H....E.....Double Hockey Sticks

Take a look at this weather outlook for Salt lake City this week:

That is gross. It makes me sick just looking at it. We'll see how accurate it is, but if it hold true this is going to be a crappy hot week! Sometimes I think the "experts" make it worse than it actually will be....or do I make it out to be worse than it actually is? Anyway, if they overestimate the high temps then they will be heroes cause it wasn't so hot. Same in the winter if they say it is going to be -5 all week and it actually only goes to +20 degrees everybody is happy cause it wasn't so cold. Guess I have to keep watering the lawn like crazy so it doesn't "all" die, I bet I have 15% sunburned lawn today....by the end of the week I'll be at 25%!

Long Runs

If I am to partake in the Utah Half Ironman I need to be sure my foot is going to hold up. So each weekend I am going to do 1 long run, and.....sorry....you have to hear about them! So today was supposed to be 6 miles, poor route planning on my part made it 5. Foot hurt quite a bit at first, but by mile 1 it was feeling great. When I got home I stretched and iced and medicated and it feels pretty good now. So step one, the 5 mile test....passed! Next week we'll see how the 8 mile test goes (with better route planning!).

One other tidbit that I am sure everybody cares deeply about, I am going to buy new running shoes today, hopefully that will help with the foot pain. I'm going to try a new brand...maybe the old brand had some weird pressure points that are contributing to the foot pain. It's a thought anyway. I also had a good week in the weight loss department, the lighter the better!

Friday Fun

Ok, so for those of you that haven't heard my wife was in a car accident on Wednesday night, she is fine...her car not so much. It is totaled, hopefully. We are still waiting to hear from the insurance company, I really don't want a car that has extensive accident repair done on it....I don't think they ever drive the same. Anyway, this has FORCED me into more bike riding since she is now driving my car. So yesterday we just tried to hang out at home, but we just got on each others nerves (the kids and I). Today we are going to try to avoid the lengthy down time, and since Bridget is working all day and all night and half of tomorrow....we really need to stay happy all day!

So here is the plan, we are going to ride to the rec center where I am going to ride the stationary bike and run on the treadmill. Then we are going from the rec center to an afternoon showing of Disney/Pixar's new movie Wall-e. Should be fun, hope I'm not crazy for taking 2 kids to the movies by myself! Then I'll bike us all home. Total round trip will be about 17 miles, plus the 12 or so that I'll ride on the stationary bike! At least it is only supposed to get to 88 degrees today, so it should be a little cooler (100+ degrees on Sunday!).

Bike commuting at it's best!
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Update: so about 30 minutes after I made this wonderful post I got a call from the insurance company and I have to meet them this afternoon....right in the middle of what was going to be our movie time! So that idea might be scrapped as well as the ambitious bike ride. So sad. Hopefully we can get the car situation squared away quickly so we can return to life as normal.

Great, now what?

I did a little more jogging today, and my foot is still bothering me. I am following doctors orders and starting it off gradual...even slower than he recommended. Still hurts. I need to get some miles under me if I am going to run a half marathon in 6 weeks. It isn't going to be easy. My hope now is that when I buy new running shoes on Friday, maybe that will help. Other than that I am at the mercy of the Plantar Fasciitis gods I guess. I am still icing, still stretching, I tried easing off of the ibuprofen (only made it hurt more), and I have been a little not so good on the strengthening exercises I am supposed to do...mostly case they make it hurt more. So I guess my thought are to finish out this season and then take a few months off from running and hope it heals. Aarrrrrgh! It is so frustrating!

Back to the grindstone

Well with the last triathlon in the rear view mirror, my sights are set on the next adventure. That would be the Utah Half Ironman Triathlon (1.2 mile swim/56 mile bike/13.1 mile run...aka 70.3-total of all the distances) on August 9th. I did a little research last on last years results and found out that this race is filled with extremely good triathletes. The guy that won my age group last year ran the 13 miles at 7 minutes per mile or something insane like that. So this is one of those races that I just want to go out there and finish. I am also going to prepare a little better, something tells me that not running for a month really didn't help my run last Saturday. Yesterday, I am proud to report, I began running again! Since I can't just jump right back into it full steam...I decided to do 2 miles. While there was a little pain it was much better than before, and I finished the 2 miles in 17 minutes fairly easily...And that was after riding 15 miles on the bike!

I've also been doing a lot of research in biking stuff. Everything these days is carbon fiber, lightweight...strong...EXPENSIVE! Anyway, I came across an interesting comment that it was much easier to take weight off of the rider than it was to take weight off of a bike. So another focus besides running, is going to be dropping a few extra pounds. I'd like to be as light as possible for the race, it's not rocket science.

Finally I need to work on my hydration. I was so thirsty by the time I started the run that each aid station I was drinking too much water and Gatoraide. I was craving it so much I couldn't help myself. Problem was I drank too much and felt sick while running and my belly felt like it was all bloated and sloshing around. I hated that feeling. Anyway, I plan on working on hydrating while riding the bike (I drank a small water bottle during the race, but I feel like I needed at least one more). I had a couple of GU packets as well, but I really didn't feel any different before or after taking them. Pre race meal might also be something to looks at. Pre race hydration? Hmmmm. As you can see I have a lot of preparations to make before August 9th. Keep your fingers crossed and send me some motivation, I could really use it right about now!

More Cowbell!

Perhaps inspired by Will Ferrell on Saturday Night Live, the medals for the triathlon were actual working cowbells!



Anyway, back to the race. So keep in mind it was my first Olympic Triathlon, first open water swim, first 10K race, etc. So lets start with the swim. Nerves, nerves, nerves...that's how I'd explain my swim. I was very nervous and anxious. In the end I turned out the fastest 1500 yard swim of my life! 23 minutes and 16 seconds is a personal record I do believe. I was pretty shocked at that time cause I felt like I was all over the place...I don't think I can swim in a straight line to save my life when there are no lane lines to stare at! The 23:16 was good enough for 1st in my age division and 24th overall.

Transition one was also hectic, I wasn't sure how stripping off my soaking wet wetsuit was going to go and if I was going to be a little loopy when I went from swimming horizontal to standing upright and running. In the end, it took me 2:06...which this was odd also put me in 24th place (I've never seen a race rank the transition times!

The bike was kinda weird. I started out strong and felt good. Then I hit these two hills that are back to back and I swear the wind was in my face the whole time. Then I turned a corner and hit a long flat section and I swear at that exact moment the wind shifter straight into my face! I mumbled to myself that I was done, I really wished at that point that I was entered in the Sprint race! But after a few minutes I regrouped and things went better. I averaged 21.8 MPH, and finished the 24 miles in 1 hour 8 minutes and 20 seconds....good enough for 17th overall and 1st in my age group.

Transition two was pretty standard. I racked my bike and changed shoes. I left for the run in 1 minute 19 seconds....good enough for 29th overall and again first in my age group. Again it is so strange that a race ranked the transitions, odd, but kinda cool.

OK, so for those of you keeping track at home, in my age group I finished first on the swim, first on T1, first on the bike, first on T2. Pretty good right? Well then came the run. The major downer and disappointment of the day. I finished the 10K in 1 hour 9 minutes and 2 seconds, which is a dismal 11 minutes 8 seconds per mile. All I remember is it was hot, there was a decent hill right off the bat, and my first few steps were met with a feeling that I was running on empty. So over the course of the run I gave up a 6 minute lead over the guy that won my division, and a 12 minute lead to the guy that finished 2nd in my age group. On top of those losses I then spotted the age group winner 17 more minutes and another 14 for the 2nd place guy. So yeah, I was disappointed. I thought I was going to run better, but I guess I bonked....I seriously had zero energy and took LOTS of walking breaks.

So I finished 3rd in my age group, unfortunately there were only 3...the 4th guy didn't show up. So I won a medal, although it was sort of by default.




But I suppose I could always say, at 2 hours 44 minutes I finished 3rd and just leave off the part about there only being 3 in my age group!

1 vs. 84

So I am racing the Cache Valley Triathlon this Saturday and I am getting more and more antsy as the day draws near. There are a lot of firsts in this race, it is my first Olympic distance race, my first open water swim, my first 10K run in a race, and probably some other firsts too that I can't think of. They have closed the entries, so I now know that there are 84 people entered in the Olympic race. Of that 84, I think there are only 4 in my age group...that is if they go 30 - 34 year olds. That means I only need to beat out 1 dude to be in the top 3 in my age group, but that's not really my goal....I'd rather finish in the top 15 overall. I am nervous about that as well though, because I have a theory that the Olympic race has many more experienced triathletes than the sprint races...so the quality of my competition could be greater than I've faced before. Another goal that I have is to average more than 23 MPH on the bike, that would be insanely fast...but I rode the course last week and I think it is entirely possible, I just need to pedal my little legs off! And of course we'll keep our fingers crossed with my foot. I have only jogged twice in the last 4 weeks, it felt pretty good both times so I am hopeful. Anyway, I'll have the cheering squad with me...armed with the camera so hopefully we'll get some good pictures!

The Tiki Room

Sydney had her dance performance tonight, it was really cute. Take a look, she is under the letter T on the sign in the background. Hope you like it!

Fathers day

Just when I start to think "what a bust" this fathers day was, my kids go and save the day. It doesn't matter if I got a fathers day gift (apparently I was supposed to buy my own?) or that Bridget had to work for 30 hours in a row starting at 7 AM on fathers day, or that the only people I encountered were at Home Depot...and that was even limited since I went through self checkout. So even though I coached them on what to say and do, they are still cute and this little short video is better than any gift....but I would still take a Cervelo P3C Carbon Fiber triathlon bike with Zipp 808 wheels! I guess I'm only about 8K away from that gift though!

Helping Out Clarence

Ok, so Clarence is this old guy that lives a few houses away. He's old. Really old, I'd say he looks like in his 80's. Anyway, he has some sickness that is causing the gross open lesions on his face, which really freaks me out. He lost his job about a year ago and as a result he couldn't pay his telephone bill...after 3 months Qwest cut him off since he owed about $250. So for the last year he will occasionally come over to use our telephone, which gets old because inevitably he comes over at the worst times. His daughter bought him a cell phone that has ridiculously small buttons which he can't dial...and he manages to lock the phone up somehow. So, I do try my best to help him out. I'll dial the phone for him, and I'll fix his cell phone for him. But this last week I learned that Clarence is a user, and as Bridget would say I am "enabling him". I apparently opened the friendship door by helping him with the phone stuff. Last week he brought over his weed eater for me to fix, so I replaced the spark plug and put some gas in it and started it right up. Then he asked if I could mow his front yard. Being the nice guy I am I did it, but I began the internal grumbling process. A few days after the front yard mowing incident he came over and asked if I could mow the back. I hadn't seen it, but I told him that I didn't have anybody to watch the kids so it would be later in the evening. He then asked for my phone number so he could call and ask if I could come over to mow. I don't know why, but I gave it to him. The next day...I kid you not he called 5 times asking if I could come over. He kept coming over and ringing the door and I would peek out of the window and then hide until he left. I finally decided to take my mower over and do the back, I kid you not the grass/weeds were 4 FEET TALL! That crap was up to my waist! It took forever, and his backyard was equal size to mine (which if you have ever been around on my mowing day, you'll hear some choice grumbling words). And I had just finished mowing my front and back yards, so I was pretty tired to begin with.

So I figure I have done my good deed for this guy. He has gotten worse on the phone stuff (he curses like a sailor in front of the kids) so I think that's out. I think the point here is that I am going to avoid him at all costs. I know it sounds bad, but he is getting a little out of control. Bridget says I am getting taken advantage of...I guess I am. But I feel bad because he is old and needs help, Bridget says that's what nursing homes are for. What a headache!

What the kids are into

I don't know what it is, but the kids love this little guy. This is Captain Huggy Face, from the show World Girl on PBS. You should see them mimic his dance.....it is hysterical. I'll have to work on capturing it on video. Anyway, take a look at Captain Huggy Face in action:

Past 6000 minutes

Today I went past 6000 minutes of exercise for the year! Kinda crazy, 100 hours....but that's only like 4 days of straight exercise, doesn't seem so impressive. Anyway, having no clue how many hours I would rack up in a year it seems like a cool total so far. Honestly, I figured I'd get bored with logging my hours and give up 2 weeks into January. And I was thinking I need to do this whole process next year as well so I have something to compare this years statistics to. I'm actually kinda compulsive about entering my exercise totals for the day, it's usually the first thing I do when I get home...even before I get a glass of water or change out of my sweaty clothes. I think there is something seriously wrong with me....either that or I am just a giant dork!

Burning question

I know you have been sitting there at your computer thinking to yourself...."how is Chris's compost heap doing?" C'mon you know you were thinking it. Well since you asked it is doing very well. I took out 5 or 6 wheelbarrows of compost and put it in some of my flowerbeds this spring. And I've been neglecting it ever since. Oh sure, I've been adding my grass clippings, but that it. So today I went out and stirred it all up. The stuff down on the very bottom was amazing. I wished I had someplace to put it! But I mixed it all good, added lots of oxygen and now it is ready for me to begin adding more stuff to it. I even got an old stainless steel pot for the kitchen so I have a place to put compostable scraps. All set for a summer filled with composting fun!

At this very second

At this very second I should be getting a post race massage, enjoying some post race grub, and chatting with other finishers. Instead I am sitting on the couch watching the kids as they watch TV. I think depression has set in, but fear not there may be relief on the horizon. My wonderful wife has suggested that I pick a race in 2 weeks, she has the Saturday off and said she would love to go to another race. Well she didn't use the word "love", but she said she was up for it. So I have my choice or the Provo Tri and the Cache Valley Tri, both are olympic distance races...and I have not done either of them. Once I get in touch with her this morning, I'll be picking one!

Bummed out

I got some bad news today. The whole complicated babysitting arrangement we had set up for my triathlon on Saturday has fallen through. So no race for me, that was $50 I may as well just flushed down the toilet. I am really, really bummed out. Bummed out/pissed off...a really bad combination. I guess the biggest problem is the kids are still a touch sick today. I think they will be better by Saturday, but trying to convince others to watch our sick kids while they have little kids of their own is a lot to hope for. And since the only people I know who can watch kids are people that have kids themselves, I think that leaves me up the creek without a paddle. I guess in my mind right now you just can't rely on others to help you out all of the time, which is a really depressing thought.....

Biking all over the place

I've been riding my bike everywhere this week! In fact I've only started the car once this week, and that was to haul a bunch of garbage to the community dumpsters...4 blocks away. I've been riding to the rec center, yesterday I rode to the rec center and then rode the stationary bike...seems strange to me, but oh well. I've been planning out my trips and going in nice, concise loops to the Rec center, the library, the dry cleaners, the grocery store, and some of my other frequents. I really like it, plus pulling the kiddos in their trailer makes for a wicked workout. Yesterday I was riding and was thinking of a bumper sticker that I want to have made and placed on the back of the bike trailer, something like "I'm getting better gas mileage than you!" Then I realized what a big dork I am! So to carry my dorkdom even further I looked up bicycle commuter t-shirts, I liked this one....make sure to check out the back design as well. I also liked this one. Maybe if I bike all summer I will earn the right to wear a cool bike commuter T.

Ominous Sign

Both of the kiddos are sick. And for today, tomorrow and Thursday I am watching Owen in the mornings. He appears to be sick as well. I can already see it, I'm going to get sick starting on Friday, too sick to race on Saturday. We'll see, any predictions? I wish I knew how to make Vegas style odds, or over unders or something.

I better find my vitamins and maybe an extra dose of vitamin C for the next few days. Oh, and I am exhausted today...and I haven't done anything but sit on the couch! I'm in for it, I can see it now!

another one on the way

No not a baby, another triathlon. Fresh off of last weekends successful triathlon I have another one on Saturday. This will be my first ever open water swim, and my first ever swim in my new wetsuit. I am really excited and really nervous. I was trying to think of a game plan, but I think I'm just going to show up and see what happens since I don't really know what to expect. Will I be able to see? Am I going to swim some crazy zig zag pattern with no lane lines to guide me? I feel sort of like a rookie that has never raced yet!

The Salem Springs triathlon (my race on Saturday) is an 800 yard swim, 13 mile bike, 5K run. Another sprint distance, but with a bit further on the swim. Should be a good time!

I'll be all by myself on for this race though. The pit crew will be here in SLC, Bridget has to work and the kids will be at their friends house. So no pictures of this one other than what the professionals take the day of the race.