so that's a full marathon in a week: 26.2 miles in 3:48. granted that's over 4 days, the important thing is that i'm back on track. today's long run was supposed to be on ly 11 miles, but i was feeling pretty good just to get out, i ended up doing 12.2 miles, again, the most i've ever ran continually in my life!
the day was going to start with our usual "sunrise surprise", breakfast at the beach waiting for sunrise, but it that was 86'ed when my wife discovered that our daughters were infected with head lice, and it was downhill from there. i didn't realize it would take a whole day just shampooing, brushing, and cleaning their hairs, and that was with my wife's cousin helping her. plus the fact that now we have to wash all the clothes, linens, etc.; vacuum and steamclean the carpets; disinfect the beds, pillow, couches, etc.; soak the brushes; bag everything else. holy cow, it's a whole weekend; which means, i'll missed the long ride tomorrow. but hey, i got to do my long run, so i can't complain too much.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Falling off the Wagon
sooner or later i guess this will happen. after 6 weeks, i'm off my running schedule. saturday was hectic due to the kids' schedule, sunday was leslie's bday, meetings, sick kids, kids activities, you name it. it's been 3 weeks since i've been to the pool. riding is also not as regular; haven't logged a 100-mile week in a month. it's all about priorities, i suppose. i just roll with life's punches.
since the crash, i still have lingering pains on my left shoulder and my left thumb. i'm able to ride but i seem to be struggling a bit just hanging on with the guys. can't seem to get my heart rate up even though i'm usually panting (in the past, i would have been at 185 bpm with that level of effort, but now it barely registers to 170). running might have something to do with it. speaking of which, i seem to be less motivated with running. could be overtraining...or life just conspiring against my training schedule. my knees are starting to hurt a bit, and the pain on my left foot/heel is making a comeback.
soccer season is over. i'll have my last apwa meeting as president of the chapter. it will get lighter at night again. looking forward to getting back on track!
since the crash, i still have lingering pains on my left shoulder and my left thumb. i'm able to ride but i seem to be struggling a bit just hanging on with the guys. can't seem to get my heart rate up even though i'm usually panting (in the past, i would have been at 185 bpm with that level of effort, but now it barely registers to 170). running might have something to do with it. speaking of which, i seem to be less motivated with running. could be overtraining...or life just conspiring against my training schedule. my knees are starting to hurt a bit, and the pain on my left foot/heel is making a comeback.
soccer season is over. i'll have my last apwa meeting as president of the chapter. it will get lighter at night again. looking forward to getting back on track!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
The Crash
the plan was to leave pacific grove at 7:00 and be at river inn for brunch with our families. although i only live a half mile away from the meeting point, i was a couple of minutes late (what’s new). of course, the weather report indicated it was going to be sunny, so naturally, i had on my short sleeves and shorts. but when i left my house, it was still cold, wet, and soggy from the night’s downpour, so on with the arm and knee warmers, knowing it could get quite warm once we get on highway 1. am i to doubt the weather report?
big group…and looking sharp in our green jerseys. like a real club. we are well on our way for our first usac-sanctioned training ride to big sur. our warm up winds along the beach through pebble beach and carmel and our first stop was on rio road at highway 1. next stop was at the rocky point restaurant. some got impatient and decided to take off. off i go with the group. took my turn pulling, up the climbs and down the drops; paceline is tight and fast. we’re going downhill bottoming out on bixby bridge. then it happened.
the lead rider slowed down. second rider in line attempted a escape but a speeding car almost brushed him and he came back into the line. caught my front wheel big time. thought i could save it; almost did, too. but the rider behind me caught my rear wheel and took me down. in a blink, i was down sitting on the ground, my bike somewhere else. everything happened in slow motion. i feel a bike hit me from the back and thought, “oh, that wasn’t too bad”. then two more and i see someone flying over me. just don’t go over the railing, i thought…it’s a 300-foot free fall down below. i look up and hear will breathless, “ribs, ribs, ribs”. i look around. ken in the middle of the road. i get up and check on will. by this time, everyone else had gathered around us. some had the presence of mind to warn and direct traffic. our sag comes around and get ken and will to the hospital.
i checked my bike. back wheel is toast. i traded wheels with will’s bike and ride on. hurricane point is still ahead and i finally found out why they call it that. winds were whipping from all directions and bounces off the face of the mountain creating a hurricane-like environment. fast downhill. cautious but steady.
made it to big sur inn. cold, wet, and sore. shoulders are starting to stiffen up and adrenaline is wearing off. leslie and the kids finally arrive. nice warm change of clothes and big hearty breakfast. and we’re headed home.
stopped by the hospital to check on will and ken. ken was in the process of getting discharged with a 3rd degree separated shoulder. will’s on morphine but conscious still awaiting results of the xrays. found out later everything is ok. bruised ribs, but he’s ok. my left shoulder is really bothering me now. i’ve got some cuts and bruises all over, but i’m ok, too.
the good news is were already planning for our next ride down!
big group…and looking sharp in our green jerseys. like a real club. we are well on our way for our first usac-sanctioned training ride to big sur. our warm up winds along the beach through pebble beach and carmel and our first stop was on rio road at highway 1. next stop was at the rocky point restaurant. some got impatient and decided to take off. off i go with the group. took my turn pulling, up the climbs and down the drops; paceline is tight and fast. we’re going downhill bottoming out on bixby bridge. then it happened.
the lead rider slowed down. second rider in line attempted a escape but a speeding car almost brushed him and he came back into the line. caught my front wheel big time. thought i could save it; almost did, too. but the rider behind me caught my rear wheel and took me down. in a blink, i was down sitting on the ground, my bike somewhere else. everything happened in slow motion. i feel a bike hit me from the back and thought, “oh, that wasn’t too bad”. then two more and i see someone flying over me. just don’t go over the railing, i thought…it’s a 300-foot free fall down below. i look up and hear will breathless, “ribs, ribs, ribs”. i look around. ken in the middle of the road. i get up and check on will. by this time, everyone else had gathered around us. some had the presence of mind to warn and direct traffic. our sag comes around and get ken and will to the hospital.
i checked my bike. back wheel is toast. i traded wheels with will’s bike and ride on. hurricane point is still ahead and i finally found out why they call it that. winds were whipping from all directions and bounces off the face of the mountain creating a hurricane-like environment. fast downhill. cautious but steady.
made it to big sur inn. cold, wet, and sore. shoulders are starting to stiffen up and adrenaline is wearing off. leslie and the kids finally arrive. nice warm change of clothes and big hearty breakfast. and we’re headed home.
stopped by the hospital to check on will and ken. ken was in the process of getting discharged with a 3rd degree separated shoulder. will’s on morphine but conscious still awaiting results of the xrays. found out later everything is ok. bruised ribs, but he’s ok. my left shoulder is really bothering me now. i’ve got some cuts and bruises all over, but i’m ok, too.
the good news is were already planning for our next ride down!
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Another Glorious Day
17 total miles for the day and 30+ miles for the week!
this is the big sur half marathon weekend and there is a 3k Just Kids! fun run that i ran with my daughter parker. ran 2 miles to the starting point (with parker riding her bike), ran the 3k at her pace, then 2 miles back home. parker did great, having to walk only 3 times during the run. really proud of her for hanging in there. she actually wanted to do the 5k, but we'll probably do that next year.
then on to soccer coaching duties. it's so fun to watch and coach those kids, although it takes so much time and commitment to it. it is all worth it in the end, though.
after soccer, i went for what was going to be a 4-mile run (to complete my scheduled 10 mile long run for the day). at some point, i decided that may not count because it wasn't continuous, so i just kept running for 11 miles (9:32 pace) plus 2+ miles of warm up and cool down, making it almost a half marathon! it's kind of cool to think now that with all the long runs now, i'll be running longer than i ever did in my entire life! i actually got caught in a rainstorm in the middle of my run. quite liberating to just run soaking wet and not really care about it. i ran without my hrm and the mp3 player and it was quite incredible--the ocean, the forest, the wildlife, and actually got to focus on runnning. i think i'm back to the midfoot/heel strike again...it just feels more natural and i'm not getting the nagging sore calves, although my knees are a bit sore. could be just because of the distance and my muscuskeletal system is not quite use to the distance. we'll find out.
tomorrow is the ghost tree riders training ride from pebble beach to big sur and then brunch at the river inn with all the riders' families joining in. it's always a fun ride, hopefully my legs will hold up.
this is the big sur half marathon weekend and there is a 3k Just Kids! fun run that i ran with my daughter parker. ran 2 miles to the starting point (with parker riding her bike), ran the 3k at her pace, then 2 miles back home. parker did great, having to walk only 3 times during the run. really proud of her for hanging in there. she actually wanted to do the 5k, but we'll probably do that next year.
then on to soccer coaching duties. it's so fun to watch and coach those kids, although it takes so much time and commitment to it. it is all worth it in the end, though.
after soccer, i went for what was going to be a 4-mile run (to complete my scheduled 10 mile long run for the day). at some point, i decided that may not count because it wasn't continuous, so i just kept running for 11 miles (9:32 pace) plus 2+ miles of warm up and cool down, making it almost a half marathon! it's kind of cool to think now that with all the long runs now, i'll be running longer than i ever did in my entire life! i actually got caught in a rainstorm in the middle of my run. quite liberating to just run soaking wet and not really care about it. i ran without my hrm and the mp3 player and it was quite incredible--the ocean, the forest, the wildlife, and actually got to focus on runnning. i think i'm back to the midfoot/heel strike again...it just feels more natural and i'm not getting the nagging sore calves, although my knees are a bit sore. could be just because of the distance and my muscuskeletal system is not quite use to the distance. we'll find out.
tomorrow is the ghost tree riders training ride from pebble beach to big sur and then brunch at the river inn with all the riders' families joining in. it's always a fun ride, hopefully my legs will hold up.
Friday, November 7, 2008
What a Week!
wow! what an eventful week it was. i guess change won the day. it goes to show, no matter the party, that ideas and vision (hopeful ones at that) will trump criticism and negativity any day. i wish president-elect obama the best. i hope the message of hope, bipartisanship, and cooperation will be carried through in action and not just in words.
that said, we can now all be spared all the political ads that's permeated the airwaves for the past 18 months or so; all the negativity that come with the campaigns, even local campaigns. i must say i was impressed by the young people, who were so visibly active during the campaign and actually made it to the polls to vote.
now on with real life!
that said, we can now all be spared all the political ads that's permeated the airwaves for the past 18 months or so; all the negativity that come with the campaigns, even local campaigns. i must say i was impressed by the young people, who were so visibly active during the campaign and actually made it to the polls to vote.
now on with real life!
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