Thursday, October 30, 2008

T minus 6 days to the resuming of the KMA

That's right in 6 days we start up again with Kyle Will and I repare to cry and whine as he breaks me down before he builds me up. Kyle of course helped me get to the first Ironman and even gave me a free hat to wear on the run ( that was for Bruce). Kyle does a mix of endurance and core work and mixes in crossfit type activities but with a nod to the endurance triathlon. it will be my one hard ( I mean super hard) day of the week. I need to get this bus to Idaho moving. I ran last noght while Jennele was doing swimming and I think after 30 minutes of running i just felt done. I need to run and swim a bit longer than I have. especaly with Winter coming on although I will be doing a bunch of back country skiing i need to keep the sports sepcifics going. ohhhhhh the KMA!!!!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

underwater ipod

I have had some questions about the underwater ipod case from h2oaudio


I really like it. I got this one as it is small and you place your ipod shuffle in it which I already owned one and they are small. it is nice as no arm band or waistband needed to interfere and once you are swimming you do not feel it on the back of your head. the key is to wear a swim cap and place the earphone under the swim cap to keep them there and pressed into your ear. I have found mixed results with podcasts with verbal discussion if ot placed in my ears perfectly whereas the music seems to work better as even beat with heavy bass etc easy to hear through water. I took out the shuffle this weekend to use on a bike ride and when I got to the pool today and realized I forgot to put my shuffle in there..i swam about 600 meters and BORED!!!! the tool keeps me swimming longer for sure. the cost is a little high for what you get but the alternatives are limited and more expensive. I give it a B+ and always swim with it now.

local paper

Mountain bikers gather for a grueling 3-day tour

Bulletin, The (Bend, OR) - Monday, October 20, 2008
Author: Lauren Dake The Bulletin
Just a few miles past Suttle Lake in the Corbett Sno-park parking lot, about 100 mountain bikers readied themselves for an arduous 20-mile loop up and down Cache Mountain on Sunday morning.

Street clothing was exchanged for black, padded spandex. Tires were inflated and water bottles filled.

Sunday was the finale of Bend's Big Fat Tour 2008, a three-day bike tour on different trails throughout Central Oregon. Those who completed the event were rewarded with a simple red, white and black patch that has the word "whining" with a line through it.

People came from as far away as Portland, Hood River and even Idaho to participate in the 14th annual ride. Of the 150 participants, only about 20 or 30 completed the entire "Epic Ride," said Scott Greenstone, one of the race organizers.

"The number whittles down as the days go by," Greenstone said. "But 20 or 30 is a lot. In past years, the number has been more like five."

Paul Thomasberg, a former professional mountain biker, started the noncompetitive event to give people a chance to race on trails they may not be able to ride by themselves.

"It's all about the ride," he said.

It's also all about charity - all the proceeds from the event go to bicycle-oriented charities, such as the Central Oregon Trail Alliance and Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation's summer bicycling program.

Rob Landauer, 29, of Bend, said the tour gives bikers a chance to meet other riders, and that there was a strong sense of camaraderie during the event.

As the bikers got ready Sunday, some of the already-sore participants couldn't help thinking ahead to the afternoon, and what they'd be doing once the ride was over.

Anka Martin, 31, of Bend, said she signed up for the event to challenge herself and ride trails in the area that she's never tried.

She accomplished both - but not without a cost.

"I feel like a truck hit me," Martin said before the Sunday ride, with a smile. "I feel 51, not 31."

But, she said, she was determined to get that patch. And once she did?

"I'm going to eat, a lot," she said.

Other riders had similar thoughts, and several mentioned a stop at Deschutes Brewery. One rider was already imagining her post-ride milkshake.

Drew Holmes , 37, of Bend, who said the Saturday ride in the Ochoco National Forest "was the hardest of my life," said Sunday he would skip the milkshake and beer, and go straight for a martini.

"Cold gin, that's the way to do it after a ride," he said.





Caption: A group of mountain bikers takes off Sunday morning for the final ride of Bend’s Big Fat Tour 2008. The bikers rode a 20-mile loop up Cache Mountain and back. Photos by Andy Tullis / The Bulletin Paul Thomasberg, founder of Bend’s Big Fat Tour, explains the route to a group of mountain bikers Sunday morning. Andy Tullis / The Bulletin Jill Gregg, of Corvallis, puts the front wheel on her mountain bike Sunday morning in preparation for the final ride of Bend’s Big Fat Tour at Corbett Sno-park.
Section: News
Record Number: 20081020_news0107_810200381
Copyright (c) 2008, The Bulletin, Bend OR, Western Communiations Inc.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

back to triathlon



ok they have the roof on the 50 meter pool and as winter starts up soon in the next month or two that will be nice, it was 28 degrees coming to work this morning on the bike. With Jennelle doing swim team practice 3 days a week I will likely get back into my routine of swimming at least 3 times a week. with the underwater ipod case swimming laps has been much better. I would like to cut off 15 minutes or so off my 2.4 mile swim time. pretty sure I can do it if I really put in the time. I spent a lot of time last year working on technique and not enough time doing distance. so damn the technique and on with the distance .....sort of. I think Jennelle at age 7 does more laps than i do right now and that's just not right.

Monday, October 20, 2008

earned my patch




three days of mountain biking some hard trails. everything was rideable but added all together it was hard. On Friday a 30 mile loop up top the top of two large peaks..lots of climbing and epic downhills. Saturday was the day. I started out with everyone at 7:30 am and did not get off my bike until 7:00 pm...and no there was no break in the middle there it was all ride time. a total of 80 miles of single track and 7200 feet of climbing. the basic route was around Mt. Bachelor and then Metolious Windago up to happy valley and then to farewell trail by Tumalo Falls and since I was going for the epic patch I had to do ( got to do) the bonus 13 mile loop up south fork and back via a ton of sweet single track. I made the epic loop time cutoff by half an hour. then back into the phils area hitting skyliners to storm king and down to phills trailhead to check in as the sun went down/ I then bike commuted back home another 3 miles. i was DONE!!!! toasted! but euphoric that I had done that day. not as hard as ironman but harder than a marathon. then on top of that the next morning back on the bike for another trip up to the summit of cachemountain and back for a medium ride ( only about 20 miles) up to the finish where about 20 of the 100 people completed the full epic and got the coveted " no whiners" patch. Roger got one and Steve came damn close but he had a great run. A great event and three days of epic riding that really tested me and that's what I like!!!! I was quoted in the newspaper after the event as liking to drink cold gin after a mega weekend of cycling...for once the newspaper got it right!

























Tuesday, October 14, 2008

great race




Well the cross crusade race #2 was great, a flatish mountain dirt style race that favored me as no big climbs and some technical riding. ended up 44th out of 160 people....not bad. and the magic number was 4 and I ended up #44 so I got free BEER!!! Sweet! Rob and Steph and Dan all killed it! it was a success all around. No race for me this weekend....why you ask? well because I am going to kill it for three huge days at the BIG FAT TOUR!!!!!! should be a blast and I will take lots of pics.

So each race I shaved a little bit more...this week we went either C. Everet Koop or James Hetfield....I like Mettalica more than the surgeon general but.....you know.


Friday, October 10, 2008

first snow


first snow was yesterday while mountain biking with Ed and Rob and Bruce near Phils trail. a speckiling of white came down while we rode singltrack.....ohhhhhhhh excited and with some new skis coming my way i am ready. Sausaugefest 3 is coming together for Utah in 2009.

Thursday, October 09, 2008

Crusade race 1 under the belt


cross crusade race 1 at alpenrose was pretty sweet. here is a video. I ended up having a great race even though i started at the back of the pack of over 150 riders. used the first 2 laps to pass a ton of people which always feels good. lap three i was spent and rolled back into my second wind. I have more pics but trying to get them from a mac.

the highlights of the weekend were getting "glenned" and coming close to assualt 4 at the apple store, and then racing Captain America style. coming up this weekend will be race 2 in Wilsonville and looks to be a sunny warmer race which sucks cuz i like it rainy, cold and drizzly and muddy...oh well.

more pics when I get them...........also have been on the trainer twice this week due to colder temps...WAHHHHHHH!

camping on the mountain bikes...BRRRRR




Monday, October 06, 2008

Friday, October 03, 2008

chainsuck

got two laps from the end and went over the two barriers and bam!!! chain suck.....I started to yell " mother f........" then realized there were kids so shut myself up. felt pretty good mixing it up and Ryan Trebon didn't pass ( read: completely lap me) me until lap 3 this time so that was good. Will clean up the bike and get it foxed for Portland trip to crosscrusade race 1....YEEEE HAAAAA!!

Thursday, October 02, 2008

Hood River Double Cross 2008

So I was right behind this guy and wtach it all happen...pretty crazy when he went off the bridge