DAY ONE:
I was way behind the eight ball in terms of sleep most likely due to travel and excitement to get this ride going. Cicely and I had been in San Francisco the two days prior and all I really wanted to do was sleep. Unfortunately that did not happen as there was much to do with checking in, seeing friends and taking care of all the last minute things that come with a training trip like this. Still, the alarm went off at the ripe hour of 4am. The thing with rides like this is that you have to start really early so the riders that who take all day have all day. Being fast, you still have to start first or you spend too much of the day saying "on your left".
Opening ceremonies takes place now at the Cow Palace. Much better way to start the ride since it cuts out any riding through the actual city. The ceremony is always a bit touching especially when they bring in the rider-less bike. The bike represents all of the people that are not as fortunate to ride because of HIV/AIDS. The bike is presented by all of the riders that are currently HIV positive. They each carry ALC flags that have been signed by people in honor of those they have lost. I signed one in honor of Doug Blasedale who was my first spinning instructor before I ever rode and my buddy Derek who passed this last month. He was 38.
Once the ceremony is over we all file out like sheep to where the bikes are parked. I got stuck behind a huge crowd and was going to have to ride out almost last. I wasn't bothered by that but I knew that it meant I would be passing people for a good part of the AM. That can be a bit annoying. More on that later.
The ride out was pretty cold and overcast as it always is in SF. The scenery is fantastic after about an hour into it. Then you end up on the PCH which is also a very nice view. I was cranking away and prepared to not have to stop at any aide station. I had made it past the majority of people and wasn't sure if there was anyone else ahead of me. Soon enough I saw some dude up the road appearing to be stopped. As I got closer it turned out to be Ben Armstrong who I met the first time I did the ride. He rides like his last name.
I was glad to see him and helped him fix the flat. He told me that there were some other fast guys up the road. I have to admit, I thought "they can't be that fast" since I was the last one out and I was pretty sure that they knew better and got out first. I had been told by some other friends that these guys called "Dope Peddlers" do the ride and that they are fast and kinda dicks. I didn't make any judgments about them as I don't know them. But I do know that in rides like ALC, the fast guys are always thought of as dicks. I was happy they were there because I knew that once we all find each other it will be GAME ON!
Ben and I rode together for a while. I had to test his fitness and see if he had progressed since I saw him last. Well, lets be honest, I had to show him how much I had progressed since he saw me last. I let him take a pull and he made it a good one. Just not good enough. I took my turn and had to drop him. The ride was on the Big Kahuna course at this point so I knew how far we had to go etc. It wasn't far.
Back in camp it turns out that we were the first ones in. We never passed the Dope Peddlers so they must have pulled into an aid station and we didn't see them. When they did arrive they were a bit shocked to see that there were two bikes parked. The butt sniffing was about to begin and you can guarantee that tomorrow the tape measures would be pulled out. We all sat on the grass and had some lunch getting to know each other as best we could. I had my bias of them from my friends but so far they didn't seem like dicks to me. They are just straight and fast.
Camp life was going to be fine for the week. I made friends with my gear truck so that they would put my luggage in last so I wouldn't have to wait. Cicely would be working bike parking so it looked like I was going to be setting up shop every day. That was fine with me as I didn't have anything better to do. I would, however, have to take camp down in the AM because she was going to be out super early to work. That was a bit of a bummer but I would deal.
DAY 2:
I got up early so that I would be ready to get out first. Ben was waiting at bike parking for me. We were going to ride together as it was a big day. 107 miles of rolling hills and wind. Normal you get some nice tail winds on this route but the forecast was opposite and we did end up with some nasty head and cross winds. There would be a lot of casualties today.
Ben wasn't feeling so hot and I ended up dragging his ass around all day. He goes out too hard. I tried to tell him that so that he would be of some use late in the day but I couldn't make contact with his brain. JZ would have a field day with him!
We blew all the aid stations and just pounded out the ride. It was probably the hardest I have ridden that far in training in a good while. Our ride time was 4:35 min. On a course like that with the wind that we had, I would have to say we were working. We still had not connected with the Dope Peddlers. At this point it was a bit like "Race For Your Life Charlie Brown". If you haven't seen that a portion of your childhood was robbed. Anyway, one in camp we did all get together and had a proper chat on the grass. We had to wait for our gear for over 2 hours as we beat the whole "city".
We decided that the next day we would all ride together. It was a shorter day (66) and I think we could all use the group. I knew there would be no break. These environments are not new to me.
I got my 9 mile run in a bit later and then proceeded to pass out by 8pm. Maybe earplugs and a tent are the key to my sleeping problems? It's probably just being down from altitude. I always sleep better low.
DAY 3:
I decided to get up really early because I wanted the help from Cicely to get the camp taken down. I was ready to ride by 5:45 but we can't head out until 6:30. Ben and I met up with Dope Peddlers and we were all ready to take the 66 miles as a group. The ride would include "Quad Buster", a hill that apparently busts quads. I have done it before. It's no big deal. Then we would end up on the back side of the Wildflower course. Kinda funny that day one and two I would be on sections of races that I have done.
Anyway, like I said before, the ride was not very tame. Quad Buster became a KOM and the rest of the ride was pretty rowdy. It was a fast pace but when you have a line going it is manageable. I like riding like that and don't get to do it that often. We all had a great ride and bonded a bit. I think tomorrows ride of 95 miles will be easier as we now have a clear group. We have to go over the "Evil Twins" which in my mind are a bigger deal than Quad Buster.
I am off to go swim now and then have some dinner with the rents. We are in Paso Robles so I get to score some more parent points! Dad was going to ride tomorrow but ended up with too much to do at work.
More to report later. Limited Internet from the road.
Cheers,
bdc
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Aids Life Cycle: DAY ZERO
Well I got to San Francisco with no real issues. In fact I didn't even get charged for my bike at DIA. That is special! And now I am all checked in for the 7 day journey that will take me from San Francisco to Los Angeles. While the feat of the ride is not really that big of a deal for me, the charity attached to it IS! Over the past year, a majority of the HIV/AIDS funding in California has gone away. Events like the Aids Life Cycle are becoming more important as the years go by.
I would have to say that the "training" environment that I am now placed in is a bit different than what I am used to. I guess you could say that it is like a cross between an Ironman, circuit party and a local bike path. It's funny how you learn more and more about your comfort zone when you do things outside of the usual routine.
While I am gay, my usual routine does not involve being around this many gay people at one time. And while I lived in LA for most of my life and I have been out since I was 19, this many gays at one time is overwhelming to me. What is even more interesting, to me, is that I am not 100% comfortable around all the straight people that I train and hang with on a regular basis. I guess you could say that I am having an awakening to the fact that I am not sure where I am 100% comfortable. Growing up gay can kinda do that to you. Once you come out, it is like you are supposed to just join the whole "gay community". Or it least that is how it can feel. A little hard to explain but my issue has always been that I never thought my sexuality had to be the top thing that "defined" me. That can be a hard thing to not let happen because the reality is that it IS a huge thing that defines you. Being straight is a huge definer too. Most just take it for granted.
Anyway, Blah blah blah lets stop the Dr, Phil show before I start analyzing every part of my life on a blog and get back to the ride.
I have seen so many of my friends from LA and am excited to sleep in a tent for seven days. Okay, that was a lie. I am willing to sleep in a tent for 7 days. I am pretty willing to do a lot of things in fact. Hopefully we won't get any rain. Tent + Rain + Training all day = Credit Card + Hotel.
Better get off to bed. Have to wake up SUPER early as the ride starts at the butt crack of dawn. There are going to be some people out there all day every day and we have to start according to the slowest rider. I am going to try and find out who those people are and set up their tents if possible. See what a nice guy I can be if I want to be!
You can still donate: www.tofighthiv.org/goto/bdc
More later from ALC 8!
bdc
I would have to say that the "training" environment that I am now placed in is a bit different than what I am used to. I guess you could say that it is like a cross between an Ironman, circuit party and a local bike path. It's funny how you learn more and more about your comfort zone when you do things outside of the usual routine.
While I am gay, my usual routine does not involve being around this many gay people at one time. And while I lived in LA for most of my life and I have been out since I was 19, this many gays at one time is overwhelming to me. What is even more interesting, to me, is that I am not 100% comfortable around all the straight people that I train and hang with on a regular basis. I guess you could say that I am having an awakening to the fact that I am not sure where I am 100% comfortable. Growing up gay can kinda do that to you. Once you come out, it is like you are supposed to just join the whole "gay community". Or it least that is how it can feel. A little hard to explain but my issue has always been that I never thought my sexuality had to be the top thing that "defined" me. That can be a hard thing to not let happen because the reality is that it IS a huge thing that defines you. Being straight is a huge definer too. Most just take it for granted.
Anyway, Blah blah blah lets stop the Dr, Phil show before I start analyzing every part of my life on a blog and get back to the ride.
I have seen so many of my friends from LA and am excited to sleep in a tent for seven days. Okay, that was a lie. I am willing to sleep in a tent for 7 days. I am pretty willing to do a lot of things in fact. Hopefully we won't get any rain. Tent + Rain + Training all day = Credit Card + Hotel.
Better get off to bed. Have to wake up SUPER early as the ride starts at the butt crack of dawn. There are going to be some people out there all day every day and we have to start according to the slowest rider. I am going to try and find out who those people are and set up their tents if possible. See what a nice guy I can be if I want to be!
You can still donate: www.tofighthiv.org/goto/bdc
More later from ALC 8!
bdc
Monday, May 25, 2009
Bolder Boulder 10K Race Report
I decided after Wildflower that I wanted to run the Bolder Boulder 10K for fun. It is one of the biggest 10K's in the country and there are NO spectators. Why? Because EEERRRRRREEEEEYBODY in town runs it. I mean everyone! I haven't run an open 10K in years, and since my foot has been behaving I thought "why not"?
About 2 min after saying that in front of my friend Jim, I had an e-mail in my in box saying that I was registered for the race. My run time at WF got me in the "A Wave" so I wouldn't have to start behind the masses. That was a plus for sure. If you saw how many people there are you would understand.
JZ let me do the race as long as I used it as part of my long run and didn't take off my usual Saturday workout. I must say, Saturday was a pretty huge day. JZ served up a nice 3.8K swim that included a 2K TT. Then we hit the bike and popped off a nice 105 miles. The last hour I felt like crap but was still riding strong. When we got back to the home base I SOOOOO did not want to run. My desire to run was about as low as it gets and I was praying for a thunderstorm. One came but we still ran.
Sometimes you surprise yourself. After a few steps everything felt excellent. We were on our way to the track to do an 800 workout. I have started doing a second track workout off the bike on Saturdays in addition to my Wednesday track session that comes before the second long ride of the week. Saturdays workout is a bit slower than wed. So anyway, we get up there and I start out on the 800's. We ended up doing 4 of them starting at 2:55 and ending in 2:38. Felt great. I should add that as part of the "keep my feet in order" plan, I do 1/2 of the track stuff in the reverse direction.
All in all Saturday was a great day. Where am I going with this? Oh- Probably telling you this as a built in excuse about Bolder Boulder. I mean, it wouldn't be a true race report if you didn't list at least 10 reasons on why you could have gone faster!
I ran 4 miles to the race (excuse) and then when we got lined up for our wave they held us in the coral for about 15 min (excuse) and the first mile is down hill which I don't really care for (excuse). We are up to 4 excuses so far!
I ran into my buddy Sven, who actually ran at UCLA right before I did, and we had a quick chat about what we wanted to do for the 10K. He was thinking 5:30 pace so I thought I would just stick with him. Of course I went out faster than that (excuse). First mile was 5:15. And then the course started to go up. First time racing at altitude (excuse) and it was more of a climb than I thought (excuse). Man I am good at this excuse thing! I actually settled into a pace that wasn't too bad and finished with a 5:40 average. Here is the kicker- I won my age LOL! They do age by exact year so apparently all the 32 year olds slept in today.
I was happy with the effort. I recovered from the race the second I stopped running which was a good sign. I didn't really stop for too long actually. I just ran home. I was a bit cold and had nothing to change into. Plus JZ told me to run home.
Once home I met up with JZ, Carole, Monica and a few others for a swim. The swim went great and helped flush out any lactic acid left in them. Not a bad training day!
Now I am off to drink some beers at a BBQ. I have a few days left in Boulder before I head off to Cali for the California Aids Life Cycle. I will write a blog on that adventure in a few days and also plan to keep a daily blog while on the ride.
Cheers,
bdc
About 2 min after saying that in front of my friend Jim, I had an e-mail in my in box saying that I was registered for the race. My run time at WF got me in the "A Wave" so I wouldn't have to start behind the masses. That was a plus for sure. If you saw how many people there are you would understand.
JZ let me do the race as long as I used it as part of my long run and didn't take off my usual Saturday workout. I must say, Saturday was a pretty huge day. JZ served up a nice 3.8K swim that included a 2K TT. Then we hit the bike and popped off a nice 105 miles. The last hour I felt like crap but was still riding strong. When we got back to the home base I SOOOOO did not want to run. My desire to run was about as low as it gets and I was praying for a thunderstorm. One came but we still ran.
Sometimes you surprise yourself. After a few steps everything felt excellent. We were on our way to the track to do an 800 workout. I have started doing a second track workout off the bike on Saturdays in addition to my Wednesday track session that comes before the second long ride of the week. Saturdays workout is a bit slower than wed. So anyway, we get up there and I start out on the 800's. We ended up doing 4 of them starting at 2:55 and ending in 2:38. Felt great. I should add that as part of the "keep my feet in order" plan, I do 1/2 of the track stuff in the reverse direction.
All in all Saturday was a great day. Where am I going with this? Oh- Probably telling you this as a built in excuse about Bolder Boulder. I mean, it wouldn't be a true race report if you didn't list at least 10 reasons on why you could have gone faster!
I ran 4 miles to the race (excuse) and then when we got lined up for our wave they held us in the coral for about 15 min (excuse) and the first mile is down hill which I don't really care for (excuse). We are up to 4 excuses so far!
I ran into my buddy Sven, who actually ran at UCLA right before I did, and we had a quick chat about what we wanted to do for the 10K. He was thinking 5:30 pace so I thought I would just stick with him. Of course I went out faster than that (excuse). First mile was 5:15. And then the course started to go up. First time racing at altitude (excuse) and it was more of a climb than I thought (excuse). Man I am good at this excuse thing! I actually settled into a pace that wasn't too bad and finished with a 5:40 average. Here is the kicker- I won my age LOL! They do age by exact year so apparently all the 32 year olds slept in today.
I was happy with the effort. I recovered from the race the second I stopped running which was a good sign. I didn't really stop for too long actually. I just ran home. I was a bit cold and had nothing to change into. Plus JZ told me to run home.
Once home I met up with JZ, Carole, Monica and a few others for a swim. The swim went great and helped flush out any lactic acid left in them. Not a bad training day!
Now I am off to drink some beers at a BBQ. I have a few days left in Boulder before I head off to Cali for the California Aids Life Cycle. I will write a blog on that adventure in a few days and also plan to keep a daily blog while on the ride.
Cheers,
bdc
Friday, May 15, 2009
Wildflower Race Report
Wildflower is a race I always seem to want to do. It's a unique race atmosphere and kinda early in the season (for me) so I enjoy the fitness check. And let's just say Wildflower will NOT lie to you about how fit or unfit you are. It's BRUTAL. I actually got to write the chapter on "Wildflower" in "50 Greatest Triathlons". The book should be out soon. I hope I did the race justice.
Anyway, this was my third time doing the race. It was the first time I went into the race not injured. What a better way to race. Not injured. Go figure. I had a decent amount of prep for it and was very happy with my end result which was 2nd in 30-34, 5th AG overall and beating over 50% of the Pro Field. Not to mention I had a shocker of a run. 1:21.03 was the time. I really wasn't expecting to be able to go that fast on this course. I would have to say, given the training I have in my now, it is a pretty good sign.
The day before the race I was feeling a bit of the pressure. I think most of it was coming from the fact that my last race was Hawaii and last year I only did 2 other races, one of which didn't go well internally. The result was fine but the way it felt was another story. As well, my swim in Hawaii, while being a non wetsuit PR, had a major anxiety attack attached to it. I was obsessing about the swim at WF. In a way I guess I was just out of practice when it comes to racing and I felt like I didn't know what to do.
That feeling became even stronger about 30 seconds before the start of my wave. I was standing next to Patrick Baldwin (Not that Bachelor). I have gotten to know him over the last 2 years racing as he and I seem to always be right around the same time give or take. We both are not a big fan of the swim start so we jockeyed for the far left of the front line. I said something lame to him in a nervous chatter like "So what do we do"? It was such a strange feeling I was having. I had NO IDEA what I was supposed to do. Luckily triathlon is not rocket science and when the gun went off instincts took over and I swam like a mofo to that first buoy.
When I made the turn I was in a great position. Things were calm thus far and I had a pair of feet with a green cap. Unfortunately, those feet went out a bit too hard and I had to go around them. I felt so smooth in the water early on which is not normal for me. I usually take a while to find a rhythm. Maybe all those hard swims JZ has been making us do on Saturdays is paying off!?
It was crazy how many people from the wave before us we had to swim over. And not in the second 1/2. I was climbing over people by the second buoy. So the rest of the swim was my best attempt to be polite to yellow caps. It wasn't easy but I tried. As the swim progressed I would look up to see if I could find any green ones that I might be able to get on but I never saw any. Of course, part of me thought I might have been dropped by my wave. But then I thought "Hmmmm? Maybe I am swimming in the front of my wave?" Turns out I was. I got out third which was a first. I was stoked. I saw a 26 on the clock and that was good enough for me. It was probably the most effortless swim I have ever done. Maybe it was that new Orca 3:8 suit. I must say it was quite slick!
Out of the water I had a minor issue. I got to my bike and I was extremely dizzy. I bent down to get my stuff and was like "WHOA! I better sit down." SO I did and that helped but for the first few miles on the bike I had this strange vertigo feeling. Never had that before but I figured it came from the swim. I wasn't planing on riding very hard for the first 30 min so I just cruised along till it went away.
As I cruised, I was passed by Jonathan Toker (Salt Stick) and then by Patrick. I wasn't sure if I should let those two guys go but I did. They rode away from me pretty quickly and by the turn to the back side of the course they were both gone. I didn't have my power meter on the bike nor did I have a running time going. I was 100% numberless for this one and I wasn't sure how I was riding. I could clearly have a conversation with anyone. I wasn't working hard but my left quad felt a bit spent. Just the left one. So I rode using that as my gage.
Once I got to the "hill" some dude in my AG caught up to me and I decided that I needed to at least keep this guy in my scope. I rode the hill like I might in a training ride and then tried to keep the other guy in view the rest of the ride.
Somehow at about mile 48 I caught back up to JT and when I go by I ask him how far up Patrick was? He said that Patrick was just up the road. This lit a fire in me. I will admit that for most of the ride I thought I was out of the game. Apparently I was back in. I rode so easy that I should be able to run off this bike okay and hunt these guys down.
My transition to the run was quick and as I started the run I felt like I was just shuffling along. I was moving well but my stride was so tiny. I usually have a pretty long stride that actually makes me look like I am running slow. I just kept up with it and before I knew it I had Patrick in site and passed him at mile 3 and then saw the other guy. I passed him in the next 2 min. At that point I thought I was in front for my AG. That is what people were telling me.
I never really opened it up on the run. The progression to being injury free has been long and I wasn't about to screw that up. The Wildflower run would be hard enough on my feet as it is. From the running days, we would get green lighted in races. If you have a green light from coach you can open it up and run hard. Without it, you better do what he told you to do or you were gonna be in big trouble. I did not have a green light for this race. I was just supposed to run smooth. And that was all I was doing.
It felt great. I was actually present and aware of people watching. I had some interaction with the aid stations and my friends watching. It wasn't until about a mile and half to go that I spot my friend Matt Dixon watching and he tells me that there is one more guy in front of me. "DAMN! I thought I had this in the bag". There wasn't enough road left to try and get him. So I just kept trucking along at my pace. I really wanted to win my AG. I really wanted to be top AG of the day but that didn't happen and I was okay with it.
The race was a perfect start. The feet fell better than I expected afterwords. I don't have a race until Buffalo Springs 70.3 in late June so there is plenty of time to recover and move forward. Hopefully, I will be able to ride that new sweet Orbea Ordu I am on a tad faster :-)
The weekend was a blast and I look forward to next year!
Cheers,
bdc
Anyway, this was my third time doing the race. It was the first time I went into the race not injured. What a better way to race. Not injured. Go figure. I had a decent amount of prep for it and was very happy with my end result which was 2nd in 30-34, 5th AG overall and beating over 50% of the Pro Field. Not to mention I had a shocker of a run. 1:21.03 was the time. I really wasn't expecting to be able to go that fast on this course. I would have to say, given the training I have in my now, it is a pretty good sign.
The day before the race I was feeling a bit of the pressure. I think most of it was coming from the fact that my last race was Hawaii and last year I only did 2 other races, one of which didn't go well internally. The result was fine but the way it felt was another story. As well, my swim in Hawaii, while being a non wetsuit PR, had a major anxiety attack attached to it. I was obsessing about the swim at WF. In a way I guess I was just out of practice when it comes to racing and I felt like I didn't know what to do.
That feeling became even stronger about 30 seconds before the start of my wave. I was standing next to Patrick Baldwin (Not that Bachelor). I have gotten to know him over the last 2 years racing as he and I seem to always be right around the same time give or take. We both are not a big fan of the swim start so we jockeyed for the far left of the front line. I said something lame to him in a nervous chatter like "So what do we do"? It was such a strange feeling I was having. I had NO IDEA what I was supposed to do. Luckily triathlon is not rocket science and when the gun went off instincts took over and I swam like a mofo to that first buoy.
When I made the turn I was in a great position. Things were calm thus far and I had a pair of feet with a green cap. Unfortunately, those feet went out a bit too hard and I had to go around them. I felt so smooth in the water early on which is not normal for me. I usually take a while to find a rhythm. Maybe all those hard swims JZ has been making us do on Saturdays is paying off!?
It was crazy how many people from the wave before us we had to swim over. And not in the second 1/2. I was climbing over people by the second buoy. So the rest of the swim was my best attempt to be polite to yellow caps. It wasn't easy but I tried. As the swim progressed I would look up to see if I could find any green ones that I might be able to get on but I never saw any. Of course, part of me thought I might have been dropped by my wave. But then I thought "Hmmmm? Maybe I am swimming in the front of my wave?" Turns out I was. I got out third which was a first. I was stoked. I saw a 26 on the clock and that was good enough for me. It was probably the most effortless swim I have ever done. Maybe it was that new Orca 3:8 suit. I must say it was quite slick!
Out of the water I had a minor issue. I got to my bike and I was extremely dizzy. I bent down to get my stuff and was like "WHOA! I better sit down." SO I did and that helped but for the first few miles on the bike I had this strange vertigo feeling. Never had that before but I figured it came from the swim. I wasn't planing on riding very hard for the first 30 min so I just cruised along till it went away.
As I cruised, I was passed by Jonathan Toker (Salt Stick) and then by Patrick. I wasn't sure if I should let those two guys go but I did. They rode away from me pretty quickly and by the turn to the back side of the course they were both gone. I didn't have my power meter on the bike nor did I have a running time going. I was 100% numberless for this one and I wasn't sure how I was riding. I could clearly have a conversation with anyone. I wasn't working hard but my left quad felt a bit spent. Just the left one. So I rode using that as my gage.
Once I got to the "hill" some dude in my AG caught up to me and I decided that I needed to at least keep this guy in my scope. I rode the hill like I might in a training ride and then tried to keep the other guy in view the rest of the ride.
Somehow at about mile 48 I caught back up to JT and when I go by I ask him how far up Patrick was? He said that Patrick was just up the road. This lit a fire in me. I will admit that for most of the ride I thought I was out of the game. Apparently I was back in. I rode so easy that I should be able to run off this bike okay and hunt these guys down.
My transition to the run was quick and as I started the run I felt like I was just shuffling along. I was moving well but my stride was so tiny. I usually have a pretty long stride that actually makes me look like I am running slow. I just kept up with it and before I knew it I had Patrick in site and passed him at mile 3 and then saw the other guy. I passed him in the next 2 min. At that point I thought I was in front for my AG. That is what people were telling me.
I never really opened it up on the run. The progression to being injury free has been long and I wasn't about to screw that up. The Wildflower run would be hard enough on my feet as it is. From the running days, we would get green lighted in races. If you have a green light from coach you can open it up and run hard. Without it, you better do what he told you to do or you were gonna be in big trouble. I did not have a green light for this race. I was just supposed to run smooth. And that was all I was doing.
It felt great. I was actually present and aware of people watching. I had some interaction with the aid stations and my friends watching. It wasn't until about a mile and half to go that I spot my friend Matt Dixon watching and he tells me that there is one more guy in front of me. "DAMN! I thought I had this in the bag". There wasn't enough road left to try and get him. So I just kept trucking along at my pace. I really wanted to win my AG. I really wanted to be top AG of the day but that didn't happen and I was okay with it.
The race was a perfect start. The feet fell better than I expected afterwords. I don't have a race until Buffalo Springs 70.3 in late June so there is plenty of time to recover and move forward. Hopefully, I will be able to ride that new sweet Orbea Ordu I am on a tad faster :-)
The weekend was a blast and I look forward to next year!
Cheers,
bdc
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Wildflower: With The Senior Disscount.
I thought I would post my Dad's race report from his first olympic distance triathlon at Wildflower. I will get around to writing about my race at the 1/2 Ironman this week.
************************************************************************************
Did you ever agree to something, then utter to yourself, “now what am I going to do”? What if what you agreed to do was so far out of your comfort zone you knew you were entering the twilight zone !
Dateline: Kona. October 19th 2008. I am at the Ironman Awards banquet to celebrate the superb race that Brandon completed the previous day. There was a kinetic static in the chatter about having spectated all those racers, particularly those who were finishing in the 16th hour of the race. So Brandon, my son, says that he has always thought that in the past, with all the running and biking I did, that I could have done an Ironman if I could swim. It is important to know that if I ended up in "hell", it would be an endless deep pool. I avoided ANY immersion into water unless I have on life vests. Brandon persists in importuning me that I still could do this. "This" being a triathlon event. He announces he can coach me! This is where my brain entered the twilight zone. I think, "I live in the backyard of Wildflower, it’s eight months away, I have a tri bike, I can start running again, and, I can try, not tri, swimming". Oh, and there is one more impeding issue. I have to loose a lot of weight and deal with the fact that I now have a fake knee that I didn't rehab properly so the amount it bends is not "the best". So, being a reality TV lover (Survivor), I just created my own reality show, "Triathlon Extreme Makeover"! With that, those two words spilled from my lips in front of everyone, “I’m in”!
The next day I am anticipating that no one will remember my uttererances due to the amount of beer consumed and I can slip out of this one. I’m off to play golf early and get a ride to the course and play 18 solo. Plenty of time to think this through and come up with a graceful exit. I call Mary Jo to come pick me up. She will be there in a half hour. Then it hits me. I’m not backing down. Instead, I start running back rather than waiting for her and think she will catch me in 10 minutes. Thirty-five minutes later I get picked up. Now back to the condo to get ready to go to black sand beach with Brandon and the group. Hey what the heck, I’ll run some more on the way to the beach. Two runs today! Clearly, I have that strange gene that most of the people in the sport posses.
The group decides to go out to the water and swim out past the waves and just hang out. I put on a jog belt and snorkel mask and venture to the edge. I have to get past the surf to reach the group. This is huge, not the surf, but the fact that I am thinking of doing this. I get out there and actually get to see a turtle when I put my head in the water- Maybe the turtle was there to tell me "Hey, water ain't so bad". Brandon decides this would be a good time to evaluate my swimming technique, even though he is not totally sure I should be out there in the first place, or lack thereof. I flail for twenty yards and gasp. What am I going to do about the other 1,480 yards? I demo a little backstroke and Brandon declares, “You can swim”. I made it back to the beach and managed not to panic. There were about 6 of us out there so I had plenty of "life guards" with me. I must say, floating out in the ocean was a fantastic experience and I can't believe it has taken over 60 years to feel that.
Later, back at the condo I go to the pool knowing there is safety. I swim some and now know there is a long way to go.
The Coach: Moving forward Brandon will now supply the training wisdom, workouts, evaluations, and motivational encouragement. I have to supply the effort. Back at Oak Shores (houses on the Wildflower course) we have a small pool and it’s still open for another two weeks. I can start the swim training here. I can’t swim one full-length non-stop, but I am determined that I can improve and get better.
Brandon visits for a few days a month later. I’m on the weight loss plan and getting through the small workouts. We try a small ride in the neighborhood and I have trouble riding the bike a mile on the small inclines. And when I say small I mean small. The hills on the WF course are like mountains compared to these flea bites. There’s work to be done. I join a health club that has a 50-meter pool. At my first pool swim I cannot swim a length and have to deal with the “deep end”.
By the time the Christmas holidays are here, I have made significant progress with all three events. I am now swimming as much as a 3K, biking up to 48 miles, and have run up to 10 miles. An additional note is that while I am running on a titanium knee, all three sports have helped make it feel better. Brandon continues to evaluate my progress based on my reporting back after workouts and establishing benchmarks. It wasn’t just, “how was that workout, and for tomorrow do this”. He asked questions a coach needs to have answers for so that training is meaningful and on target. I knew the workouts he assembled were to reach the incremental improvements and not just to be able to say I did X. By January 2009 weight loss was good and still dropping.
Four months to go until Wildflower and toeing the line at the open water’s edge. I knew that if I listened to the coach I could complete the Olympic distance. There was still a matter of that open water swim, which I had not experienced to this point. I knew the pool and my ability in the pool. But how was that going to transfer to the open water? By the end of the month I was ready to test the event distance and see what level of fitness I’ve reached. This is where I strayed from the prescribed workouts. I went to the club and swam a 1500. Transitioned as quickly as I could and jumped on the stationary bike for 24 miles. I walked off the bike and stepped on the treadmill for a 10K. After finishing I thought, this is not too bad. However this was a controlled environment and not the real thing. Nonetheless, I was pleased to know that I could cover the distance. Now I had to keep loosing weight, and get stronger for each event. Weekends allowed for some rides with runs right off the bike. I was now doing well over the race distance with rides on the Wildflower long course that included "hell" hill. I saw the light.
At the beginning of March I knew there had to be some actual "on course" testing. So I entered the Cal Poly Sprint Tri for April 4th at Lake Lopez. Heck this is only a 750-yard swim, 12-mile bike, and a 5K run. I expect this distance will give me the confidence that I can complete a Triathlon. I still have to keep training, loosing, and listening to my coach but the sprint would help work out some of the newbie bugs. A note to keep in mind is that I’m working 50-hour weeks so a lot of training is happening after 6 PM. Work, train, sleep and do it everyday.
A week before the Lopez event I purchase my first wetsuit. I decide sleeveless is good for me. After all, I’m usually warm and I can handle some chill. My first wetsuit swim in the pool is taxing due to different body position, different breathing, not to mention this compression on my chest. So I completed a couple of 1500 pool swims for acclamation. Plus it helped on how to get the wetsuit off.
Dateline: April 4th. Here I am at Lake Lopez at 6:15 am for my first Tri tryout. Mary Jo (my wife and Brandon's mother) is there to watch me get settled in transition but she has to attend a course and won’t be able to stay. Now I am solo. No coach other than in my head. Check list done. Set up is done. It’s a chilly day and the announcer informs us that the water temp is 57 degrees. I know there is not going to be any in water warm up, so I run for 30 minutes to generate some thermal energy. Transition closes and now I have nowhere to go but to waters edge and wait for my wave.
I observe the first swimmers and reconnoiter the course buoys for my 750. They don’t seem that far out and before I know it, it is time to go. I walk in and feel the chilly water and don’t even dip my arms. I decide that if I did, I might not take the plunge. Better to just hit it and take it rather than anticipate. At the water level that first buoy now seems further away than I thought. I have to keep it in sight but at the same time keep forward motion. Looking up is an issue with breathing. I know that my arm turnover is quick, thinking I’ll get out faster. I stray a little right of the buoy but make it for the first left turn. The next buoy is not as far since it will be the left turn and head for exit. I stray too far to the right and have to come back on line, but still at high arm turnover. I know this is more effort than I need, but I need to stay on top of the water. I’m out in open water, my hell. More course correction but still adding too much additional distance, but finally I’m at the timing matt. Numbness is in my hands and feet. I find my sandals and slog up the path to bike transition.
I’m biking now and know that "Fear Factor" is over. I just need to re-energize and I do after 5 miles. The first hill right at the start was tough and the re-entry hill gets your attention but I know they are nothing in comparison to WF's monsters. I’m back inside the park and ready for run transition. I’m running now and just have to get through a 5K. It’s tougher than expected because there is no fast leg turnover. It’s a maintenance run. Same pace at start, same pace at finish. Now there’s a word I can deal with, "finish"!
I am pleased that I made it and that my coach would be pleased with my first time out. Hey, I’m thrilled I didn’t drown and become a Tri statistic. I’m further pleased when I learn that I took 3rd in my age. This might be the time to consider, that having completed a triathlon event, maybe one was enough. It was on the “bucket list”. No, I need to know, can I do Wildflower Olympic? More training, coaching, and weight loss. That next day I rode the Wildflower bike course and knew once again, “I’m in”.
The approaching race day: After more longer pool swims, longer rides, and longer runs, I envision that the race will go well. Brandon is now assigning workouts that will increase with intensity and have the next week at lower intensity. As race day gets closer I know this is going to be a much different experience. I’ve got people there. Brandon’s there and his coaching will tell the tape. Brandon arrives eight days before the race. He needs to see first hand, is Dad ready for this? This is where it get’s interesting.
We are going down to the lake for some practice. Naciamento, the other lake near WF, is nowhere near as cold as Lopez. A course point is set. I dive in and start the fast arm turnover again. This causes anxiety and the need to rest after 100 yards. What about the other 1400? This is where Brandon’s coaching plays a major role. He knows that I have to slow down, relax, find a comfort zone in the water, and get some technique for sighting those buoys. First day was tense. Head thoughts about, “how did I do Lopez”? Breathing was compressed. Maybe Lopez was a one time only event. But, if anyone knows me, and Brandon does, I’m not throwing in the towel. He has me go back to the pool and swim a 1500 with the wetsuit and swim as slow as possible and find that relaxed stroke zone. I complete this swim in 37:16 and thought I was slow. The reality is I was relaxed. The other reality was that I was in the pool.
We go back to the lake for another practice swim the next day. Same course points as before. Re-arranged my mental perspective. Stay relaxed. Improvement is apparent. Swam longer with less stress and far better breathing. Thursday, one more lake swim before race day. Again marked improvement, most notably with relaxation and breathing. I can and will do this! After all, I’ve got an Ironman Coach.
Race day at Wildflower: Here’s the report on the weight loss and part of the extreme triathlon makeover. I’m down 52 lbs.! Goal was 50. I know that this weight loss will play a role on this course. I’m in the 10 am wave. A later start that I am pleased about. No rushing, keep calm, have time to warm up, and soak in the atmosphere of the second largest triathlon event in the USA. I’m here and “I’m in”. Brandon is there after a great previous day giving it his all on the Long Course, and designates himself as the "go to" guy. Keep me in race mentality and not be overwhelmed with race day stress. Which I should note, we had something come up. I left my Tristar race top at the house. HOW DID I DO THAT? Luckily, MR. Go To, got on the horn and called up his friend Jen Martinez who was still up at the house. She was just leaving but grabbed it for me and Brandon found her to get it with 20 min to go.
Swim: Start left and wide to avoid the churn. I stay wide enough that at 60 yards I hit beach but no problem. Brandon’s there and asks, “OK?”, I let him know o’yeah.
I stayed relaxed in the open water even after getting my goggles knocked off twice. My buoy sighting was far more efficient and my breathing was level. No fast arm turnover. At the last right turn buoy I knew that I was heading for exit. I could see the houseboat dock as a marker. A small bend to the left, and I’m done. I swam out in 38! Brandon had my crocks there and I slipped them on and ran to transition. Triathlon I can do. Running 400 yards barefoot up a ramp. I'm 61. I get to wear Crocks!
Bike: It was a fairly uneventfulin transition. No numb feet. Less time spent in it. Of course, this time, I was racing in Tri Star uniform and felt a sense of strength, like I really earned it. I left transition feeling strong for the uphill bike out. The ride was familiar. I’d done almost all my training rides on that road. It made it easier to know where I was and what was coming. I finished the bike knowing that I was going to have an Olympic Tri under my belt. I hit transition and got out of there as quick as I could. Especially, after stepping on my drink carton, and squishing chocolate, all over the place including my run hat. Ironically, I didn't need it. Brandon told me that but I guess some things you just have to experience to know it.
Run: A 10K to go. My legs are not "rubberized" and I feel solid about this run. I know that there are some nasty hills so there won’t be any fast leg turnover. Get into a zone and stay there. The long hill was taxing but I passed others that were walking. As I have in so many past running races, I ran one mile at a time. I knew of course that at 5 miles downhill would take over. Half way down the hill I could hear the crowd cheering. I was a Gladiator about to enter the arena. Brandon had done his job as my coach.
Who knew that seven months before I would be at this time and place about to finish what is considered to be the toughest Olympic distance triathlon? Now I’m in the fencing, the arch is 125 yards away, I can at least pick up the pace for my finishing photo. It was at that moment of 3 hours and 43 minutes that I knew, “I’m in”.
And when I say "I'm in" I really mean it. Brandon pulled some strings and got me into Vineman 70.3 and I also signed up to race the Chicago Triathlon. He is still on board to coach me and I will need it. Chicago was my first Marathon years ago and I am so pleased that after a long hiatus from any athletic activity, I am back to it! I have completed 29 marathons in my younger years and Brandon seems to have this crazy idea that I might just do one more. He also seems to think that I am going to swim and bike before I start it.....we shall see.
Dan Del Campo
Triathlete
************************************************************************************
Did you ever agree to something, then utter to yourself, “now what am I going to do”? What if what you agreed to do was so far out of your comfort zone you knew you were entering the twilight zone !
Dateline: Kona. October 19th 2008. I am at the Ironman Awards banquet to celebrate the superb race that Brandon completed the previous day. There was a kinetic static in the chatter about having spectated all those racers, particularly those who were finishing in the 16th hour of the race. So Brandon, my son, says that he has always thought that in the past, with all the running and biking I did, that I could have done an Ironman if I could swim. It is important to know that if I ended up in "hell", it would be an endless deep pool. I avoided ANY immersion into water unless I have on life vests. Brandon persists in importuning me that I still could do this. "This" being a triathlon event. He announces he can coach me! This is where my brain entered the twilight zone. I think, "I live in the backyard of Wildflower, it’s eight months away, I have a tri bike, I can start running again, and, I can try, not tri, swimming". Oh, and there is one more impeding issue. I have to loose a lot of weight and deal with the fact that I now have a fake knee that I didn't rehab properly so the amount it bends is not "the best". So, being a reality TV lover (Survivor), I just created my own reality show, "Triathlon Extreme Makeover"! With that, those two words spilled from my lips in front of everyone, “I’m in”!
The next day I am anticipating that no one will remember my uttererances due to the amount of beer consumed and I can slip out of this one. I’m off to play golf early and get a ride to the course and play 18 solo. Plenty of time to think this through and come up with a graceful exit. I call Mary Jo to come pick me up. She will be there in a half hour. Then it hits me. I’m not backing down. Instead, I start running back rather than waiting for her and think she will catch me in 10 minutes. Thirty-five minutes later I get picked up. Now back to the condo to get ready to go to black sand beach with Brandon and the group. Hey what the heck, I’ll run some more on the way to the beach. Two runs today! Clearly, I have that strange gene that most of the people in the sport posses.
The group decides to go out to the water and swim out past the waves and just hang out. I put on a jog belt and snorkel mask and venture to the edge. I have to get past the surf to reach the group. This is huge, not the surf, but the fact that I am thinking of doing this. I get out there and actually get to see a turtle when I put my head in the water- Maybe the turtle was there to tell me "Hey, water ain't so bad". Brandon decides this would be a good time to evaluate my swimming technique, even though he is not totally sure I should be out there in the first place, or lack thereof. I flail for twenty yards and gasp. What am I going to do about the other 1,480 yards? I demo a little backstroke and Brandon declares, “You can swim”. I made it back to the beach and managed not to panic. There were about 6 of us out there so I had plenty of "life guards" with me. I must say, floating out in the ocean was a fantastic experience and I can't believe it has taken over 60 years to feel that.
Later, back at the condo I go to the pool knowing there is safety. I swim some and now know there is a long way to go.
The Coach: Moving forward Brandon will now supply the training wisdom, workouts, evaluations, and motivational encouragement. I have to supply the effort. Back at Oak Shores (houses on the Wildflower course) we have a small pool and it’s still open for another two weeks. I can start the swim training here. I can’t swim one full-length non-stop, but I am determined that I can improve and get better.
Brandon visits for a few days a month later. I’m on the weight loss plan and getting through the small workouts. We try a small ride in the neighborhood and I have trouble riding the bike a mile on the small inclines. And when I say small I mean small. The hills on the WF course are like mountains compared to these flea bites. There’s work to be done. I join a health club that has a 50-meter pool. At my first pool swim I cannot swim a length and have to deal with the “deep end”.
By the time the Christmas holidays are here, I have made significant progress with all three events. I am now swimming as much as a 3K, biking up to 48 miles, and have run up to 10 miles. An additional note is that while I am running on a titanium knee, all three sports have helped make it feel better. Brandon continues to evaluate my progress based on my reporting back after workouts and establishing benchmarks. It wasn’t just, “how was that workout, and for tomorrow do this”. He asked questions a coach needs to have answers for so that training is meaningful and on target. I knew the workouts he assembled were to reach the incremental improvements and not just to be able to say I did X. By January 2009 weight loss was good and still dropping.
Four months to go until Wildflower and toeing the line at the open water’s edge. I knew that if I listened to the coach I could complete the Olympic distance. There was still a matter of that open water swim, which I had not experienced to this point. I knew the pool and my ability in the pool. But how was that going to transfer to the open water? By the end of the month I was ready to test the event distance and see what level of fitness I’ve reached. This is where I strayed from the prescribed workouts. I went to the club and swam a 1500. Transitioned as quickly as I could and jumped on the stationary bike for 24 miles. I walked off the bike and stepped on the treadmill for a 10K. After finishing I thought, this is not too bad. However this was a controlled environment and not the real thing. Nonetheless, I was pleased to know that I could cover the distance. Now I had to keep loosing weight, and get stronger for each event. Weekends allowed for some rides with runs right off the bike. I was now doing well over the race distance with rides on the Wildflower long course that included "hell" hill. I saw the light.
At the beginning of March I knew there had to be some actual "on course" testing. So I entered the Cal Poly Sprint Tri for April 4th at Lake Lopez. Heck this is only a 750-yard swim, 12-mile bike, and a 5K run. I expect this distance will give me the confidence that I can complete a Triathlon. I still have to keep training, loosing, and listening to my coach but the sprint would help work out some of the newbie bugs. A note to keep in mind is that I’m working 50-hour weeks so a lot of training is happening after 6 PM. Work, train, sleep and do it everyday.
A week before the Lopez event I purchase my first wetsuit. I decide sleeveless is good for me. After all, I’m usually warm and I can handle some chill. My first wetsuit swim in the pool is taxing due to different body position, different breathing, not to mention this compression on my chest. So I completed a couple of 1500 pool swims for acclamation. Plus it helped on how to get the wetsuit off.
Dateline: April 4th. Here I am at Lake Lopez at 6:15 am for my first Tri tryout. Mary Jo (my wife and Brandon's mother) is there to watch me get settled in transition but she has to attend a course and won’t be able to stay. Now I am solo. No coach other than in my head. Check list done. Set up is done. It’s a chilly day and the announcer informs us that the water temp is 57 degrees. I know there is not going to be any in water warm up, so I run for 30 minutes to generate some thermal energy. Transition closes and now I have nowhere to go but to waters edge and wait for my wave.
I observe the first swimmers and reconnoiter the course buoys for my 750. They don’t seem that far out and before I know it, it is time to go. I walk in and feel the chilly water and don’t even dip my arms. I decide that if I did, I might not take the plunge. Better to just hit it and take it rather than anticipate. At the water level that first buoy now seems further away than I thought. I have to keep it in sight but at the same time keep forward motion. Looking up is an issue with breathing. I know that my arm turnover is quick, thinking I’ll get out faster. I stray a little right of the buoy but make it for the first left turn. The next buoy is not as far since it will be the left turn and head for exit. I stray too far to the right and have to come back on line, but still at high arm turnover. I know this is more effort than I need, but I need to stay on top of the water. I’m out in open water, my hell. More course correction but still adding too much additional distance, but finally I’m at the timing matt. Numbness is in my hands and feet. I find my sandals and slog up the path to bike transition.
I’m biking now and know that "Fear Factor" is over. I just need to re-energize and I do after 5 miles. The first hill right at the start was tough and the re-entry hill gets your attention but I know they are nothing in comparison to WF's monsters. I’m back inside the park and ready for run transition. I’m running now and just have to get through a 5K. It’s tougher than expected because there is no fast leg turnover. It’s a maintenance run. Same pace at start, same pace at finish. Now there’s a word I can deal with, "finish"!
I am pleased that I made it and that my coach would be pleased with my first time out. Hey, I’m thrilled I didn’t drown and become a Tri statistic. I’m further pleased when I learn that I took 3rd in my age. This might be the time to consider, that having completed a triathlon event, maybe one was enough. It was on the “bucket list”. No, I need to know, can I do Wildflower Olympic? More training, coaching, and weight loss. That next day I rode the Wildflower bike course and knew once again, “I’m in”.
The approaching race day: After more longer pool swims, longer rides, and longer runs, I envision that the race will go well. Brandon is now assigning workouts that will increase with intensity and have the next week at lower intensity. As race day gets closer I know this is going to be a much different experience. I’ve got people there. Brandon’s there and his coaching will tell the tape. Brandon arrives eight days before the race. He needs to see first hand, is Dad ready for this? This is where it get’s interesting.
We are going down to the lake for some practice. Naciamento, the other lake near WF, is nowhere near as cold as Lopez. A course point is set. I dive in and start the fast arm turnover again. This causes anxiety and the need to rest after 100 yards. What about the other 1400? This is where Brandon’s coaching plays a major role. He knows that I have to slow down, relax, find a comfort zone in the water, and get some technique for sighting those buoys. First day was tense. Head thoughts about, “how did I do Lopez”? Breathing was compressed. Maybe Lopez was a one time only event. But, if anyone knows me, and Brandon does, I’m not throwing in the towel. He has me go back to the pool and swim a 1500 with the wetsuit and swim as slow as possible and find that relaxed stroke zone. I complete this swim in 37:16 and thought I was slow. The reality is I was relaxed. The other reality was that I was in the pool.
We go back to the lake for another practice swim the next day. Same course points as before. Re-arranged my mental perspective. Stay relaxed. Improvement is apparent. Swam longer with less stress and far better breathing. Thursday, one more lake swim before race day. Again marked improvement, most notably with relaxation and breathing. I can and will do this! After all, I’ve got an Ironman Coach.
Race day at Wildflower: Here’s the report on the weight loss and part of the extreme triathlon makeover. I’m down 52 lbs.! Goal was 50. I know that this weight loss will play a role on this course. I’m in the 10 am wave. A later start that I am pleased about. No rushing, keep calm, have time to warm up, and soak in the atmosphere of the second largest triathlon event in the USA. I’m here and “I’m in”. Brandon is there after a great previous day giving it his all on the Long Course, and designates himself as the "go to" guy. Keep me in race mentality and not be overwhelmed with race day stress. Which I should note, we had something come up. I left my Tristar race top at the house. HOW DID I DO THAT? Luckily, MR. Go To, got on the horn and called up his friend Jen Martinez who was still up at the house. She was just leaving but grabbed it for me and Brandon found her to get it with 20 min to go.
Swim: Start left and wide to avoid the churn. I stay wide enough that at 60 yards I hit beach but no problem. Brandon’s there and asks, “OK?”, I let him know o’yeah.
I stayed relaxed in the open water even after getting my goggles knocked off twice. My buoy sighting was far more efficient and my breathing was level. No fast arm turnover. At the last right turn buoy I knew that I was heading for exit. I could see the houseboat dock as a marker. A small bend to the left, and I’m done. I swam out in 38! Brandon had my crocks there and I slipped them on and ran to transition. Triathlon I can do. Running 400 yards barefoot up a ramp. I'm 61. I get to wear Crocks!
Bike: It was a fairly uneventfulin transition. No numb feet. Less time spent in it. Of course, this time, I was racing in Tri Star uniform and felt a sense of strength, like I really earned it. I left transition feeling strong for the uphill bike out. The ride was familiar. I’d done almost all my training rides on that road. It made it easier to know where I was and what was coming. I finished the bike knowing that I was going to have an Olympic Tri under my belt. I hit transition and got out of there as quick as I could. Especially, after stepping on my drink carton, and squishing chocolate, all over the place including my run hat. Ironically, I didn't need it. Brandon told me that but I guess some things you just have to experience to know it.
Run: A 10K to go. My legs are not "rubberized" and I feel solid about this run. I know that there are some nasty hills so there won’t be any fast leg turnover. Get into a zone and stay there. The long hill was taxing but I passed others that were walking. As I have in so many past running races, I ran one mile at a time. I knew of course that at 5 miles downhill would take over. Half way down the hill I could hear the crowd cheering. I was a Gladiator about to enter the arena. Brandon had done his job as my coach.
Who knew that seven months before I would be at this time and place about to finish what is considered to be the toughest Olympic distance triathlon? Now I’m in the fencing, the arch is 125 yards away, I can at least pick up the pace for my finishing photo. It was at that moment of 3 hours and 43 minutes that I knew, “I’m in”.
And when I say "I'm in" I really mean it. Brandon pulled some strings and got me into Vineman 70.3 and I also signed up to race the Chicago Triathlon. He is still on board to coach me and I will need it. Chicago was my first Marathon years ago and I am so pleased that after a long hiatus from any athletic activity, I am back to it! I have completed 29 marathons in my younger years and Brandon seems to have this crazy idea that I might just do one more. He also seems to think that I am going to swim and bike before I start it.....we shall see.
Dan Del Campo
Triathlete
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
BDC Cliff Notes
It is clear I don't keep this thing up to date and that it is always due to the fact that I view blogging like writing a college paper. I like to have something worth writing about. Actually, I have had a lot to write about so I guess that excuse just went out the window.
Maybe it is because I am too tired to write when training is going well (No posts is a GOOD sign in that regard!) Or maybe the creative flair isn't there when I actually have the time? I also think blogging is a bit narcissistic. It's like, now that we have all these venues to self promote and talk about how wonderful we are and how much we know about this or that or what we think gets to be a bit much. Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, how about we just attach cameras to our heads all day?
On that note, I guess I will take a moment and flash update this thing. It is a bit strange though as I have no idea who reads this and if they do I don't know their reasons. Maybe I am just talking to myself.....
The Florida trip is long gone. Great time. House had a flea problem. Carole pretended to throw a flea on Billy's food and he freaked. We question if he was in fact a Marine.
While in Florida I had a MAJOR epiphany with JZ. It was that I have no desire to do an IRONMAN this year. Why? I want my foot to get better and race AG one more year and kick ass as best I can. JZ told me after I made that decision that I looked like I took the biggest shit of my life.
My major goals in the sport are still focused around an IRONMAN.
I had a major mental unload in Florida on the phone to one of my best friends because I felt like my foot would never actually be better. I cried for the first time in about 5 years. It was a very cleansing moment. Since the conversation my foot has gone away. That is interesting to me.
I got an SRM for my bike and it actually worked and now I hate ridding when I don't have power.
My good buddy Carole has had issues with her training. Not being able to get her power up on the bike. Frustrated. Not understanding why. We had a chat on the phone and I told her to go out the next day and hit the numbers that she needed to if it killed her. She did. Now she is riding well. That is interesting to me.
I really want a dog.
I have been coaching my Dad for a triathlon since he got UBER inspired in Hawaii watching me race. Coaching my father.....that is interesting to me.
He races his first Olympic distance at Wildflower. I am more nervous about his race than my own.
I have had a few friends die in the past months. Suicide. Aids. One had texted me 9 times. They went unanswered. I was angry with him. Petty. He killed himself. It has made me reflect on relationships. Life. How can I be a better person? Being a better person is interesting to me.
I was in Tucson for over a month. First to visit with a friend at a nice resort. Then to train. I stayed at my friend Hillary's pad. I got to know my friend Doug better and meet a new Friend TJ. We laughed alot.
Tara Norton joined me for a week in Tucson and I just think she is the best. The last time I got to hang with her was at Epic NZ. We rode. We cooked. She got me hooked on American Idol. Adam Lambert is interesting to me.
I went to a training camp because my coach and training wife, Joanna, was going to be there. I said I was done with camps. I am glad that I went. It was the best camp I have been to. Great dynamic. Wonderful crowd. I got to hang with Bjorn who I had not really seen since we lived in NZ together.
I am able to go get my ass handed to me by top notch females. I don't think most guys can handle that. JZ, Tara, Sam, Catrina all served it up to me at some point. I don't mind. I want to see them achieve their best. Since my days of running, fast women have helped me achieve my highest level of success. If your ego can handle them smashing you from time to time you will be better off than smashing yourself with the boys day after day. Take it from someone that had a foot injury for two years. Not so interesting. Quite boring in fact.
At the camp I shared a condo with JZ and another women. She came up to me mid camp and said "Hey we are family". I had no idea what she was talking about. "We are related???" I asked. "No dork! I'm Gay." I had no idea. We had an interesting chat.
I stayed in Tucson for a few days after the camp so that I could see Hillary after IM China. I picked her up at 11:00 PM. She got home wide awake. Went to bed at 3am. Got me up at 7am to swim. How does one do that? That is interesting to me.
I left Tucson a day early to drive to Palm Springs. My buddy Mitch put me up for the night. He lives in Palm Springs. He has a fancy modern house. He cooked me Fillet Mignon with multi colored potatoes for dinner. We sat at the table and ate. One of us is not gay. That is interesting to me! haha.
I got up the next AM and ran 14 miles. I still had a two week sore throat from the dry Tucson air. Never affected my training.
I drove to LA after then run. LA is not interesting to me.
I got to see some of my very best and oldest friends while in LA for the night. It was a very relaxed and nice time.
I left LA early the next AM to drive up to my parents place who live on the Wildflower course.
I hate driving.
I swam in the lake with my dad for the first time. He had some open water anxiety and didn't understand why. I did. I tried to explain to him why but he didn't understand it. That fact that he doesn't understand why is interesting to me.
We swam in the lake again and the anxiety was less.
Being around Daisy, the golden retriever, REALLY makes me want a dog!
I am looking forward to the Boulder crew getting here for the race.
My parents just got home so I am going to stop rambling. I hope to actually write something. Probably about a reflection on the recent deaths of friends. But don't hold your breathe. I am not in denial that I don't update this thing. But people can change!
Maybe it is because I am too tired to write when training is going well (No posts is a GOOD sign in that regard!) Or maybe the creative flair isn't there when I actually have the time? I also think blogging is a bit narcissistic. It's like, now that we have all these venues to self promote and talk about how wonderful we are and how much we know about this or that or what we think gets to be a bit much. Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, how about we just attach cameras to our heads all day?
On that note, I guess I will take a moment and flash update this thing. It is a bit strange though as I have no idea who reads this and if they do I don't know their reasons. Maybe I am just talking to myself.....
The Florida trip is long gone. Great time. House had a flea problem. Carole pretended to throw a flea on Billy's food and he freaked. We question if he was in fact a Marine.
While in Florida I had a MAJOR epiphany with JZ. It was that I have no desire to do an IRONMAN this year. Why? I want my foot to get better and race AG one more year and kick ass as best I can. JZ told me after I made that decision that I looked like I took the biggest shit of my life.
My major goals in the sport are still focused around an IRONMAN.
I had a major mental unload in Florida on the phone to one of my best friends because I felt like my foot would never actually be better. I cried for the first time in about 5 years. It was a very cleansing moment. Since the conversation my foot has gone away. That is interesting to me.
I got an SRM for my bike and it actually worked and now I hate ridding when I don't have power.
My good buddy Carole has had issues with her training. Not being able to get her power up on the bike. Frustrated. Not understanding why. We had a chat on the phone and I told her to go out the next day and hit the numbers that she needed to if it killed her. She did. Now she is riding well. That is interesting to me.
I really want a dog.
I have been coaching my Dad for a triathlon since he got UBER inspired in Hawaii watching me race. Coaching my father.....that is interesting to me.
He races his first Olympic distance at Wildflower. I am more nervous about his race than my own.
I have had a few friends die in the past months. Suicide. Aids. One had texted me 9 times. They went unanswered. I was angry with him. Petty. He killed himself. It has made me reflect on relationships. Life. How can I be a better person? Being a better person is interesting to me.
I was in Tucson for over a month. First to visit with a friend at a nice resort. Then to train. I stayed at my friend Hillary's pad. I got to know my friend Doug better and meet a new Friend TJ. We laughed alot.
Tara Norton joined me for a week in Tucson and I just think she is the best. The last time I got to hang with her was at Epic NZ. We rode. We cooked. She got me hooked on American Idol. Adam Lambert is interesting to me.
I went to a training camp because my coach and training wife, Joanna, was going to be there. I said I was done with camps. I am glad that I went. It was the best camp I have been to. Great dynamic. Wonderful crowd. I got to hang with Bjorn who I had not really seen since we lived in NZ together.
I am able to go get my ass handed to me by top notch females. I don't think most guys can handle that. JZ, Tara, Sam, Catrina all served it up to me at some point. I don't mind. I want to see them achieve their best. Since my days of running, fast women have helped me achieve my highest level of success. If your ego can handle them smashing you from time to time you will be better off than smashing yourself with the boys day after day. Take it from someone that had a foot injury for two years. Not so interesting. Quite boring in fact.
At the camp I shared a condo with JZ and another women. She came up to me mid camp and said "Hey we are family". I had no idea what she was talking about. "We are related???" I asked. "No dork! I'm Gay." I had no idea. We had an interesting chat.
I stayed in Tucson for a few days after the camp so that I could see Hillary after IM China. I picked her up at 11:00 PM. She got home wide awake. Went to bed at 3am. Got me up at 7am to swim. How does one do that? That is interesting to me.
I left Tucson a day early to drive to Palm Springs. My buddy Mitch put me up for the night. He lives in Palm Springs. He has a fancy modern house. He cooked me Fillet Mignon with multi colored potatoes for dinner. We sat at the table and ate. One of us is not gay. That is interesting to me! haha.
I got up the next AM and ran 14 miles. I still had a two week sore throat from the dry Tucson air. Never affected my training.
I drove to LA after then run. LA is not interesting to me.
I got to see some of my very best and oldest friends while in LA for the night. It was a very relaxed and nice time.
I left LA early the next AM to drive up to my parents place who live on the Wildflower course.
I hate driving.
I swam in the lake with my dad for the first time. He had some open water anxiety and didn't understand why. I did. I tried to explain to him why but he didn't understand it. That fact that he doesn't understand why is interesting to me.
We swam in the lake again and the anxiety was less.
Being around Daisy, the golden retriever, REALLY makes me want a dog!
I am looking forward to the Boulder crew getting here for the race.
My parents just got home so I am going to stop rambling. I hope to actually write something. Probably about a reflection on the recent deaths of friends. But don't hold your breathe. I am not in denial that I don't update this thing. But people can change!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Florida Training and Fleas
Well I can tell you that I am not in Florida right now and I have been back in Boulder for quite some time. I wanted to write about the second part of my training trip but the condo that we were in did not have Internet access and the training just made me way too lazy to drag my butt up to Panera Bread (that is where we would get a quick Internet fix) and type something out. But for my own journaling sake I will write something now...
One of the things that I have noticed lately is that people get their pantie hoes in a bunch when they are going to travel with a bike because of the outrageous fees that the airlines are charging. I was a prime candidate for getting totally screwed as I left Palm Springs to meet my buddies in Florida. I had a bike box, one checked bag, a wheel bag, back pack and second carry on. I could have been looking at over 250 dollars of extra fee's. That isn't the most pleasant way to start the morning.
But here is the deal. When you are traveling you ALREADY KNOW that high charges are a strong possibility so what is the point of letting that get your goat? I decided that I was going to work some mojo and see if I could get out of these fees. The first thing that I had to do before I even got to the airport was know that if I did get charged I wasn't going to care. Secondly, I got into the "character" that I wasn't a person that was going to be charged. Sounds a bit odd but just wait....
As I cart all my crap to the counter I begin to go about my check in as if all this luggage is normal. Not to mention I throw in a little charm which really is just making the person behind the counter feel good. They are human and even if they charge me I would still want to make that person feel good. It can't be bull shit. You have to be sincere. With my sincerity I do tend to pull an Obi Wan once in a while. "This is not the bike box you are looking for. This is not the bike box you want to charge." Make sure you do the whole hand wave thing too or it loses effect.
I stick to my guns when I say my mental approach to this situation is why I got all that luggage checked for $40 dollars. I kid you not. On UNITED! AND I walked to the gate with my wheel bag and stroller tagged it. That is a little secret that I have been using for a good while. Save room in the bike box and carry your wheels on. I figure, I am not having kids so they can stroller tag them for the next few years for me.
The flight had a stop in Denver and I was meeting up with Carole as she was on the flight with me to Florida. I got a text from her when she was on the train to the gate saying "I can't wait to see you. Lets do an airport scene!" Oh dear lord. I knew she was planing on pretending to be my girlfriend and do some obnoxious jump on my lap and act crazy. It's rough when you have people in your life that know how to embrace you.
I strated looking around to see if I could hear Sharps on her approach but somehow she manged so sneak by and before I knew it I was being straddled. "OHHH Babies!!!" Her hair tossing from side to side was actually a bit funny. I did the only thing I could to get her off me. "Lets go get some food."
When we got on the plane I had to tell Sharps about the Texan Cougars I sat next to for all of 5 min on the first flight. They were these skinny, chain smoking, jewelery wearing, hair sprayin little numbers chatting away in the seats beside me. The one by the window was reading a magazine and the other right next to me began to say "You need to be reading up on our trip to Alaska!" The other one agreed and then said in the thickest Texan accent I have ever heard, "I hope I can git Sara Palin to sign my MOOSE hat." "Ohhh we like Sara Palin" said the other one as she played her Sudoku (easy level of course). And right then this overweight, hillbilly, older dude sitting in the row back grabs our seats and leans over and says "We DOOOOOO too. WE DOOOOO TOOOOOOO!" Regarding the Sara Palin comment. I was hard for me to decide between laughter or a really dramatic eye roll. I just looked back and saw that the entire back row was free. I kindly said "Ya'll have a nice day" and busted to the back for a nap.
That was our line for most of the trip and it just got funnier as the week went on. As Carole would say to that, "Yeeees it DIIIID! YEEEEESSSSS IT DID!" I am so thank full that we have laughter in this life. I swear it is the only thing that keeps me going sometimes.
Carole and I got in really late and got lost a bit on the way to the condo. It wasn't until after the first 40 min of being lost that she was like "Oh JZ gave me the Garmin for the car. We could use that." She is lucky that I am the fun gay friend and not her straight husband! When she got it working I told her to type in Taco Bell. Food like that doesn't count when it is past midnight. Everyone knows that.
The beauty of getting in late was making JZ have to come out to the gate at 12:30 in her bathrobe! She had it all figured out on how to sleep through our arrival but of course we weren't going to allow that! We all actually had a good late night chat. Mostly telling JZ that she was crazy if she thought we would be ready to ride at 7am. Her exact words after that were "What about 7:15?" God love her.
The next day was smooth and we got settled in to the condo and now just had to wait for Billy to arrive. He would be there in the next day or so. I think I will finish up writing about the actual time in Florida later. It had it's moments for sure but I doubt I can hold anyones attention much longer on this one. I'll get to the fleas in a day or two.
Later
One of the things that I have noticed lately is that people get their pantie hoes in a bunch when they are going to travel with a bike because of the outrageous fees that the airlines are charging. I was a prime candidate for getting totally screwed as I left Palm Springs to meet my buddies in Florida. I had a bike box, one checked bag, a wheel bag, back pack and second carry on. I could have been looking at over 250 dollars of extra fee's. That isn't the most pleasant way to start the morning.
But here is the deal. When you are traveling you ALREADY KNOW that high charges are a strong possibility so what is the point of letting that get your goat? I decided that I was going to work some mojo and see if I could get out of these fees. The first thing that I had to do before I even got to the airport was know that if I did get charged I wasn't going to care. Secondly, I got into the "character" that I wasn't a person that was going to be charged. Sounds a bit odd but just wait....
As I cart all my crap to the counter I begin to go about my check in as if all this luggage is normal. Not to mention I throw in a little charm which really is just making the person behind the counter feel good. They are human and even if they charge me I would still want to make that person feel good. It can't be bull shit. You have to be sincere. With my sincerity I do tend to pull an Obi Wan once in a while. "This is not the bike box you are looking for. This is not the bike box you want to charge." Make sure you do the whole hand wave thing too or it loses effect.
I stick to my guns when I say my mental approach to this situation is why I got all that luggage checked for $40 dollars. I kid you not. On UNITED! AND I walked to the gate with my wheel bag and stroller tagged it. That is a little secret that I have been using for a good while. Save room in the bike box and carry your wheels on. I figure, I am not having kids so they can stroller tag them for the next few years for me.
The flight had a stop in Denver and I was meeting up with Carole as she was on the flight with me to Florida. I got a text from her when she was on the train to the gate saying "I can't wait to see you. Lets do an airport scene!" Oh dear lord. I knew she was planing on pretending to be my girlfriend and do some obnoxious jump on my lap and act crazy. It's rough when you have people in your life that know how to embrace you.
I strated looking around to see if I could hear Sharps on her approach but somehow she manged so sneak by and before I knew it I was being straddled. "OHHH Babies!!!" Her hair tossing from side to side was actually a bit funny. I did the only thing I could to get her off me. "Lets go get some food."
When we got on the plane I had to tell Sharps about the Texan Cougars I sat next to for all of 5 min on the first flight. They were these skinny, chain smoking, jewelery wearing, hair sprayin little numbers chatting away in the seats beside me. The one by the window was reading a magazine and the other right next to me began to say "You need to be reading up on our trip to Alaska!" The other one agreed and then said in the thickest Texan accent I have ever heard, "I hope I can git Sara Palin to sign my MOOSE hat." "Ohhh we like Sara Palin" said the other one as she played her Sudoku (easy level of course). And right then this overweight, hillbilly, older dude sitting in the row back grabs our seats and leans over and says "We DOOOOOO too. WE DOOOOO TOOOOOOO!" Regarding the Sara Palin comment. I was hard for me to decide between laughter or a really dramatic eye roll. I just looked back and saw that the entire back row was free. I kindly said "Ya'll have a nice day" and busted to the back for a nap.
That was our line for most of the trip and it just got funnier as the week went on. As Carole would say to that, "Yeeees it DIIIID! YEEEEESSSSS IT DID!" I am so thank full that we have laughter in this life. I swear it is the only thing that keeps me going sometimes.
Carole and I got in really late and got lost a bit on the way to the condo. It wasn't until after the first 40 min of being lost that she was like "Oh JZ gave me the Garmin for the car. We could use that." She is lucky that I am the fun gay friend and not her straight husband! When she got it working I told her to type in Taco Bell. Food like that doesn't count when it is past midnight. Everyone knows that.
The beauty of getting in late was making JZ have to come out to the gate at 12:30 in her bathrobe! She had it all figured out on how to sleep through our arrival but of course we weren't going to allow that! We all actually had a good late night chat. Mostly telling JZ that she was crazy if she thought we would be ready to ride at 7am. Her exact words after that were "What about 7:15?" God love her.
The next day was smooth and we got settled in to the condo and now just had to wait for Billy to arrive. He would be there in the next day or so. I think I will finish up writing about the actual time in Florida later. It had it's moments for sure but I doubt I can hold anyones attention much longer on this one. I'll get to the fleas in a day or two.
Later
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)