Iron Eric

Podcast Links

2011-11-28T09:37:00.000-07:00

Endurance Planet (http://www.enduranceplanet.com/)

Pace Per Mile (http://www.pacepermile.com/ )

Big Strides

2011-11-28T09:25:00.000-07:00

I have some made some big progress this year. I have several Personal Bests/Records.
1 Mile
I ran 4:49 at the Metro Mile in July 2011

5K
I ran a 17:02 at the Bradley International 5K fun run

10K
I ran a 34:44 at the Orange County 10k in CA
Marathon
I ran 2:56:37 at the Denver Marathon

Half-Ironman
Total time of 5:15:07 at Ironman Boulder 70.3

What has been my success? How much more can I improve? What brings next year? This year I have improved the track workouts, P90x, better nutrition and gave it my best.

2011 Boulder 70.3 Race Report

2011-08-09T20:43:00.001-06:00

Pre-race routine
I set my alarm for 4:00am, 4:15am, and 4:45am. I wanted to make sure I got up. I got up by the about the second alarm. I changed my pre-race meal slightly today with a little less oatmeal. I am going to this race solo again this year. Way too hot for my family. I had most of my stuff packed in the car the night before so I was able to sleep for just a little bit longer. I brewed some coffee and I was out the door.

Event warmup
Traffic getting into the reservoir was pretty bad. I had an extra 15 min. since the last race. I've been getting faster at setting up my transition area. I dump all the stuff out of my bag and neatly place my shoes, gels, helmet and other stuff in an organized fashion. I went to my car a few times to drop off my extra stuff. Restroom breaks were somewhat minimal today. I left my shoes and socks next to a tree. I figured it wouldn't be the end of the world if they were gone when I returned.  I started in the 2nd to last wave so I had some time to spare. Of course, by the time I got in the water for a quick warm-up, I had less than 5 minutes to start.

Swim
I had prescription goggles this year so I was able to see. I sure did miss the tinted goggles. I am not a super fast swimmer, but I am consistant. I was able to see swimmers and the buoys. Amazing!! My sighting seemed to be great and I kept on course pretty well. I looked at my watch a few times during the swim and I knew I was on my pace.

I have had slight issues in the past with cramping, or feeling like this swim was never going to end. I didn't really have any fears or issues this year.
40:38 (2011)
47:55 (2008)
39:25 (2007)

T1
They say to practice transition. I should probably do that some time. Transition wasn't too bad and was a little faster than the last race. The transition includes the run from the swim end to the leaving with your bike. The baby pool saves time since I don't have to worry about wiping off my feet.
2:17 (2011)
1:58 (2008)
1:51 (2007)

Bike
I had a pretty good start on the bike. I was passing people left and right which got old. I tried keeping an even pace throughout the race. I passed my friend Duane around mile 5. I shouted "keep it real, be strong". Sure was great to see him on the course. I also passed my other friend, Erin at about mile 6. The course seemed pretty fast and I was rockin. The downhill section came and it seemed that it wasn't as steep. I maxed at 40.4mph where in years past my max was 43.7mph(2008), 45.1mph(2007).  I always try to pace myself and my average cadence is usually between 90-100rpms. I was playing leap from with a few riders.  Those who had spectecular bikes passed me on the downhill, but I would catch them going up. I saw a rider or two who had the same bike as mine. I shouted "cool bike". I mentioned once "I have the same bike".

My nutrtion on the bike was fair. I had a shot of GU Roctain's about ever 35-40 minutes. I also had my GU brew. I drank about 36oz of GU Brew, some water, and just a little Gatorade Pro Perfrom. I don't think I drank enough?? I probably had about 40-44oz of liquids on the bike. I also took 4 endurolyte capsules. Not the easiest to take while riding, but I managed

There is one turn-around part that was pretty nerve racking during the first look. I had to slow down big tme because a few riders nearly stopped and hogged the entire area.

I was pretty tired/wasted by the second turn-around part. I was starting to feel a little lousy and I regreted not taking any chamois butter (helps with chaffing around the saddle areas). I didn't want to stop, but I sure did feel like it. It didn't seem too hot, but I poured water on my back. If felt pretty good for a short time and then it dried up.

Bike Split 1: 27.85 mi (1:19:20) 21.06mph
Bike Split 2: 28.15 mi (1:24:05) 20.09mph

2:43:25 - 20.56mph (2011)
2:40:32 - 20.9mph (2008)
2:38:23 - 21.2mph (2007)

Here is the the time that my bike computer said:
Time:
Odo: 1907.5 miles
Max: 40.4 mph
Avg: 20.5 mph
Distance: 56.31 miles

T2
Someone racked their bike in my spot. I couldn't find my stuff and I was getting frustrated. T2 is usually pretty fast and I am quick. I finally found my stuff and hurried.
1:41(2011)
1:14 (2008)
1:28 (2007)

Run
Time to rock! I was ready to push it hard and finish the race strong.  I have been training hard for the run and my goal was to run 1:30-1:35. The first few miles were awesome! I ran 6:53 and 6:59. That is pretty good considering there is a good uphill section. I passed the first aid station and I think I grabbed some water. I did not bring my race belt this year, but I did manage to bring my Garmin watch.

I started to feel a little sluggish around mile 4. I looked at my watch and I knew the possibility of going sub 5 hours was almost gone. I had to use the port-o-potty so I found the next one. It was in use. I am not waiting. I found the next one was open about 1/2 mile later. When I stopped, but I felt my legs cramp. They were pretty crammped from the start of the run, so I knew it could be a long run.

The next aid station I drank some cola. WOW. This stuff was great, but only when it was cold.

Gatorade, cola, water, Ice, water on self, sponge, repeat. I did this nearly every aid station from this point on. It wasn't always in this order. I missed the sponges more often then not. I even got once sponge that was sandy. It seemed that I was pretty dry coming into the next aid station. Amazing what hot weather will do. I only had one gel around mile 4. I was pretty hungry. It was the only gel I had.

I passed my friend, Ted Dunst around mile 5.5. I didn't stop to talk. I told him good job and I kept going. I almost feel like I was being rude, but no time for chit chat.

The wind picked up big time during the second loop. On top of the hill I saw one lady get blasted by a dust storm. My hat flew off around mile 11. It didn't go far, so I had to get it.

Mile 1: 6:56, Mile 2: 6:59, Mile 3: 7:34, Mile 4: 7:42, Mile 5: 8:22, Mile 6: 8:04
Mile 7: 8:25, Mile 8: 8:34, Mile 9: 8:25, Mile 10: 8:22, Mile 11: 8:16, Mile 12: 9:07
Mile 13: 8:35, Mile .1: 0:44,

Rest time: 0:55 - includes quick bathroom break, stopping at aid stations, etc.

Run Split 1: 6.55 miles (51:12) 7:49/mi
Run Split 2: 6.55 miles (55:54) 8:32/mi

1:47:06 - 8:10/mile (2011)
2:00:24 - 9:10/mile (2008)
2:00:14 - 9:12/mile (2007)

Total time:
5:15:07 (2011)
5:32:01 (2008)
5:21:24 (2007)

Cool down
Cool down is what I needed. I was hot and shaking. I felt dizzy and needed to sit down. I debated sitting down at the medic tent, or somewhere else. I went with somewhere else, but just a minute later I went and sat down at the medic tent. They gave me a very cold and wet towel. This made the biggest difference!!! They also gave me some Nuun recovery...which I am not too sure of?

No ice baths this year. Just didn't seem like fun. It took about an hour to get outside the Boulder Reservoir. When I got home, I took a shower and tried to nap. Didn't sleep much.

This was the longet triathlon since 2008. After I look at my results, I am pretty happy with my performance. I have improved on my run time by almost 13 minutes. I set a personal record by 6 minutes.

My 2011 Totals

2011-08-01T10:24:00.001-06:00

My 2011 Totals (Swim, Bike, Run)

January
Swim: 0 yards (0 miles)
Bike: 119.01 miles
Run: 121.70 miles

February
Swim: 0 yards (0 miles)
Bike: 251.18 miles
Run: 128.79 miles

March
Swim: 17,150 yards (10.0 miles)
Bike: 240.91 miles
Run: 179.39 miles

April
Swim: 28,800 yards (16.9 miles)
Bike: 291.26 miles
Run: 136.72 miles

May
Swim: 21,600 yards (12.7 miles)
Bike: 333.63 miles
Run: 140.56 miles

June
Swim: 15,500 yards (9.1 miles)
Bike: 326.45 miles
Run: 134.14 miles

July
Swim: 20,140 yards (11.8 miles)
Bike: 326.81 miles
Run: 164.51 miles

Total
Swim: 103,190 yards (60.7 miles)
Bike: 1,889.25 miles
Run: 1005.81 miles

Starting Supplements / Results / Goals

2011-08-01T09:58:00.001-06:00

Starting Supplements

I have started taking supplements last week. It is something I have been thinking about and want to make sure my body is well taken care of.
Fish Oil, Magnesium, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Calcium

Metro Mile
A big goal this year was to break a 5:00 minute mile. I’ve been going to track every Tuesday so I have been working extra hard. I ran a 4:56.97 on the track and I ran a 4:49 mile at the Metro Mile.

Boulder Peak Triathlon – 1:24:17
-Division Place M30-34: 14/84
-Sex Place: 106/632
-Swim: 15:44 (Rate 2:06/100m or 1:47/100y, Rank 518)
-T1: 1:54
-Bike: 47:09 (Rate 22.0mph, Rank 183)
-T2: 1:17
-Run: 18:13 (Rate 5:52/mile, Rank 20)

Boulder Sprint Triathlon – 2:27:55
-Division Place M30-34: 15/94
-Sex Place: 127/718
-Swim: 31:45 (Rate 2:07/100m or 1:58/100y, Rank 735)
-T1: 2:39
-Bike: 1:12:41 (Rate 20.9mph, Rank 179)
-T2: 1:24
-Run: 39:26 (Rate 6:21/mile, Rank 58)

Coming Up…

Ironman Boulder 70.3 Sprint Triathlon – Goal Sub 5:00
-Division Place M30-34:
-Sex Place:
-Swim: 37:00 - 41:30 (Rate 1:45-1:58/100y, Rank)
-T1: 2:00 - 2:30
-Bike: 2:40:00 – 2:48:00 (Rate 20.5-21mph, Rank)
-T2: 1:15
-Run: 1:25:00 – 1:35:00 (Rate 6:30-7:15/mile, Rank)

Denver Marathon - Sub 2:50

Trail Racing

2011-05-07T18:18:00.000-06:00

Trail race is much tougher than road racing!!

The Bad
Uphill, dirt, uneven paths, sun, rocks, turns, getting lost (just saying), limited facilities, little or no cell phone coverage, going out way to far, big hills.

The Good
Being out in the wilderness, shade, fresh air, fewer people, down hill, easier on the knees.

I went to Greenland, CO today and participated in the Greenland 25k. I ran it in 1:48:35. I finished 4th overall and 2nd in my age group. It was a very warm day today and I should have brought some water.

I was being chased by the #1 female, and she was good. I broke away on the uphill and she was chasing me again on the downhill. She was so close and I pushed it extra hard. I didn't think she would ever catch me. Getting closer and closer. I picked up the pace. She was still behind. 3 miles left...now two. I kept a close eye. I was in 5th place and wanted to keep it that way. Less than a half mile to go and I was nearly sprinting. I knew she wasn't going to catch me, and slowed down just a little.

I didn't care about anything, but getting 5th place. I ended up 4th place. Guess I don't think to well while I run. Crazy!! Good race and I would highly recommend the Greenland 25k/50k to any trail runner.

Happy Easter

2011-04-23T22:17:00.000-06:00

Happy Easter!!

I had a great ride yesterday. 3 hours. I averaged a little over 18mph and rode about 55 miles. Pretty cool day!!

I have a long run this morning...so I better get to it.

Big weekend

2011-04-10T21:29:00.000-06:00

This was a pretty big weekend.

Friday
Swam 3300 yards

Saturday
Cycled 40 miles (1/2 in strong winds)
Ran 4 miles
Swam 1700 yards

Sunday
I was supposed to run for an hour and a half, and cycled for an hour...but I took the day off. Instead I spent the day with the family. My parents, siblings and the rest of the crew to celebrate my 31st birthday!! Yeah!!

2011 Update

2011-04-03T18:48:00.000-06:00

Been pretty busy these days.

I got a new job in November and just haven't had nearly as much time to write as I would like.

I'm back in the triathlon world. I took last year off and focused on my running. I have made great strides and set a few PR's. This year I want to add what i've gained and improve. I want to get that sub 5 hour half-ironman, break under 5 minutes for the mile, set a 10k pr, and just enjoy swimming, cycling and running.

With that being said, I did a brick workout yesterday. I rode for 2 hours, then ran for 45 minutes. Both were close to race pace...and it sure did feel good.

Stay tuned...a new blog design is coming!!

Catchin up

2010-12-14T21:30:00.000-07:00

Lots and Lots of catching up. So many things have happened since my last post. I ran a marathon, bought a new car, started a new job, and so much more!!! Where to begin?

My blog doesn't look the greatest...so a new version is coming!!!

Denver Rock n Roll Marathon was a complete bust for me. I ran 2 miles extra because I took a wrong turn. I finished with the half-marathoners. I ended up running back to catch up to the race. Not a good performance. My time was still pretty darn good, but I did not hit my goal. My time was 2:59. This was an adjusted time because the course ended up being to long.

I started a new job at the Sheriff's Office. I am the reports guy. I started on Nov. 1st and it's been treating me well.

P90x started on Nov 1st. I've been hanging pretty well, but some days I ache more than others.

Another Ironman? 2012?? Guess I need to talk to Nicole first...

And more...

Who let the Dogs out?

2010-09-11T20:28:00.000-06:00

Dogs = My running legs

I had a 20 mile training run today with the Rocky Mountain Road Runners. I wasn't sure I was even going to run this event, but decided to at the last minute.

I rocked!! Finally. I was 17 minutes faster than my 20 mile mark at the Boston Marathon. My total was was 2:13:45. Does this mean I could break under 3 hours at the Denver Rock n Roll Marathon on Oct. 17th? I was on pace to run a 2:58 marathon...or better??

Pics to come soon!!

July/August Recap

2010-09-02T08:49:00.000-06:00

Here is a quick re-cap:

Running
Lots of running these days. Every weekend is a long run. I even woke up at 4:30am last Sat. to squeeze in my long run. I've been averaging 7:45-8:10 per mile on my 18+ long runs. I haven't run past 20 miles. I was tempted one day, but my watch ran out of batteries and I didn't want to guess my distance.

Swimming
I was swimming every Wednesday on my run day off. It has been awhile since I have been to the pool and not sure when I will be going back?

Cycling
I had a flat tire going into work early August. I tried changing it, but I ended up pinching 2 tubes. I had to call Nicole to come pick me up. I haven't rode my bike since. I was riding my bike every Friday to work. I've been having troubles getting my back tire on. I pinched 2 more tubes and I am out of tubes. I need to go to the bike store. I think I will need to buy a new tire??

Family Life
Family life is good. Ariel is growing up so fast. She is almost 16 months old. Amazing how time goes by. Ariel has some squeaky shoes that she loves. Ariel has been trying new things and getting into everything. She went to swim classes, gymnastics, and so much more.

New Car
I bought a car last weekend. I purchased a 2009 Kia Optima. I got a pretty good deal and satisfied. Not sure what I will do with my Mercury Cougar yet. It needs a new transmission. I hope to sell it.

Races
Not too many races. I have done 2 work related 5Ks within the last month or two. I am signed up for the Denver Rock n Roll Marathon. I am working extremely hard to do well.

Track Practice
I have been going to track since late July. I feel so strong and running well. We have done 400's, mile repeats, 2 mile run, 1200s and ladders. Good stuff and I hope this is making me faster

P90
I finished the 1-2 and 3-4 in 45 days. I am now currently working on the Master Series. It has been fun, but very dedicating to get up at 6am to complete the workouts. I am not sure when I will start the P90x? Maybe after the marathon??

Thanks for reading and sorry for such a long time between posts.

Too many workouts??

2010-07-28T21:13:00.000-06:00

Too many workouts and not enough time in the day to do other things. I have my house to clean, yard to take care of, baby to play with, go to work, maintain the cars, laundry, blog, facebook, hotmail....

The list goes on and on. I just don't have enough time for everything. Somethings got to go??? Not sure what? OH well...

I've been running about 45-55 miles per week. I'm running 5-6 days a week, cycling and swimming once a week. I swim on Wednesdays and bike to work on Fridays.

Did I mention that I started track practice?? I want to get faster and the only way is speed workouts!!! It's going pretty well. Track is on Tuesday nights so I take Wed. off for recovery.

More to talk about later. Thanks for stopping by.

My 2010 Totals

2010-07-08T15:59:00.005-06:00

My 2010 Totals (Swim, Bike, Run)

January
Swim: 0 meters (0 miles)
Bike: 0 miles
Run: 336.91 miles

February
Swim: 4,200 meters (2.8 miles)
Bike: 44.50 miles
Run: 235.77 miles

March
Swim: 10,100 meters (6.73 miles)
Bike: 72.64 miles
Run: 55.25 miles

April
Swim: 7,700 meters (5.13 miles)
Aqua Jogging: 4 hrs 10 min
Bike: 74.31 miles
Run: 65.04 miles

May
Swim: 7,200 meters (4.8 miles)
Bike: 63.75 miles
Run: 48.03 miles

June
Swim: 5,500 meters (3.6 miles)
Bike: 98.89 miles
Run: 135.75 miles

July
Swim: 5,000 meters (3.3 miles)
Bike: 42.58 miles
Run: 199.92 miles

August
Swim: 0 meters (0 miles)
Bike: 0 miles
Run: 258.89 miles

September
Swim: 0 meters (0 miles)
Bike: 0 miles
Run: 216.81 miles

October
Swim: 0 meters (0 miles)
Bike: 0 miles
Run: 153.81 miles

November
Swim: 1,600 meters (1.0 miles)
Bike: 0 miles
Run: 97.52 miles

December
Swim: 0 meters (0 miles)
Bike: 53.32 miles
Run: 106.94 miles

Total
Swim: 41,300 meters (27.53 miles)
Bike: 449.99 miles
Run: 1,910.64 miles

Power 90 and Bike to Work Day

2010-06-24T07:00:00.001-06:00

Been extra busy these days. Nicole and I started a new workout program on Monday. We started the Power 90 workout program. This is similar to the P90x program, but came out before it. This is the first version of p90x. We've been getting through it.

Yesterday was Bike to work day. I did p90 in the morning, rode my bike to work, ran 10 miles during lunch, rode my bike back home. What a crazy day it was. Maybe a big overboard? Good for training. I haven't trained like this since Ironman in 2008.

A new Ironman is coming to Texas. Looks interesting!!! Maybe in 2012? We'll see. Would need to find some extra money and time to train.

BB 10K - DONE

2010-06-02T20:01:00.000-06:00

Another BolderBoulder 10K has come and gone. That was 16 BBs for me. I started running them when I was 14. Pretty darn crazy.

My offical time was 40:11. Not my fastest, but I wasn't looking at a PR.

I've got more to talk about...but will save my words today.

Run Day On, Run Day Off

2010-05-22T09:52:00.000-06:00

It sure does feel great to run again!! I have only run 4 times since Boston Marathon on April 19, 2010. That is 4 times in a month. I took about 2-3 weeks off, ran 3 times. Took another 10 days off and ran once. My right leg feels pretty good and no pain while running. I ran a 10k a few weeks ago and my right leg started to ache after the race. That is when I decided to take some more time off.

I have the BolderBoulder 10k race coming up. This will be my 13th year running it (or so). I am in the top wave again, 2nd year in a row. Last years time will be much better. I am looking at running the same as a few weeks ago.

I will only have about a week to train. Yikes. Instead of running every single day, I will be running every other day. Hopefully this will give my leg enough time to finish healing (if necessary). What's next. I am going to Casper, WY to watch my friend Shirley race. I have been thinking about the half-marathon???? Probably a mistake..??? But maybe not? I will make a decision after the BolderBoulder. If my leg feels great, I might talk with Nicole and see what she thinks.

Till now, I hope I get a chance to go out running today!!!

Oh YEAH!

Passing a Brick Wall

2010-05-17T08:39:00.000-06:00

I went for a bike ride today. I told Nicole I would be gone 1-2 hours but no longer. My lungs were burning the first two miles of the ride. The first two miles are on Quincy Ave which is a moderately busy road. Cars always seem to be pretty good about cyclists, but I am always alert. The first mile is a slight uphill and the second is a fast downhill. I can get my bike 25-32mph. I always take it too fast.

I went one loop around Cherry Creek Reservoir and only 40 minutes into my ride. I was pretty worn out and felt like calling it a day. GU to the Rescue!! I had an orange burst GU and gave me enough energy to keep going. I ended up going around Cherry Creek Reservoir again. I paced myself better going around the second time.

I rode 26.5 miles and averaged 17.5mph. Not too bad.

Got some good Wii Sports workout afterwards. I was determined to beat the obstacle course record. I did it, but too me way too long.

Blazing Bullets 5K/10K Trail Run

2010-05-11T12:13:00.000-06:00

The Bullets Trail Run was a fantastic race. This event was held by the City of Westminster and the Westminster Public Safety Recognition Foundation. The community group benefits Westminster Firefighters who have been injured on the job and financial relief to citizens who have lost their home or have been displaced.

The best races start off with great volunteers and organizers. The Blazing Bullets event gave a personal touch because it had great community involvement. It felt like the sitcom Cheers where "everyone knows your name".

The location was perfect. It was held at the Christopher Fields (near Sheridan and 104th) just off highway 36. The registration was simple and easy. The goodie bags included a reusable grocery bag given by City of Westminster, water, toothbrush kit, and information about the course. The t-shirt gave it a nice touch.

This event wasn't a stressful event. There were plenty of bathrooms with no long lines. The event included a short walk to the south parking lot just before the start. 8am start was perfect and it starts right on time. The 10K runners started first and 5K runners started 5 minutes later.

The course offered a combination of road and trail. The course was clearly marked and each mile offered a quote of inspiration. The aid stations were well supported. There were more police motorcycles at this event than many 5k/10k races. It appeared that the officers enjoyed helping out for the safety of the runners.

The finish line was mostly organized. 5K and 10K runners finished at the same chute so it may have caused a little confusion at the end. We received a timing chip and several volunteers were at the finish line ready to take them off.

The Post race events may have been the best part. Great food and beverages afterwards. Panera bread, EAS shakes, water, coffee, and more. The exhibit booths made it fun for the entire family. Great music was provided by the Standley Lake High School Jazz Band and Car Toys.

The award presentation was good, but too long. The announcer knew many runners and explained who they were. Most amazing door prizes at this event. The door prize announcements were long but felt like everyone was a winner.

The Blazing Bullets event was a huge success and the volunteers and organizers did an outstanding job. Not to mention a personalized finishers certificate sent via email.

I placed 2nd out of 98 finishers in a time of 39:48. I won my age division 30-39. I also won a free pair of shoes. YEAH!

GU Rocks!!!

2010-04-29T20:43:00.000-06:00

I love GU. My nutrition plans have been fantastic and I can certainly tell you that it has made a big difference in my performance. I have been able to complete Ironman Coeur d'Alene, Salt Lake City Marathon, Boston Marathon, 24 hours of Triathlon (team event) and much more.

GU has recently come out with a test drive package with a full variety of GU Energy products. GU has over 20 years of experience providing athletes with proper nutrition while exercising. Every athlete needs a workout plan and nutrition plan. GU has helped me, so they can help you too.

So what does the performance energy sampler provide? It gives the athlete with a range of choices to create their individual performance nutrition plan and includes the original GU Energy Gel, Roctane Ultra Endurance Energy Gel, Chomps Energy Chews, Electrolyte Brew, and Recovery Brew.

For full product information please visit http://www.guenergy.com/products/performance-energy-sampler.

Did I mention that I love GU. They have helped me become a better person and a great athlete.

Boston Marathon Race Report

2010-04-27T23:14:00.001-06:00

Alarm Clock

Alarm clock went off just before 5:15am. I arose with ease and was eager to start the day. I put on all my gear. I also had some warm-up clothes. I went downstairs to the cafe "Au Bon Pain". I was able to get some coffee and oatmeal. Little sugar and milk with my oatmeal and I was good to go.

Bus Ride

The Rocky Mountain Road Runners group met in the hotel lobby at 6am. We met for a quick photo or two and headed towards the buses. We didn't wait to long too get on a school bus. The bus had a cute turtle on the window next to the door. On the yellow school bus we go and we went straight to the back. The ride took 45-60 min. I started becoming uncomfortable half way. I was getting car sick and had to find a restroom.

Start Line

The start line was crazy. We started heading to the start line with only 15 minutes before start time. It almost felt like a mad dash before the race started. After a quick last minute bathroom break, I rushed to the the 2000's corral. The video camera came right in front of us several times. Click here to view the video. My friend is dacook (David Cook) and I am next to him on the left. Check out the bright yellow outfit and my sunglasses.

And we run...

The gun went off and let the mad chaos begin. It wasn't a fast pace at first. It actually took us about a minute to get to the start line. My goal was to take it hard, but not to go crazy and run a miracle mile. The crowds were already starting to form and I felt like this was going to be a good race day. The weather turned out to be perfect and sunny. I didn't even notice the wind.

Miles 1-6

Mile 1: 6:50, Mile 2: 6:18, Mile 3: 6:01, Mile 4: 6:36, Mile 5: 6:33, Mile 6: 6:33

5K - 20:13

10K - 40:48

What a great feeling to run again. I felt great and so thrilled to be at Boston. The first mile was perfect. Not too fast, not too slow. I increased my speed after the first mile. Mile 3 might have been a mistake? I ran too fast and noticed it. My friend Dave Cook was keeping up with me and was wondering what I was doing.

We passed by an awesome biker bar with tons of people cheering. I didn't hear any engines roaring, but I could easily point out the biker dudes. The first 5K and 10K passed by and I was pleased with my times. Every time I passed a timing mat, I thought of all my friends, sponsors and family. Especially those who were watching me on race day.

Miles 7-13

Mile 7: 6:24, Mile 8: 6:43, Mile 9: 6:48, Mile 10: 6:48, Mile 11: 7:01, Mile 12: 7:09, Mile 13: 6:57

15K - 1:01:35

20K - 1:23:18

Half-Marathon - 1:28:02

Steady, easy, and steady. I was rockin and racing towards the half way point. The miles started to slow down a little bit towards the end of the first half. My quads and calf's started feeling tight around mile 11. I blame this on my new orthotics that I only had a week to break in. I also will mention that I took off 3-4 weeks before Boston.

Miles 14-20

Mile 14: 7:05, Mile 15: 7:15, Mile 16: 6:58, Mile 17: 7:46, Mile 18: 8:07

25K - 1:45:23

30K - 2:09:11

The hills started at mile 16. The first two hills were tough and I felt the challenge. I didn't think the first two would be tough. We passed by Wesley College during Mile 16. Something neat about Wesley College...It's a female only college and the girls were out to scream. One of the most amazing parts about the course. Hundreds and maybe even thousands of college girls screaming and shouting at all the runners. Many of them held "kiss me" signs. Runners would stop just to kiss the girls. Not me. I kept running, but I did blow a few kisses.

Mile 19-21: 25:38 (8:22/mile)

35K - 2:35:08

My garmin watch lost signal so I wasn't sure what my pace was. This is good and bad. Bad because I wasn't sure how fast I was running, but good because I could run at a comfortable pace. Heartbreak hill was around mile 21 and I didn't even notice it. I asked another runner if we have passed Heartbreak Hill yet. He told me we just passed it. I do remember some college kids screaming at a person to start running again. The runner nearly stopped and took a break. The college students screamed and yelled louder once the runner got going again. Way to inspire!

Mile 22-26.2

Mile 22: 7:54, Mile 23: 8:10, Mile 24: 7:47, Mile 25: 8:10, Mile 26: 7:38, Mile .2: 1:07
40K - 3:00:22

2nd Half-Marathon - 1:42:53

My pace was mixed, but I started picking up the pace. After passing Heartbreak Hill, the toughest parts were done. My garmin watch starting working again, so I was able to see my pace. I passed the 24-25 mile marker and knew I wasn't going to break 3 hours. My next goal was to break 3:10, which is the time to re-qualify for Boston. I had a little over 1.5 miles left to run in about 12 minutes. The finish line was coming close and I had enough time to finish in 3:10.

The last .2 miles was crazy. I put everything I had left out on the course. I was running at 4:12/mile pace for the last minute. I ran until I couldn't run any longer. I finished with a time of 3:10:55. I re-qualified for Boston by 4 seconds.

Will I be able to Walk?
The race was over and I was exhausted. I kept thinking to myself, keep walking. Keep walking. Don't stop. The wheelchairs to the first aid tents sure did look nice. I wasn't feeling the greatest and I thought I might have been a little dizzy. I got my medal, water, snack bag, and headed to the bus to get my "gear bag". I changed and went straight for the massage area. I wanted to make sure I got a massage.

After a simple and basic massage I headed towards my hotel. I found it right away and headed up the elevator. I was walking pretty well compared to the last race. I showered, closed the blinds, and took a nice 2 hour nap.

Looking Back
My training paid off. I worked hard and ran hundreds of miles. I couldn't have done the race without my sponsors, GU and Brooks!! My nutrition was right on and I had good shoes, gear and support.

I might run Boston again next year, but I will do a few things differently. I will make sure I have at least one day off either every week or every other week. I will make sure to listen to my body a little better and rest when I need to.

I was happy to run the 2010 Boston Marathon. Despite my leg injuries, I ran a great race. I ran the first half a little too fast, and ran out of gas for the second half. This race was my second fastest marathon and I have many more miles to run. Thanks for your support and well wishes.

Boston Marathon Results

2010-04-26T08:59:00.000-06:00

I made it through!! Race report coming either tonight or tomorrow.

My finishing time 3:10:55. Not too bad.

Headed to Boston

2010-04-12T21:06:00.000-06:00

I put on my running shoes and went on a 8 mile run. I ran last night at 9pm and had a great run. My leg didn't feel too bad and I felt like I could keep running. Pain level was around a 2 on a scale 1-10.

I went out again during my lunch break today. I went 6.75 miles. Not as great of a run as last night, but not bad too. I felt a blister on my heal and it was pretty painful. Ah man. Not another blister. Do I blame it on my orthotics or shoes? Yuck........

What does this mean? I am planning on running the Boston Marathon next Monday. It won't be my fastest marathon, so I hope to really enjoy the race!!

Game Plan..heal baby...heal.

2010-04-01T20:26:00.000-06:00

2.5 weeks left till the Boston Marathon and I will make a decision in about 2 weeks. I can defer the Boston Marathon till next year, but I must re-register and pay the entry fee. I have stopped running on Monday and will give it 2 weeks off. I have been cycling and swimming to cross train. Aqua Jogging is something else. Time passes by faster than I thought.

Heal leg heal. I felt very optimistic today. My leg/foot seems to be going through all kind of feelings. My ankle and calf are sore or ache. Odd. Heal leg heal.......I want to get back to running soon!!

I have some orthodics on order, but they won't get here until next Friday. Not enough time. Big decision to make soon...

Thanks for coming and reading/dealing with all my issues. I will be talking about happier thoughts in the future!!

Still Broken

2010-03-28T21:17:00.000-06:00

My car is back in the shop. My friend Joe and I replaced the alternator twice and still no luck. Got another brand new battery and alternator. It's something else...??

21 days till Boston. 3 Weeks. I ran about 13 miles this week. Not bad??? Bad. I gave up a treadmill run because my legs burned too much.

I iced my legs last night before a run. I made it almost 5 miles. I decided to stop while I was ahead. Pace was slow, but I was listening to my body. My body said "slow". What will I do?? I don't know yet. I can have the race defered still next year. I would rather run this year.

I rode my bike almost 3 hours today. No leg problems. I have rode nearly 50 miles since September 2009. It was a warm day and I felt like I need a big workout. This was pretty big. Let's see what happens in the next few weeks.

MRI Results are in...

2010-03-23T13:50:00.000-06:00

The results from the MRI are in. Here is what the Dr. said via email:

The MRI shows changes in the fibular shaft consistent with a 'stress response.' These are the beginnings of what we would see with a stress fracture, but no fracture was seen. There were no other soft tissue abnormalities, including tendonitis, that were seen.

Right away, I would start taking calcium 1000mg and vitamin D 400 IU daily to help with bone growth. As far as training, we need to talk about specifics and goals for your current race schedule, so I agree we should touch base by phone.

Good news, bad news?? Doesn't sound horrible, but explains why my leg still hurts. I will be talking with my Dr. soon about what I can do. Guess it might have been a smart idea to stop running for a little bit. 26 days left till Boston Marathon.

Needing a battery charge?

2010-03-21T00:52:00.000-06:00

Crap. The car stalled on me again. Yesterday's somewhat big snowstorm also brought me a dead vehicle. My Mercury Cougar's battery light came on Friday morning. It was enough to get me to work and back home. Ariel's 10 month dr. appointment was after work and I drove seperatly to meet Nicole and Ariel. I tried starting the car in the parking lot. No luck.

I went to Checkers Auto. They told me I needed a new battery. I bought a battery 2 years ago, which seemed odd. Put the new battery in my car. The storm made things cold. I was able to get home and drive some today.

My MRI appointment was at 7:00pm for my right leg. I was done at 8pm and started driving home. I didn't make it too far. Long story short...I think my car needs a new alternator. Battery is dead, but just needs re-charging. What an ordeal tonight. Hopefully the car is safe where I left it...??...

I feel like my body needs a new re-charge. Hopefully I will figure out the results of the MRI soon and I can get back to working out.

5 days in a row for Aqua swimming. Not too day. Will post more about it soon.

Now until Boston

2010-03-15T19:58:00.000-06:00

5 weeks left or 35 days of training.

Day after a half-marathon

My legs feel stiff, tired and worn out. My spirits are high and my legs lay low. I got 2 new pairs of shoes and gloves today. I went Aqua Jogging in the morning. 25 mintues and 400 meters. Not too bad. This seemed to loosen my legs a little.

I attempted running on the treadmill during my lunch break. I made it about 1.25 miles in 17-18 minutues. Yikes. The pace was super slow. It was a mixture of jogging/walking. I pushed the treadmill dial to 8:41/mile. This has been my standard slow run pace. It was too fast and I couldn't keep up. After I got off I did a few leg weights and some stretching. Super short workout, even though I was moving slow.

What does this mean for BOSTON Marathon??

Yikes. 5 weeks left of training, and I can't run. No more running until....

I have a MRI scheduled for Saturday.

My legs need to feel better.

I need to stop limping.

2-3 weeks of running. Maybe cycling too.

Guess what that means?? More time at the pool AQUA Jogging. Oh Boy. I guess I need to get up earlier and be at the pool for as long as I can. Maybe even 2 swim workouts a day??

Abs and Core exercises would be good too.

Boulder Spring Half Marathon

2010-03-15T19:42:00.000-06:00

What a great way to represent GU!! I wasn't sure if I should have raced this one. I decided that it would be a great training/tempo run leading up to the Boston Marathon.

Dave Cook ran along side with me during the race. We both ran the first half around 7:00/mile. Not too bad. I think we were hoping to run just a tad bit faster. The second half was faster for the both of us. Dave Cook and I parted ways at this point. He blasted the 2nd half with amazing split times. I was pretty happy with my 2nd half performance.

I beat my course PR by almost 2 mintues. I thought about slowing the pace several times. I don't think it would have made a differnce if I ran the race fast or slow. Both ways it would have been hard on my legs. There was a pack of runners that I kept up with for most the race. This allowed me to run smart and even pace.

Official Time: 1:31:50
Pace: 7:01/mile
Overall Finish: 56th
Age Group Finish: 12 of 63

Mile 1: 6:45, Mile 2: 6:47, Mile 3: 6:55, Mile 4: 6:58, Mile 5: 7:06, Mile 6: 7:10,
Mile 7: 7:17, Mile 8: 6:33, Mile 9: 6:40, Mile 10: 6:45, Mile 11: 6:52, Mile 12: 7:09
Mile 13: 6:50

Leg pains that won't go away

2010-03-11T16:13:00.002-07:00

Will my leg pains go away?? I am not certain how much rest I should take? I went to the doctors almost a month ago. I took a week off and my left leg pain went away. 2-3 weeks later my right leg started acting up and the pain has been much worse. I've taken about 1 1/2 weeks off now and the pain still exists.

I went to a physical therapist last Monday and he told me that my "Peroneus Longus and Brevis" are the cause. He did some needle therapy, massage, and more to help fix it. He mentioned that I had a few knots and the muscle is just very tight.

I've used ice, ibprofin, foam roller, massage, rest...and nothing is helping. This injury is very frustrating.

Boston is less than five weeks away. I don't want to take off too much time, but I want to complete the race too.

I also have a half-marathon scheduled for this weekend and I am still deciding whether I should attempt it???

Long Run before Boston

2010-03-02T23:28:00.000-07:00

Do I dare say it? Do I dare run it? I had a 24 mile run planned for today. I kept thinking, should I even be running today? A hard race yesterday and I want to run how many miles.

Nicole and I went to church early today so I could get an earlier start on my run. We got back home just before 11am. I got all my stuff ready and was out the door by about 11:25. I really wanted to get out a little sooner, but what can you do?

The first mile was a little tough. I wasn't quite limping, but I felt slightly awkward. The first mile is at small incline, so it's never the best mile. Mile 2 is downhill so I can cruise and work on my pace. Most of my long runs are at Cherry Creek State Park. Today was an extra challenge for several reasons. First, I had to get the mileage in so I took extra loops and paths around the park. Second, my brother David met me at mile 19. I needed a pit stop, so I called David a few days before and asked if he would be interested.

I had everything mapped out and I was supposed to meet David at mile 18. I was running behind schedule and was figuring I was going to run 18 miles in 2 hours. What was I thinking? I wasn't planning on running that fast. Around mile 13 I lost my glove. I took my glove off so I could get a gel. I put the glove under my armpit and the glove someone ran away. I realized I lost my glove, so I ran back to find it. I kept running and running in the wrong direction. I tried hard to find my glove, and never did. I asked a walker along the path if she seen it? She said she mostly looks down and didn't see it.

Shortly before I spoke with the walker, I speedy girl flew by. She was at warp speed and headed in the direction I was supposed to be going. The chase was on when I turned back around. I tried catching her. Almost thought she might have my glove...yeah right. I came close, but never did. She ended up turning around and we waved at each other. She didn't have my glove. Darn.

I was getting close to where David and I were supposed to meet. I pulled out my cell phone and let him know that I was coming by shortly. I told him less than 15 minutes and I will be there. Down hill most the way. My pit stop was just after mile 19. David brought me some water. I mixed my GU20 packet into my water bottle and I was good to go.

Five miles left and David was running with me. I didn't want to slow down my pace, but I didn't want to wear David out. The pace was still pretty fast, but David managed...until we hit a big hill. He struggled a little, but we met each other at the stoplight. I was extremely impressed with his running and pumped that I had some company. 2 more miles and we were home. The pace slowed down a little. No worries because the last 2 miles were supposed to be a cool down.

We finished and the run was over. We rested a little bit, and I took David back to our meeting spot. I drove back home looking forward to a nice long nap. Ariel woke up shortly after my shower...no nap for Daddy. We went out shopping for a few things. I was at a snails pace. Nicole even called me Grandpa.

The day after was pretty rough. I decided I was going to take the day off and swim instead. Great idea. Hopefully the days to come my legs will recover.

Here were my mile splits:

Miles 1-10: 8:21, 7:42, 7:35, 7:29, 7:43, 7:39, 7:53, 7:45, 7:55, 7:40

Miles 11-20: 7:32, 7:43, 7:50, 7:44, 7:30, 7:34, 7:28, 7:42, 8:09, 8:22

Miles 21-24: 7:43, 8:01, 8:11, 8:05

Frosty Frozen 10 mile

2010-03-02T21:59:00.001-07:00

Frosty Frozen 10 Mile

What a weekend. Lots of activities planned...and not all just running. I woke up pretty early because it was race day! The race didn't start until 10am, so I had plenty of time. I even got to sleep in a little.

I had my morning race breakfast, oatmeal. I try not to eat too big of a breakfast on race day. I didn't have any coffee, but I sure wanted a cup.

I have been trying to get over all my leg injuries, so I wasn't sure how my run was going to be?? My right leg started bothering me on Thursday's run and I was a bit nervous. I ran an easy 1 mile warm-up run. I tried my best to get fully warm before the race started. The temperature was rising and I was getting anxious. I found several of my running friends. Dave Cook and I will be running Boston together, so this race was perfect.

The race started. Dave Cook and some of my other friends took off. I did not want my first mile to be under 6 mintues, so I let some them pass. My first mile was 6:20, so I was pretty happy. It amazes me how many people (just like me) go crazy for the first mile. Almost a dead sprint...then everyone seems to slow down, or adjust.

Mile 1: 6:20, Mile 2: 6:15, Mile 3: 6:21, Mile 4: 6:09, Mile 5: 6:20
Total Time: 31:27
Avg Pace: 6:17/mile
The first 5 miles flew by. I felt pretty good. I wasn't too concerned about time split mile times. I kept trying to push the pace. I also kept catching other runners. I ended up passing 10 runners after the first mile. Not a single runner passed me.

Mile 6: 6:38, Mile 7: 6:24, Mile 8: 6:23, Mile 9: 6:23, Mile 10: 6:14
Total Time: 32:24
Avg Pace: 6:29/mile

I was catching Dave Cook. I passed him about mile 8. He was still running pretty strong too. He kept up with me for most the way. I looked back because I thought I heard him slip on some ice. Dave did slip on ice, but didn't fall. I passed one final runner with 1/2 mile to go. I was picking up the pace and running towards the finish. Dave sprinted towards the end, and nearly caught me. He finished at about the same time as I finished. Amazing.

Official Time: 1:03:51
Avg Pace: 6:23/mile or 9.4 mph

Don't count me out

2010-02-16T21:37:00.000-07:00

Last week was hard. I did not run once. The entire week. My last day off was Nov. 15th. I was on a good streak. 450+ miles later I decided it was in my best interest to take a week of running off to heal my leg.

So instead I swam and rode my bike indoors. I swam 4 times and rode my bike 3 times. This was the first time getting in the pool and on the bike since the end of September. It felt great to be back.

Did the time off help my leg. Short answer: No. Didn't really do a think. Seems like a waste. I am not counting it. A slight change of pace is always a good think.

So what is wrong with my leg? Not sure yet. I think it might be shin splints?? I have been icing it twice a day now and I will wait and maybe see the doctor on Friday...or whenever I can get in for an appointment. I iced my leg before my run today and I felt great. Felt almost too good. I ran so fast and didn't give in. Felt like I was running from daemons.

Pain Tolerance

2010-02-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago my left leg started giving me problems. I kept running and the pain seemed to get worse and worse each day. Not a pain to stop running, but very annoying. I am not sure exactly what the issue is, but I have determined it's lower leg. It could be shine splints?? It could be my ankle. Not sure.

After running 22 miles on Saturday and a 7 mile race on Sunday I decided to take a few days off. I was only planning on 2-3 days, but it's been 5 so far. The pain only occurs when I put pressure on the left. This includes running, squats, and other types of lifting.

I have been cross training this week. I've been swimming 5 times and cycling 3 times. First time back in the pool and on the bike since the end of September. Hopefully these activities are not making things worse?

This weekend looks like I will either run or take off completely. I want this leg issue to heal. At the same time I don't want to miss too many more running workouts. It's amazing how you can go running from 80+ miles per week to 0. On a positive note I will still have 8 weeks left to train for the Boston Marathon.

Hard workouts = feeling like crap

2010-01-27T08:35:00.000-07:00

I had a very intense workout today. Lactate threshold - 11 miles w/ 5 miles @ 15k to half marathon pace. I think I pushed it too hard!

Miles 1-2: 8:16, 7:27
Miles 3-7: 6:14, 6:17, 6:17, 6:08, 6:31
Miles 8-11: 7:14, 7:42, 7:27, 7:52
Total Distance: 11.15
Time: 1:18:47
Avg Pace: 7:04/mile

Few things to note. First, after I slowed things down a little, I felt pretty good and the pace was still pretty fast but felt easy. Second, I did a bad job with hydration. I didn't drink many liquids until I think it was too late. Third, I felt extremely sick afterwards. I am getting over a cold, so this didn't help much. I have been having extreme bowel issues lately. I have been taking emergency stops and getting lucky.

My stomach seems to be a mess after intense workouts. Today was definitely the case. I felt so sick after today's workout. I left for home, and barely made it. I used the restroom several times and got home enough to say hello to everyone and right to bed.

Finally, don't use socks with holes in them. I was desperate and used a backup pair of socks, but one had a hole in it. A good size hole. Enough to rub and tear off some skin from my foot. Doesn't hurt too badly, but I am not sure how it will fair with today’s run.

Other Notes:
Last day off was Nov. 15th, 2009
Next day off...um...After the Boston Marathon.
Miles run since last day off 700+
Miles run in January: 300 and still counting...

2010-01-23T19:35:00.000-07:00

Lots of running. I nearly put in 80 miles last week. This week has been a recovery week for me. Recovery week is set at around 65 miles. Wow. I can remember when that was my max for marathon training. This recovery week doesn't feel like a recovery week.

Sore all over. It seems that another body part seems to ache each month. First it's my hips, then my knee, then my back, then the bottom of my foot. Now it's my calf muscle. My back seems to be doing better after I quit playing the Wii Fit??

I've been meaning to post more on my blog, but life has been pretty darn busy. I have written down some possible races for 2010 that I will be entering:

2/27 Snowman Stampede 5M/10M or Greenland 50K in May
3/14 - Boulder Spring Half Marathon
4/19 - Boston Marathon
9/19 - Boulder Half Marathon
9/25 - 24 hours of Triathlon event?? Maybe the 8 hours solo??
10/17 - Denver Marathon??

Lots of decisions to make. Lots of thanks to Brooks and GU for helping me through my journey to Boston and beyond.

Long Runs in the Desert

2009-12-28T19:01:00.000-07:00

I've been out of state for Christmas. I thought our trip was going to be warm, sunny, dry and did I mention warm? New Mexico in the winter is hit or miss. Some weeks it might be in the 50-60s and some might be in the 20-30's. The lows are pretty low and remind me of home.

Christmas Day was an 11 mile run. I woke up extra early because I wasn't quite sure how I was going to sneak in an 11 mile run. I was up at 6am and left the house by 6:30. It was a pretty cold and crisp morning. I didn't think anyone would be out?? I saw a few walkers, runners and a few cars. A few more folks than I thought. I had an enjoyable run and was pretty fast.

Two Days later I had my Sunday long run. Why didn't I wake up extra early and run?? I thought I was going to have plenty of time. Time just got away and I didn't get started running until about 4:30pm. Yikes. That means I had about an hour of sunlight. When the sun goes down the desert gets COLD! And pretty scary too because it gets dark. I didn't go exactly where I hoped, but I just ran. I ran along the highway, which was fine until it got dark.

I had about 6-8 miles left out of 17. It was pitch dark. I knew exactly where I was going, but the terrain was rocks, dirt and not level. I was glad to know that I have tons of miles behind my belt and I wasn't going to trip. I've done it before, but not while on vacation. I slowed down just a little, but I think it was because it was dark. Did I also mention I played the Wii fit the night before? My Glutes were pretty sore and I felt it.

My first 2 miles were warm up and I had 8 miles of hard running. 8 miles at marathon pace. I didn't quite run those miles at my expected marathon pace, but I figured it was pretty darn good. I ran 17 miles last week and was 10 minutes slower last week. What a great run, even though it got dark out.

I have one more lactate threshold day of running tomorrow morning and we will head back to Colorado. I ran a little over 65 miles this week. Pretty cool.

Fast Day

2009-12-16T09:54:00.000-07:00

Had a tough workout yesterday. I was scheduled for a lactate threshold day with 9 miles. 4 of those 9 were to be run at 15K to half-marathon pace. My goal was set to run the 4 miles in 6:30/mile pace.

9 miles = 1:00:11
Miles 1-2 = 7:06, 6:46
Miles 3-6 = 5:42, 5:57, 5:51, 6:19
Miles 7-9 = 7:03, 7:35, 7:48
Avg Pace: 6:41/mile

What happened. I might have taken those 4 miles too hard? I felt pretty good. It was starting to get a little cold and I was glad to be finished.

Boston Marathon Training Begins

2009-12-14T16:48:00.000-07:00

Let it start. Today is the first official day of Boston Marathon Training. I am reading a book called "Advanced Marathoning" by Pete Pfitzinger and Scott Douglas. This book has a training plan where I plan on following. The plan I have selected is 70 to 85 miles per week; 18 week schedule.

I ran 65 miles this past week. I think I am ready to start at 65 miles. This program is intense! I will also be adding core stretches, a flexibility program and strength training. YIKES...I am giving everything I got into this race.

Bitter Cold

2009-12-11T16:47:00.001-07:00

Bitter Cold means treadmill. I ran 12 miles last week outside in the cold. The temperature was 12-15 degrees. Way too cold.

I had a trophy series race at Washington Park on Sunday. I ran 4.5 miles in crappy weather. It was snowing while we ran. The wind was so cold. I got through it and ran my butt off. I ended up 2nd in the trophy series race.

The weather has been cold that I've been on the treadmill for 4 days in a row. 5, 9, 12 and 6 miles on the treadmill. Friday was much better and I ran outside! All was great until I stepped into a big pothole. My left foot was soaked.

RMRR 9 Mile

2009-11-09T10:25:00.000-07:00

I had a RMRR 9 mile Tropy Series race on Sunday. It was a little chilly and windy. Not as bad as the Boulder Half-Marathon, but still pretty windy. I ran 9 miles this year in 59:21. This was a 53 second improvement from last year. I am pretty happy with that!

Boston Marathon Received

2009-11-04T10:54:00.000-07:00

Your Boston Marathon entry has been received.

I sent my Boston Marathon Registration last night. I kept waiting for some extra money to come in...and I am still waiting. I ended up charging this to the Credit Card because I was getting nervous of Boston Marathon selling out.

I am now committed to the race.

Training has started...Official training plan doesn't start till December 14th.

Pre Boston Marathon Training

2009-10-29T17:19:00.000-06:00

I started a Pre-Boston Marathon Training program which started last week. This program is more about getting in more miles before the hard core training program starts. I am at about 40-45 miles per week on average. I will be using a marathon plan from the book "Advanced Marathoning". The plan starts at 65 miles per week. The max goes to 85 miles per week. Not sure what I am going to do when my shoes wear out...

I am on my 4th pair of running shoes this year. I have run over 1,500 miles so far. I might even hit the 2,000 mark?? That is scary to think about.

New Look

2009-10-28T13:34:00.000-06:00

Check it out. My blog has a new look. Nicole changed our family blog, so I figured it was time to change mine. I have changed quite a few things and the "tabs" no longer exist. Those tabs weren't used too much and I never updated them anyways. I will try harder to post more stuff...including pictures.

I participated in a 10k last Saturday. It was the Galloping Goose and I finished 2nd place overall. My finish time was 40:10. Not my best 10k, but I felt good and happy with my results.

Strength Training

2009-10-20T09:47:00.003-06:00

Been hard at work. Getting stronger everyday and have new battles to overcome.

24 Hours of Triathlon

2009-10-14T21:21:00.018-06:00

GU Rocks!!
Two weeks in a row I am running for GU. I did the Boulder Half-Marathon last weekend. My top, socks, hat, cycling shorts, and can't forget the gels.

It took me a long time to pack all my stuff. It felt like I spent hours trying to get everything ready and just right. I had to grab extra socks, clothes, gloves, batteries, and other stuff. I had a duffel bag full of clothes. I thought it was such a waste to be packing 4-5 sets of clothes. It wasn't a waste, I used them all.

I went to bed too late!!! It was after midnight and I was still up. What was I doing?? I needed to get to bed because I had to be out the door by 6am and wouldn't get much sleep the next night.

I woke up with enough time to eat, pack up the rest of my stuff and leave. I was very thankful to have the race only a few miles from my house. Cherry Creek Reservoir is only 2 miles from my house. The start line was about 4-5 total miles. I wanted to ride my bike, but it was going to be impossible with a sleeping bag, cooler and tons of other stuff.

I met Team GU on race morning. What great teammates: Drew, Leslie, Shelby and myself. We setup up our tent, tables, chairs and the rest of camp. It was fun unpacking everything and getting everything set.

Race time was 9am. We had a pre-race meeting before the start. The start requires the participants to do one full triathlon before consecutive swims, bike or runs. Drew started off the swim with awesome timing. I followed with the bike. What an amazing ride. It was only 11.2 miles, but they were fast. It was a race at this point. Everyone pedaling with great spirits and energy. I almost felt like I was working too hard. I made the fastest split for the day with 30:09. When I finished I handed off our chip to Shelby in the transition area. Quick transition and off she went.

Swim (.24 miles per lap)
After we completed the first swim, bike and run we had a strategy to complete all the swims first. Drew was amazing. His split times were fast and he kept going. This event was my only triathlon of the season so I wanted to do everything. Between the swim and transition area we had to run about .25 miles. That's almost 5 miles of running.
Drew - 5 consecutive swims
Eric - 3 consecutive swims (9:48, 11:42, 11:51)
Drew - 5 consecutive swims
Eric - 2 consecutive swims (11:05, 11:35)
Drew - 5 consecutive swims

Time: 56:01
Distance: 1.2 miles
Avg Pace: 2:54/100m
I am not the strongest swimmer. I should have probably trained more, but I was somewhat satisfied with my performance. Why wasn't I swimming faster??

Bike (11.2 miles per lap)
We were finished swimming around 1:15pm. It was a pretty warm day and I was very thankful. I made sure I put on plenty of sunscreen. We figured we would take turns with the bike. The order was Shelby, Leslie, Eric and Drew. We kept this order for most of the day. We only switched it up once. I figured that we would had about 1:30 of rest before we were out again.

I was impressed with my bike splits! They kept pretty consistent and only slowed down a little during each ride. I slowed down a little more during the dark hours. My 4th ride was the last ride while the sun was still up. I was required to have lights on for safety reasons. I brought two lights just in case. One was a bike light and the other was my head lamp. I was very glad I brought extra batteries because my bike light was extremely dim. I couldn't see anything from my bike light, but the head lamp was going strong. I changed out the batteries during the next transition and I was back in business.

After I changed my batteries I also changed clothes. I changed into warmer clothes and switched out cycling shorts. My triathlon shorts were no longer needed and a thicker cycling shorts were necessary. I felt pretty confident riding at night and it seemed like a smoother ride. I didn't have to dodge any cyclists, motorists and pedestrians. I did see a few deer, but no close calls. We finished the bike portion around 12:25am.
Eric (9:07am) - 30:09 - 22.29mph
Eric (2:23pm) - 31:10 - 21.56mph
Eric (4:38pm) - 32:34 - 20.63mph
Eric (6:56pm) - 33:45 - 19.91mph
Eric (9:22pm) - 34:06 - 19.71mph
Eric (11:14pm) - 35:06 - 19.15mph
Time: 3:16:50
Distance: 67.20 miles
Average Pace: 20.48mph

Run (2.62 miles per lap)
The swim and bike portion were now done. We finished 21 laps of swimming and 20 laps of cycling. Now it was time to run all night long and complete more triathlons! I have been looking forward to the running section for quite some time. I ran a few times at night, but nothing like this. Shelby started the run and I went to bed...at least I tried. It seemed like it took 45-60 minutes before I finally fell asleep.

Guess what happened when I finally fell asleep? A lovely whisper in the tent came and said "Eric, it's time to get up, you're up next". Not quite sure what to think, I slowly got up. I felt like I was dreaming. I got my stuff together since I only had about 20-25 minutes to get ready. I was quite surprised, but I felt refreshed.

My talents were needed and I was running. I started running at 1:42am. I started off with a strong pace. Another runner was behind me by only 50-75 feet. I had to tie my shoe at the turn-around point and the runner passed me. Now I chasing, and it was my first run. I might have run too hard, but I felt great. I did catch that runner and found out later that I passed the team that beat us in the final standings.

Eric (lap1) - 18:46 - 7:09/mile
Eric (lap2) - 20:09 - 7:40/mile
Eric (lap3) - 21:03 - 8:02/mile
Eric (lap4) - 21:15 - 8:06/mile
Eric (lap5) - 22:22 - 8:32/mile

Eric (lap6) - 22:29 - 8:34/mile

Time: 2:06:04
Distance: 15.72
Avg Pace: 8:01/mile

After lap 3 I switched out the batteries to my head lamp. What a difference that made. The first two laps I carried my bike lamp and head lamp. I was getting tired of having both lights, so after I changed out the head lamp batteries I only had one light. The longest transition our team had was during the battery switch. Leslie tried getting the batteries changed out while I was on the run, but the headlamp was tough to open.

Leslie did not run during the event, but made up for it in a huge way. She was the best support crew member by sticking around the transition area every time I passed by. EVERY TIME. I think I might have woke her once because she was shocked to see me back so soon. Leslie had a blanket and looked somewhat comfortable. It was amazing to have her there and made a big difference to ones spirit.

Shelby wasn't feeling well and couldn't run. I am not certain what happened, but she would wake up sweating and felling terrible. Amazing Drew to the rescue. Drew took over and ran 5 laps. Drew used all his energy and was spent. Leslie said his shoulder was bothering him and didn't want to aggravate it more. I was in the tent sleeping before Drew finished asking if I would go out again. I slept pretty hard for 1-2 hours. Enough to get good rest.

I quickly got ready and waited for Drew. This wait seemed like forever. I sat down because I wanted to reserve all my energies. Did I mention I had a blister?? I got a new pair of shoes a week before the race and formed a blister. It never went away before the race. It was getting a little worse, but I kept squeezing out the fluids. Yes, gross. But it felt better and I was able to run without limping. I think my run times might have been faster if it wasn't for the blister?

Drew came in and look exhausted. I took the chip and off I went. More running at night and the sun would be up soon. I started running again at 5:53am

Eric (lap7) - 23:07 - 8:49/mile
Eric (lap8) - 24:15 - 9:15/mile
Eric (lap9) - 22:43 - 8:40/mile

Time: 1:10:05
Distance: 7.86 miles
Pace: 8:54/mile

My miles were slower and I was wearing out. I was happy to notice that my split time sped up towards the end. I walked a little during lap 8 which is why my time was slower. The sun came up and it was light out. I thought this would speed me up, and worked a little. My feet felt raw and they hurt.

Shelby was feeling better in the morning and ran 2 laps. What a trooper! She was able to finish triathlons #19 and #20 for the team

We had 21 swims, 20 bikes, and 20 runs. We had a little over an hour to finish a bike and run. Maybe even another swim? Let's do this. Drew got on his bike and completed a lap. I had 30 minutes to complete 2.62 miles. This was no problem and maybe enough time for another swim lap??
I gave the last lap everything I had. I pushed it hard and felt strong. I can do it!! I ended up running so hard, I almost beat my first lap. I was only 38 seconds off. I came sprinting to the finish. I was a little surprised that no one was ready to swim. We had 12 minutes to spare and completed 21 triathlons. What an amazing finish!!!
Eric (lap10) - 19:19 - 7:22/mile

My Total Stats:
Swim: 1.2 miles - 56:01, 2:54/100m
Bike: 67.2 miles - 3:16:50, 20.48mph
Run: 26.2 miles - 3:35:28, 8:13/mile
94.6 miles - 7:48:19 (nearly 3/4 Ironman)

Team Results:
Swim: 5.04 miles, 3:14:42, 2:24/100m
Bike: 235.2 miles, 12:09:49, 19.34mph
Run: 55.02 miles, 8:02:01, 8:45/mile
Transition Time: 22:23, 23.38sec/transition

What an amazing race. 24 hours of triathlon is such a great event. I volunteered for the event the last 2 previous years and it was neat to participate. I wanted to thank GU for letting me be on the team. I big thanks to Nicole and Ariel for letting me be away from home for so long. Now comes the big question. Do I want to do this event Solo? Sparks my interest...but maybe in the future.

24 Hours of Triathlon

2009-09-26T06:09:00.001-06:00

I signed up for a triathlon this year!!! YEAH...

24 Hours of Triathlon.

No need to worry, I am doing it as a team of 4. We are Team GU. ROCK ON!!! Oh yeah, the event is this morning. Yikes.

results coming soon...

Boulder Half Marathon

2009-09-20T10:19:00.001-06:00

Was I ready for the Boulder Half-Marathon?? I was doing pretty good on my running. I didn't have any exact workouts. I wasn't training for a half-marathon, but I figure I was putting in good mileage and I could do it. My longest run was about 10 miles.

The week before the race I had a tempo run. The run was 8 miles. It was a great run. I did the run with the Rocky Mountain Road Runners, so it was more like a race. I ran 8 miles in 51:26. With the pace I was running I would have run a 1:26:45 half-marathon.

Pre-Race
I got to the Boulder Reservoir in good timing. It was such a nice morning. They moved the times forward one hour because it doesn't become light until 7am. I heard that it wasn't safe for the volunteers to be in the dark directing cars. Today was going to be a hot day. The temperature was told it was going to be in the mid 80's.

I got a chance to talk with several RMRR members. Deb Cunningham was doing the full marathon and I had the chance to talk with her. This race was more of a training run for her. Same for me I thought. I was in to race, but not to get carried away.

Start
The half-marathon started at 9am. It was pretty hot already and I knew it was going to be pretty tough. The worst part was the wind. The wind was strong and no shade.

My first two miles were rocking!! I tried not to take it too fast. I always seem to take the first mile too fast. I was having a good race and feeling great. It wasn't easy though. I had one runner drafting off me. He did gain a great advantage. I was in about 15th place overall after the first 10k. Miles 7, 8 and 9 were hard. I started getting cramps in the side. I seemed like I was overheating and loosing steam. I lost it after mile 9. My pace slowed, the cramps were still there and I was fatigued. I felt worn out and well...spent.

I struggled for the remaining race. I had 16 people pass be after the first 10k. 16 people. My pace struggled and I almost felt like walking. I knew I was off pace and my goal was to finish.

Finish
The finish seemed like it was forever away. I finally made it and was exhausted. I chugged 2 12.9oz bottles of water. Big mistake. I will try harder not to gulp the water that fast again. I get sick when I gulp water like that.

Mile 1: 6:04, Mile 2: 6:08, Mile 3: 6:28, Mile 4: 6:46, Mile 5: 6:54, Mile 6: 7:08, Mile 7: 7:00, Mile 8: 6:37, Mile 9: 6:52, Mile 10: 7:17, Mile 11: 7:55, Mile 12: 8:21, Mile 13: 7:53, Mile .34: 2:34

Overall Time: 1:32:04
Pace: 7:11/mile
10k Split time: 41:29
Overall Rank (male): 31/699
Division 25-29 male: 10/74

What a learning experience this race has been. I learned to take it easy especially in the wind. Better training and more race specific training. I was very hard on myself about this race. It took me about 3-4 days to get over it.

I had to get over it because a new adventure awaits. One week and I compete in the 24 hours of triathlon race (as a team).

Just before a Bike Ride

2009-09-09T21:45:00.002-06:00

I decided I was going to go for a long bike ride. I went 60 miles in a total time of 3hrs 20min. Not to shabby for being the longest ride of the year. I averaged 18.1 mph total. The first 30-45 miles I averaged 19.2 mph. The rest of the way was a little slower because it was more uphill and I was loosing steam. Always happens on that route.

It's so hard leaving when I have such a cute daughter at home. Ariel is so cute and is very forgiving. She told me to go have fun on my bike, but not to crash. Oh, and not be gone too long. One of these days I will take her with me.

Track Workout

2009-09-02T21:15:00.002-06:00

I went to a track workout tonight. The Rocky Mountain Road Runners meets at Heritage HS every Wednesday. This is only the second time I've gone. It's hard for me to go more often because I live on the other side of town. I enjoy it because many of my RMRR friends are there.

Track workouts in HS were crappy. I am not sure how much fun I really had. I would get sick after a workout. Feel terrible and worthless.

Track workouts now are easier because I am better trained. I don't get sick after workouts now!! YEAH. I am pretty exhausted after the workouts though...

Here is what I did:

400 - 1:24 (4:57/mile
600 - 2:01 (5:00/mile)
800 - 2:39 (4:57/mile)
1600 - 5:36 (5:36/mile)
800 - 2:39 (4:53/mile)
600 - 1:58 (4:46/mile)

400 - 1:11 (4:41/mile)

The times are pretty accurate, but the pace may not be exact. I posted them based off my GPS watch. The distances were off just a little. Nicole and Ariel came too!!

Maybe I will try to break under 5:00 for the mile next year after all?????

Commuting to Work

2009-08-27T09:16:00.004-06:00

I have been very consistent this summer with commuting to work by bike. The total distance to work is only 6.2 miles, so that's only 12.42 miles total. My total time is usually under 50 min. It only takes me 22 minutes to get to work and longer coming back home. It's either the slight uphill or I'm more tired coming home??

I have still been running during my lunch break. I run anywhere from 4-8 miles. If I run extra I stay extra at work to make for any time.

Swimming is on and off. I swam twice last week at the Aurora Reservoir. I have been enjoying the open water swimming. I look at my numbers last year and amazed on how much I swam. Less than 6x the amount for the year. Oh well. No prizes will be given...

Running in Odd Places

2009-08-13T09:47:00.003-06:00

My family and I went to Portland, OR for a wedding last week. I brought along my running shoes. I have found joy in running in new and strange places. Where have I run?

Portland, OR
Kansas
Washington, DC
Coeur d'Alene, ID
Orland, FL
South Carolina
Tucson, AZ
Alamosa, CO

I am sure there are other states and places I have run. I feel very blessed to have such a great opportunity to run in different locations. I also must be dedicated because many of these locations I have set the alarm for 5am. I started bringing my head lamp just in case.

I have a couple events coming up. I am signing up to do the Boulder Half-Marathon. I am also joining a team to finish the 24 hours of triathlon event. These events will be on back to back weekends. Should be very interesting...I have listed my most recent stats. I need to start swimming and cycling more...

(I love this picture of Ariel and I smelling the roses in Portland, OR at the Rose Garden)

Total (As of 8/12/2009)
Swim: 23,000 meters (15.33 miles)
Bike: 332.27 miles
Run: 1,157.88 miles

Long Ride, Open water swim and more

2009-07-09T22:06:00.002-06:00

Lots of stuff going on these days. I have been busy, but in very different ways. I have been active and enjoying fatherhood. Fathers day was just like any father's day. We went over to my parents house and cooked my Dad a wonderful meal. Nicole bought Ariel a cute dress that she wore on Father's day.

Ariel and I were in the 4th of July parade at our subdivision party. That was fun. We had a nice family outing. I watched Ariel for a couple hours while Nicole went dress shopping.

I have been riding more. I have made a goal to ride my bike 2 days a week to work. I have made it 3 weeks in a row. I also had my longest ride of the year last weekend. 33 miles. WOW!!

I had a meeting at Aurora Reservoir on Tuesday so I went open water swimming afterwards. I swam 1,200m in the open water. It felt so great!! I wanted to keep swimming, but I had to stop. I have been running during my lunch break. I will run any where from 4-8 miles. What a wonderful lunch break I have!!!!

Back in the Saddle

2009-06-24T11:41:00.002-06:00

I started riding again. It's been pretty hard to ride this year. I have been running much more and feel that I want to focus more on running. This being said I have barely rode 100 miles this year. That's it. This time last year I rode over 2,000. That's a big difference.

I have also noticed that I have run almost the same distance as I have cycled.

Ironman training sure beefed up these numbers last year. My schedule was also more flexible last year. What am I going to do in a few years when I want to do another Ironman? I will try to figure something out??

Oh, yesterday was my first day back in the saddle in quite some time. I made it out 50 yards on my way home from work and I went down. Down I went and I was pissed. My goal this year was not to crash. What did I do? Maybe next year?

Moments Like This

2009-06-22T16:36:00.002-06:00

I got a chance to watch Ironman CDA live this year online. Ah yes, Ironman. I dream about it, I long for it, I thrive for it. I can't believe it's been over a year. I shed many tears of sweat training for it. Many days I had two workouts and some even had three. I made many sacrifices training for the race and my training was well worth it!

I got a chance to see two friends make their Ironman dreams come true.

Andy Murtha
Craig Henry

Both did a fantastic job and I am very proud of them!! Way to go!!

So...will I do another Ironman?? Maybe in a couple of years. I want to wait till Ariel is old enough to have an idea of what Daddy is doing. Maybe even participate in the kids race?

Running and Sleep

2009-06-09T09:59:00.005-06:00

Not too many posts lately. I've been pretty busy and occupied with other things. I remember last year I was posting at least once a week and sometimes daily. I really got into blogging, but I think the novelty wore off some.

So what's new?

Being a dad has been fun. It's really neat to see Ariel change. Her eyebrows have changed shape and has gained a few pounds. Her hair has even a little longer.

I have been running. That's it. No swimming, no cycling, no working out at the gym. 2-3 workouts per day are history...for now. It's been extra hard because sleep is an issue. I have been getting sleep...some. Some days are better than others. The quality of sleep is fair. I can't wait till Ariel starts sleeping at night. I will not complain about the sleep though. Nicole has had it rough the last couple of nights. It's been hard for her to sleep during the day when Ariel sleeps the most.

My running club, RMRR, celebrated it's 50th Anniversary. This included a full weeks worth of events. I didn't attend them all, but quite a few. I hosted a Tuesday night fun run at Washington Park in Denver. We went to Bonnie Brae Tavern afterwards and had an enjoyable dinner. There were around 30-45 people who came. That is pretty good considering the weather.
Wednesday was a track workout.

Friday was a 1.4 mile predict run. I guessed 8:10. I ran 1.4 miles in 8:00. That is 5:42 per mile. Incredible.
Saturday was a fun gathering at the track. It was a relay event and the goal was to run 50 miles on the track. Our group ended up running 150 miles instead. Of course several of us crazy runners ran 12.5 miles or 50 laps around the track. Not sure if I'd do it again.

Bolder Boulder for Baby

2009-05-22T20:11:00.002-06:00

This Bolder Boulder is going to be very different this year.

I've almost always had a good night sleep before running this 10K Race. I've run the Bolder Boulder for 12-13 years now. The race always take place on Memorial Day. I only took one year off because of my hand surgery.

There will be two major difference for me this year.

1) Won't be staying at my parents house

2) Not sure how the sleep thing will be?? Baby has changed some things things.

With this being said, I still hope to have my personal best. I hope to run under 37min. Setting tough goals makes me extra nervous come race day.

New GU Athlete

2009-05-09T15:14:00.002-06:00

Serious Athletes Need Serious Fuel

(fyi, baby only consuming breast milk, please don't feed the baby daddy's exercise nutrition)

Ariel Madison Greene

2009-05-08T12:24:00.003-06:00

Our new baby has arrived. Her name is Ariel Madison Greene. She is so precious. We love her so much!!!

Ariel Madison Greene

Born 5/6/09 at 10:03am

5lbs 14oz, 19 inches long

Wolverine

2009-05-01T23:08:00.003-06:00

Went go see the movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine tonight. Nicole, my younger brother, David, and his friend Patrick came along. Guess What??

I dressed up and shave my beard a little...

My hair looked better tonight!!!

Salt Lake City Marathon Race Report

2009-04-21T18:05:00.007-06:00

Pre-Race Meal
The pasta party was held at the Cannella's Italian Restaurant. I wanted to make sure I had lots of carbs the night before the big race. I bought the ticket a few weeks in advance to guarantee a plate. I am glad I did because the tickets sold out. Dinner time was at 5:30pm and I was hungry. I had two full servings of pasta, salad and rolls. I thought I would never get full...until I couldn't eat the last roll.

Night Before
I stayed at the Howard Johnson's Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City. It was a pretty clean room and I was able to change rooms; one with a microwave and fridge. I wanted to make sure I had my oatmeal before the big race. I went to bed at 9:30pm.

Pre-Race
Before I left Denver I thought I was going to have problems getting to the starting line. No problem at all once I got to Salt Lake. I took the light rail system to the starting line. I even got a seat! The train was full, including all the cyclists for the bike tour. I used the restroom twice and felt that would be good. The lines grew longer and longer and I am glad I was done. About 15 minutes before the start I dropped off my clothes at the "gear check-in". I headed to the start line because I wanted to make sure I got in the front pack.

Start (Miles 1-8)
The start was amazing with the gospel choir singing and a brisk cool morning. I was positioned almost perfectly. I didn't get too close, but almost too far back. I was dodging people left and right at the start. I didn't want my first mile to be 5:45 or under. Race smart Eric, race smart.
Mile 1: 6:08, Mile 2: 6:25, Mile 3: 6:30, Mile 4: 6:32
Mile 5: 6:41, Mile 6: 6:33, Mile 7: 6:41, Mile 8: 6:33
Avg: 6:30/mile

Miles 9-16
I met several runners along the way. I was amazed at how my pace was going and was wondering if I was going to bonk towards the end. I asked a few runners what their goal pace was. Some said 3:10, some under 3. I ran with an awesome runner, Dane Rauschenberg, who is quite well known. He runs marathons quite often. He even wrote a book about his marathon experience when he accomplished 52 marathon in 52 weeks. I kept up with him for the first 9 miles. He started to push the pace and I decided to let him take off. I kept the same pace and he sped up. He was quite shocked that I was pushing my own pace when I told him my best marathon and what my goals were.
Mile 9: 6:41, Mile 10: 6:33, Mile 11: 6:37, Mile 12: 6:51
Mile 13: 7:05, Mile 14: 6:27, Mile 15: 6:37, Mile 16: 6:51
Avg: 6:43/mile
Half-Marathon Split: 1:26:57

Miles 17-24
I started to slow down just a little. Mile 24 was off a little because my GPS watch lost connection during the run. This happened several other times, but not for long. These miles were more challenging and required more mental power. I was holding up pretty good and realized about Mile 20 that I would break 3 hours. I passed mile 20 at
Mile 17: 6:50, Mile 18: 6:38, Mile 19: 6:51, Mile 20: 7:01
Mile 21: 7:02, Mile 22: 6:59, Mile 23: 6:37, Mile 24: 7:09
Avg: 6:53/mile

Mile 25-26.2

The last miles were pretty tough. Mile 24 was through a nice park, Mile 25 was up State Street. I say up because it was a nice hill to climb. There were lots of half-marathon runners I was passing too. After the long hill, the last mile was at a gradual downhill. Still lots of people to dodge. No marathon runners too close to me so I felt no need to sprint to the end.
Mile 25: 7:13, Mile 26: 7:09, Mile .2: 2:38ish

Post Race

The finish area was pretty cool. I was worn out. I almost felt like I could have run a little faster? I got a neat medal, water, energy drinks, yogurt and a banana. I didn't eat much right away, but I was feeling pretty hungry a little while later. I waited in line to get my gear check bag. That took about 30 minutes. Next I waited in line to get a message. I love getting messages after a big race. Well deserved.

I waited for a long time for the results. I got a chance to talk with other racers who waited for their times too. After waiting at least 2 hours I gave up. The race director said there were some scoring issues and they wouldn't be posted. I wasted to much time and even got sun burned.

Overall time: 2:58:14

Overall Place: 22/1086

Gender Place: 19/697

Age Div Place: 7/107

Overall Pace: 6:48/mile

I am extremely happy with my performance. I feel I have more work to do and a little more to improve. More pics to come...

SLC Marathon Update

2009-04-18T18:38:00.003-06:00

The Salt Lake City Marathon has come and gone. It amazes how much you train for a race. You train, train, train. Lots of sweat, lots of stories. The anticipation drives you crazy. You can't wait till race day.

Race day comes, you complete the course. Get lots of satisfaction, and the race is over. Lots of stories to tell. Then what? Train for another race is usually the next best thing.

My SLC Marathon experience has been a success. I accomplished my goals and I am now going to Boston in 2010. YEAH. The official time on was 2:58:14. I placed 22nd overall and 7th in my age division. Will I ever place in my age group?? May for a smaller race :)

More stories to come when I arrive back in Denver.

Thanks for all the encouragement. I feel like a superstar!!

Night before...

2009-04-17T18:20:00.002-06:00

Boy am I nervous. The race is almost here. I am looking at getting a good night sleep. My fear of getting to the race is gone. The light rail system is pretty cool and very easy to use. It's free too.

Ate a good dinner at Cannella's. I had to go back for seconds. I was so hungry. The earliest I have had dinner in a long time. Since college??

Anyways, having fun in Salt Lake City. Getting a little board though. Oh well. Maybe I will go watch some TV.

SLC Marathon...Here we go...

2009-04-14T21:38:00.002-06:00

3 days left until Salt Lake City Marathon.

I received tons of information via email from the race organizers. This email has been very helpful. My hotel is less than a mile from the "Host Hotel". I staying downtown Salt Lake City in a Howard Johnson. The price seems right, so I hope for at least a good night sleep.

The biggest trick is to get acquainted with the city just enough to take the public transportation system come race day. This is one of the only things making me nervous.

What are my goals??? I have several goals that I would like to reach for this epic run.
1) Qualify for Boston. This is my main goal and I must run under 3:10. This equals 7:15 per mile. The whole reason I have been running like crazy. I have run nearly 500 miles in 2009. Time for a new pair of shoes...
2) 2.5x?? Do I dare try to break under 3 hours? My friends tell me that I can pull it off...???
3) No baby before marathon. Wife in labor while I'm playing in another state = BAD NEWS. Bad news for the wallet too if any issues arrive.

I leave Friday morning in plenty of time to make the expo. I am not taking much. One bag and it will be a carry-on. I come back on Sunday afternoon. Should be lots of fun. Too bad I won't know anyone? Oh well, I will make due.

Oh yeah...I might go clubbing later that evening if my body isn't too achy.

Holy Week

2009-04-09T06:57:00.003-06:00

This weeks marks holy week. What a busy week it will be too.

Tuesday - My birthday

Wednesday - Birthing class
Thursday - Holy Thursday (church activities)

Friday - Good Friday (church activities)

Saturday - Easter Vigil (church activities)

Easter - (lots of activities)

Can we get any busier 28 days before baby Greene??

Praise the Lord for all that he has done. Let us rejoice and be glad. I am not one to be extremely preachy, but this Easter season is extra special. I thank God everyday for all the blessings. Friends, Family and all the good things in our lives.

Running is going great. I am in my taper phase and I only have about 10 days left till Salt Lake City Marathon. Almost there.

Lots of Stuff

2009-04-02T10:24:00.007-06:00

Life just carries on whether you blog or not. I've had so many activities in the recent weeks that I want to talk about. Not enough time or energy to talk about them all.

Growing a Beard

Many are so shocked to see my woolly face. "You're growing a beard" is what most people say. Gets old sometimes?? I started growing a beard near the beginning of the year. Partly because I am lazy, partly because I feel like I am in a hibernation phase. The beard gets out of control from time to time. I have had it trimmed once before Nicole and I took pictures.

When to remove the beard?

1) Before Easter

2) Before Salt Lake City marathon

3) Before baby is born

4) After spring?

5) Should I even shave it off?

Only time will tell. I guess I will be ready when it goes. Maybe I should make a bet? If I loose I will shave??

24 Hours of Triathlon
My next big race after the marathon will be the crazy 24 hours of triathlon event. I am not doing this alone. YEAH. I will be teaming up with Team GU. This will consist of a team of 4 members and our goal is to survive and have fun. The event is held at Cherry Creek Reservoir which is only 2 miles away from my house. I should have enough time to train since the event is mid September.

GU, GU, GU

I love GU. I am a GU ambassador this year and trying my best to promote the product. Check their website at http://www.gusports.com/ Their latest product is called GU Chomps. These are tasty energy bites. Their hard to consume on the run, but good for cycling, recovery and after long swims.

Countdown to Salt Lake City Marathon
Nearing 10 days left until the marathon. I have trained pretty hard and feel pretty good. No injuries so I am pretty thrilled. My goal is to break 3:10 to qualify for the Boston Marathon. If I am feeling great, I am tempted to try to break 3:00. My friends tell me its possible, I just have to run smart and listen to my body. I don't want to go crazy and run too fast too soon.

Training has been pretty good. My longest run has been 24 miles. 20 miles were hard, 4 miles were easy. I have put in big mileage. I got up to 10 Mile Repeats, 10 800's. Lots of sweat, lots of GU, lots of layers, lots of wind, lots of AWESOME MEMORIES!!

Countdown to Baby

Can't wait till our baby girl is born. We have about 30 days or 5 weeks left. Our emotions have been up and down, but pretty good overall. The nursery is all set. The baby showers have come and gone. All gift cards are used. Shopping is mostly done. Birthing classes are mostly done. I attended a "Daddy Boot Camp" so daddy is mostly ready for this new adventure. Looking forward till our All-Star rookie is born.

Grandma Turns 90

My Grandmother turned 90 in late February. Yeah for Grandma. She even came to the baby shower a few weeks ago. My Grandma is great and I love her.

Drive to Tucson for Baseball

2009-03-17T09:27:00.010-06:00

Friday morning I ran 22.8 miles in the morning. I woke up extremely early and was out the door before 6am. I was still asleep for the first 13 miles and picked up the pace towards the end. I went over my time by about 20min. I ran just over 3 hours. I took the day off at work because I had a feeling it would help my day.

Next stop that morning was the Dentist. Nicole and I both had an appointment so we drove together. We went to Arby's and had Fish Sandwiches afterwards. As we headed home we decided to stop at Target. We might have spent too long in the store?

Came home and took a nap. I was hoping to get a 1-3 hour nap, but only got 30min. Darn. My best friend Joe came and picked me up about 4:15pm. We left Denver just before 6pm. Where did we go???

Tucson, AZ for a Rockies Spring Training Baseball Game

Yes, we drove. The drive is about 13-14 hours and we drove all night. Each of us only got about 1-2 hours of sleep along the way. I held up pretty darn good considering I ran nearly 23 miles in the morning.

The trip was pretty neat. We had tons of fun and lots of wild stories.

My long run was originally scheduled for Saturday, so I changed it and ran Friday instead. I took Saturday off. We were very sleep deprived and didn't sleep until 10pm Saturday night.

I woke up about 5:15am to run in Tucson. Talk about a fantastic experience. I love running in other places. I enjoyed the mountains in the backdrop, cactus, birds, other misc plants, rabbits, and boar. BOAR. About a mile into my run I nearly ran into 6 wild boar. One was on the sidewalk headed towards me. I tell the story much better in person, but it was shocking to see the boar walking around like foxes or deer. I am glad none of them charged at me.

We drove back to Denver on Sunday morning about 8am. We passed through New Mexico and back to Colorado. What a trip. We needed more time and may fly next time. Road trip with the guys before baby's born. PERFECT Timing!!

Next stop is Salt Lake City in mid April.

Am I ready?

2009-03-07T20:25:00.002-07:00

There are only 41 days left until Salt Lake City Marathon. I ran 20 miles today. I ran with the Runners Roost Running Club Group. There were a couple fast guys who planned on running at 7-7:15 pace. They actually ended up running at 6:45-7:00 pace.

The first mile was at a slower pace. I didn't want to be crazy and go all out on the first mile. The first mile was a 8:15 pace. The only problem was that miles 2-3 were extremely fast because I wanted to catch the fast guys. They were running pretty fast to, so I had to work extra hard to catch them.

We stopped at Mile 4 or 5 for a water/gel break. We stopped again at Mile 8.

Miles 11-13 the other guys started to pick up the pace. Most miles prior were at 7min miles. They started running 6:40 mile pace. They inched their way past me as the next few miles passed. They kept getting further away, but still in sight. Further, further and eventually gone. I kept a pretty good pace on my own, but I was slowing down.

Total Time: 2:24:34
Pace: 7:14/mile
Distance: 20 miles

Miles 1-5: 7:07/mile
Miles 6-10: 7:00/mile
Miles 11-15: 7:10/mile
Miles 16-20: 7:36/mile

Mile 18 was slower because the uphill was pretty steep. Mile 20 was slower too because I was finishing up and tried to relax. All other miles were under 7:30 and most were under 7:10.

What a fast day. Am I ready for SLC Marathon. I sure hope so. I will try to not run super fast miles at the start. The first mile will be a little faster and I should feel stronger because of the taper. Lots more training to still do and I will keep at it. I have another long for the next few weeks.

My 2009 Totals

2009-03-02T09:55:00.022-07:00

My 2009 Totals (Swim, Bike, Run)

January
Swim: 0 meters (0 miles)
Bike: 65.68 miles
Run: 133.51 miles

February
Swim: 4,600 meters (3.07 miles)
Bike: 24.28 miles
Run: 210.62 miles
March
Swim: 6,000 meters (4.0 miles)
Bike: 0 miles
Run: 229.31 miles

April
Swim: 4,700 meters (3.13 miles)
Bike: 0 miles
Run: 126.93 miles

May
Swim: 0 meters (0 miles)
Bike: 0 miles
Run: 116.18 miles

June
Swim: 3,300 meters (2.2 miles)
Bike: 59.17 miles
Run: 150.78 miles

July
Swim: 4,400 meters (1.73 miles)
Bike: 145.88 miles
Run: 123.17 miles

August
Swim: 5,100 meters (3.4 miles)
Bike: 173.32 miles
Run: 138.60 miles

September
Swim: 3,075 meters (2.05 miles)
Bike: 187.18 miles
Run: 156.10 miles

October
Swim: 0 meters (0 miles)
Bike: 0 miles
Run: 160.23 miles

November
Swim: 0 meters (0 miles)
Bike: 0 miles
Run: 234.12 miles

December (As of 12/30/2009)
Swim: 0 meters (0 miles)
Bike: 0 miles
Run: 277.18 miles

Total (As of 12/30/2009)
Swim: 31,175 meters (20.78 miles)
Bike: 655.51 miles
Run: 2,056.73 miles

Windy Mile Repeats and Racing

2009-02-25T16:41:00.006-07:00

Windy Repeats

This is now 3-4 weeks in a row that Mile repeats have been super windy. The winds have been 20-25mph with wind gusts at 30+ mph. STOP!!!! These mile repeats are not fun and I they are getting tougher each week. The wind isn't helping!!

My body has been feel good!! The hips are great, legs fine and hanging in there.

Chilly Cheeks Duathlon #3 (Saturday)

What a cold start on the bike. My fingers and toes were so numb. It started to warm up a little, but still too cold. I haven't been riding but a few times a month, so I knew my ride wasn't going to be the fastest. I was only 1 minute slower than last year. Not too bad.

I got off the bike and my feet were frozen solid. They didn't start un-thawing until mile 2-3. I felt very strong and in control. I was there to race and I was picked each person off one at a time. I had one runner in mind to catch. I was determined to catch him and at the very end...sprint to the finish, I passed him. He put up a big fight at the end, but I beat him out.

Bike 10.8 mikes: 31:07

Transition: 2:04

Run 4 miles: 25:04

Total time: 58:14

Afterwards I ended up running another 12.5 miles. 3.5 hours I ran another 2.5 miles. My planned called for the short run 4 hours after the long run...

RMRR Trophy Series at Crown Hill (Sunday)

I thought my run time was fast yesterday after the bike. Today was even faster. There was a speed limit sign posted at 10mph. I broke that barrier and was breaking the law!! I ran 3 miles in 17:38. Actually I clocked 3.09 miles... This is the fastest 5k time I have ever ran and this training is coming along great. I thought I was going to fall apart today, but I kept going. I had to catch my friend Dave...and I never did. We had about the same time today.

Mile 1: 5:36

Mile 2: 5:49

Mile 3: 5:39

Mile .09: 0:32

AWESOME!!! Now I will take tomorrow easy and not a tempo run. I deserve an easy day.

Recent Happenings

2009-02-21T09:12:00.002-07:00

Lots of stuff going on these days. I ran 50+ miles last 2-3 weeks so I kept pretty busy.

Lots of Running
I have been running 6 days a week. I have been logging in some good miles. It has been tough. I've run lots of miles before...but only 3-4 days a week worth. My body aches, my legs are screaming, blisters on my feet are getting better. I have developed new aches and pains. YUCK.

Shoe Battle
I bought a new pair of shoes recently. Two mistakes I made. First I wore my new shoes (Saucony Stabil CS) with cotton socks...for an hour run on the treadmill. This started the blisters. I ran 2 more times with better socks, and the blisters got worse. I wore them 3 times and gave up. I took them back to the running store. I switched back to the Mizuno Alchemy's. I got the updated version and the blister issue has got better.

I tried everything to help these blisters. I've tried Foot Glide, Vaseline, Duck Tape, Foot Powder, and Aquaphor. Aquaphor has helped the best so far.

No Blog Entries
Shame on me for not posting anything for nearly a month. I am not sure what happened, but I never seemed to find the time to sit down and write...?

Injury Report
Everything seems to be fine. My right hip has improved tremendously. I have a few aches and pains in the legs and other areas, but nothing too serious. I try not to worry too much about this stuff right now.

more to come...

Mile Repeats

2009-01-31T15:21:00.003-07:00

I woke up early this morning to help move my grandmothers stuff out of her apartment. I spent 3-4 hours moving, but not all was hardcore labor. There was quite a bit of lifting involved, but we had 10-12 people helping out.

I came back home and I was off to the track. What on earth am I doing at the track?? Mile Repeats. Yuck. I did 5 mile repeats last week and they were all on the trail. I ran about 3 miles to the track. I did a little stretching before and off I went. In between repeats I ran about 1:00-1:30 at a much slower pace.

Mile Repeat #1: 6:08
Mile Repeat #2: 5:54
Mile Repeat #3: 5:53
Mile Repeat #4: 5:59
Mile Repeat #5: 6:07
Mile Repeat #6: 6:18
Average Repeat: 6:03

My goal for each repeat was 6:25-6:30. I did just that. The track seemed to be much faster. I wasn't too impressed with the gusty wind. I feel like I am going to be sick now. I hope that the rest of the day I won't be too worthless.

Am I ready to qaulify for Boston Marathon?? Not sure yet, but I hope to be ready in 75 days.

Awards Banquet

2009-01-27T16:29:00.000-07:00

My running club, Rocky Mountain Road Runners, held it's annual awards banquet. Our club is a volunteered based club and is really starting to gain energy. We are hosting a 50th Anniversary week this year and I am helping out with planning.

The banquet was held at the Fox Hollow Golf Course and the food was great.

Here are the awards I received:
9th Place - 2008 Trophy Series
4th Place - 2008 Male Scratch (fast male)
Co-Race Director Blanket
Moving on up. I received 16th place for the 2007 trophy series and 5th place for the 2007 male scratch. RMRR has great members and I love the races every month!!

Hard Workout

2009-01-21T21:33:00.002-07:00

Mile Repeats. Yikes.
WarmUp:15 min
5x1 mile:
6:25
6:16
6:25
6:29
6:37
Cool Down: 22 min

Total: 9.75 miles
Avg. repeat 6:26.4

Hard day...but good day. My hip/leg issue still exists :0( But I try to run despite having issues. Should I take time off. YUCK...??...?? Salt Lake City Marathon is only 88 days away. Can't stop now.??

2009-01-19T18:18:00.001-07:00

Week Totals (1/12-1/18)
Swim: 0 meters
Bike: 23.69 miles
Run: 39.60 miles
Walk the Dog: 1.28

Am I Crazy?

2009-01-16T10:26:00.002-07:00

What in the world? I went on a long run this morning. This is the same as last week?? I have two races this weekend. I have a duathlon on Saturday and a 5Mile race on Sunday. Am I crazy for getting in my long run the day before a race AGAIN???????

Well...the long run is done for the week. Now I don't have to worry about running twice on Sunday.

RMRR Trophy Series 10K

2009-01-11T22:28:00.005-07:00

Today was the RMRR Trophy Series 10k race held at Twin Lakes Park. It was a pretty good run. It was very cold to start, but I nearly overheated. I will prepare better next time??

Overall Time: 39:38

Distance 6.19 / 10k

Pace: 6:24/mile

Calories burned: 741

Mile 1: 5:55, Mile 2: 6:14, Mile 3: 6:19, Mile 4: 6:32, Mile 5:6:43, Mile 6: 6:42, Mile .2: 1:11

I think I might have been worn out from yesterday's long run? I felt pretty good, but I just wasn't ready to go so fast. My handicap time was said to be 38:50. I knew this might be close, but that is 6:15/mile. There were several other fast runners in the group, and I might have been 5th fastest??

Afterwards, I went to visit my grandmother and we had lunch together. I came home watched a little football, then took a nap. What a day.

2009-01-11T21:38:00.000-07:00

Week Totals (1/5-1/11)
Swim: 0 meters
Bike: 19.32 miles
Run: 39.53 miles

Weekend Long Run

2009-01-10T20:29:00.002-07:00

I woke up early today to get in my long run. I bought a marathon plan (advanced) from TrainingPeaks.com. This plan was created by Mike Ricci and I have used a triathlon plan from him. Here is the workout:
Run 1.5 hours on a flat to rolling course. Keep HR in Zone 1-2 for 1:00. The last 30' are at race pace. Think about form and running pretty. Stay hydrated and eat! Stretch when done and add in Core 1, 2 or 3.

HR Zone 1-2 is around 145-156 bpm...or so. I started using a Heart Rate Monitor in 2009 so I can learn how to pace myself better. I am using the Polar F6. It's ok. No extreme bells or whistles.

Cherry Creek State Park Loop
Time: 1:42:28
Distance: 13.1 miles
Avg Pace: 7:49/mile
Best Pace: 5:55/mile
Calories burned: 1648
HR Avg: 181
HR Max: 158

1hr mark - 7.45 miles - 8:03/mile
30 min race pace - 4.16 miles - 7:13/mile
cool down (12:24) - 1.49 miles - 8:19/mile

Good training day for my quest to qualify for Boston. I took a nap after lunch for about 2 hours. I have to be well rest for a 10k tomorrow with my running club. Yuck. Next week will be back to back races too. My body seem pretty warn out.

New Year - 2009

2009-01-02T08:47:00.003-07:00

New Year, New Baby, New Adventures, New goals, same Triathlete.

Lots of news to share, and always not enough time to share.

Baby News

Nicole is 22 weeks along today. Oh yeah...did I tell you...we are going to have a baby girl!!! This news took me by surprise. I was leaning towards boy...but Nicole and I are happy.

2009 Goals

No crashing!!!

Qualify for the Boston Marathon - Run under 3:10 marathon.

10K PR at Boulder Bolder

Distance Goals - Same as 2008

Compete in 1-2 triathlons

Be a great dad

Stay healthy and injury free

Read/Listen to more books

and more to come??

New Adventures

Every year brings new adventures. Lots of bigs things will happen in 2009.

-Grandmother turns 90

-5th Year Wedding Anniversery

-New Baby in May

-Baby's baptism?

-Other family hitting big birthday #'s

-Road Trip for early spring marathon?

Run Goal (Thousand Miles) - done

2008-12-31T14:21:00.000-07:00

Today was my last day to run for 2008. I did it. I made my goal. I ran just a little over 1,000 miles. I reached this at 1:40pm at mile .9 of my 3.6 mile run today. I was listening to my Triathlon Song just before I hit the big 1,000. I raised both my hands in the air just for a brief moment. I feel so amazed and cheerful.

Just before Christmas I recieve a plaque with a neat quote (above) written by lao Tzu. This almost put me into tears because this year has been a huge journey for me. Now it's finally time to rest and take a break. Maybe 3-4 days off??

Total (As of 12/31/08)
Swim: 225,300 meters (150.2 miles)
Bike: 3,009.36 miles
Run: 1,002.61 miles

Swim Goal - done

2008-12-30T08:10:00.003-07:00

I have reached my swim goal for 2008 today. I topped it off with a 1,350 swim at the pool this morning. I swam a total of 225,300 meters (150.2 miles) for 2008.

Kwanza 5K Run

2008-12-27T15:17:00.004-07:00

Getting faster? Getting slower? Running the same...but I got a medal. Oh boy!! I don't get too many prizes for placing in events. I won 2nd place today in my age group and overall. I didn't run my best 5K time, nor my worst. I wasn't even sure I was going to do the race until this morning.

The race was bitter cold. It was posted at about 14 degrees. I received a new Pearle Izumi top for Christmas from my parents. It kept me warm. I ran 2 miles before the race and 1.5 miles after the race. I ran a total of 6.79 miles.

My overall time was 19:08. That is a 6:09/mile pace. My first mile was the fastest at 5:41. I slowed the pace down because this was not a goal for me to PR. I was in 2nd place by a good distance so I knew I wasn't going to kill myself to the finish.

10.25 miles left to run for the year. There are only 4 days left and I know I will do it!!!

Almost there...A Bump in the Road

2008-12-18T11:10:00.002-07:00

Almost 2009. I have almost met all my distance goals. It has been a long haul and I have reached new levels this year.

My Distance Goals:
Swim: 225,000+ meters (150 miles)
Bike: 3,000+ miles
Run: 1,000+ miles

What I have with 13-14 days left in 2009:
Swim: 222,950 meters (148.63 miles) - 2,050 meters left
Bike: 3,009.36 miles - Done
Run: 952.23 miles - 47.77 miles left

So close!! I will easily get my swim goal. Bike goal is done.

Uh oh...
I have 47.7 miles left to run...will I be able to run this amount in 13-14 days?? That is about 3.5 miles per day. I know its possible, but here's the deal. I was on the treadmill last week and was working on sprint/fartleks. I screwed up and wore myself out. My right hip has been acting up and I am a bit concerned. I took 3 full days off from running and was on the treadmill again last night. I took it easy, but my hip hurt. It only hurt after the run...I was limping a little too.

This might be related to my crash 1 week before Ironman in June?? It seems like its the same issue anyways. It nearly went away and it came back.

I am off running during my lunch break today. I brought warm clothes because I plan on running outside (38 degrees). Yikes. I don't plan on going too far; 4-5 miles. I plan on taking Ibuprofen which should make a difference.

I will tough it out...at least these last 47.77 miles. That's only about 24 miles per week, which is less than what I have been doing.

I will keep you posted. Thanks for reading.

Chilly Cheeks Race #1

2008-12-15T13:50:00.003-07:00

Here are my results from the Chilly Cheeks Race #1
Overall Place: 34
Sex Place: 34
Division Place: 22

Run Rank: 8
Run Distance: 4 miles
Run Time: 24:36 (6:09/pace)

T1: 1:50

Bike Rank: 67
Bike Distance: 10.8 miles
Bike Time: 32:57 (19.7 mph)

Total 2008 Time: 59:22 (Run Time: 24:36)
Total 2007 Time: 1:09:34 (Run Time: 25:03)
Total 2006 Time: 1:00:15 (Run Time: 26:59)

My times were better this year overall. The course was covered in ice/snow last year which made the bike times to vary. I was able to ride my road bike this year and my run time was 27 seconds faster.

I need to start riding my bike again. I've only been out riding 2-3 in two months so it's time to start riding again. This will improve my bike times. I was in shock because I finished the run in 8th place overall and 26 people pass me on the bike. Way too many!!! I will start working on my 2009 goals, and improving my speed times on the bike is one of them.

Swimming to Reach My Goal

2008-12-12T13:18:00.002-07:00

I am now being forced to swim to reach my goal. I have swam 220,150 meters (146.77 miles) and only 4,850 left to go to reach 225,000 or 150 miles!! Almost there. YEAH!

Here is today's workout
1,100m warm up/drills
8x100's
1:44.89
1:48.75
1:50.51
1:51.26
1:54.83
1:51.29
1:50.30
1:49.48
Avg: 1:50.16
100 cool down
Total Distance: 2,000m

Have a great Monday.

2008-12-08T06:48:00.004-07:00

I had my trophy series run yesterday. I matched my goal. I ran the 4.4 miles at Washington Park in 26:45. The official time is off by a few seconds, but the distance is off too. I ran 4.55 miles. I was hoping to run a little faster.

Here is my mile splits:

Mile 1: 5:27, Mile 2: 5:54, Mile 3: 5:56, Mile 4: 6:06, Mile .4: 3:22

As usual, I took off too fast!! My first mile was one of my fastest in a long time. I was planning on running fast, but at a more even pace.

Freaky Fast Mondays

2008-12-01T16:14:00.002-07:00

I have decided nearly a month ago that Mondays would be my speed workout days. It went from speed-ups to tempo runs. The last two weeks have been a 4.4 mile time trial. My next RMRR Trophy race is at 4.4 miles and I want to do good.

Monday 11/24 - 4.4 miles - 26:20
Monday 12/1 - 4.4 miles - 26:15

GOAL 12/7 - 4.4 miles - 27:00

The treadmill makes me push hard so if I can run well on Sunday I will make my goal.

I have only 100 miles left to go!!! With 30 days left, That's only 3.33 miles per day. I am almost there. Almost...

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T16:24:00.002-07:00

I just got back from an 8 mile run. I am not sure if I will have time on Thanksgiving to go for a run so I snuck one in today?? I really wanted to do a 5k run, but maybe next year.

I hope that you have a happy Thanksgiving!

More Running

2008-11-23T22:03:00.001-07:00

I am on a running streak! I have been running like a mad man and I don't see to stop. I have a run 109.56 miles for the month of November. This is my third biggest month so far and I an not training for any races. Did I mention that I still have one more week left?

I have been running around 30 miles per week. I only have 125 miles left till 1,000. I am getting close....I think I will make it :)

What a day...

2008-11-21T14:06:00.002-07:00

What a day so far. Not as crazy as yesterday. I went to the pool yesterday and I had no luck. I left my swimming shorts at home. There was no point in going back home. Oh well...I wouldn't have had much time to swim anyways.

I went back to the pool this morning and swam for about an hour. Not all of it was swimming. Today was the largest amount of swimming I have done in some time.

I swam 2,000 meters. There are 40 days left and my swimming goal is to reach 225,000 meters (150 miles). I only have 13,750 meters left to go. I might have to swim more meters each day just so I can reach my goal. The holidays are tricky and 2 days a week at 1,000m per day may not cut it.

Tis the season to be Jolly. I have a new coffee I brewed today. It's called English Caramel. Not bad.

Tires, Running Update

2008-11-14T13:49:00.004-07:00

New Tires
Check em out baby. Their hot, their cool, their expensive. I bought a new tire or two when I needed them. I waited about as long as I could to buy new tires for my car. I figure I would buy all four at the same time. I might split it up next time $450 for tires plus labor, plus an alignment plus an oil change is a bit much all at the same time.

Maybe I don't need new tires?? Maybe I should have waited and saved the money towards a new bike? Who am I kidding? I needed at least 2 new tires, and I have a kid on the way. Safety is most important. Now I can drive fast again. YEA!!

1,000 miles Update

168.09 miles left to run till the end of the year. I have 47 days left. I am on my way to success. The only problem is...I might need a new pair of shoes by new years? It's worth it.

Running off Steam

It seems like I have been on a mission. Running long distances and in the cold. I ran 10 miles today. 9 miles before work and 1 during. I dropped off my car to get my new tires. I ran a mile to work, dropped off my backpack, and ran 8 more miles. A little over hour later my car was ready. I ran back to the tire store and picked up my car. Running for a Reason!!!

During my runs, it seems that I have had more time to vent, process, and run off steam. Running will wear me out and I won't feel the need to drink. That is a good thing. I am too tired to get mad when I am finished.

Baby Greene Update

I won't have too many Baby Greene Updates because Nicole and I want to have everyone checkout our family blog. We are at 15 weeks today and we a doing great. We told almost everyone now. That was fun...what's next?

Greene Team Announcement

2008-11-09T18:43:00.003-07:00

The Emerald Terrace Steakhouse
in Sage City
Would like to invite you to celebrate the signing of the Greene Team All-Stars Shortstop.

Join us in the month of November for our featured dessert:

“Play of the Day Shortstop Buns”

This delicious treat is baked fresh in our oven and made with
100% organic love from Mom & Dad.

There is just a sprinkling of grandpas’ spice and grandmas’ sass over top.

During the month of December,
we will exclusively
highlight Shortstop Buns in either:

Handsome boy’s huckleberry smile
Or
Cherry-vanilla girl sweet cheeks

* Shortstop buns will be a permanent item
on our menu starting in May 2009.

Do you get it yet?

We're pregnant! Everything is going great and the whole world seems to think we'll be having a girl. Nicole and I are just so excited, we don't know what to do with ourselves. We will have family updates on our family blog about once a month for updated pregnancy news and pictures. Have a wonderful day.

Love, Eric and Nicole
http://greeneteamallstars.blogspot.com/

Big News

2008-11-06T09:12:00.001-07:00

Big New is coming soon. Checkout the blog in the next few days...

Really big news...

RMRR Trophy Series

2008-11-02T20:13:00.004-07:00

Today was another RMRR Trophy Series Race. The race was held at Westminster City Park. I helped co-race direct today. What a great experience

Last Year:

Time: 1:01.43
Distance: 9 miles
Pace: 6:51/mile
Best mile: 5:49

This Year:

Time: 1:00:14

Distance: 9 miles (9.07 exact)

Pace: 6:39/mile

Best mile: 5:57

I was pretty happy with this year's run. A few things new, and a few things the same. Same: I missed my predict by about 1 min this year. I missed it by 2 min last year. Different: I kept a better pace this year. My first mile wasn't as crazy, but still fast. I had a few 7:30/miles last year, where this year I had one 7:13 and one 7:06.

I didn't hit the wall like last year. I had a gel at 30 min, which may have upset my stomach? I felt pretty crappy after the race. My stomach was doing numbers and I wasn't feel good. I hope it didn't show too much.

I feel like I trained better this year. My quest for 1,000 miles is getting closer every day. I am at the 775 miles mark. I can't wait till I am really close!

Check out our family blog to see some Halloween pictures

http://greeneteamallstars.blogspot.com/

Been Busy

2008-10-30T08:22:00.003-06:00

I have been really busy these days.

1) October has 3 birthdays. Nicole's, My brother (Jesse), and my Dad's.

2) Keeping busy at work. I've been arriving at work extremely early.

3) Lots of running (237 miles left for 2008!!)

4) Volunteering election stuff, bike expo stuff, and running club stuff and more

5) Parties, Costume contests, etc

Checkout Jesse's new Blog:

http://joeyandjesse.blogspot.com/

Remaining goals for 2008

2008-10-14T08:42:00.005-06:00

I have glanced at my totals for 2007 and 2008. Looks good. I think I have slacked the most on the run. That is funny because I am a good runner, but only when running. Running is one of my weaker disciplines during a triathlon. I am so amazed I finished an Ironman this year. One of my running buddies runs 80-90 miles per week. PER WEEK. YIKES. I struggle to run that much in a month. After looking at my totals, I want to make this year an all-start year.

2008 Totals (As of 10/14/08)
Swim: 199,150 meters (132.77 miles)
Bike: 2,911.99 miles
Run: 693.96 miles

2007 Totals
Swim: 200,035 meters (133.36 miles)
Bike: 2,570.60 miles
Run: 714.06 miles

I have some work to do. Here are my list of goals for the remaining of 2008.

Swim

Pass 200,000m and possibly 225,000m? That would be 150 miles total.

Swim every Tuesday and Thursday (min of 1,000 per day)

Bike
Reach 3,250 miles

Speed/Interval workouts

Ride 2-3 times per week??

Run

Run 306 miles...

- 79 days left to run

- Can I run 3.88 miles per day

- Can I run every day?

- I need a new pair of shoes!!!

The run goal seems to be the toughest. It almost scares me. I think I can manage the swim and bike goals.

Ironman??

2008-10-10T23:18:00.002-06:00

I went on a 5 1/2 mile run today during my lunch break. It was much later than my normal time, but I felt like going out for a run.

What was I thinking?? IRONMAN!!!!

I was thinking of when I could possibly do another one? I am thinking 2010 or 2011?? Not sure what, when, where yet? I will keep dreaming for now...Ooooh. Maybe I will have an awesome Ironman dream tonight.

I am getting up early enough to catch the start of Kona Ironman World Championship. I am not sure how long I will watch it, but I might be glued to the Computer all day long. Take care.

Go Danny!! You rock!

New Things

2008-10-06T08:58:00.003-06:00

Lots of new things coming up...Some I will tell you about, and some I won't.

Workouts have been on and off. Nicole and I went to Alamagordo, NM this weekend. It was a very short trip, but we had fun. We went to Nicole's 10 year high school reunion. Not a huge turnout, but we had fun anyways.

I went running once in Alamagordo. It's a neat town to run in.

New Wetsuit

2008-09-25T10:58:00.001-06:00

I did it. I ordered and received my new wetsuit. This was a hard decision, but a 50% deal was hard to pass up. I found my last wetsuit on ebay and paid only $50. That's right $50. I am still planning on keeping it, but its getting old and I have to keep repairing it. No fun.

Here is my new wetsuit! Oh boy. I have been to the reservoir twice now and it seems to be fine. The wetsuit is snug, and I hope I never gain too much weight. It won't fit if I gain too much weight.