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Rancho Canada Trail Run - Oct 17

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 17:39:48 GMT

We have posted the athlete guide on the website for the Dirty Legs Fall - Rancho Canada. Click here Many people are using this as a tuneup for the Morgan Hill Marathon. Have fun!

We have had to make some changes in the route. Logistically it was impossible to get ANY fluids at all on the course. With the recent heat we decided to change the route. Plus it was very, very difficult. It is still very difficult :). It''s also very pretty. Stop and take a look.

All courses are an out and back and there will be about 60 people running, please be kind on the trail. We are all friends.

I also wanted to mention another run we are timing this weekend. We are helping the City of Morgan Hill with the Get Fit Run at the Centennial Center in Morgan Hill. They do this run each year for fun. They have a 5k all on the CRC grounds and a Fun run 1 mile event. Take a look here and consider it. We really want to to support them for everything they have done for the Morgan Hill Marathon.

Indoor Spin Class and News

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 22:18:15 GMT

Hey everyone, indoor spin classes start tomorrow evening. You remember those tough @#$$#@ classes Elliott does. They start at 6, so be there a little early setting up.

You are welcome to bring your kids in, we are going to setup a movie and some pizza for them (and us).

In other news we have two bits of information.

1. The Morgan Hill Marathon is looking for CC Triclub volunteers (not those of you that have already officially volunteered). We need two things. One, I was hoping we could get maybe 4-5 people on an aid station. Two I would love to have a bike or two lead out the Half Marathon. Email greg@svendurance.com for information. It's looking like we will sell out at 1000 runners and 200 kids (kids run).

2. The Rancho Canada Del Oro Trail Run is coming up. Check out www.svendurance.com for more information. We are giving out SVE workout towels.

See you tomorrow.

Big Kahuna Race Report from Jim Atkinson

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 16:02:01 GMT

I had a great day and performance at Big Kahuna...I went 1st overall against all amateur age group athletes... 3rd overall, including the elite athletes…Stoked!! My swim split (27:02) was a PR...My Bike split (2:21) was solid and my run split (1:28) was also a PR. I didn't expect to do this well only because I didn't have this race marked as an "A" race on my calendar since I’ve been focused on training for Ironman Arizona coming up on November 21st. I didn't even sign up for Big Kahuna until 2 weeks ago. I haven’t raced since Wild Flower on May 1st, so I was really craving some competition. I also thought that this would be a good race to execute on my race pace and transitions. I frequently work on transitions during brick workouts, but it’s not the same as race day.

I must say that I was pumped up for BK mainly because the swim was cancelled last year. That was supposed to be my first half distance triathlon, so I was extremely bummed when the BK turned into a duathlon. The weather this year ended up being ideal for going fast. The water was very calm, which setup for a fast swim. I must say that I loved the running ocean start. I attacked the start by diving into the surf and then using the ocean bottom to spring forward about 3 times before I got into my stroke. I dreaded the run from the beach to the transition area, but it wasn’t as rough on the feet as I expected.

It was shaping up to be a somewhat cold ride, so I decided to wear socks, gloves and arm warmers. I rinsed my feet to avoid taking any sand/pebbles on the ride…slipped on the dry socks…into the Specialized TriVent shoes already set with toe warmers. I had my gloves and arm warmers tied to the aero bars and slipped those on as I started the ride. I lost some time in T1, but figure that I made it up on the bike since I was so comfortable. The big surprise on the bike was the tail wind on the ride up north and head wind on the ride back down south. I’m used to just the opposite wind conditions on this course in my training rides. This made the ride a bit difficult to hammer into the head wind on the way back since I’m used to flying back with a helping tail wind. My left hip started barking at me with about 8 miles to go. I think that this had something to do with the low tuck in the aero position that I was in to avoid the head wind. I decided to sit more upright to relieve the hips and stretch them out to prepare for the run. I got into T2 hydrated, fueled up, and ready to attack this fast run course.

I felt great to begin the run and found myself running a 6:15 on my first mile. I knew that I couldn’t sustain that pace, so wisely decided to turn it down a couple of notches. The temperature was perfect for fast running conditions. I made it to the Tiki turnaround at about 42 minutes into the run, so I knew my pace was good enough to go under 1:30 like I had planned. One of the course volunteers confirmed that I was up front in my age group just as I was leaving Wilder at about mile 8. This got me all fired up to continue pushing hard since I noticed a couple of guys that looked to be in my age group going the other direction on the trail section of Wilder. I recall shortening my stride and increasing turnover at about mile 9 after some slight rolling uphill sections. I kept going strong after hitting West Cliff for the final 3 miles. I heard footsteps and didn’t want to get caught by anybody…turns out that I was hearing things that weren’t really there. I got to the dreaded sandy beach and almost tripped a couple of times before getting to the wet sand. As always, I pushed hard all the way to the finish line and felt like a million bucks when I heard my timing chip beep going over the sensor.

What a great feeling it is when a race goes just how you envisioned it. My goal was to go between 4:20 and 4:30…I finished in 4:21 and was a very happy camper to say the least. I got to celebrate after the race with friends and family that came to support me. This was also the first race that my mother came to see. I might have used this as motivation to go faster.

I can only hope that everything goes as well at Ironman Arizona.

LiveStrong and GoFast!!

~Jim Atkinson

Henry Coe Trail Run

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 16:56:53 GMT

I know many of you are prepping for the Quicksilver Trail run on the 19th. I thought I would throw this out there since so many of you were at the last Dirty Legs run. Thanks and let me know how I can continue to spread the word of your run. Heck I might enter next week.

The third (last) trail run for the summer season is this Sunday at Henry Coe on the Morgan Hill side. If you are not familar with Henry Coe, this is a great run. Better then most. Tons of Single track to finish on. Don't miss it.

We will be giving SVE towels for swag. Bagels and other goodies will be provided for food.

I have also updated the course maps. Please be aware the 10k is a 12k. There is simply no way to get you on that pretty course at 10k. You will enjoy it.

Thanks
Greg Richards

Concept Cyclery Store Sale - Today through Sept 4

Sat, 28 Aug 2010 16:27:36 GMT

Sale at Concept Cyclery, August 28th - September 4th. Most items 40% off. Check it out.

Concept Time Trial

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 22:08:06 GMT

Everyone this is a free event at Concept Cyclery. It's open to MTB bikes, Road bikes, and Cross bikes. We stage at the store. We have morning food, coffee, and other supplies.

You go out for a tough ride to Coe and back (all bikes allowed) or if you are an experienced MTB bike through Coe (we supply the route) then through Harvey Bear. We have aid stations along the way. It's supposed to be fun, but we do time it.

You choose the route and we time you.

Hang out afterwards for some more food. Free to anyone who has raced one of our events. Any type of event. If you have not simply sign up and come join us.

Support your local scene.

http://www.svendurance.com/races/2010/2nd-Annual-Concept-Time-Trial-Concept-Cyclery.aspx

Thanks

Time Trail Volunteers

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 20:59:29 GMT

We are looking for 2 volunteers, preferably on bikes to help at tomorrows time trial. Breakfast and coffee are included. Event is over in about 1 hour.

Contact greg@svendurance.com if you can help.

Thanks

Wed 6-30 Track Workout

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:46:42 GMT

6:00 pm tonight at Live Oak High School.

1600 Warmup
10 x 400m at 5 k pace, hold for whole set.
2 x 200m threshold
1600 cooldown

Drills after (do down the stretch or on the field):
10 high knees
10 butt kickers
10 side to sides, 10 on the other side
10 karaoke, 10 on the other side
10 bounds
run backwards for for count of 10.

Do all 4 times.

Wed Track Workout

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:29:05 GMT

Running track tonight at Live Oak at 5:30pm. Work out lasts about 1 hour.

1600 warmup
4 x 400 at 5 k pace
2 x 800 at race pace
2 x 200 fast
1600 cool down

Greg

Tuesday Night ride

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 20:53:24 GMT

Meeting at Concept around 5:45. TT or Road bikes are welcome.

The 5th SVE time trial is this Saturday at 8:00am. The price has been lowered to $18.00 and $30.00 for the two man (both people are covered). The price goes up on after tomorrow. Register soon. We will send more instructions later this week.

The 4th Kids Triathlon is this Sunday. Please let us know if you would like to volunteer. Food, T-shirt, and more food.

Thanks, see you tonight.

CCTC News

Tue, 18 May 2010 21:37:55 GMT

The Tuesday night ride is on. Meet at Concept about 5:45 or at Live Oak at 6:00 ready to ride. Road bikes or TT bikes.

Tomorrow we are leaving Concept at 8:00 am sharp to ride to Sierra Road and see the Tour. Email back for details. Some people are meeting at the Club One parking lot off Helyer closer to nine.

Big Mountain Bike race and Duathlon this weekend at Santa Teresa County Park. Over 120 people will be there. We are looking for a few volunteers to help out. Contact greg@svendurance.com. We will have BBQ food and other food for volunteers.

Updated News

Mon, 10 May 2010 22:00:19 GMT

Rumor is it that Jennifer Hollibaugh placed 2nd in her age group at Xterra. Contratulations Jennifer! Great job.

Jim Atkinson won his age group at Wildflower and placed 5th overall. Great job guys.

We have added a link to the Yahoo group on the menu system. Please feel free to join the discussions.

Tuesday night rides are on the local TT course. Both TT and Road Bikes are welcome.

Couple of upcoming events everyone should be aware of:

1. Jenny's Light Kids Triathlon round 3. Sunday the 16th.
(get your kids involved or tell your friends!)

2. Dirty Gears XC MTB race on Sunday the 23rd at Santa Teresa County Park.
3. San Jose Offroad Duathlon on Sunday the 23rd at Santa Teresa.
4. Dirty Legs Trail run on Sunday the 23rd at Santa Teresa.

Yes they are all on the same day. Should be a lot of people around. We could use some volunteers at the Kids Tri and the Duathlon if anyone has some time to come out. Contact greg@svendurance.com

Thanks

Time Trial Instructions

Sun, 02 May 2010 00:23:25 GMT

The next time trial is tomorrow at Live Oak High School (behind on Half ave). Check the event tab or news on www.svendurance.com for directions. Very important, do not go to the last location! Next event is in the front parking area. This one is behind the school.

1. Concept Cyclery will be there for bike tech support.
2. Help defend the points for CCTC. We can really use a few riders out there.
3. Hot soup.
4. Great weather.
5. 15 or 25 mile ride.

Your discount code 'cctc' still works. TT starts at 8. Be there after 7.

Thanks

Great events this weekend

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 23:07:53 GMT

Good luck to all the athletes entered in the Reservoir Triathlon. I know Chris and Carrie are going to be there. Give us some feedback on the event.

Also just a reminder about the Jenny's Light Kids Triathlon Series at San Jose State. Pro Triathlete Kelly Couch will be there to 'medal' your kids. We also have a new podium for awards. http://www.triathlonkidz.com

Looking forward to it!

Time Trial this Sunday

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 16:41:35 GMT

The 3rd time trial is this Sunday. We would love to see more members out. For the points standing SJBC is way out in front. We need more people to narrow the gap. Tell your friends.

Concept will be there with Tech Support.

If you are really up for it, sign up for the afternoon trail run at the same place (Harvey Bear Ranch). There is a kids run in the flat area and they all get medals. It's for fun. We are going to have pizza for everyone. Fun time. I promise a run to test your legs. Very beautiful this time of year. Points are up for grabs here as well!

The same discount code can be used. cctc in lowercase.

Epic ride and other news

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:58:03 GMT

Ride News

We have an epic ride scheduled for Friday. We are going about 80 miles up and over Mt. Madonna and then back. We will stop at a few stores for food and rest. Here is the route:

Link

This ride should be considered intermediate.

Please confirm if you would like to attend. So far we have about 8 people. If you know anyone who wants to drive sag support please let us know.

The plan is to have 2 groups leaving the Centennial Center between 8 and 9.

Race News

Congratulations to the members who competed and kicked butt in Oceanside. We also had some members in the SVE Dirty Legs run at Wilder Ranch. Great job. Let's not forget the Kids who rocked the Jenny's Light Kids Triathlon.

Swim Clinic

On April 10th Becky Lavelle is holding a swim stroke clinic. The location is to be determined. There are only 5 or so more spots left. The cost is $50.00. See Greg Richards for details.

Club News

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:41:52 GMT

Schedule

Elliott and Zoot will be holding a wetsuit clinic on March 13 at the Aquatic Center pool. Zoot would love to show the new suits off. Time will be sent soon.

Spin class on Tuesdays has been averaging about 15-20 persons, so get in there and have your butt handed to you. The class will now go 1:30 long. I'm tired just thinking about it.

Group rides are still going on Saturday and Sundays at the store at 8:00 am.

Race and Events

South Valley Endurance has posted the points standings from the Time Trial a few weeks ago. Concept Tri Club had a great turnout. Keep it up. Make sure to signup for the event this Sunday early so you can get your starting slot. Points are here: Points Link . Concept also had a tent out provided tech support for your TT bikes.

The TT is this Sunday and the first trail run is the following weekend. One of the best run courses ever, very challenging. Check the South Valley Endurance website.

Becky Lavelle will be at the Kids Triathlon Series starting on March 21st at San Jose State. She will be handing out medals to the kids. Signup your kids for this awesome experience. Concept Cyclery will be there supporting the little ones.
http://www.triathlonkidz.com

Communication

In an effort to stimulate communcation between members we are tearing a page out of some other clubs books. We have taken 2 steps to help:

1. We created a yahoo group. Yahoo groups email whenever items are posted. You should receive an invitation. Please try it. Here is the link as well: Group

2. We subscribed everyone to the blogs so you will receive notices when a blog is published. We would love to see more of you typing up your race reports and other news.

Thanks
Concept Tri Club

Nothing But Good Things

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:15:27 GMT

There's nothing like a personal view to demonstrate the staff's dedication and the quality of service that you will receive when you walk through Concept Cyclery's doors. Check out what Ryan Iwanaga has to say.

Surf City Marathon Report

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:32:36 GMT

I ran the Surf City Marathon on February 7^th. My intention and training leading up was to qualify for the Boston Marathon. At my age (40) this requires a 3:20 or better. My previous best was 3:59. That time was completed because my coach said to run a 4:00 hour for my first marathon (I have done others now in Ironman). So I really did not ‘race’ it the first time.

My best half is a 1:32 run at a very fast San Jose course this year. My half times have dropped over the past year from 1:57 to 1:32. I even did a 1:39 at Ironman 70.3 World Championships this year. And I drank a lot. So I thought I was capable of a 3:20.

The big question was (and always is) run hard or pace myself? Run 7:00 minute miles or the required 7:40? Well I decided at the line to run hard and if I blow up, I blow up. I did forget my salt pills.

I ran hard from the start, drinking was more difficult. In San Jose I did not drink at all, because I know I can run 1:30 without food or water in the right temperature. But this was longer so I had to start early. The course does not use Gatorade, and right off the bat I did not like the other brand. But it did not upset my stomach.

At the half way point I was at 1:33, just a minute off my best half. At about mile 18 or so the times started coming back to me. My body would not respond. I felt like I was running fast, the times were not agreeing though. I just kept telling myself “fight” and “pump your arms”.

I ended up finishing in 3:18, around 80^th place and 13^th in my class. Out of 2400 people. It’s really strange starting a marathon in the very front! But very cool.

During the run, I wondered why I do this to myself. Now just 2 days later, I think I can go faster. I think the course layout was worth a loss of 2 minutes, and lack of salt and maybe more training 2-5 minutes. Overall I had a good experience.

I can run.

Splits:

7:08, 6:55,6:55, 7:04, 6:46, 7:01, 7:01, 7:15, 7:32, 7:01, 7:11, 7:19, 7:27, 7:39, 7:37, 7:47, 7:51, 7:49, 8:03, 8:12, 8:11, 7:59, 8:10, 8:20, 8:11

Tri Club Meeting 2-16-2010

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:19:41 GMT

February 16th we have Andrew Ferguson, Founder, CEO, Chief Event Organizer of Threshold Racing, visting the Concept Triathlon Club.

Andrew is a multiple National Championship Triathlon participant and a multiple World Championship Triathlon qualifier and participant. He is the Race Director at ADF Sports Marketing and an advisor for UBS Financial Services.

Andrew will be talking about the new company Threshold Racing and some local triathlons they are putting on. In addition he will be giving away some fun swag.

Andrew has kindly put together a few announcements as well:

1) You have a discount code for your clubs, when registering they
should select the club they represent and enter "TRICLUB"

2) You will be competing for a $2500 prize purse at the Reservoir and
Metro Triathlons.

a. The purse will be split between Large and Small clubs. This split
will be determined after clubs submit their 2010 rosters using a median formula.

b. The competition will combine your best three male and female racers
times at each race.

c. Those times will be weighted by a participation component which we
will explain in detail after receiving your club rosters.

d. The $ split will be slightly weighted towards the larger club
winner.

e. This is independent of our fundraising efforts.

Concept Tri Club Team, let's not forget the TT series starting this weekend. Debbie Richards will have sign up forms on hand tonight. SVE is still not sure they will allow same day registrations. They are also giving each participant some Valentine's Day candy to take your significant other (or eat it).

SVE has also added a Sprint distance to the Offroad Duathlon on March 6th. See their website for details.

Upcoming Events

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:47:48 GMT

I thought I would send over some information that would interest fellow Triathletes.

Monthly SVE Time Trial Series – starts on February 14^th - great for establishing a baseline time or FT. Use the monthly series to better your time or functional threshold. Great for beginners. We would love to have your tri team or club represented for points. Starts near Harvey Bear Ranch and goes through San Martin.

http://www.svendurance.com/

San Jose Off Road Duathlon and Sprint – Mar 6th, 2010 at Santa Teresa County Park. Great for mountain bikers looking to start running. The long course will be a tough event! Great transition practice. Same day mountain bike event (Dirty Gears) is going on as well.

http://www.svendurance.com/

Jenny’s Light Kids Triathlon Series- starts on March 21^st. Becky and Brian Lavelle will be out for the first events. Have your kids come meet local pros at San Jose State. The swim will allow kickboards for beginners. Portions of the proceeds benefit the Jenny’s Light Charity. Please pass this on to swim teams, soccer teams or whomever you can to benefit this great cause.

http://www.triathlonkidz.com/

Updated News

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 18:49:54 GMT

CCTC members,
We have a few things to announce. First the Spinning class has been jumping. Check out some pics here: Class Pics under club pics. Bring a friend next time and you spin free! As announced in the spinning class there is a few events coming up that are perfect for Triathletes and cycling training.

Time Trial Series: This is modeled after the famous Fiesta Island Time Trial Series. Starting at Harvey Bear Ranch on San Martin Ave (for parking), there is a 6 mile loop that will be run twice for 20k. This is on open roads, but the course will be marked and you will be timed. It’s a great way to start working on your threshold training. Once each month you can try to work to get your times down. See http://www.svendurance.com for signup information. Be sure to use cctc (lowercase) in the promo code field for a discount. We will track team points as well so fill in Concept or CCTC for the team name.

San Jose Off-Road Duathlon: This Duathlon will be run at Santa Teresa County park. A challenging 5k (run), 20k (mtb), 5k (run) will be run through the singletrack and doubletrack. This will be timed with the new RFID timing system. Come try it out! http://www.svendurance.com

We have added USA Productions races to the events calendar. Here is their direct website: http://www.usaproductions.org/events/usa-tri-club-challenge

Sign up using 2010teams-tri-swim as the discount code for 10% off races.

The ascending and descending clinic is on for Sunday 1-24-2010 at 9:00 am, weather permitting. This clinic will be hosted by Elliott and Coach Muddy.

The core fitness classes start on 1-31-2010 at 8:00am. "Take your training to the next level with this strength and conditioning class designed to improve specific movements associated with triathlons. The class will be coached by Strength Coach Shyam Soin and Sports Chiropractor Dr. Armen Agacanyan and will incorporate mobility drills and injury prevention techniques to keep you performing at the highest level." This class runs $200.00 for 6 weeks and is limited to 8 persons. Concept Cyclery will be the host. Contact elliott@conceptcyclery.com for more information.

We have a couple of functional / directional training clinics planned. They will focus on functional exercises to help you maintain balance and strength. These are difficult classes. They will be hosted by Paul Thompson, personal trainer. They are provided for free as part of your membership. Sign up soon. Email greg@svendurance.com if you are interested. We would like to get a head count and days you are available.

Reminder about group events:
1. Intermediate ride – 8:00 am on Saturdays from Concept, Elliott or Eric are hosting.
2. Advanced ride- 8:00 am on Sundays from Concept.
3. Long run – 7:30 am meet at Naomis Coffee, email greg@svendurance.com for actual run location. We usually choose a long trail run. Open to beginners to run shorter loop.

Website changes:
1. Added list of the next 60 days events to the bottom of this mailer. If you login in and create a race and click on I’m in, you will be listed on this emailer as well. It’s a great way to get people to train with.
2. We are working on fixing broken links under the training plans.

Book Review - Born to Run

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:13:21 GMT

I just finished reading Born to Run. It's about the running tribe of indians in Copper Canyon, Mexico called the Tarahumara. Here is a link to the book on Amazon.

I really enjoyed the book. It started out detailing about the indians,which was very interesting. But where it really got going was when it detailed out the indians would be brought here by promoters to race against the best in the world at the Leadville 100. Then a race is organized for a few select runners in Copper Canyon. I can't say who wins, but it is exciting reading.

I myself have been to Copper Canyon so I could relate a bit to the terrain. In 2007 myself and a buddy rode from here to Puerto Vallarta, through Copper Canyon. It was very cool reading about places that I have been. It was rough. We were unguided and literally lost for 250 miles on trails one day. We saw these indians everywhere. It was actually a little scary at night. Little did I know they could chase me down. Here are some pics from my trip. Google

I do recommend the book.

Greg Richards

New Years Day Ride - Mt. Diablo

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:58:22 GMT

Come join us on the first annual New Year’s day ride. Each year we will target a local mountain to climb up. This year it’s Mount Diablo in Contra Costa County.

We are meeting at Peet’s Coffee in Danville at 9:15. BE READY TO RIDE AT 10 AM. Directions from Morgan Hill:

Or you can meet us at Naomi’s coffee next to Concept at 8:00. We will be leaving at 8:15 or so.

The ride is about 15 miles up at an average of 6% grade.

Hope to see you there.
CC Tri Club

Group Rides

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:40:02 GMT

Concept Cyclery of Morgan Hill (Road Ride): Saturday morning rides at 8:00am. This is a mellow morning ride just so we can get out and pedal together. We meet out front of the shop at 8:00am and ride however far we can before being back at the shop at 10:00am. It is a ride for beginners to get used to riding in groups.

Sunday morning group ride meets at 8:00am in front of shop. This is an advanced paced training ride. This ride is for strong intermediate to advanced riders only. for safety, you should be experienced at drafting and group riding techniques. If you are an aggressive rider not experienced at group riding yet, please start with the Saturday ride.

Come down and meet some new friends!

Auburn Triathlon

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:14:37 GMT

Don't miss the 2010 Auburn Triathlon, featuring the eighth annual World's Toughest Half, a NEW Sprint Triathlon (1k-30k-7k - consolidates two previous short course events, a Long Course Duathlon, on new spectator-friendly 2-loop swim and 3-loop run courses! Auburn is lauded as the most scenic and challenging course in the sport - a great way to build some strength for a successful racing summer. Top pros like Ironman champ Tim DeBoom and Olympic Gold&Silver Medalist Simon Whitfield rave about the stunning course, grass roots, athlete focused feel and incredible athlete support and benefits package. There are extensive maps, descriptions and photos of the courses at the world's most comprehensive triathlon web site: www.auburntriathlon.com .

Auburn Triathlon - May 23, 2010

Concept Cyclery athletes enjoy a $10 discount on entry fee by downloading a form and mail or faxing in. You can also enter on active.com using the enter your club name in the $10 Tri Club Discount field. Questions call 530-888-9911 or email brad@bradventures.com.

Clearwater Race Report - 70.3 World Championships

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:00:24 GMT

Well this was my first trip to Clearwater for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. I got a spot way back in May at Hawaii (Honu).

It's been a long year; I totaled up my events for the year:

Road Bike Races: 2
TT's: 3
Running races and Marathons: 4
Duathlons: 3
Short Triathlons: 1
1/2 Ironman's: 2
Full Ironman: 1

My training for the year: (up until 11-15-09)

Swimming: 252,000 yards
Bike: 5700 Miles
Run: 851 Miles
Time: A little over 600 hours

So as I went into this event I was not feeling really up for it. I felt like I peaked 4 weeks ago at the San Jose half marathon, I was lighter and ran a 1:32 which was 9 minutes faster than my previous best.

We arrived in Clearwater to horrible weather. The wind was about 30 mph from the north. It was very cold, and the ocean was huge. Unswimmable for me. Swimming is my weakest discipline. The current was so fierce that when I went out for a quick playfull swim, I was pulled down shore about 50 yards and it was very, very hard to get back unless you swam with the current. I went and bought gloves and arm warmers. It felt like Cour D Alene all over.

WTC ended up switching the swim to the harbor side of the island the day before. Thank god. Now we had a little longer t1 run, but I could live with it. It was to be an interesting start, TT version. The initial thought was it would break up the drafting packs a little more on the bike. NOPE!

Race morning came and guess what? Hot and Sunny. Little wind. I was supposed to be starting at 7:45 with the second wave on my age group. In transition I went to put my bottles on and check my tire pressure. I purposely got there a little late since my wave started later. My rear tubular had a huge gash in it. A few people said they had the same thing. I tried PITstop and co2, no luck. So now I'm panicking. Transition closes at 6:30 and its 6:20 and I have yet to use the restroom. I pulled my wheel off and ran to the bike shop tent. They said they could do it. I left it with them and ran to the porta potty lines. I waited until I was the next person; they then announced transition was closing. So I skipped restroom duty and ran to get my tire. They had it done. I ran back to my bike and did the quickest mount I have ever done. Thank god for rear dropouts.

In my bottles I had 1 500 calorie bottle of Perpetuem and 1 bottle of Coke. I also had 1 Powerbar wrapped on my frame in case I felt like eating and not drinking alone. In my bike and run bags I had some extra gels and my salt tabs for the run.

I walked with my awesome family and supporters (I had 11 people go out with us) to the swim start. I was able to find a porta potty. At the swim start they ended up having us jump off a dock 2 at a time. The contact in the water was very minimal. But navigation was very tough for me. It's usually easy for me. I missed a right turn along with a lot of other people. Swimming into the sun it was very tough to see the buoys. Basically we were supposed to go straight out, right for a few then left, then left again.
I ended up with a 36:23. I was fine with it; my goal was 35:00.

T1 was fine, a little long as I could not find my bag: 3:52

Oh the bike. Well to say it's flat and fast is an understatement. The one big hill you hit twice is a bump here. Never left the tri position on it until the top. Did I draft? Yes. I would estimate most people do there. It's difficult to describe, but the course if very tight and on only city roads. No urban stuff. So imagine 1 lane closed on an expressway or busy road like Almaden expressway. Then fit 2000 riders down it, all released in a bad order. So you may have slower age groups ahead of the 40 year old men (who can still peddle!). Well we come up on the slower people going 10mph faster than them. Space is at a premium. Plus you can also draft off the cars going down the roads. Draft fest yes. I was warned once along with a big group. So I backed off quite a bit, for a while there I thought I might break 2 hours. It's weird even at 5 meters you can still feel a large pack pull you. Plus we had a tailwind for the longest, straightest section. The tight race created some of the worst crashes I had even seen in person. Twice women were taken down by men hitting them. I was nearly caught in two of these. Only missed by inches. Thank god for Wednesday group Tri bike rides.
Time was: 2:11, goal was 2:15. Average speed: 25.63 mph. Interesting my watts were at 190 average (145 lbs). That's lower by 10-15 from previous 1/2's but not as low as I thought it would be.

T2 was slow. Tent was a mess, no help. Potty break. 4:06.

The run felt good for me. This was my main goal of this race, to prove to myself that I can run. The run was very pretty. But it was starting to get hot. We had to go over a bridge 4 times. That was the main hill. It was easy to break this run in sections. I took in Gatorade at each aid station. Water on my head to stay cool. 4 salt pills throughout the run. It was very cool running through twice and seeing the family there cheering me on. I kept picking people off, and trying to keep
my cadence up. I knew part way I could go for a sub 1:40. So I did not stop other then slow down in the aid stations. Run time: 1:39:59. 7:37 /mile.

Total time was 4:35:27. A PR by 35 minutes. Of course this is a faster course, so I'm not sure how or if it should compare. Goal for Hawaii next year is 4:45-4:50.

Overall it was a fun time. It was cool renting a house and hanging out with the family. Maybe my wife can go next year!

XTERRA Portland Race Report

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:16:38 GMT

I have a blog where I normally post these things, but I thought I'd branch out. This race was back in August and is now one of my faves. It was also my first race post Ironman this year.

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After about a month of shlumping around and not wanting to do anything, I decided I needed to get back into the racing routine. I got a new coach, a new bike (the pink bike is moving on), and a new race focus. First up: XTERRA Portland.

I have family just south of Portland that were more than happy to put me up for a couple days, so I packed up the trusty old Corolla, and drove up to Pleasanton on Wednesday night for my Thursday morning departure. I figured getting past most of the potential Bay Area traffic spots would make my morning a little shinier. It did. Thursday morning I re-packed the car, picked up a breakfast burrito, water, and Diet Dr. Pepper, and hit the road.

The drive wasn't bad, I got to work on my car singing in a big way. Snapped pictures of Mount Shasta as I drove by, and kept my front seat stocked with a variety of car food. My friend Katy from Fresno was taking a road trip to Seattle and was about six hours ahead of me, so it was kind of fun to see where she was in relation to me (via FB status, of course). I stopped in Eugene to visit my friend Andy and to stretch my legs for about half an hour. I had my first run in with the "Oregon is full-service" gas stations, and made it my aunt Mike and Mary's house in time for a late-ish dinner.

Friday I hung out with my uncle (who very accurately compared himself to Shrek, he's a freaking giant), visited with my grandparents who I hadn't seen in years, saw my other aunt Mary Della who was going in for back surgery while I was racing, and went to (Mike's) Mary's vet hospital, where I was forced to play with a Corgi puppy, watch a Mastiff get X-rayed, and assist in a Poodle's ultrasound. Terrible stuff, I tell you!

Saturday morning I got all geared up and drove to the race venue. It was being held at a lake south-west of Portland, and my mapquest directions were two pages long, so I was nervous about getting there in time. For some reason Mapquest had me avoid all major roadways and take farm roads, which was pretty, but a little weird. All went smoothly and I ended up getting there way too early. Oh well!

Once the race people got check-in set up I picked up my packet and set up my transition, then sat around a bunch. I ran into one of my customers and his girlfriend who were racing, so at least I knew someone. They introduced me to a girl that moved from the Bay Area to Portland last year and had just done an Ironman, and we compared "I have literally only swam/biked/run XX times since the race" stories. She was nice.

The pre-race meeting was interesting. This was the first time an XTERRA had been put on in the Portland area, so the race organizers were definitely hoping they did things right. The website didn't say if wetsuits were allowed. The race director informed us that the water was warm enough that the pros were not allowed to wear suits, and age groupers were REQUIRED to wear suits, per USA Triathlon rules. People freaked out. Some baggy swim trunk-clad hillbilly guy started screaming at the race director. Someone eventually informed the race director that the actual USAT rule was that suits were optional, so Mr. Swim Trunks could relax.

When the race director described the bike course he said "at one point you will come to a sign saying 'Bridge is out' and an arrow pointing to a detour toward the left. You are going right. Mandatory dismount, cross the bridge, and scale the cliff on the other side."

Hmmmmm....that's different.

The swim: 1000 meters

Nothing terribly eventful here. The beach start was spread out enough that there wasn't much traffic, and things went pretty smoothly. I got out of the water feeling surprisingly good considering my lack of swim training lately. There was one weird spot getting out of the water where the regular dirt stopped and the beach started that required stepping up a 3 foot embankment. It was slippery when I got to it, and apparently as more people used it, it got so slick that people were falling on their faces and coming into transition covered in mud.

T1 took way too long.

The bike: supposed to be 25k

OMG, it was freaking gorgeous! We started out on the road, heading counter-clockwise around the lake, and dropped into some singletrack that took us back in a clockwise direction. I saw one girl in my age group go by me on the road section, and dropped into the singletrack behind another girl in my AG. I stayed on her wheel through the section. When we got spit back out on the road, I think she was a little freaked out as we had seen a guy that destroyed his front wheel, and the course was super twisty and rooty and technical (and awesome!)

We continued heading clockwise around the lake, riding short road sections and dropping into the trees. It was seriously the best singletrack I have ridden. There were bridge crossings, short steep climbs, mud, trees, meadows, and awesome descents. I stopped to check on one lady who had crashed and cut her knee open, and was afraid another guy was hurt, but turned out to be picking and eating blackberries mid-race. I picked off another girl in my AG, but knew the super fast girl was still up there. As far as I knew I was still on the podium!

Way at the end of the bike leg (which was at least two miles longer than it was supposed to be) we came to the bridge detour. What used to be a bridge with a railing (just like one I had earlier crashed into with my hip) was just two 2x6 planks covered with wire for traction over a stream. I shouldered my bike and walked across, only to be faced with a wall of dirt. About 15 feet above where I was standing was where we were supposed to continue on our way. I didn't see a way up...WTF? I let a guy who was behind me go in front and watched him shoulder his bike with one arm and pull himself up the wall using tiny foot holes and a rope that was hanging from a tree at the top. Holy crap! I hauled myself up, thanking my lack of self-control for having a light bike and laughing with the girl that was behind me. Shortly thereafter, we arrived in transition once again.

T2 was faster than the first one, but still slow.

The run: originally 4.35 miles, extended to 5.5 miles on race morning.

The run sucked for a couple of reasons. I didn't eat enough on the bike so I was pretty cooked by the time I got to the run. The course was two loops that started with singletrack, had a long section on the road, and hooked back onto the dirt that was made treacherous with lumps of grass and rocks and bees. I didn't get hurt or stung, but I had no energy and walked more than I would like to admit. I got passed by one girl in my AG that I know was behind me, and saw the speedy girl finishing her second lap as I was out on my first.

I crossed the line, changed, got in line for the free BBQ and waited for the awards. They must have had someone protest or something and I waited for an hour and a half to hear my AG results and never did. I packed back up and went to my uncle's house to shower and eat some more. We spent more time with my grandparents, and all went to bed early.

Sunday morning we went out to breakfast to celebrate my uncle's birthday, and I got back in the car and headed south. As usual, my post-race traffic tolerance level was lacking, and I subjected a few people to some whiney phone calls (sorry guys). When I was almost back to Pleasanton a Subaru pulled up next to me with a waving arm hanging out the window. It was Katy!!! Apparently her road trip included a stop in Pleasanton as well, but it was super random!

When the results were finally posted I found out that I got 4th in my AG out of 11 starters (10 finishers). Considering this was my new fast age group and my lack of training, I'm very happy with the result!

All in all it was an awesome trip that I will definitely try to do again next year!

New York Marathon 2009

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:28:07 GMT

I ran the 40th New York Marathon on November 1st 2009 and thought I would write up a race report. Simply put this has been the best marathon I have ever ran (this was my 6th). The organization was really good, the crowds were amazing and the route and views were quite impressive. The only negative I can say about this event is the time that you need to get up to get the start. If you are staying close to the finish area (Central Park - Manhattan) then you need to either get the bus to the start or take the subway to catch the Staton Island Ferry. The race started at 9.40 am and I got to the start area by 6am, so there was alot of waiting around. However the start area was well organized with food and drinks. There were also covered tents where most people were sleeping on the ground. Taking throw away sweats is a must for this event too as the temperature was pretty cold.

I fully recommend running this race, it was an amazing experience.

Paul Young

Gait Analysis

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:35:36 GMT

My cousin has a friend that owns a footwear store in Los Angeles called The Running Lab. I’ve never been there myself, but for avid runners, it’s more than just a shoe store. They have a “gait” analysis lab that is equipped with a treadmill, video cameras, and computer. Before selecting the proper running shoes for you, it’s not enough just to look at your shoes and see where the tread is worn at The Running Lab. They offer to record you running on the treadmill and study how you move. There was an article in the LA Times a couple years ago about the La Mirada High School track team who had all the members assessed there. It helped the coaches tailor their workouts and strength exercises to what they needed to focus on. Is there a footwear store like that here in the bay area?

Swimmers: Weight Training

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:10:40 GMT

All training for swimming doesn’t have to happen in the water. Weight training has always been viewed as a way to build strength, but it is also useful in improving abilities in other sports. I found a 35-60 minute weight training article for swimmers at http://swimming.about.com/od/drylandexercise/qt/weight_routine.htm.

It’s a very simple program that can be intensified the longer you do the training. The article also provides a link to a more specific weight lifting program for swimmers; this program is broken down into 3 phases. Read more about it at the web site.

Cycling Training

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:42:15 GMT

Not being a cyclist myself, I was interested in knowing what kind of training one had to do in order to be a serious and fit cyclist. I found an article on the web site at http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/cycling-training.html that talks about the different types of training you can do as a cyclist. It was interesting to see the many different options: strength training, power training, muscular endurance training, flexibility training, heart rate training, lactate threshold training, among others. The article had links to articles for each type of training that went into more detail. There's some great information in these articles.

Cyclists: Post Training Nutrition

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:23:49 GMT

There’s an interesting article that appears on http://www.training4cyclists.com/. It was a guest post from Shim Ravalia, studying for her master in sports rehab at the University of Kent. She says that it’s best to consume a recovery drink 30 to 45 minutes after exercise. She also says:

“Depending on the intensity of training, cyclists should be aware of the types of recovery drinks to consume. Some drinks contain too much sugar which can be distressful for the gut to absorb quickly.

Below are the some examples of the types of drinks:

Cyclists who perform low to moderate intensity training, they should
consume Carbohydrates and Proteins on a ratio of 2:1 (Carbs:PRO).
For example: approximately 450ml – 600ml of semi skimmed milk with 1 tablespoon of syrup or powder (any flavour). This should contain up to 25g of Protein; up to 48g of Carbohydrates and up to 1g of fat.
Cyclists who undergo moderate to high intensity training, they should consume Carbohydrates and Proteins on a 3:1 ratio (Carbs:PRO).
For example: 350ml to 600ml of chocolate milk which contains approximately up to14 g of Protein and 35g of Carbohydrates. You can also buy ‘ready to drink’ milk based drinks which contain more Carbohydrates for higher intensity training such as Goodness Shakes, Nestle’s Nesquik. (Soy milk can also be used instead).

Remember, the higher the intensity of your training, the more carbohydrates and proteins your body needs. Therefore, the amount and contents of your recovery drink should relate to this. There shouldn’t be an excuse not to recover properly.”

You can view the article in its entirety at the web site.

Concept Cyclery

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 20:06:56 GMT

Concept Cyclery, dedicated to sharing the wonderful experience of cycling with the community, is located in Morgan Hill, California. They have developed special programs that range in skill level from beginner to advanced. They also have programs designed specifically for the women in the sport. The shop is divided into “experience areas”, where each of the areas is designed to help clients make better informed decisions on the most appropriate bike for their desired experience. The trained staff makes special effort to address each client’s personalized needs. The products offered in the bike shop have been tried and tested by the staff, ensuring quality and value to the clients.

Not only does Concept Cyclery address all your biking needs, but they also have one of the newest coffee shops in town that offers the finest in coffees and tea, hand-made pastries, and the best tasting panini sandwiches.

Visit the web site at http://www.conceptcyclery.com/.

TBF Duathlon Race Report

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:29:22 GMT

I entered the TBF Racing Summer Duathlon at the last minute. The race consisted of a 3.1 mile run, 16 mile bike, 3.1 mile run. I felt like it was simply training. I took the day off before the event. When I checked in, I was surprised by 2 things, one how low the turnout was, two that they were running us against the Triathlon going on at the same time.

When the event started (2.00 early) I took off mid pack. I alway find runners slow down a bit. The fast guys I never catch on the run anyway. My first mile was 6:40, whew! Second and thrird were 7:10, and 7:40. It was a little hilly. I hit the mark at 20:30. Transition was not setup fair in my opinion. Clubs got the front rows. Enter and exit were on the same side, so I had to run more.

The bike was uneventful. I was able to pass a lot of people in the Tri and Du. My legs felt heavy though. I averaged 23.5 mph. I was about 6th overall.

The last 3.1 miles running were HOT. More 7 minute miles and I ended up in 4th place overall. Not bad. I still did not win my class though.

Welcome

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:38:10 GMT

Welcome to the new Tri Club Blog site. Please feel free to register and dialog with us.

We have added some categories for your blogs, but the coolest one is race reports, please give us your run down on your latest race. Beginners welcome!