut it way back. No reason to pound now.

Oops, better take it easy. Something tells me today isn't going to go well. Better ease back, try to keep the sweat level down. Spin, spin, spin. No hard climbing, nothing to prove...

Wish I could get lost in some thought. My head seems all over the place here. What's the theme for today? What problems do I need to sort out while I'm out here? Geez. Only holding 16 mph. I'd better think of something; at this rate the ride is going to take over 6 hours.

That wind from the southwest is pretty strong for this early in the day. Unusual. I hope that long line of storms stretching across the middle of Illinois and Indiana doesn't drop south. By the time I see it, it would be too late to do anything about it. Could be pretty rough, too. Atmosphere has to be pretty unstable to generate a line like that without the heat of the day.

Where to go... I'm alone, so I could take 60 to Campbellsburg. But where from there? Palmyra? Seems like a bad idea going southeast with a strong southwest wind. Maybe I could drop more south, hit 337, then head east to Salem. It's still southeast, just not as much. Man, I just don't have any appetite for that today. And I really don't want to do loops between 337 and Campbellsburg. Absolutely heinous way to get 100.

Hey... what if I take 60 to Ann's Birds, cut south, but instead of turning on 337, cut across and continue south to Paoli? It's early on a Sunday, and I've barely been passed by anything yet. If I could get there, I could try 150 to French Lick. Sure, I'll have to get on 145 and head toward Tell City for a few miles, but that's a ride I've not done yet. Plus I really want to try 150.

Finally, something I can get excited about!

Okay, I've passed Mt. Pleasant, and I've come to the T. Odd... I don't remember it like this. No matter. I have to turn right to go toward Paoli, and at worst this will dump me out on 37. It's just a little ways away from here...

Okay, I'm getting concerned. Better stop and look at Google maps. (stop bike) Hey, that's highway traffic right through those trees. That's 37 right there I bet! Yup, Google confirms. Now to make my way through town...

I ran the Paoli 5k years ago, and I know there's a road that would allow me to avoid the town circle, but for the life of me I can't remember it. Better to stick with what I know. I will ride the circle. Traffic's light anyway, so it's only a matter of climbing another hill.

Wow, only 30 miles in and my saddle is bothering me. My feet too. Still don't have this new bike dialed in. I might have to look at my old saddle and replace this new one. Don't have an answer for the pedals. I tried my old shoes, and it still hurt, with the added bonus of being much more difficult to clip out. Not what I want for a safe ride.

Okay, I've rolled the dice. Leaving town speed limit is 35 mph through construction, so though it's narrow, it's slow. Church traffic has passed through, so this shouldn't be too dangerous. The trick is to hit the turn and be back through here before church lets out. That may be rough given my slow progress. Lord, I really don't feel very strong right now.

Hey, 150 is gorgeous after about 3 miles. The road is paved from here on and is smooth as a baby's butt. I even have an extra lane in places, as the lanes are not yet opened to traffic. YES! Mark this down as one of my new favorite roads. Buttah Boulevard! No real climbs to speak of, and when this gets done there'll be no reason to avoid the Paoli/West Baden connection.

Pain under my right foot is really starting to be a problem. I don't know how long I can hold aero between the saddle and the clips. Only comfortable position seems to be sitting up, and with this headwind that really slows me down. Just gonna have to tough it out.

Where did the road go? Am I in West Baden already? Wow, that was fast! Right at 38 miles, and French Lick is right at 39. I see I'm at almost 40 as I leave the southeast end of French Lick on 145. That means about 21 miles of 145 before the ride ends. That should get me down to Patoka Lake, which is pretty. Too bad I have a couple of harsh climbs into the wind before I get there.

This didn't seem so hard the last time we were here... oh wait, I hadn't ridden 45 miles by this point, and we had a tailwind. Yeah, now it makes sense. What's that noise? (looking up to my right) Oh, that nest Allen spotted last time... those aren't eagles, they are ospreys! I'll have to remember to get a picture when I come back through.

Uh-oh, this hill is long. Fun going down, not so much going up. It seems to keep going, going, going. The other side looks like it will be a similar distance up. Man, I don't feel up for this at all. I feel so slow. It's getting hot, too. Should I turn? I could pancake out here. Don't be a wuss. If you do, you do, but you're going straight ahead. Pansy.

Well, perfect. Here I am at 49 miles, and I sit atop the largest hill yet, the drop down to Patoka Lake, and it looks like I'll just get to the bottom and have to turn around. Fate can't be that cruel. It can't be that long. I know I'll get to cruise a bit along the lake before I turn. I just know I will.

Okay, I won't. Figures. The second the hill bottoms out, the Garmin hits 50 miles. Just my luck. I suppose I could carry on a bit, but that line of storms up north was serious. We are going to get storms today, it's only a matter of time. On top of that, I have to beat the church traffic off 150 or I could be in big trouble. No choice. I have to turn back now.

I can't believe this hill is really one mile long.

Hey wait, it's not so bad. Looks like I'm getting that tailwind I hoped for. Finally, something breaking my way! It sure is hot though. Losing the headwind for the next 50 miles might be harder than I thought.

Okay, get back to West Baden and you could eat. I saw McDonald's. That's where I'm going. No glorified bologna sandwich for this manly man. Burger, fries, and endless Diet Coke. That's for me!

Ow, my feet really hurt. At least I can move around on my seat to ease my saddle. I'm trapped with these clips. Reminds me of my first Ironman. Feet hurt so I picked up my feet to relieve the pressure, and immediately got debilitating cramps inside both thighs. Definitely don't want that to happen! Shouldn't though... been taking Enduralytes and drinking plenty of Gatorade. I should be good. Sure is warm, though.

Hmm. Shorts don't look snowy. Shirt is soaked though. That's a lot of sweat. My arms are also soaked, and I can feel my helmet is about to shed sweat onto my sunglasses. This could wind up pretty tough.

I'm making great time here. I've averaged over 22 mph over the last 10 miles. That's quite a wind. It's stretching the flags out. No wonder it was so slow coming out.

McDonald's! Gotta eat fast.

Chick at the counter tries her best not to look at my outfit. Impossible. The "click-click" of my shoes on tile demand an inspection. "I know, I know" I say to her. Eyes up here, young lady!

Refueled, supplies replenished, now for the 40 miles home. Only 40 miles. I look forward to 150, I just wish I could skip the rest. My M&M stash is ready to go somewhere after 80 miles, just got to lay down and go smooth until Paoli. Gotta beat the church traffic. Should have just enough time to do it.

Oh man, this road is sweet! 24 mph? Mostly flat and fast, cyclists are going to crawl all over this.

Okay, now to get through Paoli. Two big climbs, then a right turn just outside of town. Get there, then cut back a bit. Really starting to get hot out here.

Do I remember the exact way back? I think so; doesn't really matter much. I'm in no danger of getting seriously lost. Would like to keep it close to the same path, so calculating the distance along the way will be easier. I may have to make adjustments later.

Alright, back to Mt. Pleasant, and really cruising along. 22-23 mph going straight north with a strong tailwind, dancing the line between pressing hard enough to make my feet hurt and light enough to keep the sweat down.

Crossing 337, it's time for M&M's. I'll eat a few now, saving the rest for later if I need them. I just need enough protein/salt/sugar to get me in. Wait, is that the "Dachshund of Doom" ahead? Dangit, the kids are playing in the street in front of the house. The dog is sure to get all protective now and chase me down the road. And here I am without pepper spray! Where did I lose that anyway?

Oh good, the owner ran over and grabbed the dog's collar. Thank you!

Back in Lawrence County, less than 17 miles to go, and it's looking good. I'll take 60 back to Meridian despite the headwind mainly because I'll make better time. Weather is an issue now. Those storms could appear any time. The clouds to the west are beginning to show the first signs of developing weather.

Will I have to go Rabbitsville to get the miles, or do I have enough to cut over to 37? I need about a mile of leeway to do the highway path. Again, that's the better way to go if possible because of the tailwind. Looks like I have enough, so that's what I'm doing.

Huh. Figures. Get to the highway and the wind has shifted. It's now out of the northwest and is no help at all. Too late, I am committed here. Besides, I'll make over 20 mph average, and that's still faster than the other way. Just not as fast as I hoped.

One more climb - the Cut. I can do this. Slowly, sitting up, spinning, but I'm going to make it. No hurry. The clouds are certainly showing rain is on the way, but not before I'm in. I'm golden now. Just a matter of how much I need to add to get 100.

Hmmm. This is looking pretty close. My markers are all showing just a hair shy of 100 when I get to the gate. I'll drop down the alley a bit if I need to.

Hurray! 100 miles as I cross my garage door. No extra needed. Waitaminnit. I hit 100 miles almost exactly on a new course - no small feat. Man, I'm good!

So the 17th Century passes. I'm hot. Gotta clean this equipment up. Thirsty. Diet Coke time. Man, I'm hot. Let's check the weather and see what the conditions are... oh, 91 degrees, high humidity and dew point, real feel 101 degrees. Yeah, that explains it. Glad I started early!

Quantifying Quality

Is there any road in the southern half of the state that isn't under construction or limiting traffic? Gee whiz, driving to Paoli should never be this hard... or French Lick for that matter... of course, safety bugs that can't come within 10 mph of speed limit exacerbate the problem...

Allen, Scott and I drove down to French Lick to do the Allen "Dream Ride". Well, maybe not dream ride, but it's one he's talked about for a long time. Today, we ticked that off the bucket list. It was a good ride - for most of it, anyway.

Highway 145 is a super 2, so there were was plenty of shoulder to ride. The down side was it was pretty trashed, at least in the early phase. Shredded tires, glass, you name it, the shoulder was covered. I figured it was only a matter of time until one of us flatted. We actually got a lot farther along than I expected before it happened.

The wind was shifting, not too strong, but favored us mostly on the way out. Allen took charge right away and was pulling us along over 20 mph. When I noticed this I figured a few things:

1. We had a tailwind;
2. We were going downhill, and;
3. It was going to be a tough go getting home. 

The downhill question was raised a few times throughout the ride. Allen's argument was Patoka Lake would be at Ohio River level. Mine was it couldn't be, else the water wouldn't flow there. He would not be moved, at least early on. Events later would prove me right. 

The terrain is beautiful. The ride cleaves Hoosier National Forest vertically, and a nice view of Patoka Lake can be had. Beyond that was view after wonderful view of the area's natural beauty. Truly, one couldn't ask for a much prettier ride. There were hills, though nothing really steep. They were long though, and this began to wear on Allen as the day went on. 

As for Scott and myself, we were the Q Men. Scott had his Rotor Q Ring installed yesterday, and he noticed right away how the legs didn't develop lactic acid on climbs. It's just easier. Bad news for Allen, as he was forced to rely on talent alone to get him to the tops. 

We meandered around Tell City looking for a place to eat. Allen wanted Subway, so after a while we finally found it. This added a bit to the ride, nothing significant - unless you were really getting tired by the end. We probably took half an hour to get our food and eat it, then it was time to return.

This is the part where elevation came back. It seemed all we did was stair-step back to French Lick. One hill after another, after another, after another... Allen held together pretty well until around mile 70, then the wheels came off for a while. I had been on the front since we left town, and we'd made decent time. I was trying to be a wind break, though I possibly did more harm than good. For my part the wind didn't bother me at all and I was cruising. It was out there, for sure, it just didn't bother me. I'd say the same for Scott. 

We had planned to stop at a gas station around 30 miles from the end, but Allen wanted to keep going. We all had enough fluids and supplies, so we kept at it. Other than the bad section of shoulder going into (and out of) Tell City, this was the hardest part of the ride. Not because of terrain, or temperature (that was perfect!), rather trying to find a speed to keep everyone together. Allen had bonked a bit, stopped talking, so it was hard to figure out how to help. He eventually came out of it after a bit, and we picked it up for a while. 

Right at the end the bad was coming again, but at the very least the terrain had flattened for good, so it wasn't hard to keep going at a moderately decent pace. I was getting hot spots on the balls of my feet and tender areas I won't mention. Scott looked unfazed. 

After finishing, we went to the burger place Allen wanted to visit and had supper. It was a decent meal, on par with Buffalo Wings & Rings. I'd probably eat there again if ever I visit French Lick.

It was a good day all around. It had challenges, but it also had a lot of reward. I don't know if I'll do that particular course again any time soon - an hour travel just to get started is a downer - however there were parts that were simply gorgeous. 

The Power of Placebo

It was a new day. There were miles to be ridden, but only so much time to do it, so there was no time to fool around. I hopped right out of bed and dressed quickly, making sure to snap my copper wrist bands into place - no sense letting arthritis get the better of me. Looking around my room lovingly arranged in feng shui energy gathering patterns, I found my ginseng pills. They were difficult to swallow, as were the 15 different athletic supplements I took. Then it was off to breakfast.

My Stewart Smally tapes were a welcome relief to the tension I was feeling... "I AM worthy, I AM a good man, and darn it, people LIKE me!". Ahhhh... nothing like a little personal affirmation. My vegan breakfast cleared my system of toxins, much like my Asian foot waxing I did the night before. I suppose the only thing that relaxes me more is acupuncture followed by the little Japanese girl walking up and down my back.

I returned home, aired up my tires, then it was out the door and to Parkview to meet the guys. They were there; I instantly recognized all their faces and Rand's rump sticking out of his Tracker. We planned to ride down to Mitchell and meet Allen on the way. From there the day was up in the air, other than we had to be back by 11:30.

After meeting Allen, we continued south. There still wasn't much direction in the group, but I figured until the columns of group direction had their summit, that wouldn't change. So Jimmy, Allen, and Scott put their coconuts together and hammered out a plan. I will try to share this amorphous concoction as it developed, morphing from one shape to another from moment to moment.

The original plan called for heading to Leipsic. It turns out there are a variety of ways of getting there, some of them involving going in the complete opposite direction, and I know this because that's what we did. Ah, the joys of following people that live off the frantic excitement of changing directions and plans every few minutes! We headed down the Super 2, cut over to Huck's, crossed 37, then onto 337.

It's fair to note that no less than three times in this span the group busted up. I don't mean a little, I mean a LOT! I tried to rotate front to back over and over, and that gap got harder and harder to cover over time. None of this was done maliciously of course, but it sure made it a different ride depending on where you found yourself. Unfortunately for Allen, it was a tough ride.

With Neil's wedding hour approaching, the decision was made to go ahead and break the group up for good. Troy and Allen went their own ways, the rest of us planned to ride to Livonia and return home. Once again, no plan today seemed to last longer than 15 minutes, and this one was no different. Rand needed a relief stop at the county line, and Jimmy resumed his petition to shorten the ride. Not taking no for an answer, he called for a vote. The majority voted to go back, and so Jimmy ignored that and went to Livonia. So much for democracy! At this point we lost Rand, who had some deal with a cat. Now we were down to five.

As we turned for the return, I jumped on the front. My plan was to ride it on in to Orleans, and if anyone wanted to lead, they could take it from me. I wasn't going to tap though. Everyone seemed up for the line, so I took it up a notch. When we hit the county line we were already going 30 mph; it settled down to between 26-27 mph average, which is where we finished. I couldn't believe it, but we didn't lose anyone along the way. I figured we might, but every time I asked if all were still there, I could hear nothing but "yes!".

We took a short break at Huck's, and we headed home. Scott took forays to the front and still looked very strong despite the distance. Really everyone did. The cloud cover undoubtedly made the ride a lot more comfortable than it otherwise might have been. We retraced our steps back to Bedford, culminating in the final long climb, the Cut.

Roy led out, Miller next, and I was in third position. Roy was doing a fine job, but as we entered the ramp to the Cut I decided to go around and use the placebo effect one more time. Keeping a steady effort, I topped over 19 mph and nearly a 21 mph average. I know it was all in my head and stuff, but that sure felt good.

The rain was upon us, time was running out, but we did do three loops around Hillcrest to guarantee 70 miles. I was going to ride all the way back to Parkview with the guys, but halfway down 19th Street the rain started to come down, so I turned for home and 71 total miles. Moments after I was in the house, the rain dropped in buckets from the sky.

I've made my decision on the chain ring; it's a slam dunk. The 337 segment today was in neutral to (in places) adverse conditions, and even without going all-out I was able to hold very good speed. The ride up the Cut was icing on the cake. I feel better riding on it, and whether or not that's in my head makes no difference.

Run in the morning, swim and ride in the afternoon. That's the plan!

Running, Swimming, and Dodging Storms

Thank goodness the weather broke a bit. It's still humid, the dew points are still high, but at least the combination isn't as brutal as last week. Or maybe it is, and we've gotten used to it. Either way, things seem easier.

The team did an Indian run today. I broke them into two groups, which worked well. Focus was strong throughout, and the effort was there. The mileage is a bit less than we were doing last year at this time, but you know what? If this keeps them from being hurt at the start of the season and we are able to do quality right away, we will deal with that. All I know is we can't continue doing the same thing year after year and expecting a different result.

It was a slow run for me. Who cares? I knew I'd wind up getting out again later. Anyway, I was moving back-and-forth between groups, so my pace went up and down the whole run despite the overall slow average. I guess I'm saying the numbers are deceiving.

After that, Galloway, Allen, and I went to BNL to swim. Allen did 2000 yards without stopping! That's a big deal, folks. Galloway also looked in good form. I did my mile, and that was that.

Storms were coming sooner or later today, and I knew if I was going to get a ride in it would have to be sooner. I decided to get my lunch in quickly and head right out to Mitchell. My plan was to do the regular Tuesday ride, only earlier, and alone. It was a good call. By the time I arrived in Mitchell, pop up storms were appearing on radar. I told Allen I had two hours at best to ride, and if nothing went wrong, that would be about the right amount of time.

Wind was mostly from the south, so the way out was a bit more challenging. I laid down in aero from the jump and ground it out. All the way to the county line I kept an even up-tempo pressure. This was definitely going to affect my time on the return, but there was no choice. This was the only way the ride could be completed.

A quick turn had me back on 337, going pretty well. The hoped-for tail wind really didn't come through. The air was pretty turbulent, and it seemed at times the wind came from all directions. This was no doubt due to the gathering storm clouds ahead of me, and as I got close the winds shifted to pretty much into my face. I wound up with better than 26 mph average, slow for me, but it was what it was.

Now I had to get north, because the storm was upon me. I opted to cut the course a bit and made for 37. If I could get there before the rain I had a chance to ride a tailwind back to Mitchell. This part of the plan did work pretty well. Before long I was rolling into Mitchell, packing up my bike, and just as I closed the car door the downpour started.

I decided to run again later. At first I thought that was a mistake, because when I stood to leave, my quads were blasted! I'd averaged something like 21.5 mph in the ride, and I think it took more out of me than I expected. No matter - once we started running it straightened out, and I thought nothing more about it.

I opened the pool for Jimmy, Rand, and Roy, then off to Wendy's for our Tuesday supper. It was a full day in spit of the weather. I'm sorry we missed the team ride, but there was nothing to be done for it. Maybe next week!

Solstice Warriors and Rotor Q Ring Ride #2

Today is the summer solstice, the official beginning of summer, and the longest day of the year. It also happens to be the day scheduled to ride long, a century, the first in a month. After a week of heat and weight loss, would it be possible to complete the ride? Would the heat build again today as it has every other day for a week? Nothing to do for it  but to try!

My plan was to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, and take Enduralytes every hour on the hour. I also made sure to take some food in every 90 minutes or so. Finally, I did not rush anything for the first part of the ride.

Allen, Roy, John T., and Scott were the ones I followed early on. Scott was the most surprising of all - his trademark pull the group out move was notably absent. I asked him about that, and he replied, "I didn't want to pull the pace up for the guys going 100." I appreciate that very much! I knew for certain John T. would make the whole thing, was comfortable Roy would, and was only 50/50 I would.

I probably didn't approach the day with the best lead up plan. Today would be the third day in a row riding, and to top it off, I'd made a major change to the bike just yesterday. I'm known to be an "all-or-nothing" sort of guy, but this was foolish even for me. If I suddenly developed a problem because of the chain ring experiment, I would be in a world of trouble.

Since Scott and Allen, the two purveyors of paths, were only going to about 25 miles with us, I decided to pitch my idea for the course. Roy really liked the Salem/Palmyra course, John T. hadn't seen it yet, so why not go that way? It had some good stretches for aero, some hills (more like long grades), and ample water stops. True, if it got really hot out we ran the risk of baking on the road, but I thought it was worth it. Besides, both Roy and John T. are extremely steady riders, and I had no fear for them on Highway 56.

John T. pulled the 337 leg at a steady 20-21 mph. We dropped off Allen and Scott, then southeast we went, through Livonia and onward to Salem on 56. I pulled this leg, steady at the 20-21 area John T. had done. I had to be careful of the climbs - the Rotor Q Ring is particularly effective there, and I didn't want to break away. It's not as if the guys couldn't keep up, but I wasn't having to work as hard they did, and they were trying to play it smart.

It seemed like no time before we were in Salem. We stopped for some fluids, then wound our way through the back streets to exit the city on the south side, heading south on 135. This portion begins with a couple of long semi-steep grades, nothing unmanageable, and we got through them with no problems. The road flattens a bit after that into a pleasant rolling terrain, and all too soon we hit the turn point.

There was a bit of a headwind coming back, which was actually a good thing, because a north breeze is always cool. Puffy fair weather cumulus clouds were also cropping up all over, which gave occasional breaks from direct sunlight. This would go a long way to keeping us cooler and on the road.

<BREAK>
I've spent the last few minutes lying on the floor staring at the ceiling. Seems I had some nice hamstring spasms that had me screaming at the top of my lungs, and the only thing that helped was to slide out of my chair, fall heavily to the floor, and lay outstretched on my back. It's over for now. I can resume my post.
</BREAK>

We hit Wendy's on the way back through Salem, and it was a nice break. A cool room, food, and best of all, cold drinks. Maybe I should have been concerned about eating and continuing into the heat, but it didn't seem to bother any of us. We wove back through town, hit 56, and before long were following Roy back to Livonia. He kept the average above 20 mph all the way. In my opinion, Roy has never looked better as a rider.

On 337, I carried the line duties until we turned off. It got out of hand at first, but I slowed it down after a bit. The truth is, I've done the road so many times I go into autopilot. Once rolling northwest, it's time to work. The Q Ring made this so easy to do. Sometimes you get lucky and find a tweak or device that seemed like it was designed just for you, and I think that may be the case here.

We decided to make one final stop in Mitchell for fluids, which left us with 12 miles to go. Though no one really wanted to do Rabbitsville, it was the only sure way of getting the full 100 miles without doing some silly loop around town (hate that). John T. began leaping out more and more - he could smell the barn. As for me, I was cruising in. It had been a great ride, and I didn't want to mess that up now. Besides, it was time to start thinking about tomorrow's workout. I urged John T. and Roy to go on if they wanted, but we stayed together.

Finally it was time for the cut. By now I could finally feel my quads. My legs had been anything but rested before we left, so my only surprise was that it had taken so long to feel them. Once again, I attribute that to the Q Ring. It saved me from having to pound the quads throughout the ride.

We did indeed finish, and I must say those guys both looked like they could turn around and do it again (though I know from their conversation they wouldn't want to!). I rode home and put it all away for the day.

Rotor Q Ring Summary #2:
This thing is really working out. I know my good buddy Allen is convinced it's placebo, and who am I to argue with his vast experience with them? What I do know is I climb better and cruise easier. The best way to describe the feeling is it's like drafting off someone all day long. I seemed to be able to hang with John T. in climbs better than I normally do - of course he obviously could have been taking things easier. Still, I feel faster.

Run tomorrow morning? Probably!