2009 Totals

2009 is coming to a close and my workouts are done for the year. Here's what my 2009 totals look like:

Bike:
90h 50m 26s - 1468.84 Mi
Run:
120h 20m 36s - 694.53 Mi
Swim:
44h 14m 11s - 107200 Yd

...Things to Think about....

Okay, our dance card is completely booked after the Marathon...
In 3 weeks is the PF Chang's 26.2 - entry fee paid
A month after that is the Lost Dutchman 13.1 - $60 before 1/31 on valentines day.
The day before is the skirt chaser FIVE K and is a whopping $45 entry fee. Kinda steep for a 5k at Tempe Town Lake!
The next weekend is the 10k (5k,5k) relay at Cesear Chavez Park - $20 before 2/15
The very next weekend is the Trisports Duathlon at McDowell Mountain $85
The very next weekend is the Firebird Triathlon in Chandler $90 +
The very next weekend is the 10k relay ($20), The St pats 4mi run ($25)
The very next weekend is the Bartlett Lake Triathlon $105 before 3/1
Then there is a break unless we want to do the 5k Ostrich festival run...
The Havasu 1/2 is 3 weeks after the Bartlett Triathlon $65 before 3/31
Then Pat's run is the very next weekend 4.2 mi and $35 before 4/8.
However something to consider is that our lease runs out less than 2 weeks after this race... so we'll have to do some careful selecting of races we'd like to do - and budget accordingly... not only our financial resources, but our physical ones as well.

Just something to think about - and we do have some time to dwell on this... as well as the great decision. Though, it could be a lot of fun to cram a lot of life in the next few months, before the great decision.

ONE MORE SLEEP!!!!

JUST ONE MORE SLEEP>>> YAY! YAY! YAY! I'm sooo excited! I cannot wait to celebrate Christmas with you... my favorite person in the universe... so here you have it..I saved the best for last... A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE!!!!!!!! (and she claps her hands wildly bursting into fits of giggles!)

2 more sleeps....

Your family is off to Illinois, and I wish them safe travels, and that they all enjoy their visit w/ the relatives. Sorry yet again, we couldn't make it back for Christmas. I know that 5 years is a long time not to go back. I thought that by now, we'd be able to... but hopefully I'm making it a bit of fun to make up for it. Just think... tomorrow you'll get to open your Christmas Eve gift!!! You excited yet... I know I am!

3 more sleeps....

I love you Derek. Just 3 more sleeps until Christmas! I think it will be a pretty awesome Christmas this year, too! Have fun running tonight. I may even join you - and rest tomorrow. I do like running with you a lot - and actually feel SAFER running with you.

4 more sleeps....

So only four more sleeps until Christmas. I've already picked out your Christmas Eve gift for you to open, and I'm really excited about it too! I cannot believe you only have to go into the office 2 days this week - lucky duck!
Oh and only 4 more weeks until the marathon. So it is time to get mega excited. If you were holding any enthusiasm back - you'd better muster it back up! Oh yeah, I'm excited!!!

7 more sleeps!

It is finally Friday! I'm excited and actually looking forward to our 3 hour run tomorrow. It should be a lot of fun, and the best part is knowing, that in only one week, we'll be waking up and exchanging Christmas presents!!!

Upcoming races - depending on our zip code...

(Finisher photo from the RNR LV!)
I think my happy spot is a race every 4-6 weeks. Any more than that and I can get a bit cranky! Well on my site I've listed a bunch of races that might be fun... as long as they aren't cost prohibitive.
Here are my top races that I'd Like to do...
1/17/2010 RNRAZ Marathon
2/14 The lost dutchman 1/2 marathon Apache Junction
2/20 or 3/13 10k couple's relay (5K a piece)
4/10 Havasu Half
4/17 Pats 4.2 mile run
BUT, you're training for the Ford IRONMAN Series on 8/29/2010.
So I also looked up a bunch of tris you might be interested that are in AZ.
1/9 10:30 am Prescott Valey Polar Bear Sprint Triathlon
http://www.getsetaz.com/event-detail.php?item=403054
2/7 8am Tricat's Polar Splash and Dash Tuscon Arizona
2/28 8am Trisports.com Desert Classic Duathlon - a ride and run McDowell Mtn Park. (3.5mi run and a 21 mile bike ride)
http://www.getsetaz.com/event-info.php?item=403062
3/7 8:30am The Firebird Triathlon - Firebird Lake, Chandler AZ.
http://www.active.com/triathlon/chandler-az/firebird-triathlon-and-duathlon-2010
3/21 The 5th Annual Bartlett Lake Olympic Triathlon 7:30 am Scottsdale AZ
http://www.active.com/triathlon/scottsdale-az/the-5th-annual-bartlett-lake-olympic-and-sprint-triathlonduathlon-2010
5/16 Tempe International Triathlon 6:30 am Tempe Town Lake
6/13 YMCA get out of the heat backwards triathlon 8am
7/17 12 hours at night mountain bike trail ride 8pm Prescott, AZ

12k Results!

Derek Harper BIB # 181

Distance - 12K
Clock Time - 1:16:15
Chip Time - 1:15:56
Overall Place - 362 out of 673
Gender Place - 151 out of 215
Division Place - 14 out of 22 Men 25-29
Pace - 10:11
4K time - 25:03
8K time -50:21

http://results.active.com/pages/oneResult.jsp?pID=71533973&rsID=87599&pubID=3

Way to go Derek, and thank you for sharing this experience with me! I had a great time, and also quite enjoyed sharing lunch at Macs with you!!!

Las Vegas Half Marathon

Over the weekend Tristin and I drove to Las Vegas for the Rock n' Roll Las Vegas half marathon. This was a great event that had us run the entire strip and back. It was really fun to get to see all the different hotels and sites, it made the race go by very quickly. We had a great time and had a really good race too. After the race we got to hang out and have some fun in Vegas, and even ran into Eric. It was a great weekend.

Turkey Weekend

This past week was a lot of fun. For Thanksgiving, Tristin and I went out to Mesa for the 40th Annual Mesa Turkey Trot. We did this last year and the event was very cool. The weather was perfect and the race went great. After the race we went home and prepared our turkey and all the fixins. We spent the rest of the day just eating and lounging around – it was a good day. The rest of the weekend was pretty low key. Friday I had the day off, so I did a short ride on the trainer and spent the rest of the day being lazy. Saturday we went out for our long run. We were still a little sore from Thursday, so were a little slower than usual, but overall had a good 13.5 mile run. The running mileage is getting up there and should keep me busy the next few weeks.

5 more days until VEGAS VACA!

I'm pretty excited about Vegas!!! I cannot believe we leave in only 5 more days! The expo will be a lot of fun if it is anything like the Chang's! We can get our IDS checked at the expo, so that we get these wristbands for the finish line, and we can quickly get our free MGD 64s! Exciting stuff, huh? Yeah, I think so too! Also, we'll have a lot of fun, in that it is low pressure, nothing that we feel we "have to do" for anyone.
I'm really glad we had our talk yesterday. I like thinking about things aloud with you and hearing your oppinions on things. We've got a lot to figure out in the next few months, but we also can have a bit of fun in the meantime. 7 more weeks until the marathon... time sure flies!

11/24/2009 -- Turkey Trot 2 days away!

I am super excited about our trot! I hope your knee is holding up well. I'm really looking forward to running in this event with you... the last event we did together was on our one year anniversary! (We had a 9:53 pace for that one!) I'm hoping we can keep the pace up for the 10k and beat last year's time. I know you can... but if I can't... I can't. I won't beat myself up about it... since last year's Turkey Trot was the first race I ran under the last name HARPER! Which will always make it a memorable race in my book.

11/22: Back in the water

So this week I took a break from cycling in order to help my knee heal, but I did get back in the pool. For the next few months I am going to focus on my form and technique and hopefully become a more efficient swimmer. My running stayed on track this week and I did not have to take any time off, which made me feel pretty good. I was even able to go 14 miles on Saturday and a total of 28 miles for the week with only minor pain. Today the knee is a little sore, but nothing like it was two weeks ago after the hike. I will probably stay off the bike for another week just to be safe and get to the pool at least once next week and continue with the running. We have a Thanksgiving Turkey Trot 10k on Thursday to help build an appetite for a day of endless eating, I'm excited!

8 weeks 4 more days!

This is a list of our miles broken down... the following weeks will go by very quickly... and with your knee if you have any issues - please speak up. I don't want you getting hurt. I'm watching my body closely, and responding, so if I have any troubles or issues... I will be sticking with the TIMES, not the mileage. You let me know what you need, but I wonder if I'll actually train to be faster if I run my long runs solo... but I do like you being with me. So we'll just have to see how they go! I'm looking forward to it though! (Plus it is nice to have someone wear the water!) :-D

11/21 12 -14mi {60}

11/26 10k turkey trot {60}

11/28 14-16 {2:45}

12/6 13.1 Race + (2 to and from hotel) + (any other walking around while in Vegas that day.) {3}

12/12 12k's of Xmas {60}

12/19 16-18 {3:15}

12/26 18-gasp... 20! {3:30}

1/2 10 {90}

1/9 6 {45-60}

1/17 MARATHON!

11/16/2009

I'm glad that you were able to get up and go for a run this morning. I really was glad I got the extra dose of sleep. I'm excited about our races that are coming up, and sharing them with you.

I really like doing one or two races a month (I think one is my preference) to keep an active social calendar... and our sanity. I love you, and you are an incredible cheerleader. It meant a lot to me to have you yelling "Go Tristin!" You rock!

11/15/2009

I finally feel like I have recovered from last weekend, it only took close to a week. This past week I tried to get back into a routine, but was having some trouble staying motivated. I have been having pain in my left knee similar to the pain I felt in May. I need to be taking it easy so I can heal so I have decided to focus on getting ready for the marathon and letting my body heal - so that means no biking until its better. So with no biking, I think I'll get back into the pool. I need to focus on my form this winter and now seems like a good time to start.

So this weekend was nice and quiet. Saturday I ran 10 miles, I planned to go 14 but decided to stop before the pain in my knee got any worse. After the run we ran some errands then watched 7 hours of the HBO series True Blood. It was an exciting day. On Sunday we drove to Tempe for the Aflac Iron Girl 10 mile run that Tristin was racing in. She ran very strong and I was very proud of her, it was a fun day. When we got home we finished the final 3 episodes of True Blood - 10 hours of TV in two days and it wasn't because I was so hungover I couldn't leave the couch - a very nice, relaxing weekend.

11/13/2009

I'm really sorry that you are having knee aches. I hope you get better soon. Don't push yourself too hard or too soon for my sake.

I can tell that I'm a bit sore in my calves shins/ since the hike. I'm better now, but it was certainly a bit more strenuous than I would have imagined!

The primary reason to have a coach is to have somebody who can look at you and say, Man you're looking good today. -Jack Daniels

You're my coach... and I'm your sideline cheerleader! Derek you are totally awesome! I'm so excited about training with you....... :-D

Just 9 1/2 more weeks until The PF Chang's Rock and Roll Marathon! I did a map my ride of the event-- and just mapping it took forever... that is going to be a long run - but a lot of fun!

11/09

The guys came in this past weekend and we had a great time. It is always great to see them and kinda sad to see them go. I had a nice weekend that consisted of zero training. It was a good mental break to not have to do any structured training. On Saturday we went to Squaw Peak and did some hiking. It was really nice and a lot of fun. My knees are a little sore still and I am hoping its nothing and doesn't bother me for several weeks like they did after the marathon in April. After dropping the guys off at the airport I set the bike up on the trainer for a short workout and now plan to go to bed very early - I missed out on quality sleep for the past several days.

11/9/09

So your friends are now heading out of town. What a nice visit overall! But now we're back to training! You've got your new wheel so you can train on your bike indoors this winter, and run w/ me for the marathon training. I'm pretty excited, and look forward to possibly running with you tonight after work... if you're up for it!

The Ironman KY is 42 weeks and 3 days away!!! Exciting stuff! The Changs is 10 weeks 3 days away! I've been thinking about the training, and most importantly I want to remain healthy - I also want to try to run for time.. and TRY to hit certain miles w/ certain time markers... If I can maintain a 5mph avg pace I'll be pretty happy... so I think training will look something like this...

This week is sort of screwy because of the guests... but this weekend 10-12 miles.. maybe more.. unsure BECAUSE.. 11/15 is the irongirl. I'm supposed to run for 2 1/2 hours, but I should be done w/ the 10 miler in around TWO hours... so I'm off track a bit... which is why I wouldn't mind doing the A&L which would make me perfectly on pace.....hmmm After that we are KINDA on track...

SOOO...
11/6 10-14mi (depending)... {2:15}
11/14 12-14mi (depending) race on Sunday 10 mi... so hmmmm {2:30}
11/21 1 hour or 10mi -- OR, because of race 12-14mi {60}
11/26 10k trot {60}
11/28 14-16 {2:45}
12/5 14-16 (Sunday is the 13.1 race) {3}
12/12 12k of Xmas {60}
12/19 16-18 {3:15}
12/26 18-gasp... 20! {3:30}
1/2 10 {90}
1/9 6 {45-60}
1/17 MARATHON!

Marathon Training and Winter Cycling

Now that I have no more tris for the year, its time to look forward to the marathon. It's less than 11 weeks away and its going to sneak up on us fast. I am trying to figure out the best way to train for the next 10 weeks so I can finish the race without hurting myself. I already have a pretty good base built, so I will probably just need to increase my long run and keep everything else similar to how I was training. This winter I also plan to start a 14 week cycling program in order to increase my bike power and speed. The program is to be done indoors 3x a week, with each session being less than an hour. I think it will be a good supplement to the marathon training and should really help me out for next year. I have enjoyed the past week of resting up, but am now getting antsy to start training again.

...10 weeks 6 days...

You ready to rumble!!! I'm not sure what plan sounds best to keep your base up so that you'll not only be able to build, but also improve your times for the Ford Ironman next August 10 months away or a mere 43 weeks away.

I'm sorry i don't have the answers that you want as far as training goes. I know you need a plan, so that you can continue your biking and your swimming. My tentative plan is TWRSaSu. TWR I'll run either in the morning or afternoon, depending on weather- and I'll run 2-6 miles depending. My long runs will be on Saturday. Sunday will be my short 2-5mi recovery run. Here are the dates broken out for you by time so you can start to plan your training accordingly...

11/7 (boys in town) 2h15m

11/14 (2h30m) - 10 mi race on 11/15

11/21 (60- maybe more... )

11/28 (2:45)

12/5 (3h) 12/6 is a half marathon event

12/12 (60) 12k race.

12/19 (3:15)

12/26 (3:30)

1/3 (60)

1/9 (45)

1/16 EXPO 1/17 RACE

... and now for the marathon training...

D you did fantastic, and I hope you're recovering nicely - and that your hip & shin won't be too much of a bother. In just 11 weeks and 3 days we'll be running the marathon! I'm excited too!

I'm also not sure if you want to do the Desert A&L's with me or not. I agree that IronGirl will have a lot more support, and most likely be a nicer course... thought the 1/2 marathon runs through the Mesa HoHoKam Stadium, which could be really cool! Either way, that weekend will be a lot of fun... I just need to decide what I want to do, and what I want to run. I know I want to run IronGirl.. just not sure if I want to do the 10mi race, or the 5k... so it is definately something to think about! They are both for great charities. The A&L's - skin cancer research... the IronGirl, for pediatric cancer (and any cancer survivor gets free entry!) I think they are both excellent causes for my support.. I'm just trying to figure out what I want to do.. and not necessarily have you dragging your feet along with me...

Soma Half Ironman

Last Sunday was my big race for the year, and I had a blast. The morning started with me waking up at about 3:50am. After having some coffee and breakfast, I went through my checklist to make sure I had everything packed. At about 5:15am, Tristin and I headed down to Tempe Town Lake.

Once we got there I set up my transition and checked my bike to make sure everything was still good. I then put on my wetsuit and waited with Tristin and my parents until my wave was about to start.

Once in the water we swam to the start line and waited for the gun to go off. It was pretty crowded in the water and it took about 10 minutes for it to thin out and for me to get my rhythm. After that it was pretty smooth and I finished the 1.2 mile swim in 38:16, much faster than I had thought I would - and 1 min faster than I finished the Olympic distance swim in September.

Once out of the water I ran to the wetsuit strippers and had them help me out of the suit, they were very helpful and had the thing off me in just a few seconds. I then took off to my bike, got my helmet on, grabbed my bike and ran out of transition for a T1 time of 1:21.

The bike was not a very well planned course. There were lots of 180 degree and 90 degree turns and it was hard to gain and keep any speed. Since the past two months had taken a toll on my bike endurance, my goal for the bike was to take it easy so I wouldn't be burned out on the run. This planned worked well, but my bike time was a little slower than I would have liked - but spot on for what I planned. My 56 mile bike time was 2:58:18 for an 18.84 mph avg.

My T2 was pretty uneventful, racked the bike, put on socks and shoes, grabbed my race number and visor and was out in 1:27.

I started the run out strong and felt great. I passed many people and it felt pretty good. At about mile 8 I started to slow and by mile 10 I was in some pain. I looked at my watch and saw that if I could finish the last three miles in 30 minutes I may finish in under 5 and 1/2 hours, so I tried my best to keep running strong. I finished the 13.1 mile run in 1:50:18 holding an 8:25/mile pace. My total finish time was 5:29:41, about 30 min faster than my goal. I was happy and had a great time during the race.

The best part about the race was the tremendous support I got from Tristin and my parents. It was hot and they had to be out there for 6+ hours, but they made me smile each time I saw them, and it was really nice to have them out there. I got to see then many times on the bike and hearing Tristin cheer so loud for me was great. It was also really cool to be able to hear them cheering for me as I was running down the finishing chute. After the race we all went to Chuey's for fish tacos and beer, yum!

My husband, the half Ironman!

YOU DID AWESOME! I'm incredibly proud of you! I can't even describe it in words. You are AMAZING!

10/22/09

Thanks for running with me this morning, at least part of the way! I had a blast. Thank you for making my birthday special. You are a wonderful husband. Try to relax, and enjoy this week. 3 more sleeps til race morning! EEK! You're gonna do awesome!

Race Week - Happy Birthday Tristin!

My race is this Sunday and I am very excited for it, as well as a little nervous. This past weekend I took it pretty easy. On Saturday I went out for an hour ride followed by a 45 min run. Then on Sunday I went for another hour ride - this time taking it very easy and staying away from all hills. Monday I got to practice open water swimming with my wetsuit at Lake Saguaro. The wetsuit really helped me feel buoyant and faster. When I first put the thing on it felt as if it was 2 sizes too small, but once I got in the water it felt fine. Tuesday was an interesting day. I woke up early and went for a 40 min (15 wu, 20 tempo, 5 cd) then headed to work. At about 9am I started getting a horrible pain in my stomach and by 11am I had to go home. The next six hours was spent vomiting and being in pain. At about 5pm the pain went away, and by 6pm I felt fine. I must have ingested some nasty water from the lake that just tore my stomach up??? All I know is that I am glad it was not the flu or anything longer lasting. Wednesday I woke up feeling fine. I plan to take it easy today, then go back to my schedule on Thursday. Today is Tristin's birthday and my parents get in town, so it should be a fun night.

10/19/2009 - 6 more sleeps til race day!

Be sure not to push yourself too hard this week. It will be of no benefit, training wise, and will only zap precious energy that will be needed for race day. The one thing that is most crucial this week is your diet.
I love you, and believe in you! You'll do great! I had a really nice low key weekend with you. Hope you enjoyed it the same!

10 more days!

9 days until you rack your bike, and 10 days until your race. This one will be a long one, but you are ready. When you get home tomorrow, and are in town, remember to relax, and not press too hard. You are ready. You aren't going to benefit from killing yourself the week before the race. Nutrition is key- and everything you put into your body this week IS critical. So that is the factor that will require the closest scrutiny.

I cannot wait to see you. Missin' you like crazy!!!

Final Long Weekend

Tomorrow starts my taper for the half ironman, so this weekend was pretty tough. Friday night after work I went for a swim. I swam 5, 500 yd repeats with 1 min rest in between. This was a good swim and I felt good throughout the entire swim. Saturday morning was my long run. I went out for 2hrs 5min and covered 13.2 miles. I kept my hr low and felt great during the entire run. I even got to catch Tristin for the last 2 miles and finish the run with her. Sunday was a long ride, which was tough. My legs were still dead from Saturday and about 2 hrs into the ride I had lost all energy. My cadence sensor stopped working also so I could not tell if I was in the correct gear, which I had probably relied on too much in the past. I rode 57.2 miles and it took 3hrs 40min. I was hoping to cover more than 60 in 3:30, but was not feeling it today. Tuesday I leave for Chicago for work. The hotel I am staying at says it has a lap pool, so hopefully I can still swim and run this week. Right now I am completely exhausted and look forward to sleeping as much as I can tonight and the next few days.

You'll do gr8!

Don't worry about your next race. You'll do great! We'll get the training in, and not have too many distractions this weekend. You have 2 weekends, and approx 3 weeks to get geared up. Your Nathan's swim was supposed to be 1500 meters, however it was over 200 meters further than it should have been, which means you've already basically covered the distance already. (1.2 miles is equal to 1,931 meters.)

Another fun fact! 1 yard = 3 feet. 1 meter = 3.281 feet.

You swim in a 25 METER pool. So when you are calculating your distances, be sure to use the correct terminology.... because 1500 meters is equal to approx 1650 yards.... both are the exact SAME distance... the yards just sounds further.

The Nathan's Olympic was comprised of a 1500 meter swim, a 24.6 mile bike ride, and a 10k run (6.2 miles).

The Soma Half IronMan is 1.2 mile swim (lets hope they don't mismark this one!), a 56 mile bike ride, and a half marathon distance (13.1 mile) run.

I think if you swim when you can, you are totally capable, and will finish the 1.2 mile swim w/o too much difficulty. I'll try to stay along the coast for the next swim to keep you focused and calm. Also with the bike this weekend, if you can get a 3 hour ride in you'll be good. Plus I have total confidence in your running ability. Get a 2 hour run in this weekend, and you'll be covered. We have the time, and you have the training. I know the work trip and the wedding's timing weren't ideal, but you'll do TERRIFIC! I believe in you!!!

Back from STL

So I am now back from St Louis. While I had a great time there, my nutrition and training has suffered. This combined with me having to go to Chicago next week for work really has me worried about my next race. All confidence that I got from the Nathan's race is now gone. I am just trying to get back into my routine and see what happens. I still feel sluggish and my motivation has diminished. So we'll see how these next few weeks go. I only have 18 days until the Half.

Derek is super amazing!

Thank you so much for all your help with the wedding stuff this past weekend!

I know Kristi really appreciated our help. Plus it meant a lot to me to have you there. I hope that the few days away didn't stress you out too much about the training plan. I think you are awesome and will do AMAZING! Just 18 more days until you rack your bike! and just 19 more days until you swim, bike, run your way to your very first triathlon medalion! YIPPPEEE!!!!

I LOVE MEDALS!

Nathan's photos up!

YAYAY your pictures are available!!!!

http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=56187&BIB=924&LNSEARCH=1

Nathan's Triathlon

This morning was my second race, and my first Olympic distance triathlon (1500m swim, 24.8 mile bike, 6.2 mile run) and I had a great time! I woke up this morning about 4:00am and started to get ready. Tristin and I left to get to the race at about 5:15am, getting there at about 5:45. It was still pitch black when we arrived, but luckily they had floodlights to light the transition area. After I got marked and my timing chip, I made sure everything was set up right on the bike, then I met back up with Tristin until the race started. My last race I kept my backpack and everything else with me in the transition area which all ended up getting in my way during the race, so this time I kept it very simple and only left the things I knew would be using in my transition area (helmet, bike glasses, race number, running shoes, biking shoes - already attached to bike, running hat and running sunglasses). I was lucky Tristin was cool with holding my backpack, I'm sure that sucked for her. Once the first wave started (the sprint distance pros) I went into the transition area and started pacing. I was nervous for the swim and was having a hard time calming my nerves down. When my wave was next to go off, I ate a pack of shot blocks and downed a pint of water. As I lined up I saw that my wave was much larger than I thought - instead of being just 25-29, it was all athletes up to age 39 - this made the start very crowded. Once we got into the water we had to swim 100 yds to the starting line. Once at the line it was hard as hell to see anything. The sun was coming up and the glare from the "lake" was pretty bad. Once the horn went off chaos ensued. While this was not the fastest swim for me, I did not completely panic like the last race and was able to swim freestyle for the entire time - except when I was trying to see where I was going. The first 400 meters of the swim were the hardest for me. I kept running into people, getting kicked, and really couldn't see where I was supposed to go. As I was trying to sight I heard Tristin cheering for me, "GO DEREK GO!", it was so great to hear. Once I heard her I stopped and started waving to her, which she then responded "KEEP GOING!". So for the first half of the swim I could hear the encouraging words of my wife, and that really kept me going. So I finished the swim at a fairly slow pace, but still much faster per 100 meters than my last race. I exited the water at 38:32 for a 2:34/100m avg., I was hoping for under 30 min, but I am still very happy with the time.

Transitioning from swimming to the bike was interesting. Getting out of the water I could hear Tristin cheering for me, which was awesome, but I had trouble finding the stairs to get out of the water. Once out, there was about a 40-50 yrd run from the swim exit to the transition area and my legs felt like jell-o. I had been practicing my transitions for this race much more than my last - which was one night after drinking and having Mom take pictures of me :). My total Transition 1 time was 1:21.

Once I got on the bike my plan was to take it easy since I didn't have my bike for almost 4 weeks. I stuck to my plan and never did push it too hard unless I needed to pass a group. This plan was probably the smartest thing I did for the race. For the ride I filled my aero bottle up with a pint of water and put an electrolyte tab in it and ate a pack of shot blocks w/ caffeine. I had thought they would have aid stations for the bike like the last race did, but I was wrong, so I ran out of water just after the second loop of the bike. On the bike course I passed a good deal of people, and got passed by a good deal of people. It was fun to see all the different types of bikes out there and I definitely got envious of a few. Tristin was set up in a good spot so I was able to see and hear her about 4-6 times during the bike. She wore a bright pink shirt and pigtails so she would be easy to spot. It was always fun to see her so I would stick my tongue out or make a silly face to acknowledge I saw her. Overall the bike portion went a little slower than I thought, but mainly because I had only ridden my bike 3 times in the past month. I finished the bike in 73:36 for a 20.22 mph avg.

Coming into T2 my legs felt strong and I was ready for the run, the only leg I had consistently training for the past month. I had a little trouble getting the first shoe on, but after that I was out like shout. T2 time was 1:33.

Starting the run I could tell I was dehydrated from the bike. At the first aid station I grabbed a Gatorade and a water. I dumped the water on my head and took a sip of the Gatorade and started choking on it. I decided after that I would walk through the aid stations to make sure I got the necessary liquids. Throughout the first 5k of the run I felt pretty good, but during the second 5k my quads started to cramp and I felt like I was going to puke but I kept going and I was determined to finish strong. As I made the last turn before the finish I see Tristin holding the camera saying "Who has two thumbs and is awesome?", which I reply "THIS GUY" giving a big thumbs up. I finished the run in 48:05 for 7:46 mile average.

After the race I grabbed some of the post race food and met up with Tristin to sit in the shade and talk about all the fun things we witnessed during the day. I got to see some really cool bikes, while Tristin got to see some guy puke in the lake I was swimming (and most likely drinking) in. My total time was 2 hours 43 minutes and 07 seconds for a placing of 26 out of 53 males aged 25-29, and 145 of 422 of total males that competed.

I had so much fun racing today and I am so happy Tristin was there to cheer me on. Her loud, distinctive voice got me through the swim leg, and helped me actually have fun while I was racing. She is an awesomely supportive wife and I don't think I would have finished without her!.

Thank you Tristin!

I have attached some pictures from the race. I forgot to charge the camera and it died before the bike. I will post some little pics once the are on the race website.

Race Week

So my next race is at the end of this week and I am getting real excited about it. I am still a little nervous about the swim and bike legs, but am feeling pretty good going into this week. After getting the bike back Friday, I rode a total of 80 miles this weekend. It felt great to be back out there, but I could tell I had lost a lot of confidence. Every time I would see a car I would picture it turning into me. It took me a few weeks to get used to the bike when I first got it, so I am sure it will take a few more to used to it again. On Monday I went out to Saguaro Lake and practiced my open water swimming. I felt pretty good after I got going, not being able to see anything in the water scares me at first. I swam non-stop for almost 45 minutes and felt really strong in the water. The water was pretty rough and I still felt good, which made me feel pretty good about this Sunday. Thursday there is a Splash n' Dash at Tempe Town Lake that I should do to get some more experience swimming in a herd. I am kind of taking it easy this week with by shortening my runs and rides but keeping the intensity high. I will take Friday and Saturday completely off from running and biking so my legs will be fresh for Sunday.

Back in the Saddle

So i got my bike back yesterday (9/18) and was really excited to start riding again. I decided this weekend was going to be a bike focused weekend, so today I went out for my first road ride in 25 days. I rode slow and easy, not wanting to push it because I am still going for my long ride tomorrow. I was winded early and can tell my endurance has dropped. My confidence on the bike has also dropped, and I spent a lot of time out of the aero position. Overall I was very happy to be riding again and am excited about next week's race. Today I rode 30.77 miles in 1:43:52, for a 17.77 mph average. After the ride I went for a quick transition run. My legs were dead and I was extremely hungry, but was still able to run well. I ran 2.35 miles in 17:43. I didn't plan on running until half way through the bike, so my nutrition and hydration during were less than stellar and I could feel it during the run. I plan to relax the remainder of the day and get ready for tomorrow's ride.

For 2010 they changed the color of my bike, so the new wheel is a little different.

9/11 - 9/12: Mental Toughness

Friday morning was an off morning so I got to "sleep in" to 5:15 am - thats when my internal alarm clock goes off and gets me up. Work was uneventful, but lunch was amazing. I met Tristin at Ling and Louies, which is the best place for lunch in Phoenix, and we both got the newly added (to the lunch menu) Kung Pow Chicken/Beef. I got the beef and Tristin got the chicken, it was great! There is nothing at this place I have not liked. Anyway, after work I went for a swim. It felt great to be back in the pool, but my speed and stamina have definately taken a hit. Friday's set consisted of sets of 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 400, 300, 200, 100. After I finished the second 300 my form had gone to crap, so I called it a night. I was ver happy with the swim, my times per 100 yds were almost back to where they were before the accident and ther was only minor pain while I swam. Saturday I woke at 6:00 am, had a cup of coffee, ate a pb and banana sandwich, and was out for a run by 7:00 am. The start of the run was rough, my legs felt dead and I kept getting a stitch in my side. Since this was my long run (a 2hr scheduled run) I had to keep going. After about 35 minutes I finally found my stride, about 10 minutes later I saw a runner in a bright pink shirt in the distance, about 10 minutes later I ran into the pink shirt - It was Tristin!!! She had left before me this morning, and it was really great to see her. She had stopped at the Special Olympics Triathlon (SOT) that was taking place in North Scottsdale. After seeing T, I kept trucking along. I got to a point where I would either have to run on the road (sidewalk ended and turned into a multi-use path) or run along the SOT run route, so I turned around and headed back. I finished todays run in 1:47:52 and covered about 12.5 miles. After the first 35 min, I felt pretty good. I wore my bet with all 4 bottles putting half a salt tab in two of them, and ate half a pack of shot blocks at 45min and 90min. My nutrition and hydration were good today and I was pretty happy with the run in all. After the run Tristin and I got some smoothies from Smoothie King, took a nap, then went out to watch the Cardinal game. I swear we are cursed! When we started watching the Cards were up 2-0, then when we turned the game on it became 2-3. We then got lunch, and when we left the Cards were up 6-5, but when we got home they had lost 6-7. Every game that has been televised in AZ they have lost, so I am scard to watch any more games.

Anyway, I heard back from the bike shop today - my wheel has been ordered and they expect it within the next week. I would be very upset if I don't have it by Wednesday. Once I get the bike back, it will be riding everday until I feel comfortable again.

Here are a few more pics from the "accident".

9/10: Back to Work

So I have started training again. I still don't have my bike back, so I took the mountain bike out on the multi-use path for a ride. I rode 53 min 51 sec at a decent pace. It felt good to be back onto my schedule. My shoulder is still pretty sore, but the bruising has gone away and my cuts have started to heal. This has been a pain in the ass and a learning experience. I learned to never trust anyone, I learned to always call the police no matter what, I learned that I hate people, and I learned that people will not always do the right thing. Anyway, I want to put this whole experience behind me and get on with my life. I hope to get my bike back soon because my next race is in 17 days.

8/25/2009 5:50 am

So I have been out of training for a little while. On Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 5:50 A.M. I was hit by a car that was 1 - not using a turn signal and 2 - not paying attention to the cyclist that was lit up like a x-mas tree. So the last two weeks have sucked. I hurt and have no bike. I will not even go into the stupid shit that is happening with the psuedo insurance card the kid gave me. It has been an extremely frustrating two weeks. The accident left my right shoulder all messed up, and a bunch of cuts on my hand, elbow, knees, and ankle. The impact from the ground caused my helmet to crack, and my head, face and shoulder took most of the impact.

8/20 - 8/22

Thursday was a good ride. I had gone about three weeks without seeing any improvement in my Tues/Thurs ride times and today I finished my 17 miles in 53:45 which is about a minute faster than my best for this loop. It was a good confidence boost.

Friday I ran 59 min 48 sec for 7.12 miles. It was my tempo run so the first 15 min was at an easy pace, then 30 minutes hard, and 15 more easy. I felt great except the outside of my right foot started to hurt and the pain hasn't really gone away two days later. After work I went for a swim and it was pretty crappy. I had eggs and salsa for dinner and during the swim I kept feeling like I was going to burp up my dinner.

Saturday was my long ride. Friday night we had some wicked storms, so I didn't think I would get the ride in. But I left at 6am after waking up at 5am and having a pb & banana bagel and some coffee. The first 60 min of the ride was great, I felt strong and rode really well. Then I saw a dead rattle snake, not too big of deal, then about 400 yds later I saw a tarantula. I have never seen one of these in the wild, and it freaked me out a bit. Anyway, I was still riding strong until about 1:15 into the ride I had to pee. I rode for another hour searching for a safe place to pee - which was not easy because i did not want a tarantula or a snake to catch me in the desert. Finally I found a port-a-potty at about 2:15 into the ride, after that everything was smooth. I rode a total of 61.18 miles in 3:25:49. It was a good feeling knowing I could ride the full 56 miles for my race.

This is me being a dork in my new wetsuit.

8/19: Run and Swim and the Knee Pain

So this morning I went for my long run. I was supposed to go 90 min, but due to the pain in my right knee I only went for 73 min for a distance of 8 miles. I felt great everywhere else and had a good rhythem, but didn't want to hurt myself more than I already have. I iced the knee after the run and probably will again tonight. I don't like pain when I run, it makes me angry.
During lunch I went for a swim. Today was my long interval day. After a 3oo yd warm up, I did 6, 400 yd repeats with 30 sec rest in between, followed by 100 cool down. By the end of the 6th 400 I was getting tired and was swimming very slow. Overall it was a good swim.

8/17 - 8/18

I had Monday off from work so I slept in until 6, then went for an easy 29 min 08 sec run for 3.6 miles. I still felt really tired from the weekend so I was happy with the 8:05/mile pace. After the run I went to the pool for some speed work. After warming up for 300 yds I did 30, 50 yd repeats on 1 min intervals. By the end I was dying. I flopped around for 200 yds to cool down, then headed home to do nothing for the rest of the day.
Tuesday I rode 17 miles in 56 min 26 sec. I don't know if it being dark the entire ride slows me down, but I am riding the same loop about 2 min slower than I was several weeks ago. I guess I just need to push myself a little more.

8/14 - 8/16

Wo this past weekend I took Friday off work and have Monday off also, it was nice to have an extended weekend. On Friday I went for my long run, I ran 1:41:47 and went 11.4 miles for a 8:56 min/mile pace. During the run I felt good, I brought only water with me and a pack of blocks and that was all I needed. After the run I went to the pool and swam for 41:11. I wanted to swim longer but my legs started to cramp so I just ended it early. I was able to swim a straight 1500 yds in 24:40, so that was good. Hopefully I can swim that fast in my next race. After the swim I picked up Tristin for lunch the went home a relaxed.

Saturday I went for a 3 hour ride. I got to ride up in to Cave Creek which is a neat town. I tried to take the ride a little easier so I wouldn't start cramping like my last long ride. I ended up riding 51.8 miles and averaged a 17.27 mph pace. I ended up bringing an extra bottle of water with me and I think it really helped, I just felt really weighed down with about 90 oz of water with me. By the end of the ride I was tired and was glad I had nothing to do the rest of the day. Later in the day Tristin and I went out for some drinks and I think I had one too many cause I'm still pretty exhausted and its now Monday. Also on Saturday my new tri wetsuit that Tristin got for me came in the mail, so I got to try it on and have a little fun with it.

8/10 - 8/12

The training hours are really starting to get up there this week. It will be interesting to see how my body feels the next few days.

Monday started off with a 30 min interval run. I ran 30 second building sprints every 2 minutes after a five minute warm up. I felt good and rested Monday morning. After work I went to the pool at 6pm (the summer hours have ended) and was surprised that is wasn't very crowded. My swimming volumes really starts to increase this week and today I swam 49 minutes and covered 2,500 yards total. The workout started with a 400 yd warm up, then my main set consisted of sets of 100, 200, 300, 400, 400, 300, 200, 100 resting ~15 sec between sets, then a 100 yd cool down. I felt strong and fast during the swim and my swim confidence is starting to increase again.

Tuesday was a bike only day. I woke up early had a banana and was out the door before 5am. It was dark almost the entire ride, which I did not like. I need some more lights or reflective gear cause I didn't feel very safe. I rode 17 miles in 26:23 for a 18.09 mph average. During this ride I tried to add in some intervals as my bike fitness is starting to plateau. My HR stayed pretty low, so I guess I am not pushing it hard enough. Maybe Thursday's ride I will pay more attention to my HR.

Wednesday morning was my tempo run. I started off with 15 min easy, then 30 min hard, and 15 easy. I felt very sluggish today and my legs were a little sore. I still was able to cover 7 miles in 58:26, so my pace was still good. After the run I sat in a cold bath to try and help speed my recovery. During lunch I went to the pool for a swim. I like going to the pool in the middle of the day because no one is ever there. After a 400 yd warm up I completed my main set of 10 x 200 yds on 3:45 intervals. I consistently had 30 sec of rest after each 200 which means my pace was about 1:37 / 100 yds. I hope I can transfer this speed into the open water. After my main set I did 4 - 25 yd sprints, then 200 cool down. for total distance of 2700 yds. I am tempted to do a 1000 yrd time trial Friday to see how much I have improved since my last one on July 5th (19:38).

8/8 & Anniversary 5k

Saturday I went for a ride. My normal route was blocked off by two police officers, so I found a hilly loop and did repeats. I rode 25 miles in 1:26:26.

Today was mine and Tristin's 1st anniversary. It is amazing how fast this year has seemed to go by. We started the day off with a 5k at South Mountain Park, which was a lot of fun. We are resting now and plan to have some fun the rest of the day.

8/3 - 8/7

8/3: I have decided to switch plans for the remainder of my training, so this week is now a recovery week and I took today off. It was nice to not have anything to do but rest.
8/4: Tuesday I woke up, had a banana, drank some water, and started my run. I took this run easy, or at least I tried to. My HR was really high, my lungs burned, but I didn’t feel like I was really pushing myself. It was probably due to my cold, it being super hot, and the fact that my legs were still hurting from Sunday’s ride. This run was 4.6 miles in 42:20.
8/5: I slept in today until almost 6:00am! No running or biking today, just swimming. I went to the pool at noon, and since one of the area pools is closed this week for cleaning it was super crowded. I had to share a lane with one other person, but because these lanes are so large it was no big deal. Today’s workout was 100 yd repeats every 1:55. I did 14 or 15 of them, I can’t remember exactly. I kept a pretty consistent 1:30/100 yd pace for all but the last few. With my warm up and cool down I swam 1850 yds in 36:00.
8/6: This morning I got up, ate my banana, drank some water, and went for a ride. It felt miserable outside – hot and humid all before 5am. The sun is coming up later now so most of the ride was in the dark, which is a little scary – I probably need to pick up some reflective clothing. I rode 17 miles in 57:06 while keeping my cadence over 90 RPMs. I am feeling much better than the last few days and my HR was not spiking like it had been the last few days. After work it was off to the pool for another swim. Today I swam a total of 2100 yds. Starting with a 400 yd warmup, then 8 x 25, 4 x 50, 2 x 100, 200, 2 x 100, 4 x 50, 8 x 25 intervals at a 30sec per 25 yds, then a 300 cool down. Total time was 43:33. I am supposed to be swimming 60 min eat workout, but am having a hard time getting to that time.
8/7: Today I got up, ate a banana, drank some water, then went for a run. I felt great. I didn’t feel as hot and I no longer feel like I have a cold. I ran an easy 10 min, then pushed it for 20 min, then caught up with Tristin and finished out the run with her which was nice. I saw her in the distance and played a game of catch up like it was a race. Total run was 5 miles in 42:49.

8/6/2009

Today you biked. Just to give you a weather update. At 4:51am it was 93* and 29% humidity with 5mphSE winds. So technically it was hotter temperature yesterday. However looks like the humidity was higher today... but they both are awful to exercise in!

8/5/2009 ~ HEAT WAVE!

It is hard to believe a year ago we were in StL. The weather was a lot nicer there than it is here. CRAZY STUFF. Think of all the stuff we accomplished together. You didn't think you'd have run a full marathon. In fact... you weren't mentally going to do a full marathon until you started joining me on my runs in November... and even then you were just about the 10k. I guess I just beat you down. Now you want to do an Ironman. You rock D!

8/1 - 8/3: Can't Believe it's Already August

So July just flew by, much like the rest of the year. Hopefully August will too, then it will start to cool down here. Saturday was my long run. I woke up early and grabbed a bagel with peanut butter for breakfast, then 30 minutes later I left for the run. I brought my water belt with me filled with 2 waters and 2 cytomax. I ran 9.1 miles in 1:19:07 for a 8:41/mile. During the run my feet and right knee started to hurt a little, but nothing too bad. After the run I went to Road Runner Sports and got a new pair of shoes. I stuck with the Nike Skylons that I have been using for the past year, they are cheaper than most shoes and I know how they will fit.

Sunday I woke up, had a bagel with pb, then went for a ride. I rode for 2:22:00 and was dying by the end. The last 30min was a struggle. I don't know if my legs were still tired from the day before, or if I just didn't eat enough before or during the ride. My calves even started to cramp up, which has never happened before which makes me think I didn't drink enough water, or I lost too many electrolytes and did not replace them well enough - something to think about for the next ride. For the ride I still ended up going 41.8 miles for a 17.66 mph average. I wanted to swim in the afternoon, but was just too tired.

7/29 - 7/31

So I am almost finished with my swim heavy week and I have noticed some really good gains. I have decided to skip the run heavy and bike heavy weeks because I don't think it is very safe. So Wednesday started off with a banana and some water then off for a Tempo run. My goal was one hour, but I ran the second half a little faster and finished 6.3 miles in 55:16. The first 15 min were easy, then for the next 25 I increased to a hard yet sustainable effort, followed by 15 easy. Felt good and pain free and finished the run off with a 10 min soak in cold water. During lunch I went for a swim. Today's workout was short, fast efforts. After my warm up I did 20 - 50 yd repeats on every minute, followed by a cool down. I was wiped out afterwards. Total swim was 1400 yd in 31 min.

Thursday I woke up, had a banana and some water (this has become my meal before shorter workouts when I don't have time for the food to digest, otherwise its a pb sandwich and coffee) then went out for a ride. Today I focused on cadence trying to keep a high RPM. When I finished my legs were not as tired, but my lungs defiantly got worked harder. Thursdays ride was exactly the same time and distance as Tuesdays (17 miles in 54:47) - weird. After work was another swim. Today's swim was a long constant swim. I warmed up for 200 yds, then swam 1700 straight. I had never swam that far without stopping before, and I did it much faster than I usually swim - 1:41/100 pace rather than the 2:00/100 I have been sitting at for the past several months. It was a great confidence builder.

Today is a rest day and I plan on doing absolulty nothing!

July Totals Are In!

July's totals:
Bike: 15h 39m 23s - 275.11 Mi

Run: 9h 25m 19s - 63.31 Mi

Swim: 8h 00m 43s - 22000 Yd

This was a pretty heavy month, but it will only get tougher in August.

7/27 - 7/28 - Swim Week

So this week is a swim focused week. So I get to go to the pool everyday! Which is kind of nice cause I like the new pool. Monday I really started to feel like I got over the cold and my energy levels and sleep are back to normal. Monday morning I went for a 5am run. I am starting to feel really good when I run and am having no real pain. I ran 3.6 miles in 30:37. I didn't eat or drink any calories before the run and was starving about 20 minutes in. After work I went to the pool and swam. My workout was a 1650 yrd ladder interval, where I start with 275 yds, then 250, all the way to 25. I kept each interval at a 30sec per 25 yd pace and noticed that I am starting to be able to swim much faster. The total workout with 200 wu and 150 cd lasted 41:21.
Today I woke up, ate a banana and went for a ride. I have been trying to ride harder each week and I have noticed some nice gains in my bike fitness from it, I even reached 35.5 mph today! I rode for 17 miles in 54:47 for a 18.62 mph average. After work it was off to the pool for another swim. Todays workout was 10 x 100 yds every 1:55. I was able to keep a pretty steady pace of 1:30 per 100, leaving about 25 sec of rest between each one. Maybe its swimming in the sun, but I have been swimming so much better at the new pool.

Time flies while we're having fun!

5 weeks til I'm in STL celebrating Ellie's birthday!

9 more weeks until the Nathan's Olympic triathlon.

10 more weeks until Kristi's wedding (just a couple days after your race and we'll both be in St Louis!)

13 more weeks until the Soma Half Ironman.

19 more weeks until the Vegas/ Fiesta Bowl Half Marathon.

25 more weeks until the Chang's.

Make sure you're getting enough rest and recovery in... the next few weeks are gonna FLY BY!