Back to the Latta (Part III)

Today was my first triathlon of the 2008 season! I thought I would put my results/experience in perspective with the previous attempts (2004 and 2005) I had made on this race.

2004

It would be safe to say my "triathlon" engine was running quite hot by the time Latta came around. I began the season in March with the Valdese Sprint Triathlon, which is in the mountains towards Asheville. This was a pool swim (I remember the wait was EXCRUCIATING, although I was amused by watching two (good looking?) twins in the transition area as they slowly put on all their biking gear). The bike ride was 9 miles, definitely the shortest yet, but probably the most punishing. I finished with a measly 15.5 mph average!

The very next week it was the MAP Triathlon. I'm talking old school here folks, back when it was in Charlotte! The previous year at MAP marked my first ever triathlon. This year I was back with a bike that weighed less than 30 pounds, and it showed!

About six weeks later I was then onto the flat coastal plain of NC for my first crack at White Lake. This was for the Sprint version on Sunday. I was there to cheer on my dear triathlon friend Alice, and of course I got suckered into wanting to do a Half! (I would accomplish that goal in September at the Duke Half). On the bike I circuited the lake twice (14 miles) and recorded my fastest ever average in a triathlon, 20.7 miles per hour.

I don't remember too much about Latta in 2004, except that as I mentioned the engine was nice and hot. It definitely showed, I took my Latta PR that day 1:36:05. The swim was quite near by 2008 effort, coming across the mat at 17:29 along with a course-best T1 of 2:31. I took the bike loop in 51:09, for an average of 19.9 mph. The T2 was (probably) a course-best as well with 1:40, but your random location in the area can make or break that. I finished the run with 23:18 (7:29 minute mile), also a best for the series. My overall place was 38.9% (225th out of 579 finishers). Not bad. That summer I would continue to do both the Over The Mountain and Bandits Challenge Olympic distance races before the Duke Half.

2005

Leading up to the 2005 edition I was back at MAP in mid-March (the last year it would be held in downtown Charlotte), but then made the big leap early for the White Lake Half Ironman. Obviously a good deal of training went into that. I recall being very excited about narrowly finishing under six hours!

Latta in 2005 was a set of three "disasters." For starters, right when my wave got into the water my goggles broke, so I had to do my best, coming in at 18:23. Then on the bike I had rounded my way to Mt. Holly-Huntersville Road when I witnessed a bad accident. A car had passed a group of (we weren't drafting, I swear!) us and then darted back in the right lane. The car then hit its brakes and one of the cyclists went straight into the back bumper. I was compelled to stop, the only time I have ever for any sprint. I recall stabilizing him and then going down the road to find a trooper. Still, I think I finished with a 51:45 (assuming a T2 of 1:40, as Setup's mats failed for this split). I also recall hurting my foot (or it being in pain) for the run, but I didn't lose too much coming in with 23:49 (7:39 minute mile). My total time was 1:38:27, placing me at 42.1% (235th out of 558 finishers).

For sundry list of reasons Latta then fell out of my favor for two years. With the move of MAP up north, part of the course was then shared so I felt it wasn't worth the intense scrabble in January to sign up for the race. My training schedules also played in a role in the race falling out of favor.

2008

Obviously there was no racing before Latta this year. I had even lost interest in the MAP, breaking a sizable streak, but nothing like Bob Nixon's Latta streak! I did not do a single brick in preparation for this race. How lazy is that? Sure, I ran a fair amount to prepare for the marathon in May, and wasn't exactly a slouch on the bike (taking in my first 100 mile ride quite early!). Definitely lazy on the swim, barely getting in once a week to swim for thirty minutes.

With the cooler spring season I thought there was a shot of this becoming a wetsuit legal race! But that was not to be, as the thunderous heat took its toll on Charlotte's drinking supply, raising the raceday temperature to 89 degrees. Yuck. Just about everyone swims better with a wetsuit, but a marginal (let's be honest here, folks) swimmer like myself has noticed exceptional gains.

I was most excited the previous week when I actually paid attention to the detail they had moved the start time to 6AM! Awesome! I'd get up at 2AM to beat the heat! Following my ankle injury from Ultimate, it was not until a week later that I attempted my first run. It was less than 4 miles on my normal Thursday night group run.

I certainly came into this event with a cavalier attitude. My main goal was to do a triathlon, and get myself into the mindset for the upcoming 70.3 in Providence. I took a quick warmup in the bathtub, then it wasn't long until my group (M30-34) went into the start area. We were the second group to leave after the elites, this occurred at 6:34. I had positioned myself near the front, which was a little ambitious. I got battered around a fair amount and soon could tell I was behind the average swimmer - in fact I finished 32nd out of the 62 guys in my wave. I was a little surprised in that I only saw 3-4 swimmers from the next wave to catch up with me.

When I got out I wasn't really expecting anyone to cheer me on (by name) but I was quite surprised. I sort of knew a few folks would be out there, but that was quite nice! Thanks! I was excited to glance at my watch over the mat and see 17:14, definitely a PR for the swim section. As I made the long journey up to the transition area Bob Nixon reminded me to smile for the camera! I was a fairly smooth transition, and when I saw it at 2:35 that made sense to me.

The haul out of Latta Plantation seemed to take an eternity, but my smartass bike compute said 7 minutes and 10 seconds. It was really only then that I began to hammer (just like everyone else), but I was having some serious issues staying down in my aero position (the 100 mile ride did take its toll). I then began to play my usual tortoise and hare game with 3-4 people. You pass me, I pass you, watch out for the referees! I definitely was set with some dread about my return on Mt. Holly-Huntersville. After coming out of the Business Park, I really was slowing down. And there it went. No accidents. My goal was take another minute or so on this leg, and for the most part that did happen, clocking in at 50:04. For the 17 miles that put me at 20.4 miles per hour! That average speed was one of my triathlon bests, coming in at second only to White Lake Sprint. It's hard to compare all that, given different terrains and distances. I certainly would not consider that White Lake my best performance - given the higher mileage and tougher terrain, this was better. But still I would not rank this as my best, the nod definitely goes to my Half performance last year in Georgia, where I averaged 19.2 miles per hour over 56 tough miles. Of course, I blew up on the run!

I knew I would lose time on T2 because I no longer cared about snap laces. I am just not into these sprints... 2:04 - not bad though. I dreaded the run, even though most of it was shaded and wasn't too hilly. I just wanted to go home. I was hoping to come in at 1:35:00, but I was just not into keeping up the pace. Sure, I was moving, included my patented spin turn before the end. And by then I knew I was in trouble. When I came out of the trees I could see Cummins and some other egging me on, and it was right before hitting them that I turned on my afterburners and came in with trademark 5:00 minute mile sprint. Just saving face from disaster, folks. Finish time 1:37:33. Yikes. That put me at 43.4% (261st out of 601 finishers).

I definitely had more fun going around and talking with my friends afterwards. I was very excited to wish those off participating in Ironman Coeur d'Alene next weekend!

I finished with a time around 1:37:33. I gained around a minute on the swim and bike (compared to 2005) but lost pretty much all of it on the run. I still finished slightly better than the previous attempt.

Official Setup Results

100 mile ride for a 100 degree day? Sure!

Today in the Charlotte area the temperatures hit the 100 degree mark. I thought the perfect way to celebrate would be to conquer my first 100 mile bicycle ride of the season!

The story of the weekend's rides actually began on Saturday. Even before that, since I couldn't run on Thursday I took Holman (my bike) to the Booty Loop for seven laps. I averaged a reasonable 18.4 miles per hour, one of my best performances yet. Even though it was in the low 90s during the twilight hours I didn't find the temperature all that disturbing. And then on Friday I rode my other bike to and from the office.

Saturday I rose at 5:30 and left the house shortly after 6:10. I wove my way up to Providence and from there descended down towards Mineral Springs via Potter Road. Once at Waxhaw, I crossed up through Marvin and made my way towards 521. I was determined to finish this leg off - the last time I had two flat tires at the intersection of I-485 and had to be picked up. This time the ride was a success and I felt really good after the 58 miles, a far cry from the misery-fest last Sunday.

It was at that time I had aspirations to do the big ride on Sunday. That afternoon I planned my route accordingly. A group, led by KC and the Sunshine Group, was leaving Crowders Mountain State Park for the various loops. I really enjoy the "40" (37 miles) but I hate driving all the way out there. So why not hook up with the group? It had to be planned just ride - then later on I called Kevin to discuss my plans.

Once again I was up at 5:30 to prepare for the big assault. This time I brought my Camelbak loaded to the gill with water. I left via Tyvola and then made my way down to Tryon. The goal was to get somewhere close to 40 miles before meeting the group at 8:30. The direct route was 21 miles, so I vaulted up past CLC's Whitehall Preserve then swung down to Gold Hill. Once on Zoar I decided to explore Youngblood, which used to be a "dead end." It made me think of my early rides out here with my first housemate, Sean. This time there was a new Palisades parkway. Once I crossed 49 I tried something new going all the way up 274 and then down Meek. Folks, there is some beautiful farm scenery out this way. I then hit Ridge Road and my rendezvous at 8:18 with around 37 miles.

My wait was quite long, long enough to attract the interest of the local law enforcement. Really though, the lady was quite pleasant. I was about to abandon on my own around 9:00AM when I saw the group. In addition to Kevin, there was Mona, Greg, Franco, and my Vineman comrade John Hoover. From there we continued on pushing our way to Filbert, SC. The peach was just opening, but for some reason no one wanted to go in. By the time we started the "hammer" section on 161 it had gotten quite exposed and hot. I led the charge but was taking it quite easy. At the junction everyone but Mona left for the 60 mile option, which I rate as extremely difficult. Mona and I then pulled up 161 but I left her to continue the usual route, I wanted to try and bridge the rides by riding north to where the 60 mile route continues on 161. This meant including "The Pinnacle" climb, a nasty nasty pitch. While I was absolutely dying up this pitch I was surprised to see Mona coming down the other side. She definitely wanted to get her "ouch" on. I waited for her at the bottom then we continued to the park. Through some amazing coincidence, at the entrance a woman stopped to pick up a turtle attempting to cross the road - it turned out to be our friend Sandy Chavez, who I haven't seen in quite some time!

At the visitor center I filled up my pack and bottles. I was at 67 miles. This last stretch was unbelievably furnace hot. I did time myself around 33 minutes to reach Ridge/Glenn, so the group must have been really slow or more likely just got a bad start. I logged a little less than 40 miles for the loop, which seems like very little to add from the normal 37 miles. Not worth it, except to have your ass kicked on the Pinnacle. Descending down Ridge was like descending into hell, the furnace just got hotter and hotter. I stopped in at the first convenience store to down a 32 ounce soft drink. Once back in North Carolina the climb up to Shopton was just killing me. I had to stop later on Shopton to just rest and regroup for the final assault. Thankfully my mileage was enough to come out my direct route to Tyvola and home. I was wildly excited as I coasted down Milford to rescue my dog from the house. I had logged 101.8 miles and done it in a little less than six hours. I had been out of the road for almost eight hours! The best part was that I averaged 17.2 miles an hour, which was definitely something to be happy about.

I need that.

Hello, My Name is Winston

Hello, my name is Winston. I just turned 7, but I act like I'm one. Even though I am almost 50 in your years, I LOVE to chase bunnies and don't care about the repercussions. Last Monday, I went with my dad to his tutoring session. Of the main reasons I go is to chase all the bunnies that are sitting around in the yard we go to! There is no thrill like chasing these bunnies. I don't even care if I have to go through a barbwire fence to chase them!

I'm Back In The Game?!?

On Tuesday I came out of a two year Ultimate Frisbee hiatus and began league play in the 2008 CAUA Summer League. Really though, it's been longer than that. I last played in the 2006 summer league, but if you look at my pickup stats I really trailed off in 2005 as I began my focus towards marathons and longer triathlons.

I was really anxious about my "return." When I first came to Charlotte, Ultimate (as it is more frequently referred to), was my main social exercise outlet. We'd play Tuesday/Thursday nights at Pearl Street and then on Sunday at Dilworth Elementary (before the remodel). I first became interested in the sport due to my housemate Dan-O when I lived in Durham. The league in the Triangle (TFDA) is absolutely amazing!

I had never played a team sport before and it's always been a struggle. The game is invariably complex to me; reading teammates and opponents can really be tough. And it took probably three years before I could throw a decent flick. My handling skills are quite poor, but I am capable of being dangerous on the field due to the facts that 1) I am tall, 2) I can run fast, and 3) I will do whatever it takes (lay out, foul) to grab the disc.

The real question was how much I had lost during my Ultimate vacation. I was also curious how new the faces would be, how many people I would remember, and if anyone would remember me. I was also scared to death (one of the main reasons I stopped) of an injury hampering my triathlon goals. This especially applies to my tender hamstrings and various ankle/foot injuries. My worst Ultimate injury was back in 2001 (?). I laid out for the disc and really hurt my ribs.

So it was like both 1) showing up for the first day of school, afraid all the kids would laugh at me and 2) a high school reunion. The games are scheduled to be held every Tuesday for the next couple of months, two games a night at 6:30 and 7:30. The weather this week in Charlotte was on the upswing towards miserable, thankfully with some winds and twilight hours it was actually enjoyable out there!

It was mostly new faces to me - never heard of our captain. Only one face on my team that I really remember. He's been around for quite some time. I have a lot of respect for his playing abilities, but he is a real jackass. I remember back in 2004 to one Sunday where this unnamed individual parked his truck in some guy's driveway. His truck was SO precious he couldn't park it on the street like the rest of us. Sure enough later on the owner of the house came out to ask about the truck. This individual was in the middle of the play and kept him waiting. The owner got all angry and it escalated quickly. I was just stunned my Ultimate colleague was talking like the driveway was his to park in. It was really an amazing thing to witness.

Okay, so back to "the return." I put on my cleats, ran around the fields, then found some folks to toss with me. I was delighted to see that my forehand skills were still very precise. In addition, the flicks weren't too bad. Apparently they had not horribly degraded with their appropriate shelf lives. The two games that night were scrimmages (they didn't count) so everyone could start to work together as a team and get back into the picture. Our team, for now aptly named Team 7, seemed pretty coherent out of the gate. Our opponent was Nick's team. I was out for the first point, heart beating hard before I ran at all! Overall it was a positive experience! We trailed behind a couple of points the whole way and ending up losing, but I did pull down one disc for the score. I then used the opportunity to get in a pull. It went the distance but was definitely out of bounds. I did have a few dropped passes, and could only last 2-3 points at a time. I was given another opportunity to pull, so I intentionally chose going short versus out of bounds!

We then moved our camp to the adjoining field for our next game. I wasn't as active in the second game. I pulled down a nice pass right at the goal line and tried a forehand to our captain Bean but that went down in flames. Actually, anytime I am handling and at least have the opportunity to score IS a big deal, and of course even bigger if I connect. There was one defensive play in the end zone where I hit the ground and rolled up. I did have a few dropped passes, but otherwise at heavy twilight the games ended and I left happy.

I was worried about my left ankle and foot. They seemed to be some swelling, and I don't remember a particular crash or incident that would have caused it. I did opt out of the Moosehead party afterwards, this was enough of a social leap for me, perhaps I will branch out more in the future!

One HOT potato!

The road to Boise, ID for the Famous Idaho Potato Marathon began very early Thursday morning. I drove myself in and managed to get one of those rare remote lot spots. With the little that I do travel, it's hard not to notice that the $3/day fee is one of the lowest in the nation. Just about everywhere else it's $10 or more! While I was going through security instead of being accosted by the officials a nice older lady asked me if my brother was a priest in Dunn, NC! Ironically enough, I was on my way to see my brother, but last time I checked he had not taken up the priesthood as a profession. She asked because I apparently look exactly like this priest, so next time I'm there I'll be careful. I might get thrown in jail on child molestation charges!

My new calling...

The flights to Dallas-Fort Worth and on to Portland were just fine. One odd occurrence - I was positionally in the same seat for both flights and the configuration of type of people was almost the same on each flight (near me that is). The couple in front, the stylish diva reading a magazine for airheads up one also on the aisle, older guy on back at the window. It was rather odd. More importantly, the view of Mt. Hood coming in was spectacular - we passed just on the north side - the other great volcanoes were also visible on this glorious day!

At the PDX airport my brother Andrew picked me up, and then we sought out some sandwiches to enjoy at his house. It was bizarre being someone with no sales tax! He then had to go back to work. I had thought about going downtown to visit Powell's but I was tired and instead dozed for a few hours. I then took a chair out on the patio to continue delving into Sophie's Choice, which has so far been an outstanding read!

Later after Andrew's return we sat on the porch a little while longer, then headed over to Pier Park to play some disc golf - the lovely weather had unfortunately brought out lots of players, so it was a bit of slow go. Nevertheless, relatively speaking I had an excellent game, shooting seven over par for the nine holes we did play. From there we headed over to the Alberta District to meet my friend Brett who had recently moved from Charlotte. His new rental digs were quite nice, and he seemed quite pleased with the structure and housemates. We walked over to Vita Cafe for dinner. After realizing we'd need get one of the coveted patio seats, we ended up eating inside. The mainly vegetarian fare was quite delicious, my lasagna with the thick portabella made me quite happy! Following dinner we were going to hit a movie, but were a bit late so instead retired to the homestead.

Once again I was up early and off to the airport. I had bought a second ticket with Horizon to fly to Boise. Unfortunately I had to go through Spokane. I wasn't in any particular hurry, and it was the cheapest way to go so I went with the flow. I was somewhat turned off to see that the aircraft being used (for both legs) was painted in Washington State University colors complete with logo. Considering my other option was to walk, I sucked it up. At the Spokane terminal it was crawling with the Gonzaga and WSU women's rowing teams. WSU boarded a plane for Seattle and Gonzaga came aboard my frigate, which was ultimately bound for Sacramento. Both schools were headed towards the Pac-10 Championships.

Once I retrieved my bag from behind the counter in Boise (?), my friend/host Dave picked me up. Dave is a friend from Seattle and has a long punctuated history with our family. We have known him since elementary school. He eventually moved to North Bend and surfaced again when my brother and I worked at Camp Parsons. In 1994 Dave was Hikemaster for the High Adventure Program and I worked for him. More recently in 2006 we both participated in the Grand Columbian Half Ironman.

After hitting some Chinese for lunch, he had to return to work but it wasn't long before my parents arrived in town. We then spend time driving the parts of the marathon course and doing the packet pickup. We then motored on to Meridian to visit the Sierra Trading Post outlet store. That was a special shopping experience, even though I literally heard every employee in the store bitch about how much they hated their job. That evening I delighted in the opportunity to meet Dave's children, Kayla (5) and Leo (3), both with their wide smiles! We had a big pasta dinner there and then watched a video produced about the run-up to the 2001 Tour de France for (the now defunct) US Postal Team. Very cool.

Kayla and Leo know how to party!

Perhaps my number one concern about the marathon was the abnormally high temperature forecast for Saturday. The normal May high is around 70 degrees, and Saturday was going to puncture that by at least twenty! The course began upstream of downtown Boise at Discovery Park, right below the Lucky Peak reservoir. It was in the mid to high 50s with a cool wind when we arrived around 7:30. At the time I did not know how many marathoners there would be, but the crowd was quite large, but most of the runners were doing the half marathon, which consisted of following the greenway down to Anna Morrison Park.

I was very much looking forward to the start of this event, as the anxiety over the past week had been killing me. I had applied copious amounts of sunblock above and below, chosen my loose Sharksbite singlet, and was wearing my Grand Columbia hat. I also was wearing my sunglasses, which is a bit rare for me. This also marked my first big event using my new Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS watch. It was a birthday present mainly geared towards helping me run a smooth race today.

Shade and cool temps lasted until about this moment...

I had publicly stated my goal was 3:38, or a 8:19 minute mile pace. The first little part of the race was a loop below the dam to jump on the official greenway. I knew I would start out fast with the excitement and all, and was worried about the 7:44 time. From there the running was beautiful along the canyon and river, with some shade and the fleeting cool temps. I then continued to build with splits that were around the 8:00 mark. This was a dangerous game. I was feeling good and wanted nothing more than to break my Chicago PR (3:30). So I began to glide down the valley. It opened up and the crowds slowly thinned out. The initial run down the northern side of the Boise River (which was overflowing) had some good shade sections. Around Mile 8 a woman jumped in front of me and locked rather tight. After a couple of miles I realized this might be an excellent person to hang with. After leaving the golf course I started to talk with her; her name was Nancy and she seemed also a little uncomfortable with the pace. My watch seemed to be hitting the mile marks well, so that was good news. The reception was certainly excellent!

I found a great pacer in Nancy

With the river flooding there were some detours, which included some sidewalk running "downtown" before hitting Julia Davis park. Nancy and I then made the "lonely left" for the marathoners and crossed the Boise River. After that I was hard pressed to see more than 2-3 people running the marathon at any time. It was mostly bikes going the other way and initially people walking to some graduation ceremony. My main concern was the Mile 13 marker on the pavement, which was definitely long. My Forerunner put me at 13.35 miles. Nancy was wearing the same watch and made a similar comment. As for my half split, according to my watch distance I went across at 1:44:26, a 7:58 mark. I was beginning to feel it - even worse I knew that this southern portion would be a very gentle incline.

At one point Nancy stopped, mostly likely to use the restroom, but she slowly made her way back and then after Mile 18 or so began to leave me. She had a guy (her father) shadowing her on a bike, and giving out water and gels! Was that unfair? So I began the excruciating process of slowing down. It was here the heat of the sun on the exposed neighborhood running that really began to eat into me. My splits (below) showed this deterioration. At this point the feature set on my watch to beep at me whenever I went below an 8:25 pace just became downright annoying!

My parents had managed to get in a number of places to see and encourage me. By the time I got to Buster Park I was really running on something else besides energy. I was taking copious amounts of water. Thankfully I never started to walk on the course like I did at Marine Corps, but at several of the aid stations from Mile 18 on I did do a fast walk immediately after getting cups to make sure most of it went down my mouth. I don't consider that "walking" on the course. It is walking if I continue on for a distance, but this never happened. One of my problems was that my left foot was completely waterlogged so it squished a lot! I was so happy to cross the river on Eckert, but the long run north to reconnect with the greenway took FOREVER and was so exposed! I knew it would be a gradual downhill from there, but it was very hard to notice. My pace continued to worsen as I continued to look for the shade that I first experienced on this part. It was virtually nowhere to be found. I was starting to get delirious after leaving the golf course, but jogged on determined with the knowledge the finish was within reach and that I would instantly feel better once I could stop.

During the first time (with all the droves of other runners) the only street that required police to stop was Broadway. I was horrified to see upon my return the main street into downtown had no such protection. There was only some kid at the other end hitting the button to walk. So I had a choice to make. It was not green, and there were several cars going each way. Had it been dozens, I would have no choice. But I went for it! I was very angry I had to do that, but nothing could be done at the time.

I had yet to cross the river when my watch logged me in at 26.2 miles. I had covered the distance in 3:47:56 (a 8:42 minute mile pace). It was just torture to make me run further. I dragged my body further north desperate for the footbridge that would take me across. It seemed EVEN further to back south to the finish line at Anna Morrison Park.

I dreamed about this moment the entire second half

It certainly was great to have my mom, dad, and Dave screaming at me to finish! When I crossed the time was 3:51:40 and the distance 26.61 miles. How nice was it to get that medal! The accommodations at the end were quite sparse, I felt pretty lucky to get a couple of water bottles. Dave, who had run the half marathon in 2:20, couldn't stay too long because he had the kids with him, so mom left with him. I eventually felt well enough to take it my potato! Oh, and I did find Nancy. I gave her a nice hug and congratulated her on the 3:44 time she posted. I would later learn she ran a 3:29 at Boston a month early, was 51 years old (she looked a lot younger), and finished second overall.

Potatoes in Idaho after a race? Crazy!

Since the camper was parked a distance away, my dad left to pick it up. Right before I left I realized, even with my mediocre time, that I had done research to indicate I may have a shot of placing in my age group. So I went to look at the results and sure enough I had placed third! They were coincidentally giving out the awards so before leaving I picked up a stuffed potato, a real potato, and a nice white ribbon! I was definitely beaming when my dad pulled up! It appeared that I had finished about 24th. I later learned there were only 99 finishers, so given everything I should call it a good effort and decent rebound from the Marine Corps debacle.

My spoils for not sucking as much as the other five age group runners

That afternoon I finally got to meet Dave's German wife Kristin! She was out on a business trip and I bet Dave was pleased to have her back after five days of fending for himself with the kids! After some napping, etc we went to celebrate that night at a nearby Mexican restaurant that was quite good!

On Sunday morning mom and dad took off for home - no doubt they were anxious to return to Seattle after a long sojourn. Besides being sore as hell (with some extra lower back soreness), I did have a rather bad blister on my left second toe (which is longer than my big toe). Despite all this, Dave convinced me to go out on a hike. We headed south on I-84 to Mountain Home then out into the dry expanses to Bruneau Dunes State Park. This is a massive singular dune, apparently the largest and tallest in North America.

The Bruneau Dunes from a point near the visitor center

I chose to ascend in my open Keen sandals, which for the most part, was the right move. In the parking lot Dave met several people he knew. There was a party of three young guys, one was named Jay and the two of them had been into computer science together at WSU. Dave also met another older couple he knew - we helped him take his inflatable fishing craft out of the truck. The weather was sunny and warm, thankfully not too hot yet and this was exposed city! The views were quite spectacular and it was like climbing a steep mountain - slow but steady.

Dave climbing with Stretch The Rubber Chicken, the undeniable mascot of the Camp Parsons High Adventure Program

Line 1: It looks flat but I assure you it's not
Line 2: This dork ran a marathon yesterday and doesn't know when to stop

Scott and Jay on the ridge before the summit

At the ridge we chose to make the dip for the final ascent. At the top we talked with Dave's friends - one named Michael was particularly interested and knowledgeable about the land trust movement. I did get some nice panorama shots before we cruised back down.

Panorama from the southern side

We then had to jump into the water, but it was a bit on the cold side! Back in Mountain Home we stopped at a local diner for lunch. It sure took long, but we leafed through a copy of Guinness Book of World Records (hey, look at the freaks!).

That evening I met up with another recent emigrant from Charlotte, Josh Saak. He moved to Boise about a year ago; I distinctly remember the Beer Mile we had to celebrate his departure. Josh came over to pick me up. For dinner we went to Lucky 13 Pizza, which was right on the greenway about Mile 6. It was a delightful evening and the Deschutes Brewery beer tasted wonderful with our "potato" pizza. Afterwards he drove us up to Table Rock and then to the north part of town to show their new house. We hung out and had some ice cream there before he and happy dog Berry drove me home.

Monday turned out to be another marathon day, that is, of flights and waiting. Dave dropped me off at the Boise airport shortly after 6:30. I began the long day by flying Horizon Air first to Seattle. Let me tell you, it was quite weird to just "drop in" on my hometown like it was just some unimportant waypoint on my journey back where I really wanted to go. I definitely soaked up what I could! Then another flight to Portland. I then waited for my bag, ripped off the tag, and went upstairs to check in again with American. During the long wait I found some seats without arm rests so I did get to rest some. Before leaving I was ravenous enough to wolf down a totally unhealthy Wendy's "Baconator" with fries. The leg to Dallas was the only where I had to sit at the window on a full flight. Then more waiting in Dallas. Thankfully the last leg had plenty of empty seats, so I took two for myself! I was very disorientated with the night lights as we came into Charlotte. Usually I consider myself quite "spatially" aware, but not this time! I really scored with retrieving my bag in short order, but waiting for a remote lot shuttle took way too long! I then paid for my cheap parking and was getting licked by Winston by 11:45!

Yeah.

Shutterfly Album Containing Both Marathon and Dunes Photos

Just the stats, ma'am

Overall: 24th place out of 99 finishers
Age Group (M30-34): 3rd place out of 8

First Half - 1:44:26 (7:58 minute mile)
Second Half - 2:03:30 (9:25 minute mile)
26.2 Miles - 3:47:56 (8:42 minute mile)
Official Time - 3:51:40 (8:50 minute mile, based on 26.2 distance)
Actual Distance from Garmin Forerunner 205 - 26.61 miles
(Nancy got 26.65 on hers)

Office Webpage
Official Course
Official Results

Mile 1 - 7:44
Mile 2 - 7:46
Mile 3 - 8:00
Mile 4 - 7:52
Mile 5 - 8:00
Mile 6 - 7:55
Mile 7 - 8:01
Mile 8 - 8:07
Mile 9 - 7:51
Mile 10 - 7:58
Mile 11 - 7:55
Mile 12 - 7:51
Mile 13 - 8:32
Mile 14 - 8:30
Mile 15 - 8:17
Mile 16 - 8:37
Mile 17 - 8:55
Mile 18 - 9:07
Mile 19 - 9:21
Mile 20 - 9:21
Mile 21 - 9:39
Mile 22 - 10:14
Mile 23 - 10:17
Mile 24 - 10:14
Mile 25 - 9:53
Mile 26 - 10:03
Final - 9:15

What's Inside You?

Earlier today I was reading McNellis' Camp Parsons blog about a dear friend of mine, Billy Price. Despite the fact that he is a quadraplegic it turns out he is an amazing skiier! Billy has been my hero for many many years. He's made the best out of his situation and I try to do the same.

On these related subjects, this past Wednesday I went back out to Lowe's Motor Speedway for my fifth crack at the 10 mile bicycle time trials. Before I go any further, I was to clearly denote I hate NASCAR. Bruton Smith is a class-A slimeball; I only tolerate showing up by his counterpart, the amazing Humpy Wheeler. And yes, and I appreciate Jeff Burton since he chose to place a conservation easement on his property outside of Huntersville. But other than that...

My first attempt was on June 29, 2005. Each time it really is an amazing experience to ride around the track and give it everything you got for seven laps (10 miles)!! At the time I was riding my Trek 5200 - I put in my slowest time of 27:49, an average of 21.6 miles per hour. For the record, that was the hottest recorded temperature at 86 degrees. I came back once more that year in September to shave off 9 seconds, then my final attempt with the Trek 5200 was in May next year where another 16 seconds came off. That was the first year that my dad participated.




In 2007 I only came out once, again in May. This time I had a new bike, my current Trek Madone named Holman. I really smashed my best time clocking in at 25:50! My goal this year was to at least match that time, so I had my splits taped to the bike. I really had no excuses with the weather either. Perhaps though the best part is my parents cheering me on! For those not aware, this course is not flat. The backside is mostly down where you can gain some serious time. This year I maxxed out at 27.4 mph. It's then a tortuous climb along the front side. This year I did not shift out of my big gear, trying the advise of the wise (?) Steve Watkins.



Just like the 5K at Run For the Money, the reality was I was not prepared for such a short burst of high intensity work. I saw my seconds slowly tick away on each lap. Like most others, I pushed it to the extreme and pretty much felt like hurling the last twenty minutes. It wasn't a terrible showing though, I came in at 26:18, a 28 second drop from my PR last year. This averages out around 22.8 miles per hour. That puts my overall average from the five attempts right on 27:00 minutes.



Complete Shutterfly Album

Carolina Cycling Time Trial Association Info and Results

Reliving the beautiful weirdness

For Julie's birthday I picked up a copy of the recently released "gold box" version of all the Twin Peaks episodes. This series was obviously a big deal to those like myself who lived in proximity to North Bend around 1990. Anyway, it's been a lot of fun to relive the greatness, and what a beautiful set- finally complete with the pilot episode that was missing in previous editions.

The big focus for the weekend was the Run For the Money 5K, held in neighboring Gastonia Saturday morning. While I have run in the race since 2004, this marked the second year that I have assembled a team to crack the $12,500 purse. Last year the runners raised $3,500 for Catawba Lands Conservancy. And like last year, I was hoping to use the race to pass the magical twenty minute mark. My previous best was at the race last year, 20:35.

The atmosphere at this event has always been quite positive. I really enjoy it, although some of the people weird me out. But then again, people do that all the time!

Some of the weird stuff you see when you come to Gaston County...

So I was really nervous about all my runners getting there and signed in, so I made the rounds to check through and thank them in advance for coming out to run for the Conservancy. With the race planting on the same weekend as the fabled Boston Marathon, and a large contingent prepping for their Ironman race with the Kinetic Half, there was a lot of turnover from last year!

At the start of the race I erased my mistake from last year where I went out way too fast. I paced behind Sean. As the runners started to stretch out over Long Avenue, my thoughts were not on my run but the position of our star runner, Paul Mainwaring. Last year's male winner was back, and his 16:40 was even too much for some star-studded 2007 team. Paul clearly had the legs and determination to break this slot. I was able to see Paul and two other runners start to distance themselves. For a complete perspective from the run, I recommend reading Paul's race report. Much more visible was my concern with my favorites to take the female overall. I carefully watched the position of Melissa "Ma" Bell and Rebecca Thomason with regard to previous second place finisher Allison Bumgardner. There was another woman Wendy hanging further back as well.

As for me, I just faded and didn't have the moxie to improve on my time from last year. It's really no surprise, I do absolutely no speed work - never show up at the track, and focus exclusively on endurance. You reap what you sow, period. Big deal. While it was mostly me fading, I was also happy to see teammate (and fellow Madison Park resident) Melinda Yelton pass me up. I was certain at the time there was no other F40-49 racer in front. This would turn out to be my biggest surprise.

I knew the gradual climb up Main to the line would finish me, but I pretended like it mattered and came across at 21:29. The good news is that still under a seven minute mile pace. And everyone knows this course is long at 3.18 miles! I was just dying, and thanks to Keith for cheering me in! I immediately sought out Paul, and the news was great! He had edged out his two competitors for the top slot with a 16:16 effort - $1,000 right there! And apparently Rebecca and Melissa came nearly together with Rebecca "the sandbagger" edging out Melissa. I was very proud of both of them!

Here are the official results from the race.

Before I list the totals, I wanted to give special thanks to Sean Welsh and Marie Winget for returning for a second year to help the Conservancy. Last year Marie was able to place but due to a stronger female contingent wasn't able to repeat. Sean had "graduated" to the M40-49 category but the competition there was way stronger than any of anticipated. I also enjoyed meeting Ron Zurinskas, who came out to run. And one of my team members from the 2007 Blue Ridge Relay, Ryan Yowell, came out a ran a strong sub 20 minute race. Ryan actually placed second in the age group, but was disqualified because his age wasn't listed on the form! What a load of crap!

Male Overall (Paul Mainwaring) $1000
Female Overall (Rebecca Thomason) $1000
Female 20-29 First Place (Melissa Bell) $500
Male 30-39 First Place (Keith Mrochek) $500
Female 40-49 Second Place (Melinda Yelton) $250
Male 50-59 First Place (Mike Murphy) $500

2008 Catawba Lands Conservancy Team at the Run For the Money 5K
(back, L-R) Scott Bodien, Sean Welsh, Mike Murphy, Keith Mrochek, Ryan Yowell, Paul Mainwaring
Melissa Bell, Marie Winget, Rebecca Thomason
Not pictured: Melinda Yelton, Ron Zurinskas

So in addition to money raised through the foundation, the Conservancy will be awarded an extra $3,750!! That's a slight improvement from last year. Like last year, my initial analysis is that no other non-profit took more than a thousand dollars. We rock!

For those that have not run a 5K before, it's basically everything you got, somewhere around 16-21 minutes of wanting to throw up. Most people just assume it's easy because it's short, but when you race to win like all my team members did, it's really a tough ordeal!

Later that afternoon Julie and I went to a bowling party in Huntersville to celebrate two of her co-worker's birthdays. It started off badly, in that we were caught red-handed trying to bring in "outside food" (the birthday cake). And then on my first attempt I stepped over the line and slipped, causing me to go on my back like a turtle. How embarrassing! Thankfully, I recovered and bowled a 131, which was the highest score! For the record, whenever I bowl over a 100 I am happy! I think the last time I went bowling was in January of 2006 for Lisa Palermo's birthday party. I bowled a 89 and then a 111, just to give you an idea. Usually though, I start well and slide off, which is what happened for the second game in Huntersville. I ended up just shy with a 98.

Afterwards Julie took me to the Midtown Sundries on the lake, which was quite nice! And of course, there had to be more Twin Peaks!!!

Unfortunately I missed the group ride on Sunday morning, so around noon I went out on my own. The cloud cover was constantly changing, with some very ominous-looking clouds passing over my way. The headwind was quite strong. Disaster struck shortly after mile 14 when I was crossing the Catawba River on Highway 74 (Wilkinson Blvd). By disaster I mean flat tire. I was really slow and meticulous, but it was changed and unlike last time the spare didn't blow up in my face. I did have to ride on a soft tire for the remainder of the ride. The route then took me up Cramerton Mountain. It wasn't as labored as in the past, but perhaps I was just taking it slow. For a new twist I used Beaty to connect to 274. Once I was on Patrick I was able to do some serious hammering, which felt REALLY GREAT! From there I was back on 49 and crossed up my usual return on Shopton Road.

Well, tomorrow is the Boston Marathon - I am extremely excited for my friends competing in the greatest marathon in the world.

Finally, big congratulations to Pineville's Megan Hepp, who finished TWELFTH with a 2:37 in today's 2008 USA Women's Olympic Trials Marathon in Boston. Outstanding.