My blog title change marks a change in direction for this site. I know there isn’t much of an audience, which is fine since I’m not that interesting, but thought I would announce the change anyways.
As I’ve become more busy with work, building up training volume for the Ironman, and trying to get my MBA completed…keeping up with my blog has become about the lowest priority thing on my to do list. However, I don’t want to abandon it altogether, especially since I still enjoy reviewing my race reports before my next events and rereading my vacation reports. I have never been one for photo albums or scrapbooks, so this is sort of the next closest thing in that regard. Also, it allows an easy outlet to share these types of write-ups with friends and family who do want to keep up.
So, I’ve decided to make the focus of this blog the vacation and race reports. They are the best things I’ve written anyways. This will also make long absences from posting, like this one, seem more acceptable. I may still write a post or two unrelated, but this is an overall trend change.
That being said, I will hopefully have some good posting very soon (like in the next couple days). Tonight, a couple friends and I will be heading down to Asheville, NC for a few days in a cabin in the mountains and lots of cycling. I’m bringing a camera everywhere with me, so hopefully it survives so I can add sweet shots of the outdoors along the way.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
New York Trip, Days 3 & 4
Day 3 began with Sunday brunch with the family at Edward’s, a small Mexican themed restaurant. To our surprise, there was an advertisement for a “Cincinnati Day” at the restaurant in a few weeks featuring such specialties as Skyline Chili, Montgomery Inn BBQ, LaRosa’s Pizza, and Graeter’s Ice Cream.
First on tap was ice skating in the Park. Of course, with our impeccable timing, we arrived and got our skates on just as the Zamboni took the ice. About a half an hour later, it was finally our turn. We skated around the overcrowded rink and snuck a couple pictures before deciding we were cold enough and our ankles had taken enough abuse to call it quits.
From there, it was a chilly walk to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. With it being a Sunday, we arrived within half an hour of closing time. Luckily, its a free admission museum, so we were able to run quickly to the new Samurai Exhibit and enjoy it for about 10 minutes before being ushered toward the exit. In an effort to see as much as possible, we took the scenic route through other areas of the museum, snapping quick pictures along the way.
Back out in the cold, we made our way to the subways and back to my aunt and uncle’s condo. We weren’t sure what our evening plans were going to be but arrived to a homemade pot of chili on the stove. That provided enough incentive to relax and settle in for the night. We hung out with the family, enjoying beer, chips and fresh-made guacamole, pistachios, cheeses, and of course, chili. It was an early night.
Monday morning was our “early” starting day as we left to see the city at around 11:30. Today started with a walk from the condo to Greenwich Village where we stopped for a quick lunch at an Irish Pub. From there, we made our way through the Village and over to the Highline, a new elevated walking path renovated from an old train track.
A view from the Highline
When we hit the current end of the path (a larger section is still in progress), we made our way to the subway and shot up to Times Square.
Times Square
When Hershey’s and M&M’s face-off, everybody wins
Checking out the ice skating scene at the Rock
Photo op of the Empire State building while switching subway trains
After our whirlwind day and a good deal of shopping, we headed back to the condo for a pit stop before being taken out to dinner for our last night in the city. We had reservations at Tamarind, an Indian restaurant (which neither my wife or I have much experience with). Looking at the menu, we clearly had no idea what we were doing, so our host took charge an order a sampler of appetizers, breads, and entrees to share.
A selection of Indian entrees (watch out for the fiery chicken)
Most everything was delicious and spicy, so we cooled down with a sampler of Indian ice creams (Apricot, Pina Colada, Banana, and another that was similar to vanilla) and Mango Cheesecake. Once we were more than satisfied, we headed back to the condo to pack and prepare for our return to the Midwest.
Currently, we are at the airport in New York making our way home. Back to the real world tomorrow.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
New York Trip, Days 1 & 2
To celebrate the opportunity to travel inexpensively after the holidays, the wife and I decided to treat ourselves to a long weekend in New York City. Another reason for the trip was to use the Broadway tickets that I had gotten her for our first anniversary (paper anniversary).
Our journey began Friday morning with a tearful goodbye to our dog and a drive to the Columbus airport. From there, we had two flights, both delayed by the recent snowstorms in the Mid-West, but we still managed to get on the ground in NY by 7:15 pm (only one hour behind schedule). We had dinner reservations at 8:30 with my cousin and her friends so we needed to make our way to lower Manhattan to drop off our bags before heading to dinner. My aunt and uncle (who live on the island) were kind enough to offer the guest room of their condo for our stay. More on that later.
Somehow we managed to make it to the restaurant only 5 minutes behind schedule and proceed to enjoy a delicious Italian meal at Vento (highly recommended). Then, being the party animals that we are, we decided to check out some of the local night spots. My cousin first took us to the Spice Market, an Indian restaurant/bar with a great atmosphere
After a couple hours of hanging out at the bar here, our group moved on to our next destination: a dive bar called the White Horse Tavern. We closed down the bar before heading home at 4 am. Long day.
Day two started at around 10 o’clock when we pulled ourselves out of bed and I got a quick run in to keep the streak alive. Once that was out of the way, some lazing around the condo and catching up with my aunt and uncle was in order. Speaking of the condo, check out our digs for the weekend.
Beats a New York hotel… especially for the price. And check out the view we woke up to in the morning.
Once we were filled with coffee and homemade breakfast, we decided to venture by foot and explore some of lower Manhattan…
Progress being made at Ground Zero
St. Paul’s Chapel
Further south to old Trinity Church (remember to remove your hat)
New York Stock Exchange
A sad panda and a happy bull
Lady Liberty as seen from Battery Park
Obama Condoms, anyone?
A break from the cold at one of the hundreds of Starbucks locations
Finishing the walk at sundown
Back to the condo for a quick change and then off to dinner and to see Wicked at the Gershwin Theater.
Good food and drink at Mexican Radio
Sneaking in a (illegal) picture before the play began
Off to a good start. Tomorrow’s activities are still up in the air, but there are a lot of ideas floating around. Should be a fun day.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
100 runs in 100 days
I was going to wait until I completed this challenge before writing about it, but it looks like I will be hitting day 100 while on an extended weekend trip upcoming that I’m hoping to report on. Also, in trying to be more consistent updating here, I’d like to get another entry in before the weekend, but didn’t have much coming to mind to write about.
Anyways, as the title of this post implies, I am nearing completion of my longest ever running streak (fingers crossed nothing bad happens this week). By the rules I established for myself at the outset, I have run at least 20 minutes a day since October 3rd. For recovery, I try to complete 1 run per week with my wife (a slower pace than my normal) as my only workout, basically serving as my off day. Also, I have been pretty religiously rotating 3 pairs of running shoes in efforts to stave off injuries. These strategies and a good dose of luck have seemed to pay off. Other than the occasional leg fatigue, I have avoided any real issues.
I noticed that weeks 2-5 were by far the hardest to get out the door consistently. Week one is all about the excitement of starting a new challenge, so there are no issues with motivation there. By week 2, your legs start asking, “What are you getting me into?” especially on days after a hard or longer effort. This carries on for the next few weeks with your legs trying to tell you that the streak is short enough right now that it wouldn’t feel like a loss if you gave it up. Once you near the halfway mark, your momentum builds on itself. The legs are adjusted, so don’t complain as often, and you know how hard you worked to keep it going this long. Once you get into this rhythm, the rest is pretty much habit. The biggest issue of late has been trying to fit the runs in with the holiday travel, or trying to fit other workouts in while still getting my daily run (I still need to bike and swim sometimes too).
Contrary to what you’d expect, I really didn’t pile up monster mileage during the streak. Usually, I only averaged 30-40 miles/week. My longest run was 9 miles. The focus of my key workouts was on building speed, as I mentioned I was using a 5k training plan for those, so most runs were in the 4-7 mile range.
As I near the end, my legs feel very strong; this is good since I’m going to start bumping up the long runs to prepare for another half marathon PR attempt. The biggest reason I’m excited to complete this, though, is to no longer have to worry about how I’m going to fit my run in EVERY DAY. However, it’s been an interesting and rewarding challenge to keep me busy in the off-season.
Anyways, as the title of this post implies, I am nearing completion of my longest ever running streak (fingers crossed nothing bad happens this week). By the rules I established for myself at the outset, I have run at least 20 minutes a day since October 3rd. For recovery, I try to complete 1 run per week with my wife (a slower pace than my normal) as my only workout, basically serving as my off day. Also, I have been pretty religiously rotating 3 pairs of running shoes in efforts to stave off injuries. These strategies and a good dose of luck have seemed to pay off. Other than the occasional leg fatigue, I have avoided any real issues.
I noticed that weeks 2-5 were by far the hardest to get out the door consistently. Week one is all about the excitement of starting a new challenge, so there are no issues with motivation there. By week 2, your legs start asking, “What are you getting me into?” especially on days after a hard or longer effort. This carries on for the next few weeks with your legs trying to tell you that the streak is short enough right now that it wouldn’t feel like a loss if you gave it up. Once you near the halfway mark, your momentum builds on itself. The legs are adjusted, so don’t complain as often, and you know how hard you worked to keep it going this long. Once you get into this rhythm, the rest is pretty much habit. The biggest issue of late has been trying to fit the runs in with the holiday travel, or trying to fit other workouts in while still getting my daily run (I still need to bike and swim sometimes too).
Contrary to what you’d expect, I really didn’t pile up monster mileage during the streak. Usually, I only averaged 30-40 miles/week. My longest run was 9 miles. The focus of my key workouts was on building speed, as I mentioned I was using a 5k training plan for those, so most runs were in the 4-7 mile range.
As I near the end, my legs feel very strong; this is good since I’m going to start bumping up the long runs to prepare for another half marathon PR attempt. The biggest reason I’m excited to complete this, though, is to no longer have to worry about how I’m going to fit my run in EVERY DAY. However, it’s been an interesting and rewarding challenge to keep me busy in the off-season.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
2010 Race Schedule and Season Goals
Yesterday, I briefly recapped the 2009 racing season, which seems long past since I haven’t raced in over 2 months and have only ridden a bike outside a handful of times since then. Today, my attention turns to 2010 as I publish my first cut at a race schedule as well as my goals…
2010 Racing Schedule:
• 4/24 – KY Derby Festival MiniMarathon (Louisville, KY 1/2 Mary), B race
• 6/6 – Deer Creek Olympic Triathlon (Mt Sterling, OH), C race
• 6/20 – St Peters RecPlex Sprint Tri (St Peters, MO), C race
• 7/10 – Muncie Endurathon (Muncie, IN ½ Iron), B race
• 8/29 – Ironman Louisville (Louisville, KY), A race
Additional 2010 Possibilities:
• May/June – Cycling Road Races and local TT series
• 7/18 – Ride Across Indiana (160 mile west to east cross state ride)
• 10/9-10 – KY Bourbon Chase (200 mile, 6 or 12 person team relay running race)
• Oct/Nov – Fall Marathon in OH/IN (possibly BQ attempt)
Obviously, there is a lot on the plate. My structured racing schedule (top list) is a straightforward build to the IM in late August. Most of the races I’m familiar with and are easy to travel to. With the high cost of IM entry, the goal was to get enough races in earlier in the season to keep motivation high, while minimizing entry fees and travel expenses (see: non-IM branded half).
The additional races focus on giving bike racing a go early on, something I wanted to do after racing a crit last June. Preparing for these bike races should also help develop a solid cycling base for the IM. Post-IM, the training will shift back to a run focus and if I’m recovering well, I am going to attempt to BQ in the fall, probably either in Columbus, OH or Indianapolis, IN. The Bourbon Chase is a nearby event that sounds like a blast, so would be more of a just for the experience activity.
Once the race schedule started coming together, goals inherently followed. With my successes in accomplishing my goals the past 2 years, I decided to be aggressive this year with my goal-setting. I figure if I don’t make it, I’ll still be faster than I am now as long as I get close. Also, by breaking some of the goals down, they seem achievable, albeit a stretch.
So, without further ado, the 2010 season goals:
• Complete the KY Derby MiniMarathon in sub 1:27 (~6:38/mile pace)
• Complete the Muncie Endurathon in 4:40
• Complete Ironman Louisville in 10:30
• Get weight below 180 lbs (currently 191) and keep it under 180 for entire racing season (April 1 – November 1)
A little about each goal:
• MiniMarathon: I am currently working on improving my 5k speed to faster than my high school PR (18:48), this should give me an edge over last year going into mini training. Also, the weight I’m hoping to lose starting January 1 should help get/keep the speed up with the 2sec/lb/mile convention that’s usually thrown around. If things don’t go well, I’d still be pleased to break 1:30.
• Sub 4:40 at Muncie is a stretch goal, my current HIM PR is 4:48:xx, but that was with a current aided swim…I’ll really have to improve my swimming to get here, since I estimate my actual HIM speed from last year is closer to 4:55 on a still course. Biking and running will have to improve some as well, but are close to where they need to be
• Sub 10:30 at Louisville is a big stretch, but stems from achieving the previous goal at the HIM ~8 weeks earlier. I’ve heard that you shouldn’t have time goals for your first IM, but I need somewhere to focus. If I don’t achieve this goal, I’ll have a variety of sub-goals for IM, mostly centered on the experience and learning lessons along the way. So as long as I don’t DNF, I’m sure I’ll be satisfied, but for now I’m going to train to attempt a 10:30.
• The weight loss goal stems from the speed gains losing weight last year, and my disappointment with adding pounds back on late in the season. Achieving this goal will be a key to gaining the speed needed to hit the time goals, so the first focus of the season (starting 1/05/10) will be nutrition. I have made it a long way in the past couple years, but there is still plenty of excess weight to shed.
There they are, the schedule and goals are out there…now all that’s left to do is get to work…after enjoying the rest of the holidays of course!
2010 Racing Schedule:
• 4/24 – KY Derby Festival MiniMarathon (Louisville, KY 1/2 Mary), B race
• 6/6 – Deer Creek Olympic Triathlon (Mt Sterling, OH), C race
• 6/20 – St Peters RecPlex Sprint Tri (St Peters, MO), C race
• 7/10 – Muncie Endurathon (Muncie, IN ½ Iron), B race
• 8/29 – Ironman Louisville (Louisville, KY), A race
Additional 2010 Possibilities:
• May/June – Cycling Road Races and local TT series
• 7/18 – Ride Across Indiana (160 mile west to east cross state ride)
• 10/9-10 – KY Bourbon Chase (200 mile, 6 or 12 person team relay running race)
• Oct/Nov – Fall Marathon in OH/IN (possibly BQ attempt)
Obviously, there is a lot on the plate. My structured racing schedule (top list) is a straightforward build to the IM in late August. Most of the races I’m familiar with and are easy to travel to. With the high cost of IM entry, the goal was to get enough races in earlier in the season to keep motivation high, while minimizing entry fees and travel expenses (see: non-IM branded half).
The additional races focus on giving bike racing a go early on, something I wanted to do after racing a crit last June. Preparing for these bike races should also help develop a solid cycling base for the IM. Post-IM, the training will shift back to a run focus and if I’m recovering well, I am going to attempt to BQ in the fall, probably either in Columbus, OH or Indianapolis, IN. The Bourbon Chase is a nearby event that sounds like a blast, so would be more of a just for the experience activity.
Once the race schedule started coming together, goals inherently followed. With my successes in accomplishing my goals the past 2 years, I decided to be aggressive this year with my goal-setting. I figure if I don’t make it, I’ll still be faster than I am now as long as I get close. Also, by breaking some of the goals down, they seem achievable, albeit a stretch.
So, without further ado, the 2010 season goals:
• Complete the KY Derby MiniMarathon in sub 1:27 (~6:38/mile pace)
• Complete the Muncie Endurathon in 4:40
• Complete Ironman Louisville in 10:30
• Get weight below 180 lbs (currently 191) and keep it under 180 for entire racing season (April 1 – November 1)
A little about each goal:
• MiniMarathon: I am currently working on improving my 5k speed to faster than my high school PR (18:48), this should give me an edge over last year going into mini training. Also, the weight I’m hoping to lose starting January 1 should help get/keep the speed up with the 2sec/lb/mile convention that’s usually thrown around. If things don’t go well, I’d still be pleased to break 1:30.
• Sub 4:40 at Muncie is a stretch goal, my current HIM PR is 4:48:xx, but that was with a current aided swim…I’ll really have to improve my swimming to get here, since I estimate my actual HIM speed from last year is closer to 4:55 on a still course. Biking and running will have to improve some as well, but are close to where they need to be
• Sub 10:30 at Louisville is a big stretch, but stems from achieving the previous goal at the HIM ~8 weeks earlier. I’ve heard that you shouldn’t have time goals for your first IM, but I need somewhere to focus. If I don’t achieve this goal, I’ll have a variety of sub-goals for IM, mostly centered on the experience and learning lessons along the way. So as long as I don’t DNF, I’m sure I’ll be satisfied, but for now I’m going to train to attempt a 10:30.
• The weight loss goal stems from the speed gains losing weight last year, and my disappointment with adding pounds back on late in the season. Achieving this goal will be a key to gaining the speed needed to hit the time goals, so the first focus of the season (starting 1/05/10) will be nutrition. I have made it a long way in the past couple years, but there is still plenty of excess weight to shed.
There they are, the schedule and goals are out there…now all that’s left to do is get to work…after enjoying the rest of the holidays of course!
Monday, December 21, 2009
2009 Season Goals revisited
Before looking forward to next season, I’d like to recap the 2009 season and see how I did compared to my goals. This past season was focused on the half-iron distance, and was step 2 (of 3) for my three year plan to get to my first Ironman.
First, the goals for 2009 (as set in November, 2008):
Complete KY Derby Mini-Marathon in sub 1:35
Complete IM 70.3 Steelhead in sub 5:30
Complete IM 70.3 Augusta in sub 5:15
Race 2009 season at sub 190lbs (from 207 at that time)…reach goal weight by April 1, 2009
How I fared…
KY Derby Mini-Marathon complete in 1:32:11 (goal: Achieved)
IM 70.3 Steelhead complete in 5:05:23 (goal: Achieved)
IM 70.3 Augusta complete in 4:48:23 (goal: Achieved)
Season weight average: ~190 lbs…was below from April-July, then 190-195 most of the remainder of the year (goal: tentatively achieved)
Overall, the year was a definite success. I comfortably beat my time goals with performances I hadn’t even thought were imaginable. I still have more weight to lose, so that goal will be carried forward, but during the holidays it is not my number one concern.
What was most exciting to me, though, was seeing room for further improvement at every race despite the significant PRs. This means I’ll just have to be more aggressive with my goals for next year, which I’m finalizing now…hopefully I will get them posted in the next few days along with my 2010 racing schedule.
First, the goals for 2009 (as set in November, 2008):
Complete KY Derby Mini-Marathon in sub 1:35
Complete IM 70.3 Steelhead in sub 5:30
Complete IM 70.3 Augusta in sub 5:15
Race 2009 season at sub 190lbs (from 207 at that time)…reach goal weight by April 1, 2009
How I fared…
KY Derby Mini-Marathon complete in 1:32:11 (goal: Achieved)
IM 70.3 Steelhead complete in 5:05:23 (goal: Achieved)
IM 70.3 Augusta complete in 4:48:23 (goal: Achieved)
Season weight average: ~190 lbs…was below from April-July, then 190-195 most of the remainder of the year (goal: tentatively achieved)
Overall, the year was a definite success. I comfortably beat my time goals with performances I hadn’t even thought were imaginable. I still have more weight to lose, so that goal will be carried forward, but during the holidays it is not my number one concern.
What was most exciting to me, though, was seeing room for further improvement at every race despite the significant PRs. This means I’ll just have to be more aggressive with my goals for next year, which I’m finalizing now…hopefully I will get them posted in the next few days along with my 2010 racing schedule.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Still here
My recent lack of posting means it must be the off-season. I have been lacking the motivation to write much of anything, but the training and preparation for next season continue. A quick update…
I’ve been trying to work on my top end run speed. Although there’s plenty of room for improvement here, it’s certainly not my limiter (see: swim slowness). However, I wanted to try a running streak, so started running at least 20 minutes every day. Some days I’m running with my wife, so it’s basically a short recovery jog, but it all counts. My streak is currently at 73 days (attempting to make 100). At the same time, I’m building to try and PR on my open 5k sometime in the next few weeks. While the workouts themselves are going well and I have missed very few key workouts, my speed isn’t increasing noticeably at this point. One reason for this is I’ve put on a couple winter pounds while executing this plan and extra weight + running = less speed (usually). I’ll be interested to see what I hit when I find a 5k that fits my schedule. Either way, I feel like I’m building a great running base for when I start officially hitting the IM training after the first of the year, and I feel like the extra weight will go away, so speed should follow.
I have had a pretty erratic work schedule with the holidays, so my swimming hasn’t been as consistent as I’d like. I am still hoping to emphasize swim training for at least a month or 2 after the first of the year. I am planning on attending my first master’s swim practices then as well. Hopefully I can gain some valuable form tips, I certainly need them.
As far as biking goes…it’s been whatever I can squeeze in, which isn’t much at this point, basically an hour on the trainer here or there. But hey, it’s the off-season and I’m forcing myself to be less structured (other than the run training).
Winter also means the reintroduction of lifting, just 2x per week this year with 30 minute circuits, so I’m not likely to get “chiseled” before next season.
In other related news, I retooled my road bike for a project I’m working on. I’ll try and have a separate post for it with some pictures. It’s ready to rock for next season though, and I can’t wait to take it out at the first sign of warmth. Also, I’ve been putting together my 2010 race schedule and setting my goals and objectives. Like last year, I’ll try and do some end of year summarizing and future planning. I liked it last year, and it keeps me accountable.
Anyways, just wanted to toss up a quick update and say that more posts are in the works, soon…hopefully.
I’ve been trying to work on my top end run speed. Although there’s plenty of room for improvement here, it’s certainly not my limiter (see: swim slowness). However, I wanted to try a running streak, so started running at least 20 minutes every day. Some days I’m running with my wife, so it’s basically a short recovery jog, but it all counts. My streak is currently at 73 days (attempting to make 100). At the same time, I’m building to try and PR on my open 5k sometime in the next few weeks. While the workouts themselves are going well and I have missed very few key workouts, my speed isn’t increasing noticeably at this point. One reason for this is I’ve put on a couple winter pounds while executing this plan and extra weight + running = less speed (usually). I’ll be interested to see what I hit when I find a 5k that fits my schedule. Either way, I feel like I’m building a great running base for when I start officially hitting the IM training after the first of the year, and I feel like the extra weight will go away, so speed should follow.
I have had a pretty erratic work schedule with the holidays, so my swimming hasn’t been as consistent as I’d like. I am still hoping to emphasize swim training for at least a month or 2 after the first of the year. I am planning on attending my first master’s swim practices then as well. Hopefully I can gain some valuable form tips, I certainly need them.
As far as biking goes…it’s been whatever I can squeeze in, which isn’t much at this point, basically an hour on the trainer here or there. But hey, it’s the off-season and I’m forcing myself to be less structured (other than the run training).
Winter also means the reintroduction of lifting, just 2x per week this year with 30 minute circuits, so I’m not likely to get “chiseled” before next season.
In other related news, I retooled my road bike for a project I’m working on. I’ll try and have a separate post for it with some pictures. It’s ready to rock for next season though, and I can’t wait to take it out at the first sign of warmth. Also, I’ve been putting together my 2010 race schedule and setting my goals and objectives. Like last year, I’ll try and do some end of year summarizing and future planning. I liked it last year, and it keeps me accountable.
Anyways, just wanted to toss up a quick update and say that more posts are in the works, soon…hopefully.
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