My Race Day Summary.

Race info: Ironman Arizona
Entry by: twocougz

Ironman Arizona 2008-11-23Tempe, ArizonaUnited States75F / 24CSunny
Triathlon - Full Ironman Total Time = 13h 09m 56s
Overall Rank = 1296/2189
Age Group = male 40-44
Age Group Rank = 280/399

Pre-race routine:Woke up at hotel at 3:50 am. Applied a second coat of sunscreen and got dressed. Ate PB bagle, Oatmeal, OJ, yogurt and coffee. Drank a bottle of Heed and another of water. Packed up the gear and headed off tho the event with my friend, Mike, who was helping in the medical tent all day. Once we arrived, I double checked my bags and tried to relax a bit. I got off my feet for 10-15 minutes and then attended the FCA church service.

Event warmup:After the church service, I quickly changed into my wetsuit and got ready. One last trip to the port a potty and then it was time to head to the water. I found Audrey just before climbing over the fence to the water. I gave her a hug and kiss as she wished me luck. I provided comic relief as I got my swim cap on. As I was pulling it on, it slipped out of my hands and shot off my head, high into the air. Someone about 5 rows behind me recovered it for me.

Swim
Comments:What can I say about an Ironman mass start. I knew going it it was going to be a washing machine, and it delivered as promised. The first 5-10 minutes were chaos. I got a foot in the face, followed by a pretty hard elbow to my right eye, but my goggles stayed on and I rolled over to get the water out. I lost my road ID wrist strap in the first 15 minutes. (I knew I should have just left it at home, but it was a part of the journey). I stayed to the shore line on the way out and then found myself inside on the bouys for the way back. I finally found some open water to swim in on the way back in.
What would you do differently?:Get more to the front for the start. I did try to move my way up, but as I was trying to move forward, boom, the cannon goes off and the day has started. Overall, I was quite pleased with my first IM Swim.

T1
Comments:Ironman transition is quite a bit different than traditional transitions. I went the slow route and completely changed my gear into a dry bike jersey and shorts. This added time. I was surprised at how cold I was while changing. I was shivering trying to get my gear on. The volunteer helper was great, laying out my stuff and packing away all my wet swim gear.
What would you do differently?:I would probably wear traditional tri gear for the swim and not mess with changing out. This could easily save me 10 plus minutes on T1 and T2.

Bike
Comments:My goal on the bike was to conserve energy. I really didn't push hard at all. I was really just spinning my way up the hills to the turn and pressing a little bit harder on the downhill return. My "riding" average was 18 miles per hour, but with the many potty stops and refueling breaks, my actual average was a little over 16 mph. I took my time at the special needs area and got my PB sandwich, some crackers an other solid fuel in.(I think I burnt about 15 minutes here getting off my bike to eat my solid foods). I also gave up some time at the port o potties, but I was really pushing the fluids with my Perpetum bottles every 15 minutes, constant sipping on the water bottle and Salt Stick Caps every 30 minutes. I didn't have any GI problems or cramps!
What would you do differently?:Less potty breaks and probably push a bit harder. I felt like I still had my legs at the end of the day, so I could have pushed a bit more. That being said, I was pleased with my first IM bike overall.

T2
Comments:Quickly got off the bike and handed it to one of the many amazing volunteers. My legs felt pretty good jogging over to get my bag. I was able to change fairly quickly into my tri top and shorts. I was wearing a MyAthlete gps chip for tracking the race. I had to change out the battery in T2. I broke the battery door trying to get the old battery out, but it continued to work well for my friends and family "watching" my progress online. I quickly coated my body with sunscreen and was off and running.
What would you do differently?:As before, I would just wear my tri gear throughout the day.

Run
Comments:The first loop of the run was quite hot. I was taking every sponge and water cup I could at the aid stations trying to keep cool. My plan was to slowly jog the first 5 miles and get my legs. The sun started going down then and it quickly began to cool off. I settled into a good pace and kept at it for the remainder of the day. I really tried to keep my HR below 140 on the run. My run plan was to run between the aid stations, walk while re-fueling and to walk the hills. I stuck with this plan and it seemed to work well. The chicken broth was a life saver. I abandoned my plan of using Perpetum on the run. (I couldn't drink anymore of that stuff after almost 7 hours on the bike). Fortunately, there was plenty of other good stuff to eat on the run and my stomach held up well. I did experience my usual post Perpetum gas at about mile 13, but no other GI problems to report! My legs felt pretty strong all the way around the last lap. I log rolled across the finish line as I heard Mike Riley (The Voice of Ironman) say,

"Kyle Richter, Vancover, WA YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!"

It was an awesome moment that I will always remember. People ask what does finishing an Ironman Triathlon feel like. There are so many emotions that poured over me... Joy, Pride, Elation, Humility, Sadness, and Love. I loved being able to greet my family waiting at the finish line and share that moment with them. You were all a part of my journey to becomming an Ironman. One of the best summaries on finishing an Ironman was from another athlete who was asked what it feels like to finish an Ironman. He said, "It feels as if guy who has been hitting you in the legs with a club for the last 13-14 hours has finally stopped." I couldn't agree more.

The log roll across the finish was a tribute to Jon Blaise, an Ironman in 2005. He was an avid triathlete that was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) in late 2004. He was able to train for and compete in the 2005 Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. He had made the comment that he was going to cross that finish line...even if they had to roll him across. To see a quick video on his journey, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vrjp2P0GlE


What would you do differently?:I wouldn't bother with Perpetum on the run. There was plenty of other good stuff to keep my fuel needs met.

Post race
Warm down:I posed for pictures with the family and then went off to get some pizza, fries and coke.
What limited your ability to perform faster:Pushing a bit more on the bike with less "Rest Stops" could have easily saved 30-45 minutes. I am otherwise thrilled with my effort. I wanted to be Sub 14 and was almost Sub 13. The unknown for me was the marathon. This was my first Mary and I wanted to make sure I had some "legs" left at the end. As it turned out, I did have running legs left and felt like I could have pressed harder on the bike.

Event comments:I am thrilled with my perfomance in my first IM event. There are so many question marks when competing in an Ironman: Was my training enough? Will I have mechanical problems on the bike? Will my diet plan work? Will my legs hold out? Fortunately, for me, Yes was the answer to all of these questions. My mantra for the day was: Relentless Forward Motion. Fortunately I was able to keep this chant going in my head all day long.

Phillipians 4:14 states: I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. I give Christ the glory in knowing that this great day was a gift from Him and my ability to achieve my goals was would not have been possible without my faith and trust in Christ. Finally, thank you to all my friends and family for all of your support, prayers and aid along the way as I completed this amazing journey. You were all there with me at the finish line and I could not have done it without your love. Thank you to all of you.

I am an Ironman!

Wow, what a day! I can't believe it is over. I had a great day and had no major problems. The swim was pretty rough with lots of contact. My bike ride went well with no mechanical troubles. I ran better than I expected and had no GI problems or cramps. Thank you to all my friends and family who supported me and prayed for me along the way. You all Rock!

Here are a few pics from the big day.

Ironman Eve

Well race day is finally here! We were able to get all of my gear down to Ironman Central today. Everything is ready (I hope). We are preparing a carb load spaghetti dinner. I am then off to a hotel to get some good rest tonight. I need to be at the race start at 5:00 am to get marked and ready. Swim starts at 7:00.

The final word on links for watching:

http://www.ironmanlive.com/ for video access to the race.

http://www.ironman.com/ should have links to for tracking me online with the timing chip updates. You can look me up by last name or by race number 1055.

www.myathletegps.com/track

user name : ma2
password: ma2

click on my name and follow along. My gps chip number is 153 and the icon is a black traingle. (my name should be added later tonight).

Thank you for all of your support and prayers along the way. Please pray for a good restful night of sleep. God willing , I will find the finish line sometime between 8:00 and midnight.

RACE WEEK!

I can't believe that race week is finally here. Where did the last 30 weeks go? Time flies by when you are swimming, biking, running, trying to work, trying to be daddy and trying to be a husband to Audrey.
This amazing journey has been a learning experience for me in so many ways. I now know how much love and support is needed to take on an event like this. I have been shown both of these by all of my family members and many friends and co-workers. Ironman is a personal endurance challenge, but I know that no one gets there alone. Thank you all for your ongoing love and support along the way. Some of you will be there personally, supporting me on Sunday, but you will all be on my mind and in my heart as I compete. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
I also have learned that challenges like these can draw on closer to our savior, Christ Jesus. I have had many "talks" and prayer sessions while out on the lonely road. I feel a great sense of peace and calm when I think about my task ahead, knowing that He will be by my side, lifting me up when I truly need it. It is amazing how many people within our church body at Glenwood have come up to me, wishing me well and stating that they will be praying for me on that day. I pasted a sticker on my bike that I can look at all day long...

Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.

Kaden, Alek, Rylan, Audrey and I leave on Wednesday morning. We are flying to Seattle first and joining up with Auntie Kay and Peter. (The are our travelling support crew). Papa joins us on Thursday, Katie and Greg and my friend Mike on Friday.
Please check back later this week. I will try to update the blog as we get closer to the start on Sunday. I want to try to keep a "digital diary" of the weeks events.

Great new swim training advice

Here is my new training plan for the washing machine that is Ironman Swim Mass Start. Yea, I know, I only have one week to make it work, but I think it will work out well. Nothing like rubbing elbows with 2100 of your closest friends.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3S0wu4Zbfk

1055

Today Ironman posted our numbers for the race. I guess this is sort of a "rite of passage", as people anxiously wait for their numbers to be announced.
Anyway, my race number is 1055.

As for race day, which is fast approaching, I will leave the links for tracking me as I progress along the course.

The main Ironman site is: www.ironmanlive.com

On raceday, there will be a link at that site that will let you watch video throughout the day. They mostly cover the pro race, but once that is finished, they switch the video link to the finish line. With some careful coordination between Audrey, Peter and MK, you should be able to find out about when I will be crossing the finish line (hopefully) and watch.
They also have an athlete tracker link on that site as well where you can enter my name and get "less than real time updates" as I cross over designated checkpoints.

I will also be using a "live" gps tracking chip that will hopefully give you all realtime updates as to my progress and a map to show you where I am.

www.myathlete.biz is the other link. The instructions are as follows:

1- Go to our home page;
from PC's, Mac's and iPhones - www.myathletegps.com
from PDA's, Blackberrys, Treo's and iPhones - www.myathletegps.com/mobile

2 - Click on "Track Athlete" in the upper right of the main screen.

3 - When the Log In page opens, type in ma1 in the User Name box and type in ma1 in the Password box, and click Enter.

4 - A tracking page will appear with a list of athletes on the left. Your name will be added to the list after we complete the rental transaction.

5 - Friends and family will simply need to click on your name on the list on the left and a pointer will always show your location, direction and speed on the Google map of our tracking page.

6 - Please note that if your family and friends are tracking you on a Blackberry or other PDA, they will have to click the Refresh button every time they want to see your current location. This is a requirement for PDA's only as it is a power saving program installed in them.

I will be sending this out in email form as well.

TAPER TIME!

The taper weeks have finally begun! I backed it off a bit last week and will ease off even more this week. My legs definately need it. My left ankle has been a bit sore. (a little tendonitis in my big flat feet I guess). I start packing stuff up this week as I need to get my bike to the shop by Saturday. It is shipped down in a truck along with a lot of other bikes and gear. Tribike transport is a great service that allows bikes to be shipped down for big races without breaking the bike down into a box and hoping the airlines don't destroy it.

Alek is excited to be going on a "big jet." Kaden is over his sore throat and back at school again. We are praying everyone stays healthy these final two weeks!

It is hard to believe that "the day" is almost here. It seems like there is still so much to do, but I will be ready. Thank you all for your support and love along the way.

New Mantra: Relentless Forward Motion

Well, I have made it through the big weeks and now start to back off a bit. This next week is a small decrease in time and distance, but then it really starts to ease off in preparation for race day...now only 3 weeks from today! Crazy.

I had a very good week with strong swims and a big 18 mile run on Thursday. Now, it is about the little things... getting all of my gear organized and packed, adjusting my diet as I back my work load down to taper and staying healthy.

My mantra for the race: Endless Forward Motion comes from a blog that I found this past summer. It sums up what the next three weeks and race day are about. It is kind of long, but I really loved the way it describes Ironman. Hope you enjoy. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Right now you've all entered the taper. Perhaps you've been at this a few months, perhaps you've been at this a few years. For some of you this is your first IM, for others, a long-overdue welcome back to a race that few can match.

You've been following your schedule to the letter. You've been piling on the mileage, piling up the laundry, and getting a set of tan lines that will take until next year to erase. Long rides were followed by long runs, which both were preceded by long swims, all of which were followed by recovery naps that were longer than you slept for any given night during college.

You ran in the snow.
You rode in the rain.
You ran in the heat.
You ran in the cold.

You went out when others stayed home. You rode the trainer when others pulled the covers over their heads.

You have survived the Darwinian progression that is an Ironman summer, and now the hardest days are behind you. Like a climber in the Tour de France coming over the summit of the penultimate climb on an alpine stage, you've already covered so much ground...there's just one more climb to go. You shift up, you take a drink, you zip up the jersey; the descent lies before you...and it will be a fast one.

Time that used to be filled with never-ending work will now be filling with silent muscles, taking their final, well-earned rest. While this taper is something your body desperately needs, your mind cast off to the background for so very long, will start to speak to you.

It won't be pretty.

It will bring up thoughts of doubt, pain, hunger, thirst, failure, and loss. It will give you reasons why you aren't ready. It will try and make one last stand to stop you, because your brain doesn't know what the body already does. Your body knows the truth:

You are ready.

Your brain won't believe it. It will use the taper to convince you that this is foolish - that there is too much that can go wrong.

I am ready.

Finishing an Ironman is never an accident. It's the result of dedication, focus, hard work, and belief that all the long runs in January, long rides in April, and long swims every damn weekend will be worth it. It comes from getting on the bike, day in, day out. It comes from long, solo runs. From that first long run where you wondered, "How will I ever be ready?" to the last long run where you smiled to yourself with one mile to go...knowing that you'd found the answer.

It is worth it. Now that you're at the taper, you know it will be worth it. The workload becomes less. The body winds up and prepares, and you just need to quiet your worried mind. Not easy, but you can do it.

You are ready.

You will walk into the water with 2000 other wide-open sets of eyes. You will look upon the sea of humanity, and know that you belong. You'll feel the chill of the water crawl into your wetsuit, and shiver like everyone else, but smile because the day you have waited for so VERY long is finally here.

You will tear up in your goggles. Everyone does.

The helicopters will roar overhead. The splashing will surround you.

You'll stop thinking about Ironman, because you're now racing one. The swim will be long - it's long for everyone, but you'll make it. You'll watch as the shoreline grows and grows, and soon you'll hear the end. You'll come up the beach and head for the wetsuit strippers. Three people will get that sucker off before you know what happening, then you’ll head for the bike.

The voices, the cowbells, and the curb-to-curb chalk giving you a hero's sendoff can't wipe the smile off your face.

You'll settle down to your race. The crowds will spread out on the road. You'll soon be on your bike, eating your food on your schedule, controlling your Ironman.

You'll start to feel that morning sun turn to afternoon sun. It's warmer now. Maybe it's hot. Maybe you're not feeling so good now. You'll keep riding. You'll keep drinking. You'll keep moving. After all, this is just a long training day with valet parking and catering, right?

You'll put on your game face, fighting the urge to feel down as you ride for what seems like hours. You reach special needs, fuel up, and head out.

By now it'll be hot. You'll be tired. Doubts will fight for your focus. Everyone struggles here. You've been on that bike for a few hours, and stopping would be nice, but you won't - not here. Not today.

You'll grind the false flats to the climb. You'll know you're almost there. You'll fight for every inch of road. The crowd will come back to you here. Let their energy push you. Let them see your eyes. Smile when they cheer for you - your body will get just that little bit lighter.

Grind.
Fight.
Suffer.
Persevere.

You'll plunge down the road, swooping from corner to corner, chaining together the turns, tucking on the straights, letting your legs recover for the run to come - soon! You'll roll back - you'll see people running out. You'll think to yourself, "Wasn't I just here?" The noise will grow. The chalk dust will hang in the air - you're back, with only 26.2 miles to go. You'll relax a little bit, knowing that even if you get a flat tire or something breaks here, you can run the damn bike into T2.

You'll roll into transition. 100 volunteers will fight for your bike. You'll give it up and not look back. You'll have your bag handed to you, and into the tent you'll go. You'll change. You'll load up your pockets, and open the door to the last long run of your Ironman summer - the one that counts.

You'll take that first step of a thousand...and you'll smile. You'll know that the bike won't let you down now - the race is down to your own two feet. The same crowd that cheered for you in the shadows of the morning will cheer for you in the brilliant sunshine of a summer Sunday. High-five people on the way out. Smile. Enjoy it. This is what you've worked for all year long.

That first mile will feel great. So will the second. By mile 3, you probably won't feel so good.

That's okay. You knew it couldn't all be that easy. You'll settle down just like you did on the bike, and get down to your pace. You'll see the leaders coming back the other way. Some will look great - some won't. You might feel great, you might not. No matter how you feel, don't panic - this is the part of the day where whatever you're feeling, you can be sure it won't last.

You'll keep moving. You'll keep drinking. You'll keep eating. Maybe you'll be right on plan - maybe you won't. If you're ahead of schedule, don't worry - believe. If you're behind, don't panic - roll with it. Everyone comes up with a brilliant race plan for Ironman, and then everyone has to deal with the reality that planning for something like Ironman is like trying to land a man on the moon. By remote control. Blindfolded.

How you react to the changes in your plan will dictate your day. Don't waste energy worrying about things - just do what you have to when you have to, and keep moving. Keep eating. Keep drinking. Just don't sit down - don't EVER sit down.

You'll make it to the halfway point. You'll load up on special needs. Some of what you packed will look good, some won't. Eat what looks good, toss the rest. Keep moving. Start looking for people you know. Cheer for people you don't. You're headed in - they're not. They want to be where you are, just like you wanted to be when you saw all those fast people headed into town. Share some energy - you'll get it right back.

Run if you can.
Walk if you have to.
Just keep moving.
Relentless forward motion!

The miles will drag on. The brilliant sunshine will yawn. You'll be coming up to those aid stations fully alive with people, music, and chicken soup. TAKE THE SOUP. Keep moving.

You'll soon only have a few miles to go. You'll start to believe that you're going to make it. You'll start to imagine how good it's going to feel when you get there. Let those feelings drive you on. When your legs just don't want to move anymore, think about what it's going to be like when someone catches you…and puts a medal over your head... all you have to do is get there.

You'll start to hear the people in town. People you can't see in the twilight will cheer for you. They'll call out your name. Smile and thank them. They were there when you left on the bike, and when you came back, and when you left on the run, and now when you've come back.

You'll enter town. You'll start to realize that the day is almost over. You'll be exhausted, wiped out, barely able to run a 10-minute mile (if you're lucky), but you'll ask yourself, "Where did the whole day go?" You'll be standing on the edge of two feelings - the desire to finally stop, and the desire to take these last moments and make them last as long as possible.

You'll hit mile 25. Your Ironman will have 1.2 miles - just 2KM left in it.
You'll run. You'll find your legs. You'll fly. You won't know how, but you will run. The lights will grow brighter, brighter, and brighter. Soon you'll be able to hear the music again. This time, it'll be for keeps.

Soon they'll see you. Soon, everyone will see you. You'll run towards the lights, between the fences, and into the night sun made just for you.

They'll say your name.
You'll keep running.
Nothing will hurt.

The moment will be yours - for one moment, the entire world will be looking at you and only you.

You'll break the tape at the finish line, 140.6 miles after starting your journey.
The flash will go off. You'll stop. You'll finally stop. Your legs will wobble their last, and suddenly...be capable of nothing more.

Someone will catch you.
You'll lean into them.
It will suddenly hit you.

YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!

You are ready.

I am ready.

Ironman Hawaii 2008

I found a great motivating video with the highlights of Kona 2008.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckFvoGRPiCU

Less than 4 weeks to go!

I had a big week with my last long ride before the big day. Mary Kay came down for the weekend and was a big help with the boys. They had fun hanging out with Auntie Kay while I was out grinding it out on the bike for 6 hours. The bummer of the day was a flat and a ruined tire. Better now then down in Arizona.
This is the last big week before tapering begins! I need to get a long run in this week, along with the other workouts as well.
The other good news regarding Arizona is that my friend Mike P. is officially joining us. He is going to work the medical tent during the race and be around for a few days before and after. Back to training... only 26.5 more days.

Horse Power

It was a big week for me. I was able to get both my long run and long ride in this week. I was able to do an organized century ride on Sunday. (Thank you Audrey for your ongoing patients and understanding. I know this is not easy on you). I felt pretty good after the 102 mile bike ride. My legs felt pretty good. My neck and back side were a bit sore though.

The highlight of the trip was my horse encounter at one of the rest stops. I parked my bike along a fence with all the other bikes. A "nice" horse came up to say "Hi." I petted him on the nose and then went to fill my water bottle. That is when someone yelled, "Dude, your bike." That horse had bitten down on my saddle and actually lifted my bike into the air. He was licking the salt and sweat off of the leather. Luckily, he didn't panic as I ran back to him and he actually set the bike down gently. It didn't even fall over. The saddle was intact, without a scratch. I only wish someone would have had a camera.

Three more hard weeks ahead and then taper time. (I am really looking forward to being done with this training.) It really wears on me and on Audrey and the kiddos.

7 WEEKS TO GO!!

Time is really flying by. I can't believe I only have a solid month of peak training, before starting to taper down to race day. These are really busy weeks. I am really trying to sort out my BIG ROCKS. It does get difficult. Thank you Audrey for being patient and understanding with me. I know I am a big pain right now.
I had a good solid week with 9 hours of training. Somewhere, I missed an hour on the bike so I came up a bit short. I did my long run in Yakima while visiting grandma and grandpa. I did a "terrain" run around the grapefields... through the mud and dirt and rocks. The grapes smelled wonderful and it was really a peaceful run with no traffic.
I have a Century Ride planned in Portland this Sunday. It will be a good test of my nutrition and endurance. Pray for clear skies. Big thanks to my sister Karen and brother Kurt who are coming down this weekend. Audrey and I may get a night out for an actual date night without kids!!!
Ironman Hawaii (World Championships) are this weekend. I will try to check out some of the video to find a bit more motivation. That's it for now...Off and running.

Back on track

I had a good solid week of training this week. These next few weeks will really be focused on long runs and long rides. I feel like my base is really strong. I just need time doing long slow rides and runs each week for the next month+ before taper starts.

Dad came in to town by train on Thursday and MK and Peter joined us for the weekend. It was a beautiful weekend and we spent Sunday at the zoo checking out the new baby elephant. We had to wait over an hour in line. (Of course LWR found someone he knew from Dayton as he always does.) October is looming and time is growing short...

New video clip is actually from a man from our church. He came up with this Christian Creed on his own in about 20 minutes. The words just fell in place.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwRYTsfHapE

Big Rocks!

I took a bit of time off this week, recovering from the 70.3 race. I physically felt a little spent and felt a few recovery days were in order.

The highlight of the week was the Glenwood Community Church Mens's Retreat. It was a great weekend event that challenged us to seek the mind and heart of Christ. Craig Hasselbach, the senior associate pastor at Glenwood presented us with many questions and challenges about seeking the mind of Christ. (Craig is an Ironman as well, completing Ironman Coeur d' Alene in 2005). It is really a blessing to have someone like him who has such a deep love of Christ, and also a personal understanding of the Journey to Become an Ironman. I will continue to pick his brain for any mental, physical or spiritual tips he feels free to share.

Big Rocks... This was an illustration from the past weekend. Each of us got a rock when we checked into the retreat. We carried them around all weekend, not knowing the significance. One of Craig's final messages was a story about a professor who challenged his class. He placed some larger stones (Big Rocks) into a mason jar. He asked the class if the glass was full. The class responded, "Yes, it is full of rocks." He then added gravel to the jar, letting it fill in the cracks between the big rocks. Again, he asked, "Is the jar full now?" The class responded, "No." He then added sand and eventually water to the jar to make the point more clear.
The message the professor was conveying is this: "In life, take care of your "big rocks" first. If you don't, and continue to worry and focus on your "little rocks" you will never be able to get your big rocks into the jar at all." My "Big Rocks" should always be Christ and the Word, my wife Audrey, my children (Kaden, Alek and Rylan) and my family and friends. Sadly, that hasn't been the case for much of the past few months. Ironman training can easily become a "big rock" and it does become an all consuming task. It should be more like a grain of sand.

My lesson from this weekend and my challenge over the next two months is to pay attention to my "big rocks" in life and not forget what is truly important to me. My journey and my training continue. God willing, I hope to see the finish line in Tempe because:

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13


Here is a new link to a great video clip. Hope you enjoy.

A son asked his father, 'Dad, will you take part in a marathon with me?' The father who, despite having a heart condition, says 'Yes'. They went on to complete the marathon together. Father and son went on to join other marathons, the father always saying 'Yes' to his son's request of going through the race together. One day, the son asked his father, 'Dad, let's join the Ironman together.'To which, his father said 'Yes' . The father and son went on to complete the race together. View this

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=8cf08faca5dd9ea45513

Black Diamond Half Iron

I raced the Half Iron this week at Black Diamond. I think it went very well overall. The swim was great and I finished in the top 20 overall. Biking was also very good for me as I averaged 19.5 mph. Most importantly, I had no cramping on the run. I was really hot as we were running from 1-3:00 pm. I felt pretty good at the end and only had a little soreness the following day. The link for my race report is:


http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=132597

Now I just have to figure out how to go twice as far in a single day...

Taper Week for 70.3

AHHH, taper week. I kind of ran out of gas last week and didn't finish my long run. This week is a taper down to prepare for the Black Diamond Half Ironman that I am running this weekend. It should be a good test to see where I am physically.
I had a good solid ride this past weekend with Brett, Dr. Wong and Dr. Southerland. Felt fine after 47 miles.
Next week will be a bit of recovery and then hitting the final 10 weeks of peak training. Tick, Tick, Tick goes the clock, ever closer...

Back to School

It was a busy week for the Richters. We headed off to Whidbey Island for one last get away over the long Labor Day weekend. One last outing before Kaden starts the SECOND GRADE! Kaden, Alek and I went back to Seattle on Saturday for the Coug game against Oklahoma State. UGLY. Cougs looked pretty sad in most areas. I predict a long season ahead of them.

Training went well this week. No nails in my feet! I got a long run in while upe at Whidbey Island. (11.5 miles). The rolling hills reminded me of the 1/2 Mary that I ran in April. (Wow, that seems like forever ago. I know my base is getting stronger. I really had no soreness or fatigue after that easy but long run. I guess that is progress. This next week ramps up even more with longer rides and runs. The following week will be a nice taper as I race a 1/2 Ironman event on the 13th.

OUCH!

I suffered my first training related injury this week. On my long run, somehow, I was able to get an old metal cotter-pin into my shoe. I didn't feel it on the run, but it did poke a hole in my foot. (I guess that is the euphoria of the runners high). There was no real euphoria, (there never is when I run) but needless to say, I didn't feel it until I got home and took off my shoe. My tetanus was out dated so I went to an urgent care clinic to get an update shot.
So, here is my little suggestion for other triathletes in a similar position... IF you do step on a piece of metal and need to get a tetanus shot, by all means go and do it. Just don't go for a mile and a half swim the next day. My deltoid was sore all weekend and still hasn't fully recovered.
I did also have a real overuse injury on my long run. Nothing major, but my right calf tightened up and didn't really let go the whole run. It didn't feel as bad today on my brick run, but I know I have to stretch better.
I was actually able to get all my training in this week and finished with my long ride on Saturday. Brett and Dr. Wong went along for the ride. We spent the day Sunday playing at Vancouver Lake with Becky and Phil. The boys had a blast swimming and riding bikes. One more week before Kaden is back to school. Where did the summer go?

Under 100...Over 100

As I write this I look to the countdown ticker and see that THE DAY is now only 96 days away. What happened to the last 4 months? I remember when I had so little to do and so much time to do it. Now I look at this coming week and realize that at the end of this week, the race is only 3 months away. I guess it is time to get busy.

Over 100...We had temperatures of 103-101 for a couple of days here in the 'Couve. The family was in the Yakima Valley this weekend for Audreys 20th Class Reunion from Toppenish. We had a fun time at a winery owned by one of her classmates parents. It was really hot and we were outside for most of the afternoon. Rylan and I spent some time in the wine tasting room where it was nice and cool. We bought a couple of bottles of wine as well. Hyatt Vinyards Zillah Gorilla is really good.

More motivation this week as the Olympic Triathlons are being held in Beijing. Hopefully they will get some coverage. Not much to be expected from the Americans, but the Australians look for a sweep.

Spirit of the Titans- Motivating Ironman Athletes

I found this link to a really cool Ironman Picture Book. Yea, it is an advertisement for coaching, but is is still pretty cool. Great music also. It is a tad long, but I think it is worth it. I think I will watch this weekly to stay motivated. Enjoy!

http://iamtri.com/video/video/show?id=1984656%3AVideo%3A36810

MidSummer Olympic

This week was a bit less training as I got ready for the MidSummer Oly. It was nice to have a bit of a break with less intense workouts. The Richter Clan was off to Blue Lake again this weekend. Saturday, Kaden and Alek both did the Splash, Pedal and Dash Kids Race. Kaden ended up winning the overall with a fast time of 5:18. He is becomming a transition specialist, quickly out of the water and on to his bike. Alek was an official MOP (middle of pack) with a time of 9:02. When asked what the hardest part was for Alek, he said, "Umm, the swim and the bike and the running." He ended up wet and sandy, but had a lot of fun.

I raced on Sunday and had a solid race day. My bike split was a bit faster than June (no tire rubbing on the frame this time). I felt okay on the run, but my splits were great. I ran 49:25 for the 6.2 miles. It was my PR at that event as I knocked off about 5 minutes from June.

We spent the rest of the day at the Clark County Fair. It was a fun but long day of walking around, but I think it helped my legs loosen up a bit as I wasn't too sore the following day. Now it is back to the grind of lots of training hours.

Happy Birthday Dad!

We celebrated my dad's 82nd Birthday this weekend. He came over for the weekend and Mary Kay and Peter joined us. We enjoyed the Hawaiian Festival in Vancouver on Saturday and had nice birthday meal on his day the 27th.

Training is going along smoothly. I made my weekly goals this week. This next week is a bit easier as I race the Midsummer Olympic Triathlon on Sunday the 3rd. Gotta love those race week tapers.

I had another issue with my rear wheel rubbing against the frame on my long ride this weekend. Seems to be an issue when the tubes are inflated to a high pressure. I will dial this thing in before the weekend race.

Officially I am under 120 days left before the BIG DAY! Seemed like there was so much time and now it is right around the corner. As they say, "So much time and so little to do." (Wait let's reverse that.

Easy training compaired to this!

Here is a great little story on a soldier training for Kona this year while stationed in Iraq.

http://ironman.com/events/ironman/worldchampionship/dawn-henry-reports-on-the-marine-major-bill-conner-and-his-kona-training

Back on track!

With no travel this past weekend, I was able to get my hours completed. I even had time on Friday morning for our Mens Church Study. This was a good solid week of training. Felt a bit tight on the bike, but I changed my aerobar supports and the position is a bit different. I was able to go faster on the bike (Now that my wheel is not rubbing the frame!) Averaged a bit over 19 mph on my long ride Saturday. Thanks Peter!

Dad will be here this weekend for his B day along with MK and Peter. Should be a fun weekend.

Week 11 (Filipek Family Reunion)

It was another weekend on the road. We traveled to Dayton and Pomeroy, WA this weekend for our family reunion. It was a great time and we really enjoyed getting everyone together again.
My training this week was pretty good. I still came up short in my time training, but that was expected. I did a nice long run on Saturday. Kaden and I climbed up Rock Hill on Sunday to go find a Geocache.
Finally back home this week with no travel planned. I should be able to meet the time marks for the week.

On The Road Again

As predicted, it was a busy week! We drove to Arlington, OR for a memorial service for Audrey's Great Aunt, Doris. It was a quick trip on Wednesday. I worked a half day on Thursday, before driving again up to Mary Kay and Peters. We had a bit of auto trouble on Whidbey Island as the van boiled over. Spent Monday waiting for the mechanic to fix it, but nothing wrong was found and we came home last night, safe and sound.

My training paid the price this week with all the travel. I wasn't able to do my long bike ride because of the van trouble, but did ride on Monday. This week will be tough again with us traveling to Dayton, WA for the Filipek family reunion.

Heat Wave!

Well, we saw the first summer heatwave this weekend. Thank goodness for air conditioning. (Sorry Karen). We hit 101 degrees here in the 'Couve on Saturday. I had an early AM ride out to Frenchmans Bar before it got too hot.

Happy 4th of July. We are off to Samish Island and then Whidbey Island for the weekend. Lots of travel with Rylan... Should be intersting. It will make getting the training totals a bit difficult this week, but I plan to take the bike along for a ride on Whidbey. Hope you all have a happy and safe holiday. Also, good luck to Brett and Mike as they compete in the Lake Stevens 70.3 this weekend. Hopefully it isn't as warm! www.lakestevens703.com/

Five Months to go!

Five months from today, I will be somewhere in the trenches of Ironman Arizona! I had a good solid week of training this week after the Oly last weekend. Not sore and so far, my big flat feet are holding up well.
These last 2 weeks of the build phase will hopefully prepare me for what is coming up next with more hours and more intense workouts.
I watched some of IMCDA yesterday and felt a renewed sense of excitement along with widespread panic. I plan to just continue getting through one week and then the next...

Here is a picture of Kaden after the Splash Pedal Dash race at Blue Lake. He did an awesome job. He swam part of the swim and ended up the 8th fastest boy. (He did much better overall and in his age group than his old man). Great Job Kaden!

22 weeks and counting

It has been a busy month. My family was blessed with a new arrival, Rylan James Richter was born on May 22nd. All is well and we are adjusting to a new little one at home. I finally got back to the blog. Most of my logs have been on beginnertriathlete.com. I have been at it for 8 weeks now, slowly building my base training. Two more weeks of this and then 10 weeks of peak training. (More hours and more intense training).
I did the Blue Lake Oly this past weekend and it went pretty well. Two minutes slower than last year, but felt solid afterward. Very little soreness the next day and I was able to run 6 miles on Tuesday.

First Triathlon Sept. 2005

Looking like the Creature from the Black Lagoon a bit. No, I wasn't the last person in the water. They are back there.. Somewhere beyond the fog bank.

Here is what I remember about my first Tri Swim... Absolutely exhausted swimming in a "NonTriathlon" wetsuit that was a bit too small for me. Glad to survive.!