Are we there yet?
Less than 5 weeks to go.
I am procrastinating at work. It is time to head to the gym for the second time today and I don't want to go. I'd rather head home, plop on my couch and nap. No such luck. At least I don't have to jump in the damn pool tonight.

The past few weeks have been super busy. Kevin and Marian were in town from SF and then Melissa arrived from Chi-Town. Had a great time. Attempted to go on bike adventure together but after minor bike accident at mile 7 (bent wheel) had to call it quits. It was fun nonetheless. Finished up ride later on in evening on most hated trainer.

Last weekend flew up to Reno and drove to South Lake Tahoe to meet up with about 25 other peeps. Got a bit of snowboarding in, but then experienced the blizzard of 07. Apparently had better luck than most (think 11 and 13 hour drives back to SF). Luckily Melissa and I survived the drive in our Commander back over the pass to Reno despite a closed highway, cocky highway patrol jerk, a downed power line and multiple jerks with no chains skidded out and blocking our lane! In any event, made it. Now it is back to the norm.

Today was 2500 yards in the pool. It rained and was completly boring. In any event, survived and headed into an enthralling day at work. That is about it! Now I'm off to go running and perhaps lift if I'm no longer feeling lazy.

Counting down the days....

WHEWWW! What a weekend. It was a double header, race-wise that is.

So I'll start with this morning. Currently, it is raining outside, yes folks, that is right, rain! I am sitting in my bed in sweat pants with my guitar and thinking about taking a nap. This morning I ran the XTerra Mission Gorge 15K Trail Race. I have to say this takes the cake as one of the toughest races (of any kind) that I have ever participated in - right up there with the Donner Lake triathlon. I signed up for this race a few weeks back, only because I needed to get in a 100-minute training run this weekend and I got an e-mail from the SD tri club listserve about it - A discount for tri club members, and hey, I love trail running! I used to run down the PG&E trail in Rancho San Antonio back when I lived in the Bay. This happens to be one of my favorite runs so I envisioned this as I signed up. I glanced at the profile map and though, a bit hilly, but not more so than Rancho. Ha ha ha ha ha - How wrong I was!!!
I had gone to bed last night at 9:30 - lame for a Saturday night but I was tired after yesterday's bike race (more on that in a minute). I got up this morning at 6:15 and headed out to the race. The scene was one I hadn't experienced in awhile. Only the most hard-cores - Not your traditional weekend warrior and recreational 5K joggers at this one. Started to sense impending danger... The race director held a pre-race meeting and urged us several times to be careful on the descent. Strange, but how bad can it be? The race started promptly at 8. It was cloudy and looked like it may start raining. The temperature was good - comfortable enough to run in sleeves and shorts.
We took off towards the hills. I thought it strange that many people hung to the back of the pack (myself included). Usually everyone takes off like a bat out of hell. We instantly started to climb. Hmm that's strange I thought to myself. I remember seeing the dinky hill on the profile map at the beginning of the race. HA HA HA HA HA. After 3 miles I wanted to shoot myself. We kept climbing up the mountain. It this point it looked like Everest (minus the snow). The whole pack was hiking up (not running mind you). My sciatic nerve was pinching and screaming, fuck you, fuck you, over and over again. Finally, we reach the top as I realize in horror how big the "hill" at mile 5 must be....
Continuing on now, glancing at my watch, I chuckle as I realize my image of a leisurely trail run at 9/10 minute-mile pace have evaporated. I'll be lucky if I finish this thing in 2 hours and with all limbs intact. Kept on running. All along the trail, there were rangers pointing us in the right direction, moreso as the pack spread into a trickle of one runner here and there, ever so often. Each ranger kind of gave me this half-smile, when I know each of them was thinking "Hey dipshit, you do this for fun? What the hell is wrong with you?" I reached an aid station and grabbed some gatorade from some funny looking dudes blasting heavy metal - That's more like it I thought. I turned to the left and saw something that made my heart stop. A long trickle of runners streaming up a monster mountain as far as the eye could see - tinier and tinier they grew. Holy Shit. I flashed back to the Donner Lake tri. I was on my bike, wrongly informed that is was an easy course - Elevation 6500 - No elevation training - Biking up Donner Peak. Kept thinking must level out soon, until I saw the teenie tiny cyclist at the top of Donner Peak. Oh Shit. The aid station dudes chuckled as I mumbled to myself and the guy next to me "this looks like fun!". I knew I was at mile-5.
The next mile sucked. Up and up I went. I am sure it's a great view, but given the incoming rain, it was in a hazy fog. The trail turns to stairs. The course map calls this part of the trail, 1000 stairs. I'm not sure if there were a thousand. There could have been a million. All I know is that they go straight up FOREVER. My body screamed at me - Fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck you. You are a dipshit. You do this for fun? Are you fucking stupid? All I could hear was the irregular rhythm of my lungs sucking in at the air, gasping for more oxygen to send to my poor screwed muscles. I reached a false top. Then turned and headed up again. Finally, this torture subsided. We were heading down the mountain. It was hard to get any real speed as the trail was super steep, rocky and slippery and I didn't want to slip and break some bone after all of this ridiculous training, just 7 weeks before my race.
The next 4 miles went up and down up and down, despite what the fucking elevation map shows. I questioned myself as a sane individual. Towards mile 7 I met up with another runner. We got to talking a bit in between gasps. I learned that she had completed her first Ironman (full) last year. Hmm - inspiration! I suddenly didn't feel as slow and unworthy at the back of the pack on this insane race through hell. The last mile was flat. I finally saw the finish line - I'm sure I was minutes away from seeing a vision of Jesus or Moses or something crazy, but I made it. And yes, the damn race took me over 2 hours. So much for a nice easy trail run! I grabbed some free eggs, muffins and water and headed off to my car. By this time it had started to rain and I was soaked from sweat and mist. I covertly changed in my car and headed home for a nice hot shower. And here I am!
Yesterday was a good day. I got up at 4:15 to meet Rana to drive to Palm Springs. We didn't actually get out on the road until 5:30. Needless to say, we were a bit late getting Palm Springs. After grabbing our gear, checking in and such, we started the race (along with hundreds other, I might add) at 8:20 or so - 20 minutes late. Oh well. I started off slow. We kept having to stop at lights. I was getting pissed. I wanted to keep at least a 15 mph pace (just like I intend to do for Ironman). After about 7 miles or so we were out in the desert. I decided to go for it and bumped it up a notch. After a while I realized that Rana wasn't with me anymore and so I bumped it up even more. The course was pretty fast and easy (besides all of the people). I kept it up between 18-21 mph most of the way (except in town where I had to stop every frigin light). I felt pretty comfortable - I could have even gone faster I think. Anyways, finished up the 56-miles in about 4 hours. Felt pretty good! Sat out in the sunshine with the Lemond, chugged gatorade and waited for Rana. I ended up with the most fabulous tan lines from my bike shorts, watch and sun glasses. It looks pretty hot!
The rest of last week's training was uneventful. Ran on Tuesday night - Very exciting. Wednesday biked in front of my TV for a few hours and watched movie (was ultra pissed off after field trip to El Barrio to retreive towed car)... Thursday swam in the a.m. - Skipped run in the evening after going to bed at 6:30 pm for fear of impending cold. Friday was day off!
This week is week 12, which means recovery week!! WOO HOO! Week 13 begins the speed and "quality" phase of training, whatever the hell that means. Oh well, guess I'll find out soon! I have gotta go to bed now. Later Gator! :)

Endorphin Kick! Woo Hoo!! It's Tuesday and the sun is shining - It's warm and I feel awesome! I had an awesome weekend - Kara got here on Friday (my day off) and we headed out to the Leo Rising show on Friday night - Had a great time! On Saturday we got up, cooked breakfast and hiked at Mt. Cowles - A great Saturday morning - If it hadn't been hazy (or smoggy) we would have had the most amazing views! It was still pretty up at the top and only 1.5 miles up and down (3 round trip for the math-impaired).



After our hike, we headed back to my house. We walked down to the beach where Kara camped out with a book and I headed out on my run. I ran 90 minutes down the beach to Mission Point - around Mission Point and back. In the spirit of my clutziness, I bit it after about 5 miles. I hadn't done this in awhile and it was fitting given that I had just discussed my clutziness the night before. I used to periodically fall while running for no reason. One time I wiped out pretty good running around Lake Lagunita (Stanford). I bloodied both knees, elbows, palms of my hand, a hip, shoulder and part of my face. It was great! I tried to figure out how I did this, but only guessed I tripped on some mysterious root somewhere and rolled down the path. Another time, I bit it running on Campus Drive (Stanford) by the tennis courts on the day of a huge track meet so the area was full of people to see me fall (for no reason) and rip up my knee. Anyways, my point is, it was long overdue. I guess I was used to running on the sand and I was in a transition from sand to pavement and I was jumping down off a curb onto the road, rolled my ankle and bit it. I just kind of sat on the pavement for awhile because I was too tired to get up and I was embarassed (and I had to inspect my bloodied leg). A bunch of people biked by and asked if I were OK. I was fine (as was my ankle and leg), just bruised pride. Oh well. Anyways, finished up the run and headed back to my house where we got cleaned up, went out for sushi and then went shopping.

Sunday was also fabulous. We got up and went kayaking out on the mighty Pacific in search of gray whales on their migration back up to Alaska. No whales were seen by us, but we did see some dolphins and seals, not to mention got a good arm workout! Spent the rest of the day bumming around San Diego and watching the Super Bowl. After dropping Kara off and another Bud Light at Kevin's Super Bowl Party, headed home to ride. Put the Lemond up on the trainer, popped in Rocky IV and went to town. I was supposed to bike 50, but I'm guessing I actually only biked 40. It was good enough for me... Got to bed way too late.

Monday was as most are. Decided to delay workouts until evening because needed extra 2 hours of sleep. Last night wanted to go home. Ended up talking on phone for a long time. Finally made it into the gym at almost 8! Then biked 25 miles on stationary and swam 1500 yds. Very exciting. Made it home a little after 11. Ate some yogurt and then crashed.

Alarm went off at 5:45 - WOo Hoo! For some reason, had energy! Made it in the pool by 6:45. Then swam my farthest (Mel, is it farthest or furthest? Please advise) workout yet - 2500 yds (50 laps)!! It was slow, but I felt great (when finished)!! Endorphins kicked in and am now at work.

Anyways that is about it for now. I have 60 minutes running tonight and may try to lift (just a bit). Then stacks of laundry await....

Gotta run - Stacks of work await!!
Ciao Ciao!!

Damn I'm tired. It's finally caught up with me. I've felt like quitting the past few days, but that isn't a happy option. I mean, generally I like myself, but lately it feels like I am torturing myself!! But damn it, I only have 8 weeks left! I'm already over half way there!

It's Thursday. My alarm went off at 5 this morning as Richard was leaving the house. I felt like I had just gone to bed because I didn't actually go to bed until midnight. But, alas, the time to awaken had arrived. My goal was to get my entire workout done this morning before work, and still make it into the office by 8:45-9ish. This is mainly because we have some NorCal folks in the office today and I didn't want to stroll in too late, and because I have guitar after work. I won't be done with guitar until 8:30ish and then by the time I get home... Plus, I want to clean up my apt. I am very excited because Kara arrives tomorrow and tomorrow is Friday (my favorite day)!! And Friday is my day OFF!!!! (not working of course, mearly working out)! Anyways, I am excited to show her around and relax! So anyways, moving on - Alarm goes off at 5 - get out of bed at 5:10. Throw on Speedo, sweat pants, Big Dipper sweatshirt from when I was 16 (still have it) and Giants hat. Head to gym listening to Foo Fighters.

Arrive at gym and think about taking a short power nap in the car - only 10 minutes - I argue with myself. Lazy self loses so head into gym (no nap). Stash stuff in locker and trudge down to pool. One person only in pool. Maybe because it's frigin 5:30. Stand in shower by pool - can't get out of hot water and into cold air. Finally go for it and jump in pool. FREEZING. Decide heater must be broken. Decide there's no time like the present to stop being a pussy. Warm up with 300 yds. Swim 1250 hard - Try to breathe more on left side as I favor my right side - Cool down with 150 yds. Total = 17oo yards. Get out of pool - Muscles instantly seize from cold air. Rinse off and head upstairs to change.

Throw on running clothes - severly procrastinating... Couldn't I just run tonight after guitar?? Wouldn't that be better???? Again, decide to stop being a pussy and get on treadmill. Running on a treadmill is boring. I won't sugar coat it. Time creeps by soooooooooo incredibly slow. Anyways, only had to run 50 minutes today. Watched sports center and listened to angry music. The run was slow. Only got in 5.5 miles. Oh well. I stretched and then showered up, got into work at 8:45, ate a huge breakfast at my desk and now I'm working (or trying to). Speaking of which, I should probably get back to it.

Until we meet again - hasta luego!