Winter Trail Running

Over the last 3 years, my triathlon season has typically come to a close in mid September as the remaining races of the season are put into the record books.  This year's season extended into November for me with my last event being my first Ironman race in Arizona. 

In years past the winters in the Pacific Northwest held special meaning for me as the rains come in off the Pacific ocean and hang around for - oh, about 6 to 8 months.  It's hard to imagine anyone finding solace in the dreary, gray, wet winters in Oregon.  Most people dread this time of the year and can't make it through the winter without several ventures out in search of the sun - be the journey near or far.  Some will have to go to the cities of Phoenix, AZ or Palm Springs, CA for a dose of sunshine.  Those not fortunate enough to travel long distances chasing the warm rays of the sun will have to settle with a trip to the local drug store to purchase a lighted sun box.  These boxes hold mythical wonders for the sun deprived winter dwellers of the Pacific Northwest.  All that is required is an electrical outlet in which to plug in your articial Sun.  Flip the switch and voila' - instant Sun for as long as you can stand the artifical rays emitting from the compact contraption.

The sun box would drive me crazy.  I wouldn't be able to contaim myself long enough to sit in one spot to reap the sunny benefits of the box.  Instead, I choose to embrace the winter and celebrate in the liquid sunshine it bestows upon our saturated state.  For me winter in Oregon means two things.  Whitewater kayaking and trail running.  The kayaking will be addressed at a later date as I phase back into paddling and provide my readers with trip reports. 

The first trail run of the season took place yesterday at Shellburg Falls in the Santiam State Forest.  This campground is a little hidden gem off the beaten path and a great location for a trail run.  This run was reported to be a 6.5 mile run with some serious climbs, bomber descents, incredible views, minor creek crossings and a mixture of dirt roads and single track trail.  The course did not disappoint.

This race would be my first organized event since Ironman and the first true test of my recovery from that journey.  I had no expectations for this race other than to have a enjoyable day out in the woods, running with 3 of my co-workers.  It was a great morning, albeit a little chilly at 27 degrees before the race started.  After picking up our race numbers we all jumped around for a few minutes to keep our body heat elevated while we listened to the race directors course descriptions and instructions.  I was very excited to be kicking of the winter trail running season with this annual race.  I had run up in this area before as it is only 9 miles from my house.  I had always thought it would be a great location for a organized run and now I was running in the inaugural race.  I was elated to be out there on the trails in the woods with fellow racers who really enjoy trail running.  It made me feel like a kid all over again!

Three, two, one, GO!  The race is started and into the woods we head.  During the first quarter mile, we come to our first creek crossing, I see two signs.  One pointing to the bridge over the creek, the second leading directly through the creek.  I opt to attempt the leap over the creek.  I quickly realize the water is slightly warmer then the ambient temperature but only because it's not fozen and it's moving.  My feet are cold from the water but it's only a slight submersion of my right foot and a toe dipping of my left.  No worries, I am wearing wool socks. I keep the pace with the dog in front of me.  Up the hill we climb.  Labored breathing quickly gives way to focused foot placement and we are soon running downhill on a bomber descent.  I feel just like a kid again running down the mountains of New Mexico.  I am flying downhill trying to keep the focus of maintaining my place on the trail without tumbling out of control into the woods. 

As with any descent in trail running, an ascent soon follows.  I can't blow myself up on the fist mile I tell myself.  "Enjoy the day, take in the scenery and slow down Quigley!" I internalize. A road quickly emerges as we divert off the single track onto a logging road.  I know the climb up to and around the waterfall is only a quarter mile away.  As my co-worker Mike catches up to me, the stairs starting the climb to the waterfall are evident on our right.  We start our climb - a climb that wouldn't end for nearly the next 4 miles.

In trail running they say to walk up the hills and run the downhills.  That's good advice provided you  can do more than crawl up the hills.  At several points during our climbing session, Mike and I just laughed in exhaustion.  We made it a point to take in the scenery and look at the vistas.  Between the sun shinning and us working hard on the hill climb, the cold temperature of the morning had dissipated.

Once we crested the climb we took in the views and briefly caught our breath.  A couple more photos and we were off into the woods again. This section of the course was singletrack and oh so much fun to run on as our heart rates settle back down.

The single track eventually gave way to another logging road and more climbing.  This stretch seemed to go on forever at a moderate incline.  But it was an illusion as we eagerly anticipated getting back on the singletrack for what would be our last bomber descent of nearly 2 miles.  The single track trail finally revealed itself and we were once again flying downhill.  Through the trees we went, around corners, jumping roots, dodging fallen limbs.  As fast as our feet would carry us, gravity beckoned our bodies to pick up the pace even more.  One one occasion I nearly ran off the course and tumbled into the ferns before catching my footing and correcting my controlled free fall.  It's amazing how much joy and youthfulness a trail in the woods can generate from those that set foot on it.

The last section of trail didn't seem to last long enough as we quickly found ourselves on the logging road again and on our way to the finish line.  Our competetive spirit kicked in for an all out sprint to the finish.  After 1:12:25 out in the woods, our glorious run came to end oh so quickly.  Although the race had ended the trail running season had just begun.  If the remaning races are anything like this, the winter trail running season is going to be a ton of fun!

The Ironman Arizona Experience.

It's Thursday morning and I am saying goodbye to my sons as they load themselves into the van so my wife can take them to school.  Normally this wouldn't be any big deal but today is not any normal day.  I hug my wife and wipe away the tears that have welled up in her eyes.  I ask her why she is crying yet I need no answer. 

The last twelve months of our lives have laid testament to the sacrifices Tina and the boys have made for me while I prepared for the greatest physical and mental challenge of my life.  I was about to face that challenge in about 72 hours in Arizona. She told me how much of a good man I was as she hugged me tight.  I then bid farewell to Aidan and Flynn with tears in my eyes and asked them to be good this weekend.   They asked "Are you going to be an Ironman Dad?"  I sure hope so guys, I sure hope so.  One last group hug and they were off to school to start their day.

I doubled checked one last time to make sure I had the gear I needed to take on the plane with me.  Everything was there as I checked it in triplicate about four times.  I got in the car and drove to the airport.  The plane was late by an hour on departure but before I knew it, I was in beautiful and sunny Phoenix, Arizona.  The weather was incredible and I quickly changed into shorts and a tee shirt once I arrived at the hotel.  Now I see why the snowbirds flock to Arizona in the winter.  The weather there in November was much better than the winter rains in Oregon.  This was going to be a great weekend to tackle the Ironman.

The fist order of business after checking into the hotel and changing my clothes was to make my way over to the venue and the athletes village to pick up my race packet.  The hotel was only a couple of miles from Tempe Town lake so the trip there only took about 10 minutes.

Once I parked the car and made my way a few short blocks over to the entrance, my nerves really started to go haywire.  Everything I had worked so hard for over the last 12 months was about to be put to the test.  This was it!  I was here and about to walk through the Ironman archway into the athletes village.  What an incredible shock to the system.  But oh what a feeling.  Stepping into that village suddenly brought a sense of calm to me as I knew I was ready for what was about to occurr.  I quickly took inventory of the layout so I knew where everything was.  The vendor booths were enticing and informative and the amount of energy in the area probably emitted a glow that could be seen from the furthest corners of Arizona!  

 It was late in the day as I toured the athletes village and would have to come back tomorrow for packet pickup and to get my bike from Tri-Bike Transport.  No big deal, I was here to tackle the Ironman triathlon and didn't plan on leaving until I gave it my best shot.  I returned to the hotel and went to the local Safeway to stock up on food for the next several days.  Late afternoon quickly turned to night and I hit the bed trying to get as much rest as possible. Friday was soon upon me as I woke up to see the alarm clock read 6:45am.  In 48 hours I would be in the water waiting for the cannon to sound to start the Ironman.  Yaaaaa maaaan!

I grabbed a quick coffee from Starbucks and headed over to the venue for packet pick up and to meet my buddy Tevor Yates for a practice ride out on the course.  I got to the village early and again made my way around taking everything in, this time including the athletes practicing for the swim in Tempe Town lake.  The comments about how cold the water was were abundant.  The facial experssions of many athletes seemed to confirm that sentiment as they were flushed red from the cold.  Most swimmers only spent a few minutes in the 63 degree water on their "warm ups".

I head over to the packet pick up line at 9:45 to be greeted by a decent size line of folks anxious to get their race numbers and all their goodies.  No worries as I am still towards the front of the line.  Trevor shows up shortly thereafter and we just look at each other with these huge smiles in realization that we are finally here and the day is nearly upon us.  We make our way through the process and get to the end of the line where they verify the electronic chip we will be wearing to track our times accurately reflects the athlete wearing it.  It does and we are good to go.  One last check to make sure I have my 5 special needs bags and we're off to get our bikes and ride the course.

We have a good ride just to make sure our bikes are functioning correctly and we don't have any last minute adjustments to make.  We don't and we are good to go.  I spend the rest of the day just chilling out, trying to reserve as much energy as possible for Sunday.  I know my other friends and family members will be arriving soon and I am looking forward to seeing them and enjoying their company for the short time I will see them.  I head back to the hotel to meet up with Tony, my friend from Portland.  It's good to see him here to support me and we have a bite of lunch together.  After lunch I start getting my special needs bags lined up.  I load the special needs bike bag with Fig Newtons and various other forms of nutrition - too much nutrition.  In the end, I will only eat the Fig Newtons.  Again the late afternoon suddenly transforms into night and I am ready for bed.

Saturday is a busy day at the race site.  All the bikes and special needs bags have to be dropped off in the transition areas and it's the last chance to make any necessary adjustments and get one last warm up swim in.  I opt to test out the waters after dropping off my bike and special needs bags.  I don the wetsuit and swimcap and make my way over to the water.  Standing at the top of the stairs leading down into the water, I get excited.  I take a few steps and leap out into the murky fluid.  Suddenly my body is shocked by the temperature.  I try to adjust by remaining calm and swimming out towards the bridge.  Once I am in the water for a few minutes, I settle in.  The temperature is no different than the water we swim in up in Oregon so I am fine.  Water is murky and  the sun creates havoc by casting shadows.  No sweat - a quick couple hundred meters and I am out.

I head back to the hotel in preparation for meeting up with my brother from Dallas and high school buddies from Albuquerque.  We all get together around six that evening for some dinner at a gourmet pizza place.  It's good to see all these people here to support me.  A glance at my watch during dinner tells me I have a mere 12 hours to go until race day!  Holy crap I am thinking, this is it!  We finish our pizza's and salads and head back to the hotel.  I finalize plans with my brother to meet me in the lobby of the hotel at 5am.  I take 2 sleeping assist pills, confirm the wake up call for 4:30am and crash.

After a somewhat restful night, I hear the phone ringing.  It's race day!  Get your ass out of bed Quigley - time to roll!!  I get up and drink two Ensures right off the bat, followed by a bananna and bagel.  I drink water and take 3 electrolyte tablets to retain and replace some of the salt I am about to lose.  I feel calm.  I gather the remaining gear together and head down to the lobby to meet my brother.  The elevator doors open and the lobby is filled with athletes making their way over to the race.  My brother Don is there and we head out to the car for the short drive over to the site.  We get there to join the rest of the athletes and prepare for long day ahead.  I quickly check on my bike, inflating the tires to correct pressure and loading the fluids and nutrition.  I get my body marked with my race number and now I am ready to roll.  I meet back up with Don and give him my gear bag.  He asked me again if I am ready for this.  You bet your ass I am! I tell him.

I pull my wetsuit on and tell him I will see him along the way and at the end of the race.  It's really great to have him here with me even if I failed to metioned it to him. I know the next time I see him, my cousin Mary Louise will be with him cheering me on.  I smile at the thought of everyone here to support the athletes.  I head over to the swim start in the dusk and start to get a little teary eyed.  This is really it now Quigs!  The moment you have been waiting for is now!  The race director starts directing people to the water.  The pro's enter first as they have a 10 minute start before the age groupers.  Next thing I know I am standing on the edge of the lake with permission to enter the water.  One last check to make sure my googles are under my swim cap and I jump into the cold murky water.  My heart is racing as I swim up to the start line only to be forced to tread water for the next 20 minutes to the sound of AC/DC's For Those About to Rock!  Hell ya!  For those about to rock!  That's me!  Next thing I know the National Anthem is being sung and the sun is rising in the East - the exact direction we are headed.  I am pumped when the race director ask " Who's ready to be an Ironman?"  The participants and crowd goes wild! Next thing you know the cannon sounds.  My 13 hour day is beginning.

The swim can best be described as mayhem in a blender.  All the swimmers heading in the same direction towards that first buoy and all trying to get their "place" in the water.  Arms and legs are flying and bodies are crawling all over top of each.  Inevitably, you are going to get hit in the head, your legs pulled on and swam over whether you want to or not.  It's just the fact of a mass swim start.  I position myself about 4 rows behind the leaders and try to settle in for the swim.  I put my head down and focus on my stroke count and breathing.  Aside from all the commotion in the water I feel good.  No need to wonder how sea lions feel anymore swimming on the docks - I know for certain.  I try to sight my way to the first buoy but the orange glow of the rising sun makes it difficult.  Before I know it though I am making the turn and heading back to the swim exit.  I really feel good on the return with nobody on me anymore.  Well it's because I was off course slightly.  I look up to be instructed by a kayaker to head north to join the group.  I quickly fall back in line with the pack and before I know it, my swim is coming to an end and I am being helped up the stairs at the exit. 2.4 miles in 1:08:39

I am quickly stripped of my wetsuit and headed off to the bike transition and changing tent.  After a 7:05 transition I am at the bike mount line and on my way for a three loop course totalling 112 miles on my bike.  I am feeling really good now and having a great day.  As I head out of town I get emotional again realizing that I am living the dream right at this very moment in time.  I clear the tears from my eyes and think about my family.  The support they have provided to me is the motivation that is driving me now.  I recall the advice from friends Scott and Kelly to ride my own race and ignore those passing me.  "Harness Quigs, harness" is what Scott tells me all the time when we ride together and I smile as other pass me by.  "See you later guys, it's going to be a long day still"!

On the first loop out, the amount of drafting taking place was pathetic.  I had several pacelines whiz past me comprised of at least 20 riders at a time.  Go ahead you bastards, I thought.  Your bike splits aren't genuine if you have to cheat the wind by riding together.  I pull up several times to avoid the appearance that I was participating in this illegal formation.  The headwind was definitely there though.  All I could do on the ride out was put my head down and grind it out.  I choose to focus on the scenery instead of the wind which seemed to work as I reached the turn arounds fairly quickly when I did that.  I only stopped 3 times on the bike, which in retrospect helped me to refresh myself and have a good overall ride at 6:00. The bike portion of the event was fantastic for me and I really enjoyed myself although I did start to get tired on the second loop.  No worries again as I was living my dream and the second portion was just about completed.  Once I crested the top of the turn around for the third and final loop the wind changed direction.  I was now headed into the wind again for the last 19 miles of the ride.  I knew it was about over so I just smiled and motored on to transition two.

After 7:19 in transition 2,  I was off on the run.  I knew this was going to be the greatest physical test of the race for me.  I am not naturally gifted runner but I work very hard at it.  My feet were in some pain already as I used the wrong bike shoes on the bike and that resulted in a severe hot spot on my right foot.  Now I had to run 26.2 miles predominantly on concrete.  Oh hell!  Before the race,  I took a permanent marker and wrote "Tina, Aidan and Flynn", "Engage the Suck" and "Smile!" on the inside brim of my hat.  I would use that as motivation when the run really kicked the crap out of me as I knew it would.  I headed off towards the first aid station at just over 1 mile.  My legs felt like lead filled balloons.  I kept telling them to move but the resistance beat out the directive.  I just knew I had to keep going.  The run course was three loops around the lake and all I can say is thank god for the volunteers at those aid stations!  I consumed everything they had to offer and more.  Water, gatorade, pretzels, oranges, cookies, chicken broth, ice and enthusiasm!  I couldn't have completed this journey without those folks!

The first loop was difficult and the pain in my feet was incredible.  It felt as if someone had held a hot cattle prod to the bottom of them for 5+ hours!  I knew I had 2 more loops to go.  The heat was causing me some discomfort as well but I knew the sun would soon be setting and would give me some relief.  As the sun set I found myself at mile 17 and knew I was into single digits now to finish the race.  That's a trick I learned from Trevor.  "Get the marathon down to single digits Quigs and then really push and focus".  I managed to smile again knowing I had nine miles to go and looking at the brim of my hat.  But the pain was almost unbearable.  At one point in the darkness as I shuffled along the lake, I recalled Tina being in labor with our son Aidan for 19 hours.  That really put things in perspective for me and I started running again.  I used a lot of mind tricks to get myself through this race.  Mile 23 found me walking again and getting a false sense of the finish as you can see it from the hill top yet you still have to make a semi-circle to the east for another 3 miles to the finish line.  It was at this point that my good friend Greg Kantola caught up to me.  Greg's determination and drive is just what I needed.  We walked for a bit and talked about life.  It was great having him there with me, sharing my suffering.  He looked  at me and asked if I had any run left in me?  I told him I did but not yet and to go on.  I watched Greg fade away.  It was just boost I needed.

At this point I was less than 3 miles away from the finish.  I told myself to send the pain below and started to reflect on visualizing running through the finishing chute.  I got to mile 24 and ran along the grass to try to relieve the pain in my feet.  It helped a little but it also made me think about laying down for a quick nap.  Hell no!  If you do that you'll never finish.  Get your ass moving to that line buddy!  Next thing I know I am running again and I see Rudy Garcia -Tolson, a double amputee, running his first leg.  I nearly cried again seeing him out there.  I yelled out to him in support, pulled the brim of my hat down and mustered the fortitude to try and catch up to Greg.  I crossed the bridge and made it to mile 25.  I had 1.2 miles to go!  I told myself this was it and picked up the pace as much as I possible could.  As I got closer to the finish line, the crowd was going wild.  I drew on their energy.  I hit mile 26 and knew it was only .2 miles to the finish.  The crowd was going nuts!  I pushed every last ounce of energy I had into my legs and rounded the corner.  The lights were glaring and I heard Mike Reily announce, "Brian Quigley, from Stayton, Oregon you are an Ironman!"  My fists were pumping and any fatigue I had quickly vanished as I had just finished the IRONMAN!!  I was estatic and exhausted.  I ran a 5:50:27 marathon but could care less at that point.

After 13:13:34 out on the course,  I was an Ironman.

Two week taper to Tempe!

My long journey to the Ironman is nearly here.  Two weeks from today I will be in Tempe, AZ to participate in what amounts to a 3 part physical proportion final exam taken after 12 long months of training.  The test is comprised of three sections.  The first section covers 2.4 miles of swimming and will be an open water swim in which my fellow participants will be right there next to me crawling over me in the water.  I feel very comfortable with this portion of the test.  35.7 miles of swimming over the last 12 months has prepared me well for this challenge.

The next section of the test will be riding 112 miles on my bike.  In this portion of the test you are on your own and the only aid you can use is your bike.  I plan on bringing this one with me.

My biggest point of focus for this overall test has been cycling.  My cycle training over the last 12 months has consisted of riding 2505 miles.  Hopefully the weather in the desert will cooperate and the winds won't play havoc on us as we make our way over the bike course three times.  If the winds do decide to come out to play I will have to remind myself to stay in the aero position as much as possible to conserve energy for the run.

Ah yes the run.  Not just any run mind you but a full marathon!  That is 26.2 miles of running.  While this is certainly a long way on it's own, it's even more of a challenge after swimming 2.4 miles and biking 112 miles.  This is certaintly the portion of the test which will challenge me the most.  I have worked extremely hard on my running.  Over the last 12 months I have run 707 miles in preparation for the marathon portion of the journey.  My intention is to remain relaxed and keep a smile on my face and embrace the suck when it comes up.  Mr. Pain will present itself at some point along this test and I will just have to remember that I chose to take this test.  I can't let Mr. Pain be the ultimate administrator.  This is my journey and he can just get the hell out of the way.

The cool thing about taking this test is you can bring food and drink into the classroom.  In fact it's encouraged at several key locations along the course.  You can bet your bottom dollar that I will be taking full advantage of that benefit. 

So the day is nearly here.  I have trained as well as I can for this test while maintaining the other commitments I have in my life.  A ton of people have supported me along the way.  My wife and 2 sons have been incredibly supportive once I embarked on this journey and they are excited to see it come to a conclusion.  I appreciate the love and support you all have shown along the way.  I couldn't have made this long journey without my family.

All the test I have taken previously have been small steps in my journey towards Ironman.  The final step in the journey comes after I cross the finish line in Arizona.  My total training consisted of 3,248 miles covered in 400 hours.  Hopefully that will be sufficient preparation to close the chapter on my Ironman journey.  The next time you see this photo you should see my Ironman race number on the wall.  From aspirations to accomplishments!  Here we go!

It's nearly time for the show.

Work / life balance.  I hear that phrase a lot at my place of employment.  Over the last 12 months however I have modified the phrase  to Work / Life /Ironman balance.  As you know by now for the last 12 months, I have been training for my first Ironman triathlon and the event draws ever closer.  Twenty one days from today the juggling act of balancing work, family and ironman training will be put to the final test in the desert of Arizona.  After this week of training I can only tell you I feel as ready as I am going to be for the journey called Ironman.

This was my biggest week of training so far and I feel really good about my state of prepardness.  Over the remaining three weeks I need to keep working on visualization and relaxing my mind.  I have a tendency to over agitate my thoughts during training and racing.  I need to practice my mental containment and slow myself down for this distance.  If I get too caught up in the swim or the bike, my run will suffer.  I don't want to self sabotage my journey so I will work on relaxation techniques to keep me focused on the overall event and not just one discipline.

This weeks training consisted of 3 miles of swimming, 153 miles of biking and 27 miles of running for a total of 183 miles.  My longest swim occurred on Friday morning.  I had a great 2 mile swim workout and the reason was I remained focused and calm in the pool,  keeping the distance in my mind and visualizing a relaxed efficient stroke.

My longest bike ride in a number of weeks took place today as I rode 93 miles over varied terrain.  Here again it was almost as if a lightbulb went off in my head as I kept telling myself to relax and enjoy the ride.  I didn't focus on pace today at all and had a great ride.  My nutrition plans on the bike are pretty close to being nailed down as everything I consumed on today's ride was spot on.  The caloric intake and lack of any intestinal discomfort was just what I was looking for.  I felt strong once the ride was over.

My running was a mixed bag this week.  I had a couple of really good weekday runs including a night run comprised of laps around my block that simulated the run at Ironman and was 8.5 miles in length.  Just short of one lap on the IMAZ course that I will be running at night.  Again a very focused and relaxed run.  Saturday morning I planned on going 20 miles.  At the 10 mile point, that rain rolled in and for the next 3 miles I was completely drenched.  Conditions were miserable.  Considering it was Halloween and the kids had a party to go to and they were so looking forward to trick or treating, I cut the run short at 13.  I called Tina and her and the boys picked me up.  I had to sit in the back of the van on the way home I was so trenched!  The kids had a great Halloween.

Over the next couple of days I will make sure all the final logistical information and check list items are covered and before I know it, I will be on my way to Tempe for the big show!  

Now I am off for some well deserved SLEEP!

34 on my 43rd.

I am not one who believes in numerology.  On any given day the numbers 34 and 43 would not hold any significant meaning for me.  But today isn't any given today.  Today is October 18, the day of my birth 43 years ago and 34 days from today is Ironman Arizona 2009.

Today ended a very solid week of training for me.  In short it was a week dedicated to running and cycling.  I ran 39 miles and biked 75 miles.  I only spent one morning this week in the pool but I can live with that.  I intended to swim a couple of more times but mechanical issues forced the closure of the pool for the last 3 days.  I'll make it up this week.

I have 3 more heavy volume weeks of training ahead of me before I start to taper for the last 2 weeks.  If the weather co-operates a little more this week than last, I am hoping to get some more long rides in outside.  If I am restricted to the trainer in the garage again the mileage might not be that significant.  The rain has returned to the Pacific Northwest!

Yesterday I ran 20 miles on course that could best be described as the Billy Goat Grind.  Nothing but hills up and hills down.  Hills up and hills down.  The course gained and lost 2000 feet in elevation.  It was definitely taxing on me but a good course to build endurance and confidence.  I left the house in the darkness of the morning to beat the forecasted buckets of rain.  The sunrise was sensational.  Very vibrant hues of pink and orange breaking over the Cascade Range.  While I was running I really started to visualize myself completing the Ironman.  I envisioned myself approaching the finishers chute and hearing my name called out.  It kept me motivated on the long run.  I finished my run with a 1.5 mile cool down walk home after hitting the 20 mile mark just in time to beat the buckets of rain that started dumping from the dark and ominus rain clouds.  Beautiful morning.

I need to make a stop into the local bike shop tomorrow to replace my rear rim on my road bike so I can then take my triathlon bike in to have the clicking noise investigated.  It's probably nothing but I need that bike in pristine shape come Arizona.  I would hate to have trained for this event like I have only to have a mechanical failure on the bike.  I know nothing is guaranteed but I can be pro-active in my bike preparation.

I had a great day with my family again today.  Flynn woke me up at 5:30 telling me to open my birthday card.  It was a musical card with Blue Oyster Cult singing "Don't fear the reaper". How appropriate I thought with a chuckle. After a quick hour on the trainer we all went to Olive Garden for a brithday lunch followed by cake at home.  It was a very pleasant afternoon.

I am very excited about starting my new numerical year with a major undertaking in the Ironman.   I have been training hard for that challenge over the last 12 months and in 34 days it will present itself in all it's wonderful glory.  How it will change me as a person is the great unknown.  It's just about time to find out.

A mixed bag of training.

Six weeks from this moment in time I should be finished or nearly finished with the Ironman.  At least that is my plan anyway.  As we all know however things don't always evolve as planned.  Such was the case this week with my training.  It was a week of intentions that never came to fruition.

I managed to run 20.2 miles this week which is much needed as my run it the weakest point of all in triathlon and my main concern in the Ironman.  I had several really good runs during the week and my long run on Saturday was 10 miles out in the country in beautiful Fall weather.  So the running aspect of training this week ended on a good note.

I hadn't spent any time in the water last week so I made it a point to get some more pool time in this week.  I visited the pool three times for lap swim and managed to swim 3 miles in total.  Swimming is an area I can direct less attention to as it is the shortest part of the Ironman and I am a fairly strong swimmer,  Again a postive aspect of this weeks training.

The longest part of the Ironman is the 112 mile bike portion.  Cycling demands a high level of focus during training and this is where I fell short this week.  I usually ride on Wednesday's and Friday's before the long ride on the weekend.  Wednesday of this week I was wiped out so I took a day off.  Friday I managed to squeeze a ride in after work and just before the sun set.  I felt good going into the weekend knowing that I had plans to ride on Sunday with 2 fellow Ironman Arizona participants.  Saturday night rolled around and I got word that both Greg and Brett wouldn't be able to make the ride on Sunday.  No big deal it would be a solo excursion of around 100 miles.

I head out on Sunday morning in the 45degree temperature.  Took me a little while to get settled into a relaxed pace and the cold morning.  Around 13 miles into the ride, I was descending a very steep hill approaching speeds of 30mph.  WHAM!! Thump! Bang!! Oh crap, fishtailing rear end.  Hold on to the drops, relax and get the bike to stop.  Exhale, slowing, stopped.  Take a look at the rear wheel and tire.  Tire is toast as is the rim.  What the hell happened there?  On the descent I was in the shade and I must have hit a major pot hole in the road.  Enough so to abruptly end my ride and force me to call Tina to come pick me up.  Like I said sometimes things just don't go as planned.

I ended my week with only 54 miles of training in over about 6 hours.  Definitely not the week of training I envisioned.  Oh well!  Nothing I can do at this point but take the highlights from it and put the rest behind me.

Tomorrow starts another week and I'll motor on.

A mere matter of weeks.

The day of reckoning will be here in a mere 7 weeks!  The biggest physical challenge of my life is just around the corner.  I am confident that the preparation I have put in thus far for Ironman will be sufficient to carry me through the course and the day.

I have started to make sure I have my logistical bases covered now before the big day.  I have the airline tickets, car rental and hotel secured.  I have all the equipment I should need although I may look at an alternative hydration system for my bike.  Speaking of the bike, today I registered to have my triathlon bike shipped to Arizona and back once the race is over.  I guess I have to go now! 

It was a big week of training this week and I am glad it's behind me.  I am looking forward to the day when I don't have to train and can take a break for a while.  I know my family will enjoy seeing me more often as I will them.  Once Ironman is over, we will be getting into the start of kayaing season in the Pacific Northwest.  It will be nice to have the option of kayaking again and getting back onto the river.

Hopefully the weather will hold for a while longer as I have a scheduled 100+ mile ride coming up next weekend.  I don't know if I can ride for 5 hours on the trainer in the garage.  Running in the rain is one thing I can handle, but the monotnony of riding a stationary trainer for prolonged period of time just doesn't do it for me.

Today's training ride was wet and cold.  Forty five degrees and raining as I rode into the canyon.  Lots of climbing today.  I used the ride to relax after my 15 mile run yesterday and try out my nutrition.  Tina bought me some crustables which are essentially pre-made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches without the crust.  I ate them along the ride today and they worked out well.  I am going to have these in my special needs bag during Ironman.

Back into the pool this week starting tomorrow. Swim, bike, run.  Swim, bike, run.

A much needed trail run..

As a kid growing up in the high desert of the American Southwest, I always loved  trail running and hiking in the foothills and the mountains.  Albuquerque has a spectacular backdrop in the Sandia Mountains.  The foothills of the Sandia's provides vast opportunities for trail running and exploring.  I spent much of my childhood and early adulthood seeking solace in that mountain range.  One thing that always brought me joy and invigorated my soul was running free in those mountains.  Now that I live in the Pacific Northwest the only thing that has changed about trail running is the topography and the moisture content!  I still love being out there in mountains seeking solace through trail running. 

This last couple of weeks of Ironman training and racing a half ironman triathlon last Saturday have taken a toll on me. Couple that with realization that Ironman is 7 weeks from Sunday and my body has started to revolt.  I truely believe the stress of the Ironman and the training thus far has manifested into the form of my lower back pain.  I decided one way to truely put that notion to the test would be to mix up the training and throw in a trail run.  Afterall I would be out in the woods again running free just as I did as a kid in New Mexico.

After work, I laced up the trail shoes and headed out the door.  I ignored the minor pain I was feeling in the back and made my way down to riverfront park.  I ran on the leaf ladden dirt trails, up and over roots, across river strewn rocks and through thickets of ferns.  Suddenly my pain vanished.  I experienced nothing but fun for the next 7.10 miles.  It was exactly what I needed.  My back pain subsided.

I was trail running tonight for 1:06 and had time to reflect again on a lot of things.  I have to relenquish the stress of Ironman.  I am going out to there to do this for me.  Yes I want to have a respectable time and yes it would be fun to beat Kelly's Ironman time, but when all is said and done this is for nobody but me.  I have to approach this as the challenge of my lifetime thus far while not overlooking the fun aspect of it.  As I remind myself  the reason why I am doing Ironman my stress will stay at bay.

On Sunday evening there was a cougar sighting in the very same location I was running.  I thought about that as I was running along the forested trails.  My eyes kept darting back and forth, left and right, looking through the trees and making myself as cognizant as I could of my surrounding.  That was quite the experience as I never knew what I would encounter around the next corner of my solo trail run at dusk. When I was done running I was invigorated as running in the woods where a cougar had recently been sighted was a new life experience for me.  A new life experience in much the same manner as the Ironman will be. 

What's not to enjoy about that!?

Black Diamond Half Ironman Race

Swim 1.2 miles,  Bike 56 miles, Run13.1 miles.  Half the distance of the full Ironman triathlon. 

Over my many years of doing triathlons I had always entertained the idea of going longer than Olympic and Sprint distances races but for whatever reason never pulled the trigger for the longer distances until this weekend.  Yesterday I competed in my first half ironman distance triathlon in Black Diamond, Washington.

I had registered for the race about 3 weeks ago just after completing Scoggins Valley Olympic triathlon.  Considering all the training I have been doing for Ironman Arizona, I knew I had the fitness level to complete the race at a pretty good pace for me.  What I didn't anticipate however was my lower back issues resurfacing the day before the race.  I believe the back pain occurred at some point during the 4 hour drive up to Washington as I was fine when I left Oregon.  I got to the park the afternoon before the race to set up for the bike transition area and felt a slight twinge/pain in my back.  I chalked it up to sitting in the car for the last 4 hours.  As I completed my packet pick up and bike transition, the pain grew stronger.  I knew instantly that this was not just a sore back but rather my ongoing back issue reoccurring at the most inapprorpriate time.  I had no other option than to deal with as best I could. 

I was staying with my friend Kelly who lives in Black Diamond.  While at his house I kept taking Advil and tried to stretch that lower portion of my back.  I applied a heat pack to it and hoped it would subside the next morning in time for the race.  No such luck.  I believe this condition may be hereditary as many members of my family have the same issue.  Again the only thing I could do is deal with it.  Race morning was upon me, I had no choice.

We woke early on Saturday did some stretching, applied more heat, popped my Advil, ate oatmeal and bannas and headed off to the lake once I found my missing car keys.

We got to Nolte State Park around 7:30am and the race was to start at 9am after our 8:45 race briefing.  I finished setting up my transition zone with my bike gear and running gear.  Around 8:15 I put on my wetsuit and headed down to the lake for a little warm up swim in the 64 degree water.  I was very comfortable in the lake warming up until a team swimmer warming up ran head on into me  in the lake.  Crash!  I asked him if he was ok and mentioned something about it being his fault and his nose has been broken before.  In fact it wasn't anyone's fault, we were warming up in cold dark water, these things happen.

The swim start would be a mass start with all the males swimming first at 9:00.  We all lined up for the count down.  After counting down the final 10 seconds the gun sounded and we were off.  What happened next was total mayhem for the next 3 or 4 minutes as I had bodies all over me in the churning water.  I kept running into and over people and then wham!  One of the many swimmers in the pack hit me square in the face and knocked my goggles off.  That hurt but it got me pissed as well.  A quick readjustment of my goggles and I kicked it out of the pack and settled into my place on the lake.  I quickly calmed down and settled in for 2 laps around the lake for 1.2 miles of swimming.  I came out of the water at  32:47 which is a good swim for me.  That placed me 49/253 in the overall standings for the swim.  Nice thing about the swim is I didn't feel the back pain.  Off to the 56 mile bike portion of the race.

I was pretty happy with my swim and there were a lot of bikes in the transition zone when I headed out.  I knew that the bike would present a real challenge for my back as I would be in the aero position for a couple of hours and the course had a few rolling hills that I would face.  I decided again to put the pain out of my mind and focus on keeping my cadence.  I wanted to have decent ride.  This bike course is fantastic.  The country setting is perfect for this race and you can really open it up out there.  As this was my first long course race, I kept reminding myself to temper the pace as I still had a half marathon to run after this.  I held back to about 80% of my full effort.  The course consisted of 2 loops and an out and back portion.  I really enjoyed myself on the bike.  I should have watched my nutrition more though as I only ate 1 chocalate GU and one kids Cliff bar along with 1 1/2 bottles of Cytomax and water.  In retrospect, that wasn't enough.  I need to force myself to take in more nutrition on future races.  I finished the bike portion of the race in 2:46:07 with and average pace of 20.23 mph placing me 69/249.  I did this by focusing on the cadence and ignoring the lower back pain which by this point has been exacerbated and elevated from bike ride.

I racked the bike after in getting back into the transition area.  I did several deep squats to try to eleviate the pain before setting off on the run.  Nothing worked.  I pulled the brim of my hat down and put one foot in front of the other for a shuffled run.  After 3 miles I couldn't take the pain any longer and began to run/walk as best I could.  There is a portion of the run that takes place on a gravel deep pitted road and that section was hell on my back.  I decided to try to run from aid station to aid station.  That's what kept me going for the most part.  Several points along the way I saw a fellow triathlete that is doing Ironman Arizona as well and Greg gave me the motivation to try to regain the focus.  I am sure he doesn't know it, but he pulled me a long at several points as I tried to catch up to him to talk.  I wouldn't be able to talk with him until the race was over.  I saw Greg at the 6.5 mile turn around a top the hill and around mile 10.  We were re-routed to the gravel pitted road for miles 10-11 and I walked a good portion of that section.  I had to remind myself not to get discouraged by the throngs of runners passing me as I continued to drop in the rankings.  One thing about triathlon is the unexpected can grab you at any time during the race to ruin your day.  You just deal with it and perservere.  I finished the 13.1 mile run in 2:32:17 which is a far cry from my best half marathon time of 1:52.  Oh well.

I finished my first half ironman triathlon in 5:58:07 which placed me 131/226 finishers and beat my expected of time of 6 hours.  In spite of my back issues, I had a great race out there today.  The course was great and the fellow athletes are not only inspiring but very supportive of one another.

After the race I signed up for a massage to try to work out the back pain.  I was presented with the option of trying accupuncture which I gladly accepted.  It's amazing what 5 needles placed in the hand did for my lower back pain.  It almost instanteously eliminated the pain.  I guess my CHI is off balance!  Seriously though the accupuncture truely worked.  I am going to look into incorprating it into my training and life.

On the drive home I had time to reflect again on how truely blessed I am in life.  I couldn't wait to get home to my wife and sons whom I love dearly and share with them my second love, the love of triathlon yet again.

Suffering..

I have had a lot of time to contemplate various topics during my long rides and runs while training for Ironman.  One topic that keeps surfacing is the amount of "suffering" one endures when training for and racing an Ironman.  During this morning's 13.5 mile run in the rain I had a lot of time to contemplate this issue. 

Does one really suffer in Ironman?  Let's analyze this a little closer shall we.  Those that compete in Ironman triathlons have put in a lot of miles and time training to be certain.  The have swam, ran and cycled ad nauseam by the time the event takes place.  On race day they will be out on the course anywhere from 8 to 17 hours trying to complete the 140.6 mile course as quickly as they can.  Most assuredly these athletes are exposed to a great amount of physical stress.  But are they suffering?

To further review this question consider these few facts.  Many of these competitors are financially secure.  They spend a lot of money on equipment.  The bikes used in triathlon alone can range anywhere from $1500 to $10,000.  Then you need to upgrade components and add wheel sets and other fine accessories.  You'll need pedals, shoes, helmets, sunglasses, hydration systems, pumps, extra tires, tubes and various other goodies to enable you to get the speed you desire out on the course.  When it's all said and done another $1000+ is easily dropped on this equipment.

You'll need a wetsuit for the swim which run anywhere from $200 to $700.  What good is a wetsuit without a pool to train for the swim?  Pool membership!  How much does that cost?  Goggles?  Swimsuit? Fins and hand paddles?  You get the point.

Running gear.  Just shoes right?  Wrong.  Socks, shoes, shorts, shirts, hat, fuel belt, several pairs of shoes, GPS watch to track your workouts. Etc etc.  Again you get the idea.  Several hundred dollars dropped again.

Coaching?  A lot of people hire a coach to train them to reach their goals.  How much does that cost?  Entry fees for these events?  Several hundred dollars easily.

I could go on and on but you get the idea by now.  All this equipment prepares us to endure and meet the demands of the Ironman and starts to dimish any thought I have of "suffering".

Suffering to me means the children in third world countries who are malnourished and go to bed each night not knowing if they are going to wake up.  Suffering to me is the cancer patient who is battling that dam disease as hard as they can ever day enduring the pain and fighting for their lives.  Suffering to me is the athlete that suddenly finds out they have ALS or MS and their joy in live of movement is soon going to be stripped away from them forever.  Suffering to me is the homeless kids that attend school everyday fearing that their classmates will find out they have no home to go to after school.  I could go on but I think you get the point.

So I ask myself again will I really experience suffering in the Ironman?  Compared to the real suffering that others face in the life, the Ironman is going to be a walk in the park.

My thought from today's long run in the rain.

Weary Week...

The magical number is now 10.  Ten weeks from today is Ironman Arizona.  This week the training really started to put the strain on me.  It's not due to the volume of training but rather trying to squeeze in  training between being a Dad to two very rambunctious young boys, working 55+ hours a week and remaining cognizant not to take my lovely wife's generosity for granted.

Monday was my RDO (regular day off) as usual.  Tuesday morning I awoke early to go to the pool for the first time since the week long maintenance closure.  I wasn't the only one eager to get back in the water as there was a line at the counter at 5:30am.  For whatever reason, the line discouraged me as I knew there would be many people lap swimming and I would undoubtedly have to share a lane.  I turned around and went home.  Tueday night after work I ran for an hour and covered 7.22 miles.  In retrospect, skipping the lap swim on Tuesday started the training strain on my body.  I should have just "nutted up" and swam.

Wednesday morning I went to lap swim and shared a lane as usual and could only muster enough energy to knock out 1600 meters.  I just wasn't into the continuous back and forth.  I knew I was going to pick up my road bike that afternoon from the local bike shop so I was anticipating putting some effort into my hour ride.  I got home a little later than expected that night, dressed and hit the road.  I was going to ride up into the canyon and push the pace harder than most of my mid-week rides.  I rode 20.1 miles in 59:49 averaging 20.2mph.  I felt good with that session which put me back into the right frame of mind.

Thursday morning came and I couldn't get my lazy butt out of bed to get to the pool.  Dam it! Another opportunity wasted.  Get with the program Quigley, you're running out of training time!  Ran after work in the heat and covered 3.64 miles in 30:13 or 8:13 avg/mile which is fast for me.  Again I felt like I regained the training focus.

Friday was another day off but not planned.  I told my boys I would take them to the local harvest festival which featured tractor pulls and MONSTER TRUCKS!  The boys had been chomping at the bit all week to go see the trucks and Friday was opening night.  We had to go on opening night so we could see the inital set of junked cars get mowed down by those Monster Trucks!  The boys loved it and it was well worth missing my scheduled ride as we left for the festival as soon as I got home from work.

Saturday morning came early and I decided to go for my long run on a challenging route that I had ridden plenty of times before but never run.  I knew it involved a long climb with a grade of 7% but I was feeling good and thought it would be a fun challenge.  My training called for a 2:15 run.  I ended up running for 1:45:00 and covered 11 miles.  I was disappointed with myself for not running the entire 2:15 but then I realized how challenging the course was that I chose and accepted it.  Not too bad for a mostly hill work out.  I got home in time to go to lap swim and had a decent time in the pool as I covered 2400 meter (1.49 miles).  Again I felt liked I refocused.

Sunday morning called for a 3 hour ride.  Again I took the road bike out and rode for 3:15.  I rode a course that was a mixture of hills and rolling terrain.  At 30 miles into the ride the wind started blowing directly into me.  One thing I cannot stand is wind on the bike ride.  I tried alternative routes to get it blowing with me or sideways.  At mile 45 it started to rain.  No big deal, it is Oregon afterall.  Rode the last 15 miles home at a decent pace after downing a chocalate GU.  Flushed a pheasant out of the farmer's field along the way and enjoyed getting to the end of the ride.  60.2 miles in 3:15 avg/18.5 mph.  Not too bad considering the weather, the terrain and my struggling this week.  105 miles of total training.

Again I have to acknowledge the support of my wife and sons.   If they didn't give me the latitude they do, I would in no way be able to pull this off.  I love you guys!

Ten weeks baby, ten more weeks.

11 Weeks to Go!

My second week of my 13 week Ironman training is behind me.  It was a week that presented a mixture of challenges.  To start with our local pool was closed for the week for maintenance.  It's an annual closure and I anticipated it.  No big deal, I will just improvise and head over to the YMCA in Salem to use their pool.  A check of their schedule quickly confirmed they too were closed for the week for maintenance.  My third option was to use the municipal pool in Salem, except they were abruptly closed due to lack of funding.  So I scraped my pool workouts this week.   No harm, no foul there as I can swim fairly well.  No real set back.

Monday was regular day off from training.  Tuesday morning I got my 1 hour run in and ran 7 miles before work.  Wednesday had me riding after work and I rode the reverse route into the Santiam canyon.  A 23.1 mile route of which 9 miles was climbing.  I took the road bike out on this work out and quickly discovered that I damaged the rim on last weeks blow out.  My rear tire is extremely out of true and wobbled like a weeble.  To compound matters on that ride, the local farmers were burning their grass seed farms and the air was thick with smoke and ash.  But I made do and rode on for 1:19:00

Thursday called for an easy 30 minute run.  Again I ran in the wee morning hours before work and knocked out 4.31 miles in 38:42.  Thursday night I also succumbed to the prodding of my buddy Trevor and decided to race an Olympic distance triathlon on Saturday.  The triathlon would consist of a 1500 meter swim, 24 mile bike and 6.2 mile run.  I signed up for it at the last minute even though the weather forecast called for RAIN!
See my race report on the blog - Scoggins Valley triathlon.

Friday's schedule was for an hour bike session which I was hesistant to do because of the race on Saturday, but being the stubborn type, I decided a quick spin couldn't hurt. The quick spin turned into 23.1 mile ride after work completed in 1:11:28.  I returned home that night just as the rain was rolling in.

Saturday morning started early as I woke at 4:30, ate and prepared to drive up to Hagg Lake in the pouring rain for the race.  I made the trek north and competed in the race.  After it was all said and done I pulled off a 2:51:13 on this challenging hilly wet course.  In true Oregon fashion, we ignored the rain and had a blast playing outside. 

Sunday called for a three hour ride.  On Friday I dropped off my road bike at the shop to have the chain replaced - nearly 3,000 miles on it - and have the rear wheel trued.  So I would be without my relaxed ride and forced to ride my tri bike. Normally not an issue for me, but the weather was still crap outside!  Rain, WIND, rain and WIND!  I caught a brief break in the weather around noon and managed to squeeze in a 15.4 mile ride in 50 minutes.  The head winds were freaking ridiculous so I called it a day and came home to chill out with the family.

104 miles of training for the week admist some challenges and some weather!  Still a decent training week and another step towards the big show in November.

Scoggins Valley Triathlon

Oregon rain.  It can show up at the most inapporiate times and put a real damper on things.  Such was the case yesterday.  On a somewhat last minute whim and with some prodding from my buddy Trevor, I decided to race - a term I use loosely - in the Scoggins Valley Olympic triathlon.  I had been contemplating doing this race since the beginning of the triathlon season but never got around to planning my full triathlon season as my sole focus has been on training for Ironman Arizona in November.

My training has been going relatively well up to this point and I am in pretty good shape.  I figured why not incorporate a race here or there into the training schedule.  The summer has been a busy one and it seemed to pass by very quickly to the point of missing a lot of triathlons.  So I had to bite the bullet, ignore the weather forecast that called for rain and temperatures in the 60's and take on one of the last opportunities of the season to race an olympic distance triathlon by registering for Scoggins Valley.

True to the forecast it was pouring down rain on race morning.  I left the house at 5:30 in the dark miserable morning to make the hour and half drive north to Hagg Lake.  The rain was just dumping the entire drive and on numerous occassions I contemplated calling it a day before I even got started.  I kept reassuring myself that I was going to use this race as a training day and would take it easy on the course.  Afterall I don't know what the weather will have in store in Arizona come November.  Once I settled down and accepted the fact is was raining and I was going to race in the rain, I was good.

Hagg Lake is a cool park and I have participated in multiple triathlons out there as well as multiple trail runs so I am very familiar with the terrain.  The only thing I knew for certain was that the water didn't effect the fact the hills were still there to be climbed and the challenges would still need to be faced.  The water on the roads would increase the level of caution needed on the bike portion of the race.  To suffer a crash today would be nasty and jeopardize my Ironman event.  I am going to take it easy - no need for speed today or to prove anything.

I arrived at the park to be greeted by a less than normal size field of participants.  It seems the weather kept a lot of people indoors.  No worries.  I put my race number on my bike and helmet, loaded up my gear bag and made my way over to the transition zone.  I ran into Trevor just after getting my body markings with my race number and age group written on my legs in black marker.  As I found my assigned location on the rack, I laughed as Trevor was on the same rack next to me.  Trevor is a stud - the guy can really race and he is a hell of a nice guy as well.  All around good dude.  I shared a laugh with him when I asked if I could  be humilated anymore by having to be racked next to him!  It was all in good fun.

The race director was discussing the challenges of the event today related to the rain.  He told us to pressure down our tires to around 90 psi because 120 psi was too much.  You could instantly hear the air valves releasing air all around the transition zone.  He mentioned the buoys would be hard to see on the swim because of the gray skies.  I would soon be able to attest to that point as well.  We donned our wetsuits and headed down to the lake for a brief swim warm up and more course instructions.

The swim was two laps around the orange set buoys and a return to shore.  Trevor and I confirmed the directions with each other one last time and wished each other the best.  I told him I would see him well after he finished.  The countdown was on; the gun sounded.  I settled into the swim in the front half of the pack and quickly made it to the first orange buoy.  Not too bad.  Then we had to make our way to the furthest buoys and that's where I had a bit of a challenge sighting them in.  No big deal as I was still drafting off a couple of guys in front of me and just followed them.  The second lap proved a little bit more challenging on the sighting as I got a little sidetracked headed towards the first orange buoy for lap two.  I probably lost a couple minutes not swimming in a more direct line.  Oh well it's a training race right?  Twenty six minutes after the gun went off and five minutes behind Trevor I finished the swim.

I made my way up the long carpeted path to the transition zone to get my bike.   Trevor was long gone by then.  There were still a lot of bikes racked so I felt good about my swim.  Threw on my helmet and shoes and ran with my bike through the transition zone to the bike mount line.  I was off.  The first thing I noticed as I headed counterclockwise around the lake is that I had no power in my legs at all for the first section of climbing.  Now I was getting pissed off.  What the hell posessed me to ride 23 miles the night before and tire my legs out?  It's called stubborn stupidity, but I digress.  I was here now and had to make the best of it.  I tried to refocus and tell myself to calm down.  Settle in Quigs, settle in.  I got past the first climb and started on the descent.  Started to really pick up the speed and apprehension about crashing and burning.  I looked down to see the speed odometer posting 37mph.  I remember the words of caution from the race director and tempered myself.  Crossing the dam and heading out on Scoggins Valley road would give me the only glimpse of Trevor on the bike as he was well on his way to making the climb on the second half of the first loop.  Go get em Trev!  I made the turn on the out and back portion and started my climb. 

My triathlon bike is different than my road bike and at several points along the climb, I was sucking wind hauling my 205lbs up that incline.  I reassured myself it was almost over and that I only had to climb it once more.  No sweat, I motored on.  I really held back on my bike as I really didn't want to crash and my overall bike time reflects it.  About 2 miles out from finishing the bike leg, my saddle becomes loose and is shifting back and forth under my weight.  Not good, but another thing I have to deal with.  I just keep clenching my thighs against the seat to prevent it from moving anymore.  At about 1.5 miles to the bike finish, I hear Trevor say "nice work Quigs"!  Trevor is well on his way in the run. After a 1:21 bike split,  I make it back to the transition zone, rack the bike and head off for a 6.2 mile run.

Running has never been my forte and something I have really worked at for years to try and improve.  My legs felt suprisingly good on the run after the challenging bike.  I settled into a training pace for me with the goal of just knocking out the 10k without too much effort.  This portion of this race has always been my nemesis in the past.  The run course has several rolling hills and I have always ended up walking sections in the past.  I was determined to not let that be the case today.  I pulled down the brim of my hat down and focused on the task at hand.  As I was coming over the rise of one of the hills at mile 2, I met Trevor on his return at mile 4.  A quick handslap and  effort acknowledgement and we continued on our way.  I made it to the turn around and knew it was only another 3.1 miles until my training race was over.  I settled in with several other runners on the return for a nice pace, slammed down an gel pack and before I knew it pass the 6 mile sign.  A quick .2 mile sprint into the finish line ended the day with a run of 56:35.  My overall time was 2:51:13  Much to my surprise, that time is a course PR for me by well over 10 minutes! Not bad for a training race on what turned out to be a fun filled day regardless of the rain.

I caught up with Trevor briefly at the end of the race to find out that he took 3rd overall and 1st in his age division.  Great effort bro!  Nice work!

All in all it's just another great adventure in my blessed life.

Ticket in Hand!

Well I am yet another step closer to competing in Ironman Arizona 2009.  Tonight I purchased a plane ticket that will get my ass to Phoenix, Arizona 11 weeks from this Thursday.  Whoa! 

Each passing day of training increases the excitement and compounds the anxiety of the evernt for me.   Visualization helps relieve the anxiety as I continue to see myself crossing the finishing line and hearing Mike Reilly utter those infamous words....Brian Quigley you are an Ironman!

How I will react to hearing those words is unknown.  It won't be the words spoken but rather the accomplishment itself which will generate the greatest emotion.

Almost time for the test!

Week One is Done!

So the first week of a scheduled 13 week Ironman training program is complete. This week covered 122 miles in 12.25 hours of training.

Monday - RDO's (regular days off/recovery days).

Tuesday- Late afternoon run. 1 hour run = 6.58 miles. Relaxed, easy pace. Scheduled lap swim moved to Wednesday due to other obligations.

Wednesday - Morning lap swim of 2000 meters - 1.2 miles Not a bad workout although I had to share a lane and was pressed for time due to some work issues. Early evening bike ride into the canyon. Fourteen miles into the ride I have a pretty good blow out - not just a flat - a blow out on my rear tire. Initally I thought I might have thrown a spoke, but they were all intact. Changed the spare out and the spare had an issue with the presta valve stem. Each time I would inflate it with my C02 cartridge, it would lose air. It took me three attempts and 2 C02 cartridges before I could get just enough air in the tire to get home. It's a good thing I made it as I was still 9 miles from the house and nobody was answering their phones! Still made pretty good time getting home. 22 miles covered at an average of 19mph even with a half flat tire.
Further inspection at home revealed the tire was shredded in places. Had to replace both tires on my bike that weekend.

Thursday - Morning lap swim 2250 meters - 1.4 miles. Good workout nobody else really in the pool. Late afternoon run for 30 minutes, 3.58 miles.

Friday - Hectic day at work; great after work ride. Took the triathlon bike out and rode for 22 miles in 70 weather after the rain had cleared. Very nice country ride. No rednecks to bother me.

Saturday morning - 11.1 mile run in 1:45. Chaffing!! Hate that nonsense! Inner thighs destroyed by nasty friction. Applied body glide before the run but apparently not enough. Note to self - apply generously next long run. Off to lap swim at noon for an hour. Knocked out straight 2000 meters and followed up with another 500 of mixed sets. 2500 meters - 1.55 miles total. Felt good except I was starving and walking funny the remainder of the day. Kept applying the A&D ointment to my chaffing to prepare me for Sunday's 3 hour ride.

Sunday morning - 55 mile / 3 hour ride out in the country in the mid 60 degree weather. You can definitely tell fall is in the air. Great ride though out in Oregon wine country. Grapes abound on this route. Beautiful morning to get a good ride in. 55 miles / 18.9 mph avg.

Sunday afternoon - My very supportive and always loving wife and I had a nice lunch together after we left the boys with grandma. I have to tell you all again that I couldn't and wouldn't be doing Ironman without the love and support of my wife and boys. I am so very blessed to have them as my life. I love them immensely.

All in all a great week of training. Never felt exhausted. This program seems to be the perfect balance between training, work and family. We'll see how the coming weeks develop but I am feeling more prepared with each passing day.

Week One Nearly Done

The first week of my 13 week Ironman training program is nearly over. I have a 3 hour ride scheduled tomorrow that I am hoping to get out of the way early in the morning so I can close the chapter on week one. Once I finish the ride I will post a reflection on the week's training.

Just think, 12 weeks from tonight I will be laying in a hotel room in Arizona gripped with the uncertainty of what the following day will bring. I will calmly remind myself that I trained for this event for the last 12 months and the day is finally here to show myself what I am made of and more than capable of accomplishing.

The goose bumps are forming on my skin and the hair on the back of my neck is standing up....eager anticipation of an enormous undertaking.

13 Weeks to a 13 hour Ironman - Training Program

Today marked the official start of my 13 week Ironman training program. The program is designed for the intermediate triathlete who already has an established base and has set a goal of finishing an Ironman in 13 hours or less. After reading through the training schedule I believe this is the best training program for me.

Today's training calls for an hour of swimming and a hour run. The swimming workout will be moved to tomorrow morning as I had other committments today that prevented me from getting to lap swim. The run was relatively easy at a relaxed pace around 9:05/mile. I covered 6.58 miles in the 1 hour. I probably need to slow it down a bit in training as this is the pace I am hoping to maintain on the marathon portion of the Ironman. My best pace for a full marathon was 9:05/mile at the Newport Marathon but that was on fresh legs without having to swim 2.4 miles and bike 112 miles before setting off on the marathon run. So I may need to slow it down.

Since registering for Ironman 9 months ago I have logged over 2300 miles of base training. Hopefully, I am in a position now to knock out this 13 week training program and be ready to roll through the event with 2000 other athletes in Tempe, AZ this November.

I'll try to keep updating everyone as the training continues.

Cover Bridge Ride Training ride.

God is great, beer is good and people are crazy! Those are the lyrics to a song that was playing this morning when I was preparing for my ride. I had to smile listening to the song as I got my bike ready to hit the road. Little did I know how much relevancy those lyrics would hold towards my 50 mile ride. Today's ride was the first ride of any real distance that I would be attempting since dealing with severe back pain for the about the last week and a half.

I woke up around 6:15 and spent some time with the family before bidding them farewell and hitting the road. I decided I would ride the covered bridge route today which would cover 50 miles. Living in the Santiam Canyon provides ample opportunities to ride your bike on country roads that are realtively free of traffic with drivers willing to share the road. The challenges of riding in the canyon are the incessant head winds and the rolling hills. But I try to keep that in perspective as it should make me a stronger rider training out here.

The temperature was around 65 degrees with the winds coming in from the north. As I cycled out for the first 15 miles or so I found myself averaging 22mph and I got caught up in my cadence. When this happens I have a tendency to miss the beautiful scenery so I have to constantly remind myself to take in the country side. This is where I thank God for giving me the ability to experience his creations on two wheels. Today's ride in the country was no exception. The scenery is incredible as I roll along.

Today I reminded myself to keep hydrating and eating even though I wasn't hungry or thirsty. Regulating my nurtition is going to be essential to finshing Ironman Arizona so I try to train in that manner with each ride. Today was successful as I downed 2 16oz bottles of fluids and ate Cliffbars and Accelerade gel.

At mile 27, I nearly lost my wedding ring as it slid out from under my riding gloves to the end of my finger. I reacted quicly to this and clenched my fist preventing the ring from slipping off into oblivion. I can only imagine the scorn of my wife had that happended. I pulled over, slipped off my ring and put it into my spare tire pouch so I wouldn't have to worry about it any longer and could concentrate on the 3 mile hill climb in front of me.

The hill wasn't bad and the descent was fun even though the headwinds slowed my speed. As I rode on and looked around me, I can tell the summer is quickly coming to a close and fall is beckoning. All the farmers have started their fall harvest and the remaining crops in the field are trying their hardest to take advantage of the waining hours of sunlight. Autumn is my favorite season and knowing that it will be here quickly signals the reality that Ironman Arizona is 13 weeks out from this weekend. Lots more training to do before the big day.

There are 3 covered bridges along this route and they are something to be experienced. The last bridge of the 3 is at mile 40 and pictured above. This is where the encouter with Mr. Redneck asshole occurred. I am heading north on Richardson Gap road and Mr. Jackass is headed south on the opposite side of the road. I guess someone must have pissed in his Wheaties this morning as he wasn't having a good day. He decided to stick his fat ass head out of the window of his horse trailer hauling Ford F150 and berate me for riding on his road. I quickly exchanged pleasentries with him and kept riding. I was just laughing at this belligerent jackass and wished him a day of being thrown of his horse for acting like a horses ass.

Remember the song lyrics? God is great, beer is good and people are crazy? Well this is where the crazy part of the song has significance for today's ride. The remaining 10 miles of the ride were a mix of hills with one really brutal climb which I knock out thanks to the encouragement of Mr. Jackass.

I pulled into the garage after the ride and heard this song on the radio. The lyrics were God is great, beer is good and people are crazy. I smiled and agreed as I headed into the house ready to eat and enjoy a beer.