Tri-ing Times (aka Herb's Triathlon Training)

Race Report: 2009 Goofy Challenge

2009-01-17T18:39:00.007-05:00

Last year I heard about this crazy race that included a half-marathon and a marathon during the same weekend. Since at the time I had never run a half-marathon, let alone a full marathon, my first thought was, "that sounds like fun, I should sign up for it." A year later, still never having run a full marathon before, I am flying down to Florida for the Disney Marathon weekend and ready to complete the Goofy Challenge. My was not as extensive as I originally planned, but was also working through some physical therapy for some foot pain that has been ongoing for about the past two years. A special shout out for Danielle at Finish Line PT, who was able to zero in on my issues and decreased my foot pain in no time at all. If anyone is looking for a physical therapist in the NYC area, definitely check them out!

On Friday, Jan. 9, I landed in Florida and headed to the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex to pick up my race packet and wander through the race expo. After picking up my numbers, goody bag and some extra gu (chocolate outrage and espresso love for anyone who cares) I decided to check out all the go fast gear that would be wasted on me. Lots of shirts and items with amusing messages. Some of my favorites:

Will run for beer (margaritas, cookies, chocolate, ice cream, etc. were all common varieties)
3 months ago this seemed like a good idea
If you can read this, you've been passed by a really slow runner (on the shirt back)
If you can read this, at least I won't finish last
Running is cheaper than therapy
My sport is your sport's punishment

Saturday morning came pretty early with a 3:45am wake-up call to make the 5:50 am race start. Since I only slept for about 4 hours the previous night, I had a feeling I wouldn't be getting a lot of sleep for the weekend. The race got off to a slow start due to the large number of people and number of walkers in my wave. As a result the first couple of miles was probably at around a 14 minute pace. But since I was running a marathon the next day and planned to stop and take pictures, I was not too concerned about the time.

The weather for the half was great, that early in the morning the temperatures were still in the sixties with plenty of water stops available on the course. One of the fun things about the Disney race is that the course goes through the different theme parks. For the half, we ran through the Magic Kingdom and Epcot Center. By the end of the race I was feeling really good and a little bored so I decided to pick up the speed. The last 3 - 4 miles I probably ran between an average 8 - 10 minute pace. At the end I finished the half and earned my Donald medal. All in all, the half-marathon was a lot of fun and very enjoyable.

Now, having run a half-marathon and scheduled to run a marathon the next day, the smart thing to do would be to go back to the motel, and rest up. So, of course I spent the next 10 hours wandering around Epcot Center. To be fair, I tried to go on the rides and attractions that allowed me to sit down and took a little snooze during one particularly long attraction. After a dinner at the Macaroni Grill, I was ready for bed and a few hours sleep before waking up to do it all again, just twice as far!

As can be expected, the next morning came pretty early, and I was once again standing outside Epcot before dawn waiting to start running. Despite the larger crowds, my wave started at a faster pace than the half, the previous day. I made a point to not go out to fast and also to give my legs a chance to work out any stiffness that had set in from the previous day. Luckily, they felt pretty good. Once again the race course took us though the Disney parks, we started off running through Epcot Center and then made it into the Magic Kingdom. You can't help but smile as you are running along and see on one side crowds cheering for you, on the other side Mickey, Goofy, Donald and a host of other characters waiting to take pictures with you. Especially as you are running and see up ahead that iconic symbol of Disney, the main castle in the Magic Kingdom. Other parts of the course are along some of the main roads and back alleys of the Disney parks, which are interesting in that you would never get to see them at any other time.

I have to say that after about 16 - 18 miles, things started to get a little painful. Having never done a marathon before, I was very pleased with the amount support that Disney provided along the race course. It seemed like there were water and Powerade stops at least every mile. Plus at least three stops that have bananas along with gus or gels. Cliff shots were available on the race course at several stops. I am a fan of the Cliff Shot blocks, especially black cherry and margarita flavor. However the day before I tried their apple pie flavor during the half and it was nasty. So I stuck with my chocolate and espresso gus for the marathon. Also, lots of medical tents along the race course with extra lube, Tylenol and bio-freeze for sore muscles. Yay Bio-freeze!

The final part of the race had us running through Disney's Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios theme parks before the final run through Epcot Center. I've never been so relieved to cross a finish line before and accept my mickey medal and the additional goofy medal. After the race walking was painful and the long walk back to the car at Epcot was extremely sloooow. It was so bad that when I tried to get into the car, I was unable to lift up my leg to step into the back seat. I actually had to fall backward into the seat and slide my body in. However, after a cold water soak and hot shower later, I was ready for a nap.

Disney Bling

Overall I was happy with my races and how I felt afterwards. Especially considering the training I did or did not do, prior to the race. All in all, doing a race at Disney is a blast and I have already signed up for the 2010 Goofy Challenge. Who wants to join me? Go big or go home!

Emerald Nuts Midnight Run

2009-01-07T12:54:00.002-05:00

The past two years I have celebrated new years by going to some parties and stopping by Central Park for the annual midnight run put on by the New York Road Runners. It's a lot of fun and a great way to start off the new year. This year blistering winds and temperatures in the teens did not deter the crowd of 5,000 from joining in on the 4 mile run and party. It was so cold that the water in the cups at mile two was frozen solid! Here's a video for anyone who wants to see what it's all about.

Enjoy!

Happy New Year and a New Challenge - Wildflower 2009

2009-01-04T16:43:00.008-05:00

Happy New Year to everyone out there in cyberspace and beyond. I've been very lax on updating the blog, but like my training I plan on improving that in the new year and becoming a little more regular. The new year always seems like a time for reflection. Three years ago I signed up for the NYC triathlon after receiving an email from my gym with an offer to register early. While, I had never done a triathlon, nor open water swimming or a bike race, this seemed like a good idea at the time. Current and future readers of this blog may notice a recurring theme.

Anyway, once my registration was accepted and committed the realization hit me that I would be swimming for close to a mile in the Hudson river, biking for 25 miles on the West Side Highway and then running over 6 miles to finish in Central Park. Needless to say, I should figure out how to train for one of these. After doing some research, I attended an information meeting for Team in Training. To paraphrase a well known movie quote, they had me at hello, or at least after the highly inspirational video. For those of you not familiar with Team in Training, they provide coaching and training for people to complete endurance events such as marathons, century (100 mile) bike rides and triathlons. In exchange for the coaching and training, athletes raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

That first year I completed the 2007 NYC Triathlon and raised close to $3,400 to support the mission of Team in Training and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to fight blood cancers. The next year I was back and completing not one, but two Olympic Triathlons with Team in Training. Through the help of many amazing and generous people, I was able to raise $4,900 in the fight against cancer by completing the 2008 Capital of Texas Triathlon and the 2008 NYC Triathlon.

This year I decided to once again help in the fight against blood cancers by raising money with TNT to support the mission of the Leukemia Society. This year my goal is to raise $5,000 to support the fight against blood cancers. I understand that this has been a difficult year for many of us, so I am also raising the bar for myself. This year I am training to complete my first half-ironman distance triathlon. I will be completing the 2009 Wildflower Half-Ironman Triathlon in Monterey, Califonia. This race will require me to swim 1.2 miles, bike a hilly and challenging course for 56 miles and then run for 13.1 miles. I am willing to put in the work of swimming, biking and running countless miles, training outdoors in the freezing northeast winter and waking up early on the weekend to train while most people are still sleeping or deciding on their weekend brunch. While I would enjoy the company of anyone out there who would like to join me in training, I am not asking you to do any of that. What I am asking is that you take a moment to visit my page at http://curecancer.herbzoota.com and make a donation to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in their fight against blood cancers. Any amount you can give will enable the society to conduct research into new treatments as well as provide valuable services to the current patients and their families.

I wish everyone a happy and healthy new year in 2009!

Reason Number 299 to always wear a helmet

2008-04-13T08:16:00.015-04:00

It's always a good policy to wear a helmet during bike rides. There are many people who don't like to wear helmets because they think helmets don't look cool, helmets mess up their hair, they don't ride fast or on busy roads, or they never fall off their bike. I've had this discussion with a friend of mine who doesn't wear a helmet and I keep recommending that he does. I always wear a helmet when I ride and of course, a helmet is mandatory during races and group training sessions with Team in Training.

As you can see from the picture on my left, it's a good thing that I was wearing my helmet this past Saturday morning while riding in Central Park.

I was circling the north end of the park, when a rider in the left lane drifted into the right lane on one of the downhill curves. Normally that's not a problem unless I am already occupying the right lane. Add in the wet pavement and next thing you know my bike is sliding out sideways and I am slamming into the road. Luckily my head seemed to take most of the impact and my body protected my bike from any major damage. As you can see from the pictures, the helmet cracked with a visible crack from the bottom to the top along the left side.

View from the inside of the helmet

So in order to help those people who like my friend think that they are too cool for school and don't need to wear a helmet.

Here are the top ten reasons to wear a helmet while riding.

10. All the cool kids are wearing them.
9. Fashionable bike helmets are one of the criteria for PEOPLE Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive. That's why Lance Armstrong, Matthew McConaughey, Jake Gyllenhaal and Patrick Dempsey made the list.
8. Even though you are an awesome rider; drivers, pedestrians and other riders may not be so awesome.
7. Especially for riding in Central Park - Tourists!
6. You never fall off your bike - until you do.
5. Helmets are required for many of the organized rides in the city such as those put on by the New York Cycle Club.
4. A head injury can ruin your whole day.
3. You won't have to listen to your mother say: "You should have been wearing a helmet," when you wake up in the hospital.
2. 900 People die each year in bicycle accidents, 75% of them from head injuries and 88% of all cyclist brain injuries could be avoided.

and the number 1 reason to wear a bike helmet
1. Helmets are less likely to damage the asphalt and leave a stain on the pavement.

Of course, the plus side of cracking my helmet and not my skull is that it gives me an opportunity to go shopping for new cool stuff. So below is my new helmet, a Giro Stylus.

Training Motivation

2008-03-18T02:23:00.010-04:00

Team in Training coaches are willing to provide motivation to both TNT athletes and anyone else who looks like they need a helping hand.

Capital of Texas Triathlon Course

2008-03-08T03:30:00.003-05:00

Last year I had the benefit of training for the most part on the race course that the NYC triathlon takes part on. While I didn't ride my bike up the west side highway in advance (not the most bike friendly road when the cars are on it), I was able to swim in the Hudson and run countless (and I mean countless) laps in central park.

This time I will be heading into Austin without the benefit of having trained on the race course. With the benefit of the official course map and a trip down to Austin for the annual SXSW festival, I have been able to remedy the situation. First the swim, and no I didn't jump into the lake and start swimming, although with the number of free parties and alcohol being consumed this week, some others may have. I nice smooth lake, no rough water and chop, but also no current assist as in the Hudson river. Apparently a bag of cheetos was able to finish the swim portion of the NYC triathlon faster than I did. Perhaps a new training plan base on a diet of Cheetos, or a new wetsuit design based on a colorful foil design?

Next up the bike ride. Across the River and up north into the downtown area. This appears to be a mostly flat ride. While I didn't have a bike to ride the actual route, I did spend a bit of time walking north into downtown. Although I usually didn't make it much past 6th street. 6th Street is well known for its selection of bars and live music venues which make up the little known 4th (or maybe 5th) leg of the triathlon. Depending upon whether you are counting transition as the 4th event in the triathlon, post race refueling is just as important an event. Being the team player that I am, I made sure to take some time and explore proper places for post race refueling. For example, this evening I visited the Chuggin Monkey. The Chuggin Monkey is obviously a friend to endurance athletes. Also there are a number of factors that are important to look into for a post race refueling location.

First, hydration is very important. Luckily there seems to be a good selection of beverages for re-hydration. Next availability of protein and carbohydrate past race meal. Once again 6th street seems to provide with a wurst stand and a taco stand on each side of the street and ready for consumption. Finally, whats the best thing for post-race recovery with sore muscles? A massage could be just the ticket. Luckily, 6th Street in Austin doesn't disappoint.

Located on the way to the Chuggin Monkey on 6th Street is the Midnight Cowboy "Modeling" Oriental Massage. Before you ask, no I didn't partake. Some things are best left to the imagination. I will say that when the doorbell was rung in the evening, the women who came to the door was neither Asian nor very happy to have people ringing her doorbell. Although, seeing an executive in the digital media/publishing industry performing the ring and run ( and I mean run) was worth the trip. Names and other identifying information have purposely been left out to protect the guilty.

Finally, the run portion. Got a little distracted by the post-race refueling. I was able run most of the race course and I will say that there seem to be no major hills and a very scenic crossing of the Congress Ave bridge.

All in all, I am confident that myself and the rest of the NYC TNT team will successfully complete our race in Austin as well as any required post-race refueling. For any Austin teammates reading this, I leave you with one final thought, "What happens in Austin, Stays in Austin."

Band at the Chuggin Monkey in Austin, TX

NYC Triathlon Team Training Begins

2008-03-01T20:39:00.006-05:00

Today was the first group training session for the New York City Triathlon team. It was a little deja vu as we repeated the first training session from way back in December from the Capital of Texas team. It was practically balmy as the temperature read 41 degrees at 7:30am this morning as I was leaving to head to the park for the 8:00 am session. The difference this time is that I am now a mentor for the NYC team.

Today's run was a short fun to give everyone an opportunity to meet the members of the team and start getting into the habit of exercising. The muddy field didn't deter Coach Jay from stretching us out afterwards. Although we didn't lie down in the mud for core conditioning exercises. Maybe next week.

Two of my mentees, Catherine and Janine, enjoying the post run stretch.
While Catherine is smiling, Janine has her game face on!

Snowflakes in the City

2008-02-23T17:02:00.006-05:00

Ironically enough the NYRR Al Gordon Snowflake Run, has been canceled due to snow. To be fair, the run was not totally canceled but converted from a scored race to a fun run. However that was not enough to deter the triathletes from Team in Training who showed up in force to run through the park for the morning GTS while training for the Capital of Texas Triathlon, St. Anthony Triathlon and the Gulf Coast Half-Ironman.

For those who decided to stay home, they missed a great run where the park was covered with a blanket of white instead of its normal green (okay for this time of year, make that brown). It almost makes you forget that you are in New York City. Even at 8:00 in the morning the roads were pretty clear. Just a few other runners seen in the distance, that is, until the hordes from Team in Training descend upon the scene.

For those of you who haven't had the opportunity to take an early morning run in the park after a snow, you don't know what you are missing. I say throw on your cold weather gear and take a run or at least a stroll through the park.

VIDEO: History of Team in Training

2008-02-20T05:38:00.002-05:00

This year the national goal of Team in Training is to raise 1 billion dollars to aid in the fight against blood cancers. It's amazing to think that just twenty years ago, Team in Training began with one man trying to raise money for the Leukemia Society after his daughter was diagnosed with cancer. Please click here to support my personal effort in raising money for the society.
Thanks!

Who's Who in Team in Training - Honored Teammates

2008-02-13T02:17:00.007-05:00

One of the great things about Team in Training is that you really feel the support of the whole "Team" as part of the training. Besides, making the experience a whole lot more fun, the group and team aspect can really provide the motivation and inspiration to keep going during a long season. There are many groups that make up the team. They include Staff, Coaches, Mentors, Participants and last but not least, Honored Teammates. Over the course of the next couple of weeks, I'll do some posts about each of these different groups.

I thinks its fitting to start off with the Honored Teammates, who in reality are why we are all here doing this. The Honored Teammates have been diagnosed with cancer and often will train with the team for a particular event, either triathlon, marathon or century bike ride. If the thought of training for a triathlon or marathon on a weekly basis seems like a momentous feat, try doing it while undergoing chemotherapy. Yet many of our honored teammates do just that. Somehow, it just doesn't seem right to complain about being tired when the guy or girl next to year is running just as far and undergoing weekly treatments for Leukemia or Lymphoma at the same time.

One of the events that Team in Training organizes each season is the "Connection to the Cause." This usually takes place on a Saturday morning after a group training session for all the teams. At this event we get to hear from honored teammates and other cancer survivors about how the money we have raised for the society has directly impacted their lives. It really makes you feel that you are making a difference and provides the inspiration to keep going. Personally, I enjoy the social aspects and the physical challenges of the training, but its really nice to know that you are helping out a worthwhile cause and gives it so much more meaning than just going to gym.

There are two stories that really stood out for me that morning that I will share with you. One of the honored teammates who is training for the marathon team spoke about how the most important thing that Team in Training and the Leukemia Society provided for her was hope. She shared with us that many people, including friends and medical professionals, seemed to make statements that at best seemed insensitive and at worst callous. At the time, she was undergoing treatment she was not training with TNT, but had a friend who was training for a marathon or triathlon. After attending some of the team parties and events with her friend, the positive atmosphere and support that she felt at these events was worth more to her than any new drugs or treatments.

Another participant spoke about her personal conection to the casue. Her father passed away from cancer when she was 22 years old after being diagnosed when she was 11 years old. One of the many areas that the money raised through team in training supports is research into new drugs and treatments. While these treatments may not provide a cure for everyone, they are often instrumental in extending and providing a better quality of life. As this women explained, she wanted to give back to Team in Training and the Leukemia Society because she felt that as a result of new treatments funded by the society, she was given a second life with her father that she may never have had.

Whether it is providing money for new drugs and treatments, patient aid programs, family and peer counseling, or simply hope and inspiration; Team in Training and the Leukemia Society is providing help that is in many way unmeasurable to the families and patients fighting blood cancers. Please help the society continue in its mission to fight blood cancers and provide support to these patients and their families. If you would like to help, please click here to visit my fundraising page. Thanks to everyone who has and continues to support my efforts.

Two down ... three to go

2008-02-13T01:57:00.003-05:00

Crossed the Bronx off the list of Half marathons as of this past Sunday. While I finished about five minutes faster than Manhattan, I definitely felt it more. It could be a combination of jet lag (a 17 hour flight from Bangkok, Thailand the day before will do that to you), too fast of a pace for the first half of the race, or the being on vacation for the previous two weeks, or most likely a combination of all these factors. The weather was not as nice as Manhattan being colder, windier and grayer, but at least it didn't rain. One thing for sure, I could have used a traditional thai massage after the race. Just one of the things that I will miss about Thailand.

Next stop, Brooklyn.

My First Half-Marathon

2008-01-27T22:35:00.000-05:00

Today I checked another milestone off the list, I completed my first half marathon. I plan on doing the same thing again in June, of course I will be running the 13.1 miles after swimming for 1.2 miles and biking for 56 miles. Today was the first half-marathon of the NYRR Grand Prix Half-Marathon series. During the year, a half-marathon will be held in each of the five boroughs of New York; Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan.

Most running events bring with them an assortment of colorful characters and neither the 30 degree chill nor the prospect of 13.1 miles was enough to deter Larry the Lighthouse. Although neither Wendy the Windmill nor Suzie the Sailboat were anywhere to be seen. I guess if I have one goal, I should have a better time than the guy running with a giant lighthouse on his head. I passed Larry as I begun my second lap so, I'm confident in reaching that goal for today. Although definite props to Larry for running with a lighthouse on his head. A friend saw him this year at the NYC Marathon and I don't think I could have completed a marathon dressed as a lighthouse.

Overall I felt good during the course of the run and while I ran the first half at a slow pace, I decided to pick up the pace during the second half and came in at about 2 hours and 20 minutes which averages out to a 10:41 mile pace. I still was running strong at the end of the race andfelt good afterwards, although the bagels were all gone. I knew I should have grabbed one as I started my second lap! A little soreness around the knees later in the day, but my leg muscles were not sore at all.

The best of the race is the chance to run with and see the various friends that I have made with team in training over these two seasons. It's great to have such a supportive group and really makes a difference both on race day and just doing the training. Keep your eyes peeled for some more posts about who the various people in TNT are.

Goofy Challenge

2008-01-20T20:58:00.000-05:00

One of the things that happen after doing a triathlon is you start hearing about other races that seem very cool, especially if they are destination races. A destination race is on that people go to for the destination, just as much as the actual race. Now, some of my friends probably don't understand the idea behind taking a vacation and racing at the same time. However they also thought that doing more than laying on a beach in Costa Rica was strange.

I have this year pretty planned out with several triathlons including the Capital of Texas Triathlon in Austin, Texas, the Tupper Lake Tinman Half, Nautica NYC Triathlon, and the Montauk Mighty Man Half in New York. However some races have come up that I think will have to go on the schedule for next year. 2009 will be my marathon training year with plans of doing the NYC marathon, possibly the Paris marathon, and the Goofy Challenge. Of course there will be some triathlons on that schedule as well.

The Goofy Challenge takes place at Disney World in Florida. As the back of this years medal says "2 days, 4 Theme Parks, and 39.3 Miles." The Goofy Challenge is to complete the Disney Half-Marathon on Saturday and then the Disney Marathon on Sunday. Sounds like a good challenge, and of course you get the cool medals. Above is this years Goofy challenge medal, plus you get additional medals for the half and full marathon. Anyone want to visit Disney in January of 2009?

Polar bears join the TNT Triathlon team

2008-01-20T19:23:00.000-05:00

Well, maybe not, although this guy would probably have enjoyed this past weekend in New York with the arctic air blast that hit the city this weekend. While Saturday's GTS was practically balmy with temps in the low thirties, this morning was damn cold. The arctic air blast had outside temperatures in the low twenties with wind chill even lower.

As a result, I decided to forgo the outdoor training on Sunday for an indoor yoga class and an hour on the bike at the gym. With an overnight low of sixteen and a high of thirty, tomorrow doesn't look much better.

Alot of people may ask, why head out to train when the weather is so cold. Of course these are the same people that may object to training when its hot as well. This all comes back to motivation, to continue training when the weather may not be optimal or when you may not be feeling optimal. One source of motivation are your fellow teammates. It's easier to make the effort to get out there when you know that other people will be there and counting on you to show up as well. Personally, I look forward to the group training sessions to catch up with friends and have a good workout.

Another source of motivation comes from our honored teammates. The honored teammates are cancer survivors who provide a real life connection to the very people that the money we raise for the Leukemia Society help. Many of them train with us for events, sometimes while they are currently undergoing treatment including chemotherapy. Its hard to complain that you are tired, when the guy or girl next to year is training just as hard and battling cancer. So what's a little cold weather after that.

And if this weather keeps up, the polar bears may be joining the run sessions after all. The main question is, how is he on the bike?

Dropped some LSD this afternoon ...

2008-01-13T18:48:00.000-05:00

Once again for those of us with the more experimental college years, I am referring to Long Slow Distance runs with the emphasis on slow. The purpose for this type of training is to build up your base by keeping your body out of the anaerobic training zone and solely in the aerobic zone. Of course for me, the only way I am able to make any distance is on the slow.

So today's workout was planned for two five mile loops in Central Park at a 12 minute pace. I have never run 10 miles before so I was a bit concerned about the distance. But I finished the distance in two hours and did not feel like crap afterwards. So I think I will try for the first of the NY Road Runner half marathon grand prix this year, which happens to be the Manhattan one on January 27.

Swimmin, ridin and runnin

2008-01-13T10:02:00.000-05:00

We have had fantastic weather in NY this past week which has been great for training. Especially since most of our training is outdoors. Temps in the fifties when we ran earlier this week and a beautiful day yesterday to ride across the George Washington Bridge for a ride up 9W in NJ.

Things are getting busy here in training land. This past week started our official swim training. Since I was busy on Tuesday night when the beginner/intermediate session is held, I went to the Monday night advanced session. While, I was pleasantly surprised at how good I felt and was not totally exhausted at the end of the hour, I also am not fast enough for the advanced session. The end of the night involved a half mile swim to be completed in 20 minutes. While I did not think that I would finish within that time frame, I did manage to complete about 10 laps out of the 16 within the 20 minutes. So my plan remains to attend the beginner/intermediate workouts.

Due to the unseasonably warm weather, the coaches have tried to take advantage of biking opportunities when they can. The Saturday session was changed to include an optional bike ride across the GW bridge into NJ up 9W. Its a very popular ride for cyclists in the area with many riders heading up to Nyack to stop and grab coffee and a muffin at the Runcible Spoon. I believe the trip over to Nyack is about a 4o mile round trip from the NJ side of the bridge, so I haven't made it there yet. Yesterday's ride was a 30 mile round trip for me from my apartment to our turnaround point on 9W and back. It was a good ride, although I definitely was feeling it later in the day. I'm sure later this year or Spring I'll be up for heading out to Nyack for a muffin. I've heard they are worth it.

Later this week will be more swimmin, bikin and runnin. For today I plan on dropping some LSD with some other training buddies. Now for those of you who may have spent your college years not inhaling and in other experimental pursuits, I'm referring to a long slow distance run and not other activities. In this case, a planned 10 mile run in Central Park with some other triathlon training buddies. Looks to be another great day for running outside, sunny with temperatures in the mid to upper forties.

Happy New Year!!!

2008-01-01T23:39:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year everyone. Goodbye to 2007 and hello to 2008. Among the more traditional new years eve activities of parties in homes, restaurants and homes of random strangers that I took part in last night, I also got to experience another New York tradition. No, not the times square ball drop, I think given a choice of standing in times square or root canal, I would take the root canal. At least it would be less crowded. Rather, I took part in the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run which is put on by the New York Road Runners.

This is a four mile run that takes place in Central Park on New Years eve. The park is the site of huge party for New Years that includes a costume contest and music before the race and continues after as well. At the stroke of midnight, the starting gun goes off along with the fireworks and the hordes of people ringing in the New Year with a nice run around the park.

Another nice touch is the addition of a champagne station at around the second mile mark in addition to the water station. Although, I believe it was the non-alcoholic variety.

Midnight Run in Central Park (102nd St. Transverse)

Here's wishing everyone a happy and healthy new years!

Still early, but not so cold ...

2007-12-29T00:14:00.000-05:00

Call it global warming, or just the normal variations in climate that occur during the life cycle of a planet. Nowadays it seems like everyone is hopping onto the global warming bandwagon, but back in the day when Pluto was still considered a planet, we were happy to get a warm day in December. The good news is that at least for this week, our outdoor training sessions were a little warmer. At least on the weekend.

On Wednesday we had a 30 minute out and back (OAB) run. That means we run for 15 minutes out and then 15 minutes back. Right when we turned around at the fifteen minute mark, it began raining which then turned into hail. At that point, there's not much left to do since fifteen minutes in the rain is still fifteen minutes in the rain.

However, Saturday was a completely different story. I checked the weather before leaving my apartment and saw that the temperature was 52 degrees Fahrenheit. The GTS was changed to a run session from a bike due to the rain from the previous night. The run workout was a series of four ten minute OAB run with squats in between each set. After the second run, I was down to just a t-shirt. It appears that global warming is short lived as next week has the temperatures back into the twenties. Hooray for under armour cold gear and sugoi jackets.

Call me crazy ....

2007-12-21T17:26:00.000-05:00

Call me crazy, but I decided to sign up for another Team in Training event this year. I will be a mentor for the Summer season with the NYC triathlon team. The seasons for spring and summer overlap for about three months between March and May, so I will probably be doing double training sessions on some days. Some people will probably think I am crazy, but I am looking forward to it. Besides, if I am going to do a half-ironman distance in June, then I will need to get some more training in before that.

This week was a nice and wet run in central park. While the group was slightly diminished due to the holidays and the weather, those who showed up were in great spirits and slightly damp. This weekend is scheduled to be our first bike session so I am off to try and get some cold weather bike booties for my shoes. Happy Holidays to all.

Just for fun ...

2007-12-15T10:15:00.000-05:00

Remember no children, small animals or plants were harmed in this survey. ;-)

26

What's your number?

Also interesting,

$4175.00

And so it begins ...

2007-12-09T11:05:00.000-05:00

8:00 am on a cold (low 30's) Saturday morning usually finds most of us sleeping in bed or at least thinking its way too cold to get out of bed. But the better way to spend an early cold Saturday morning is to join all of your friends for a leisurely jog through Central Park as we begin our training for the Capital of Texas, St Anthony's and Gulf Coast Triathlons.

That's right yesterday was our very first GTS or Group Training Session. From now, until the race, I will start off Saturday early in the morning with a GTS. Either a run or a bike or a bike/run combo known as a BRick. Today's training was a social run (with some squats and walking lunges thrown in for good measure) although many of my friends may find it to be an oxymoron to include social and run together. The purpose of this run was to get to know our new teammates and to begin to acclimate our bodies to the training that we will be doing for the next six months.

The other thing that happens at the beginning of most of the group training sessions is the mission moment. This is where different member of the team speak about their personal connections to the cause or why they are training. Many people on the team have very personal connections where parents, children, siblings, other family members or loved ones have been personally affected by leukemia, lymphoma or other blood cancers. One of the things I learned last year when I did my first triathlon with Team in Training was how many people I know had personal connections.

At yesterday's GTS, one of the honored teammates gave the mission moment. The honored teammates are cancer survivors who are training with us for these events. He spoke about during his chemotherapy treatments, when the doctors would ask how he was doing, his response would be "Can't Stop Now." During this season, if a run get hard or our legs get tired during the bike, or we feel we can't swim another stroke, the little voice that says "You're tired, why not take a break" is replaced by a new voice, "Can't Stop Now".

This time it's for Bar-B-Que!!!

2007-12-05T21:30:00.000-05:00

Austin, Texas. SXSW Music, Film and Interactive Festival. The Elvis Presley Memorial Combo at Chuy's. The Bats at the Congress Avenue bridge. The family style all you can eat BBQ at the Salt Lick. These are just a few of the memories that I have of previous trips to Austin. Now, its time for another one.

This May 2008 during Memorial day weekend will be the Capital of Texas triathlon. I'll be joining with Team in Training again for to raise money for the leukemia and lymphoma society to train and complete an olympic distance triathlon. For those of you new to this blog, that means I'll be swimming 1500m, biking 40km and running 10km. This is the same distance as the NYC triathlon last year, but this time in Austin.

Since the race is in the spring, we get to train in the winter. I picked up some new cold weather training gear this past weekend to last me through the winter months since our first GTS (group training session) will be this coming Saturday at 8am. Yes, that's right, 8am on a cold (forecast is around 32 degrees) Saturday morning in Central Park. So keep coming back here to read about this next round of training. On the plan for this coming spring/summer is the Capital of Texas Triathlon in Austin, the NYC Triathlon in NYC and possibly at least one half-ironman triathlon. Thanks for reading and remember, if you are willing to donate on my fundraising page to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the I'll do the work of waking up and running on a cold Saturday morning.

Swim ... Bike ... Run ... Celebrate!!!

2007-07-26T20:13:00.000-04:00

Sunday, July 22, 2007 got to an early start at 4:00 am. Usually being up at that hour in the morning means I have not gone to bed yet from Saturday night, but this weekend means its race day. The transition area was packed as athletes worked to get their area set up before the 5:45 am close. Its important to make sure that you have set up all the equipment you will need to move from swimming to biking and then from biking to running since the time spent in transition counts as part of your total race time. It is considered the fourth event in the triathlon.

After checking that my bike and all my equipment was set up and my bike was in the proper gear to make it up the hill at 79th street out of the park, I exited transition and begin the long walk to swim start at 98th street and Riverside park. At that point I had a long wait since my wave didn't start until 8:27am. Luckily I met up with some friends and got to relax with them while waiting for the race start.

Soon it was time to put on the wetsuit and line up for the swim start. Having completed the 1500m swim in the Hudson the prior week at the Stars and Stripes Aquathlon, I felt pretty confident in completing the swim. Of course, that doesn't mean he nervous anticipation was not there, but no need to visit the complementary shrink tent available at race start. Starbucks and counseling, definitely a full service triathlon.

Prior to race day, we had always heard about the strong current in the Hudson. Tales of a bag of Cheetos overtaking racers were often heard. After jumping all I can say is good thing we had a safety line. I grabbed on to the line and discovered that other racers were pushing the line down which made it difficult to hold on and keep my head above water. I finally managed to position myself with the rope at my thighs so I could remain in place as the current pushed me forward and keep my head above water. Finally our prayers were answered and the start gun was off. 25 minutes later I was stepping onto the finish barge which was much faster than my 35 minute swim the previous week.

Triathletes lined up at the swim start line

Heading into transition I "quickly" (relatively speaking) got my gear and headed out for the bike portion. Having practiced exiting the park up the steep hill often enough during group training sessions, I had my bike in an easy gear and avoided struggling or falling up the hill. Heading north up the West Side Highway, we faced a strong head wind. That along with not being in optimal gear selection resulted in a slower bike ride than I would have liked. Although, the ride back with the wind at my back and more downhills felt much better.

Heading out of transition to start the bike course

Heading back into transition from the bike

Finally, it was time to head out for the run. I was feeling pretty tired at this point, even more than usual. Not sure if it was from dehydration or lack of nutrition, although I had made a conscious effort at both, made the run a lot slower than my usual pace. The great thing about training with TNT is all the support you get from your other teammates as well as from random people on the road. All during the bike ride and during the run, I heard shouts of "Go Team" from teammates, strangers who cheered the purple shirt, and friends who decided they would wake up early on a Sunday to come out and support me. All of that helps to keep you going when you are tired. And of course thanks to our TNT coaches who stationed themselves on the last leg of the run for that last bit of encouragement. Finally, thanks to everyone who donated to the Leukemia society on my behalf and helped me raise close to $3400 and helped the NYC Chapter raise over $1 Million Dollars for the fight against blood cancers. Go Team!!!

Some of the music at the finish line festival

Heading to the finish line

All finished!!! (Final time: 3:33:51)

Celebrating with Team in Training teammates (Nancy and Jay)
at the Boat Basin victory party.

Triathlon Finish Line Video

2007-07-26T13:59:00.000-04:00

A full race report and pictures will be posted soon, but for those of you who can't wait here is a video of me crossing the finish line at the triathlon this past Sunday, July 22, 2007. I'm the one coming up wearing the purple Team in Training singlet.

As a team, the NYC chapter of Team in Training for the NYC Triathlon raised over One Million dollars for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Less than a week to go!!!

2007-07-17T01:00:00.000-04:00

In less than a week, this adventure which began in the cold dark days of February will finish in the still dark, but much earlier and warmer morning of July 22. That Sunday morning will start extra early at 4am to get to the transition area, check in and get set up. While the race starts at 5:50am, my wave will start at 8:27am. Lots of hurry up and wait!! I am estimating a finish around noon, maybe between noon and 12:30 depending upon lots of different factors. One drawback to the late start time will be the heat of the day.

For those friends who wish to come out and watch, here are some of the details for spectators from the NYC Triathlon website.

Nautica Cheering Zones

1. Swim Start - Riverside Park & 98th Street on the Hudson River.
2. Swim Exit - Riverside Park & 79th Street on the Hudson River.
3. Run Course along 72nd Street from Henry Hudson Parkway to Central Park West
4. Run Course along 72^nd Street Transverse in Central Park – Park Drive East to the finish
5. Race Finish - Dead Road in Central Park near the bandshell off the 72nd Street Transverse

No Go Zones

For athlete safety we ask that spectators NOT attempt to go to the following locations:

1. Westside Highway (no walking, no standing, no riding, no nothing)
2. Bike Transition (NO ONE is allowed in transition except athletes)
3. Transition Bike Paths – respect the race marshals or your pal will end up in a bush – bad tri karma.
4. Finish Line Mix Zone – this is the first 40 yards after the finish. It’s for medical, athletes, and press. Meet your star in the Delta Finish Festival.

Also, as one of the sponsors, Accenture has set up a system where you can track my progress during the race. Sign up at http://triathlons.accenture.com/NewYork. You will be able to receive e-mails, text messages or even voice phone calls with my progress during the race. On race day Accenture will even have a finish line web camera so you can watch the race live. Although if you are in NY, it will be a lot more fun in Central Park!!!