a few pics from back in Whistler Mountin biking in Sept.

and end to a great day

So we went up and climbed about 1000 feet of vertical, no wind, sun was coming up...but snow was a little firm. No complaints since it was the first turns of the season. Got to the top of Red chair and decided the run with the best coverage was on Thunderbird. This is usually a run I avoid as most tourists are here and I stick to the back areas. But the mountain had not opened for opening day yet so a nicely groomed firm snow. The turns were nice. I realized ( and so did Rob ) t hat the running must have helped the ski fitness as no Quad burn. A nice way to start the day.

Off to work and sat behind the ol lap top for hours ( a peek into www.triscoop.com ) here and there. Went off to the pool and swam for only 500 meters as I had to run an errand as well but figured some quality drill practice was better than skipping it.

That night we had a our friend Stephanie come over with her son Ryder( wife and son of training partner Rob) to watch the munchkin as my wife Isis and I went out for a drink and then to a social gathering at the public library.....what?? How boring???? I am on the Bend advisory board and have been for 7 years and when I think library I think worlds of possibilities and information. When I could not swim last year it WAs the first place I went to find books video and drool over bikes in triathlete magazine so the world of the library has always been a very cool place to me.

So we get to the invitation only event for a book reveal where the library reveals a book for a program called "a novel idea" where the purchase like 500 book copies of the same book so everyone can read the same book at the same time and then discus it and they usually have the author come and do a reading an discus it. Kind of the Oprah book club on a local level. The book in the past have not really grabbed my interest but I will likely read them in future. So we all had a few gin and tonics and I had a gin on the rocks,,,,,,,I am telling you a rocking library!!!! ( they only serve alcohol at these events but nice eh???..................

the book was revealed........"BOWERMAN" By Kenny Moore. WOW!!!!! a book about the co-founder of NIKE??? Written by Olympic marathon runner KENNY MOORE???? And he is here to talk to tonight??? Holy smokes...right up my alley!!!! This is awesome. I do get a little excited about books. So then there is this raffle and they were giving away a bottle of wine, some hand made soaps and 5 autographed books.


I WON WON WON...I actually won something. I got the last book and had the author sign it...how cool. I chatted with him about racing in the marathon in Mexico city and had told him I had trained for my marathon there as half my family lives in Mexico city. I asked if it was harder racing a marathon in Mexico city ( training wise...) and he looked at me and said..." oh...lots and lots of acclamatization and conditioning" and you could see the look on his face go back to the time and say "it was hard"

so I may not have been eligible for a new BMC bike in the raceathlete contest as I am racing IM Canada and not Wisconsin but I got a book. I bet the BMC bike is not even signed by the makers so there....but if anyone would like to trade the book for the bike please email me and we can talk about it :)

first ski

It is 5 am in the morning and sipping my espresso waiting for Rob to show up and we are going skiing this morning before work for a few runs...first ski of the season. All of the skiing we do is back country telemark so there is a workout there to climb up the hill first. great cross training.


temp is 20 and about 20 inches of snow ( not much) so we will go and poach at Mt. Bachelor on a run this morning.

plan for cross training this season is one ski mid week, one big one on Sunday and then swimm 3 times during week, bike commute to work and run 3 times a week. Well there will be more structure to it than that but you get the idea...we aint putting on no Winter weight!!!

winter pic

kind of crusty cell phone pic but thats was all I had. Bruce with his new styling Italian winter riding jacket!!!!!!

WINTER!!!!!!!

Super sweet 20 mile Mountain bike ride in 12 miles of snow trails,,,last big MTB of the season at least near my house. Put the studded cylocross tires on the bike and off to work I went in the snow, in the dark....ADVENTURE!!!!!!, swam this morning at 6 am that was kind of nice I may do that more as does not conflict with anything and pool felt good that early. Working on my year long training plan via the Joe Friel bible

going to try and get one last big mountain bike ride in today with some friends as the snow is coming any day. We drove up to the ski area ( 15 minutes away) and they had 4 inches so could be anyday, looked out the window this morning and no white so trails shoud be good nearby so hope to get in a few hours today 

shaved my beard into my "mad trucker" look for Hallowen but alas have shaved it all off because it scared the Fedex guy 

here is a lake ( Doris lake) that we hikes up to to do open water swimming, great spot to do it, crytsal clear then after you can play Huck Finn 

daylight savings

so I get off work and head over to the hotel and grab my bike and I am off.....20 minutes later I am out in some random neighborhood and it is dark,,,,,,,,oh yeah time change, crap I do nothave a light so I high tail it back and try not to get hit. I had my new yellow bright craft jacket so at least hi-vis but wish I had my lights. I get back to the hotel and swap to running shoes and then go run a brick for another 30 minutes. good workout. back home today.

back to Portland

ok week for workouts but still do not have my super training plan in place I will work on that during me next roadtrip to Portland today. Taking my bike to get a few spins in. too bad the hotel has a pool that would be impossible to do laps in :( , Ran about 8 miles yesterday to go pick up a rental car for work. started out and it was 36 degrees but warmed up fast. then did about 800 meters in the 50m pool. I sure have not swum enough, felt tired. Need to get back into my mid day swim routine. So off to Portland and another hotel. At least it is a nice hotel and internet not a problem. I feel for my buddy jetpack having to do it every other week for a solid week ( he is a pilot. Of course with my skydiving background I seem to get along well with pilots. here is his website: www.aircrephotos.com

So got some new winter gloves and jacket from Craft for commuting to work all winter. The colder the better. This time I will not forget my charger for my cell phone and take some pics on the trip.


so this is part two, i ran in the hotel gym on the treadmill since it was dark last night and I forgot part of my light system ( Jetpack how do you do it?????? Hotel gyms are a joke!!!)

so tonight plan on a brick long bike/run, brough the cyclocross bike and will get in a few hours tonight after work,

running in Portland

so I have two runs now in Portland and I must say I pack like a girl when I travel. I have my running gear, my swimming gear, my bike ( brought the fixed gear for a morning ride) and all my work stuff and dress clothes...yikes!!!!!!!

roadtrip

Back to Portland for work for 4 days so taking the roadbike and some running shoes and the swim kit. The key to roadtrip is to watch what crappy food you eat and use the time noemally spent with family to get in some extra hours. I will take some pics on the roadtrip and post. this morning ( Sunday ) before I head up I am going to go get a run in this morning....I am all caught up on my podcasts so guess just music this am. I need to download some MTX, a punk bank that sounds good, I metthe singer yesterday at a book reading ( he wrote KING DORK) and he sang a few songs on the acoustic that were great. I think I will take the gutair with me to practice as well.

day down

working from home today, a little head cold so listening to jetpack and brett and Stu on the home laptop speakers while working on my work laptop and sucking in the NUUN. Sucks but I am being smart and resting.....

mini work roadtrip

had to go to Portland for a meeting so took the roadbike up and stopped in Hood River and rode about 20 odd miles before the meeting on a nice locals loop in the Gorge. Up through the Hatfield state park over to Mosier and up to Marsh cut off. Nice spin with Steve.

Rain

Finally started to rain after months here. The trails needed it as it was getting really dusty. So lifted weights this morning for the first time in 6 months for the winter strength training and will swim an easy 30 minutes at lunch and then I am off to Portland for work for a day. I am headed up there for a day or two every week for the next 4 weeks. Dropped by Bend bike and sport to see if they had any swim stuff on sale as they go into winter ski mode and they had swim shorts and goggles for 50% off and had my size so SCORE!!

cross train

What a great spot to swim. The 3 mile hike to Doris lake was really nice, in the Wilderness and then did a 1/2 mile swim in the lake with Joe who also brought his wetsuit. The water was prett cold but with the suit I got used to it. The water was crystal clear and the middle of the lake was about 50 feet deep ( according to joe is is Mr. Scuba and would know). Plan on a bike ride today and then operation Penticton needs a structured plan.

Fall and winter training

Now my post rest marathon 2 week grace period has ended so.............this lunch hour a short run. this weekend going for a family hike with friends to a high mountain lake and taking the wetsuit for a swim. Then Sunday likely a long ride early in the morning. Also just got some new skis on Order for some great backcountry winter adventures in the hills. ( BD Havoc telemark setup FYI). Order of business this week is to get started on the swim training. looking into the video analisys and coaching this winter.

Doris lake: 1/2 mile swim on Sat elevation 5302

Fall

Fall is here and trying to find the balance to get through the winter by not overtraining and not getting those winter pounds on. Still in my 2 weeks of post marathon rest. I have been riding the bike to work and went on a nice 2 hour mountain bike ride yesterday with Rob and Bruce at conversation pace through the woods. Short term gameplan is to spend winter doing swim technique ( looking at getting some video analysis, and lots of base, January and Febuary going to work on Core by doing a workout once a week with a trainer. Bruce working for Exterra nationals at about the same time frame will have a similar schedule so that should help. Rob will be a good source of base training as he will ride anytime.

I will try and update the blog about 2-3 times a week as we work towards IM Canada in August of 2007.

Portland Marathon

well, cut off 1/2 hour off my time from last year by finishing in 4 hours and 16 minutes. I tried to stay in front of the 4 hour and 15 minute pace runner for the whole race but he caught me at the end and he was a minute off because I finished in front of him but alas 4:16. pretty happy with my pace. stayed even the whole race and sub 10 minute miles the whole time so that was good. My wife isis had a bad day and did not qualify for Boston as planned and we all have bad race days, my younger brother finished his 1st marathon and I was proud of him. he took awhile but he never thought of quitting.

ok long bike....check

marathon....done two check

swim 2.4 miles........almost check


I guess I am headed the right way for IM Canada......

busy busy busy

been to canada twice and to LA for a Disney half marathon.....need rest,,,,,,next week Portland marathon.....will try and get with you all and set up training plan for 2007 IM Canada!!!!

signed up for 2007

Well its official I am signed up for Ironman 2007......a few highlights more to follow

off to put my money where my mouth is...

headed to Penticton Canada in 4 days to see Ironman in person and sign up for the 2007 race. My commitment starts when that credit card slips across the table. Trip pics and event pics to come.......

meanwhile still have the disneyland 1/2 marathon in 3 weeks and then the Portland marathon on Oct 1st.....then I start drinking lots of beer and filling out ( not really)

pic near Broken top after a mountain climb last weekend

Seattle Vashon Island race Exterra off road triathlon

I must say this race was fun.....Ocean Swim during Orca Mating season, Mountain ride through forested single track and a great trail run.....800 m swim, about 12 mile ride and 6 k run, Bruce came in second and I got 9th......typical..I swim SLOWWWWW and bike pretty decent and run like I have a stick stuck somewhere but manage to only be passed by two people. ended up MOP ( middle of pack) over all so that is cool by me. If there were more of these I would do them. They seem to be just too spread out geography wise.

all in all it felt like a normal sport level mountain bike race with a short warmup swim and a short kill your legs run to wrapup...more mountain bike race than triathlon. my cup of tea but too short for my goal of ironman 2007 in Canada,,,I have the days off to go and watch the 2006 race and then sign up the next day for 2007 .

the whole field for this statewide race was only 73....pretty sad turnout, I see more at a Portland cyclocross race in the muddy winter.....wish there had been more.

RIDER down!!!! They marked this hidden stump end for the race but not for the pre ride and Bruce took a winger!!!! 

FAST!!!!!!!! 

The turner with Raineer in the backdrop but too much smog 

super!!!! 

a few short road sections up top but mostly it was single track 

. 

. 

single track was pretty smooth I thought 

lush trees 

in the forest 

exterra1  

the bike I need....NEED I TELL YOU!!!!