Much ado...

WEATHER
Yesterday was our first dry monsoon of the year. Monsoons for those NOT in the know, are massive dust storms, 3 miles high, moving at 40+ mph and ripping through the area. They are usually followed by super charged electrical storms with between .5 and 3 inches of rain falling in just a couple hours and thousands of lightening bolts and unceasing thunder.

Yesterday was a dry monsoon, all the rain and lightening stayed south in Tuscon. Maybe Fe-Lady can comment on that. I heard that there were 18,000 sky to ground lightening strikes in three hours.

Follow HERE and click on third link: Huge Dust Storm Enfolds Valley and click the 'Wall of Dust' link. Its a short video from a local news station with good footage.

TRAINING NEWS
Awoke this morning to great weather and headed out for my Wednesday ride. Took it slow but this week is a get the feeling back and build that foundation week, after the drama that was May 2006. Had a new addition to the ride, Heather a Tennessee transplant who is working with The Machine, who among many envious titles is a USAT Level 1 coach.

Heather is doing IMFL.

Triathlete Alliance?
You know it is hard to describe our Triathlete Alliance to new people. I will say, "Oh your doing Florida too. I will give you my blog address so you can get hooked in with over a dozen friends of mine doing Florida with me...course most of us have never met. But its a good way, everyday to get some motivation for whats coming up. On top of that there is like 90 of us with Tri-Blogs that you can get a lot of information and fellowship from."

They say, "Ahhhh, okay." They think, 'cuckoo-cuckoo-cuckoo'.

Political Sidebar
Actually Heather had a unique comment, "Well as long a George Bush isn't a part of your blog I'll read it."

Well Heather, this is a Tri-Blog and sometimes, in a wide arc sort of way, I bring politics into it but mostly if its not tri-centered or my life-centered, or sponsor-centered, please see the sidebar ;), the spotlight is on the Mighty Mo, my beloved three year old and my wife, aka Mistress.

BTW thank you for the political segway, I loved W's first term and not so impressed with his second. I have not renewed or sent money to the GOP in three years because I believe they have mucked it up, though I do support individuals candidates. I live in Arizona and can't stand John McCain. I believe in the Global War On Terror. I am a Green-Conservative meaning I care deeply about rugged individualism, small government, lowering taxes and protecting the environment. I am not a fan of scooters but I am a fan of one who rides them. But don't hold that against me...not that I like someone who rides a scooter, but that I am a republican.

I am a deeply political person and the foundaion of my core values were shaped by my life experineces and two years of intense daily conversation with a powerlifting mentor who happen to be a communist. No not a socialist, a communist. The difference between the two as I told him once, "A socialist will put you in jail, a communist will put you against the wall and shoot you." Funny enough it was one of the few political statements that he didn't debate me on.

If anyone wants to have a dialogue in an ongoing e-mail exchange I am more than willing, though I will not do it openly on this blog. There, now I have made my political statement for the year.

Lets focus on Ironman and Triathlon. Have Fun.

I kicked your ass!

I kinda like that quote, the title of this post. Well, its my quote.

One day a long time ago I was sucking wind in a hard road race. I was pushing the red line and didn't want to let the course beat me. When I crossed the line, I raised my arms and yelled at the course, "I kicked your ass!" It symbolizes my dominant thought at not giving up on something.

Today I said it when I completed the run outside my office. Last week, still feeling the effects of the flu and not being properly acclimatized, I bonked hard, physically and mentally. Today was my attempt to just go slow and easy and overcome both those obstacles.

I did that and more. I ran farther than I wanted and felt fresh doing it. Oh sure my knees and shins felt a bit sore, just like every person's does when they are inconsistant in running but I know very well, that will be gone by next week after two or three more sessions.

Thank you for all your personal blogs that I have read the last couple days that have helped get me back out there. Sick is not cool.

Mo's First First Day of School

Oh my Mighty Mo. Monday was his first day of Pre-School. The school he goes to is good through 1st grade. He had a really good time.



Okay back to me, where the spotlight rightfully belongs. Got in a 1 mile pool swim. I swim a 100 yards in about 1:50, which puts me at roughly 2:10 per 100 meters. So why is it that in open water I am much, much slower? Is it because I can't tack worth a damn? Is it because I don't stroke as hard or as deep? (Simmer down Bolder)? Maybe a bit of both.

But got the workout in and thats what matters. I was snockered by 6pm and ready for bed, its a process getting back up the foundation of my training.

Today is a short run. Its a redemptive run for last week. Its only going to be about 20 minutes outdoors, but its important for me to acclimitize and overcome the stigma from the bonk last Thursday.

What a mess

So the tone of my last post was pretty frustrating for me. I appreciate all the comment left trying to bolster my confidence.

I should tell you that I cancelled my training on Saturday and felt terrible for doing it. I convinced The Machine to do the training with me and then I woke Saturday feeling worse if that is possible. I felt there was no way I could do any training.

Instead I decided to tag along to a kids birthday party at some huge warehouse full of those big bouncy castles and slides. There was kids everywhere and music piped in as loud as a rock concert. Between the dehydration, migraine, nausea and upset stomach, I went to the bathroom and puked my guts up. I didn't tell anyone because I actually did want to go to my training parther Andy's house for his kids 4th birthday.

I did have a good time there and then spent the rest of the day on the couch or in bed. Sunday I felt better but took off. There are too few Sundays coming up that I can hang out in the morning with Mo so we blew bubbles outside, watched Topper our Lab catch and kill a bird then have to explain to Mo why the bird was not making noise and moving (went well), then went to the movies to see Over The Hedge.

Good movie, not great, Mo didn't like it, I thought it was okay. Two extremely funny scenes; first was RJ (Bruce Willis) explaining how a human's life revolves around food. Talk about a great illustration. The second was The Peoples Elbow a cop gives a woman at the very end. For those that are fans of The Rock from WWE will know the movie, play the first you tube video after the jump.

In other news, its forecasted 110 today. It was 112 yesterday. For goodness sakes people are passing out in parking lots from the heat. The heat advisery stating, "Don't be outside" runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. It does however not qualify as a Weather Alert in the new's programs. Oh no that is reserved for some city back east that got seven inches of rain over the weekend. I can't stand local news that has to use shock graphics and music like "Weather Alert" and then the alert is for some po'dunk city 3,000 miles away.

ITS GONNA BE 110 DEGREES TODAY. I THINK THAT QUALIFIES AS AN ALERT.

Just call Martial Law for cryin' out loud.

Turned to Zero

Just getting off to bed and feeling a bit hurt from the day. Mistress even felt my morose and made me my favorite blackberry and apple tart for a desert.

The source of my funk? My bonk. I admit for the last three weeks its been either a 75 hour work week, a full week stuck in my chair for a conference interpersed with "Commodore I need these twenty things done before the meeting, during the breaks and afterwards", then a week of the stomach flu and the attending lack of energy.

I sound like a whinny little bitch and maybe I am tonight because my run today sucked. My planned thirty minute run in the 110 degree sun turned into a disasterous affair leaving me questioning...and thats the worst part of preparing for Ironman, the questioning.

So after my run, or should I say shuffle or should I say walk, I feel like I am at zero base. When just two months ago I was at a peak ready to complete the Ironman itself (Arizona) if I could have only got a slot, which I tried very hard to do.

Luckily The Machine was willing to do a 'recovery brick' with me on Saturday morning since everyone else is scattered to the wind and he was going to sleep in. I write recovery but right now its more 'reassurance'.

This flu took me to the cleaners. I really felt the expenditure of nutritents from my body being leached by the fight going on inside and I still have not been able to normalize. My lips are chapped which means I am still dehydrated. You know when you can taste your breath and it just seems not right? I still feel that way. I have been doubling up on calcium and multi-vitamins to replace all the leaching during the worst of it but its a slow process.

Maybe I should still take this weekend off, and I suppose I am since my Saturday brick is not my normally hardcore affair. Nothing is planned for Sunday but I would certainly like to do some kind of early run.

Its these middle innings where the metal is tested. The game has been going a few innings, everyone is comfortable in their seats and waiting for the foul balls and home runs, the 7th inning stretch still a ways off. What I do now still defines me as much as what I did over the winter and what I do next month.

I am rambling...time for bed and a mental recharge.

Charge(r)

Some of my stress lately has been over getting rid of my falling apart pick up. It has served me well but rumors of Mistress wanting an updated model of Mighty Mo in 2007 has also got me thinking about where I would put another car seat in a standard cab truck.

So I bought a 2006 Dodge Charger.The color is off, I got the Steel Silver version. I must admit I did not get the hemi. Yes I am all about 350 horsepower but I was not prepared for 9 miles a gallon in city, premium fuel no less. Sorry but I will give up 75 horsey's for sheer sensibility. Plus all the literature says the V6 model I got is actually the best engine of the group.

Now a little poll for you folks.

With prices fairly similiar, Do you think I should go with a roof rack that would destroy the great lines of this car or put a small trailer hitch on the back and attach a bike rack to that?

Today is my first official outside workout since the stomach flu. A short run in the middle of the afternoon. Local temps. call for 110 today. Short is the operative word.

Triathlon 90: Transition

This is my second post in Beginning Triathlon or Triathlon 90. Many people who have never completed a triathlon often wonder about different or confusing aspects of the sport and my hope is that these short lessons will answer some questions. Your feedback is always appreciated.

I think one of the most thought about aspects of the triathlon aside from the events has got to be transitions. Do I train for it? What do I bring? How do I lay it all out?

To begin with the Tranistion Area (TA) is a segregated race area where triathletes put their components necessary to completing a triathlon. At some larger races your spot is pre-determined based on your bib number, your age group, or which race of the many held that day that you are entered in, (for example Olympic distance towards the front and Sprint distance to the back). For shorter races, its first come, first served.

Some race directors will make it manditory to put your bike in tranistion the day before the race. In that case it is advisable to put a garbage bag over the bike in case it rains and to deter theft. If they can't see your bike model they may not want to steal it. Theft in overnight transitions does occur though race directors are getting better about security.

Once the race begins the TA become T1 and T2. T1 is the transition from swim to bike and T2 is the transition from bike to run. It is important to remember that time does not stop when you are in tranistion. When you get all your race results you will even see the amount of time you spent in transition as part of your total time.

I have seen some crazy stuff in transitions. I helped my wife in a Danskin triathlon back in the mid-90's (Danskin is a women's only tri) and I would guess 50% of the 500 racers had a helium balloon tied to their post to find their gear. The only problem is that there were so many balloons you couldn't find your's in the mix, which essentially negated the effect. I have seen men and women changing out of and into clothes while in transition leaving themselves openly exposed.

In the beginning I would check and double check and triple check all my gear the night and morning of the race. I knew that I forgot something. Now when I check my gear I am amazed at how little it really is.

I have seen some really great packing lists and if your OCD or forgetful its certainly beneficial. One good tip is to have a ziplock bag of extras that you put in your kit for each race. This kit should have all the little things in it that you may never need but will thankful you do in an emergancy. This bag could have; an extra powerbar for during the race or post race, lip balm, some duct tape, safety pin, extra goggles, extra sunglasses, CO2 cartridge, a bit of lotion for hotspots, just to name a few things. Its just a bag of things I know that I have a habit of forgetting or wanting and not including.

Most people will carry their gear in a backpack and that is certainly convienent. Some people bring camp chairs or stools to sit on while changing or cleaning their feet. I personally put all my gear in a baseball bucket. They are very similiar to the five gallon buckets from a lumber store except the lid is easier to remove and it sit's slightly taller. This way my gear can stay dry, I have a place to sit and I have a place to put things quickly when I am done with them.

In Ironman races the TA is a massive affair. To begin with you're given five bags at sign in. Bag 1 is the Dry Bag for clothes that you wear to the race that morning and take off before the race begins. Bag 2 is for T1 (bike gear). Bag 3 is a speical needs bag that you can pick up during hte bike portion and contains special goodies you put in it; pretzels, pringles, extra tubes or CO2, a sprite, a PB&J. Bag 4 is for T2 (run gear). Bag 5 is speical needs for the run, I have heard of people putting pictures of a loved one in it for motivation or a long sleeve shirt along with other food and gear stuffs. It is important to note that you may not use or need your speical needs bag and you may not get your special needs bags back after the race. So be sure to put things in it that are not valuable enough to warrant its loss. For example I wouldn't be putting your favorite long sleeve technical top in your Bag 5.

For Ironman distances the tranistion area may include a changing tent, obviously separated for men and women, though I have seen them coed in the past with changing stalls in them. Bikes are in the outside TA and for Ironman Arizona 2006 for example there was enough volunteers to get your bike for you and take your bike from you so you didn't even enter the bike area as a triathlete.

For shorter distance events I recommend being at the TA at least an hour before the first wave starts. Before you even put your gear down, walk through the area and take note of the entry and exits for each event. You don't want to put yourself in the furtherest area from the bike out or bike in since you will be running with your bike shoes on. Once you find your perfect TA spot and get your gear sorted be sure to walk the route you will take from the swim to your bike, from the bike to the run. Mentally keep track of where you are at by counting lines or finding landmarks. Trust me you will not remember where your stuff is at when you come out of your swim or bonked on the bike.

As common courtesy don't take too much space and be prepared to lose half of what you've got.

Transitions are not a scary place. Once you understand what you need to race, are comfortable using what you have and can work in confined spaces, you will be fine.