MDI @ XC STATES TODAY

MDI boys and girls teams racing today, 11 and 11:35 AM
Ellsworth boys team is there too with individual girls running.
GO HIGH SCHOOL RUNNERS!!!!!!

2009 totals

Swim 110 hr ~6500yd/wk ave.
Bike 340 hr ~125mi/wk ave.
Run 167 hr ~25mi/wk ave.
other ~50hr cross train, strength, paddling, etc.

I did the Urban Epic tri in Portland on Sat and would report a fine event.

The swim was unremarkable, they used to swim off the FERRY but now off the beach.
The bike a bit slippery on the city streets with the spotty rain,
I liked the run up an down the hills on the Eastern Prom with the last mile flat back onto a pier in the Old Port downtown. Pretty cool.

At ~350 the race was good sized not too big or small. I got 2nd in my age group so would rec. to you guys for next year.

RACE REPORT IRONMAN COEUR d'ALENE

Just got back from sunny Florida. 6 days of riding and a couple Red Sox preseason games. Good to report training went well, high volumes on the bike are less stressful and very fun with all that flat clear roadway. The only tough riding was against 25 mph headwinds and the occational overpass or bridge.

Plus the Sox won both games.

Time to keep up the bike miles so, let's ride!
Anyone know if the Cadillac road is clear?

RANT

by Chuck Plahniuk. NOT so twisted as his other writings but still disturbing, if you like that sort of entertainment.

Maine"s first half IM distance race! Thank God the weather was much better than expected. It poured and blew all night before the race, but the rain stopped before the race

Overall Rhode island ironman/2 gets a thumbs up!

The course starts with an ocean swim at the southern tip of the state followed by a partly coastal then turning hilly, country, middle bike course. The last miles leading into Providence were on very poor inner city roads with many turns and potholes steet debris etc. The run was hot ~86, humid ~85 and mostly unshaded. And there were two very steep hills an each loop to slow you both up and down (too steep to coast). The run conditions called for cooling measures, ice , sponges, douse with water etc. which slowed my (everyone's) run time some. I was able to pick it up the last couple miles to finish under 5 hours, my #1 goal for the day.

Belgrade Lakes Triathlon

A good day a good race.

We arrived fri evening for check in with a hailstorm leaving 1in deep pea and marble ice everywhere. The hail tore a lot of leaves on to the roadway and muddied up the trails thru camp there.

Next morning the hail had melted but the lake surface temp had dropped, someone said 4-5 degrees, thanks for tri wetsuits. The swim was Ok for me. Some lessons are quickly forgotten in this case frequent sighting in open water races. For the muggles (non tri folk) out there, sighting is when you look up between breaths to stay on course for the next marker buoy on the swim course. In the pool there's lane lines and the bottom to keep you straight. In open water, bigger races allow for checking position with those around you if you're a middle of the pack swimmer like me. This race had about 200 entrants in the water so you have to look up. Something to practice.

Again with the offer for Tues. on the road bike. I hope to log every tues on the road this spring. Any distance really, just need to be back by 3 pm. looking for time in the saddle here not so much speed efforts. Park loops or Cadillac climbs would suffice.

Past requests have gone unanswered but hope springs (in spring).
Athletics is more than running you know.

Any cyclists or bike trainers out there?

Bike fit expert John Howard is coming to MDI in May for individual fitings and other group activites. Howard is a true legend in the cycling world.
Olympic cyclist 3X
Ironman Kona winner '81
24hr world record
Bike speed record

These days he helps getting the best fit on the bike for road, off and tricylists. I'm signed up and totally stoaked.

The swim

I cut my hand deeply on tues before the race so had to keep it dry until race day. I devised a bandage for the race but it mostly fell apart by the halfway point. My biggest fear was striking another swimmer on the palm and opening it up again.

The choice I made was to lay back on the scrum that is the Ironman mass start and try to swim away from the dense inside lane. This would mean a slower split but loosing more blood into the Pacific was not going to help my bike or run.

Aloha and Mahalo

So,
We're leaving tomorrow after the crosscounty meet for Boston then off to Hawaii.
Starting to get excited which is good I think. Can't possibly stay "up" for the next
ten days can I? Being a dude from California I rely on that ability to chill, to go
laid back and let it flow. Then hit it hard when it's time. Of course Hawaii may be
even more laid back . . further west . . warmer island time. We'll see.

So all you Edenistas, want another athletic challege?

Consider the 1st Annual MDI Time Trial
Sun Aug 26 at the Tremont Community Center (day after NEH 5mi)

The race is sponsored by the Downeast Bicycle Club and the Bar Harbor Bicycle shop.
The course is mod hilly 13.74mi and awards will go to the top three in age and gender divisions. In addition there will be a division for first time racers and for law enforcement, fire, public support, etc. participants.