Good week..

Good week of running/riding this week. I feel like I'm getting in better shape although the endurance still needs to improve. My knee is really starting to feel better. I've noticed that I'm not having as much pain during everyday activities (kneeling, walking, bending etc.).

Trying to keep my heart rate within the Zone 1 is tough. If I run it jumps above 150 and as I walk it drops below 130. Maybe in time the endurance will improve and I'll be able to keep in within the range (or maybe as I get closer to the Tri the training will call for me to be in Zone 2 for the duration of the exercise).

Biking is great. This is the Tri leg that is most worrisome. Although I completed it last time, it was slow...very slow. So I'm a bit encouraged at my progress so far. However, I found that the bike leg this year is 2 miles longer than in 2005. The last race was in June and the tail wasn't completely dry so they cut it short. Now that it's in August, no luck. PRAY FOR RAIN!

This week Mtn Bike stats: Mueller Park - 45 Minutes - 3.1 Miles
We'll see how this stands up versus the next 12 weeks.

Nothing much to say...

I haven't spent a lot of time with Matt so there aren't any funny tales to share. I'll try to get him out so for everyone's future enjoyment.

Last week was the first official week of training. It went well though I skipped the swimming portion. Since I know what to expect this time I'm not spending too much energy there. Especially since it now costs me $5 for 20 minutes in the pool. I figure I'll do an extra bike session for the next couple of weeks until Oakridge opens and I can swim there for free (and it's only 2 minutes from my house).

This week I've got a 30 minute swim (bike substitute), 30 minute run and 45 minute bike scheduled. Ryan will be joining me on the bike and I'll round up Matt for a day that I'm sure will be full of suprises.

Enjoy the new pictures...I'm hoping that I'll drop some 'lbs' so I'm wont have to peddle all of that fat up the mountain for 12 miles this year. Somehow I can't find the pictures of me at the finish line...so you'll have to take my word, I did finish in 2005.

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Out of Shape...

Well, it's been a little while. Turns out something has happened with my work computer and it's not posting my blog. I had a funny one that I will try to recount now but I'm sure it won't be as good as the original. I'm getting a new laptop at work next week so hopefully I'll be able to post from there which makes it easier to post regularly.

Mtn Biking with Matt = expect the unexpected
Mtn Biking with Ryan = at least your car won't be stolen

I went mtn. biking with Matt and Ryan over a week ago. What an experience! We started up the trail and we all needed a brief rest about 5 minutes into it. After that I started up the mtn and didn't look back. About 10 minutes later I stopped to wait for the others. Matt soon arrived and we had a break. Then Matt wanted to go...I said we should wait for Ryan but Matt said he was already down the mountain. Turns out he was a little tired. So we continued.

After 30 minutes I started down the mountain and met Matt climbing the trail. We turned and started down. I decided to stop and wait for Matt a few minutes later to make sure he hadn't flew off the side of the mountain. NO MATT! Where is he? After 15 minutes and afraid he'd been 'jumped' by a Mountain Lion I started UP the hill for the second time. Soon enough Matt rounds the corner and exclaims "Flat Tire!" Neither of us has a pump but we know that Ryan does...who happens to be providing Auto Security and the bottom of the hill. I decide to head down and get the pump. At the bottom I find Ryan on lookout for Polynesian carjackers. Then I start up the hill for the THIRD time! Ryan notices that this time it's easier as he's now warmed up (adrenaline from the Polynesian possibilities).

Anyway we find Matt...Ryan and I fix his tire and we're done for the day with no other incidents.

I start official training for August 18th on May 14th (Monday). I think that I've got a solid plan and just need to keep to the schedule and start to eat a little better to lose the excess lb's.

I'll do a better job updating. A little more than three months until race day.

The Pipeline!! (well, half of it)...

Went yesterday and rode the Pipeline trail which is located up Millcreek Canyon. I told Matt that I'd never been up Millcreek Canyon but he reminded me that we had spent a few days there 22 years ago when we were Cubs & Webloes. Those were the days...spent panning for gold in the river. Thinking back the gold was actually a silver color and looked a lot like a rock soaked in glue and rolled in sparkles. But '49er Jack' insisted the stuff was real. I should have offered to sell him some of my loot. The other thing I remember about those camps is that at one point they took us on a hike and during the hike they were piping Indian chants from some speakers in the trees. They told us we had to be quiet or the Indians would hear us and come get us. That was enough for me to hold all bodily noises til later. Matt says that there aren't any engines now days but it's more of a Harry Potters Magical Cub Wizard day. Too bad, everyone needs to be chased by engines sometime in their life.

Anyway back to the Pipeline. Unfortunately the gate was closed to cars so we had to park and bike up the canyon or about 1.5 miles. Matt didn't look too pleased about that detour. We slowly peddled up the canyon and finally made it to the trail. I had one flashback to 6/25/05 . As Matt and I were walking up the canyon during a portion some 80 lb lady comes flying up the canyon. I recognized her as the same lady who we drove past 2 miles earlier. Uhh, I guess I've still got a ways to go.

We started the trail...things were pretty good. Matt took a awkward fall into some tall grass while trying to avoid a dog. Pretty funny from behind. I went down trying to make a switchback turn. I've never really been too good at those turns as Eric and 1/2 the pine trees in Mueller Park Canyon can attest to. Every once in a while I still get that smell of pine tar that comes out of nowhere.

We were going smooth until we came to a fork in the road. Matt pointed out that if we went to the right, there was a great view of the valley. He then decided to take the one less traveled and we soon found out why. It lead to the street where our car wasn't parked. So we biked back up the hill and continued. 15 minutes later we reached another fork. I joked that if we went to the right there was a lovely view of the Valley. Matt laughed...and went left. Around the bend I found Matt standing next to the river as he almost went off the bridge for a swim. He almost missed the bridge! He then mentioned that he didn't remember the bridge ever being there. Do you know why? Because we were on the other road less traveled. We soon found ourselves on the street where our car wasn't parked. I wasn't biking back up the hill so we rode down the pavement to our car. Maybe next time we'll do then entire trail and I'll go first.

Overall a pretty nice trail. I don't know how I ever rode Mueller Park with no suspension. My arms/hands take a beating now. Anyway I'd like to do the complete trail sometime. Just a word of advice, STAY RIGHT!

BTW, I bought a heart rate monitor yesterday and spent 3 hours I finally figured out how it works. As I've read, there are some major benefits to keeping your heart rate in certain zones during workouts (increased weight loss, more efficiant workouts etc.) Anyway you wear a small chests strap and a watch. The strap sends a signal to your watch which tells you about everyting you want to know. Before I knew it it was telling me I had to go to the bathroom again. More about the monitor in the next issue.

At least there was no puke...

A rough weekend followed by a rough night. I started the weekend at 3:45 am Saturday morning in the parking lot of the Davis Applied Technology Center. Turns out that in order to get your child into the Knowlton Elementary preschool program, you have to sacrifice your sleep. Allie got home at 12:00 from the dance competition so I volunteered to sit outside with the moms to try to get the kids in. Upon arrival and seeing tents pitched, it didn't look so good. Finally at 8:00 we found out that I was #29 and they only let in 26. As you can imagine no exercise that day...just rest!

Sunday...just very tired.

Monday I woke up feeling ok but that soon changed. My body started to hurt and it went downhill after that. I went to bed at 7:00. No exercise, no puke.

Today I'm feeling a little better...still a little sore. I think I'll lay off one more day and see how tomorrow is. Matt and I are supposed to Mtn. Bike tomorrow afternoon.

I've put my training schedule together and official training begins May 14th. It's a 14 week program. I remember there were a couple of people who said they were going to do the tri themselves. I haven't heard any updates but if you want a copy of the schedule let me know. I can 't seem to figure out how to post it here.