Triple T - Day 3

Another day another tri. As we rolled into transition about 15 minutes before the 1/2 was supposed to start we all joked at how nonchalant we'd become. On the first day everyone was in transition an hour or more early carefully arranging their running and biking stuff. Now most of us just walked up, threw down our bags, racked our bikes, and got ready to get busy.

The swim was the same double loop time trial start course again - they pulled out the first turn buoy another 250 yards and added another sighting buoy. I decided to focus on drafting for this swim so I found a pair of feet and followed them for the first loop. After that the guy I was drafting started to slow so I spent the next lap hopping from feet to feet until I finished.

The bike was a very challenging two loop course through the state park. The course was an excellent balance of difficult climbs and scenic views. While descending the first big climb I learned a valuable lesson - dental hygiene and cycling to not mix well. I had just eaten a Cliff bar (wild cherry - yum!) and had something stuck between my teeth. I was in the process of picking it out when I hit a large yellow butterfly with my mouth half open. Needless to say it was not a pleasant taste.

During the bike I learned a new trick for dealing with tri-trash. I was getting a bit dismayed by all the discarded Cliff wrappers and gel packs I was seeing along an otherwise pristine state park road. My nutrition plan was pretty simple this time around - two Cliff bars and two gels (along with two bottles of cytomax with two more waiting for me at the 1/2 way point). The idea was to eat the Cliff bars first at one hour intervals and then do the gels at 1/2 hour intervals before the bike/run transition. After I ate the Cliff bars I tucked the empty wrappers under the leg band of my shorts. When I ate the first gel I wasn't sure what to do with it. It was still a bit on the sticky side so I didn't want to tuck it and get a bunch of goo all over me. Instead I pulled out one of the Cliff wrappers and stuck the empty gel packet in there. Then I tucked it back in my shorts. No more tri-trash from me.

The run was the same course we'd been doing for the olympics - a 3.25 mile out and back up a trail in the woods - this time repeated twice. I decided to walk the steeper sections to conserve energy and alternated between water and infinit at the aid stations along the way. It was extremely hot and I was a little worried about dehydrating but in the end I think I ended up drinking too much because my stomach started feeling bloated and sloshy. While walking up one of the steeper sections the second time I got bit on the calf by a horsefly the size of a small trailer that had been harassing me. Overall I walked a lot more than I wanted to - a combination of the heat and the sloshy bloated stomach. I definitely need to come up with a better run nutrition plan when it's hot. On the way back I was passed on the trail by two ambulances. Apparently others were having a far worse day than I was so I sucked it up and kept pushing on giving words of encouragement to others along the way. I was never happier to see a finish line.

All in all this is a great series. Most of the others who were doing the triple were IM veterans many of which were using this as a tune up for Lake Placid. You simply cannot beat the value in this race. The other part that I thought was cool was the camaraderie. For all the races you rack your bike along the same rack so you got to know your rack mates well

If I do it again I'll definitely spend more time doing trail runs over hilly courses. Two days later my ankles are still a little sore - unaccustomed to the twisting of running on steep uneven surfaces. But overall I'm in good shape.

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Workout Summary (Sunday)

2000 yard open water swim

56 mile bike

13.1 mile trail run

Triple T - Day 2

Day 2 of the Triple T is two olympic distance triathlons. The race literature describes the courses as very challenging. They weren't exaggerating. This was a tough day.

Race 1
The swim was a two loop with an exit/re-entry after the first loop. I walked down to the lake before the start and was greeted with an awesome scene. The lake sits in a bit of a bowl and the mist was burning off slowly revealing the marker buoys. The swim start was again a time trial format with people leaving every 5 seconds. Both of the laps went well and I cruised out in good shape.

The bike course was scenic and hilly. Many of the hills had steep downhills with sharp turns at the bottom. The race organizers did a great job of marking the more dangerous downhills so that riders knew to hit the hooks. A couple didn't and had lots of rash to show for their mistakes. The ride was definitely a challenging one - one of the more hilly routes I've done in a triathlon aside from IMW.

The run sucked. By the time I hit the course the temperature had risen and it was very humid. I was completely unprepared for the constant uphill of the run. The fact that it was a trail run didn't help. At the turnaround point there was a great downhill but then you had to climb back out. The run back was fast because it was downhill but also a little hard on the quads.

Race 2
Race 2 was a slightly different format from the usual triathlon - bike first, then swim, then run. I was not looking forward to the run. Waiting for the race to start the heat was climbing and I was feeling a little dizzy. I wasn't looking forward to this race.

The bike started again in time trial format - more waiting around in the hot sun. Yay. Once I got on the bike and started riding though I began to feel much better. The route was hilly but the climbs were longer and less technical. One of the climbs was a two mile grind which claimed quite a few.

The bike/swim transition was definitely unique. Before the race started several people recommended putting plastic bags over your feet and then putting the wetsuit on - the bags help slide your foot through the grippy wetsuit. This trick worked great. The water felt cool and soothing after the ride in the sun. There were several "cool" spots in the water and they felt great. My shoulders were pretty sore during the swim and the second lap was pretty slow, but I made it through.

The run actually went much better than I had thought it would. Maybe doing the swim before the run helped rest my legs (I don't kick much while swimming). I also hooked up with another guy from Chicago and we chatted about races and stuff as we ran. This definitely helped pass the time. Overall I felt better and stronger than I had in the morning. I definitely gotta work on my breakfast plan.

After both races I soaked my legs in the lake for a while before eating and drinking everything within reach.

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Workout Summary

1500 meter swim

28 mile bike

6.55 mile run (so that they could claim 13.1 at the end of day 2)

28 mile bike

1500 meter swim

6.55 mile run

Triple T - Day 1

Ok folks race season is officially underway. Legs were shaved, bags were packed, and the first "tri" of the season is officially under the belt.

"tri" in quotes here because it was kind of a goofy distance. I'm currently doing the Triple-T triathlon in Shawnee State Forest in Southern Ohio. The area is absolutely beautiful - heavily forested with rolling hills. The lake is a bit on the murky side but so far that's the only complaint with the venue. This is the best deal going in triathlon - $150 (if you sign up early) gets you four triathlons over three days. The first day is a prologue - 250 meter swim, 5 mile bike, 1 mile run. Day two is two Olympic distance triathlons - one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The one in the afternoon is a bike/swim/run format. Day three is a 1/2 Ironman distance triathlon. So over the three days you do a little more than an Ironman distance triathlon, at 1/3 of the price.

The drive down was uneventful - bit of traffic coming out of Chicago as usual, even though I left at 4:30 AM. Got into Portsmouth around 1 PM and found my hotel - a Holiday Inn Express. Got checked in and then drove out to the park for a look at the venue. By the time I got there it was around 3:30 so I checked in, picked up my goody bag and setup my transition area.

The swim started in time trial fashion by bib number with each person going off in 5 second intervals. This avoids that mass start "floating bar fight" style of many triathlons. The water was pretty murky but didn't taste to bad (I always end up with a mouthful or two at some point in the swim. The buoys were well positioned and easy to see.

The bike was two out and backs - the first two a parking lot at the entrance to the park and the second up the hill to the lodge. If you ever do this race book a cabin or a room at the lodge - they appear to be very nice and are right up the hill from the race.

The run was also an out and back mostly on a grassy field. Fortunately the field was well cut but I had to be careful for ankle twists due to the unevenness of the surface.

Overall I think I probably went a bit hard - heart rate was up in Zone 4/5 most of the time. Will definitely have to reel it in for the races tomorrow - three more races to go so I'll definitely have to settle it down and pace myself.

Time to start organizing for tomorrow.

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Workout Summary

250 meter swim - first open water swim of the year!

5 mile bike

1 mile run

Setup

They're setting something up. This morning I saw two mourning doves on my deck casually looking through the sliding glass door as poured my morning cup of "kick-ass". Then, while swimming at the club, I saw two sparrows flutter up and perch on the window and cautiously peer in. When they saw that I had seen them they flew away.

Look, I'm not normally the paranoid type but this is getting down right weird. On my long run on Sunday two gold finches traveled along with me going from telephone pole to telephone pole for a 1 mile stretch before fluttering off. I saw them again the second time through the same stretch. They're keeping close tabs on me. They must be planning something big. I hope they don't have connections in Ohio otherwise Triple-T could be more challenging than I was expecting. Now I'm going to have to change all my workout routes and never do the same one twice. I hope I don't have to look into relocation programs.

Maybe I should stop eating chicken. I need an informant.

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Workout Summary

10 mile LSD run (Sunday)

30 minutes yoga (Monday)

1750 swim - 35 minutes continuous (threw in some sighting drills every 250)

45 minute spin class

3 mile run

20 minutes core/stretching

Taper workouts today - about 75% of my normal workouts done mainly in zone 2. I also cut the circuit training for this week. The run was hard to reign in because it was beautiful out this morning and I'm getting nervous about the tri this weekend so I wanted to burn some energy but I kept the hounds reigned in.

My glute injury has been reduced to something like a dull tightness but it doesn't throw my running form off so I'm good. Played Lacrosse with my son for a bit yesterday to put some lateral pressure on it and nothing popped so I think I'm through the woods on that one though I will still baby it a bit.

False Flats

Make no mistake, Illinois (or at least the part I live in) is flat. Or at least that's how it appears. In reality there are actually a lot of false flats. For those no in the know a false flat is a strip of road that appears for all practical purposes to be flat, but really isn't. There's an ever so slight almost undetectable rise to the road. Your mind says it's flat. Your legs say otherwise. This is where the problem begins.

Your mind says - "lets go - what's the hold up?". Your legs however are straining hard. Your HRM shows a tempo level effort. Yet the road is flat. "Man, I'm weak today.". "What the heck is wrong with me today?". Self doubt creeps in and self defeating thoughts begin to bubble up. To compensate you push harder, but you only end up even more tired and frustrated. The mental beating continues until you roll into the garage and chuck it up to one of those character building days.

The trick is recognizing those false flats - both on the bike and in real life. They're all over. Anytime something looks easy but feels hard, chances are there's a false flat lying underneath. Beating yourself up is not the way to get through the false flat.

Recognizing it and accepting it for what it is is the way to get through a false flat. By being flexible mentally you can avoid the mental death spiral of self deprecation that can easily result when something looks easy but ends up difficult. Adversity is often a terrific opportunity to train your mind. Watch for those opportunties and use them to your advantage. It will make you stronger in the end.

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Workout Summary

56 mile bike ride

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Weekly Summary
Mid week workouts went well - especially my tempo workout on Thursday. Am continuing to train carefully due to my glute issue but so far it seems manageable.

Long bike ride today was great. A bit on the windy side and cold at the start but it was bright and sunny. Legs and form felt good throughout the ride. I would have went further but decided to keep things in check since I should be tapering down for next weeks race.

Conspiracy

Ok - I'm not normally a conspiracy nut, but something is up, and I'm apparently the target.

I can see it now - dark, smoky room. A single dim light suspended over a table. Webbed feet pacing the floor. "You seen this guy?" the goose asks. "Yeah, we know him." the red-winged black bird replies.

This all started with the red winged blackbirds. While cycling solo on a training route I was shocked out of my rhythm by something hitting the top of my helmet. I looked around - nothing. A couple hundred yards down the road and another hit. I looked at the road and saw the shadow - it was a bird! For a two mile stretch on that route there were red winged blackbirds perched along every few telephone poles. Apparently that is where they survey their territory from. Apparently I was not welcome in their territory. Maybe it's because I was decked out in black and red. In any case they did their best to make feel unwelcome. It happened to me again while I was riding the IM course in Madison last year. Apparently word was spreading.

"Can you take care of him for us?" the goose asks. "We tried, but he's a persistent one." replied the red winged blackbird leaning in. "We're going to have to bring in a specialist for this one.".

The negotiations were made. The contract was written up and signed. The specialist was contacted. Detailed information on my routes and timing were given. Plans were made.

As it turned out there was not one but two of them. How long they waited I do not know. I'll have to go back and check for cigarette butts sometime. I was running along a fence and the fence ended. I saw them coming from the corner of my eye. I had no time to react. They came in low and fast. There was a double thump as first one then the other hit me. One got me on the shoulder and the other hit my hip. They both bounced off dazed and confused. One hit the ground, recovered, and then flew away. His accomplice never hit the ground but kept going. I didn't get a good look at either of them though I think one may have had a white headband with a red circle on it.

Guess they found out the meaning of Ironman today. I'm going to have to find an informant somewhere. I don't think this is over.

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Workout Summary

2000 yard TT swim - 35 minutes

45 minute spin class - intervals

4.5 mile 35 minute run - Z3 with 1 mile accelerations at Z4+

30 minutes circuit/core/stretching

Today was the last big push before I taper for Triple-T. The Thursday spinning instructor had much better music so I was pumped and it was a good interval class. The run went well (despite the kamikaze attack). Got up to and sustained 6:30 mpm pace on the accelerations before dropping to my usual 8:30 pace. No grabs from the glute this time around - warming carefully and then stretching afterwards seems to have helped. Will have to be extra cautious this weekend and next week.

All About Me

Todays run was supposed to be at a recovery level - it almost wasn't.

While running I saw another runner a couple of blocks ahead. Immediately my competitive bone started itching. "I bet I can catch him" I thought as I picked up my pace. After a block I looked down at my HRM I saw I fast approaching Zone 4. "Wait a minute" I thought, "this is supposed to be my recovery run. And besides, I'm trying to not injure my glute any more than it already is." So I backed off and let the other runner go and stayed on plan.

I realized that at that point my run had almost transitioned from being "all about me" to "all about him". I began running according to his plan and not my own. When you do that you become a chaser. Once you've chased down your prey you're on to the next target. If you're OCD this can easily become a very self defeating path - eventually you find someone who you can't catch and you can't beat. When this happens you can easily begin beating yourself down the path to burnout. Knowing your limits and keeping focused on what you're trying to accomplish can help to overcome this. Keeping it "all about me" keeps me focused on what I should be doing not what someone else is doing.

There are of course times when it's beneficial to ride someone else's plan in order to push yourself to that next level. There's a time to push and a time to pull - the trick is knowing the time to do each.

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Workout Summary

7 mile LSD run - 1 hour - mid zone 2 (except for a brief foray towards zone 4!)

Glute grabbed me a block into the run but I decided to work through it. After a couple more grabs it warmed up and dropped from the radar. Going to have to be very careful with my warmups for the next few weeks. I have a tendency to want to get up to cruising pace very quickly - going to have to reel that in. Spent about 15 minutes stretching after the run.

Goose Rant

This time of year the whole area is overrun with Canadian geese. I'm thinking that we should be focusing on controlling the border to Canada to keep these guys out. Apparently it's not a national priority though. Dang it.

My runs through the local forest preserves now resemble the football drill where you have to put your foot through tire openings due to the goose crap accumulating all over the place. Since many of the geese now have little goslings to protect they're beginning to get more aggressive. Today I ran by a pair of geese and they chased me for about 10 feet - wings spread, heads down, and hissing. Yes, geese actually hiss. They must be in cahoots with the cats on this one. They're really quite intimidating until you stop, wave your arms, and hiss back at them. Then they remember what their wings are really for. They scamper off to a safe distance and then proceed to heckle you with annoying honks.

Fear can be like this as well. It can suddenly grow large and intimidating. Our minds magnify this and build it into impossibly high and impenetrable looking walls. They surround us and box us in - altering our self perception and blunting what we are truly capable of. The illusion remains as long as you allow it to. It remains until you kick at the corners and the whole thing crumbles. Then you see that fear is often just another bluffer. It's the cat with the arched back and the goose with the spread wings. It makes itself huge in your mind until the moment you see it for what it often really is - an insignificant little beast that is quite often every bit afraid of getting it's ass kicked as you are.

I'm kicking the next goose that chases me.

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Workout Summary

20 minutes yoga (yesterday)

50 minute easy swim - 4 x ( 400 free + 4x(20 free/20 breast) )

45 minute spin class

4.5 mile run - Zone 2

45 minutes circuit/core/stretching

Went easy today since my body still needed a bit more recovery after my Saturday brick. In addition I wanted to be cautious due to a pulled upper glute - my reward for playing Lacrosse with my son on Sunday. Bugged me a lot Sunday and Monday but was only tight today. I was prepared to pitch the run if it flared but it didn't and the run went well. I did spend some extra time stretching today. I didn't do this after the brick on Saturday and think it probably contributed to the pull. Just what I need two weeks before Triple-T.

Spin class sucked. I really do have to say something to the Tuesday instructor about the music. There are songs you dance to, and songs you listen to. I like Coldplay - especially when I feel the need to lapse into a coma. It just doesn't work for spinning. That and her insisting on a 90 cadence during a song with a BPM of 60.

Why I "Tri"

During yesterdays LSD run I thought a bit about the real reasons why I do Triathlons.

As ego-centric and shallow as it is, I have to admit that part of it is the shock value. A:"How far did you run today?" Me:"20." A:"Minutes?" Me:"No, miles" A:"Oh...". B:"What did you this weekend?" Me:"I rode 100 miles on the bike" B:"On a bicycle? With no motor?!?" Most people I interact with (other than other cyclists and triathletes) are completely blown away by the amount of training and distances we cover. I'm proud of my accomplishments. But I'm also grounded - I'm very careful not to let it overinflate my ego. Having said that it's still pretty cool to see the look on their faces.

Another reason is the example it sets for my kids. They get to see first hand that achieving a goal takes commitment, discipline, and hard work. They also get to see that winning is not the important part, but doing your best is. It also shows them through my example how to identify and manage fear.

I think the most important things I've learned is that training the body to be strong and healthy also trains the mind to be strong and healthy. This is by far the biggest benefit I've received from triathlon. Through training I've developed discipline, focus, patience, flexibility, courage, confidence, and determination. I've learned to focus on what is important and eliminate the unnecessary. I've learned to control what I can, and adapt and deal with what I can't.

Lastly is the physical shape the training has put me in. When I first started swimming I could barely make it across the pool. I'd get winded (the bent over gasping for breath type) after climbing 1/2 a flight of stairs. My resting heart rate was 82. I was a couch slug. Now I can crank out a 2400 yard swim comfortably. Climbing stairs is not a problem. My resting heart rate is 54. And most importantly, I can keep up with my extremely active kids.

It's been a long, hard road. But from where I stand today it was absolutely worth it. Triathlon has benefited me in ways I never expected. I'm now able to leap tall buildings in a single bound - or at least, the belief that if I put my mind to it I could. That is why I "Tri".

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Workout Summary (from yesterday)

3500 yd swim unbroken - 1hr

15 mile LSD run - 2:10.

Weekly Summary
Bike time definitely suffered this week. They're renovating the club where I work out so I couldn't do spin classes. In addition it has been raining here the entire freakin' week, so I didn't go out on the road bike. Instead I spent the time focusing on swimming and running.

Dropped my Thursday brick workout due to AT testing on Friday. My official AT is 141 - which is about what I expected.

This weekend I had wanted to the equivalent of a 1/2 iron distance tri during my long workouts in preparation for Triple-T at the end of this month. Due to rain I passed on the bike and decided instead to do another swim/run brick but go higher on the distances.

The LSD run was hard mentally but physically I held up pretty well. Almost got hit by a car - some jerk tried to pull around me in a strip mall entrance. He saw me but couldn't wait for me to go by and actually pulled into the oncoming lane to get around me. I had to pull up short to avoid getting hit and as he drove by I kicked the side of his car. He now has a nice big dent in his passenger door to remember me by. He didn't stop - good for him as I was livid. Another motorist who saw the whole thing gave me a "thumbs up". I felt a little bad about over reacting as I'm usually pretty controlled but the idiot deserved it.

Focusing on Fun

Despite being raised in similar environments, my son and daughter have completely different personalities.

My daughter and I were playing baseball the other day (before the falcon attack). She wants to play T-ball this summer so we signed her up and bought her a baseball mit and batting helmet of her very own. Pink of course.

Our T broke so I decided to pitch underhand to her so she could work on batting. After six pitches she still hadn't connected, but her swing was solid. After each swing I'd say "Great Swing!". She beamed with accomplishment. It didn't matter if she connected. It didn't matter if she knocked it across the street like her brother often does. This is in stark contrast to my son - a budding type A with OCD, just like his Dad. If my son doesn't connect and knock it 100 feet on every pitch he gets mad at himself.

When she finally connected she jumped up and down with her hands held high. "Whoo-hoo!". The ball had traveled two feet. Backwards. She clapped her hands and got ready to hit again. She's not type A. She's not trying to be perfect. She just wants to be part of the game. She just wants to have fun.

As time passed she hit the ball more. It began going forwards instead of backwards. She got better. I honestly think she doesn't care. She was just having fun with her Daddy on a sunny afternoon. No goal other than fun. As long as she got the least bit of encouragement she was satisfied. She is the embodiment of sunshine.

In my triathlons I try hard not to focus on goals. I try to keep my focus on doing my very best with the conditions I'm presented with. I try to pass this message on to my kids - especially my son who still feels he needs to be perfect in order to consider something his best effort. However I'm a bit of a hypocrite here - as all parents must be at some point. There's always a goal. It may be as simple as bringing down my transition times. It may be to catch pass the arrogant little pinhead who just blew by me on his $4000 time trial bike. It may be to have a comfortable swim, or a smooth run. But there's always something that I need to focus on. It's difficult for me to just focus on having fun. Though I think I need to do that a lot more.

I hope that my daughter continues to learn from me and the example I set. I also hope that I continue to learn from her and the example she sets.

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Workout Summary

6.5 mile run - speed pyramids: 3 x ( 3 minutes at 8.5, 8, 7.5, and 7 Mpm pace )

Have to take tomorrow off due to LT testing on Friday afternoon - the personal trainer said not to workout a day before the test so I pushed a bit harder today. Legs still a little heavy from yesterday's tempo run.

Prey - Part 2

I love it when nature chooses to illustrate a point. It doesn't happen to me very often but when it does I pay very, very close attention.

Yesterday afternoon I was in the front yard playing baseball with my daughter. Suddenly the mood seemed to change. There was a change in the ambient energy - a kind of tension. A gathering or inhale before all manner of fury was released. I took notice.

It started from the backyard behind the house. I couldn't see it but I could hear it. I could feel it. The sound of little wings flapping followed by panicky chirps. Suddenly three small sparrows burst from the bushes on the side of the house. Seconds later a much larger bird burst from the bushes. At first I perceived it as a fast moving shadow - impossibly large. Then I saw the angular head with the dark stripes below the eyes, and the horizontal stripes on the tail feathers as it whisked by me by a few feet. It was a peregrine falcon.

I'd seen them before in the city while up on the observation deck of the John Hancock building. The falcon had been effortlessly cruising on air currents, above the city. He looked peaceful.

Not this one. This one was looking anything but peaceful. The polar opposite of peaceful. He was fierce. He was focused. He was determined. He was the predator. The sparrow was the prey. There was no confusion on the nature of this relationship.

The ensuing aerial battle was amazing and impressive. The falcon picked out one of the three sparrows and pursued it. The sparrow was small and agile and desperately weaved and bobbed trying to shake the falcon. Despite it's size the falcon was amazingly agile as well. He matched the sparrow turn for turn. They spun figure eights around the cul-de-sac across the street and then the sparrow turned in my direction. It was the last move the sparrow would make. The falcon came slightly above the sparrow and threw out his wings and talons at the same time. An absolutely amazing mid-air catch.

With the sparrow gripped in his talons the falcon glided to the yard across the street and stood on top of the sparrow. The falcon calmly surveyed it's surroundings as he waited for the sparrow to stop struggling. I felt sorry for the sparrow. Then the voice inside spoke up - "Fear is for prey".

Goose bumps rippled over my body. I totally got the message in the metaphor. I was the falcon and the sparrow was my fear. I had picked which of the fears I would go after and then pursued it with relentless determination. I had used every bit of ability I possessed to pursue, capture, and and conquer it. Once I had captured my fear I stood and watched it wither and die. I am a predator. Fear is my prey. Fear season is now open.

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Workout Summary

2400 yard swim - 45 minutes

5.5 mile tempo run - four five minute accelerations in zone 4

30 minutes circuit, core, and stretching

Two days off (Sunday and Monday) helped the instep injury. I also threw away two pairs of shoes that seemed to aggravate the situation.

It wasn't a fluke - my wife completed her second one mile run yesterday! Time to start shopping for 5K's for her. That's kilometers - not karats!

Prey

"Fear is for prey"

I stared in shocked astonishment at the screen. That sums it all up. When it comes to fear you are either the predator or the prey. Not prey in the sense of being lower on the food chain. Something much more significant lurks under this expression. Prey in the sense that your fear controls you. If you let fear - any fear - control your life or determine your path then you are prey. Plain and simple. I love black and white stuff like this. Doesn't come up much in our dull gray politically correct society these days. It doesn't matter if your fear is commitment to a girlfriend, swimming in open water, or walking into a room full of people you've never met. If it controls you and determines your way, you are prey. Once you realize this you suddenly are empowered. You have a choice. If you spin the tables on your fear and confront it, you become the predator. If however you acknowledge it and do nothing, you are prey. Plain and simple.

Who would have thought that such perspective altering wisdom could be found in "Ice Age 2: The Meltdown".

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Workout Summary

10 mile run (1:27 - on Saturday)

Skipped bike and swim due to instep injury

Stretching

Today I couldn't get to the club to do my swim workout so instead I set aside some time to do a bit of yoga instead.

I don't stretch nearly as often as I probably should. Actually it's less a matter of often enough and more a matter of well enough. For me it's one of those things that doesn't seem worthwhile until after you've done it. Why stretch when I can use the time to swim a few hundred more yards? What am I really going to gain from stretching?

But I had time on my hands and felt I needed to do something. So I decided to do some yoga. After doing a couple sun salutations I began going through a series of connected poses - one pose leads into another. As I went from one pose to another my muscles slowly began to relax. I hadn't realized how tight everything was after weeks of pushing hard. It's funny how little tensions and other things can build up without you really being aware. They creep in so slowly that you don't realize that they're building. If you're not careful they can build up to a point where they surround and crush you. Working out relieves some of the pressure but not as much as you think.

As my muscles relaxed my mind did too. What we do to the body affects the mind - another of many lessons learned from triathlon training. I didn't think I was carrying too much mental tension but as it turned out the tension had creeped up on that front as well. After I finished I felt more relaxed than I've felt in a very long time. It was definitely time well spent. Maybe I'll start doing this more regularly on my recovery day. The weekly break will be good for my body, mind, and spirit. Maybe I'll remember next time that when it seems worthwhile afterwards then it is.

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Workout Summary

45 minutes yoga

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Weekly Summary
Swim and running workouts this week went well despite taking the previous week off to focus on cycling. I was a little concerned that both would suffer as they usually do when I'm inconsistent but they didn't. I also added a Wednesday mid-range run to my weekly schedule. My runs lately still haven't been great so I wanted to spend a little more time there.

Thursday night was my first ride with the local club this year. The ride was fast, furious, and fun. Was surprised that my max heart rate was only 178 as I went all out on a few of the sprints. I think I must still be a bit overtrained from last week as my threshold is still around 156 or so. Next week I'll have to back it off a bit on my higher intensity workouts.

On a completely unrelated note my wife completed her first 1 mile continuous run yesterday! It's taken her a little over a month to get there and is a huge first milestone for her. Now that she's seeing some progress she's getting more motivated. I don't think we'll see her in any triathlons any time soon but now a 5K is definitely a possibility.

Commitment to Change

Found yet another reason to be thankful for the impact that Triathlon has had on my life - it has given me real perspective to draw from when trying to explain things to my kids.

We had another hockey game last night. Things did not go very well. One of the things that the team struggles with is our offense can't seem to control the puck. As an offensive player when the puck hits your stick you have basically four choices - shoot it at the net, pass it to an open player, dump it to a safe place, or skate with it. In addition offensive players need to fight to control the puck - if you can't control the puck, you limit your opportunities to score. If you don't do these things you are not an offensive player.

At heart my son is a defensive player. He's comfortable shooting, but not comfortable skating with the puck. He's great at reading the situation and finding a safe place to dump the puck, but not so good at skating the puck up and looking for passing or shooting opportunities. He's very conservative. He's not very aggressive. This would be all fine and well if he wanted to remain on defense but now he really wants to play offense.

So we had a chat last night after the game. One of those father/son chats. I explained to him that if he really wants to be a forward, he needs to change the way he plays the game. He needs to change the way he thinks about the game and he needs to fully commit himself to that change. He needs to embrace a new paradigm (great - try explaining that to an eight year old!). If he doesn't do this then he will not be a forward. He will continue to be on defense - which is precisely where he belongs given his current approach to the game.

Don't get me wrong here - I want him to play where he's going to be happy and have fun. If he wants defense I embrace and support this wholeheartedly. However, if he wants offense he needs to change in order to be successful and happy. If he doesn't then eventually he's going to get coaches that will come down on him for not having the right mindset for the position. This will not be make hockey fun for a mini type A perfectionist like my son.

At some point in the past I decided I wanted to be a Triathlete. In order to accomplish this I had to undergo significant changes to my lifestyle. I had to change the way I slept, worked out, and ate. I had to find away to absorb the additional training hours required into my already demanding schedule. I had to learn how to swim and learn how to run properly. I had to change the way I viewed myself and what I was capable of. I had to completely commit to a lifestyle change that would impact nearly every aspect of my life. I had to work my ass off.

Today I am a Triathlete - as you are or may be. It was absolutely worth the paradigm shift I had to undergo to get here. I am a very different person then the pre-Triathlete me. This happened due to my commitment to the change. It was not easy. However, if I hadn't committed myself fully I would not have changed. This is one of the life lessons that triathlon has taught me. This is the life lesson I passed on to my son last night.

Ok, he's eight. He may not fully get it. Not completely anyways. But he's a very sharp little pup who listens and absorbs a hell of lot more than I think he does. Some day he will fully understand it. And then he'll be able to apply this lesson to the really important things in his life - deciding to get married, deciding to have children of his own. He will know that if he wants something bad he must commit fully or walk away. He will eventually come to understand the lesson that I have learned - that the life patterns we commit to and adopt now become the foundations for the rest of our lives.

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Workout Summary

2400 yard swim

4.5 mile run - 2x1 mile at threshold

30 minutes circuit, core, and stretching

Misplaced Focus

While thumbing through a copy of the "Tao te Ching" today I came across a passage that jumped out at me. "If you are as concerned about the outcome as you are about the beginning, then it is hard to do things wrong".

Goals are good and necessary, but equal focus needs to be placed on the start point and steps to obtain that goal. Too much focus on the goal and you can become discouraged and lose your way. When I was training for the Chicago Marathon my first "long run" was eight miles. At the six mile mark I was struggling. "How will I ever get to 26.2 miles?" There it was - misplaced focus. I was focusing on the endpoint instead of my current point. At that point in my training eight miles was double the longest distance I was running during the week. It was supposed to be difficult. Over the weeks the mileage went higher and higher. Soon an eight mile run was equivalent to a walk in the park. After a while I learned to not focus so much on the goal and instead place my focus on what I was doing now.

It's sometimes very easy to get stuck on focusing on the goal, instead of focusing on the steps to get you there. Some goals loom so large (Ironman!) that it doesn't seem possible that you'll achieve it. When this happens make sure you're not placing too much emphasis on that endpoint. If your training plan is well thought out and is realistic you will succeed. Focus on what you're doing now and you will get there.

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Workout Summary

5.5 mile zone 3 run

Back Seat Driving

In Zen it's called "monkey mind". It's that background mental chattering that interferes and clutters our awareness and perceptions.  It can mess you up if you're not aware of it.  It has a tendency to like to back seat drive.

Today was the first day in the pool after being out for more than a week.  As I headed to the health club the monkey started up. "Remember to reach, roll, and pull". "Don't forget to push the buoy". "Don't forget to keep your elbow high and pull from your back". A dozen other technical thoughts scrabbled through my head. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it can cause you to loose your way if you're not careful. In engineering we call it analysis paralysis. You're so caught up in the technical details and permutations of all the different aspects of a given problem that you can't make a decision, you can't go forward.  All the possibilities spin your head into a dizzy little mess. Once this spiral starts up it is a very short trip to panic.

Recognizing this I tuned out the background chatter. By now I've swam thousands of laps in the pool. These laps are impressed in my muscle memory. My body knows what to do. My body knows when my swim stroke is working and when it's going to hell. If I listen to my body I can normally find out what's going wrong. The feeling of drag if my body is not positioned properly in the water. The sound of splashing and bubbles from turbulence if I'm not smooth enough. If I am aware then these simple cues will result in simple adjustments that correct the problems. If I listen to the monkey chattering away in the background I'll miss all of these little cues and get lost in the details. I'll end up frustrated because I'm being driven from the backseat.

Trust your training. Recognize the monkey mind for what it is - the back seat driver that can sometimes help, but often steers you wrong. Driving is best done from the front seat.

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Workout Summary

2400 yard swim

4 mile run

30 minutes circuit, core, and stretching

Eminence Trip Reports

Back from my spring training trip to Eminence, Missouri. We actually left a day early because of weather - it rained all Friday night and Saturday morning and it didn't make sense to spend the day hanging around in the cabin and leaving Sunday so we packed up and headed for home.

All in all it was a successful trip. Six days of riding, 425 miles on the bike. I learned a couple new techniques for climbing and got my bike all tuned up and ready for the rest of the season. My legs are finally getting back to normal today. We'll see how they feel during tomorrow's run! Daily trip reports are below.

Would I do it again? I think so - road surfaces were good and the routes were challenging. The drivers and locals were friendly and courteous. The place where we stayed - Shady Lane Cabins and Motel - was perfect. Don't let the word cabins fool you - inside the rooms are large, clean, and resemble hotel rooms more than they do cabins.

Things to be aware of if you decide to go down:

1. Bring your own pasta - there is none to be had in Eminence.
   
2. Bring your own entertainment. We had my laptop and a bunch of DVDs - a lifesaver. There is no night life in Eminence.
   
3. Bring your own bike tools and spare parts. We never did find the nearest bike shop. I'm suspecting that it's at least an hour or two away by car. You need to be prepared to be totally self sufficient down there.
   
4. Set a good example!!!! This is probably the most important. The drivers down there were courteous and respectful to cyclists. Keep it that way. Ride single file on the edge of the road and give drivers plenty of room to pass. Let them know using hand signals when its safe to pass and when it is not. Smile and wave a lot. Be respectful.
   
5. Be defensive. The locals zip around these twisting and hilly roads at absolutely insane rates of speed. Listen carefully and be prepared to dive off the road if necessary. A good handlebar mounted mirror would be a wise investment.
   
6. Bring good maps. DeLorme Topo 5.0 was invaluable as a route planning tool. I was able to adjust routes as I learned more about the area. If you do any route planning whatsoever I'd highly recommend it.
   

Eminence - Day 1

My first impressions of southern Missouri were not good. The drive from the Chicago area started at 4 AM when H picked me up. We took 55 through St. Louis, picked up 44 to get us east, and then dropped down to Eminence on highway 19. That's when I started to get worried.

Two miles from 44 we saw our first trailer. A forlorn rusting hulk of a trailer. Someone looked out the window as we drove by. I guess this was a bit of a cultural shock for me. I hadn't realized how economically depressed the region was. The trailers we began seeing all had very similar characteristics - most were very old, very broken down, and there was literally tons of discarded junk littering the lots. I looked back at my shiny 3000 dollar road bike and thought "my bike is worth more than everything on this lot combined". We saw several of these trailers scattered down the road we were headed. Many of the "towns" we passed were nothing more than a couple of rusting trailers and a sign proclaiming the name. On the map these towns appeared to be as large as Eminence. What the heck had I gotten us into? The dual fangs of fear and panic pierced my skin.

The second thing that worried be were the roads. Highway 19 was narrow, hilly, and twisty. I had anticipated the roads being hilly, but on many turns we couldn't see what was just beyond the corner or over the crest of the hill. Cars roared by from the opposite direction at horrific speeds. I was really worried that we'd just be over a hill and a car would come roaring over the crest and not see us until it was too late. Many of the routes I had planned were on highway 19. Were the rest of the roads going to be like this? The fangs sunk deeper.

The third thing was that we saw no cyclists. None. Anywhere. Why I wondered? The roads were all marked as being low traffic by the Missouri Department of Transportation maps I'd researched prior to the trip. Did the local cyclists know something about this area that I didn't? Suddenly a whole flood of "should have" thoughts spun through my head. Should have consulted with local bike clubs, should have looked for towns with at least a bike shop. By this time I was a nervous wreck.

Then we arrived in Eminence. Population 548. Large by the standards we'd been seeing. There were a couple of restaurants, a county court building, and four or five motels. We found our motel and warily checked out our cabin.

First sign of relief - the cabins were on a very scenic wooded lot and were wonderfully clean and large. Inside they had a refrigerator, two queen beds, a shower, TV, lounge chair, and a table with a couple of chairs. The inside resembled a very large motel room more than it resembled a cabin room. The pictures and floor plans on their website were accurate. I'd definitely stay here again. Indeed, of all the places we saw to stay in Eminence this was by far the best setup. By this time I had begun to feel a little (very little) better. H and I unpacked all of our gear and after exchanging concerns worked up the courage to go for a ride.

For our first ride we opted for a small 30 mile loop from the cabin in case we had to bag it because of unsafe roads, unsafe drivers, rabid dogs, and all manner of other little terrors that were running through my panic wracked head by that time. I do not remember the last time I was this scared to ride my bike.

In short the ride was fantastic. We took 106 west out of Eminence up to SR E and went south. Thick forests bordered the hilly route. There were a few well kept trailers and homes along the route but most of it passed through large trees and small streams with the clearest water I've ever seen. Pavement surfaces were a little rough but not crumbling and riddled with pot holes. The drivers we passed were absolutely the most courteous drivers I've ever encountered. When they saw us they'd slow and wait patiently until it was absolutely safe to pass and then gave us plenty of room when passing. Most drivers either passing us or coming toward us smiled and waved.

We went down SR E to route 60 - which turned out to be a fairly busy highway. There was a large shoulder but it was in pretty bad shape. Some of my routes used large stretches of 60 so I made a mental note to drop or reroute them.

We came back up 19 into Eminence and cruised into the parking lot of the motel. H and I both felt a lot better after the ride. We went in to town to get a bite to eat and then did a bit of bike maintenance before watching a movie and then turning in for the night.

It's funny how we get impressions of things and let them build a reality that we cling to, only to realize that the foundation those impressions are built on are not based on reality at all. Fear and panic are often built on weak and false foundations. Facing the fear often exposes the foundation for what it is - a mental construct based on misconceptions and false impressions. Facing it squarely crumbles the foundation and marginalizes the fear.

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Workout Summary

Bike ride: 33.4 miles / 1:53 hrs / 1946 ft of climbing

Eminence - Day 2

On the second day we had a quick breakfast at the local diner and then headed back to the cabin to grab the bikes and hit the road.

We decided on a 75 mile loop that extended west and then south of Eminence. We took 106 west out to Summerville and then 17 down to Mountain View. The ride down to Summerville went through Alice Springs - steep drop into a river valley which we then had to climb out of. The climb was very challenging and was made worse by a couple of extremely annoying horse flies that kept buzzing around my head as I climbed. I hate things buzzing around my head in general, and it's made much worse when I can't swat at them because I'm gripping my handlebars and trying to maintain my balance while climbing up a hill at 5 MPH. As soon as I crested the hill I rocketed away to shake the annoying flies.

We cruised down 17 which was a fairly busy highway but once againt the drivers were very courteous. More mental notes - double digit roadways were a little busy and connected strings of larger towns. Lettered and triple digit roadways were local town to town or "backroad" roadways and were relatively free of traffic. More adjustments to the routes.

We stopped off at a gas station in Mountain View to top off our water bottles and get some food. Several locals looked with curiosity at us and our bikes. The girl working the cash register said they rarely see cyclists down there.

We took SR W out of town and connected to SR TT which turned into SR T. Along these roads everyone seemed to have dogs. The dogs were not chained. The dogs were either very fast, very peristent or both. One Basset Hound chased us for a 1/4 mile before finally giving up. He never got very close but persistently loped along after us. If either of us had crashed he would of eventually caught up to us and probably drowned us in slobber. Fortunately, neither of us got bit and we both got in a couple of pretty spirited sprints along this portion of the route.

From SR T we took 99 up to 60. Despite being a double digit highway 99 had pretty low traffic. It weaved through a portion of Mark Twain national forest that was absolutely stunning. The rest of the road ambled past horse and cow farms as it made its way north up to 60. Another jog on 60 to 19 and we were home for the night.

That evening we ate at the same restaurant as the night before because the only other restaurants in town were closed for dinner. In addition there was no pasta, and they were out of chicken and fish.

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Workout Summary

Bike ride: 76 miles / 4:31 hrs / 4638 ft of climbing

Eminence - Day 3

For day 3 we planned on driving up to the town of Bunker, leaving the car, and riding some of the roads lacing the national forest.

Bunker is a small depressed town of about 150 on the edge of national forest land. After circling around town we decided to find somewhere else to stage the days ride as there was really no where we felt comfortable leaving the vehicle for the day. We drove around for another hour looking for a safe place to park before giving up in frustration and bagging the days route.

We drove highway 72 to 21 down to a town called Ellington. Ellington was a larger more modern town (meaning buildings were mostly made of brick in stead of corrugated aluminum cast offs) so we parked the car and staged our ride from there. Our ride took us down state road SR K to Annapolis and back. Along the way we did out and backs along SR W and SR O.

During the ride H commented on my climbing form and gave me several pointers to improve it. H is an amazing climber and routinely walks away from us up hills. He has this amazingly smooth pedal stroke and high cadence as he climbs. He showed me how to push down with my heel on the downstroke when seated, and roll my ankle on the up stroke in a kind of reach and pull motion. I remembered watching the sprinters during the Athens Olympics and seeing that they had a similar technique - their feet seemed to grab the pavement and pull it behind them. This technique helped increase my climbing speed while conserving my energy - double bonus!

In addition he told me when standing to focus on pulling my knees to the stem and pulling my foot around the pedal stroke instead of concentrating only on the downward push of my foot. Prior to this little nugget I found I couldn't stand for very long on a climb because my quads would fatigue too quickly. Now I can dance up an entire climb without the quad fatigue I used to experience after a few pedal strokes.

I used the rest of the hilly route that day to practice these new techniques. I still don't climb as well as H, but my climbing is markedly better with just two small adjustments. Lesson learned - always listen to any advice that anyone has to offer. Try it, and take away what works for you. Chuck the rest - there are after all a lot of well meaning turnips out there.

Annapolis was the only town I ever felt uncomfortable in the entire trip. We pulled in to town and stopped at the local grocery store. As we walked in a group of locals sitting at a table at a makeshift deli-counter stopped eating and talking and just stared at us with blank expressions. Most people we saw either smiled or went about their business but these guys just kept looking at us. I was not getting good vibes so we bought some water, hopped on the bikes and headed out. On the way out a pickup passed and the guy inside flipped me off with both fingers. Needless to say we never returned to Annapolis. I should again point out that this was the exception - all the other people we met were friendly and we never felt uncomfortable or threatened.

While going down SR O I was nearly knocked over by a pickup truck hauling huge bales of hay. The driver had pulled around to give us room but I think he misjudged the size of the hay bales. The bales on the truck passed inches from my handlebars as the truck flew by. Fortunately I didn't loose control.

It was also during this ride that I started developing a mechanical problem with my bike. Occasionally when I would coast the back wheel would make a loud squealing sound and the chain would slacken and drop dangerously close to the wheel and spokes. As long as I was pedaling everything was ok. This made the downhills for the rest of the day difficult as I tried to keep pedaling while I whipped down hills at 40 MPH.

Back in Ellington we decided that it was time for pasta so we drove out to a town called Poplar Bluff - about an hour east of us. We found a Holiday Inn in town with an Italian restaurant and filled up on fresh bread and lots of pasta. We also stopped at a grocery store and bought pasta and sauce. Fortunately I had brought a camping stove along for the trip. None of the restaurants in Eminence serve pasta for some reason - must be meat and potato only country.

That night at the cabin we tried to take apart the wheel but didn't have a hex wrench large enough. E and M were coming down to join us the next evening so we called up to have them bring a larger wrench and a spare back wheel just in case. At this point we still weren't sure what the problem was so we made some adjustments and put the wheel back on.

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Workout Summary

Bike ride: 67 miles / 4:02 hrs / 3862 ft of climbing

Eminence - Day 4

For day 4 we decided to do an out and back route to a town called Akers. We also decided to give 19 a try going north for a bit. This was the road that we originally drove down on our way to Eminence and the one that freaked me out because of all of the blind corners and hills. After a few days on the road though we were feeling a little more confident.

The route up 19 gave us no trouble at all. I think that one thing that contributed to our impression that the cars were going insanely fast along those roads was relative speed. As we were driving forward at 50 MPH, cars were coming towards us also at 50 MPH. Overall perceived speed is 100 MPH. At 100 MPH the cars seem to leap through the curves and are on top of you and then by you in an instant. There were a few cars that passed us on 19 but they all saw us in plenty of time and gave us plenty of room. We were definitely riding defensively though. The entire way we rode single file and hugged the edge of the road. When cars passed us on hills we slowed to let them by faster. We also looked and listened for cars behind when we approached blind curves and hill crests. If we heard one we'd either speed up to get further down the hill to allow the cars more reaction time or slow down so they'd see us before they hit the turn.

From 19 we rode down SR D and took a side trip down SR N to a town called Ink. The road petered out to gravel after three miles at the bottom of a hill on top of broken down bridge. The sign next to the bridge said Ink. There was one deteriorating house and a very skinny cat that slinked away as we pulled up. Good thing we weren't counting on this to be a water stop.

We got back on SR D and headed west, picking up 106 into Summersville. Along the way there were lots of tortises crossing the road. As we whisked by them they'd button up into their shells. There were also a few horses in the fields that we passed that would playfully race after us as we went by. The route out was relatively flat compared to some of the roads we had been on.

In Summersville we picked up SR K and rode that up to Akers for about 10 miles. The last 5 miles were through the national forest and were hilly and scenic. H had a flat which provided a much needed break for my tired legs.

We never actually got to see the town of Akers (assuming there was one of course). At the bottom of hill we found that the road ended at a river. There was a car ferry on the other side of the river but no sign of anyone to operate it. Since we were at mile 35 at that point we opted to turn around and head back to Eminence. H's tire blew again and I discovered a small slit in the tire. We replaced the innertube and then put a dollar bill over the slit in the tire. I'd heard of this technique before but I've never had to try it. It does indeed work.

While coming back my back wheel started acting up again, though I was able to make it back to Eminence just fine. E and M arrived later in the evening around 10.

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Workout Summary

Bike ride: 70 miles / 4:14 hrs / 5005 ft of climbing

Eminence - Day 5

In the morning we spent some time disassembling my rear wheel to find the source of the squealing. M mentioned that he had had similar problems and that they were corrected by lubing the innards of the rear wheel which we could now get at since we had the right tool. M was right - lubing the innards fixed the problem

The weather outlook for the day was warm and sunny. H and I knew that if we were going to do big miles this would be the day. We decided to go south down to Alton

We went down 106 west and then picked up SR E going south. At 60 we jogged over a bit and then went down 99 opposite the way we had come earlier in the week. M was struggling with the hills so I drifted back to keep an eye on him. M is a strong rider but not a very fast climber. While waiting at one of the intersections I "mooed" at some cows standing near by. I don't know why we do this. While passing any sort of livestock someone always "moos", "whinneys", or "oinks" depending on which animals we are passing. Much to my surprise the whole herd of cows (there were about 30 or so spread out over the field) literally came running over to the fence and watched me. I mooed again and some of them mooed back eagerly. I'm not sure what I was saying but apparently the cows found it very interesting. For the remainder of the trip I was the king of cows.

At the end of 99 we picked up 160. 160 had butter smooth pavement and we flew over it's surface - averaging 25 MPH over 10 miles of gently rolling hills. We stopped at a gas station in Alton and refueled, enduring the stares and double takes of the locals - we were getting used to this by now. From 160 we picked up 19 and headed north back to Eminence. The route south of 60 was hilly and heavily forested - absolutely beautiful but very challenging. It seemed like a lot of hills came in threes with each one getting larger so you couldn't use momentum to roller coaster through all of them

Originally we were going to take 19 straight in to Eminence but at the last moment we decided to head up SR H just outside of Winona to add a few more miles to the trip. We stopped at a gas station and as we were getting ready to head up SR H, E pulled up. We suggested that E head to Eminence, pick up the car and go get M as he was having a tough day in the hills

H and I headed up SR H - yet another hilly heavily forested road. The scenery along SR H was some of the best yet alternating between deep forest and meadows opening up to scenic farms and ranches. From H we went west on 106 and landed back in Eminence after some fairly significant climbing. Locals had warned us that 106 was one of the hilliest roads in the area. They weren't exaggerating

When we got back to the cabins we found E and M waiting. M had made it in under his own power. He's not the fastest guy on the hills but I give him an A for persistence and effort - he always pulls through unless he gets hit with an injury. He'd be an Ironman for sure if he could run distance

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Workout Summary

Bike ride: 106 miles / 6:35 hrs / 8375 ft of climbing

Eminence - Day 6

Today everyone was tired - especially H and I after our century the day before on top of all of the other riding we had been doing. And of course we decided to do some more climbing - not that there's much choice in this area of Missouri

We decided to head east on 106 for today and then up SR K to a town called Reynolds and back. The route east on 106 was definitely more challenging then the same route coming west. The climbs seemed steeper and longer. At the turnoff to SR K M and H decided they'd had enough and returned to Eminence. E and I pressed on up SR K to Reynolds. The route to Reynolds was a 3% grade for 15 miles. The "town" of Reynolds consisted of a small grocery/gas store and three rotting trailers

On the way back E started singing. There is an unstated rule between E and I - one that started on TOMRV a few years back. During the TOMRV ride E started singing an old Pink Floyd tune. He then began making up his own lyrics. He is not a good lyricist. He's an even worse singer. So I kicked up the pace and dropped him to get away from the noise. Now when he wants to suffer by himself (as we all sometimes need to do) he starts singing, knowing full well what my reaction will be. It didn't matter to me that it was at the bottom of a particularly tough hill. I kicked it up and didn't see him until I was done with my shower back at the cabins

Just as E pulled in the rain started to fall - talk about timing! Unfortunately the rain lasted the entire night.

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Workout Summary

Bike ride: 80 miles / 4:57 hrs / 7761 ft of climbing

Eminence - Day 7

Day 7 never happened. We woke up to more rain and 30 MPH winds. The rain was forecasted to last the entire day, so we decided rather than spend the day holed up in the cabin we'd just bag it and head for home. I felt a little bad for E and M who had driven 480 miles to ride less than 200 over two days. That's the problem with planning bike trips - you're completely at the mercy of the weather. H and I were more lucky in this department - though the forecast earlier in the week was bad and although it looked like we'd be showered upon daily, we missed all of the rain and severe weather in the area

In addition things were going rough on the home front. For some reason whenever I leave on any type of trip my family gets sick. This time it was my daughter and my wife that got hit. Listening to her on the phone I could tell she was worn out after dealing with the kids and work all day. As I've said in an earlier posting - she is indeed a saint. On the positive side my son had a couple of good hockey games and racked up another three goals and two assists. I couldn't wait to get back home and civilization after being gone for a week in the backwoods of southern Missouri.