2008 update

Knee feels a little better everyday though hard to go up and down stairs. I will hit the physical therapist this Friday and work to getting some skiing in before the season is over since we have mucho snow here.

My good Bud Bruce and also Dave got all American for xterra this year along with Jdub so pretty psyched for those guys:

http://www.insidetri.com/portal/news/news.asp?item=111601

My plans as of now for 2008 is to get into basic shape the first half of the year and play more guitar and camp with the family...about mid year I will ramp up, likely with Kyle Will training again and start the season with the 2008 cross crusade cyclocross series. I think to be smart I need to scalke back to be successful at 2009 Idaho.

I will still do most of the local races here for mountain bike and some running but will use as social training events not really races

success

Well i went in and a short wait for the surgical team to get me in about 1:30....and I was getting picked up by 5 pm to head home...moder science i tell, ya...like drive through suregery.

I had an anesthesilogist ( "Ed") who had done his residency in San Dieago and had done a few shorter sprint triathlons so that was good. My doc is an official surgeon for the Us Ski and snowboard team so I think I was in good hands.........( side note the nurse did not look like below).

I triued to see how long I could stay awake when they gave me the meds in the operating room so I started counting....1.....2.....3....4.......................thats all I remember.

I woke up and I was quite woozy and out of it and felt druggy and as best i can remeber i started telling the nurse how hot all the nurses look here. As i sobered up i realized what i had been saying...oooooops.

My pain level was about a 2 on a 1-10 and i was ok with it but she said lets get you to a zero and gave me some more dope.

headed home, knee is in an ace banadage with stitches underneatch I am told ( will look in a few days an all went well. I am actually walking on it with the aid of a ski pole.

that night had a few pain pilsl and a martini.....ooooops again.

feeling pretty good actually. got up at about 5 am this morning after a solid nights sleep and took a few pain pills again even though did not really have any pain but will driving to Portland today so want to be ok for the drive ( as a passenger).

i will have to scan in my arhtroscopy pics when I get back into the office.


Thanks doc and thanks friends for the thoughts and words....Happy holidays!!!!

cut

so I will l go in and get the knee done today and then 8 weeks before i ski the doc says but likely can ride the trainer by weeks end. The thing was my insurance paid 100% this year and only 90% with a large copay next year ( read two weeks away) so I scrambled with the doc center to get in and they worked a scheduling miracle and got me in so that was good. I have to admit when they ask what happened I do not have to say well "being overweight................" or I was in a car accident or anything else i just quietly say "well a few marathons and an ironman......wore it down......" like it was nothing ( just like Bruce would throw it in.....right Bruce?) so I get a little respect as I am sure they see a lot of people who either made a mistake or are out of shape all day so nice to deal with an injury that is from trying to stay healthy. I guess that is? So coffee this morning as much as I want to 10 am thank god and then in at 4 for the cut. should be straight forward....headed to Washington to visit family the next day and enjoy the holiday while I sit around and practice guitar. just think 100 years ago I would have a bum leg and based on my past likely I would be an old man with no lungs from childhood asthma and a very ugly face from a broken nose....modern medicine...got to love it

surgery this friday

Well tried skiing and knee felt great....until the next day. it was sore for three days and I can feel the same spot again. I will not be able to resume my running at all until I get this fixed. I looked into my insurance and if I get it done by the years end ( 2 weeks!!!) they will cover 100% and if I wait until 2008 they will cover 90%. Well that was easy so in I go on Friday.

I have a feeling my nurse will not look like this.

Van Halen....off season fun

Winter adventures begin

25 degrees out and the adventure continues. Riding by bike 6 miles is not that bog a deal but riding to work with all your work crap and its 5:30 in the morning and its 25 degrees out can be a challenge at times. I made the big changeover to studded tires this morning and the traction on those things are the best. I am on season three with them ( Nokian W106 studded cyclocross tire) ands they still have a ton of tread. I am using a niterider headlamp as well as my bar end led lights and a flasher ob my messenger bag…but of course I still ride like I am a ghost because I assume they do not see me. In Oregon we have had a rash of cyclists get killed in the last few months so I am extra super aware.

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=33300

so be careful but I will keep riding my bike to work for health and sanity in the workday.

Punk rock and single speed

Well the knee has been doing great ( since I have not run on it i two months) I guess the real test will be in the spring when I start running again, But lost of biking and other sports have not seem to bother it so we may be ok.

So I have been riding a bout every other day and lifting some weghts but no real structure. I plan in ramping up structure likely about late spring. My tentative goals right now are having lots of fun during the year and then race for the shear joy of it and then ramp into the cyclocorss season at the end of 2008 ( www.crosscrusade.com )

With the super ramp up time to 2009 Ironman in Idaho which is in mid 2009.

I had a great Thanksgiving and Rob and I got up and rode at 7:30 in the morning and it was about 22 degrees out and very cold, i guess tat was redunant. great spin on the single speeds and I broke a chain cranking up a short hill. So I ask ROb what he would do if this was survovorman television ( since I had a space blanket and a fire starter and some extra food) and he said he would just fix the chain and pulled out a SRAM add a link kit and had a fixed in about 5 minutes....I mean sure you could go that way if you wanted to I guess.......


Been playing me electric and acoustic guitar a lot and my friend who is teaching me some songs and techniques is in a Punk rock band Hands On Throat and it rocks. It is the same loud music I rocked out with in High school and not sure how my parents put up with that and my drum set but they did. The show was great...loud and tons of energetic kids. I got right up front and we rocked out. What a great show. I tried to record some with my Mp3 recorder but in the darkness I failed to push the right button.


so the plan for the rest of the winter before skiing??? Punk Rock and Single speed!!!!

another moto-bike combo from a fellow triscooper

http://ironmanhumanspirit.blogspot.com/

Lets root for Scott!!!!!!

I need..I need....I need...I need

trick or treat

on the road again

Well its been a few weeks and I have been mountain biking almost everyday and no issues. zero running may have helped as the knee feels ok, so we will see what it feels like if I try and Telemark ski in a few weeks. we are slowly starting to get snow and i do not want to miss the ski season. follow up with doc is Nov 5th.


anybody want to hire me to work virtual out of my house in Bend? i am willing to travel during week......wow some times work sucks eh???? well I should say its not the job that sucks it the people at work that do not have a clue.

back to the grind...............( not on the knee though)

KNEE

Ok so off I went to the doc today and after reading a few magazines ( dirt rag and trail runner....its a cool doctor office) the doc pulled in a laptop and showed me the MRI....a tear. Well no surprise but at least it turned out to be a small one. He even said we could try and just take it easy for another 3-4 weeks and see how it goes. no running but swimming and cycling ok. so not down for the count. He said if not better in that time minor arthroscope procedure and should be skiing in January. So a mixed bag but really no surprises.

So I will bike like mad and ,maybe even get in the pool a few times ( have not been since Ironman almost 6 weeks ago. But something to mix it up. A few weeks until Bruce heads off to Hawaii for Xterra Worlds....pretty cool.

update

Great chalk on the road rooting me on


Overlooking penticton from my camping spot


Almost done


Had the MRI yesterday and have a doc consult Friday when I should know whats up for sure.

I think it is screwy for sure....Running is a no go but cycling does not bother it, I just got back from a 1 hour mountain bike ride in fall colors and temps and LOVE IT!

So here are some more great pics from Ironman I just got from My Great buddy Dave!

DAMN!!!

Looks like a meniscus tear and the doc will know for sure after an MRI on Monday or Tuesday....so I guess hey I got through ironman so that is good and this is the off season so could be worse....likely will need some surgical and rehab and back for late ski season.

will keep you posted

Knee

Ok so my knee got to the pint that I went for my last run before the marathon on Sunday and I was on a biz trip and could not even get three blocks from the hotel and it was hurting and I was clearly favoring my other leg. It hurt. I realized I need to check it out. I had tried rest, I had tried ice and Vitamin I ( Ibuprofen)......so now I will go see the doc. I was able to get into a specialist today and will see what he says. I had knee surgery on my left knee about 15 years ago after a skydiving accident ( night jump...it was dark...hit the ground wrong) but after that the knee on that side has been 100%.

So I will keep you all posted.

more photos

Bruce and Super Dave


Not my haircut from Paul Mitchell


Who has thumbs and thinks they are pretty cool?


Lot of bikes still on the course.........GO BRUCE!!!


Stoltz taking it in a dominating way


Poor Jdub hurting bad

Xterra national championship

Mealanie McQuaids panties ( or swim cap)


getting hair cut for a good cause


GO MELANIE GO!!!!!!



Bruce getting the regional jersey for the Northwest at the "Night of Champions"

Spent 48 hours with a super roadtrip driving to Reno and Tahoe to accompany my Bud Bruce Rogers to Xterra Nationals. I did not race but was there for support. My support included drinking and gambling and taking pics. I do not really gamble because I have never won so I limit myself to $20 for pure entertainment value. We ended up playing roulette and I walked away with $150 for that $20 investment. YEEEEE HAAAA. We went up to Tahoe and drove through snow....now not much of it but still Bruce had to race the next day. It was cold and white.

That evening I accompanied Bruce to the race meeting and got to meet fellow triscooper Jdub
who was one of the original triscoopers ( #39.....I was #6) anyone in the first 100 is pretty rare.

After going to the "night of champions" dinner and watching Bruce get his regional jersey we went to bed early.

Race day was warmera nd I was in my t-shirt within first hour. While Bruce was racing I got a haircut for charity. They were giving free haircuts for donations to the Challenged athlete foundation.

They had a a few athletes in the race and watching a guy with one arm swim alomng side Bruce and keeping up with him was both comical and inspiring.

The funny thing in the race was when Melanie Mcquaid ( World champion) ran by after the swim and I said "Go Melanie!!!! Go get it!" and we locked eyes and she handed me her goggles and swimcap and a black thing that looked alot like a thong!!! I mean I have heard of rockstars getting underwear thrown at them but I just had the Xterra world champion hand me her underwear....a black thong at that!!!! ( upon later inspection I realized it was a warmer swim cap) oh well..........I later just set it next to her bike and we never met.......oh well unrealized love.


so back to the race.....Bruce and Dave both killed it and both met their goals racing really hard. Jdub came in right after Bruce. Jdub who is really fast and we expected him to be way ahead of Bruce due to his running speed and he came across the line and He was DONE!!!! I mean He was down on all fours and crawled to the medical tent. I felt really bad for him and it was clear he had spent all the matches in the book.

Now I get to drive 6 hours home....but the Xterra race stories kept me awake.



Now I am 4 days from the Portland Marathon.....Knee is so so....May be a Meniscus issue, We will see how I feel after a run this morning

back in the saddle

Ok I will keep the blog going just do not expect daily reports...how about weekly??? thanks to the kind words from my friends that read the blog. here is my latest race report. I am also running in the Portland Marathon in 2 weeks ( total last minute thing that I was not planning on but somebody could not use their number)


RACE REPORT:

Cross training with adventure races is a great idea. Anthony and I teamed up for an 8 hour adventure race. We went out to the Metolius area near Wizard falls and got the mountain bikes ready. race equip included climbing gear, extra clothes, maps, compass, food for all day and water ( there are no aid stations in an adventure race)

we started against 9 teams of 2-4 people each and we started with an orienteering scramble ( scramble??? it took 2 hours and we came in third there) we were able to get the first 4 checkpoints in any order on foot. it was all overland travel over hilss and valleys and streams and we got lost once at a checkpoint by a stream. we later found out everybody got stuck on that one. I think we easily went about 8-10 miles on foot for the scramble.

After the scramble we got on the bikes and had to do the next 12 checkpoints in the specific order. getting on the bikes felt great both because Anthony and I are decent bikers but also because it was like a T1 and there were lots of bikes still there as we took off. we left T1 out onto a dirt road and the team leaving with us took a right and we took a left?????? What? we both had to go to the same CP so we stopped and double checked our map...ok we re fine.

Cp 1 was on top of an actual lava field so picture the Hawaiian lava fields and we have those and had to cross a river on a small slippery log....took the shoes off and crossed in socks. climbing over this never ending lava fields to get the CP.

CP 2 took Anthony's eagle eyes,,,,,,,,

CP3 was on an island. now was there a bridge....uh no, we waded ball deep across the Metolius river which is near freezing. I loved that one!!!!

CP four..check

CP five we had to ditch the bikes and run a few miles down a trail along the river and climb out on a log that was in the middle of a raging rapid section. this is the section we saw other team on and could base about where we were. we thought we were in second place and chasing Dave's team who had a solid 20 minutes on us. in adventure racing it only takes one CP where you get lost to lose a lot of time so you never count yourself out until the end.

CP6 you go up a huge gully into a dry creek bed climbing about 500 feet of vertical over huge boulders and check...hello? who's this? Dave's team now only has 10 minutes on us as we pass them coming down as we go up.

CP7 the map was in Km and we miscalculate the conversion to miles and take way too long to find the next CP about 7 miles down a very rocky road along the river. We do get within 5 of Daves team

CP8 caught Daves team....sweet. they are strong though and now we have to climb about a 1000 foot cliff that is pretty technical. we combine teams to get this one and it takes awhile.

The cutoff point was nearing at 6 pm so we decide to team up and get one more CP and go into the last section for a tie ( tactical on my part as Anthony had been playing catch up and were wiped, a little bonky at 7 hours in) we got the last CP and headed to the end for a third place tie. a few team even DNF. All in all I think we ran about 15 miles and rode about 25. along with climbing some cliffs and fording some rivers and we must have crossed at least 6 rivers and streams on logs we found. a great day ended by a pot luck after 8 hours of racing beer tasted REALLY good.

Finisher photo

Well here is a link to the photo I just ordered. nice shot eh? so recpertared for two weeks eating jelly bellys and drinking lost of beer. now thats over and back to working out. Got the opprotunity to run in a marathon in a few weeks so we will see how that fitness carries over.

plans are now to get fit for Backcountry ski season, then next year beaver freezer triathlon and the Pacific crest half and likely a self supported ironman here in Bend just for fun. then the next official ironman will be in Idaho in 2009.

so I will likely take a break from blogging for awhile and catch up next season.

see ya all over at triscoop and 140.6.com (http://swimbikerun.ning.com/)