outside in the arrowhead

the wait intensifies

2012-02-01T22:34:00.005-06:00

Well, if you wanted a shot at being on the roster for the Leadville 100 MTB Race then you had better gotten your shit in to registration yesterday! Been chatting w/former Peace Coffee teammates whom I keep in touch over how many of them have tried twice and never successfully made the cut. So, as the saying goes, "only time will tell."

What a mess!!!

2012-01-12T01:34:00.004-06:00

Last month, it had appeared Verona, WI has been absent from receiving any form of precip for quite sometime. Ground frozen deep and hard made the circuit really fast. The profile would suit me well as there was a good amount of elevation gain/loss. Often it is the least expected that happens during cyclocross races, like, not unclipping at the base of the railroad-tie staircase on the opening lap and losing contact w/the two leaders. Apparently, I jarred my tuke that I was wearing under my helmet forward when I laid myself out during that digger. So, while giving chase, my vision was obstructed by that damn thing and there wasn't enough room for me to cram it back up w/gloved fingers. In hindsight, I should have just stopped and taken my helmet off to remove it but playing the coulda-shoulda-woulda game is something not worth dwelling on for me. Passing over the barriers I realized that I had to hand off my glasses to Chris on the next lap in order to deal w/my problem. I'd bring back one of the guys on the bell lap to stand 2nd on the podium and leave w/a little cash for supper in the Dells on the way home!!
If this sight is appalling then cyclocross is not for you!

Returning last week proved to be an entirely different challenge @ the same venue. When everyone heard Wisconsin in January to host Cyclocross Nationals, expectations were for nothing but ice, snow, and freezing temperatures. Instead, conditions looked similar to a fall weekend, however, to us riding it was like something we don't get many opportunities to practice. During the holidays, they got a little snow, it melted, turned into a skating rink prior to opening day of racing, and lastly.....unseasonable warmth! Chatting amongst fellow racers at our hotel the night before that got a chance to pre-ride on Tuesday, said, "if you race later in the afternoon then don't bother checking it in the morning as conditions change by the hour." So, Jen & I would hang low in a conference room and dork away time on the iPAD until it seemed appropriate to drive over to Badger Prairie Park. It was really nice having Jen there as this was the only event of my season that just her & me got to make alone and it was a classy one. We walked a lot of the course watching another race going on prior to mine and quickly observed how much trouble athletes were having keeping the rubber side down. My best description is, imagine moving over frozen soil that was rock hard except for the top 1/4-inch thawing under you upon making contact. Turning in the corners had speeds being reduced as no ruts were able to form makeshift berms. I was going back & forth on tire pressure as mechanics in the pits were switching it up constantly. Getting the nod from a USCF official in the booth that the course was free to be on, I went out to hopefully grasp things. Well, that didn't happen, I was all over the map but chose to keep this to myself rather that share it w/Jen. She likes to get really competitive and kick me in the ass when my tone of voice isn't to her liking. According to other sanctioned events, the points system predicted that I would suck which meant I barely got called up in staging to begin in the 5th row!!!!! Fortunately, it was a clean start that saw no crashes. About two minutes into the first lap a rider went down in a turn and I rammed into his back w/my front wheel. Straddling my stem, I almost suffered an endo but escaped unscathed by shuffling around him. Oddly enough, it was definitely more tricky to be running than pedaling. The slick nature of everything quickly intimidated me which got under my skin but I refused to go down w/o valiant effort. I took every risk within my ability but gaining time on riders ahead of me just seemed impossible. Equipment choice for once put a governor on each rider but those possessing mad skills factored into the equation too. On my limit, I'd dab the ground many times during moments of helplessness...wondering...is this my best or is there any way to eek out advancing??? In the end, I finished 24th which came fine to me. My peak flew by maybe a week and a half earlier as I lost sharpness but didn't fade as splits proved. For me, having the bell lap quickest of all when my bike weighed 3x as much w/organic matter sticking to it brought joy. However, finding out the water truck went dry just before I got in line, put me in another mood.

Kind of strange to begin a new year in a race of such high caliber but how can a guy complain. I won't be seen in any form competition for the remainder of winter as my body & mind need a break. Getting outdoors amongst like-minded runners on the snomo trail is echoing to me from the woods. Ambitions surrounding this idea will reveal big desires in the future.

a new toy from SANTA

2012-01-01T23:03:00.000-06:00

It's all about tread selection of the rubber on your wheels and psi for cyclocross should you choose to race into January. This past week, I rode it too low where I was bottoming out the rim on the ground and too high where things felt like a marble on glass. Since the weather is changing daily this winter, selecting the firmness in my tires has been a crapshoot. Until, I was granted this present...

...who needs a floor pump when you've got a hand held air compressor?!

no more guessing w/a digital inflator to the tenth(39.2)

1 of 2 battery packs

& the charger to give 'em juice

sense of discipline

2011-12-26T20:35:00.001-06:00

I told myself that I wouldn't succumb to holiday decadence. Yeah right, foolish me, to think a line such as that would hold up! Rating my actions leaves me even more saddened as I believe a complete implosion occurred. Although, I'm basing my lack of energy and muscular weakness on the fact that most of what Jen & I prepared in the kitchen all last week is not very nutrient dense. So, I've cracked the whip on diet and have gotten focused once again. Feeling back to normal returns quickly when I eat healthy. Plus, it is easier for me to keep oriented while training.

course inspection

2011-12-09T01:34:00.001-06:00

Two weekends ago, I left Johnson County Fairgrounds in good spirits knowing things clicked, even though, my results wouldn't indicate it. Weather became the obstacle and if you were able to keep your bike upright in the slippy mud then you were golden! My handling skills were fabulous along w/legs to match. However, lady luck wasn't on my side as I found a circular steel drainage grate hidden in a deep latte-colored puddle as we rolled thru a cattle pen. Immediately, when I doinked my front wheel off it the white Stan's sealant began to spit out of the tire. Thinking it might clot, I continued to go but upon taking a 180-degree turn to move on under the flyover, my rim bottomed out. DNF on Saturday. I was told by countless spectators and racers alike, the "W" surely was mine to be lost and I knew it too!! At 10:20 again the next morning, temperature dropped, and the rain stopped. I didn't have the same snap as the previous outing which showed during warm-up hot laps. Regardless, there was so much rage burning inside me from misfortune. Call-ups must have been of a random method because I had to start second row this time. With heavy fencing enclosing the paved straight, it was nearly impossible to get the holeshot prior to the first muddy corner. I have no fear of taking risks that impact solely myself but when the consequences ruin the efforts of a fellow competitor, that is too selfish for me. We quickly caught the wave of women that went out a minute earlier and the chaos was intense!!! The soil absorbed standing water from yesterday but it was still greasy and peanut butter in nature. Every left and right I hollered, the person would take the line rather than free it for me. Crashing twice into marking tape/stakes and a handful of almosts put the white flag in the air until the bell lap. Seeing the crushed look on Jen's face after she heard the loud speaker announce I abandoned the race on Saturday as I walked over had me refuse to repeat that image. By this point, I think the Gobble Gallop was even surfacing as the cranks were getting hard to spin. My poor attitude during the middle portion of the race, blinded me of what actually remained. Passing a couple more gave me 5th on the ride which is probably more than I deserved. Iowa granted me the same placement two consecutive weekends but allowed for many lessons learned. This was a difficult week ending w/brutal sickness on the drive north.

Otherwise, I've recovered since and have been stockpiling time on the bike out in the cold. Also, holiday eating is in full swing already which has treated me well following illness. I don't allow myself to behave like a teenage girl when it comes to food, especially, now that the seasons are changing and putting additional stress on our bodies. Besides, I like to indulge in Christmas festivities!!!!

Tomorrow, Chris Rubesch is giving me an opportunity to carpool w/him down to Madison for Badger Cross. He'll be the second ultrarunner that has shown interest in knowing what the cyclocross scene encapsulates. We'll be departing later this afternoon and staying w/his sister. Mary, another friend of his will be joining us too. Saturday, I'm going to head over to the venue and get familiar w/every turn, off-camber, run-up, etc. Watching how some of the racers negotiate the course will also be on the agenda. Sunday, the singlespeed race kicks off the morning @ 9 AM. I've done my homework in the mud...lets see whether I pass the test on snow & ice...

doing laundry w/Ben

2011-12-05T10:49:00.002-06:00

While @ Jingle Cross Rock, our camper ended up being parked next to Ben Berden! Later, Josh & I happened to meet up w/him in the Marriot, which played as the race weekend hotel. A bunch of us shared a washer and dryer since not many items were needing attention from each individual. Cool guy who speaks both Dutch and English, plus, a real bad ass on the bike. Another example, don't judge from all the ink you see on the surface. Jen & Natalie gave him the nickname "waffle" but we kept it undisclosed as he has probably heard that one before. Enjoy the video link as much as we enjoyed talking w/his mechanic about the steeds!!

Leadville Lottery

2011-12-03T21:48:00.002-06:00

Well, this evening I decided to submit my info for a possible entry into the Trail 100. So, if I get picked then plenty of motivation to sit in the coffee shop and eat pastries will hit me. Did that come out wrong?

Living History Farms

2011-11-23T13:14:00.003-06:00

Damn! Fall season is the best!! I've got 3 races in the next 4 days so I haven't got time to document life experiences, otherwise, I miss out on living life. Putting it plain & simple, you need to make your way down to Urbandale, IA for this one. Great cross country atmosphere about this venue and those creek crossings make it extremely fun!!!

I did the cyclocross race later in the afternoon following cheers to my teammates during their run in the morning. There was one enbankment that riders had to, literally, toss their machines up and figure how to get just themselves out. Many ropes were strung down to be used should a person felt the need. Missing an early selection left me battling the wind in the open fields alone which was my fault and must have occurred while snoozing?!. However, I fought hard to roll over the line in 5th place. That makes a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th on the year to date. Maybe I've got a win coming this weekend back down @ Jingle Cross Rock.

Along w/stimulating discussions on coffee, eating Mongolian, I really enjoyed my trip. Check out a sweet video that my good friend Tony captured of me here.

TREAD

2011-11-15T11:36:00.001-06:00

I use it. I helped build it. I vow to maintain it. I advise you to check it.

honoring their service

2011-11-05T22:39:00.004-05:00

Barb & Gene Curnow have been synonymous to trail running in northern MN for decades. They'll be stepping down from duties that they've volunteered many hours, days, weeks, months, years, etc. While someone may take positions once filled by them, NOBODY WILL EVER REPLACE THEM!! The final NMTC race of the fall series is out @ Pine Valley in Cloquet tomorrow afternoon which marks the last time Barb will hold a clipboard and Gene will remove pink ribbon from branches as he sweeps the course. I got word about this after deciding not to race my bike this weekend as my legs need a serious time-out! Regardless, I'm heading out there w/intent to run the course because it will be new to me and feel obligated to show my appreciation.

Textbook periodization of 3 up/1 down is where I'm sitting right now. Plus, my timing couldn't be any better since the end of this month is huge for me. Body & mind were really affected by some hard racing lately and I had difficulty carrying out a standard week of conditioning as mechanicals left me in doubt. Rhythm is everything at this point in the year because my workload is so trivial. All effort is put into honing maximal proficiency assuming the individual has done enough to enjoy the fruits of labor.

Jen and I spent the evening watching a local magician and renaissance juggler Tuey Wilson perform down @ the Scottish Rite Auditorium to benefit her friend Chani's theater group. Incredible acts that should have been publicized...

Red Barn CX Classic

2011-11-01T11:19:00.001-05:00

A favorite of mine is to head south for Taylors Falls around Halloween weekend each season, as Erickson Brothers Tree Farm hosts a kick-ass venue for some high octane racing! Dry sand & grass, 90-degree turns w/o berms, railroad tie climb, and a bubble machine!!! Two years ago, I was second on the podium in the singlespeed category and I showed up confident that my chances of bettering it were good....until the race started!! Holeshots are important in cyclocross, especially, when the course doesn't offer much opportunity for passing. I couldn't clip my left foot into the pedal to save my life which immediately created a lot of work for me giving chase. I really enjoy leading this race from the front as it suits my strengths but instead, I'm caught up following riders fumbling around like it was their first time on a bike. Arid conditions made a dust storm rise quickly and I'd be entering corners just praying nobody hit the deck because I coudn't see a thing. Preriding the track that was set out looked similar to previous years, so, I figured I'd stay out of the shrubs. My composure was better than usual as I resigned to wait for openings during a few early laps as it became evident that leapfrogging in traffic was taking huge chunks of energy and I wasn't too sure whether my legs were on this afternoon. I was absolutely killing the run-up and negotiating the barriers smoothly as well but my confidence maintaining momentum in the corners was kryptonite. During warmups, I had a near crash that scared the shit of me and I just don't think I got over it come showtime. However, it was obvious that I continued to grab back seconds here and there. Each time passing the start/finish I'd hear the announcer talk position but it later turned out he was speaking of the guy I was after. Catching riders to the place that I thought was 2nd, turned out I was sitting 3rd. With two to go, I punched it threw this sweeping rise & down to the twisty maze. Along the way, I glanced over at riders on a different section of the course and missed a left hand turn entirely when I rode into stakes and tape. By the time I unwrapped myself, that was it, opportunity was lost to bridge the leaders. I stood on the shortest of logs(used as podiums) to accept my bronze position(branded wooden medallion).

A perk to this event is there is always BBQ pork, baked goods, and beer. I was fortunate that TPC club members Greg & Jeanne Fleck came all the way down to Lakeside from Proctor to allow me to carpool w/them in order to share these experiences.

pay day @ BAYCROSS

2011-10-26T11:02:00.000-05:00

I recall it was a week ago Monday, two days after the 50K and feeling 75% recovered. There's was no doubt in my mind that this would be the opening 'cross weekend for me. Residual soreness & fatigue were present but that is expected. However, on Wednesday I went for a run on the COGGS loop and there was hardly a sign of what I did only a handful of days earlier! Recovery is definitely the key factor I base how well everything is going for me and my knowledge is apparently improving each year because I would have never dreamed of racing cyclocross the following Saturday/Sunday of Wild Duluth!! This was the perfect double-header to open at too as they are low-key events, unsanctioned, AND CHEAP($25 both days). Hell, you can't even do one at that price in the TC at some venues anymore. Plus, Ashland is easier on the gas tank to go back-n-forth.

On Saturday, I was fortunate enough to have Tony come along for company as he wanted to experience his first cyclocross race and shoot some video of the action. Prentice Park would be the site and the course was not looking to suit the strengths of a singlespeeder. Many long, flat, and straight pieces had me spinning really high RPMs to stay in contact between the lesser portions of rutted doubletrack and greasy singletrack. Only a pair of barriers & taped 180s, a tiny run-up, and a sandbox didn't forced people off their bikes often. Midway thru our 60 minutes I became surprised w/the depth I had in my legs. I was counterattacking every move and even throwing in some of my own. Full throttle mentality of these races came to me immediately and it hurt so good. Mechanicals and crashs would put riders up & down in rank. My afternoon was clean and finished w/perhaps the best sprint I've ever found myself in. I was drilling the sand every lap, floating thru it effortlessly, which is the card I played entering one final time. Bridging up to a guy I'd been dueling w/since the early going, I swung wide and we sprayed granules of sand simultaneously but I made it out sooner and over the roots at the base of a tree where we'd hand a 90-degree right into the line. That effort got me 4th place which is far better than anticipated. Tasty food in beans & rice, salsa, desserts, etc. closed a beautiful installment and had me pumped to return for another hour of power!!!

The next morning, Sunday would have me going over solo as Jen is busy w/the Haunted Ship. Arriving to see Bayview Park and the features it had to offer sent positive vibes immediately. It was most certainly a power course where a lot of course marking tape was used to create many S-turns in the trees, out-n-back on a wooden pier before rolling down from it on a sheet of plywood to the beach where a hill awaits on the other side, triple barrier section, off camber, very little straight, and gentle rolling. Knowing all of this, I decided to go for the holeshot and won it to set pace in the race and establish rhythm w/o following a wheel. I led the whole first lap and then local fast guy, Aaron Swanson, pulled near my side gesturing, "are you on?" So much variety made it difficult to roll together as no single rider was identical in skills. He went ahead which put myself in no man's land for the remainder of the race. There was a pair of riders chasing me about eight seconds back and figured they might be working in shifts to pull me in(later I'd find out that wasn't the case). Nothing changed beyond that and my gap was maxed out. Second step on the podium is where I ended up. Combined scoring of both races also put me in 2nd place overall for $75 cash! I only spent forty bucks on fuel, so, I came out ahead. Don't we wish they could all be like that.?! Local farms supplied grilling items and mother nature let us get out of there just before the rain.

to be hunted by the DBD

2011-10-17T14:04:00.003-05:00

Half of the Death Before Dishonor clan took on the challenge of the Wild Duluth 50K this past Saturday. What a glorious day it was! Last month, I noticed a couple awesome guys in Big Buff & Jeremy Kershaw on the list of registrants and just couldn't pass up in joining 'em. A few weeks back, my confidence was slightly below where I wanted it to be in regards to aerobic base. So, I put myself thru a personal boot camp and passed w/flying colors which gives me certainty that I'm going to be able to last until 'cross nationals in early January. Never exceeding 3 hours on a single run(despite pacing Tony @ Sawtooth 100) nor 5 hours on a bike effort this whole year had me questioning my quality versus quantity approach this season.

Shivering on the start line @ Oldenburg Point in Jay Cooke S.P. signaled perfect weather lies ahead. Many leaves blanketed the Superior Hiking Trail which played as the course and is a vicious duo under such circumstances. You'd be a fool to underestimate the gravel grinding prowess of my two friends even when they take on an endurance endeavor on foot(instead of bike). If you do then you'll probably wind up on the flip-side of the coin from victory. Nestling in behind them on the front row kept me patient and away from my usual pin it hard attitude in the early going of ultras. Light conversation evolved over the first sector but when arriving at the Grand Portage T.H. it became immediately obvious how the tactics would ensue. I prefer to take a long time @ aid stations in order to attack the course in between while my comrades displayed amazing proficiency by passing thru quickly. I'd arrive sometimes minutes before yet we'd leave together or they'd press on as I stayed back grazing on solid foods. Coming off Ely's Peak is where I employed a technique I've read about that involves leading w/a hip(carioca) to save the quads on hard descents. Especially, since the ground changed from dirt to rock. Doing it earlier in the more dense forest was high risk of rolling an ankle but I knew it would be crucial in the longevity of shredding muscle fibers. Big Buff made the decisive move of the day by crushing the downhill from Magney/Snively to the base of Spirit Mountain. I wanted this day to be a solid workout but minimizing the damage too. However, I couldn't resist chasing and it was on!!! I smacked my toes on hidden rocks and roots but caught back up on the ascent to the summit of where a ridiculous 138 steps await us(Andy Holak, director counted them). Passing the zoo and I35 lead to the final brutal climb which is Keene Creek bring runners to the Piedmont traverse and lastly, the plummet off Enger Tower to finish in Bafront Park at the entrance. I'd place 9th overall and stopped the clock in 5:19 w/my chasers showing up a brief time later. Creative ceramic spoon & bowl awards filled w/soup made for a great endnote.

TC 10K

2011-10-03T12:21:00.002-05:00

Everything is coming together nicely, to put it plainly! Jen & I headed down to the Saint Paul River Centre on Friday evening check out the TCM Health and Fitness Expo while grabbing my race packet too. We saw local industry reps familiar to us thru the DRC and athletes likewise. The facility is modern and brightly painted in comparison to our DECC. However, I wouldn't say that their arrangement is any better than G-ma's. Picked up a Papa Murphy's pizza on the way to my folks and I was golden.

Game day prep began a little uneasy as I had to research where I'd find espresso @ 5AM. I kid you not, THIS GUY WILL NOT TAKE THE START LINE W/O IT!!! Not to my surprise, Caribou opens their doors early, whew..... Conditions were perfect in the upper 30's for when the horn failed to sound because it froze. I've never competed in any of the events on this weekend but I definitely will be doing the marathon some year after leaving w/a good buzz from the atmosphere. Hearing the announcer say 2,000+ registrants was exciting and I wound recommend it to anybody. Our course was an out-n-back from the state capital. The almost mile long climb up and around the cathedral to Summit Avenue was a great way to get the ball rolling for me. First mile passed in 6:07 which is exactly where I needed to be in order to have any chance at progressing. Turned out, my race would go according to plans as I reached the 5K turnaround @ 18:41 and the return trip came faster yet. Crossing the mats in 37:00 gave me great negative splits and a bewildered sensation over the fact that my training doesn't warrant such a result. I rode my MTB and 'cross bikes near 17 hours during the week but the stale heaviness went away. I finished 5th dude overall and had to gather an arms full of snacks from the tables before leaving to shop for my nephew's b-day party.

Sunday, we chose to be lazy during the morning and eat pastries w/parents while reading the paper. However, Jen was on a mission in the afternoon to shop until she drops or her wallet bursts?! This gave me the opportunity to get my long run in which felt awesome. I got to do a point2point by meeting Jen in the Rosedale parking lot. An hour and 47 minutes was good enough for me and following that we stopped in @ Noodles. Thru a pack of sliders down the chute on the way home and my gut is now ready to begin a new week.....

felt like a BMXer

2011-09-26T11:06:00.006-05:00

Yep, the MN singlespeed championship was hosted by the folks in Saint Cloud this past Saturday morning next to the prison. I haven't done a XC race on the mountain bike in years and this was one of many reasons that got me to head down there. First off, the focus was on the riders doing the 1x1 category! Secondly, I heard fun things about this course and it sounded like forced practice of my weakness. Lastly, I'd rather have this be my opener to racing bikes than have it take place on the cyclocross bike. Plus, it gave me an opportunity to dawn my new skinsuit and make certain that I was comfortable in it(best thing ever).

Weather and trail conditions were perfect. Bright sun rays, temps in the 50's, dry twisty singletrack w/bits of nordic thrown in as connectors. Oh, one final detail...FLAT AS A PANCAKE!!! Straddling my top tube as I wait in staging, a quick observation was made to all the stout gearing that surrounded me...GULP! I left the same ratio on that had been used during 24-hour events which was far < 2:1 @ 34x20. There was a huge prologue on the nordic system to string us out before entering the singletrack for two complete loops. Oh well, I lost minutes during this piece but was content to just enjoy the ride and build on my handling skills. Safely getting thru lap #1 gave me a chance to refresh my memory of carrying momentum thru corners and was eager to chase now. Catching a few guys on lap #2 allowed me the sneak into the top 10. Loads of high cadence pedaling as a result of being under-geared yielded a solid lung-burner(1 hour 15 minutes worth). Removing excess carbon from the motor was accomplished.

Mix & Match

2011-09-18T16:00:00.000-05:00

Motivation, aspiration, desire, or whatever fuels the fire within is the general topic here. In context, for me, being the best all-rounder that is humanly possible seems to be the direction of focus. Training as a specialist in one particular discipline is a strong argumentative idea when talking about performing at your highest level but I'm willing to accept mediocrity across the board in order to be in the game of various fields of play! However, taking on this challenge to compete above & beyond my personal records is something I welcome and is giving me new vigor!! Gregg and I met up this morning for a pleasant run in some drizzle while chatting over said philosophy. We both felt that people often sacrifice so much for a huge build to a grand event(recovery after too). If you're stoked about a certain race then we both say, GO FOR IT but it is nice to leave an exit should you want to chase another goal. Covering all of Bagley and Chester Bowl near his place set me off for the second half alone navigating Hartley, Fryberger Arena, SHT, Amity Creek, and Lester which yielded 2:19. Body parts felt really good while trying to generate some people out of the larger gluteal muscles around the hips. Yesterday, I worked on some technique drills for cyclocross by pulling out some deadfall from the woods to use as a barrier practicing dismounts and remounts. Bobbling a top tube grip in hurdling the log once caused me to somehow twist my foot and made for a sore junction behind the big toe. Any bit of intensity makes it hurt still now but allowing my foot to relax and flex with every stride must have loosened a degree or two...

begone summer---HURRAH!!!!

2011-09-05T20:45:00.001-05:00

Anyone who knows me, is familiar w/how much despise the dog days of July and August. Spending a late afternoon on the Scenic 61, grilling out w/friends that were house sitting near the start line of the G.B. half, put me in an especially good mood because the weather is turning in my favor! Jen and I were discussing how quite often Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends mark the change of seasons. A bonfire just doesn't smell as good on a crappy sultry night....but during autumn....there's nothing like it!! Running w/my buddy Hypo in Hartley this evening in crisp air had us both so rejuvenated. Trails were in nice shape and the sticky mud holes appeared few in numbers. All it took was 70 minutes and we had our quota. My previous two days had me on the bike tearing limb from limb going flat to climbing every BITCH HILL you might think of(even got caught out in a soaker and was lovin' it). However, my gal was along for that portion on the way back from Gill's Cheese and Smokehouse but she proved to be a trooper.

New life experiences showed up too by me getting lured into viewing my first drag show
@ The Main in Superior, WI as it was Pride Week. Lots of pizza pies and libations @ Thirsty Pagan before the entertainment set in a good buzz and it was an eye opener!!!!! Jen's friend Quincy is moving to L.A. which made this his final performance in the Twin Ports.

On a more sensitive note, Jen is having a major elective surgery on Wednesday and so keep her in your thoughts/prayers as it is a difficult recovery.

back on the fatties!!

2011-09-01T11:47:00.003-05:00

Last night, my pal Tony agreed to come w/me to Colorado Springs in EXACTLY ONE MONTH to be the man in the pits. This means I've got to spend a little time on the MTB & test some wheel rebuilds. My head is definitely in ultra mode as I accepted a role to help pace him next week @ the beginning of the year. Plus, this decision will aid in making sure I don't burn out prior to snowshoe as the cyclocross season really is taxing. Oh, here's what I've now got on my plate...

more tentin'

2011-08-23T11:28:00.003-05:00

I spent that past four days up the beautiful north shore in Grand Marais. My mission, put in some quality time w/Jen's family, eat local organic fare in seasonal places that we often miss, & enjoy the always exciting challenges on sections of the SHT!!!

The first happens around the campfire, #2 was accomplished in places like World's Best Donuts, Angry Trout Cafe, & Java Moose. Lastly, the Superior Hiking Trail crosses the Gunflint Trail after only a switchback but these areas use the state snomo trail which if you ask me, sucks, and not what I was looking for! However, in the vicinity, one can reach the Pincushion Singletrack as the SHT follows nordic ski trail AND THIS WAS AN UNEXPECTED PLEASURE!!!!! Built by Velo Marais club members, signage was great and the lines of chosen tread were creative w/nice flow. I took a spur in order to tag the summit of pincushion mountain just to say I did. A must see location is the Devil Track River Gorge and there is a parking lot on County Road 58. I got to practice a bit of fell running while on this piece and left starving for more.......

DON'T LEAVE CAMP WITHOUT IT

2011-08-11T11:43:00.000-05:00

An avid outdoorsman doesn't need me to explain what makes Glacier and Yellowstone the experience of a lifetime! My advice would be, head to Glacier for the scenery and Yellowstone for the wildlife & geothermal activity. I get overwhelmed by the expansive surroundings of these national parks. Neither of us own a camera powerful enough to capture how one feels in a place like this but Jen is quite a shutterfly which had me relieved of such a difficult task and I encourage you to look her up on facebook as she filled a couple 8gb memory cards.

Some highlights included: driving the going-to-the-sun road, hiking on mashed potato snow(in shorts & t-shirt), several breathtaking mountain peaks, purest ice blue creeks, massive cedar & hemlock trees, geysers, steam vents, fumaroles, hot springs, mud pots, *rotten egg odor*, blowdown & fires of '88, alpine meadow blooms, mountain goats, herds of bison on roadways and Lamar & Hayden Valleys(aggressive rutting season), elk lounging in town on the lawn @ post office and chapel, two mule deer being chased by one coyote thru visitors on boardwalk(predatory action in raw nature), and last...but not least.....FOUR GRIZZLIES!!!!

How does this forecast look?

2011-07-28T11:24:00.003-05:00

We'll be here on Sunday!!!!!

blow it away

2011-07-22T10:20:00.004-05:00

It's been calm here in the northland after quite a blustery spring. Taking a while to see temperatures rise didn't bother me in the least. Once it did, I continued to tolerate our climate well...only because of a missing factor...HUMIDITY! With a storm brewing over the weekend the air became something you could punch at. Finally, on Tuesday we got rain but w/the mercury on the thermometer forecasted up there I was nervous about the day to follow. Much to my delight, constant wind has returned and swept the moisture out of town. Dewpoints were tropical and getting quality rest in those conditions won't happen for me. Putting the AC unit back in our kitchen window has been a savior too.

Otherwise, we're taking my pa to a Twins game this Saturday. For those of you that didn't somehow hear the buzz over Joe Mauer visiting Duluth last week, my gal found him @ Northland Country Club during a cocktail party.
Twins catcher/1st baseman & Jen

solitary confinement

2011-07-13T09:54:00.002-05:00

Sunday, found me catching a lift w/Chris & Tony heading up the north shore to begin a long run @ the SHT trailhead in Beaver Bay. Conditions were sultry from rains we received during the night but normally of late, humidity hasn't been much of a factor. A breeze would carry it away as the hours of the day passed, however, the powerful rays of the sun were relentless. I was certain a 50 ml CAMELBAK in addition to a bottle would be indispensable for me to sustain life in 89F! This was my first effort beyond two hours all spring or summer and trying to perform it in said weather wasn't going to be easy. So, knowing that ultra-distance is the area of specialty for these two guys I cut them loose after the final of a series of road crossings around 55 minutes. Realizing to have a successful morning, my desire to stay in contact wouldn't benefit me when it was all over. In hindsight, maybe I could have tried to keep stride as I heard their voices up the trail until we agreed to turn back in the window of 1:15-1:20. Once they caught me, it was obvious that my decision came wisely seeing both in passing. Footing on this segment of the trail was very challenging as it provided many ups & downs and surfaces. Routes sometimes will contain talus/scree-like debris but not on this part as everything was quite firm and anchored in the ground. Rocks, roots, mud, and grass would influence the amount of shade offered. I remained calm and enjoyed the amazing views from outcroppings. Cedars below along the river gave a much different angle only a short time later. I would be out of water by the two-hour mark but I must have gotten saturated enough because I made it back to regroup just fine. Slowing up a little on the return was alright by me to stop my watch in 2:37.

Driving home we deemed it essential to soak our banged up bodies in Lake Superior and grab some food @ Rustic Inn. We gave our waitress a workout once we discovered that the raspberry lemonade came w/FREE REFILLS!!!

toughest week on memory

2011-06-30T10:57:00.000-05:00

I've been tired, who hasn't, but this is the kind of deep fatigue one gets when they've repeatedly beat themselves once you're already down. My schedule of late was calling for an overload and my buddy Tony helped in setting the stage. About a fortnight ago he rang me and brought to my attention a 10-miler @ William O'brien in Marine on St Croix. Initially, we both thought it was on a Saturday which made it impossible for myself to go as I couldn't escape work on that Friday. However, I later discovered it fell on a Sunday and the tables were turned. The half marathon (give or take some) is my least favorite which makes the opportunity to compound the affect I was after much more likely. Besides, neither of us had ever raced the distance and were looking for something new along w/a venue. As the state budget agreement doesn't look positive, I felt happy going to a park on that weekend because those who signed up for Afton may miss a shot coming next! Beginning last Monday, I started off w/Clint & his puppy(cinnamon) running an easy loop of singletrack which lasted an hour. Tuesday, a noose around my neck tightened w/each passing day. There would be two more additional runs @ 40 & 50 minutes and three bike rides @ ~2 1/2 hours each. Volume was nothing impressive, the fact that I performed everyone of these efforts in the tempo/lactate zone is what had me smashed before Saturday came around. Plus, 72 hours of straight rain made it a challenge to get outside and accomplish all this too. We spoke the evening prior to get confirmation that it was a green light and I silently hoped he would say,..."lets just stay home and run the powerlines" but not a chance!! Oh well, this forced me to iron out my skirt and follow thru w/my plan. I had a couple mugs of cold press toddy for each of us and we were on the road by 5 AM. Former Duluthian, Jeff Allen, would let everyone know that it was indeed 10 1/2 miles so we'd be getting more for our buck! Let me tell ya, I could have gone w/o that extra half mile but then I wouldn't have caught T-dawg in the uphill finish either. Constant terrain was nice but the lack of roots & rocks didn't require athletes to possess any degree of technical valor. I sort of need that stimulus to light the inner fire to drive on forward. We started way in the back and very casual which made quite an opposition when the route funneled into a narrow path immediately. Erik Escher tried hard early to make the selection and was gone from our visual. Dynamics can play out oddly and had I known I was just going to be a rabbit as I charged out to the furthest aid station where we would regroup as I slowed down for water I would have rather stayed back to work as a domestique. I would now be that same 75 meters behind Tony for the next 5 miles as it was too difficult for me to bridge the gaps he put between us on the descents. A version of his accounts including results can be found here.

At the moment, I've still got exhausted legs and my training has been OK since but expect it to take a sometime yet to be normal. I miss the buzz of the trail running scene and keeping an eye on the WS 100 only amplified it. This has me thinking of the possibility surrounding the commencement of my cyclocross campaign. Warm air in that sport makes me dislike it and nor does such conditions compliment its origin. Being a diverse athlete who can switch both disciplines and energy systems within a short time frame is something I continue to strive in achieving. So, I guess a proposal has been established for me.

Otherwise, life is always busy at home but recently I helped the Pipho family unload a bunch of their furniture from a holding container into their new home on Exhibition Drive. Beautiful place and it was a frustrating wait(11 months) to settle in as it had to be gutted from a mold infestation. That was a couple weeks ago and Dave seemed much relieved @ his 40th birthday party that his lovely wife, Amy, thru for him on Sunday!

Fourth of July will involve copious beer drinking, sailboating, golf scramble, food, and pyrotechnics! Thoughts of finding a local event sounded all fine & dandy as the holiday falls on a Monday this year but family doesn't ever give a shit racing, so, I'm just going to leave that one be...

let me quote, Major Payne

2011-06-21T02:36:00.000-05:00

"You're still a shit sandwich, just not a soggy one!" This is how I felt about myself last Friday evening after the Billy Irvin 5K. Mental toughness is something that I haven't struggled w/in quite sometime but of late it needs to be addressed. I've had many solid workouts in the past five weeks that were indicative of me getting a personal best for the course. There has been only one other time that I entered this race and I stopped the clock in 17:59 back in my twenties, I'm in my thirties now. Despite the aforementioned, I'm a strong believer in the cliche phrase, age is just a number. Performing at 5000m over the road has seen me display a rather huge spread of times during the last two years. Focusing on ultras the previous season could most likely explain some of this. Challenging as it has proved to be, the speed is beginning to reveal itself from deep within my legs.

It was obvious to all inside the DRC booth at the expo where I've been spending my time based on tan lines. Regardless, cross-training is something I value and so this makes running an integral part of my formula to ready for cyclocross. Exchanging some banter w/Tony before leaving my packet w/him always sets the mood prior to the gun firing. I'd head outside to find myself really having trouble warming up and feeling loose. Leaving my bike @ work and running down to Canal Park, apparently, wasn't enough movement to prime my engine. Taking a handful of laps around the DECC grew concern that I'd burn the little fuel ingested. So, I decided to stand around chatting amongst people and use the opening mile which would see us being nudged along by mother nature's assistance to hopefully find a rhythm. My split was 5:28 and I knew this pace came under LT effort but everything seemed wrong. I tried getting my head in the right place as I approached the cone on the end of Railroad just before Garfield. Returning against such a breeze usually doesn't bother me, yet, I chose to hate it even w/o seeing what fight might ensue. The fans yelling my name every 1/8-mile was greatly appreciated but may not have seemed like it if you received a smirk while I sucked ass. Oh well, it's because of you people that I undoubtedly recall yelling at myself, "get out of your own way & shut the f!@# up!!!!!!!!!" Cruising down from the aquarium I was pissed but noticed my desire to chase was at least half there. Seeing the clock tick by gave me hope as my real estate to cover appeared feasible and the chip on the mat scored 17:56 for this whiner.

it took until June

2011-06-06T11:32:00.003-05:00

Finally, I got a chance to run w/Hypo last Friday after an injury that kept him sidelined for six weeks. My plan was to do a progression run that was quite loose based for pace as I wore a HR monitor to assure the intensity bumped up in each of three segments. We did a familiar out-n-back on the lakewalk w/a loop around The Ledges @ the distal point which gave us a total of 7.53 miles according to his GARMIN. Knowing it was around that, I wanted to cut it into thirds and programmed my receiver to beep(or not) at me depending on the zone of effort. Well, I could tell right away that he was excited to run hard because after sticking to the plan for the first two & a half miles, he began one stepping me before the turnaround and I found us in the last zone prematurely. Oh well, we all know how workouts can get out of control when performed in the company of others. I was surprised to hear that we were sustaining 6:20/mile pace on the return to 51st Ave E where we inforced a cooldown. Great times buddy!!! Too bad we probably won't line up many of these during the work week.....BUT.....let me know if you play hooky again, OK?

his poster is off my wall

2011-05-22T19:08:00.003-05:00

In July, of every year, the grandest of all tours happens in France. Whether you're a cycling fan or not.....you've heard the name Lance Armstrong! He delivered many awe-inspiring performances that captivated many bike racers from local to international heroes around the world. I was among them and believed these herculean efforts to be all the more impressive because I honestly had faith that he was clean UNTIL NOW!! This evening 60 Minutes had an interview w/Tyler Hamilton that was almost uncomfortable to watch. It was so apparent in his eyes that he was strung out on emotions related to the darkest of confessions. I praise him for doing this since it will only help a sport ruined by negligence. Can't you see the headlines already,
legacy of the greatest athlete of all time...TARNISHED!!! In our spare bedroom, I had the famous TT image of him from the '99 Tour de France w/a bead of sweat falling off his chin. Looking at that in present time it is soon to be a tear drop from his eye. May God be w/you, Lance, because not many of us are currently.

just down the avenue

2011-05-18T13:09:00.005-05:00

Apart, from our iconic aerial lift bridge, I think this one crossing Lester River on London Road is the coolest is town! Yesterday, marked a full moon which is always difficult capturing on photo. I tried gathering an image around one o'clock this morning but no such luck. During the afternoon Jen commented on how she has never been able to see so much of WI across the lake. This has been a rare clear and dry week thus far which is hopefully doing good for trail conditions.

facing the North Shore
@ bottom of 61st

Nature can be so magnificent!! Stuff like this is really getting us excited about our trip to Glacier & Yellowstone National Parks this summer. Looking forward to making some memories before she moves to New York, NY for a while.

Gotta work for it!!

2011-05-14T12:17:00.002-05:00

Upon leaving the chute of a Thursday evening race on Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis, I'd be lying to say you didn't catch me pouting. I picked myself up off the mats immediately when Gregg and I began our cooldown back to the car on the other end of the point-to-point course. He instilled it into my head that it is an energy system that I haven't been training enough and couldn't have expected a much better result. Doing a road mile is about the furthest thing away my forte as a runner. However, that doesn't mean I won't set goals or lack ambitions to be as good of an all-rounder on foot as I can. Stopping the clock in 5:11 was 10 seconds slower than my previous two attempts on our home route but I did agree this one was tougher by design. Starting in the row behind my old roommate Pat Russell didn't get me off on the right foot either. Even on a good day, I'd be 20 seconds in the rear of what they ran, so, to be trailing only a few strides @ 1/4-mile had me quickly realize that some physiological retaliations were on the way. It's amazing how time is perceived in distress. A minute seemed like an hour during the middle portion of this effort when I knew that my error had already ruined any chances of a 4:59.

Speaking of that, blogger shit the bed a few days ago and was suppose to put a removed post back up eventually. A piece of content from that were some checkpoints I plan to use this spring & summer to gauge my progression prior to round #1 of the USGP. One of them might have been the Half Voyageur but now I have chosen to scratch that from the list. Building a large aerobic foundation isn't going to be as difficult as prepping the ability to withstand all the toxins emitted during times when one turns him/herself inside out. My appreciation skyrocketed after this humbling experience and have great motivation to carry out many legitimate high intensity workouts. I'm sure there are hidden benefits that don't present themselves as obvious to me either.

organic matter

2011-04-30T17:53:00.002-05:00

With the sky urinating and defecating various forms of precip the entire month of April it made the woods odorous today! Did the same loop as last Saturday but in reverse this edition. A mixture of lakewalk, congdon park(tischer creek ravine), bagley, hartley, forest hill cemetery, amity, & lester were used in that sequence earlier. Nothing special to report other than I ran it in 1:53 which is the identical duration of a week ago going counterclockwise. However, under the conditions I'm a bit more impressed about the latter effort. Going almost two hours on a cold and wet afternoon had me wish Jen was home as my thumbs were no longer opposable, making it a real challenge to use a key! Plus, if my shoes weren't stinking before then they will be now...

NEW TEAM/NEW KIT

2011-04-26T11:56:00.003-05:00

Yep, I'm 100% local now in terms of racing affiliations! Leaving the Minneapolis-based Peace Coffee Racing was not an easy decision. Their welcoming and supportive manners to a lone rider from the north had me taken aback on numerous occasions. My relationship w/them will continue positive and already have plans to meet up for training rides when down that way. Plus, when your sponsor provides a legalized performance enhancer it's hard for an addict to walk away on a sober mind. Regardless, I will never drink another kind of bean roasted elsewhere after seeing the morals of that operation in action.

However, the mission statement of the team didn't meet my immediate goals as a bike racer. Being the title sponsor of the MN State Championship Series of MTB gives them motivation to win the team award. My involvement w/mountain bikes these days is only in ultra endurance type races and my primary focus, in general, is cyclocross!! They recognized it entirely but I just felt like I was missing out on a lot of the camaraderie by not contributing for the good of the group.

So, I've joined VeloDuluth/TPC and have a friend that is as head over heels about 'cross as I am!!! My skinsuit is in production too which will be nice to wear for a change in this discipline as it is more functional. OPTIMISM IS RUSHING THRU ME

feeling pleased

2011-04-21T11:27:00.000-05:00

Week of April 11-17

Monday: up seven bridges to strand & down lester river; 9.25 miles
Tuesday: out-n-back to The Ledges; 7.5 miles
Wednesday: met Henry for a lakeside neighborhood tour; 8.1 miles
Thursday: finished my taxes so I could avoid the P.O. rush; 0 miles
Friday: went up thru Congdon Park & Hidden Valley to reach Skyline; 7.5 miles
Saturday: DRC tent sale via superior but returned on lakewalk & london; 10 miles
Sunday: loops of rock hill w/Tony & Gregg; 11 miles

Completing this month block, to me, was more for my psychological benefits than anything else I believe. In the past, I've tried the build, build, build, & rest periodization of training and either got injured or was unable to keep my head in the game. Going back & forth w/easy and hard weeks made everything more manageable in terms of noting how my body is responding to a workload. Depending on the time of the season I'm wanting to use a mix of both as each method serves a purpose.

Another element was frequency but this was specific to this moment. I've been able train on my bike REALLY HARD for months on end taking no days off and absorb it entirely while staying healthy. On the other hand.....pounding my feet to the ground has been more of a challenge. So, to accomplish a few weeks straight of six days/week of running while increasing mileage from mid to upper 40's and ending in low 50's sends many positives. Having very little desire to run much further than a marathon seems accurate for what I can handle. As a runner, sometimes I'm affected by a fraudulent sense of belonging at the start line. Currently, I'm back to my usually ways of running twice/week(one intense day & one long day) and getting the bikes ready to fill in the remainder. However, running my normal 7.5-mile lollipop course w/fartlek in the middle yesterday had me appreciate the previous three weeks. I was doing this run in about an hour on average but did it in 54 minutes minus all the other junk miles pre & post. I guess they served me right because my RPE was the same even though my time came six minutes faster!! Being peppy is nice, however, I'm thinking and hoping my confidence will improve for the duration too. There's something about running beyond two hours that I really enjoy.?.?.

downtown action

2011-04-15T12:31:00.001-05:00

Flock to the Fitger's Complex to watch some crazies battle the wind tunnel.....also, precip to ice the cake! GOOD LUCK SUCKERS!!!!!

exhilaratingly impatient

2011-04-11T18:30:00.000-05:00

Weather like this afternoon can befuddle my ability to distinguish between easy & hard days. Last week, I timed a run that later surprised me when calculating the pace as all efforts are mapped out in advance. In a group run yesterday, my usual decision is to not wear a watch as I prefer to get lost in the environment finding inspiration in both the company and landscape. One buddy remarked, "you're seeming a little feisty this morning." I was a bit surprised because my legs felt horrible before meeting up for our rendezvous. Once into the gravel sectors I honed in on my cadence and realized it was higher than normal without even consciously doing so. On the flip-flop, sunshine and 60F earlier made it difficult to slow down, even though, my energy level was poor. Plus, the freedom of less clothing only adds to such an effect. However, once again, I looked deep inside and did what needed to be done.....PULLED BACK ON THE REINS!

atypical me

2011-04-03T15:46:00.004-05:00

Monday: Up Moose Mountain(Verizon Radio Tower); 6.75 miles

Tuesday: Lakewalk lollipop down to the townhomes near 21st Ave E; 7.5 miles

Wednesday: Back up Moose; 6.75 miles

Thursday: Back out Lakewalk; 7.5 miles

Friday: Brighton Beach, Scenic 61, Lakewood, & return via Old Superior w/Henry; 6 1/3 miles

Saturday: Rest day to wrench on my bikes and cook in the kitchen!

Sunday: Gravel road circuit w/Tony, Gregg, & Clint; 11.5 miles

I'm very happy right now when active as my behavior toward exercise is far removed from its usual occurrence!! Unprecedented would be wrongful of me to say but I cannot recall the last time I ran 6 of the 7 days on any given week and did not ride other than for the purpose of commuting from work. Being in a habit of training as much as possible on foot right now is crucial to the longevity of my cycling season. Normally, spring training on the bike for me is from late February to late April but this year I'm not even wanting to get on it until May. Cyclocross is my primary focus of 2011 and the season even carries over into 2012 which is really hard to comprehend presently. The phrase, getting too much of a good thing, certainly rings true to me. So, I've made the conscious decision to stay away from my steeds and run as its substitute during a four-week block. However, this proposed a challenge in years past as my body couldn't even withstand the abuse of going two consecutive days. Since the introduction of minimal shoes I can honestly vouch for the way they have qualitatively & quantitatively improved my experiences in the sport. Praise the Lord for that because I won't dip into a pool that often!!!!! Otherwise, I hope to be outside most every day but never forcing it. I plan to race a lot this spring and summer using it to benefit the autumn and winter months. Plus, I'm taking a lot of time away from work to enjoy life apart from the athletic side. A calendar of events is forming as I've been paying entry fees this afternoon. New venues are heavily sought after which has me excited to join Gregg for this one he passed on to me. Another form of participation will come in helping crew Tony in his debut 100.

not gonna spoil my day

2011-03-27T13:23:00.006-05:00

Yesterday, I took off on my bike in blowing snow and immediately the tenacity in me raged hot! There's something about adverse weather conditions that always bumps my effort level up but seems to obliterate any perception of this. Hanging a left off the Lakewood Junction my concentration was distracted by the sudden POW that came from the rear of the machine. It sounded like someone opened fire @ me!! Nope, only a broken spoke that happened in a rather odd place. Usually, they've failed at the hub or rim but this one must have been weakened by one of the many rocks that get tossed in & discarded like a pinball game. So, I rolled back home w/a very wobbly wheel, changed quickly into my running gear and headed into the icy woods to get my feet wet in some flood waters. In the end, 2 1/2 hours split between crankin' and trail runnin' on another chilly spring day.

This morning, I didn't want Gregg or Henry to experience any of my misfortune from the previous day which led me to direct them on a safe lollipop 9-miler up Seven Bridges to some delicious gravel above. This was a new trio for me and as always.....it's wonderful to have such a great endurance community here in Duluth!!!

silver for DRC @ Natz

2011-03-16T10:42:00.001-05:00

I'm going to refer you readers over to my friend/teammate Tony's blog as he got to it before me and created an eloquent summary.

My own personal account.....I WOULDN'T HAVE CHANGED A THING! If there was a regret then it might be that I wished those three weeks of lost training could have been given back to me but forget it. Apparently, many hours of rehab I put into getting myself to this start line had paid off because my achilles was no factor at all. Sometimes we need to face a poorly dealt hand to realize how passionate we are about an event and never take it for granted. My only strong desire for the weekend was to perform in the relay w/the guys and enjoy the established special rivalry that we have when the crew from River Falls, WI are present.

Had I known the plan Tony laid out for himself in Saturday's 10k, we should have matched up in the orange fencing as we staged like cattle before the gun. I had the same mindset for the 6k loop before passing thru to go out on a different 4k loop to finish it up. Seeing the clock turn over @ 30:00 had me say, well, time to get this party started!! It felt like an eternity since I'd last been uninhibited by injury but it all came back in a heartbeat, literally. Immediately noticing the fitness I developed a month ago was gone didn't discourage me a bit. Having the elated sensation that I was pain free and my timing couldn't have been any better was enough. I wretched over rolling terrain in a gitty way and finished in the top 1/3 percentile along w/everyone else from the Duluth Running Co.

Sunday, the 2.5k course utilized "the wall" across the bog in the early going. It was a couple stories high that forced some racers to dab at the ground in order to reach the summit. We went back & forth each of the legs down to the wire but lost it to Paul, Kyle, Rick, and Jim. It felt great passing Rick Cleary during our third leg battle on the penultimate climb before tagging Chris to anchor us. He felt bad that his ultra-marathoner prowess wasn't enough to hold on for the win but he and Jim both overtook another position during this short and intense effort. Overall, we placed third and because the champs are removed from categories it left us on the second step of the podium.

I've already checked the damages following the weekend by running early this morning and everything seems fine. Meeting w/Gorby on Thursday to discuss the next phase(strengthening exercises) and the eccentric contraction ideas Hex' and I talked about post-race.

flurry of nordic

2011-03-11T21:01:00.005-06:00

Well, sitting here this evening I can describe my feelings in apprehension. Nobody likes going into a huge weekend of racing w/doubts of whether body parts will hold up to the rigors of a tough snowshoe course.

Last Saturday, my time spent on Northland Country Club was a blast! That was my first excursion out on those grounds, although, I've considered it awhile now. Views that are inspiring and terrain consisting of many arduous climbs w/the opportunity to follow golf cart paths in the woods dividing fairways. I'm definitely going to be using this next season A LOT!! My tissues were good for 20 minutes and following that it became annoyingly uncomfortable. Being able to keep moving forward, however, this bothersome sticky feeling couldn't be ignored.

On Sunday, I got out me trusty steed and continued to enjoy the 1.5:1 ratio I've been using since mid-winter. Pugsley and Mukluk bikes look fun I suppose but there is really no need for 'em if you're staying on the beaten path. Riding 700 x 35 is a much better time in my opinion than marshmallow tires. Singletrack and snomo trails enhance all perceptives when rolling euro 'cross style.

After riding on the roads Monday, I felt the urge to go for one last run Tuesday. Identical story to my previous snowshoe which had me end it @ 29 minutes rather than an hour like on the weekend. I'm certainly not going to gain anything more before tomorrow and I've supplemented enough w/other forms of exercise to not fall off the wagon too much. Driving my knees to the bar during my road bike on Wednesday to keep the strain off my achilles has left me very fatigued still right now. Recent snowflakes are hanging in there which prompted me to grab the skate ski equipment and check out conditions yesterday. A few patches of dirt showing on the ascent but once up top, coverage remains fantastic. Wet snow almost had me take a face plant once going from shaded to brightly exposed downhill. Regardless, I wish I had been out doing this more often following the onset of my injury. Oh well, what's done is done, the answers will present themselves in the morning.....

TENOSYNOVITIS

2011-03-05T00:11:00.001-06:00

What is it you might ask? Inflammation of the lining of the sheath that surrounds a tendon. As an athlete, I know I speak for everyone when saying that it can be difficult training yourself for optimal performance but if you should happen to get hurt along the way, diagnosing and subsequently providing care for an injury is enough to make us shake a fist at the sky! Fortunately, I've got access to an incredible resource at my workplace. Gorby, being twice named the athletic trainer of the U.S. Olympic Baseball Team is enough credentials to plainly leave my thoughts and opinions at the door seeing him. He always knows where to start questioning me in what led to my current situation. This was the easy part since anyone who knows me would ask...why switch from being an off-road dude to pounding asphalt almost exclusively?! Sometimes my motivation and continual desire to be as eco-friendly as humanly possible gets in the way of my rationale. I'm now back to the dirt(or snow until melting) which is what I consider home and not leaving it again!! Various modalities of treatment were used every day this week and they included ultrasound, iontophoresis, E. Stim., massage, stretching, and kinesio tape. Once you get to know him, an individual will see quickly that he's very personable and is straight to the point while being considerate/humorous in times of bad news. "If you were experiencing pain in the cord joining muscle to bone...then you're fucked," was his remark to me and further said, "I've seen these babies so fat and red!!!" However, my case is higher up where muscle fibers begin to squeak which has prompted me to buy some Udo's Oil this week. I'm heading over to Northland Country Club to snowshoe the golf links this afternoon w/Tony & Henry as I got permission from the man that holds my trust guiding me to the big day. Hopefully, there will be positives I can share later on.

< = >

2011-03-01T12:37:00.002-06:00

They became available @ the Duluth Running Company last Friday evening and I was in Saturday morning to be the first person in the twin ports to make the purchase from the store! Less equals more is the slogan for the New Balance Minimus. Unfortunately for me, these guys will remain in the box since I'm injured. Seeing reviews before this year has made for quite the anticipation and now more torture ensues. I guess drowning my sorrows in the pool will be a form of coping during the interim.

shaved ice

2011-02-22T10:57:00.003-06:00

Organizers had to till the Chequamegon frozen waters to create artiicial snow for this edition of Book Across The Bay. A disgusting week of weather ruined the usually beautiful conditions found at this event! However, volunteers going around the clock pulled off yet another wonderful experience!! Skiers had it rather difficult but I felt the snowshoeing to be ideally fast. There was just enough underneath to provide fluff that kept our crampons from biting into the main ice too hard. A very firm course going straight for shore on the other side made it 8k instead of the normal 10k. I carpooled over w/Chris & Meg and we wondered what they did to preserve the famous ice luminaries during that heat wave because they were perfect. Local arena maybe!?.

As for the race, it couldn't have gone better for me. I've been struggling a lot of late w/an achilles injury which is new to me as this in an area that has never given me trouble. Stubborn as I am, it was impossible for me to not go over and compete even after hearing many caring friends advice to stay home. My fitness is coming on and I know it isn't even at its peak currently. In the first kilometer I noticed some twinges that seemed more in my head than physical so I remained back just in case. Slowly I pulled in another racer before the midway point and from there on chased the unknown darkness ahead of me. So exhilarating, being able to muster every bit of power you're worth in each stride. I'm certain my closing 3k were the fastest for me as it felt so hard but I was in tune w/higher cadence. I was cross-eyed and unable to walk a straight line afterwards. I finished 3rd overall and my friend/teammate Chris got 2nd which made us excited about the evening. Deserving more credit would be Meg.....who ended up second place behind a woman running in spikes & NO SNOWSHOES!!!

revamped

2011-02-09T11:02:00.003-06:00

So, over the weekend I made the decision to purchase a 31-day bus pass to implement a new routine. This year has been no different that others when it comes to winter commuting, I love it when I'm on the bike, however, layering up & layering down before and after psychologically destroys me! Wicking, thermal, shell, etc...all to make sure I'm comfy against mother nature's wrath. Plus, when it is all done, every article of sweaty laundry has to be draped over chairs or hung on door hooks to dry for another use later on that same day(which for me, can sometimes be three times). Beginning this week, I'm taking the DTA to work and running home Monday-Thursday. Friday, is going to be my only day of pedaling to work in order to bring home a bag of clothing from the start of the work week. A lot of wrenching is soon to be needed on my commuter rig which should enable it to last until the spring too.

This past Sunday, Clint & Andrea graciously covered a tab for pizza & beer @ the annual DRC running and triathlon team party in the Thirsty Pagan. Some video and commentary is available here. Tony does a great job in managing our team!!

BLU & Beargrease

2011-01-31T13:07:00.000-06:00

Huge confidence booster this past Saturday morning as I start out by giving a recap of the group run. Once again, Dave, Henry, Tony, and myself met in the usual spot on the rock bridge over Lester River by the pavillion. While at work on Friday night I texted Tony as the snow continued to amount up to something ideal for snowshoeing and there was no question about it.....he was as game as me even though the plan was to bust out 2 1/2 hours!!! CONDITIONS WERE PRIME as a few fluffy inches underneath the decking made the ground seem cushy but not requiring too much work. The other two guys opted for us to lead in order for them to be on slightly packed trail since they wore only running shoes. It seemed to be marginal help at best and they even had to deal w/powder being kicked up at them from the tails of our snowshoes. Henry and Dave experienced poor footing but Tony and I carried more weight putting the group fairly evenly matched. Before we commenced, our goal was to reach Vermilion Road but as we passed landmarks on the North Shore Snowmobile Trail heading out we realized these ambitions might have been a little modest. Upon crossing Pleasant View Road, Henry decided to take the roads back home as he was looking for more in the range of 1:45(but 2+ hours is in his future soon). We arrived in the Martin Road lot @ ~1:15 which was perfect, however, it is always faster on the return trip because of the generous net loss in elevation. So, we left on the Superior Hiking Trail for a while to slow us down on the early segment until Vermilion Road where we proceeded to retrace identical steps back to the bottom of the park. I consumed a pecan pie LARABAR prior to turning around and washed it down w/a HAMMER gel flask of water. My energy levels were fine, soreness was nothing to complain about, and fatigue didn't factor into the equation at all. Everybody seemed to have a fabulous long run as this route always brings challenge and satisfaction when complete. Total duration came in @ 2:27 flat!

Later on that afternoon, Henry, Nikki, Dave, Jen & I carpooled up to Grand Superior Lodge in order to experience BLU. If you haven't heard of it then we recommend looking into it!! Following martinis, dinner was had in the Splashing Rock Restaurant. Henry and I would suggest THE CASTLE DANGER BURGER, and yes.....I ate the whole thing and I've got four witnesses!!!!

Sunday, Jen and I chased around to different checkpoints w/Henry and Nikki watching the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon. Afterwards, they invited us to their new congdon home which is a beautiful colonial that they are very proud of and we're happy them!! Lots of detailed accents inside that one just can't find in modern homes anymore.

This morning, I ran 1:34 w/Chris in Lester and Hawk Ridge. For me, it was an affirmation that I'm stumbling into good form as there is little to no hint of my busy weekend.

JURY DUTY

2011-01-26T11:03:00.002-06:00

I've been summoned by the courts of St. Louis County to serve a two-week stint. The process is fascinating and the meaning of what it is to be a trial juror is honorable, and yet, nerve-wracking knowing someone's fate is a matter of your opinion. Yesterday, I had to report @ 0830 for a 12-minute video orientation and sign a sheet before the judge came into the lounge. He stated, "Some of you might take this as good or maybe bad news but in all my years I've never seen a large maritime civil case settle out of court like this one did around 7:00 PM last night. This probably would have gone on for about a week but you're free to go." My group wasn't chosen to go in for a panal questioning today which is giving me the opportunity to get a cyclocross ride on the snomo trails w/Henry done this afternoon. Having my life not really my own for these 10 days(M-F) is the one thing I don't like about the system. Maybe I'm just being selfish but having to call a phone number after 5:00 PM daily to listen to a recording that informs you whether you are required to be present is a bit frustrating. Being a very anal-retentive individual w/scheduling makes this difficult to accept, however, it is a change!

Training currently is a challenge and finding a rhythm is something I place a lot of value on. Oh well, I'm doing my best given the situation God has me in right now.

can't beat a lynching

2011-01-20T14:15:00.004-06:00

The race last Sunday came and went just as I thought it might. Surprisingly, the field was rather large and competitively deep thru mid-pack which for me was a bonus since an eye opener seems to be required in getting motivation. I was able to sustain an effort of suffering throughout the two laps making the morning a success. According to the guidelines, everyone from the DRC Team has advanced to Nationals! Results can be linked to from the event website on the right margin.

Ran 59 minutes w/Henry in Lester & Hawk Ridge @ noon on a frigid but sunny afternoon. I'm finally warming up to head back out again for my bike commute to the jobby job. Yep, next time you fellas toe the line w/me....it won't be w/a shell of a man!!

after you Piston Bully

2011-01-15T16:45:00.008-06:00

We've gotten a couple of nice accumulations in as many days and w/the mercury in the high teens of late, I decided to pull the skate ski equipment out of the bag. Yesterday, I had as good of a freestyle ski as I ever have!!! It was a whole body workout as my shoulders, back, glutes, etc etc were all contributing which made for great balance. Today, as I walked over to the park I heard BEEP BEEP BEEP and knew I'd be following the groomer up the hill on virgin corduroy. The driver came back on me further up the course, forcing me to head down early at a fork which I accepted as a blessing since the trail was really soft. Leaving the classic track for the skate lane is something I'm wanting to do as much as the conditions permit because my frontal plane muscles need attention.

Tomorrow, I'm heading north to Boulder Lake to get my ticket stamped for the Snowshoe National Championship, eight weeks from now. My approach in the morning will be very relaxed because I know there is no place for me in a race currently. Hacksawing the lateral claws off my snowshoe cleats is something I'll be demoing and uncertain how it will go having not seen various snowpack...

Gotta bolt out to see The Good Body: a staged reading @ Duluth Play Ground this evening followed by copious wine drinking--i.e., hydration.

Dudley Edmondson

2011-01-11T12:25:00.000-06:00

He & I have been friends now for 5+ years. His strong desire to live a healthy lifestyle and expand his knowledge in activities we both enjoy always keeps it real. An example, can be found recently @ Birthday Shoes, where video can be observed and an article can be read. Jen and I have spent many evenings w/him and Nancy in their home for delicious homemade breads, soups, wines, etc. I should mention, they're both pushin' 50 years of age but still kickin' in a youthful manner!

Last Thursday morning, Dudley felt the need to check out the snomo trail on foot up by the lot on Martin Road. He graciously chauffeured my ass from here as company was requested.
Feeling like a ton of shit... it was a struggle to gather my things for the jaunt. Spending 3 hours/day for the previous few on the bike has left the legs very heavy. Especially, since I've been doing these efforts on the messy sideroads. The workout of choice was to be in fartlek mode and I had the job to gauge whether he's getting any quicker. Being in shape is something that hasn't found me yet, so, if it were based off current fitness then I'd say YEAH because he slammed me in the hurt locker!!

frosty-spit & snot-faced

Bridezillas Unite

2011-01-07T20:29:00.001-06:00

Fortunate for me, the woman I'm marrying doesn't fit that description. However, my future sister-in-law is certain to behave like a drill sergeant and will crack the whip at us both if we slack off during our checklist schedule!! After meeting a foursome @ 0930 tomorrow morning to slog out a 2hr run out-n-back on the snomo trail, I'm going to hurry home, eat more donuts, inject my vessels w/caffeine loaded syringes, shower, and catch a bus to find Jen, Jodi, & Jean somewhere in the DECC for the Duluth Bridal Show. This will be exciting to see all necessary vendors in one location specializing in wedding production. Giving the ladies a head start will allow for them to go at their own pace awhile, leaving me to scan the venue like a guy and avoid that information overload sensation often associated during these events. Wheels are rolling & the clock is ticking.....

conditions menu

2010-12-30T11:56:00.000-06:00

Yep, I've seen this happen often, get a touch of drizzle like precip followed by arctic cold. The snowshoeing will suck ass, nordic skiing will only be fair if the groomers do their job correctly, but cycling is certain to be FABULOUS!!! My hopes are to stomp the singletrack one last time tomorrow before the frigid air pours into our region.

Lester was great on Christmas Eve as I snowshoed a nice loop in the company of Tony & Gregg. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to link up w/my old high school buddy, Paul Marietta. His family was staying up the shore @ Grand Superior Lodge and he connected w/me for a 9 AM in the park and we did the identical course again. We had labored conversation to say the least as we covered the same ground four minutes faster on this occasion.

snowshoeing bliss

2010-12-21T18:37:00.002-06:00

I refuse to do any more plain running until after the new year, so, getting our first significant dumping of powder down in the Lakeside area of Duluth this past evening came when I badly needed such weather. Cycling has been incredible thru Sunday as Henry and I rode cyclocross bikes up the snomo trail in Lester, across the Amity Creek Trail, ending w/a descent from Hawk Ridge & Seven Bridges Road. While my spinning legs feel excellent and this usually transfers over to stomping quite well, it is still paramount that I experience some reassuring form on the decking!

There was plenty of acreage that hadn't seen traffic yet earlier this afternoon which gave me vigor in this activity I enjoy so much!! For me, it was affirmed today while in the depths of pristine snowfall that I need to be doing this purposefully. These devices weren't invented to traverse routes that are already packed rock hard but to explore & revisit those needing help. Maybe I've just been at this too long and demand constant stimulus(?). Regardless, attaching pictures of the scene would be unnecessary for those having the chance to get out in these conditions too.

fundamental basics of pedaling

2010-12-16T18:31:00.002-06:00

It's crazy no matter how elite one thinks he/she is, a person should never take a skill for granted. Lately, cranking my bike has gotten exponentially frustrating for me until yesterday. My fitness isn't good currently but I'm above the getting back into shape feeling like the past three weeks. DEAD SPOTS: often referred by cyclists as those degrees in a revolution where lesser torque is put into the crankarms. Yeah, I was mashing down while forgetting that I've muscles able to contribute on the upswing. As my feet were straight north & south of each other the spinning cadence would lose rhythm. Driving my knees toward the bar has helped me balance the whole leg!!

Four-Day Boot Camp

2010-12-14T13:39:00.002-06:00

(following my tracks up the gradual climb once more on north side of loop)
(ampersand-shaped icy opening from creek bridge)
(the ever present nuisance of snowshoeing)

Since Christmas & New Year's fall on the weekend my labor union decided to grant us a floating holiday for both. After passing it by Jen as to whether there might be any time during this four weeks before or after window I should pick, neither came up w/a date in particular. So, knowing that I've had cooking, decorating, shopping, and training in need of some attention I chose to take a long weekend recently. IT WAS FABULOUS!!! Very productive while leaving opportunity for a little R & R occasionally during this break too.

I must say, being a member of the Duluth Running Company Team here is quite a blessing. This group has reached out to find others in the community as well that I'm not sure I'd have discovered on my own. Having Gregg R on Friday and Henry E on Sunday helped make roughly an hour of running over the tundra each time easy . Under headlamp on Friday we thought the trail might need to be packed more but I found out while turning laps on snowshoes for 2 hours Saturday that equipment like that was excessive. My feet got pretty sore near the end. However, conditions were great on Thursday for this after snowfall in the morning and again later in the afternoon. Fortunately, the city didn't groom the ski trails yet which enabled me to snowshoe on them under the park lights. I completed a lap and a half of everything that is lit. Earlier, I got caught out while biking on the open roads up by Doe and McDonnell to name a couple when the clouds released the flakes. It was difficult making it home as that form of precip can feel like razorblades in the eyes. I repeated my pedal up Lester River Road the same time again the next day but hung a left on Strand to roll around poorly plowed gravel once more before taking an awesome descent on the upper half of Seven Bridges Road! In the spirit of Cyclocross Nationals that were happening out in Bend, OR this past weekend I cranked the 700 x 35s and much to my surprise, maintained traction.

My goal to be outside a lot was accomplished but I'm struggling quite a bit to find a protocol that gives me a feeling of consistency. Selective running efforts will certainly be instilled as frequent attempts on foot seem to leave junky residual pains.

from ROAD to SNOW

2010-11-29T12:18:00.004-06:00

Thanksgiving Day has been the coldest so far this autumn season which made for yet another classic Gobble Gallop thru downtown @ 9:30 AM. I rode my bike down there to get warm as it is not easy on mornings that show up as 11 degrees F on the North Shore Bank sign in Lakeside.....brrrrr! Didn't really matter, I was only concerned w/having fun w/o getting hurt since my total speedwork could be counted on one hand minus thumb for the entire year. So, I gave myself a bit more peace in mind by wearing a pair of get-a-grips on my feet too since the pavement was plowed but still messy from white stuff that fell the night before. Huge turnout again despite the weather conditions and even though a new course was installed for the purpose of promoting the big move that the Duluth Running Company is nearly ready for had zero impact on how the event came off. The s/f lines just got nudged a couple blocks west and in my opinion gave improvement to the whole flow of the run. Went purely off effort and NO WATCH to be certain I'd keep it real. A little strain here & there was experienced but overall my feeling was under control. Placing 21st @ 18:35 under the circumstances left me optimistic about this prelude.

On Saturday, a nice group of seven met @ Boulder Lake around 6 PM for stomping in powder. Being out away from the city under headlamp in thick woods is fabulous and we all knew immediately that evenings like it will be repeated throughout the winter!! My snowshoe legs felt great as trudging in virgin fluff came relatively easy. It was a calamity for Hypo as a hip flexor forced him to resign early while Tony was at war over a faulty binding system that he defeated using electrical tape. Otherwise, now that all the dressing and sweet potatoes have been consumed, I going to chisel my adipose in order to get fast...

got O2?

2010-11-12T11:39:00.007-06:00

Yep, we couldn't have had it any better for a long weekend trip! This is my buddy Jeremiah in the parking lot of the trail we ran on Saturday in Evergreen, CO which is a ritzy suburb of Denver. Weather came in the form of 12% humidity, 70 degrees F, & sunny!! Our entire run at this location was borderline difficult as you are between 7500 and 8500 vertical feet. A person gets a spectacular view of Mount Evans from the highest rock outcropping. Lots of mountain bikers shared the trail which is easy on the ascent since we moved up the climb faster than all of 'em but found everyone courteous on the descent too. We'd put in an hour and 23 minutes before deciding to save it for Sunday.

However, lets back up instead of proceeding any further as I neglected to mention something. Our friends Emily & Jeremiah live in a cute neighborhood a few blocks away from Tennyson Street that is an art district. The area has what they call "First Fridays" and it is essentially an art-walk thru all the galleries where you can shop, drink and eat FREE wine and hors d'oeuvres amongst festive goers. Lastly, we stopped into a popular joint that I had to return to at least twice a day until leaving Monday.....don't ask questions...just check it out.......the HOLE!!!

Sunday, following tons of Hops & Pie a night earlier which had delicious fare, albeit bitchy owner, we drove up to Boulder to play around on the flatirons. Jeremiah and I got dropped off @ OSMP and the girls went down to Pearl Street to meet Jen's cousin for an afternoon of shopping. Trails in Chautauqua are fabulous if you are an adventurous runner! After scoping out the Mesa and Bluebell/Baird in the heavy traffic of hikers we chose to go up in elevation. An individual can do a lot of running near a mile high if one wants that here. The focal point of this area is certainly Green Mountain and I wasn't leaving until I stepped onto its summit. Main segments of tread we followed were Amphitheater, Saddle Rock, Gregory Canyon(awesome views of Boulder thru it), Ranger(many snow-capped 14ers can be seen in the distance off your right shoulder up to west ridge), 8,144-foot Green Mtn, coming down on the Greenman Trail was an adrenaline rush as it was super technical and high risk if you went quicker!! Two hours and 19 minutes was spent out there but some of that time was looking at the map, plus, absorbing the atmosphere.

Despite a layover in Atlanta for our connector, it was a fun and busy worthwhile trip.

COLORADO THEME

2010-11-03T13:15:00.002-05:00

Starting tomorrow, my infatuation for the Rocky Mountains will begin on the screen @ Duluth 10 as I meet up w/some buddies to view Race Across The Sky 2010! Watching the panal discussion and coverage from last year makes me wanna sign up!! From there, I'm going to maybe grab a beer someplace and go home to pack my bag for Denver. Jen & I will be flying out of Minneapolis/St. Paul on Friday morning @ 7:00 AM. I got my sight on trail running in Boulder @ Chautauqua Park. Friends and family in the high country should be able to show us a good time after the limited daylight vanishes behind the peaks...

drippin'

2010-10-27T12:31:00.006-05:00

That was crazy fast coming home last night!!!!! Normally, I pass by the North Shore Bank of Commerce w/their electronic sign reading 12:50 but this time I saw 12:44.....granted a traffic law or two were violated but how I came up w/six minutes is beyond me! It was like I had God's hand on my back pushing the whole way out to Lakeside. Amazing wind and rain had to be negotiated but at least no snow yet. I saw many cars driving around that must have came down from over the hill as their rooves were snow heaped.

Yeah, we had it good for a while & now mother nature is going to balance things out again. As a 24/7/365 bike commuter I'm very aware of this weather cycle, so, this has been the ritual lately upon getting indoors before sleeping. Oh well, looks as if today is going to be a rinse & repeat...

WD 50 & ankle cruncher

2010-10-23T17:41:00.004-05:00

A week ago today I was running the magnificant Superior Hiking Trail from Oldenburg Point in Jay Cooke S.P. to Bayfront where the city is already setting up BENTLEYVILLE and it's not even Halloween yet! The long season has consumed me intellectually and physically, henceforth, no recap. Coming into the race 17 pounds over my usual weight gave me everything I could have expected for an obvious outcome.....soreness!! Following an upset stomach from eating out @ Valentini's and then drinking beer @ Va Bene the night before left me troubled as to what I'd eat. Mulling it over too long put me in an even worse circumstance by leaving me depleted. So it goes...blah blah blah...others shared in my despair as I would come up behind Chris Gardner(Sawtooth 100 champion) passing thru the Piedmont stretch. This guy could beat us all running backwards when he is on form but on that afternoon I couldn't coax him to resume shuffling w/me following a brief walk along his side. However, that is the allure of the ultra scene, so much uncertainty for everyone participating on any given day. Finishing 10th overall out of 90 starters was disappointing but knowing how much I struggled, I'm just fine w/it. This Wild Duluth 50K course can be traversed in less than the 5:29 it took me which gives myself reason to do battle once again.

A couple days later, on Monday, Chris Rubesch met me over in Lester Park and I guided him thru a 50-minute loop that made me wish I had just stayed in bed. Feeling surprisingly good despite heavy legs, I picked up the tempo on the descent near the end when OUCH!!! It has been sometime since I last rolled my ankle and my buddy more than saw it, he heard the pop from stepping on a hidden root or rock under the leaves. Fortunately, little swelling and no discoloration is convincing me that it wasn't as bad as past occurrences. Might test it soon but remaining patient.

Where the blacktop ends...

2010-10-14T13:42:00.005-05:00

...or where it starts if you're looking at this from my end of town(and yes, that title is a Keith Urban song)!
View of the lakewalk from 60th Avenue East.

This photo was taken around noon today but workers had it complete to 51st Ave E yesterday. Still many fine details to neaten it up but this is just exciting as it is. For a while now, I've been checking the progress daily on my bike commute to work. Should open to use by next week but don't quote me on that.

Otherwise, collected some interesting data again from running the same loop in Lester Park: Tuesday; duration of 47 min 47 sec, max HR of 162 bpm, avg HR of 144 bpm, & 7915 strides. Thursday; duration of 47 min 36 sec, max HR of 160 bpm, avg HR of 142 bpm, & 8002 strides. On Wednesday, I did a few Spenst Training Drills on a hill that left my legs very heavy and was anxious to see how running the following day would go. These correlations appear to be working in my favor, or least, how I wished if there is indeed a benefit.?!

7915 steps

2010-10-12T12:52:00.003-05:00

Over this past weekend, Jen and I were out shopping for cat food, toilet paper, etc etc etc @ Target when I noticed the New Balance logo near the end of one aisle. Curious, it pulled me over to display the many accessories being offered in this department store. As a trail runner, my footwork is the primary component that has received the most attention for a while. It seems more efficient to increase the cadence in a long run than leap & bound myself thru the woods in a hastily manner. So, I purchased the NB VIA Base which is essentially a pedometer and tried it out yesterday. They also had the + version where you could calibrate your stride length for distance but that is of no interest to me. A fun little goal for the remainder of the fall season will be to see whether the same hilly loop being used can be done taking more steps in less time to complete. During all these sessions, I'm going to make correlations to the impact on HR and find a happy medium.

Saturday, this concept popped into my head as I spent a morning w/Erik Kaitala on the SHT up between CR 301 & Castle Danger for an out-n-back. It was much wetter than expected by us. However, we never complain over said location to do a glorious run...

The HECK of it is...

2010-10-07T12:41:00.000-05:00

...following a week of romping around Manhattan playing tourist gawking at the Empire State Building, Ground Zero construction, City Hall, Brooklyn Bridge, Lady Liberty, Times Square, Chinatown, Little Italy, Central Park, American Museum of Natural History, Staten Island Ferry, Governors Island Ferry, Battery Park, Broadway Theater Musicals, amazing food everywhere, Rockefeller Plaza, insane taxi drivers, all while eluding rats & disease in the subway......left me on the fence as to whether I'd show up to the gravel road epic in a couple days time! Starting up life in Duluth again on Wednesday came in a trying way as Jen forgot to give my dad the key to our vehicle when he dropped us off @ the airport in his when our trip commenced. So, I flew back alone and the key was w/her in NYC for the remainder of her stay until her friends' wedding ended on the weekend. If you ever get stranded in the TC then I'd highly recommend the Jefferson Bus Lines to get back home for a reasonable $20.50 expressway. Getting into the swing of things wasn't hard but I did feel really exhausted. All those 4 AM nights out, consuming a very unusual diet regularly, proved I was no match to the polar opposite lifestyle I carried out a while. Oh well, it was so worth doing and knowing that I'd see many friendly and familiar faces @ the Heck of the North had me appear regardless of whatever circumstances. I found myself drinking a lot of wine @ home among friends upon returning and yet got out on the bike daily. Around 8 o'clock on Friday I even rode up to event director, Jeremy Kershaw's place in the rain to get my cue cards for the next morning. Knowing I wouldn't be one of the people treating this 'group ride' as a race, gave me an opportunity to embrace the peak foliage and make new friends coming in from out of town. One of them being, Chris Skogen, who is the founder of the Almanzo 100 in southern MN. He too didn't have the legs for this so we just enjoyed the day together for the majority of the route. As he put it, "I got nowhere to be & all day to get there." Near mile 54 is the midway checkpoint where riders get the second half of cue cards to finish the 102 total distance. In no hurry I used the porta potty, sipped a couple cups of cocoa and thru a can of Mountain Dew in my jersey while BSin' w/some young volunteers. Coming off the north shore trail onto CR 266 was the only spot that had me standing around for a bit wondering do I go thru the gate across the road or hang a left. I went up the gravel maybe a quarter mile and turned to come back and wait for a guy I passed in the woods but.....hmmmm.....never saw him pop out!?. Could he have crossed? Gone right? Not sure what to do since there was no signage I just gambled and proceeded in the direction I had as my initial instinct to find it was the right choice. Right hand bend on Nappa and the rest was easy to navigate. Beautiful mix of connecting travels was scouted out by Jeremy w/one sector new to me. Variety in the surfaces we'd roll on gave it a diverse feel I enjoyed. Jury is still out as to whether these kind of events could be raced by me. However, I'm wanting to make a visit to another before developing an opinion. Shindigs like the one @ Big Buff's afterward sure make it enticing.

Up early again the next morning to pick up Jen from the airport and then find our friends Pete & Amy @ Target Field for the last TWINS game of the regular season. The home team lost but we still had a great time!

THE BIG APPLE

2010-09-20T10:12:00.003-05:00

Jen has been waiting for this flight coming up Thursday morning @ 6 AM!!! Ya see, my fiancee breathes theater and what could be more grand than viewing broadway productions in NYC. For me, I've never visited and will surely go into culture shock while holding my gal's hand amongst the craziness.

On a training note, I've decided to forgo cyclocross for the first time in many autumns to focus on the US Snowshoe National Championships which are hosted by the Lakewoods Resort in Cable, WI. It is just too difficult to sustain high end form throughout the fall and merging immediately into winter. Plus, I did a snowshoe race awhile back on that golf course and had a good experience @ the venue. Dumping volume for power type workouts keeps me currently busy.

comrades

2010-09-14T09:58:00.007-05:00

Last weekend, the Burrito Union 10-Hour Triathlon was in action out at Pattison State Park in Foxboro, WI. This would be a Duluth Running Company team effort w/Clint Agar making waves in the swim, I'd be cranking the bike, & Tony Stensland would be striding over the trail. A race of setbacks in the early going made for an exciting rebound in the closing portion of the day. During the first tri, Clint had trouble w/his breathing in the water as it was chillier than he expected and Tony missed a turn in the woods that costed him five minutes. Once #2 was in progress, this is where we lost the most significant time. Reports were coming in that some local was playing pranks out on the bike course by shattering beer bottles and throwing handfuls of tacks. I noticed some of this debris in the rain while out on the 14 mile out-n-back time trial section of WI 35 in the first go-round and returned unscathed. However, the next time wouldn't be as lucky. Flatting in a race is never fun, definitely, when you've got friends that are relying on you to come thru w/a good performance. About half way back, I thought I heard that horrible hissing sound in the wind and that dull feeling of rolling on a rim followed afterwards. My usual response.....FUCKIN' A'..... would be belted out and then I'd be on to fixing it but things didn't get better immediately. I realized that my spare had too short of a valve stem to reach thru the hole of my deep dish rims I chose to ride. Many generous competitors offered to hit it w/a CO2 but that didn't give it enough psi to push out for me to finish the job w/the mini pump. Finally, one brilliant guy had a collar to thread on which kept it out in order to attach the mini pump to the presta. Relieved of such misfortune, I got only a half mile or so down the road to flat again!! Fortunately, I had a patch kit and would be forced to use it. Taking one side of the tire off to inspect the inner casing and find the hole would be quicker that removing the whole wheel. Riding the remainder w/o incident on a soft tire is unnerving but I had to make up time. While my teammates were running and swimming, I spent my break w/Dean Gies under the SkiHut tent where he'd be wrenching for this event. He brought out many tires thrown away at the shop and offered one to replace mine that had many gashes in it already. A bit of nutrition and I'd have to saddle up to continue this rinse & repeat cycle. Things went smoothly from that point on and by lunch we seemd more relaxed as the grill smelled tasty. Gaining our spots back made it feel like awesome racing and on the penultimate tri I made the catch that put us in second place w/Clint & Tony left to seal the deal on the bell lap. I was glad to not have to do another since the breezes were swirling harder all afternoon. Although, bucking a headwind as we climbed back toward the park leveled the playing field for me on a singlespeed 'cross bike and was able to pass many on geared time trial machines. I felt really great depth in my legs and spun 21-22 mph on average for most of the 112 miles(8 x 14). We didn't hang around for awards because Andrea was preparing a house party and real food sounded really good...

natural disaster @ SALSA 24

2010-09-04T17:16:00.003-05:00

I dubbed this race report as such for the phenomena that each and every one of us has obsessed over.....THE WEATHER.....& how it may crush the human spirit of an ultra endurance mountain bike racer(your author)! Because of this element, details are limits, making this synopsis very anticlimactic. Everything was looking good on Friday as my wonderful teammates set up an incredibly comfy pit w/three EZ up tents(one screened in), portable shower, generator, and even area rugs on the ground!!!! My parents live in the TC so I would stay @ their home in order to simplify things that much more. Plus, they have air conditioning to assure nice sleeping. All my ducks were in a row.....and then.....the gun sounded.....

Afton Alps is probably the most brutal venue in Minnesota for such an event and trail runners would likely agree too. It's a ski hill nestled into the Saint Croix River Valley. Usually, it is stagnant but on this day the winds found a way in. Powdery dry and kitty litter were the surfaces riders had to deal w/hooking tires up to. No tread seems to work on moon dust and often it felt sketchier than ice. Lastly, that relentless sun baked everyone on the slopes as we'd switchback, ascend, descend, ascend more & more & more.

To sum it all up, I felt I played a good hand for what I was dealt. By turning only a couple laps I knew my strategy had to be reevaluated already. I was riding way too aggressively for a singlespeeder on this course and should have been giving the hills more respect. For what I decided to be the pinnacle event of the summer was quickly ruining my composure! Without my lovely fiancee's endless support during the afternoon, I'd have been done by 2 o'clock. Jen had the Minneapolis Duathlon on Sunday morning which forced her to leave at nightfall. She set me up for what would be the most grueling struggle as an athlete to date. She noticed I couldn't eat anything I brought to the site which looking back now was mainly sweet on the palate. So, Jen hurried out to the local deli and got me pasta, sandwiches, & jo-jos(potato wedges). It is amazing how the scorching heat can alter my nutrition plan entirely. I brought exactly what I ate in Wausau because it worked like a charm but it was also cooler and flatter too. Finding out a way to bring in calories reduced my anxiety as I knew it'd be over soon w/o 'em. I can always see my distress reflect off Jen's face during these races which is good & bad. Knowing that something needs to be addressed is important but I usually would rather not know. Getting my lights on is always a welcome turning point in these wars of attrition. Near sunset I finished a lap w/Dean from Ely, MN and sure was glad of that because I had no water on me. He spared enough to get us atop the Manhandler(appropriately named) climb which is where the only aid station was found on the whole loop and this came before the final downhill. We got back w/plenty of time to prepare for darkness. While in my pit, fellow Duluthian and riding buddy Tim Ek stopped over to check on my well being. He'd raced the eight-hour event and said, "my attitude went south long ago." Hearing this from him gave some perspective on what has occurred. We spoke to each other in a melancholy tone like a couple of broken men. For us, we're very organized going into these enduros and listening to Eki accept defeat put me in a new state of mind. Quite often I think my standard of suffering is inferior to that of my peers. Tim's encouragement lasted for a while because he's one guy I trust swapping advice. From there, I'd be on my own except for the Peace Coffee Relay of four riders that were willing & ready to assist in any need. My lap times doubled but seeing on the computers in the chalet that I was improving position helped. Throughout what I considered to be the most awful continuum, my experiences were sharply irregular. Usually, it is the soreness that pulls me out of contention but on this rare occasion nothing more than simple fatigue was needed to bash my soul from the inside out. Lying in the tall grass for 20 minutes became common during latter stages of my day. Throwing my chip in the bin came shortly after 6 AM since I had more than a person's share in humility. My pa came immediately to rescue me before the temperature got high again. I could have gone out for one more lap but it would have only gotten me 11th instead of 12th place...NOT WORTH IT!!!!!! Two more laps probably would have killed me!?. Since Jen won great swag during a silly little contest it was easy to forfeit my raffle ticket.

OVERLOADED

2010-08-16T13:15:00.002-05:00

With the loading dock @ SMDC being closed while the cooling system is being revamped, my job has gotten pretty tough lately! Moving heavy items like exam tables, lateral file cabinets, etc. out the main doors to go up & down a lift gate on the truck has sent me home very sore in recent weeks every night. Unfortunately, this may continue until October but there is nothing I can do about it so I just look at the positives in it.....my upper body is getting an excellent workout!

Sunday, I really found out that training has been like walking a fine line as my body finally spoke out loud. Gregg and I went into Lester as he wasn't familiar w/the newest MTB trails. We did two loops of the entire course plus a tiny lap around the seventh bridge while using hiking & ski trails to get to and from. Everything felt good but near the top of the system on #2 I suddenly noticed being more labored. Wrapped it up just fine other than a bit of tensing muscles due to many consecutive efforts during a fortnight period. Since returning from Wausau, I haven't missed a beat and workouts have consisted on average of 45-120 minutes of running or ~2 1/2 hours of biking each day. I was excited to meet up w/him @ the end of all this because I knew his comfortable would stress me a little which is what I was seeking.

Chicago lodging

2010-08-12T10:21:00.004-05:00

Boy I tell ya, the open community atmosphere surrounding solo pit row down @ NINE MILE FOREST RECREATION AREA for the Wausau 24 did not disappoint! I mean, w/the buzz of what is awaiting everyone in the air, it'd be hard not to make good amongst your neighbors for the 2-3 days you'll be sharing together. That was my case w/one Sean Palmer that came up from Chicago, IL for some redemption on the root-snarled boulder garden of a course we'd be battling on. He and his girlfriend were camping just a couple spots down which made logistics easy since many laps would be done in tandem. Using this race as more of an informational trial for the Salsa Two-Four which is my premier focus of the summer, this made giving me the chance to help someone else have the best experience possible very likely. However, I'm going to back up a little.

After renting a Dodge Caliber on Friday morning I'd calmly pack all needed junk and hit the road. Couple weeks prior, Jason Buffington and I discussed via cell phone about setting up our pit together which is always a delight to have a partner in crime during one of these efforts. I've only ridden w/him on a group ride once and was looking forward to spending a weekend getting to know him more. He worked a half a day and then would leave which left me to find a decent piece of real estate. When he arrived, I was erecting a sun shade that Jen sent me down w/to aid in some comfort from the unforgiving rays. Not long after he got out of his car, he'd be mocking me about my anal retentiveness over where to secure the guy lines so to not snag a crank arm on mountain bikers passing nearby. Jason has quickly risen to be a well respected competitor in MTB enduros possessing the ability to vie for the win w/each entry. Being genuinely friendly only adds to this as it became clear Friday evening. Upon getting situated, zip tying our # plates on our bikes, eating some dinner, bearing the brunt of a mosquito blood transfusion while tipping back a New Glarus Spotted Cow which Jason provided we heard the announcer over the speakers echo out that there'd be a social sponsored by Red Eye Brewing Company in the expo area from 8:00-10:00 PM!! We thought, lets save on what rations were brought and go consume those being offered. On the way, the decision to peak at a section of the course was desired in our curiosity. It was brief as my footwear choice was vibram five fingers on crank brothers egg beater pedals. Plus, our palates craved more beer!! The scene was awesome, portable burning units spread around, bistro tables w/stools & bowls of pretzels, AND OF COURSE.....TWO KEGS!!! It would start to rain forcing an early night but it is usually a blessing knowing the long day in the saddle to come. I opted to sleep in the car rather than pitch a tent and this turned out to be just fine. Not only was I comfortable but there'd be no breaking down and drying out.

It never fails, one might think a daunting event such as this would keep a person in his/her sleeping bag until the last minute but 3:54 AM is when tent city began to stir. However, while getting up and stumbling around thru the dewy grass I had the comfort of knowing I wasn't the only person here in this frame of mind. There were people in their chairs on laptops that looked like they'd been awake all night. My flip-flops were challenging to walk in as they were outside in the elements so I went back to my space after chatting w/officials setting up the transition area for a while. Once I returned, Jason informed me that he'd been up since 4 o'clock too. We proceeded to situate everything that will be needed on a table that he brought. Coolers in front to remind us of any potential mishaps w/the trip wires to the shelter. Discussing goofy idiosyncrasies like recipes for a tub of chamois cream would be one of many topics before moving on to nutrition and bike components. I felt compelled and even obligated to give my business to Mickey's Bar & Grill as they brought a trailer where food would be available around the clock throughout the action. Purchasing a egg, cheese, and bacon wrap along w/potatoes sounded really good! Like I stated, this whole race meant nothing in terms of attaining positive results. Seeking out different avenues and how my body responds to them was of greatest interest. Next, it'd be time to pull on the Peace Coffee Racing kit. Already having several ounces of yeti blend from my klean kanteen, couple shits later, I was eager to get the show rolling.

Tradition continued as we got off the line in le mans starting fashion!!!! If you ever wanna see a ridiculous sight purebred runners then check out the beginning of an ultra MTB race sometime. A mass of cyclists striding it out to their machines in stiff-soled shoes for a quarter mile and you'll be laughing!! Anyways, it wasn't long and we were in our elements putting the watts into the pedals. As usual, this loop always has a bottleneck, even though, a good portion of the singletrack is removed for the opening lap. Since I had zero interest in making the lead group I would have to hang out mid pack which came OK as I found myself in the thick of quite a jovial group. We eventually got moving and scrutinizing every obstacle in the way came as utmost important. I try and make notes of hazards early on because you'll be seeing them in many successive laps. My large breakfast w/a high quantity of the calories derived from fat was proving to be counterproductive and I will not repeat this choice @ Afton! I knew it would resolve, just not as fast as a gel. Fortunately, I've got a stomach that can utilize anything for energy w/o being upset. By the second lap, everything was gellin' and I began ransacking my supplies to experiment w/new menu items like pickles & olives, ENSURE, fruit smoothie POWERBARS, rice & pita chips to give you an idea. Shooting the gamut out there was enjoyable as it provided distraction from waves of soreness periodically. My splits of actual riding time were nearly to the second thru four laps. Because of this, boredom was perceived and so on either five or six I chose to go a little more aggressive in the corners which proved to be a mistake.....BUT.....lesson learned! Departing the arid mess of scattered rocks early in the lap I moved back into the woods & BAM!! I don't crash very often but I made up for that in this instance. Man, best I can figure is my rear tire slid wide until it butted up against a root to catapult me. Wangling abrasions from elbow to shoulder was the least of my worries. My right shoulder was not happy and initially I couldn't find my bike either. Apparently, I flung my rid about 15 feet into the brush and it sat on this huge boulder like someone placed it there. No obvious damage but I had to readjust the computer and light mount. I proceeded very slowly for a couple miles to realize the joint was mostly stunned as it improved quickly. Around this time I believed that Sean was putting all his faith into me to get him into the night feeling confident. He'd blown up really early during a previous attempt on this course going in the opposite direction. Sean would get in & out of his pit sooner than my less proficient unsupported self on this occasion. Regardless, he would spin on down and wait for me to guide him w/some choice lines that were working for the both of us. Typically, sunset is a wonderful reprieve from the heat but since the blazing globe in the clouds remained hidden for most of the afternoon it didn't strike down my discomfort as much as I had been looking forward to. Despite the aforementioned, conditions would inevitably turn positive as the night forces everyone to recalibrate their senses while taking our minds off elevated core temperatures that are beginning to decline after peaking. There is something unexplainable about riding in the forest w/lights to navigate. I found ways between, around, & even over debris in the trail that I didn't see when my periphery was greater in expanse. I treated the night as interactive w/those still awake. Trying my best to encourage those near my pit to continue by having a snack, checking equipment functionality, and even packing some of my junk into the car while the race was in progress. Wow, it sure is nice to participate rather than compete in events like these when the opportunity presents itself. A table of laptops stationed in the start/finish area was great to stop in and update myself. Buff' and I would up our positions before the sunrise lap which proved to be an epic one to shed light on(no pun intended)! Fog would appear making it very high risk as I couldn't see a damn thing!! My eyes were so dry from having them open for an entire day now and there is always ~45 minutes when it is questionable whether lights should remain on since this also seems to add more to the crazy refraction taking place in water molecules in the atmosphere. Human brains must undergo chemical influences during moments like this as my sensation to fall asleep on the handlebar suddenly vanished. It's almost like mind says to body, "good morning...lets begin a fresh day again!"

Without further ado, my laps to end the race were paced out just the same as at the beginning. One difference to the conclusion of this 24-hour, I rode beyond the duration for the first time ever. This also was my main goal for this trial. Coming up to the mats I noticed people waiting in a field to cross after 24:00 but I was in good spirits and decided to chat w/an official about whether they were enforcing that rule. He adamantly said, "you can stop now but it'll be a DNF." I thought, fuck that, after seeing the clock tick over @ 23 hours 32 minutes, no way all them 15 x 11 miles would go down the drain. So, I went out on what is surely my final lap. It went fine and breaking down camp after was surprisingly comfortable. Swapping stories in our little sojourn is fun and gratifying. I exchanged contact info w/Sean as he was extremely appreciative for my help throughout which truly came welcome as passing the sands in the glass is half the battle. What's the other half you might ask? Keeping your eyelids open driving home!

Most insincere apology...

2010-08-10T12:36:00.002-05:00

...goes out to an impatient Minneapolis friend of mine for leaving a colorful voicemail on my cell phone expressing annoyance in my tardiness to file a report of the proceedings about details that happened down in Wausau!! I feel like revealing the identity of this person in my blog entry now BUT I DIGRESS. By the end of the week, I can assure to have something published.

Now, for a reasonable explanation that I hope you find acceptable. Here's a question that I asked myself.....self, is it easier keeping up w/kids or staying ahead of fellow racers?? I just got back yesterday and while dunging out the vehicle before quickly hopping on my bike to pedal to work this subject was being pondered. Let me say one thing, I love kids, always have and will continue but Jen and I don't intend to procreate mind you. Mainly, because I spend my spare time behaving like one and would feel guilty being a parent. Putting Jen's three nieces and one nephew in the forefront while camping in Kerrick, MN for a long weekend proved to be draining. I escaped for a short 65-minute run on gravel roads w/vultures circling overhead waiting for me to croak and noticed how much kids take out of a person. For those of you that do a great job at being a mom or dad, I SALUTE YOU!

short version

2010-08-04T13:45:00.003-05:00

Rode the better part of 25 hours to land fifth place, drank beer, ate everything imaginable, made new friends, learned more tactics, & had as much fun as one could have on a rigid front to back 26" wheeled bicycle! Gotta pack again now for a family camping trip beginning tomorrow w/my future in-laws. A fully digested synopsis hopefully on Monday.

IRONMAN athlete tracking

2010-07-25T07:45:00.004-05:00

The series is making a stop @ Lake Placid this morning and my buddy Pete Sandelin is out of the water! I won't be able to follow him all day as my parents are due to arrive soon but it is exciting none the less. Follow him and/or others you may know here.

car & weather scratch plans

2010-07-20T13:27:00.000-05:00

Getting up @ 3:15 AM Sunday morning to venture over in the direction of Ashland, WI for a triathlon had its uncertainties I knew before leaving. My '99 Dodge Neon was recently diagnosed as needing the engine wiring harness. This is a big job and costs way more than what the vehicle is worth, so, we're car shopping but reluctantly continuing to use it for small trips around Duluth. Going over the Blatnik Bridge the car was already beginning to fly into a rage but I chose to press on heading east. Near Poplar, the sky opened up and dumped rain so hard my visibility was almost zero w/lightning on top of that. Oh well, I keep moving toward my final destination until I passed Brule where there were some hills that the motor couldn't maintain a constant speed exceeding 10 mph!! Noticing the Oulu, WI blue rock I made the decision to return home since I didn't want to spend the rest of my afternoon figuring out how to get back after doing a measly race that was just filler on my calendar. Pre registering for an event can bite ya in the ass in moments like these but it rarely happens. By that point, smoke was coming out from under the hood which had me accepting the choice. Journeying ebb and flow style I'd make it safely into the twin ports. Fortunately, I've found out that conditions were OK for competition and no cancellation took place. Maybe next year.?!

Granby Ranch

2010-07-17T19:42:00.003-05:00

USA Cycling MTB National Championships is brought to you by Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop in Lance Armstrong's hometown of Austin, TX! Sol Vista Bike Park was just finished being constructed after the snow melted from the 8500' high country last month in Colorado. A live stream that can be watched on full screen has had me glued to my computer for most of the day. I did escape for a short run and swim between the pro men and women XC. If ya like seeing the best of the best race human powered machines for a coveted stars & stripes jersey in the dirt then I suggest tuning in!!

update from my office

2010-07-14T12:56:00.006-05:00

Everything has been great post marathon. On the Wednesday following G-ma's I met up w/Erik Kaitala for a nine-miler on the roads up to Strand and back on both sides of the Lester River. Despite a little bit of residual soreness on the descent, which is expected, I considered myself as good as recovered.

That next weekend I got busy to see how my condition really was only a short time of light activity later. For me, doing big consecutive efforts tells more than any other structured format. However, it has drawbacks if placed inappropriately in your season. Lets just say I got lucky on this occasion. Saturday, Sunday & Monday I would roll three centuries in a row!!! I've done a couple 100+ mile rides in as many days in the past but never a trilogy. Pete joined me on the second one to break up the monotony which came much appreciated. The week after displayed no signs or symptoms of what I had just accomplished, leaving me happy as a clam.

Around the Fourth of July, summer finally sank its claws into the northland and this was perfect. Since I'm entering a triathlon for the first time this weekend the arrival of heat left me wanting to do nothing more than swim. Lake Superior was recording temperatures higher than normal making it unnecessary to use this gear. Regardless, I need to get reacquainted w/it as my sense of security is greater in the open water than in just a pair of board shorts.

Otherwise, except for minor component changes to my steed(FSA aero bars)
there is nothing earth shattering to speak of. Adding some intensity lately too is mixing up the pattern I suppose. Did 6 x minute-on-minute-off recently as this race in Ashland is a sprint distance instead of an olympic course. Aggravated the right shoulder wearing them webbed gloves creating some concern but keeping morale on the positive.

Happy Gnome

2010-06-25T11:59:00.002-05:00

I'm just going to keep it short by saying the same thing I've told everyone...COULDN'T HAVE WRITTEN IT ANY BETTER! Let me tell ya, I put absolutely zero emphasis on Grandma's Marathon this year but it turned out to be the best 26.2 I've run to date(not the fastest though). At the start line I met up w/Clint, Shane, Tony and a handful of new acquaintances from Canada to do this thing. Being open minded I chose to let the group determine my destiny. My fitness was really good currently and if I'd done more road conditioning the chances of breaking my PR of 2:57 were better than fair. However, power on the bike outweighs fleet feet over the pavement these days and hence my physique is less than ideal. Once the horn sounded, conversation flourished immediately as we all knew it's a long morning to stride from Two Harbors to Canal Park. Chatting a lot was a useful strategy to buffer the pace from getting too hot during the early miles. We all trailed right behind the dude carrying the 310 balloons as the posse around him swarmed too close for our liking as the masses came into aid stations. I was really impressed at how near perfect our splits passed by, 715 713 714 etc. As usual, my wrist was w/o a timing device but I heard the beeps of GARMINs all around me sharing the data. Just before Knife River I popped my first gel all over my forearm and shoulder which made for some good laughter until almost 10K. Tony Stenslund and I made the observation that we could recycle our electrolytes by licking the salt right off ourselves during the race. Cleaning myself up on the fly I would grab sponges to wipe the sticky residue off when it was no longer worth tonguing. Tony would jump off the front to pursue a sub-3 w/the rest of us knocking off miles as we were. Cruising down toward the Nokomis Restaurant @ mile 10 everyone began to go silent. This would continue until crossing the half marathon mat but the formation remained intact. I saw Andrea Johnson by McQuade Road and stated,"Clint should right back there" as I gave a wave but the look on her face told me otherwise. From 14 to 18.5 I would ease up some to assess how it was going for me as my main goal was to enjoy downtown!! Leaving the scenic to hop onto the expressway I was confident that there'd be no bonking or major soreness to ruin the day on this attempt. Guess third time is a charm won't be a fraud afterall. Lester River is exactly where it came undone on my two previous attempts on this course and I live right up 60th Avenue to make things worse. No worries though, I got encouragement from Jen and other friends in this spot and my race would commence. Progressively, each mile was stronger and my eyes opened wider as the crowds grew. Hearing a split by 24 had me thinking for a moment, "damn...I might have a shot to qualify for Boston!" Running thru the spectators along Lake Avenue had me feeling like I just started Fitger's 5K. Approaching the clock @ 25 I saw it tick over to 303 but it didn't matter all, I hammered out a 6:24 split w/1.2 to go and I was loving every bit of it!!!! Knowing I wouldn't cover the final real estate in under 7-flat my only mission was to high five cheering people and leave most of it on the field. My results were 250th place overall, time of 3:11:13 & my effort was a negative split by mere seconds if you go by gun time w/my last 10K faster than the first. Pure enjoyment throughout and weather that cooperated as well. Sun was hidden behind the clouds and a refreshing breeze in your face the entire way.

I boycotted the tents for this edition and went out to my buddy Pete's home where a nice gathering met for copious amounts of beer and grilling tasty fare. Out in the country on Fiskett Road made for a relaxing evening of swaping stories on the deck and watching Twins and golf.

Sunday, Jen and I went to Saint Paul in order to meet up w/a large group of friends at The Happy Gnome which is the shoving off location for a Pedal Pub that was arranged. If you ever get the opportunity then don't hesitate!!!!!

here's my plan

2010-06-17T11:02:00.001-05:00

Running home from work this morning gave me an opportunity to feel out how I was knocking off a short 5.4 miles and think of possible outcomes for Saturday. These are them: A) run pleasant all the way thru B) enjoy the north shore, have a beer @ mile 19 since many people I know will be there as it is a block from my dwelling and continue on C) or, have more than a single beer and say FUCK IT, put my feet in the lake & watch the remaining athlete proceed...either one would be fine w/me! Good luck everyone.

racing & company

2010-06-14T10:07:00.002-05:00

Let me tell ya, the Sour Grapes Trail Half Marathon in Brainerd/Baxter on the cross country ski system at Northland Arboretum left me purely satisfied! I'd love to go back there when I could lay it down as one of my focal events as the course really suits me. However, knowing I've got a marathon exactly a week later kept the competitive spirit at bay. Just in the last couple years I've learned to be very disciplined in the way of sticking to my plan and making sure the B races don't turn into A races during the heat of battle. The governor was set on my engine and was ready to go only so hard until cutting out. A horn sounded and the field began to stride into this extremely turny route that consisted of grass, wood chip and loosey goosey sand!! With the trails always taking us through rollers we got a good full body workout. No major climbs to speak of but it was rare to run an 1/8 of a mile straight on flat ground. My decision to not race this effort w/a HR monitor was stupid. Especially, since two laps would be the format used on this morning. Fortunately, many helpful volunteers were out and I was able to get the time near aid stations. Early on, it was plain to see a handful of guys were out for blood and a couple others wanted a taste of it too. On a strong day, they were right at my ability level and it would have been fun to chase down the win but that wasn't the mission for this event. Letting them free had me in no man's land for the entirety which was awesome because I settled into a nice groove that was labored yet sustainable. Gobbling up a couple guys that were shot off the back of the lead group prior to beginning our second lap would keep me in this position until the end for a 6th overall finish in a 1:27:03 timing. With a delicious catered lunch following and plaque ceremony before leaving made this an organized experienced I'm certain I'll return for more.

I'd be up early the next morning as well to meet Charlie Farrow, Jeremy Kershaw, Jason Buffington & Tim Ek for an easy spin around town. We'd climb up to Skyline and roll toward Spirit in order to hit some gravel on our way down to Becks Road to find the Munger. The camaraderie in this group is always fabulous as each of them have many epic stories to tell every time I have an opportunity to ride in their presence. This was a first meeting w/Jason Buffington and found out that we're both considering the Wausau 24 on single speeds. Really friendly guy that carries a positive morale in him. We'll have to be in touch as it can be beneficial to set up our pits together for a sojourn like it. Our group would continue to break apart as Charlie and Jeremy split first and myself leaving next to head over to Mont Du Lac for some volunteering at the Dirt Spanker. Taking off muddy chips from ankles once people crossed the finish line would be my responsibility. Seeing bikes post-race had me thinking how much that sucks cleaning up. Hitching a lift w/Ton back downtown for an elk burger @ the Brewhouse & socialize w/other Peace Coffee family too was a great way to cap off a busy weekend.

Kooks is all in

2010-06-10T11:53:00.005-05:00

The minimalist movement has even caught Don by surprise as he is really enjoying the near barefoot(low profile) running shoes. We only ran 4+ miles this morning but the discussion was of said topic the whole loop! Great seeing him continue to improve after surgery & add back to the training troop as we have a lot of history together.

As for me, no complaints or concerns to mention other than running 26.2 on flat pavement is a gross idea that is wreaking havoc over my cognitive behavior. Deep inside, I'd like to run fast but have too many other ambitions that are more important than performing well during a road marathon. So, cheers & here's to drinking beer!

caught out in the rain!!!!!

2010-06-05T21:04:00.002-05:00

It's bound to happen, everyone has got to pay their dues occasionally. Met up w/Pete on Arnold & W. Tischer for a ride this afternoon and headed NW to the Fredenberg Township. As we came back in the direction of Pike Lake the sky opened up and poured which had us drenched in seconds. Hanging out in a gas station at the intersection of Hwy 53 & Midway was convenient waiting for it to pass overhead. Hypothermia was setting in quickly so a decision was made to continue in a lighter sprinkle which stopped but returned heavier soon enough and persisted all the way home. This makes for a handful of ventures on the bike @ 4+ hours each this week alone. Good thing for Chamois Butt'r and some running tomorrow is welcomed just so Hyopponen doesn't abuse me.

marathon road shoe

2010-06-04T12:38:00.008-05:00

(Saucony Kinvara)

Tony over @ the Duluth Running Company is pushing this one as the pair of the year for G-ma's. With a slight negative differential it has a bit of a Newton's science behind the feel. Got out on the pavement in them yesterday for only my second run post Lutsen and I took to 'em right away! Our marathon is shaping up to be a fun weekend as I've got family & friends coming into town and will be giving me beer hand-ups near mile 19 since I live a block up the avenue!! ONLY ONE GOAL FOR THE RACE AND THAT IS TO ENJOY IT ALL THE WAY THROUGHOUT

God I Love Stickers

2010-05-25T13:51:00.001-05:00

REALLY.....how many do you need?

evading rain

2010-05-24T18:28:00.002-05:00

Hell bent on getting a ride in w/substance I chose to venture out even though the sky looked almost ominous. Beginning alone, I later picked up Pete and Dudley @ SMDC for more. We rolled around north and west of Duluth and somehow never felt a drop tap our helmets! Pedaling for five and a quarter hours we noticed that showers visited areas before passing through. Felt strong and energy was steady because of good consumption readily.

"no omelettes"

2010-05-19T10:32:00.003-05:00

Cruising into the second aid station along Sawbill is where I heard this remark. While standing at the table grazing on various food items, Gregg Robertson approached me w/a loaded smile indicating he would bust out something comical. I love bumping into him on course at times when he's playing a support role as we're familiar w/each others' characters. A blue collared athlete that trains really hard but doesn't take it too seriously all at the same time is the best way to describe myself. Welcoming distractions that don't pertain to the task at hand I believe is important for one's morale during an ultramarathon. However, before proceeding to Carleton Peak for the turnaround we discussed business up the trail and little did he know I was thinking the same about a group two hours earlier. More on this later...

Lets back up, the beginning of the week brought some news that bummed me out when I learned my fiancee couldn't make the trip because she had callbacks on Sat/Sun following auditions Mon/Tues. Jen & I don't get up the north shore as often as we'd like so we'll have to take a rain check. Speaking of which, this idiom would play out in reality as the area got quite a soaker in the days leading up to the race. However, Friday evening was beautiful and I spent it outside on the balcony killing a few soldiers of Leinie's 1888 Bock. This is standard protocol now days but potting plants and hanging bird feeders on Shepherd hooks also isn't normal since I usually get too involved which can give rise to a backache. Just call me the drunken urban gardener for this occasion. Cancelling our reservation @ the Cliff Dweller led to my preferred prep routine of driving up the morning of. A pre dawn departure is one way of doing it and seems to burn off the grogg in the process. Dave Hyopponen was eager for this kind of adventure and we had planned for him to pick me up by 4:00 AM. Trying to talk this guy out of it was impossible even after making it clear that his 25K began a couple hours after my 50K. Arriving early he mentioned we'd be meeting another passenger in the Super One Foods lot to carpool up together. Kim Holak didn't know Dave Hyopponen and I saw the apprehensive look on her face as she approached the vehicle. Once inside, relief came to her as she saw me riding shotgun and patted my shoulders from the backseat to signal a go! Scenic 61 is always a pleasant route and did not disappoint us w/magnificent colors over Lake Superior prior to sunrise. As we continued on, Kim told entertaining stories to us of when camping w/Andy and his parents in Washington State. They'd encountered many terrorizing grizzly bear moments when rain flies were torn off, food stolen, etc. Nobody was ever hurt fortunately. Meanwhile, Dave Hyopponen's nervous tension mounted as he didn't know what to say in the event that the people at registration would deny him entry since it was posted on the website that a limit was reached. There was certainly a degree of risk by heading all that way and maybe having to settle for a lonely run while competition was taking place. Arriving before they opened the doors gave him a bit more time to rehearse a plea. When inside, I signed the list and got my packet to notice at my right, Dave conversing w/a guy telling him everything he didn't want to hear in a stern manner. We then moved over to Moguls where I read coffee shall be served at 6:00 AM sharp!!!!! As I sipped a cup of all that is holy, others racers, as well as the waiter(cool guy might I say), encouraged Dave to convince them somehow to hand over a bib. Explanation was that it is a forest service safety guideline to only have a set maximum number(unknown??) of people in the woods on the SHT. Anyways, I went to the bathroom to change and returned to find out Dave must have begged enough that a kind lady overheard the scenario and caved in...so it goes! Upstairs we'd see Chris Gardner and exchange a little banter in front of the doors to the Caribou Highlands Lodge. Lastly, grab or leave any equipment and head up to the road.

Weather conditions proved sensational as I was slightly chilled at the start but knew that would only remain briefly. This out-n-back course is arguably the most brutal of any in the region. Rocks and roots litter the trail and w/recent showers it was messy like I predicted. Heading up pavement the service road turns into gravel within a quarter mile and this is where I played my hand of poker. Watching a pack of eight runners that I know were in my ability level closely and seeing the slight strain on their faces made it easy for me to let them press on up Mystery Mountain. This would be my debut 50K ultramarathon and I figured it'd be best to not get ahead of myself, so, keeping veteran Kim Holak out of sight for now would help resist the urge to chase. Otherwise, my race could be summed up in one word....PATIENCE! Listening to my feet as I'd put each down to the earth like a metronome was key to success. Probably the most important observation I've made this spring is reducing stride length & higher cadence give me a better chance to stave off muscle abuse that eventually becomes intolerable. Fortunately, I've got a stomach that can take anything I swallow and w/the grocery list in front of me I'm glad. You see, I try ignoring flavor and just go for the nutritional value of what everything I'm consuming has to offer. Of course, there's carbs, protein, & fat but I pay more attention to the salt and sugar. Gels are a waste of time & energy I've learned in the past so I keep things solid and have plain H2O follow it down the chute. Handfuls of pickles, olives, gummy bears, PB&J sandwich, and chunks of salted nut roll were the foods I stopped to eat from volunteers at every opportunity in no discernible order. The ground was more technical until reaching Oberg Mountain where a rough description switched over to muddy grass & soil. I tried to dodge submerged sections by hopping on boulders and logs to prolong my dry feet but such attempts became worthless further out. My ultimate goal was to perform a steady state effort throughout and on the return trip around ~2/3 complete is where I battled some demons for 20 minutes or so. During this bout is where I also caught the first of that octet I already mentioned and thought...yes, here they come!?. This pattern continued as I plucked one after another noticing how each were either mentally and/or physically destroyed. Borrowing Clint's GARMIN aided me in being certain how much trail remained to cover on my way to the finish line. Oddly, Kim Holak would be the last person I'd pass near the gondola before taking a right bend toward the valley and following the pool fence to jot left for a few final meters. Superior Trail 50K served as the Upper Midwest Trail Runners Ultra Championship Race and the event had record attendance! I'd place 15th out of 129 competitors which left me very satisfied. My time was 4 hours 54 minutes 18 seconds(only three-four minutes slower on the way back than out).

It'd be challenging to find a more inspiring venue to host this and the delicious meal of chili, keg of root beer, & more afterwards gave those a chance to socialize on the patio while absorbing the happenings of a long day.

SOMETHING AIN'T RIGHT

2010-05-12T20:22:00.002-05:00

I'm having difficulty bringing adequate calories into my body to fuel mundane tasks. This is absurd for a guy that has edibles nearby frequently. Until this week I've been in such a rhythm but now contemplating staying home w/time away from work and lodging reservations in the books! Perhaps another go round isn't a mindset to be in currently. Debilitating would be an exaggeration but it is feeling more like it w/each passing day. At least it's easy to hitch a lift back...

hoping for better

2010-05-11T18:35:00.003-05:00

Having been thru sensations like now countless times before, I'm not going to allow this afternoon's cruddy run to bring me down! Doing loops in the park on various trails accumulating 16.7 miles worth felt better after surpassing two hours. My legs were certainly getting under me again nearing this mark which is what led to a longer than expected time in the woods. Oh well, maybe there will be as much benefit to the physical aspect as there was to the mind.

just call it home

2010-05-10T02:06:00.006-05:00

We didn't get a trace of snow in April but here it is on my balcony early past Saturday morning.

I got out w/Dave Hyopponen from his place @ Highland Village. He wore the GPS riding his bike to pace me out heading west on Skyline for seven miles to turn back and be certain I'd negative split the run. Nothing special about it, served more to give me a realistic goal for G-ma's since I will probably be on the pavement only once more before then. My cadence is excellent which is making every workout a simple recovery in the MT 100s. Averaging 7:15/mile out & 6:45/mile back was effortless as we chatted the entire duration. Soreness was the only concern on this day and I passed w/flying colors!! One hour 38 minutes for 14 miles was the data...

gray indicators

2010-05-06T22:41:00.001-05:00

Ya know, it's funny w/all the modern technology in GPS, cadence sensor, HR monitor, power meter, etc etc etc...you still have to understand you!!! I'm not saying that acquiring values from these instruments are inaccurate or useless but if an individual is unsure how to make the necessary correlations then progress is difficult to evaluate.

Running w/Chris Rubesch this afternoon again was nice as we see eye to eye on our methodology of training, being effort alone. Today was one of those where I'd have to read beyond the lines. Even HR monitors can be taken w/a grain of salt on occasion as I've got a bone fide example: 1) Ascending the park inland on familiar terrain and noticing many splits before this current trip I had trouble reasoning thru a strong pace while having a low HR and feeling like a piece of shit. 2) Polar opposite circumstance has been when scampering a weak pace displaying a high HR and experiencing a blissful sensation. Why is this?? This is when I just resort to the good ole fashion RPE scale.

May Day

2010-05-01T14:32:00.003-05:00

Even if the US government discourages celebrating this holiday I couldn't help but stop and think how the eight-hour workday does not apply to me right now!!! Socialists & communists will have it their way as we adopted Labor Day. I just pulled a 16-hour workday that started Friday afternoon and ended this morning. That's one of the many beauties to our freedom, we can work ourselves to the bone if motivated or be a panhandler on a sidewalk(an idea in which I don't endorse).

As for training lately, I'm as happy as one could be w/my strength and overall fitness! On Sunday, a coworker dropped me off @ the Grand Portage Trailhead in Jay Cooke S.P. to run the SHT back to the I35 overpass and cooldown on the RR grade back to the zoo. 16.6 miles in three hours seemed really easy covering rugged terrain. Tuesday, I ran in Lester w/Kooks for just under an hour showing him all the new fun singletrack. It has been years since he last ran free of achilles pain but had a succussfull surgery. Nice seeing him in motion again!! Thursday, Chris Rubesch met me in the park for more of the same but included Hawk Ridge. Borrowing Clint's newer GARMIN is giving me an idea of how much ground there is on some loops. We did a variety totaling 11.16 miles in 1:32:45 for duration. He looks prepared for the Ice Age 50K.

GETTING HITCHED

2010-04-20T22:30:00.000-05:00

A big thank you goes out to John Marxhausen! For anyone that might be going down this road I can say that he is real professional in the business. My experience was incredible as presenting a cookie cutter engagement ring to Jen was something I refused to do. The skywalk elevator opens up in his studio and when you get off there is a warm assuring feeling that you're right where you need to be. Putting our heads together to create a custom design was so much fun and he was suggestive but not coercive. Carving away the block of wax for me to see what would next be set in a mold. Historical knowledge about the metals & stones characteristics aided in decision making while intriguing too. I guess the most important part is.....SHE CRIED YES!!!

PCR Open House

2010-04-18T17:47:00.012-05:00

Perfect days to be active continue in the northland!!! I originally arranged to meet only Dave Hyopponen in Lester Park this afternoon but that grew to a half dozen which is always fine by me. One of them happened to be Henry Eichman whom I've wanted to meet and hear mentioned quite often from my buddy Pete Sandelin as a talent. Really nice individual and displayed an effortless ability during our 1 hr 37 min trail run. Yours truly guided the group on a loop into the woods that I know like the back of my hand. Using a variety of singletrack to give these men and woman a needed break from the pavement since all of them(except me) did Fitger's 5K the previous morning.

At sunrise on Saturday, I was driving south to Minneapolis for the second time this week to hang w/my Peace Coffee Racing squad @ headquarters where the bean roasters give a lot of TLC to nature's most excellent green! Our membership has gone from 39 to 59 which is great!! We socialized while sipping brew and dunking pastries from Birchwood Cafe. Good thing for this meeting as this was my last batch of cold press Toddy since I had consumed the entire inventory from a shaded cabinet in the kitchen. Besides whole bean I brought home a couple cycling caps and socks w/many promotional items in the bag too. I love everything about their mission statement ranging in fair trade to bicycle & trailer delivery. Plus, when this just isn't feasible they use one of two vehicles powered by biodiesel. I'm so passionate about being environmentally conscious, so, to see an organization practice business like this is really cool.

Avenue Q

2010-04-14T18:32:00.004-05:00

"Grab your dick and double click for PORN PORN PORN!" This is only a bit of lyrics from the song, The Internet Is For Porn as we heard during a performance at the Orpheum on Tuesday night. My best way to describe Avenue Q is an X-rated verson of Sesame Street/Muppets. A touring broadway musical group w/incredible voices acting out skits using controversial topics such as homosexuality, racism, & even bashing Gary Coleman throughout.

Our day began w/Jen and I picking up three of her castmates down in front of the depot. From there we'd cruise down to Minneapolis to eat outdoors on the patio of the Hard Rock Cafe. After getting a strong buzz on we decided hoofing it over to the historic theatre as choice. We believed that excellent puppetry accentuated many raunchy interactions on the stage. Good thing for an intermission as I just about pissed down the front of my jeans but was eager for us to take our seats for the second act!

RENT

2010-04-11T17:28:00.002-05:00

Around noon I was swimming and then off to see the musical, RENT in the Duluth Playhouse. Wow, powerful emotions ranged from intense to sad while mixing in bits of humor. It is a biggie that would sound familiar to people even only slightly acquainted to such productions. GO SEE IT!!!

Yesterday, I thru down another monster of a run totaling ~24.5 miles. My goals for this one were to cross the 1200' ridgeline found in the region of Lakewood on roads like Strand, W. Tischer, Riley, & Medin to name some as many times possible. However, Washburn and Parkview that intersect the aforementioned put up stifling gradients that make you want to drop dead by comparison. The first two-thirds of this effort were on pavement and the last 1/3 came in the woods. **an observation that I've been making lately is that the HR average drops markedly when the soreness takes over** Seems obvious I'm sure you're thinking....I know....but it is amazing to me that no matter how tired I feel I'm unable to spike my engine because all agility has been smashed!

Weather has been so perfect that I can't refrain going out to punish myself now again before crunching taxes this evening since ya gotta get 'em mailed as due date is coming soon.

landmark HINT

2010-04-07T01:14:00.002-05:00

After watching a bunch of conservation officers chase a moose from my back steps last week I took such occurrence as a sign to go ahead and implement something. Everyone has their favorite training loop for various reasons: fond memories, scenery, accessibility, etc. Mine happens to be all the above when thinking of Moose Mountain. It sucks that the geological survey had to give two high knobs of land the same name! However, the one in Lutsen might be ski resort dubbed so I wouldn't quote me on that.?. Regardless, both are nice for me and the one just north of where I reside will be getting more recon soon. There is something about a good ascension that makes me feel free of any negatives/weaknesses and by hitting a tough gradient regularly will allow myself to gauge the legs progress or lack thereof. Summiting a peak leaves nothing arbitrary for you to evaluate!!

windy on Thompson Hill

2010-04-01T20:31:00.000-05:00

Pete Sandelin and I met @ Whole Foods Co-op this afternoon on bikes to crank it out for the western edge of town. Our sense of direction was good but we were meandering like guys unfamiliar w/city maps trying to avoid Spirit Valley business district. Eventually, we got on the Munger Trail and noticed a gentle hand on our backs rolling us swiftly along. Knowing that a challenging return was awaiting us, the Buffalo House would settle for a landmark turnaround. Taking I-35 frontage roads on both sides by using Ugstad to get under the freeway proved brutal as a sustained breeze w/gusts that nearly knocked us off our steeds made the going slow but very hard!! I got him to embrace the situation as it builds character while improving fitness. Bringing it in on Skyline Parkway we jumped up Rice Lake to Macfarlane to spin this area before I had to bomb downtown for work. Conditions like this put 3+ hours in the saddle equivalent to more...

Sir Hypo

2010-03-28T17:43:00.004-05:00

More gravel grinding this weekend & the pattern will continue for a while. Yesterday I took the bike out to hammer as much climbing found in Lakewood Township. I love it out there but the harassment from locals in extended cab dually trucks is relentless! There was a huge vehicle(red in color) that didn't act out in road rage but just hit the accelerator as they passed by to deafen me w/a noisy emission!! Other than that, riding in drizzle near sunset was chilly and two hours even would be enough. I'm having a lot of trouble w/my hips and more strengthening around the whole pelvic region is needed. If ya want a good challenge then include the knob on Pioneer Road between McQuade and Bergquist in your travels. Every time I hit it my lungs feel like they've been upchucked.

This afternoon, Dave Hyopponen picked me up @ Jen's parents where we were celebrated a belated birthday for her dad and drove to the Moose Mountain SNA lot in order to save 5 miles round trip on our run from the normal launching pad. He is really enjoying the different scenery from the high traffic part of town(Central Entrance) in which he lives. We covered some nice ground totaling 13.75 miles @ 7:30 pace. Both of us wanted slower but for some reason the legs were like a metronome as we tried on numerous occasions to back off but to no avail. Cooperative weather again made for another beauty!!!

outsoled w/validation

2010-03-22T18:37:00.005-05:00

It was after midnight that the 9:50 showing of "Shutter Island" ended @ the Duluth 10 Theater for Jen & me to drive home but it was during this window of time I decided on today's big go! Waking up to a feeling of angst over the unproductive weekend there was a need to prove that I know what my feet like under them. Knowing that I had dawdled Saturday afternoon away at home before going to the Derby Bout in Pioneer Hall has me ticked off because I could have squeaked in something. In hind sight, no regrets as it was fun and I got in free since Jen is a part of the Harbor City Roller Dames but sold merchandise rather than compete. However, she wants to be ready for the Canadians on May 1st!!! Afterwards, there was all the pizza and beer we could stomach @ Luce w/the club flipping the bill which didn't help out any either.

I feel better now though as my final pair of NB 790s were taken out of their temporary cardboard home for some major abuse. My run took me up the scenic 61 to Emily's Cafe in Knife River and back!! Distance came to 29 miles!!!! Ambulation thru work currently isn't going very well but the return pedal to where I hang along the Lester River should be lovely.

Good ole boys @ the DRC have the new MT 100 on its way for me to arrive by Friday guaranteed.

Salomon XT Wings are horrible!!!!!

2010-03-21T17:29:00.004-05:00

Took a brand new pair out from a box today for a 14.68 mile run w/Dave, Jonas, Greg Johnson & his cousin(who I didn't catch his name because he lost his voice). I've gotten so used to flexible, low profile midsoles that running in elevated, stiff heel counters is not doable anymore. We did a gravel loop in the country and it turned into a nice progression effort as the last 4 miles were between 7:00-6:50 pace. My legs never really got moving correctly and I'm attributing this to the shoes. Regardless, we already got tan lines on the second day of spring during an hour and forty-eight minutes on the open road. As for the kicks, they'll become part of the commuter outfit.

cutter tech knickerbocker

2010-03-18T12:59:00.008-05:00

These San Francisco looking bike messenger/commuter pants have so many pockets & panals I love it!!!
Lets make clear though, it is a Canandian based organization. I'm not gonna endorse the product just yet as UPS left 'em w/me only a short bit ago. However, the brand manager does a good pitch.

Girl Scout Cookies

2010-03-16T01:45:00.008-05:00

Lets just say.....I've been eatin' many of 'em since the weekend!! In fact, 11 boxes went missing prior to snapping this image.
As you can probably tell, not much going on of late but I figured this might stoke the fire in me to train before my ass gets too fat to move! I got out a weekend ago Sunday w/Charlie, Tim, Rich & Jeremy for a little riding which came entertaining as hell. Also, I randomly thru in a 22-miler on foot earlier this month and even managed to have a beer bottle tossed at my head by a truck full of redneck idiots out on Lakewood. A witness saw the whole thing and was so pissed he called the sheriff to have an incident report filled out. Otherwise, that's been the only run this month for me thus far and it went really well despite the interruption. Just this past Sunday I finally got rid of the dead spots in my revolutions and seem to be pedaling circles again rather than ovals.

tandem x 2

2010-02-28T23:49:00.001-06:00

As the weather forecast is very promising for the next week I saw many cyclists out on the roadways this weekend. My friend Dudley just started riding a few days ago and so I knew he'd be good for maybe a couple hours as we met at his place earlier this afternoon. Heading out to Lakewood Township is the usual direction as gravel makes for nice training grounds. Rolling on the icy, muddy & sometimes slushy roads of Wahl and Cant I could see before Dudley mentioned that he was in way over his skill level. So, we would find the upper part of McQuade and move toward the lake. I stopped into my place to take a squirt and grab some food quickly to get back at it as sunlight was burning. Uncertain why but I had interest in doing the second half of my ride in the west end of town. Only a mile down Superior Street I'd see Charlie Farrow going the opposite way. Pulling off into the fire station lot I waited for him as he turned around. Being game for anything he was eager to join me as a 20+ hour week had him itching to log just what I had planned. Equally delighted, I too had yet another training partner during a single effort! Fabulous conversation was a sure deal to make this portion go by swiftly. Beginning w/topics like how it'll be around June according to doctors evaluation that half of a frost bitten toe should fall off and later need a graft from the skin of his ass. Next, it changed to the economy and how medical insurance sucks for many. Of course, I like to hear that his rapidly growing Sophie is becoming a brave and adventurous one like her father. Much of the ride though was spent talking about our racing agenda and what motivates us. We'd roll out Michigan and Grand to climb Highland up to Skyline Parkway and return. Duration totaling 4:17 sat alright w/me as I'm patient to allow the ones twice as long to commence in a month.

record breaking

2010-02-27T18:57:00.001-06:00

Looking at the fast results from the Birkie this morning I had to see the conditions for myself. A group of us decided to chase our individual pursuits rather than do a night group run this evening which made me happy. Running just isn't appealing right now when there are so many other activities in prime state currently!! Typically, my winter pattern is to classic ski until late February/early March and then freestyle(skate) while the snow is leaving. Reason being, coming off the trail running & cyclocross seasons in the fall everything is done in a sagittal plane and so I like to keep it that way at the beginning while introducing a bit of frontal plane by doing some bow-legged snowshoeing as it is known for. Transverse plane was brought back into the equation too by getting back into the pool. By now, skating feels comfortable and I had an excellent ski today!!!! Softened snow from the warmth in the air allowed for one to get a nice edge to push off and glide. Occasionally, temperature & humidity are right on to the point where it doesn't matter what a person has on their bases(in my case, no wax...just p-tex) and you'll cruise!!! Plus, you're so open face when skate skiing that if you do it on cold and windy days you freeze much quicker. Hitting the trail @ 1630 I used the sun as my timer and went 'til it disappeared below the horizon. VO2 max test next week and a coach consult to follow.....

BATB

2010-02-22T02:17:00.001-06:00

Jen and I carpooled w/Dudley and Nancy over to Washburn to begin the whole ordeal of Book Across the Bay!! Don't get me wrong, if you've never experienced it then I'd be surprised to hear anyone recommending you to steer clear. From there we caught a shuttle bus over to Ashland to pick up our bibs & head onto the frozen water. Before that we had to wait out the lines for the porta potties which was fine as we weren't in any hurry. We watched the masses leave the start line along w/many others whom signed up just for the ambiance. We began five or 10 minutes late w/our driving mates on ski and us on snowshoe. Personally, for me it was great to take a vantage point at the rear and meet a lot of good-natured people dishing around banter. Normally, I like to show my face among the leaders but on this evening my interests went against the grain. The ice luminaries were fabulous and volunteers must have needed huge buckets to create hundreds of knee-high candle lanterns to designate the route everyone followed. Perfect weather too made it nice as the calm breeze & temperatures ranging upper teens/low twenties. Eating cookies and pop each kilometer @ festive aid stations would fuel us fine during this journey. A tent serving chili and hot cocoa was a nice place to gather w/many from the DRC and Conti Ski following the race. Huddling around an enormous bonfire prior to leaving capped it off.

Unseasonably above freezing levels on the mercury gauge changed my plans from mountain biking to more snowshoeing this afternoon. Jen dropped me off by the snomo trail crossing of Jean Duluth Road on her way to roller derby practice. Soft slushy base made it comfortable as the crampons bit into trail. I'd take some of the SHT down to the north shore lot but it proved very narrow and I ran some of it on the elevated banks. On the Amity Creek Trail I bonked like nobody's business and really struggled to make it home safely. Oh well, my report while getting ready to leave for the distribution center now indicates that I'm live and well(OK, maybe fine will due).

powder puff

2010-02-16T01:30:00.007-06:00

In lieu of a potential strike @ the clinic I accepted a carrier route w/the Duluth News Tribune about a month ago. To receive a phone call the day after our intent was filed made it feel like I had someone watching over me. A contract has been ratified since & yet I'm still delivering. Fortunately, I got a foot route in Lakeside which is where I live in comparison to the upper Woodland motor route that I first applied for. I consider Piggly Wiggly to Martin Road upper Woodland.....not sure about you??? However, I was asked whether I recognized roads like Normanna, Rice Lake Dam, McComber, etc! The wear & tear I'd put on my car not mention the gas would be ridiculous. So, being able to park centrally and reload my bag a handful of times gives me a nice bit of strength exercise but not much for aerobic as the mileage is trivial. Working two jobs keeps me on the move more than I'd prefer but Jen and I are planning a huge vacation to NYC in early May so the motivation is key. Besides, I hate spring and know that I'm never going to compete again prior to Memorial Weekend as it is like clockwork that my three weeks of respiratory phlegmy allergy will invade me during April. So, rather than just dumping the route and leaving the district manager high and dry to cover me, I decided to make the most of the opportunity as the timing was good. A 30-day notice is asked of you as an independent contractor. This won't be a problem as I'd like to leave on good terms just in case I might find myself in a bind.

Regardless, training has been going extraordinarily well and given me the chance to be outside @ different times. Lucky scheduling recently would make one think I spoke w/mother nature. Saturday night we had perfect singletrack in Hartley and added Tony Stensland & Andy Holak to our group making us six strong!! By 4 AM Sunday morning, I was on my bike and rode the pre-dawn hours before the snow came later. Jen and I went to a dance concert up @ UMD in the afternoon on Valentine's and following that I couldn't resist the temptation to play in the flakes. It has been awhile since I used snowshoes for the intended purpose and it felt great!!!! Ceasing the moment before the city groomers might arrive I ran on both ski and hiking trails. When conditions are prime, even a short hour can seem long as it was so enjoyable. Now I've got to think about my indulgence for FAT TUESDAY...