The Offseason of Surgery

Alright. Looks like we've got a plan. Anterior Decompression vs Gastroc Lengthening. Those of you that know what you are looking at can see the bone spur on the top of my foot. It appears to be creating an impingement when I attempt to fully dorsiflex my foot. Without trying to impress you with all of the new medical terminology I have learned over the past few months I can tell you that I am in the process of scheduling the surgery to remove this spur. I have the same situation on the other foot but no symptoms yet so I'll wait to get that one straightened out. I am told I will be out of commission for a couple of weeks. Two to three days on crutches (never been on those in my life) and then a slow and easy transition back into "normal" activity. I'm excited about this as it will hopefully put an end to the Plantar Fasciaiiistisisistsisiststssiiss(how the hell do you spell that?) and get me on track to some quality run training. So this will be my second surgical procedure in less than three months. In December I had a Venus Closure procedure to eliminate the Great Saphenous veins in my legs. Again, I now have the medical vocabulary equal to that of a pre med student but I won't "wow" you with my new knowledge of the superficial vein system. I'll just say that my legs feel better, I'm not getting that "heavy legs" feeling anymore, and I am pretty sure that when I get done with this full body-off restoration I will be stronger than Steve Austin after they put that boy back together. In the meantime, I continue to crush my bike workouts with a vengeance. Tuesday I felt like crap and we had a nasty Speed Lab/Endurance Nation session planned. I lasted about four minutes and throttled it down. Not happnin'. Fortunately I got another shot at this workout last night and I knocked it out of the park. You have to know when to back off. When the mind says "Go" and the body says "NO!" it's time to reel it in and live to fight another day. It worked and I had a great ride last night. Felt like I rode all the way to Kennebunk. Those of you that ride with a power meter know what I'm talking about. Sometimes it isn't there and you can let it kind of come to you and you get it done. Other times you gotta cut the cord and bag it. And then SOMETIMES you are riding at FTP and wondering why it feels do easy. So I'll keep hammering. We need to squeeze a surgery in here somewhere so I'll try to work hard until then and pick it up afterward and see where we're at. Either way this is going to be an interesting season, one that may just have to evolve vs be planned out. I'll take it as it comes and continue to be thankful that I only have a foot issue when I know that others actually have REAL issues to deal with.

I enjoyed the Cape 10-Miler on Sunday. It is tough for me to spectate without busting right out into a full blown sprint but I got through it and supported my friends and some of the folks that I help with their training. I would much rather RUN the ten miles than spectate but hey, a little time on the sidelines never hurt anybody right? Right? Hahaha...Screw that, I'll be back running that race next year and I'll be looking to go fast.

I'll be working on my "spectating" technique again tomorrow at The Polar Bear 5K where I'm hoping that one of the ladies I coach will be smashing her 5K best. She's been working really hard and tomorrow is the big test.

Football is over. Sorry fellow Pat's fans. Good game but lot's of missed opportunities. I guess that's why they play the game right?

Before the game Jared and I decided to do an hour or two on the CompuTrainers. We had planned on a nice steady ride. Those of you that know us can figure how that turned out. I think I'll tell that story in my next post.

Until then,

BT

Friday Night Fights, Super Bowl and The Mid Winter Classic

Looking forward to today. I'm up early and ready to race. That would be great if I were racing but I am not. Although I think we made some great progress with my heel/calf this week, I'm not ready to race. I wish I was though,the Cape Ten Miler is a great way to get out there and blow out carbon and see where you are at, so to speak. So I'll be an "athletic supporter" today and go root for my friends and athletes that coach. Jodi and Bailey are coming and Jodi has a new camera. A couple of years ago she got some great shots and I think people really enjoyed having some race photos they didn't have to pay for. Pretty cool. I might bring my road bike and cruise around the course, that way I'll get to see more people and I won't be standing still - HATE that. Not sure yet though. I guess I'll see what the temp is first. So get 'em guys!

Did you know today is Super Bowl Sunday? I wasn't sure you were aware given the limited press coverage this year. Hhehee.. The Super Bowl is a living breathing organism. It consumes the country and I think it's great. I never played football in school as I went to a high school that subscribed to the "we can outfit a whole soccer team for what it costs to outfit ONE football player" theory. I countered that by playing soccer like a football player. My coaches appreciated but I'm not sure the opposition was too impressed. As a result, I never got into football and I don't know the game very well. Sure, I know what's going on but I can't spot a blitz and I get frustrated with all the down time during the games in general. BUT the Suer Bowl is an event, heck the COMMERCIALS are an event! So. I'll watch and I'll root for the Pats and I'll try to avoid pounding 3000 calories into me that will make me hate myself tomorrow. My mother LOVES the game so I'll plan to give her a buzz tonight at about 6:29 just to "shoot the breeze".

AND....The Friday Night Fights. We had a t great time at Maine Running Friday night. I brought some Speed Lab regulars with me and they all did very well. As I mentioned in my last blog I was looking to redeem my effort of two weeks ago against a particular Maine Running employee that likes to get in my grill. It's all in good fun of course but that doesn't mean he isn't on my list of people that I'd like to beat. He "tweeted" earlier in the day that he was "coming after me". I returned fire a few hours later with "sorry it took me so long to reply, I was down at Fitzpatrick Stadium running the bleachers with a telephone pole on my shoulders". As I set the phone down after that one I laughed all the way into Portland. I had to stop at ME Running to drop off my CompuTrainer so I took the opportunity to mess with him a little more. I went in the back door with the trainer and dropped it off. Then I just strolled to the front of the store (he was at the register to my right)and gave him my best game face without saying a word and I walked right out the front door! Hahahah Classic. He didn't know I was headed down the street to grab lunch with a friend and I was in a hurry but it was fun to screw with him. Ah,, fun stuff. Anyway...So we made sure we lined up together to make sure we would make each other good and miserable and we were off. It was a 30 minute TT and it was PAINFUL. My HR was 178-180 the entire time. I pretty much hurl at 182-184 so I was on the edge for sure. I managed to open up a 500' gap on Ryan but he got it back on a climb. Then I got it again and was able to hold it. I don't think there's ever been such a fiercely contested race for 4th place! I was pretty sure Jared was going to tune me up, and he did, but what I was most impressed with was my two athletes David Grover Sr and his 14 year old son David Jr. They both smoked me and I couldn't have been more pleased for them. They have worked hard over the winter to get stronger.

So I beat The Kid. I don't think he had a great night but we'll meet again in a few weeks. We're having a lot of fun with this stuff and it's great winter time competition to keep the juices flowing - especially for an injured runner.
Alright, time to get geared up for SPECTATING. Ughh. I'm looking forward to seeing lots of friends, it's always a good time. I'd love to be out there competing but I'll be back. Promise.

Gimme The Boot...

Whoah,

Over the past few months I have put together some fantastic blog posts. Unfortunately I was typically sitting in traffic, working on a job or punching out a workout. As a result, my awesome topic or funny story always seemed to fall by the wayside in favor of something else more important. And so it goes, right? Well, it has recently occurred to me that I miss writing, I enjoy it, therefore I have decided I should try to do it more often. I'll continue to keep it light, TRY to make it humorous and from time to time maybe even give you a small morsel you might be able to apply to your own life. Maybe I'll even motivate you in some way to do something you have been meaning or wanting to do.

So, 2011 was a great year. Business was great, I had a great race in Placid and I really can't think of how I would have made it any better. My folks lost a combined 100 pounds, my daughter became a teenager, I landed TWO new home construction contracts and I wrapped up the year by buying a new (to me)Super Duper Pick-up that is the most obnoxious YELLOW color you have ever seen. Not a day goes by that I don't get some crap about the color. I don't care though, she's a sweet ride. In November I harvested a fine 4 point buck in South Barre, VT. Oh yeah, almost forgot, after Ironman I accompanied my father, my brother and some great friends to the top of Mount Katahdin. This year, my mother is going with us and my Dad is going to brave the Knife Edge. Looking forward to the challenge!

My triathlon exploits have taken a step backward thanks to a lingering case of Plantar Fasciitis (sp?). I have tried EVERYTHING to rid myself of this nagging eight month old injury but nothing has worked. The good folks at OA have been a huge help and I am hopeful that we get it figured out soon or I am going to have to take 2012 (gulp) off. Oddly enough, I tried "The Boot" again last night and this time it seems to have had some positive impact. I found myself optimistic about my foot for the first time in awhile. While I was meeting with the surgeon yesterday I was sure to ask him "did I cause this by training for Ironman?" his response was "No, you simply have high arches and you are REALLY tight". I really wanted to know that because I run into a lot of people throughout the course of the year that think what I do is "extreme". I get questions like "hey are you still doing that crazy marathon stuff? or my favorite, "your so thin!" "What's wrong?" I simply explain that just because the last time they saw me I was grossly overweight and my head was the size of a basketball doesn't mean that was NORMAL. I am simply in better shape and overall health than I have ever been. Save for a case of PF I would argue I am in the best shape of my life. One of these times I'm going to turn the tables during one of these encounters and come back with "gee, you're looking fatter than ever, how is your cholesterol?" or "Boy, I don't know how much more your heart can take, you'd better step away from the Little Debbie's". Heheheh OK, I'm starting to crack myself up so I'll switch gears. You get my drift tough.

So I went down to Maine Running last Friday night to ride my bike against some of the local talent. I came away having confirmed my feeling that I have a lot of work to do. Man, there are some strong cyclists in Southern Maine. As usual though, I was able to identify a new friendly rival and I have been working hard to give him a better fight this coming week. He works at Maine Running and is a good athlete but I plan to have a little more up my sleeve for him this week. He might still get me but he's gonna feel it. It made me realize that I just love to compete - regardless of the season, where I'm at in training, I love to throw it out there and see where I'm at. Lots of guys won't do that becuase they don't want to have their name in print with a sub par result. I say what the heck, let's get after it. Some people forget that this is supposed to fun. I guess it's like anything else, you get people that take it too seriously. Not me, well, I'm serious about it but I also try to keep it in perspective. We all have to be at work tomorrow ya' know?

Two weeks ago I hiked / snowshoed into Daicey Pond in Baxter State Park. It was a great trip with great friends. The foot held up ok and I made it through without incident. Sixteen miles over two days. I came away sore and fulfilled, having made a couple of great new friends. Of course it never hurts your chances of being accepted at camp when you pull a bottle of Captain Morgan out of your backpack after dinner and put together a nice evening of story telling and swapping lies. Thanks boys!

We have been plugging along at The Speed Lab where we have a few peeps training for Lake Placid. I'll be going to LP but this year it will be in a support role and I am entertaining the thought of another Ironman in 2013. Maybe my foot will be better by then! I have signed up for Ironman 70.3 Mt Tremblant and we are looking forward to a trip to Montreal in June as long as I can compete. I also have Rev3 OOB Maine on the schedule. I'm hopeful can do both. Jodi and I are joining some great friends for a trip to Arizona in March where I will be biking Mt Lemmon for the first time and doing a weeks worth of biking and tri training. Looking forward to the change of scenery and hoping I have two good feet to work with.

Lastly, my triathlon coaching business has begun to get very busy. I now work with a dozen athletes, helping them avoid some of the mistakes I've made along the way. I really enjoy seeing people achieve something they never thought was possible. In December I successfully navigated the USAT Level One Triathlon Coach recertification process so I am happy to have that behind me. I continue to meet new and exciting people through coaching. Funny, it's often so much more about getting people to step out of their comfort zone than it is about the X's and O's of the sport.

Alright, so that's it. I'll be back sooner than later. In the meantime I'll continue to try to lead from the front without falling on my face.

Now, where's that damn boot?

BT

Ironman Lake Placid Race Report

Here we go. We headed for Lake Placid on Thursday morning and I was pleasantly surprised that my wife and daughter were ready to roll at seven am. This is always a potential stressor for me as I like to leave when we say we are going to and not thirty minutes later. My parents and Mike Matheson would be following us to LP so I was pleased we were ready on time. The trip to LP was uneventful and we rolled into town and got settled about 2:30pm. I took some time to show my folks around and begin to lay out their “spectator race plan” for Sunday. It’s tough to walk into a new place and figure things out in a hurry but we did our best to lay out a plan that would have them seeing me a total of nine times throughout the race. This was important to me because my folks have always enjoyed attending my athletic events but had only been to a couple of my triathlons. Let’s face it, watching a tri can be hard work, you’ve got to move around quickly and then do nothing for a couple of hours. The spectator experience is improved if there are more familiar faces racing so I knew that having some friends in the race would help to pass the time for them.

My plan was to get a thirty minute easy run in to shake out the long car ride. It was hot and I was getting ready to bag it when Dave Brackett suggested we go and get it done. Glad I did. It helped a lot. I felt awful for the first fifteen minutes or so but by the end of the run around Mirror Lake I was hitting my stride. I got a pretty good night of sleep Thursday night and was up by 6am to hit Mirror Lake with Dave and Mike. Pat Kelley joined us for a loop. It was fun to see Pat taking in the whole Ironman experience for the first time. You could see the “I am SO going to do an Ironman” look on his face all weekend. It was great to have him around. I call him “Mr Positive”. This guy is a lemonade maker and I have never seen him down.

It think it’s important to note that LP was to be my first triathlon of 2011. I decided not to do a “half” as prep and focus on training instead. As a result, I really had no idea what to expect for a swim time. I knew I was stronger and faster than in ’06 (1:16) but I was excited to see what I could swim on loop in for a time. I had a great swim and hit the beach in 32:00. Whoa. That’s six minutes faster than my first loop in ’06. Dave was right on my heels as we hit the beach.
I was thrilled as I really hadn’t pushed it too much. I was confident I could repeat it on Sunday – even in a crowd. I figured 1:05-1:06 was certainly doable if I played it right.

Later that day we all biked the run course and did a few fast sets just to open up the legs a bit. Nothing heavy, just getting ready. I tried to stay off my feet but ended up on them more than I would have liked. Bailey had gotten a terrible sunburn the Tuesday before we left so we were dealing with that and then Jodi got a migraine and was in bed most of Friday. I tried not to stress out but I don’t think I did a very good job. Fortunately they both came around on Saturday and I was able to get my head into my race.

I drove the bike course with Dave and Mike Saturday morning. I hadn’t travelled the Ausable Forks out and back yet so I was looking forward to seeing how it laid out. I liked it. I spent most of the rest of Saturday lounging around after we got the bikes racked. I got a 90 minute nap in and felt about as good as I was going to feel. I was in bed at 9pm and asleep by ten. Here we go.

I had a few goals for this race. I’ve been doing this long enough now so that “finish” is assumed. Of course I want to finish but I wanted to go “Sub-11” and was confident I had the training to do it. This would allow me to accomplish my second goal which was to beat Dave (11:10) and Jared’s (11:00) times from 2010. My last goal was to beat my friend Mike MacDonald. Mike’s ’09 time was SEVEN seconds better than my ’06 time. I’ve been telling him for two years that I want my seven seconds back. I knew Mike was dealing with some aches and pains but had also thrown down a 5 hour “half” at Mooseman and capped it with a 1:35 half marathon. SO, I knew he was hurting but he was also in good shape and ready to rumble. My last goal was to have a solid run. I have a history of letting it all hang out on the bike and trying to hold on for the run. The bike is my strength so backing off my effort is a tough pill to swallow. I committed to doing this though and I was ready to execute.

Race morning started with the decision to wear a wetsuit or not. Due to high water temps Ironman announced that you could still wear a wetsuit but if you did you would not be eligible for age group awards or a Kona slot. I gave this serious consideration. I bumped into Kurt Perham and talked it through with him and made my decision. I was in Lake Placid to have my best Ironman. Going without a wetsuit would slow me down by at least ten minutes and likely screw up my bike split. I simply have not done the open water/no wetsuit training to have the confidence to pull this off. I am not a “swimmer”. Some of my friends are excellent swimmers and were able to deal with this change. They are also Kona contenders (which I am not…..yet) so it was an easier decision. I went with the suit and stayed with the plan. Glad I did.

It was time to go. I said goodbye to Mike and Dave and Meg (my athlete that was tackling Placid as a first timer) and seeded myself up front about 20 yards off the dock. Figured if I could get out and into a rhythm before the “wicked fast” people ran me over I’d be in good shape. The gun went off and it worked perfectly. I had open water almost immediately and had little or no contact. I stayed off the buoy line right at the edge of the fray and stayed on some feet all the way down. I was swimming hard but it felt good. I was staying within myself, checking my effort and was psyched I had gotten this thing underway without getting knocked out or half drowned. Now I just needed to execute. I had a pretty uneventful first lap and saw that I was 31:52 coming out of the water. I dove back in ready to repeat that effort or maybe go a little easier. About 1/3 of the way out I started to not feel well. Couldn’t figure it out. I wasn’t hungry, wasn’t cramping…felt strong….hmmmmmmm?? Then the light bulb went on. I was overheating in my wetsuit. OK, now what? I’ve got a little less than a mile to swim and my body temp is rising rapidly. I slowed my pace considerably and pulled the wetsuit away from my neck to get water into it. It helped. I did this several more times on the way back. I figured I was better off to give up a few minutes in the water than to pooch my entire race. I was able to limp it in and got out of the water in 1:08 or so. I cooled down quickly and seemed to have avoided a disaster. I looked for my family and friends as I shot through the chute passing people on the way to T1. Rubbin’s racin’ right?

On my way to my bags I noticed Brackett had come and gone. I just chuckled. The guy always tunes me up in the swim. I can pound him every Friday at Crystal Lake and he shows up on race day and trims me up. WT? Oh well, I figured I’d reel him in on the bike and it would be nice to say hey. I hit the tent and got geared up for the ride. As I exited the tent I saw an “OA” shirt in front of me. It was Brackett. Classic. We mounted the bikes just about the same time and headed out. We went back and forth for the first 40 miles and then I eased away from him. I had no idea where MacDonald was so I put him out of my mind for the moment. I passed my friend Mary and she looked good. I would learn later that she was struggling. I couldn’t catch Angela Bancroft but that was not on my list of things to accomplish on the bike. I had hoped I would see her by the end of the bike that that didn’t happen either. I knew if I didn’t see her by then she’d be gone. She ran a 3:10 marathon in January and I knew better than to think I could catch her on the run.
The bike went well, I hit my numbers. For you numbers geeks out there I rode at .703 IF, with a TSS of 279 and a VI of 1.1. In my estimation, I nailed it. This effort set me up for a great run. It was HARD to bike that easy, I wanted to HAMMER IT, but I knew that I would suffer to a 4+ hour marathon if I did. So I behaved. I learned a lot too. So, good solid bike. I won’t bore you with more insignificant details.

The run. I transition quickly and headed out. My plan was to run the first six miles at 9:00 pace to settle into the run. Couldn’t do it. I was running too fast. Felt too good. This is a dangerous place to be because a marathon is 26.2 miles, not six. I slowed enough to see that I had averaged 8:30 through six and decided to try to hold that for the next twelve and see what happens after that. I was looking for MacDonald too. I honestly didn’t know if he was ahead or behind. I found out at the turn-around. I saw him on River Road heading back. I looked at my watch, timed my distance to the turn around and then doubled it. He had four minutes on me. Interestingly, neither of us acknowledged one another. I think we were both hoping to sneak by without the other knowing it. Hehehehe, I love this stuff. I decided that I would not try to reel him in until we got back to town. Run YOUR race Bob and see what happens in the second half. I got back to town and saw Mark Bancroft and Jeff Small. I said “gimme the gap on MacDonald”. They timed it on our way back through and shouted to me that he had 1:40 on me. Perfect. I looked at them and said “he’s mine”. I came down around the corner near transition to head back out onto the second loop and my dad yelled to me that the gap was 1:20. I was closing on him, maybe too quickly. I slowed up a bit and tried to be patient. I wasn’t trying to catch him and then give it back, I wanted to time it right so I could hold on and beat him. Mike is a strong runner – he ran a 41’ish 10K on July 4th so I know he had good fitness. He said he hadn’t run since then due to foot issues so I know he was rested too. Ughh. I got through town and out on the flat headed for the ski jumps and I saw Kurt. “What’s the gap?”. “Forty five seconds”, “well, I guess this isn’t his lucky day Kurt, he’s mine”…..”Ooooohhhh, Bootstrap…..it’s a little early to be talking trash, 11 ½ miles to go there big guy!” He was right. WAY too early to be throwing the gums around but I did it to motivate myself. I basically was calling myself out, setting the bar and letting people know what my plan was. And THAT is exactly what propelled me through the last miles. I caught Mike just before the next water stop with around 10 miles to go. That’s a long way to try to hold off a good runner. It was at this point I let go of my plan and decided that I was in a race. This is right where I wanted to be with Mike. He settled in behind me but I knew he wasn’t going to let me get away. I just went to work laying down solid miles and trying to keep it around 8:30’s. It would slip into the nines later in the run but that was OK, I knew I was on pace to run 3:50 or so. The problem is that “on pace” means nothing in a marathon, particularly an Ironman marathon. Your world can come to an abrupt halt in a matter of seconds so you have to manage your situation very carefully. I didn’t try to run away from Mike, I just tried to keep piling up solid miles. I only looked back once at a water stop as I fueled and I didn’t see him but I knew he was there. I managed to get back to town without him getting past me. I hit the turn around and headed toward the finish with about a mile to go. I saw Mike and estimated I had about a minute. I didn’t panic, I knew he would push so I tried to put one more solid mile into him. I figured he didn’t have much more than me and if I gave him any room at all we’d be looking at a sprint finish. Now, those that know me well know that I live for that kind of stuff but I wanted no part of it at Ironman. My quads and hip flexors were on fire so I ran as fast as I could (8:48 mile 26) and it was going to have to be enough. If he came for me at that pace than by God he earned it. I came into the oval and looked over my shoulder a couple of times on the way to the finish. No Mike. Got him. AND my seven seconds.  . I took a second before I finished and scanned the bleachers for my family. They were all there screaming at me, it was awesome. Mike came in about :56 later and we congratulated each other. I love races like that where you have someone you know out there trying to beat you and you them. It makes for a great day. Win lose or draw, it’s some of the most exciting moments I have had athletically. I think people that race me know that they are going to get my best every time. As I have gotten faster I have found that there is a target on my back. So be it. Honestly, I like chasing people more than I like being chased but it’s all good. Mike and I had a pretty good duel and I’m sure we’ll do it again real soon. He’s a great competitor.

So that was the race. I was 177th overall out of like 2400 or something. 28th in my age group. The last Kona slot went to a guy that raced 10:08 so it appears my decision to go with the suit was a good one. Swim was 1:08, Bike was 5:37 and the run was 3:49. All personal bests for a total of 10:45. My friends Mike and Dave both finished as well and so did Meg. Angela and Mary both earned Kona slots. Nice work ladies.

This is not a solo sport:

I want to thank my family for supporting me in my triathlon pursuits. I know at times it is extreme but I do my best to balance everything. Thanks again to my parents for travelling out to watch and support me. I am very proud of you both for your recent weight loss and renewed commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Thanks to my friends Jared Buzzell and Stan Skolfield at Orthopaedic Associates. You guys have helped me tremendously over the past year and I truly appreciate it. Jared, thanks for making the spectating experience for my family so much better. Great stuff. Thanks to Dave Brackett for jumping back into Ironman for a second year in a row. It was great to have you along for the ride. We’ll get recovered and plan our next big adventure. Congrats to Mike Matheson on his return to Placid. Great to see you racing again Mike. Thanks also to the Stokes and the Grover’s and Co. for coming out to watch and support all of us. Pat Kelley – future Ironman, thanks. To the Bancroft and Small families, thanks for all the support, I’ll catch her someday! Mary Lou, Erin, Stacy and Carrie, thanks for the encouragement out there. Super fast guys that I follow but that also support me, Steve Tenney, Brett, Owen and Al Bugbee. Thanks Mike Foley. Thanks to all you guys and girls that come to The Speed Lab all winter long to suffer with me. Misery loves company. Thanks to all of you that watched online on Sunday! It was a blast.

I hope you enjoyed the race report. Thanks for taking the time to read about my adventures. I hope that in some small way it motivates you to get after whatever it is you’ve been wanting to do. This is a short trip we’re on and I don’t plan on looking for any change back when I’m done.

BT

Making a Living at Triathlon…

First of all, let me just say that it’s been too long in between posts. Wow! The last time I had enough time to actually sit and type about my triathlon adventures was last September. During the past several months I have had several people encourage me to update my blog but I simply have been too busy with family, life, work and training for Ironman Lake Placid. The problem is that my time was not always spent on the above things in the order I listed them. As much as I have tried to juggle many things, I have at times done each one of them poorly. The opposite is true as I have also been an All-Star at times too. 

The past ten months have been a whirlwind. If there has been one constant it is the support I have received in my business from the triathlon community. It has been unbelievable. I would hate to see my books if I were to remove the jobs I did for people that I compete and train with and have come to know through triathlon. The “guys” that work for me always chuckle when we show up to the next project and there is one of those funny looking bikes in the garage and stickers on the vehicles that say 140.6, 70.3, 26.2, 13.1, etc. You know what I’m talking about! They always rib me about my training but they are all very in tune with the fact the much of our business is generated by the folks I spend time with on the weekends.

So, as I kick start this blog again, fresh off a weekend at Ironman Lake Placid, I thought it was important to take a minute and thank all of you that have helped me maintain a strong business in a tough economy. I appreciate the business and the confidence you have shown in me. I like to think that I’ve earned it and will continue to strengthen these relationships over the coming years. Thanks again.

My next post will be the Ironman Lake Placid Race Report. BUT FIRST I have a project to quote. Funny thing, it’s for a couple of Triathletes.

Stay tuned….

Black Bear Triathlon - Race Report

It seems like I am writing one of these things every week lately. Maybe it's because I have been racing almost every week lately. Whoops. Is that a good thing? Probably not. But neither is sitting on the sidelines wishing I had entered the race. Not much of a spectator, there'll be time for that later in life when I finally wear myself out - unless of course they have some sort of event for old worn out people that I could get into. Hhehehehe.
So today I raced the Black Bear Triathlon in Orono. Yes, Orono, Maine. I have a camp in Island Falls so the plan was to go "uptacamp" Friday afternoon with Dave and Jared and hang out, then pull the dock on Saturday. Then on Sunday (today) we stopped in Orono on the way home to race. It was my version of The Perfect Storm. Two of my favorite things in the same weekend, camp and triathlon. We took care of the dock Saturday and then chilled out for the rest of the day and talked trash about today's race. I had beaten Jared and Dave last weekend and they were both looking to make it tough on me today. I knew I'd have to earn it. I won this race last year and took some friendly ribbing over the winter for racing such a small race. I had won by 2 1/2 minutes but I worked my tail off to do it. Still I got some flak but that was OK. A win is a win right? We showed up on time but with not so much extra time that we could preview the bike course (remember that - you'll need it later) and we got registered and set up. This is such a great little race to do beacause they limit the field to like 75 people and there are very few volunteers and hardly any spectators. The bike racks are made of 2x4's and you have to count your own laps in the pool or bring your own counter. At the pre-race meeting a guy asked if it was alright if he rode without a helmet! That was a no-go, but good for a chuckle.
Jared, Dave and I were in the 3rd wave. I had a great swim, getting out 4th and about 30 seconds ahead of Dave and Jared. As I was headed out on the bike I saw them come bolting out the door. This was going to hurt, I could just tell. I figured I would let it all hang out on the bike ride and see if I could hold Jared off again. Didn't we just do this? I caught the few guys that were ahead of me and figured I was out front. I peeked bck a few times and didn't see anybody but kept hammering away. I came back into UMO after 12 miles or so and had a great transition out onto the run course. Jared later told me that me rear wheel was still spinning when he saw my bike on the rack. He was close! When headed out on the run I spied a big guy in front of me by about 50 yards. It was a guy named Dave that I had met through another friend before the race. At first I thought he must be in another age group but I quickly realized by the way he was running that this guy was in my AG and had no intention of letting me go by. I held the 50 yard gap for the first mile. I couldn't get any closer though. I was srarting to think he might out run me when I realized I was running bolt upright and not focussing on my stride. I got squared away and started to reel him in. At the 1.5 mile mark of our 3 mile run I fell in right behind him and stayed there for a minute or so just to try to get a feel for whether or not I could pass him or not. I pulled out and ran beside him for a bit. We stayed together for about a half mile. I tried to crack him a few times but every time I surged he would come with me. Then I saw a little incline coming and I waited until we got to it before pushing again. This time it worked and he started to fade. Phew....good thing too because I was pushing pretty hard and I did not want this guy around when we got back on campus. I made the final turn into UMO and took a quick peek back to see how close he was and to check for Jared. I had it - but I didn't know what others may have done so I kept pushing all the way through the finish on the track. Just before the finish I saw Dave standing there clapping for me and I was confused. Apparently he had gotten off course on the bike and got pretty frustrated with the level of direction from the volunteers. He stopped after the bike deciding his head was just not in it after getting screwed up on the ride. It IS tough to navigate this course if you're from away and are not familiar with it. I had a tough time last year as well. I wish we'd ridden the course first but we didn't think we had time. We should have made time. Dave was pretty disappointed but he'll be back, he was having a great ride too and I'm certain he would have been in the top five. So I was able to hold off Jared one more time. Something tells me my days are numbered with this act but I'll keep going at him as long as I can. We have a great time with it and keep it in perspective. I won the race for the second year in a row. This year I got tested too. This may be a small race but the people that show up mean business. It was really great to be able to win the race on the run, I had to really go and get it. Good times.
I have decided that today was my last triathlon for 2010. I will pass on the trip to Clearwater. I simply have too much going on with work and life to be able to take the time (again) to travel to Florida in November. I also have a little thing called Ironman Lake Placid on the horizon and I'll be getting geared up for that soon. Clearwater just doesn't fit in the plans this year. Maybe next year if some friends qualify and want to go....
I'm excited about having some time off to refect on the season, one that had it's ups and downs but certainly finished on a high note. I need some time to focus on business and family. I look forward to getting the group together for spin at my house real soon. BUt first, some much needed rest!

Lobsterman Race Report

I always like to have a little storyline to a race. The Lobsterman story started a few weeks out when my friend Jared told me to make sure I signed up so we could square off at least once more before the end of the season. We exchanged a little trash talk and I figured it would be a pretty close contest so I threw my hat in the ring. I was pretty sure he'd get me but I also thought that if I raced a smart race I would be able to make it tough on him. You might say I was the underdog in this one. Jared essentially beat me at the Mooseman earlier this season but the results show differently. He had passed me on the bike and was putting time on me when he flatted. Tough break, and in my book not a legitimate "win" for me so I was kind of excited to lock horns with him again, particularly on a shorter course. He and Dave B had done Ironman Lake Placid this past July so my opponent here today was no slouch. In fact, when we train (bike) together he pounds me on the bike and I hang on for dear life hoping he'll tire out at some point. He never does.
I typically swim a little faster than Jared does and I might have a slight edge on the run so my race plan was to hit the swim hard, create a gap, give most of it back on the bike and then win a dog fight on the run. Good plan? Certainly a recipe for pain but I wasn't sure the math was going to work in my favor. My concern was that he was going to put too much time on me on the bike and I'd run out of real estate trying to reel him in on the run. All these things considered, I liked my chances. :).
I got to the race venue early and had Josh Freeman change my rear cassette to something better suited for this course. Then I grabbed my trainer, set it up and spun for about 30 minutes while chatting with Southern Maine's Self Proclaimed Fastest Non-Triathlete - Roger. I noticed people staring at me and wondering who the TOOL was that brought his trainer but I didn't care. I did this last year and ended up on the podium and that's where I decided I wanted to be today. Then Roger told me that Andy, the announcer, had just called my number and that my bike was racked in the wrong spot. I ran over to transition and sure enough I had put my stuff in the wrong spot. I wish I knew the guy's name that I cursed for being in my spot (whoops) so I could apologize. Must be the year of the rookie mistake or something. I got squared away and went back to wrap up my warm-up that so many were intrigued by.
It was time to get in the water. I met Dave at the start and we decided to try to work together and get to the front early. For the second week in a row I got a GREAT start and was out ahead of most of the pack. Jared started in the wave (3 minutes) ahead of us and I was hoping to come out of the water with him. I'm not sure how long Dave stayed on my feet but I had a great swim (for me) and was out of the water in just over 26 minutes. When I hit the beach to stand up my legs cramped and I had to gimp it up the hill to T1 hoping it would work itself out. I had a fairly quick transition and tore out of the transition area down the dirt drive. I heard Roger yell that I had a two minute lead, SWEET! That meant Jared was only a minute in front of me on the course. In my haste to get up to speed I neglected to get my left foot clicked in properly. When I drove my foot down on the pedal it slipped out and the rear wheel slid out from under me. I was going down in a hurry. I'm not sure what happened to change that but as I was planning my recovery from my first fall off the bike I miraculously straightened out and found myself still upright. Phew, close one. Settle down Francis. I gave my legs a few minutes to try to get stretched out and hoped the cramps would go away. They did, and by the time I climbed out of Winslow Park I had determined that I was going to be able to hit the course pretty hard. I wanted to make Jared work to beat me today and if he faltered I was going to catch him. I didn't really need to catch him, just close the gap to less than 3 minutes and I had him beat. And right now I had him beat. Still wanted to catch him though. The bike went well and I ended up going tit for tat with a 52 year old guy from Mass that started 3 minutes behind me and was smashing the bike course. We went back and forth a few times and I realized he was no joke. It helped me though, to have somebody to chase. I got off the bike in 1:05 or so, good for the 11th fastest bike split on the day at 22.9 mph average. I had another solid transition and tore out of there at about a 5:30 clip that I knew I would pay for just after the gatehouse. I did too. I had to slow up and settle down. I looked ahead as I left the park and saw three Midcoast shirts. One HAD to be him. Turns out one was Chris Callan, then Mike Kramer, and the one way up ahead was Jared. Good, I had him in sight. It also meant I had held the gap on the bike. All I had to do was keep him there and I'd win. Easier said than done. I was starting to cramp pretty bad in the quads and hamstrings. Not enough salt. I didn't have any more either. I was in trouble. I made it out of the park and to the first aid station. I guzzled two cups of Gatorade or Cytomax or whatever it was and kept trucking. At one point I was whipping my left leg out in front of me with my hip because when I pulled it through it would seize up. The drink helped and I ran the next mile pretty well, closing the gap a bit. I fell off Callan and Kramer's pace. They caught Jared and told him I was back there. I noticed the pace quickening and did my best to hold on. I was a couple of hundred yards back - maybe a minute or so. Just needed to hang on. I tried to conserve a bit for the return trip and then the last mile in the event he tried to drop me, but at this point I was just hoping not to seize up. I hit every aid station and guzzled two drinks and it was staving off the cramps somewhat. We turned into Winslow Park and I caught Kramer and tried to get him going again to catch Callan - no dice. He was hurting too. I hung on all the way to the dirt driveway where there was about 1/3 mile to go. Legs weren't feeling too bad so I stepped it up a bit and started to sense we might have an epic finish line sprint if I could just close the gap. As we made the final turn I heard the announcer Andy say "Now entering the finish area Jared Buzzell, Scarborough Maine, followed by Robert Turner, Windham Maine. Crap. Now he knew I was close! I was trying to sneak up there. I put everything I had into the last couple hundred yards but it wasn't enough to catch him at the line. He wasn't having any of it anyway. He's familiar with my work and was NOT going to let me get him at the line. I came across a few seconds after he did and that was just fine. I had won, and it felt great. I was 26th overall and had taken 3rd in my age group. We high fived and recovered and talked non-stop about the race and it occurred to me that I had beaten not only a tough competitor on this day but also classy individual. We both went hard at each other and laid it out there and I think he was as happy for me that I beat him as I was to have been able to do it. I try to be the same way. It is a treat to be able to compete with a friend and still be friends afterward. I think too many people get caught up in it and lose sight of what is really going on here. To me it's always been more about all the other stuff around the race than the race itself. Sure, I go right at it. Heck, it has even been said that I race "angry". But after the race what do you have? You have your friends, and the memories created by your efforts that day. That's the stuff I remember, those are the things I'll take away from the sport when somebody tells me I'm at the end of the line. And when they are dragging me away, kicking and screaming, you can bet I'll be trying to figure out a way to race somebody somewhere again next weekend!
Speaking of next weekend, I'm headed to Orono to defend my title from last year at the Black Bear Trithlon. It's a small race. Bringing a couple of friend's. One of 'em is Jared. So in the words of my favorite entertainer Waylon Jennings....Don't nobody go nowhere!