tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65637323478232958332024-02-07T20:38:41.188-08:00I'M Tri-ingI'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.comBlogger111125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-23122854271222774962012-04-24T19:01:00.001-07:002012-04-24T19:01:42.850-07:00painting, life, and the last 16 weeks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
So when I haven't been training for Ironman Wisconsin, I've been painting, removing wallpaper, and painting some more. Anyway, here's a sample of my work. On top of that, I have to 2 spirited little girls who keep me on my toes.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMaqch7_ITdr9QqBWRJ0e5i6nUYWrbDMfC3Q59lQAZbja2UOUKzV6wtGzbm9E48FkNIC1KNDsJnWbV6mYY9zmhZK-f4_i8FSBcCRBZZeqpK8p3D-tzwF5gJwuZJOt2N7VwjnAp9QZ01nXY/s1600/IMG_1617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMaqch7_ITdr9QqBWRJ0e5i6nUYWrbDMfC3Q59lQAZbja2UOUKzV6wtGzbm9E48FkNIC1KNDsJnWbV6mYY9zmhZK-f4_i8FSBcCRBZZeqpK8p3D-tzwF5gJwuZJOt2N7VwjnAp9QZ01nXY/s320/IMG_1617.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before: old crappy furniture (but its still comfy)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqC1CvNQ2DZpgNGxpkgQigm2jrd-goguWY9yA162974-8KRR1XBDaLgxUqSp0cy_Ux53t30PH42A4Xypg0-v2MjUx9NClAHOpBBVL-b0-HSFu2lWnBFBqvVn7HAyz5Uchkmp7nmhATWqiX/s1600/IMG_1644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqC1CvNQ2DZpgNGxpkgQigm2jrd-goguWY9yA162974-8KRR1XBDaLgxUqSp0cy_Ux53t30PH42A4Xypg0-v2MjUx9NClAHOpBBVL-b0-HSFu2lWnBFBqvVn7HAyz5Uchkmp7nmhATWqiX/s320/IMG_1644.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After: new curtains</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkEaqGVT4B5D1uBuj1BKF70wbevk6KcPn9Mt9kvS0V9YdI1qhUSYrvah_ZUBazb0e_xVQE2JnTyFwtGbos1sUOBYFlORSJRjEVsOXiCRyh-YvoFlKOpsFOgjAN0qiU9S8F5Iye3J1cPIE/s1600/IMG_1646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkEaqGVT4B5D1uBuj1BKF70wbevk6KcPn9Mt9kvS0V9YdI1qhUSYrvah_ZUBazb0e_xVQE2JnTyFwtGbos1sUOBYFlORSJRjEVsOXiCRyh-YvoFlKOpsFOgjAN0qiU9S8F5Iye3J1cPIE/s320/IMG_1646.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sectional from downstairs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil-7pnAReAagPFpnGoPbOYRtE2EAjcgRrUxazXy2ByC9Y5GyO-EjcW35__gMX4ghhSOwWWtfMMRc7PyzdQG4SRb7AEyrke1S5slkrrJ6b_r5DvCtofROcAXeez1TbCfaYTkMvWSwtFVMIh/s1600/IMG_1647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil-7pnAReAagPFpnGoPbOYRtE2EAjcgRrUxazXy2ByC9Y5GyO-EjcW35__gMX4ghhSOwWWtfMMRc7PyzdQG4SRb7AEyrke1S5slkrrJ6b_r5DvCtofROcAXeez1TbCfaYTkMvWSwtFVMIh/s320/IMG_1647.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TV from downstairs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnpbzGX2d3o6vOjGFM4RR8TFgtZr82sCqxrh4xBvrZIP3QZF6uZm0Ped6mk6NsLlp2UVzAJBcP3Us9HStcCEi7NzUAAwRPlzG-TMFnzLG8oKBLVwbJRTFFrIXpF0AlzbP_-_cMoZj4zo2x/s1600/IMG_1645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnpbzGX2d3o6vOjGFM4RR8TFgtZr82sCqxrh4xBvrZIP3QZF6uZm0Ped6mk6NsLlp2UVzAJBcP3Us9HStcCEi7NzUAAwRPlzG-TMFnzLG8oKBLVwbJRTFFrIXpF0AlzbP_-_cMoZj4zo2x/s320/IMG_1645.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patio curtains</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On Saturday April 14th, I took my oldest daughter to the Daddy Daughter Dance. We had lots of fun. She got her nails done, face painted, punch and cookies, and of course dancing!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGl8fT0ssE6FOKKXuaUP0Ahs6eiaQN8wgeRdZ6oSs41WPEvK7S5rz-L_x6ICX43YxYAr7WM4ypWmPItL6Mi3e9GhhuHwvRxPc0CK1wpeXLTBVvrd8oRmVpLaqCpsAA65I5P6W0gxAe9jG/s1600/IMG_1641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGl8fT0ssE6FOKKXuaUP0Ahs6eiaQN8wgeRdZ6oSs41WPEvK7S5rz-L_x6ICX43YxYAr7WM4ypWmPItL6Mi3e9GhhuHwvRxPc0CK1wpeXLTBVvrd8oRmVpLaqCpsAA65I5P6W0gxAe9jG/s320/IMG_1641.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My oldest (5 1/2) and me before the Daddy Daughter Dance</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Yesterday was my youngest daughter's 2nd birthday, so we had ice cream and cupcakes. Not exactly Ironman training fuel, but I have to say it was well worth it.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrTsLppu874RvVZ4sd2ATOLrObKtAuXV4C6pUhU3RES4NKi3SZ-sSra2qE3Jdji48u31fW7WX-CrCSFJ01ik2iaUID9nK4ekXPuLWa9GUsdTAD5wmgaAKr0uJ5UjFUndN69TYinV3iBke/s1600/IMG_0126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrTsLppu874RvVZ4sd2ATOLrObKtAuXV4C6pUhU3RES4NKi3SZ-sSra2qE3Jdji48u31fW7WX-CrCSFJ01ik2iaUID9nK4ekXPuLWa9GUsdTAD5wmgaAKr0uJ5UjFUndN69TYinV3iBke/s320/IMG_0126.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">very serious about her piggy tails!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
On the training end of things, I've completed 16 weeks of Ironman training and here's the totals from each of the last 4 months;<br />
<br />
<u>Weeks 1-4:</u><br />
Swim: 7hrs 42min<br />
Bike: 13hrs 50min<br />
Run: 7:51<br />
Total: 29hrs 23min<br />
<br />
<u>Weeks 5-8:</u><br />
Swim: 8hrs 28min<br />
Bike: 16hrs 51min<br />
Run: 9hrs 55min<br />
Total: 35hrs 14min<br />
<br />
<u>Weeks 9-12:</u><br />
Swim: 9hrs 30min<br />
Bike: 19hrs<br />
Run: 12hrs 9min<br />
Total: 40hrs 39min<br />
<br />
<u>Weeks 13-16:</u><br />
Swim: 10hrs 43min<br />
Bike: 19hrs 15min<br />
Run: 9hrs 25min<br />
Total: 39hrs 23 min<br />
<br />
So far, so good, but now the "real" training begins as the last 20 weeks of training is where the rubber meets the road.<br />
<br />
Later<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-5839700520099985612012-03-18T19:31:00.000-07:002012-03-18T19:31:55.901-07:00What a difference a year makes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpxjmvoWNc1SiblzNfBDnis507NTmP6vx3jvpsTQ0Pra6IB4PA5wUTmzS9XrisrENkvbXdMBWmw-o0EZw1Vyr1GExliGo_x7pQEEtciyAnVVq2Ev0svcZBByfqJ-wLsf9xuxHlvwGg2jGV/s1600/4-14+snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpxjmvoWNc1SiblzNfBDnis507NTmP6vx3jvpsTQ0Pra6IB4PA5wUTmzS9XrisrENkvbXdMBWmw-o0EZw1Vyr1GExliGo_x7pQEEtciyAnVVq2Ev0svcZBByfqJ-wLsf9xuxHlvwGg2jGV/s320/4-14+snow.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">April 14, 2011</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4y4u8TwxVZQOmwHm8LJAwF4-TTYQDL9_seEyba23hr44a8u0yjPiw1tNSePrZGsqmaoVMr4nONV5wYiu-7RMcAJVA54b6X9TOCChnvOjxDuhfTXD5fheLpNU_pb8MTQbw1fm70mT3yNJN/s1600/downsized_0316021700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4y4u8TwxVZQOmwHm8LJAwF4-TTYQDL9_seEyba23hr44a8u0yjPiw1tNSePrZGsqmaoVMr4nONV5wYiu-7RMcAJVA54b6X9TOCChnvOjxDuhfTXD5fheLpNU_pb8MTQbw1fm70mT3yNJN/s320/downsized_0316021700.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">March 16, 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The weather here in MN has been crazy warm...just saying.<br />
<br />
Later,<br />
<br />
Jeff</div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-37414287441871225862012-02-18T12:03:00.000-08:002012-02-18T12:03:24.195-08:007 of 36 weeks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vsRwgQeLtRxKf4WLsrqtLSdBZYy06QC1jW-oD9RZ8OvWTBNYwm00uxwzt3F_ewdL6O8e-JzsQxn8n1EgXwoSdCebPdSepbX8G9au6vDk0GagoOlnvwjkI5glchb0HQStqEueNHSVDo7f/s1600/calander.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vsRwgQeLtRxKf4WLsrqtLSdBZYy06QC1jW-oD9RZ8OvWTBNYwm00uxwzt3F_ewdL6O8e-JzsQxn8n1EgXwoSdCebPdSepbX8G9au6vDk0GagoOlnvwjkI5glchb0HQStqEueNHSVDo7f/s320/calander.jpg" width="320px" yda="true" /></a></div>I've been making small adjustments to my Ironman training schedule over the last 6 weeks and I feel like that I have pretty good system...so far. <br />
I bought a magnetic dry erase calendar and after a few weeks of trial and error, I think I'll just write out my workouts one week at a time. The top line is my scheduled training times that I will try to acheive over the course of the week. My workouts are designated solely by time, for example, Tuesday 2/14 looked like this; <u></u><br />
<br />
<u>B: 1:05 min</u><br />
R: 40min<br />
<br />
It's pretty simple (just how I like it) really, but I think I need to keep as simple as possible otherwise I'll burn out mentally as well as physically. Now the line below the scheduled times are the "real" times that I trained. So below the scheduled training day of Tuesday 2/14 looks like this;<br />
<br />
<u>B: 1:05 min</u><br />
R: 42 min<br />
<br />
I'll try and stay as close to the scheduled time as possible and although my schedule doesn't note it, I do have specific workouts for each of the designated days. I keep those in my "trapper keeper". Some days have speedwork for the runs or drills for the swim and others have long easy rides on the bike. So I keep this handy and refer to it each morning (or the night before). I'm trying not to look to far ahead, but when I right out the scheduled times on the dry erase board, I make mental notes of the workouts; easy swims, TT on the bike, etc.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJq93N0UWD9XjCAeKCvp12KiSUUvhSfNZYT8F60t8UgHRn5dnY_eXvjAy-7JUyjLH2yE8-lIWswor8MHL_EJOnet6OtiUg7Jh7Zd62DRVPwE5hawjZHgx4F1gJjJfDKe7brnA16l98Q3j/s1600/Trapper+Keeper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJq93N0UWD9XjCAeKCvp12KiSUUvhSfNZYT8F60t8UgHRn5dnY_eXvjAy-7JUyjLH2yE8-lIWswor8MHL_EJOnet6OtiUg7Jh7Zd62DRVPwE5hawjZHgx4F1gJjJfDKe7brnA16l98Q3j/s320/Trapper+Keeper.jpg" width="320px" yda="true" /></a></div><br />
Every Sunday, after my Sunday scheduled workout, I get my "trapper keeper" and flip to the next weeks workouts. I study it over and adjust the workouts to my "life" schedule. The tricky part are the days I it has a long swim and a long bike scheduled on the same day during the week. Unfortunately, my "life" schedule doesn't allow for that currently, so I have to split those up between 2 mornings. <br />
I'm currently getting up at 4:30am (most days) and I either get to the YMCA by 5am for a swim or I'm riding the bike trainer in my basement. Then during my lunch hour, I can either run, stretch/core, ride the stationary bike, or just take it easy (which is a good thing once in a while).<br />
<br />
During the last 7 weeks, I've done as little as 7 1/2 hours a week and up to 10 hours a week. So far it's been manageable, but when the training time reaches the mid to high teens, that will change.<br />
<br />
As for the number of yards swimming, miles biking, and miles running, well, I document those on <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/people/Jesa_Harper#ref=tophd" target="_blank">dailymile.com</a>. If you don't have a website to document your workouts, check it out.<br />
<br />
Later<br />
<br />
</div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-84062000972194214992012-01-11T20:24:00.000-08:002012-01-11T20:24:56.559-08:008 years<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I wrote a post last year about the death of my Mom, you can read it <a href="http://stilltri-ing.blogspot.com/2011/01/mom.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Another year has gone by and I still can't believe she's gone. It's been 8 years now and I don't know if I will ever have a grip on it. Grief can be a powerful thing. It can hold you down or it can motivate and empower you. Sometimes it does both, either way it's my way of trying to fill the void in my heart that will never be filled.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I thought I would share a pic of my bike that has my own personal touch.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjYh6sSEeird1Nx38yFWfjXZIddSkaQHZm5bkgopHcLxuuKIpUAxITXzQPFpRFAiEAst_gzyTNNPvST8c2cZfJaC41x_SrPxkT5EjF5iZbIfUbkcmMxnAg7zYUkjrinXzH1fqXosLQDA7u/s1600/IMG_1627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjYh6sSEeird1Nx38yFWfjXZIddSkaQHZm5bkgopHcLxuuKIpUAxITXzQPFpRFAiEAst_gzyTNNPvST8c2cZfJaC41x_SrPxkT5EjF5iZbIfUbkcmMxnAg7zYUkjrinXzH1fqXosLQDA7u/s400/IMG_1627.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Later</div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-64688782861595427872012-01-07T12:08:00.000-08:002012-01-07T14:34:02.279-08:00Absentee Blogger<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I'd apologize for not blogging lately, but it wouldn't be genuine. Not to say that I haven't been reading a few blogs here and there, but the truth is, I've been busy. After signing up for Ironman and making a few needed reservations, the last few months have been a sort of trial run. First off I joined the YMCA and have been swimming 3x / week and the other days I've been hitting the bike trainer. So the alarm has been going off at 4:30am every morning and I've dragged my butt out of bed (most days) and getting in a workout. My usual lunchtime workouts have remained the same and I usually run, weights/core, or ride the bike trainer for 30-40 minutes. I have 2 bags ready to go at a moments notice (see pics below) and I think I'm pretty well adjusted to getting up early, so now that the "real" training is here, It won't be such a shock. The rest of my free time has been spent painting, removing wallpaper, repairing walls, painting some more, and did I mention painting. All these "honey-do" list items have been done at night. Oh, and did I mention that I work full time, have 2 young daughters, and a smoking hot wife to please. Follow that up with a 5 year olds birthday party, Thanksgiving, and Christmas (we put on 1300 miles of driving!), to say my time has been limited would be an understatement. Like I said above, I've been busy.<br />
<br />
Below are some pics of what I've done.<br />
<br />
This week was my (semi) official start to Ironman Wisconsin training. I have a 16 week "build up" program and then an intense 20 week training plan. I've been putting together a race schedule for this summer as well and I think I have it nailed down. Complete with a Team Evotri brick weekend <a href="http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1862997275" target="_blank">WIBA - Wisconsin Brick Adventure</a> .<br />
<br />
Here's the breakdown of this summers events;<br />
<br />
May 12: Oakdale "Spring Classic" Duathlon<br />
June 22-24: WIBA<br />
July 22: Chisago Lakes Half Iron<br />
August 19: Lake Marion Tri - Olympic<br />
<br />
September 9: Ironman Wisconsin!<br />
<br />
The first 3 pics are of the "set-up" I have for training and to simply stay organized. The shelves were installed to hold everyone's shoes and our backpacks that my wife and I take to work each day. Above that is a spot for towels, bins for gels, cliff bars, etc, another bin for sunscreen, earplugs, swimcaps, etc, and another for water bottles. Then another shelf for bike cleaning stuff, extra shoes, helmets, etc.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-ZJEgOkaunPmAehkb5A-64o2bLvgjy-HgOr8PwbAhXZXxD17wUMvylIWbjsc69y7h7GNBEk0CsUd2Gbn6TAmACifbP4FgmomcS4YlSUxXzZujbAufHLC2FLSwYtfhi6pKihEa4IkN3dH/s1600/IMG_1613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-ZJEgOkaunPmAehkb5A-64o2bLvgjy-HgOr8PwbAhXZXxD17wUMvylIWbjsc69y7h7GNBEk0CsUd2Gbn6TAmACifbP4FgmomcS4YlSUxXzZujbAufHLC2FLSwYtfhi6pKihEa4IkN3dH/s320/IMG_1613.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laundry Room: shoes, gym bags, water bottles, nutrition stuff, towels, etc.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The next pic is where we keep all of our workout, training, and race clothes. We empty our gym backpacks in the laundry basket above and after they are washed they go in the black storage cubes below. They gray duffle bag is my swim bag and has goggles, earplugs, fins, flip flops, padlock, ziplock bag to put in the recipe card w/ the swim workout I've written out, and usually an extra towel.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_hYgvdpYzPoiVqkUu3EPYiswv0-RUKd1o207Aa_YYJ65dQ6hxh9747w5nlO_IB-5DRlmK10SqYK_CeUV4t4B0C3-7uiZFbebCuXZJAsWcnvVZnybWmgM3HOSvTI7KSLl6qPAQdYaI5jXu/s1600/IMG_1614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_hYgvdpYzPoiVqkUu3EPYiswv0-RUKd1o207Aa_YYJ65dQ6hxh9747w5nlO_IB-5DRlmK10SqYK_CeUV4t4B0C3-7uiZFbebCuXZJAsWcnvVZnybWmgM3HOSvTI7KSLl6qPAQdYaI5jXu/s320/IMG_1614.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laundry Room: workout cloths, hats, swim duffle bag, hydration stuff. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Everything I need below for a good sweat fest. A stool for the remote, gu or banana, and water bottle, and a fan to keep cool. The bottom right of the pic shows one of the legs of the treadmill.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hV1yDOq29oErPninOh88RHIigcGpse6p3Bcf_Q2vsvYrqMAwqOIPpAhFaIbDth4dkJ4mGlvmuPz3nL6etq22TOKEQ49oDMGCafB6cp6tX2VZnwU57cf4-3_MKN_uk3jVBADfjnQ1Ou8K/s1600/IMG_1612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hV1yDOq29oErPninOh88RHIigcGpse6p3Bcf_Q2vsvYrqMAwqOIPpAhFaIbDth4dkJ4mGlvmuPz3nL6etq22TOKEQ49oDMGCafB6cp6tX2VZnwU57cf4-3_MKN_uk3jVBADfjnQ1Ou8K/s320/IMG_1612.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's where I spend every other morning.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Once I get into the thick of training, I'll hop off the bike, slide it over by the fan, and put the treadmill down for a run (at least until it gets nice enough to go outside). Then I can just escape out the patio door behind the blinds.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_52nd1T1jR4PnnTAF4zit_ldSyqlgmx7nfHygzOOHrNb_05xAkEVdac2y15XpmSIjIiicf3_exQ0v_vgREEvFtpFmXu6Hl0U0UTs2VGbJj3i0c1Rg8CibPaFphLf139DHAmFwY14odj6/s1600/IMG_1611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_52nd1T1jR4PnnTAF4zit_ldSyqlgmx7nfHygzOOHrNb_05xAkEVdac2y15XpmSIjIiicf3_exQ0v_vgREEvFtpFmXu6Hl0U0UTs2VGbJj3i0c1Rg8CibPaFphLf139DHAmFwY14odj6/s320/IMG_1611.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">painted wall #1. (The bike is just in front of the treadmill).</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGz1l-RjEmvoqKQyG3uLVBIbhUpBKWEhnHrQ_Wsgt62AuaETWBdTQYIm2UvNdXi8BVvkytwhtZGEm8N67uyngIfIEoe1RtzRX3SHoP9LqJYM-2YiKvAurWuoqSzsw85mzWsx_zYrSahYw/s1600/IMG_1615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGz1l-RjEmvoqKQyG3uLVBIbhUpBKWEhnHrQ_Wsgt62AuaETWBdTQYIm2UvNdXi8BVvkytwhtZGEm8N67uyngIfIEoe1RtzRX3SHoP9LqJYM-2YiKvAurWuoqSzsw85mzWsx_zYrSahYw/s320/IMG_1615.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">painted walls #2</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCETdAjBAACLiOuiAzX6Ek4J8T0nU_tLEfXLebVMxuSSoi1Y2td_864nSml-29fTjeFJzQu0hf95HLx4_pzyhnVw3m4y3nUPiHPt7A9CqOfLQWmDswcIr0eK6JX4hTrU9lScrrlcNuOR6B/s1600/IMG_1616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCETdAjBAACLiOuiAzX6Ek4J8T0nU_tLEfXLebVMxuSSoi1Y2td_864nSml-29fTjeFJzQu0hf95HLx4_pzyhnVw3m4y3nUPiHPt7A9CqOfLQWmDswcIr0eK6JX4hTrU9lScrrlcNuOR6B/s320/IMG_1616.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall continuing up the stairway. This wall was wallpapered previously. Removing wallpaper sucks!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMaqch7_ITdr9QqBWRJ0e5i6nUYWrbDMfC3Q59lQAZbja2UOUKzV6wtGzbm9E48FkNIC1KNDsJnWbV6mYY9zmhZK-f4_i8FSBcCRBZZeqpK8p3D-tzwF5gJwuZJOt2N7VwjnAp9QZ01nXY/s1600/IMG_1617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMaqch7_ITdr9QqBWRJ0e5i6nUYWrbDMfC3Q59lQAZbja2UOUKzV6wtGzbm9E48FkNIC1KNDsJnWbV6mYY9zmhZK-f4_i8FSBcCRBZZeqpK8p3D-tzwF5gJwuZJOt2N7VwjnAp9QZ01nXY/s320/IMG_1617.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall #3. Moving across the living room (we haven't decided on curtains yet)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45RBiGrwLl7FJI_gtQO5bahLg1iDoXnaUjvPmRDlBsk9VEssXDsVmwE4WahQ_j1Umu3aB8_prlpFkZjOUc2Vn3F9xcql7UFYGKiOLZ0rZU33jdAZL0Mr3Es8NQNwak8abYBUVEx9hmNjG/s1600/IMG_1600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45RBiGrwLl7FJI_gtQO5bahLg1iDoXnaUjvPmRDlBsk9VEssXDsVmwE4WahQ_j1Umu3aB8_prlpFkZjOUc2Vn3F9xcql7UFYGKiOLZ0rZU33jdAZL0Mr3Es8NQNwak8abYBUVEx9hmNjG/s320/IMG_1600.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall #4, this was wallpapered too. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLa8cXV-L_87TMbYTQnKIV9R9DrIuB_EEI9ieOCLjuCYJQrm2-TaLDRabq74nrTgBdJWXhr3v7R41oAIGXiOHht4uM5wMKZvVrAK7iAETVv3ynqoNaPt55gqds47AL-ecxraDC4k6__Tu/s1600/IMG_1598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLa8cXV-L_87TMbYTQnKIV9R9DrIuB_EEI9ieOCLjuCYJQrm2-TaLDRabq74nrTgBdJWXhr3v7R41oAIGXiOHht4uM5wMKZvVrAK7iAETVv3ynqoNaPt55gqds47AL-ecxraDC4k6__Tu/s320/IMG_1598.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall #5 bulkhead before (more of the striped wallpaper)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICuw0SEAZcVBMwnO1A0poN1hXu4c72mzfrRiq78nEbuawPbSfeDT9RZ-Xb1pMjUaY04TUD1dFokYvLW7TNlFEgGOUrOjHv3kyPSsBbB-GIIXuet-wnv5eIlczLyxaWmik6AdMxe0G4vDe/s1600/IMG_1605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICuw0SEAZcVBMwnO1A0poN1hXu4c72mzfrRiq78nEbuawPbSfeDT9RZ-Xb1pMjUaY04TUD1dFokYvLW7TNlFEgGOUrOjHv3kyPSsBbB-GIIXuet-wnv5eIlczLyxaWmik6AdMxe0G4vDe/s320/IMG_1605.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">after</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUDsXAAo5VupCnyln1_8qJSBhN5x9dmtMZS98-bG8rgN033sp6k594WGl2ukfa_PEK6LgtBEcTgaxqmCI1M1jX-4_ngE0Z8gSjQg7DVe_zKbxyhKlf27rTiFltkZqZbedrT7sxH-hvHL03/s1600/IMG_1607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUDsXAAo5VupCnyln1_8qJSBhN5x9dmtMZS98-bG8rgN033sp6k594WGl2ukfa_PEK6LgtBEcTgaxqmCI1M1jX-4_ngE0Z8gSjQg7DVe_zKbxyhKlf27rTiFltkZqZbedrT7sxH-hvHL03/s320/IMG_1607.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall #6, Kitchen island</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZAWNL3JuRsWzIcBpxwZYwtqEorSRCdhgm7hn0Po1USpd6wvoi87YffjtxLFKy6lwSwWCSV6hEk_8ZYZfFyLadIkfpc4chWG_TGWsUYnTNo1M1UR-Xcr4FbY12vY6AdrHjwAAG5Uy4e-nQ/s1600/IMG_1606.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZAWNL3JuRsWzIcBpxwZYwtqEorSRCdhgm7hn0Po1USpd6wvoi87YffjtxLFKy6lwSwWCSV6hEk_8ZYZfFyLadIkfpc4chWG_TGWsUYnTNo1M1UR-Xcr4FbY12vY6AdrHjwAAG5Uy4e-nQ/s320/IMG_1606.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rest of the kitchen</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Now all I have to do is put up the tile backsplash, paint the hallway, removing more wallpaper in the living room and paint it, and finish the bathroom...thats all.<br />
<br />
Later</div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-35087663028425495612011-11-29T20:21:00.000-08:002011-11-29T20:21:48.975-08:00Hard Work<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Anything worth doing right is worth all the hard work that it takes to do it...<br />
<br />
I sure like being a father.</div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-73748174706540005722011-11-03T12:38:00.000-07:002011-11-03T12:56:55.632-07:00Ironman Florida and Halloween pic!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I stole some quotes below from Sonya Wieck's blog after reading her Ironman World Championship race <a href="http://gosonja.com/">thoughts</a> . Some are quotes from her, some from her coach, and some from a few others. I'm sure the following quotes could apply to any Ironman distance race and they all struck a cord with me, so I thought I would share a few as Ironman Florida is this weekend. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: blue;">"After all, the Ironman will ask you questions out there in the middle of the Queen K, and you better have the answers to them."</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: blue;">"The main thing to remember is that it’s a long day at Kona, and that the swim has to be fairly enjoyable and relaxing. The bike not so much. The run not at all."</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: blue;">"Push is supposed to come to shove."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: blue;">"If being uncomfortable is inevitable and the only way out is forward…through the misery…then we must embrace it."</span><br />
<br />
* The last quote wasn't on her blog, but I thought it was appropriate and it's one of my favorites.<br />
<span style="background-color: blue;">"When going through hell...keep going."</span><br />
<br />
<strong>GOOD LUCK <span style="background-color: white;">TO EVERYONE RACING IRONMAN FLORIDA THIS WEEKEND! </span></strong><br />
<br />
I also had to share a pic of my 2 princess's from Halloween.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl50mbbmaGLgspwBv2FLbxlnfzt_KgU9gs69scLScIW_GmvBE-Gb2pGPsEWXxVOxPeIPT_4QjWCSPdQZ3X7hD9ZhIQRpopCTKsDz4E4fmQ3dSPN6l42cW0pFD8xMuGH3JS58-QtlTbsOfl/s1600/Halloween+Princess%2527s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl50mbbmaGLgspwBv2FLbxlnfzt_KgU9gs69scLScIW_GmvBE-Gb2pGPsEWXxVOxPeIPT_4QjWCSPdQZ3X7hD9ZhIQRpopCTKsDz4E4fmQ3dSPN6l42cW0pFD8xMuGH3JS58-QtlTbsOfl/s320/Halloween+Princess%2527s.jpg" width="240px" /></a></div> Later <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: blue;"></span></div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-60520283573245937962011-10-21T14:11:00.000-07:002011-10-21T14:11:49.411-07:00Things I will never own...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">1. Boat - I don't fish. I would consider a pontoon however, but it's far down the list of wants. <br />
2. Snowmobile - I tried it, didn't like it. Besides, it's cold out.<br />
3. Motorcycle - No thanks. I did own a moped once though.<br />
<br />
4. Sportscar - I haven't hit my mid-life crisis yet. <br />
5. Hand gun - Unless I time travel to the old west, I don't think it's necessary. <br />
<br />
6. ATV - I have no where to ride one and no need to own one. <br />
<br />
7. Golf cart - Mark Twain said "golf is a good walk wasted", but I like golf, so I may as well walk. <br />
<br />
8. Plane - Cost alone is a no brainer, but I'm not a big flyer. <br />
<br />
9. Fish house - Sitting on a frozen lake staring at a hole in the ice is not appealing. See #2 too. <br />
<br />
10. Tractor - No plans on farming in the immediate future, but I will drive one if needed. <br />
<br />
* I reserve the right to change my mind on any of the above items without reason or rational explanation as I'm sure there was a day in my life I said I would never wear running tights or bike shorts in public. <br />
<br />
* I think I may have eliminated any sort of inheritance from my Father-in-law and/or Stepfather with the above list. <br />
<br />
I am however the proud new owner of the bike pictured below. I bought it a few weeks ago and posted a pic on DailyMile. I stated on DailyMile that I have yet to name my bike, but would do so soon. Fellow blogger and all around awesome dude <a href="http://awholelottabs.blogspot.com/">Bryan</a> said that I'd get to know my bike very well over the next year due to the massive amount of training needed for Ironman. With that said, I thought I better name my bike based on two maing criteria; <br />
1. Female - I couldn't see myself describing bike rides on my blog by saying "I took Steve out for a long hard ride today" or "I did intervals on James this morning and boy was it hard!". <br />
2. Familiar - In the off chance a family member stumbles across this blog, I needed it to be a name others already knew. <br />
The name I chose met both criteria and honors a special woman in my life...my wife, Sarah. But in order to eliminate any confusion, I named her Sara (no "h"). <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKedcBZEOKEMQKBJa569XtjfVmxTR5obcQsleNOTC3meTIpK-BQSsBHXndjtMGgCuouDgYvG5WUP68cghp_fQBqhn6qUGn_02VcL2nn1-Of6byBAWrFLr4DKtyPvazCOH_Xio92PSYZAJ/s1600/QR+Lucero+%25232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210px" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKedcBZEOKEMQKBJa569XtjfVmxTR5obcQsleNOTC3meTIpK-BQSsBHXndjtMGgCuouDgYvG5WUP68cghp_fQBqhn6qUGn_02VcL2nn1-Of6byBAWrFLr4DKtyPvazCOH_Xio92PSYZAJ/s320/QR+Lucero+%25232.jpg" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sara! She's fast and sexy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> </div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-72122555256627092332011-10-15T21:19:00.000-07:002011-10-15T21:19:12.375-07:00Gettin' my Farm on!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">For the last few years the family and I have gone back to East Dakota to the Grandparents house during harvest time. I've slowly been let into the process of harvest, first learning how to help dry the corn and put it into the bins. The next year, I helped by "chopping stalks" in some of the corn fields. This year, I was allowed to drive the grain cart. Now this is quite a step up and I must say I really felt like I was doing some real farming. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvFkEaDmuyyZ8HtrUsG9yEBv_jktbKftj1gXX7ISRe1B4M3dq-vjyCybmZDjJcvhXpxtpO-ng7VuCAxVkw8h_-KjnsstYhvHnbDBf9mVwNiVzyMyTaFLmH_GqYrfoZlOHozgSAFortOTW/s1600/1015011437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvFkEaDmuyyZ8HtrUsG9yEBv_jktbKftj1gXX7ISRe1B4M3dq-vjyCybmZDjJcvhXpxtpO-ng7VuCAxVkw8h_-KjnsstYhvHnbDBf9mVwNiVzyMyTaFLmH_GqYrfoZlOHozgSAFortOTW/s320/1015011437.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moving my way up the tractor ladder</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I followed the combine and when I got the "sign", I pulled up along side and the combine and it would empty its corn into the cart I was pulling. I would do this 2 times then I would empty my cart into the semi trailer. When the semi was full, it would take the load back to the farm to be emptied (via the auger) into the holding bin, wait for its turn in the dryer, and then into the bins.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWf31ToX2kTjBoO5xOUgsioUY0XKtz18ecLTAI6m_7s08oDER14l4TCJ-Ci_ggVjMmWXcYXgYj-0D1lPzvfhjxe8bHgd_akhq0yCrOAr18vq_Hkbd5HyqfC6OA_QZ5kLQ_iceFbwI19ABk/s1600/1015011525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWf31ToX2kTjBoO5xOUgsioUY0XKtz18ecLTAI6m_7s08oDER14l4TCJ-Ci_ggVjMmWXcYXgYj-0D1lPzvfhjxe8bHgd_akhq0yCrOAr18vq_Hkbd5HyqfC6OA_QZ5kLQ_iceFbwI19ABk/s320/1015011525.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">$200K and only driven 4 weeks a year...sweet.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>That's it. Farming is easy as hell and the equipment is cool to drive.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow we go back to the Twin Cities, much to the delight of my Father in Law I'm sure.<br />
<br />
Later</div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-91566720544804929852011-09-21T20:18:00.000-07:002011-09-21T20:18:58.421-07:00Ironman - I WILL do this!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bh1yMnrby3w?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
I always watch Ironman video's on Youtube and this one is one of my favorites. I run through every emotion while watching this 2 minute video. Only watching video's of my children and my wedding do I feel so much emotion. I'll need to contain this emotion over the next 50 weeks if I want to cross the finish line on 9/9/2012. <br />
<br />
Later</div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-83922652033769021502011-09-20T20:17:00.000-07:002011-09-20T20:30:45.754-07:00Square Lake Long Course Race report...and big news?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I'm going to make it short...sort of. My apprehension about swimming 1.2 miles was well documented in the last few posts. As it turns out, it wasn't as bad as I thought. The weather at the start of the race was warm, but not windy which was good from a swim stand point. This is a small race and there was only about 200 entries so it wasn't crowded, which was also good.<br />
This was a 2 loop swim course and each loop of .6 mile was approximately 20 minutes, which is good for me and better than I had anticipated considering this was my fourth swim since February.<br />
<br />
The transition was slow (but deliberate) and after going up the 68 steps from the beach to transition, I took of my wetsuit, dried off my feet, put on my socks, slipped into my bike shoes, and jumped onto my trusty steed. Without having ridden this distance (54miles) before, I took it slow and steady. I also realized it was getting hot and that if I wanted to finish in good shape, I better take it slow. I chugged up the hills, pushed little on the downhills, and tried to maintain a steady pace on the flats. Problem is that the course has false flats that tend to make a person work harder than I anticipated. I didn't let it bother me though, I was having a good time.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73_ajoWf4M7lfIOQ8XnHPXjq1txnh6jap6HO37eVod7EIMoSKDAHkrE8C8a4qb7X-HnkpuPGCHkTXEAnJrrrVjiWXEAvKMcUTsjefitITDVDLh45vfzshCM_zy0G4bjXAJYwrluyzS6e1/s1600/IMG_1154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73_ajoWf4M7lfIOQ8XnHPXjq1txnh6jap6HO37eVod7EIMoSKDAHkrE8C8a4qb7X-HnkpuPGCHkTXEAnJrrrVjiWXEAvKMcUTsjefitITDVDLh45vfzshCM_zy0G4bjXAJYwrluyzS6e1/s320/IMG_1154.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drama showing her America pride!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ysn7R5vg5R5lk1i0nhbyUWsGERBhrj8CCXHyT7WGoXZwvTGeMKLNI63q1ZVb_7_2m0lP58qczaNcwobryUmf1j5H77IeK4TOO6DjWw8KiyzT3jvMgzrzgSMdeDUCngyYqRHtk5u-wOG6/s1600/IMG_1157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ysn7R5vg5R5lk1i0nhbyUWsGERBhrj8CCXHyT7WGoXZwvTGeMKLNI63q1ZVb_7_2m0lP58qczaNcwobryUmf1j5H77IeK4TOO6DjWw8KiyzT3jvMgzrzgSMdeDUCngyYqRHtk5u-wOG6/s320/IMG_1157.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Half way point, mile 27. Bottle exchange too.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I finished up the second loop about 5 minutes slower than the first, but I stopped at mile 40 to take a pee in the bushes. I passed 3 people and got passed by 2 people on the second loop, but I was feeling decent. I knew that it was getting really hot out and I felt that I was doing well nutritionally. I had two 20 oz bottles of Gatorade on the first loop along with 2 Gu's. The second loop bottle exchange had Heed and water. I took a bottle of each and had 2 more Gu's on the second loop and finished both bottles.<br />
I pulled into T2, grabbed my shoes, grabbed my handheld water bottle and took off.<br />
<br />
The run started OK and I tried to keep it slow. I ran the first 3 miles at about a 9-10min/mile pace and then I was really starting to feel the heat. I had passed a handful of runners, but soon realized that this wasn't sustainable. At one of the aid stations they were talking about a few runners to needed medical attention due to the heat and one was even taken by ambulance. It was at this point I decided to take it easy and just focus on finishing. I did a run/walk combo and talked with runners that I caught up to or that caught up to me. I met several nice people, but one lady who I ran/walked with was like myself (married, 2 children, etc) and she is doing IMAZ in November and this was sort of a training run. It was at that point I had made up my mind about something that was on my mind for quite some time, but I'll get to that in moment.<br />
I finished up running (jogging) the last couple miles with my new friend (Dana). I wished her luck in November and let her hit the finish line alone (in case she wanted to get a finishers pic). I saw my wife and youngest daughter shortly before the finish, so I picked up my daughter and headed for the finish line for the best finish pic ever!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9OisP8FXSCexZkOxXDPVhFpC4iDEiZx-c7dpRN8xJfYkilaSq_SpGSjr8NeDjnTJBQArz_oFJO_YXV15AU-pxYJGpkfP67PKlbn3dr3VPMF22MQ4YbekqEhGMAtF7sxMBD9y3308d9S4m/s1600/IMG_1165.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9OisP8FXSCexZkOxXDPVhFpC4iDEiZx-c7dpRN8xJfYkilaSq_SpGSjr8NeDjnTJBQArz_oFJO_YXV15AU-pxYJGpkfP67PKlbn3dr3VPMF22MQ4YbekqEhGMAtF7sxMBD9y3308d9S4m/s320/IMG_1165.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYMXmRdmVEDjdQ-dKN_PAxaQY4t1F5lMYrFaNCs0P9Z-y9jUCBl1Ixu0tRV6CJBcbvGFkOWS5TofMC14R-TPGcwPe7k6lfPcg3CPKN9HnKrCtZzoGay9xpSSHjVrPMgHVuTEAfLcbMVSv/s1600/IMG_1167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYMXmRdmVEDjdQ-dKN_PAxaQY4t1F5lMYrFaNCs0P9Z-y9jUCBl1Ixu0tRV6CJBcbvGFkOWS5TofMC14R-TPGcwPe7k6lfPcg3CPKN9HnKrCtZzoGay9xpSSHjVrPMgHVuTEAfLcbMVSv/s320/IMG_1167.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You think I'll have a tan line all winter?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Now that the half iron was done, I had a decision to make. Ironman? IM Wisconsin was on the same day as this race and I knew that general entry opened the next day at 12pm. I had already planned on taking off half the day on 9/12, so the question lingered in my head all night.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyyS6hCOIy_2VF2mEC51T9cUDaviGgrVHr4aKQZ_P-C859BmEhL4r6Nugz1oJw1VAAke97cNfVF-EWTzJPIfwrw7m2wW4Xzxt0IyRj3M1hom6LCNxfUI6p0lV97ybFsVvBgF6fKapqW3JQ/s1600/IMW-LOGO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyyS6hCOIy_2VF2mEC51T9cUDaviGgrVHr4aKQZ_P-C859BmEhL4r6Nugz1oJw1VAAke97cNfVF-EWTzJPIfwrw7m2wW4Xzxt0IyRj3M1hom6LCNxfUI6p0lV97ybFsVvBgF6fKapqW3JQ/s1600/IMW-LOGO.jpg" /></a></div><br />
So I soon realized that only hotel rooms fill up faster than Ironman general entry, so I booked 3 rooms by 9am that are near the finish. I then waited 3 more hours to sign up for the race and after filling out page after page of questions and securing my children's future in Community College, I got in! <br />
<br />
On 9/9/12 I will line up with 2500+ other triathletes to find out if we have what it takes to endure 140.6 miles of swimming, biking, and running. It's only 50 weeks away and I'm already nervous. Time to put up or shut up.<br />
<br />
Later<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-55987215243427119112011-09-10T11:22:00.000-07:002011-09-10T16:45:22.924-07:00Square Lake Half Iron...well 68.4 actually<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div closure_uid_tc367z="116"><div closure_uid_slkr8="100">I'm actually getting sort of nervous about this race, more to the point, the swim. I just didn't <u>make</u> the time needed to feel confident about the swim and that bothers me. I waited to long to try and make time to swim. </div><div closure_uid_slkr8="100">I'm not going to dwell on it, I'll just do the best I can and see what happens. Outside of that, I'm excited about the rest of the race and I'm anxious to see how I do biking 54 miles and then running a half marathon.<br />
So if nerves weren't enough, this morning I get up to do a little ride on the bike trainer and notice that my rear wheel is flat. Great! Now I should tell you that last weekend I replaced the front tire, got a new tube to bring to tomorrows race, and some bike cleaning supplies. I shined her up real nice and felt good about my tire changing skills. So when I had the flat this morning I thought, "a least I got a tube already" and since I just changed the front, this should be a piece of cake. So I got started and got it changed. I set it up back on the trainer and noticed a "thumping". I did an inspection and realized the tube was pinched on the bead of the tire. So I took it off (again) and now the tube had a small hole in it. So now I'm in a wonderful mood and look sort of like the pics below.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTUcN3ShZiYtU3crIJEZoKizah8PU_TpkBuHcUkRsrdiVlzjTc-gLxnsqBV4ixvk3sj-fucFxhdSaoXrNHls7-XMOhZ3EXLzeEKMvYXgUMAyHtDG3fAOoqHZyu265DLYr9Nskboo9U8DI/s1600/IMG_0931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTUcN3ShZiYtU3crIJEZoKizah8PU_TpkBuHcUkRsrdiVlzjTc-gLxnsqBV4ixvk3sj-fucFxhdSaoXrNHls7-XMOhZ3EXLzeEKMvYXgUMAyHtDG3fAOoqHZyu265DLYr9Nskboo9U8DI/s320/IMG_0931.jpg" width="240px" xaa="true" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIidnmZ-u9mDwKKj7qFQOxwEf4BvvGyKpHf26M26tJnMDS6wm99AzKdlOyMbZewCjPhMHpmIx8_uQ1-TgqL9In-CseoMv9KG5W6JNtvwnOrWCEsVaHkX4nJ6WDCNYUg4RGGRYkhfHhJdQD/s1600/Gollem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIidnmZ-u9mDwKKj7qFQOxwEf4BvvGyKpHf26M26tJnMDS6wm99AzKdlOyMbZewCjPhMHpmIx8_uQ1-TgqL9In-CseoMv9KG5W6JNtvwnOrWCEsVaHkX4nJ6WDCNYUg4RGGRYkhfHhJdQD/s320/Gollem.jpg" width="284px" xaa="true" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I theeeen tried to patch the tube and after doing so I put it back on the trainer. Shortly after, it went flat again. I said "fuck it" and dropped it off at bike shop and got a new tire and tube installed by professionals. Lets just hope I don't get a flat on the bike tomorrow, otherwise my day is done. </div><div><br />
</div><br />
I haven't been updating my blog lately and to be perfectly honest, it wasn't something I thought much about. I've logged my mileage and bike time (and the occasional swim) on <a href="http://Dailymile.com/">Dailymile.com</a> and have been communicating with people in that format instead of the blog. It's quicker and something I can do at work after my lunch hour. My free time in the evenings has been limited lately with our oldest starting preschool and on Monday our youngest will be changing daycare providers. Our other daycare lady retired last Friday, so we've had heavy hearts lately. <br />
<br />
So if you want to see what I'm up to more often, check out Dailymile.com.<br />
<br />
My next post may have some big news, but I'll just leave it at that.<br />
<br />
Later</div><div closure_uid_slkr8="100"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_slkr8="100"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_slkr8="100"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_slkr8="100" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_slkr8="100" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div closure_uid_slkr8="100" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div></div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-13116422785414290862011-08-26T19:20:00.000-07:002011-08-26T19:20:43.070-07:00Ragnar Race Report<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" closure_uid_s3q4jl="157" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" closure_uid_s3q4jl="238" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1l9ysMGiSuszNL_62aJYaEwvZRHVS9tooyskRIbwJGch1LpxA4gcPO7-XsgxG4InbnUWWWxP75cVa59akavi00z__d7P9-jmQvaijDofbxGAjD2wAhHxriKa2L8O8sHtqcRJ76HSkzAN/s1600/Ragnar+Logo+%25232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1l9ysMGiSuszNL_62aJYaEwvZRHVS9tooyskRIbwJGch1LpxA4gcPO7-XsgxG4InbnUWWWxP75cVa59akavi00z__d7P9-jmQvaijDofbxGAjD2wAhHxriKa2L8O8sHtqcRJ76HSkzAN/s320/Ragnar+Logo+%25232.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div closure_uid_s3q4jl="118"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_s3q4jl="118"><div closure_uid_4o6jsj="120">I have to admit that I wasn't terribly excited about participating in the Ragnar Relay, but now that it's over, I'm glad I did. It was truely unique experience. I also got to run the relay with my wife, so it was nice to spend some time without the kids, even if its with 4 other adults we hardly knew and we all stink. <br />
<br />
I won't get to detailed, but I'll say that my wife and I were in Van #1 and she was runner #3 and I was runner #5. We quickly learned that this was going to be hilly and harder than either of us expected, but our fellow vanmates were great and kept the spirits high. Overall, the three legs went like this; Leg #1 - hot and hilly, Leg#2 - dark and hilly, Leg#3 - tired and hilly. Would I do it again? You bet!<br />
<br />
Here's some pics from our 28 hours of running...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-bZoIwabflklCSaH-djR3vhbo1bZd95uAK9dAWmYbi5U2XfnQVtH8XLXryA6KfgzvUc_hqV3shyphenhyphen7mPIfQ0qhKkSJL-3Wu2_ADJVQKgqysu0TcwWXa92XB20Z8QCX5FFKQeQBML1ZjmeH/s1600/IMG_0872.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-bZoIwabflklCSaH-djR3vhbo1bZd95uAK9dAWmYbi5U2XfnQVtH8XLXryA6KfgzvUc_hqV3shyphenhyphen7mPIfQ0qhKkSJL-3Wu2_ADJVQKgqysu0TcwWXa92XB20Z8QCX5FFKQeQBML1ZjmeH/s320/IMG_0872.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winona MN</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGvzf3ygj9dt13A8o8pq-wYd-WagtZ-T3JqMBncysnRUn3L_udEa3e8PJog81f42WOHl6kSM_oaVuk9h-uoZSshYEbUxDfsNDVDUZc0MsJuHUKwkhphCUMONsFEKY1tycCIeUVwIdtucr/s1600/IMG_0897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGvzf3ygj9dt13A8o8pq-wYd-WagtZ-T3JqMBncysnRUn3L_udEa3e8PJog81f42WOHl6kSM_oaVuk9h-uoZSshYEbUxDfsNDVDUZc0MsJuHUKwkhphCUMONsFEKY1tycCIeUVwIdtucr/s320/IMG_0897.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leg #1</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRWUQD7jN9_QOLkKO8xgpjX3nbMoXB5CD3mMjZ3Wn-bjcVDfxAX25qqak6R8DSnFFR8BbniOq5AZsh44ENQoKDNdfj3C-JA0SjbnqwSHdFsdMFJLXi_6taGwAtfjlqHl4js09fPzaDfIS/s1600/IMG_0898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRWUQD7jN9_QOLkKO8xgpjX3nbMoXB5CD3mMjZ3Wn-bjcVDfxAX25qqak6R8DSnFFR8BbniOq5AZsh44ENQoKDNdfj3C-JA0SjbnqwSHdFsdMFJLXi_6taGwAtfjlqHl4js09fPzaDfIS/s320/IMG_0898.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy to be done with the first run!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSfVj22oA2lIgZkGuHHX6iS8jtGCc9Fi_FKBtDsD6-clOOnB0k8tJPzAIks19WgT3JUqjoGkruuroKgfO0wuoz1EVMjXE6Htv9cTgfxp4ANX3Vgsv9BMT9tYEjKRmXF3225AE7eNJQsctr/s1600/IMG_0918.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSfVj22oA2lIgZkGuHHX6iS8jtGCc9Fi_FKBtDsD6-clOOnB0k8tJPzAIks19WgT3JUqjoGkruuroKgfO0wuoz1EVMjXE6Htv9cTgfxp4ANX3Vgsv9BMT9tYEjKRmXF3225AE7eNJQsctr/s320/IMG_0918.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leg#1</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckYRiIIGx4JknQIJxrSilEoTOg3ZfOnc2Q6Ha8-LLg-e2b-_SP8RApysDeMyEhcVzbTTnI4vFfVM7c1OQa_D1WzUNRztD-A5RF68OqQWImMmki3T0R5tkXqtvXut9BJtFB71JG-XnkGnI/s1600/IMG_0922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckYRiIIGx4JknQIJxrSilEoTOg3ZfOnc2Q6Ha8-LLg-e2b-_SP8RApysDeMyEhcVzbTTnI4vFfVM7c1OQa_D1WzUNRztD-A5RF68OqQWImMmki3T0R5tkXqtvXut9BJtFB71JG-XnkGnI/s320/IMG_0922.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting a drink from Ernie and Bert. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTUcN3ShZiYtU3crIJEZoKizah8PU_TpkBuHcUkRsrdiVlzjTc-gLxnsqBV4ixvk3sj-fucFxhdSaoXrNHls7-XMOhZ3EXLzeEKMvYXgUMAyHtDG3fAOoqHZyu265DLYr9Nskboo9U8DI/s1600/IMG_0931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTUcN3ShZiYtU3crIJEZoKizah8PU_TpkBuHcUkRsrdiVlzjTc-gLxnsqBV4ixvk3sj-fucFxhdSaoXrNHls7-XMOhZ3EXLzeEKMvYXgUMAyHtDG3fAOoqHZyu265DLYr9Nskboo9U8DI/s320/IMG_0931.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's how I felt about Leg#1.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRNGkLdmtA2WnRoddH5-IOkHaNHOmCPUaiX3TwgEUKw0TqB3TcYTHHEvaSWeDlwzlDqYf5WD6h6vwaVglHLh-5T8_6Zql4DHygT3hKZducgQgIkvQycImUqgFIyDBjMZe7FO71qIEylPn/s1600/IMG_0952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRNGkLdmtA2WnRoddH5-IOkHaNHOmCPUaiX3TwgEUKw0TqB3TcYTHHEvaSWeDlwzlDqYf5WD6h6vwaVglHLh-5T8_6Zql4DHygT3hKZducgQgIkvQycImUqgFIyDBjMZe7FO71qIEylPn/s320/IMG_0952.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Pepin at the first Van exchange.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGqWAToIPEm7bJCIvwNgthWWrUXDI_ZK3K_3B2PmXb9cj0YW2Ghx2UKZ6xfaWumg8xYF8F309LMWaLjexqG3eQgfqUWDbMGfWHHnRIFDtpRa_vhDaoDDxR7juhnsFEaSv_Q0_-O7R7GBU7/s1600/IMG_0951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGqWAToIPEm7bJCIvwNgthWWrUXDI_ZK3K_3B2PmXb9cj0YW2Ghx2UKZ6xfaWumg8xYF8F309LMWaLjexqG3eQgfqUWDbMGfWHHnRIFDtpRa_vhDaoDDxR7juhnsFEaSv_Q0_-O7R7GBU7/s320/IMG_0951.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A quick spin</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKKOy0kJIFffk_NfgRI-tz8Lw80zMHC_S_3Cy2Bl8jMXqEnVmfebdOhuKOp4zUpAMGrA6nTnP7eIBzClirlrNAmi4BqJMDnFkVzPt8EvhQUgtqeBlNdXjAr7Ipc_qiEjJ_I61Ms1TUtpq/s1600/IMG_0958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKKOy0kJIFffk_NfgRI-tz8Lw80zMHC_S_3Cy2Bl8jMXqEnVmfebdOhuKOp4zUpAMGrA6nTnP7eIBzClirlrNAmi4BqJMDnFkVzPt8EvhQUgtqeBlNdXjAr7Ipc_qiEjJ_I61Ms1TUtpq/s320/IMG_0958.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">During the first Ragnar Great River, this bar handed out free beers to the runners, but there was only 30 teams that year. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3IN9Gz33dycFS6ZYaMHrrJ6_eYTKd8hRgze6c9uAiugNTK3h0_CoAtul5v7t41PEMpGKrkaQzjm_LwTEaFdHRBotpMBjVBhhD4kfdleyT-u7fpxmXMu0cTdzOTB_zGa4ORWBydCW0b6du/s1600/IMG_0971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3IN9Gz33dycFS6ZYaMHrrJ6_eYTKd8hRgze6c9uAiugNTK3h0_CoAtul5v7t41PEMpGKrkaQzjm_LwTEaFdHRBotpMBjVBhhD4kfdleyT-u7fpxmXMu0cTdzOTB_zGa4ORWBydCW0b6du/s320/IMG_0971.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My wife finishing Leg #3.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9MZ_G-sDb04G9Dzls4nHbHH5RChfcD-s8dlstSRepioVSOyI_XlL14YGzQ5ZnMS2VwlQ-qF9AYvs2Xcb0euklPcGlKShjJ0Qhj6l_fK8fFZXaX37SJo-PHxhxaobhPWwYAm1lC4zsE3S/s1600/IMG_0975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9MZ_G-sDb04G9Dzls4nHbHH5RChfcD-s8dlstSRepioVSOyI_XlL14YGzQ5ZnMS2VwlQ-qF9AYvs2Xcb0euklPcGlKShjJ0Qhj6l_fK8fFZXaX37SJo-PHxhxaobhPWwYAm1lC4zsE3S/s320/IMG_0975.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beginning of my third leg. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8sg0uYbb74X1oE86Mi2daLCHj3hPcOcEjBixA99rIMsqt-fvGaeYieizgd-ui8Kgp9TDjEsjxH2fTiIS1AjwB91v-S67ggjVlcYbPBnDsh2jLMy_pbc4RzOy_8s0PTea6HIrvbp7Y_Mnv/s1600/IMG_0978.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8sg0uYbb74X1oE86Mi2daLCHj3hPcOcEjBixA99rIMsqt-fvGaeYieizgd-ui8Kgp9TDjEsjxH2fTiIS1AjwB91v-S67ggjVlcYbPBnDsh2jLMy_pbc4RzOy_8s0PTea6HIrvbp7Y_Mnv/s320/IMG_0978.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leg #3 got more and more hilly and I was tired. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh36QgS77-gr1_LhkeQz1RXH21s2w1XXJBSS-Za4D-tmwkJsW5qAlcU0QihUKWx6m3kuEoV38iMu6f1PPvhtfkoZAJ2ctETQiP9i4Mz4jR39gQ5sQ-DVOZjPsTVPIXRarMUmcJ_0J1aoUS8/s1600/IMG_0980.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh36QgS77-gr1_LhkeQz1RXH21s2w1XXJBSS-Za4D-tmwkJsW5qAlcU0QihUKWx6m3kuEoV38iMu6f1PPvhtfkoZAJ2ctETQiP9i4Mz4jR39gQ5sQ-DVOZjPsTVPIXRarMUmcJ_0J1aoUS8/s320/IMG_0980.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Excited to be done!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOu9kqPrF1ecxOit1-T1zxWQYu5z8AQvZECxtbrEaRKg7nPLF8qiTVWAoovHi_LhYw4Brhm2lkZ5EsV-mDL0DHVpJq2Dnde1-hKkQwj6OQsv9_R0XdHTuwNKE_hW471Bzt4O01aXQlQodR/s1600/IMG_0988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOu9kqPrF1ecxOit1-T1zxWQYu5z8AQvZECxtbrEaRKg7nPLF8qiTVWAoovHi_LhYw4Brhm2lkZ5EsV-mDL0DHVpJq2Dnde1-hKkQwj6OQsv9_R0XdHTuwNKE_hW471Bzt4O01aXQlQodR/s320/IMG_0988.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finish line...28 hours later.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div></div></div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-20230422952528137262011-08-17T10:42:00.000-07:002011-08-17T10:42:21.766-07:00The "Procedure" follow up...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div closure_uid_np9eii="114">So the day before my first triathlon of the year, I had a follow up visit to the Urologist. I haven't decided if my Urologist is a former contestant from the Bachelorette or models part time for Ralph Lauren, but he's a damn handsome man (in a non-sexual sort of way). I'm secure enough in my man-hood to say that, however, there is always a level of weirdness when one man (handsome or not) puts on latex gloves, asks the other man to pull his pants down to his ankles, and then tries to have a normal conversation about guy stuff; football, cars, favorite beer...you know, normal guy stuff. When all the while, all I can think about is how this makes a living centered around other men's "junk". Then I asked myself (not out loud of course), "what kind of guy decided's that he's going to do this for a living?" </div><div closure_uid_np9eii="114"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_np9eii="114">Below is a close representation of myself and my Urologist...guess which one I am.</div><div closure_uid_np9eii="114"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNUXPFViwcW6cGlwfvJxuWF3p2mSoAjl0WDFDYxWE5JW75s6WVt8dBFvto8wf4v9JC02_4yJtPzskgGUgaau2jXDugeb87d9OSDT9bi-rgKnf02j9R4OFmULkmnX0ydGxt40xO-7j_kWy9/s1600/george_costanza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNUXPFViwcW6cGlwfvJxuWF3p2mSoAjl0WDFDYxWE5JW75s6WVt8dBFvto8wf4v9JC02_4yJtPzskgGUgaau2jXDugeb87d9OSDT9bi-rgKnf02j9R4OFmULkmnX0ydGxt40xO-7j_kWy9/s1600/george_costanza.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54sFKCCl3E-OnsZGC1Z-HDae3o2FRi-rYjStJcrTujBpOz9HsEhAGa7Sqf20DX8Pph6j-3tux5j6VoUlmq1Ke3qCXvn3mPpRGX2qq7ocsg9wJZgw5Rrt58bo5L2DCGYk4-gZBkQgkzmVB/s1600/Michael---Bachelorette-Contestant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54sFKCCl3E-OnsZGC1Z-HDae3o2FRi-rYjStJcrTujBpOz9HsEhAGa7Sqf20DX8Pph6j-3tux5j6VoUlmq1Ke3qCXvn3mPpRGX2qq7ocsg9wJZgw5Rrt58bo5L2DCGYk4-gZBkQgkzmVB/s320/Michael---Bachelorette-Contestant.jpg" width="213px" /></a></div><div closure_uid_np9eii="114"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_np9eii="114">Anyway, only after I hear the "snap" of the removal of his latex gloves do I wake from my "happy place" and realize that we are finished. He does however have some homework for me. He hands me 2 boxes with a small container in each. He says they are for the "samples" he wants me to bring in sometime in September. I thought that was a little cold and impersonal considering we were just getting to know each other. So after a brief discussion about the "samples" and how they use them to make sure the "procedure" worked 100%, he explained that if the "procedure" wasn't 100% effective, he'd want more samples and I'd have to get another box. Wow, now I thought he was getting a little needy and clingy and that maybe this relationship wasn't going to work out, but I'd wait to see how the first 2 samples came out (not literally, of course) before coming to any conclusions. </div><div closure_uid_np9eii="114">So now I have 2 future dates with my boxes and I thought I need make it less cold and impersonal and might as well give them each a name. So here's a few that came to mind;</div><div closure_uid_np9eii="114"><br />
</div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQnYZkAKbj9cpaWmrVUBxFFlSgXjtvFckmtJYomsLq_NERE6W0khVqC3pegLF2yK5Ps6eB8mJRjLos7pHQF0B2W0ZjhkzFD6F6DaXjITbvQIhylJNimAEhzcrqHtdSF4iOkwDTK2-9u5gF/s1600/wilma+and+betty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQnYZkAKbj9cpaWmrVUBxFFlSgXjtvFckmtJYomsLq_NERE6W0khVqC3pegLF2yK5Ps6eB8mJRjLos7pHQF0B2W0ZjhkzFD6F6DaXjITbvQIhylJNimAEhzcrqHtdSF4iOkwDTK2-9u5gF/s1600/wilma+and+betty.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_np9eii="346" style="text-align: center;">Betty and Wilma? Cartoon chicks, that's a little weird.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQU8bloSRgpPhU-pS-7ujL4EPUQahe-ULVxA0jtjAhLxTKio79cG4BqI2CS3B5jE9wQV8wtSNCoUMA52kq4IboiBxym5xI6jEYruU3BM-__ovXAws5FWsH6njf4prUe0QhJtzHrBDd0TAJ/s1600/cagney+and+lacy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQU8bloSRgpPhU-pS-7ujL4EPUQahe-ULVxA0jtjAhLxTKio79cG4BqI2CS3B5jE9wQV8wtSNCoUMA52kq4IboiBxym5xI6jEYruU3BM-__ovXAws5FWsH6njf4prUe0QhJtzHrBDd0TAJ/s320/cagney+and+lacy.jpg" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cagney and Lacy? chicks with handcuffs and guns...to dangerous</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div closure_uid_np9eii="326"><br />
</div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuI79L9P1QWhxb6rkj6hYYe2ZKQugoW0jkGaGY6rjtQ5UwhUn7rwq8n6urxExh19FSPINUZXtsKFQJLuc7bYAjn37AJT-PEHVd4ZSO-gt86gK3hbnT2d5cMBjED8bB56_wfj9PZQAaXWi/s1600/Thelma+and+Louise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuI79L9P1QWhxb6rkj6hYYe2ZKQugoW0jkGaGY6rjtQ5UwhUn7rwq8n6urxExh19FSPINUZXtsKFQJLuc7bYAjn37AJT-PEHVd4ZSO-gt86gK3hbnT2d5cMBjED8bB56_wfj9PZQAaXWi/s1600/Thelma+and+Louise.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_np9eii="345" style="text-align: center;">Thelma and Louise? Getting better, but they are two crazy chicks.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td closure_uid_np9eii="284" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7NRvhgP34Xe1Gh82ray9IJLneJ8EezN45fGaSOtZRNSbgAPz83Qt7H_MySzO-yUXxGhbxz-I2NaFoedz6CpKE9wzIDx45Rs50dM71VvM3AUj-_ZXSH97CUQ3L-rK73_p6351K8G9n35J7/s1600/Gilligans+Island.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7NRvhgP34Xe1Gh82ray9IJLneJ8EezN45fGaSOtZRNSbgAPz83Qt7H_MySzO-yUXxGhbxz-I2NaFoedz6CpKE9wzIDx45Rs50dM71VvM3AUj-_ZXSH97CUQ3L-rK73_p6351K8G9n35J7/s1600/Gilligans+Island.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ginger and Mary Ann! That it! and if I need another sample, I will name her Mrs. Howell. What? Age is just a number.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div closure_uid_np9eii="114"><br />
</div></div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-31506038326689757042011-08-13T08:57:00.000-07:002011-08-13T08:57:17.339-07:00100th post and Graniteman Big Lake Tri pics!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYkwiuBtA4J9A_wyqfM66IS-ChXtjhz0oJNYutXykuCYpeNGugRWGIZoYotKI7zm_eqKe3txS8KVnp27MLErXZzCZQ4qMYcZ8WQlOKS5rOp4NQ2m4W64CGhaGfxCqDvnKirNorW1yJAhSX/s1600/IMG_0787.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYkwiuBtA4J9A_wyqfM66IS-ChXtjhz0oJNYutXykuCYpeNGugRWGIZoYotKI7zm_eqKe3txS8KVnp27MLErXZzCZQ4qMYcZ8WQlOKS5rOp4NQ2m4W64CGhaGfxCqDvnKirNorW1yJAhSX/s320/IMG_0787.jpg" width="240px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div closure_uid_kne23i="105">Me and my race buddy</div><div closure_uid_kne23i="105"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_kne23i="105"><br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div closure_uid_kne23i="541">The morning started with a 5am wake-up at the hotel. I should explain that we stayed at a hotel in St. Cloud MN which is about 25 miles from the race site. The reason for this was that our oldest daughter (Sassy) stayed at her Aunt and Uncles the entire week before and we were going to meet in St. Cloud to pick her up as it's about half way between our place and theirs. We thought it would be fun to get a room in St. Cloud, go to the race, then go back to the hotel and meet up with Sassy and have fun playing in the pool.</div><div closure_uid_kne23i="541"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_kne23i="541"><div closure_uid_8kej8z="101">The night before, we drove to Big Lake MN and drove part of the bike course and checked out the parking situation. The bike course looked good; not very hilly, wide shoulders on the highway, and favorable for a bike pace PR. Then we went to the packet pick up and ate at the pasta dinner. We headed back to the hotel, played in the pool with our youngest (Drama), and then hit the sack. </div></div><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxrYEX0Uo6LX9jwYWZxHw_yja-qX5vnpocu9EdDCb20wAG8RcCjQBaHnXqjthFyTNg2xXXji_FcDebbfcVkZwMnVM8Ml4kN-tq82X9SdwU-JBvHG9ChsVape_FYgabxpxXabyyn3D-KuA/s1600/IMG_0782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxrYEX0Uo6LX9jwYWZxHw_yja-qX5vnpocu9EdDCb20wAG8RcCjQBaHnXqjthFyTNg2xXXji_FcDebbfcVkZwMnVM8Ml4kN-tq82X9SdwU-JBvHG9ChsVape_FYgabxpxXabyyn3D-KuA/s320/IMG_0782.jpg" width="240px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ready to race</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGuLlJV8iXcEIusl7HGq7e2zJgI7hxgLyIAk3_kkvQh9hvUReao2FOPkYrPjRUXe87bkPx2OE9LiT_d2S7WqcD9i6JV4-xtc1J1o4tZouep3wWBYCYGi921JzAmIoKDnQzuWCScqlepHDc/s1600/IMG_0783.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGuLlJV8iXcEIusl7HGq7e2zJgI7hxgLyIAk3_kkvQh9hvUReao2FOPkYrPjRUXe87bkPx2OE9LiT_d2S7WqcD9i6JV4-xtc1J1o4tZouep3wWBYCYGi921JzAmIoKDnQzuWCScqlepHDc/s320/IMG_0783.jpg" width="240px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My biggest little fan</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div closure_uid_8kej8z="106"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaAEeZANaxDr-DQwBQ743ZyNAW3fwHqdLRf3SbSBN7TF_YZymFOjs7iRj83qETcar3jlhjEeqzwycJ3C0A7hs995P981FOE6UC2bNyLFVP9JYtc9Ts0kEgnAUlkXU7mKMuXQUrtYQER2_G/s1600/IMG_0784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaAEeZANaxDr-DQwBQ743ZyNAW3fwHqdLRf3SbSBN7TF_YZymFOjs7iRj83qETcar3jlhjEeqzwycJ3C0A7hs995P981FOE6UC2bNyLFVP9JYtc9Ts0kEgnAUlkXU7mKMuXQUrtYQER2_G/s320/IMG_0784.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting set up in transition on a perfect morning!<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I got up at 5am, showered, got dressed, brushed the teeth, and got my bag and water bottles ready. Then my wife and Drama got ready. I ate a banana and a powerbar and we jumped in the truck and made our way to Big Lake. It was warm, but not hot and there was little overcast. The weather was good and the wind was calm.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I got my stuff set up in transition, body marked, and hung out for a while with my wife and Drama. Drama was having a good time watching all the people and all the attention she was getting. </div><div><br />
</div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7LE9F8tdJxgFKFkAcJhQi_hKk3YFTt7nlm8ZOhIHVgc81A6nyzXA36qmt32nPNnWQI6IUuZmkRAQXQxmBnMArj-_S1zgaw49Uz3KI66280lUBy9w4fF3oMqs77QKn5zXL72B3H8A0Wz6/s1600/IMG_0792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7LE9F8tdJxgFKFkAcJhQi_hKk3YFTt7nlm8ZOhIHVgc81A6nyzXA36qmt32nPNnWQI6IUuZmkRAQXQxmBnMArj-_S1zgaw49Uz3KI66280lUBy9w4fF3oMqs77QKn5zXL72B3H8A0Wz6/s320/IMG_0792.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm the one behind the guy who's bent over...that didn't come out right.<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJYMC04MgtPUckRRpsdoMTLz6OAea19ARviCeLvGwovPyVIwCyBRRD8sBQCVuY7YqvyZ-zhDc4vGcfdL4GP0boOjSPZKF8cSXAKwZ2b8JWmQ_Ot_cMQe2S_G8MEtJSnvPbbrLFr0dLhUs/s1600/IMG_0794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJYMC04MgtPUckRRpsdoMTLz6OAea19ARviCeLvGwovPyVIwCyBRRD8sBQCVuY7YqvyZ-zhDc4vGcfdL4GP0boOjSPZKF8cSXAKwZ2b8JWmQ_Ot_cMQe2S_G8MEtJSnvPbbrLFr0dLhUs/s320/IMG_0794.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_vcpTERDSOqXbQvINXSr2LHjy4aAnXpmy_d7u0LJMH4m8AnBateCcA9obp7xmtZLUZ3PZrozMH3j67TuhwvgVCY8F7KojlsOonUX90N3uAAOs0ur_5ZIOUiqPoZqF92F6paTSJJQCdmfh/s1600/IMG_0795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_vcpTERDSOqXbQvINXSr2LHjy4aAnXpmy_d7u0LJMH4m8AnBateCcA9obp7xmtZLUZ3PZrozMH3j67TuhwvgVCY8F7KojlsOonUX90N3uAAOs0ur_5ZIOUiqPoZqF92F6paTSJJQCdmfh/s320/IMG_0795.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swim start</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8a4qGTWyHZyNiENsyUkx8M_vpdzdj0w-9iy98j5RgbcdYrVyAkuZ_KCvip2_cF2CvCCfQtmAIyyGfQEmIn8A7CWvRC9AZBO24IuYsnz8Pd4I7qCk4dNIK0TjUwbVYXf2WHrMZ8s64t9w1/s1600/IMG_0796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8a4qGTWyHZyNiENsyUkx8M_vpdzdj0w-9iy98j5RgbcdYrVyAkuZ_KCvip2_cF2CvCCfQtmAIyyGfQEmIn8A7CWvRC9AZBO24IuYsnz8Pd4I7qCk4dNIK0TjUwbVYXf2WHrMZ8s64t9w1/s320/IMG_0796.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm out there somewhere</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycqRNsn-nZsoqVuFxk6yVo8Xoh6_j-xOONn-HzRvLFOCrDloHVeNv01Ex_I3DxfTloYjEMh8QwerCqmPC-r8-4NC6A12I_ZHCcdF036i27gjmPOl1F_0FjhPmnF_0zCaFz3KsV0phUOGg/s1600/IMG_0801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycqRNsn-nZsoqVuFxk6yVo8Xoh6_j-xOONn-HzRvLFOCrDloHVeNv01Ex_I3DxfTloYjEMh8QwerCqmPC-r8-4NC6A12I_ZHCcdF036i27gjmPOl1F_0FjhPmnF_0zCaFz3KsV0phUOGg/s320/IMG_0801.jpg" width="240px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exiting T1 with my little buddy cheering me on!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I got through the swim in 13:00 and was satisfied. My T1 time sucked, but since I didn't practice removing my wetsuit, I couldn't be mad. Besides, I was having a good time and I got to see my little buddy in T1 cheering my on. The bike went really good, I was looking to finish in 45 minutes (15 mile course). The course followed the lakeshore on the west and north side and then after a few turns, we headed north out of town. At about the half way point of the bike is the "lollipop" portion of the course. You basically took 3 left turns and then a right turn back towards town. At about mile 8 my time was 23 minutes. I was pushing a little on the way back, but not too hard, I didn't want to blow up on the run. I came back on the west side of the lake and knew I was under my 45 minute time goal. I unstrapped my shoes and glided into T2. *15 miles in 43:43, 20.6 MPH avg. PR! *<br />
T2 was pretty quick, but I started heading back out of the "Bike Out" exit when a volunteer corrected me before I got run over. I was on a "high" from the bike and wanted to push the run. I used a short/quick leg turnover for the first few minutes as we left the park and ran along the west side of the lake. The other bikers were coming in and there was a lot of action to watch. I passed a few people in my age group and watched as the elites were coming back. I got to the turn around (11 minutes) and grabbed 2 cups of water; one I drank as I walked and the other I dumped on my head and back. I then tried to hammer it home. I passed a few more in my age group and finished the run in 22:05 (sprint tri PR!).<br />
<br />
By the time I finished, it looked like it may rain, so I got my stuff from transition and we headed back to the hotel. Our oldest daughter, her 2 cousins, and her Aunt and Uncle met us at the hotel and we played in the pool and had a good time hanging out.<br />
<br />
Overall, it was great weekend and I maybe I'll do this race next year...we'll see, I may have other plans.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYd98WzTfIslyPywIsHtWaYi_56xWzK5KUpVjh-BUoVnyGa_psf_92j6bdlYVlzmk9zqu20hlQM9HlnSQbwiucQN0MN69rpAnT2VcTDZc6kp1zbmsFdnzNxbEzNcIC7kz9mwsOgcG7Z-2/s1600/IMG_0816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYd98WzTfIslyPywIsHtWaYi_56xWzK5KUpVjh-BUoVnyGa_psf_92j6bdlYVlzmk9zqu20hlQM9HlnSQbwiucQN0MN69rpAnT2VcTDZc6kp1zbmsFdnzNxbEzNcIC7kz9mwsOgcG7Z-2/s640/IMG_0816.jpg" width="480px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wondering what time the pool opens at the hotel.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8BgNFQpT7LoyIt5u85fDG5e6TRv35HX3c3zwsNwcYFpz38RH4lv6bvEUL7clcaMivUUtJcv9hPMtI_17NVn_LkuTeu4ByITZu7dktuSTLTpon9fcrsSBqLUMQu8HqaEZ0coV1Ab2vEdp/s1600/IMG_0804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8BgNFQpT7LoyIt5u85fDG5e6TRv35HX3c3zwsNwcYFpz38RH4lv6bvEUL7clcaMivUUtJcv9hPMtI_17NVn_LkuTeu4ByITZu7dktuSTLTpon9fcrsSBqLUMQu8HqaEZ0coV1Ab2vEdp/s320/IMG_0804.jpg" width="240px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Completely gassed! but thrilled about my finish time. </td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig28X_ZNE8iBa4COJEPlh9yxRrn1n_VgEQiZ0QymNhDcLeUvU0ZgULGwHNapkaIGcFKEL-kpd7g1Zlvj8NM2p_UyFPVSiHyARziGiite6CgZdY2_b-XurEyqg0EDKmwUczo2PBBQGw9LAW/s1600/IMG_0817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig28X_ZNE8iBa4COJEPlh9yxRrn1n_VgEQiZ0QymNhDcLeUvU0ZgULGwHNapkaIGcFKEL-kpd7g1Zlvj8NM2p_UyFPVSiHyARziGiite6CgZdY2_b-XurEyqg0EDKmwUczo2PBBQGw9LAW/s320/IMG_0817.jpg" width="240px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I look high... must have been all the endorphins.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwvaId-4dhb7CcsnxUuWLqndoybssYQxf1isIIbIHw_pzxilK1bjZWm-zLLvIhze4Qmvme3oAI6tZy7Skll03ZYMFhEla_Omfz7pEcQKlj_N7f5DcFhRJRChZFVRR3vqvt9UCKUjZXD6W4/s1600/IMG_0802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwvaId-4dhb7CcsnxUuWLqndoybssYQxf1isIIbIHw_pzxilK1bjZWm-zLLvIhze4Qmvme3oAI6tZy7Skll03ZYMFhEla_Omfz7pEcQKlj_N7f5DcFhRJRChZFVRR3vqvt9UCKUjZXD6W4/s320/IMG_0802.jpg" width="240px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As you can see, it was a formal event.<br />
<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div closure_uid_udee5i="454"></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSQDMG-5gsyDHCDEbwH9PysJ0v4cL3KXxXufQ_KnupsAmtFTlaSsvAOsSB4tB-X4IafxyfAPtoeBJIHlOU8CDC6B0sUDVKZDd54XzyIjbQJyEEUC1H_M8sz2Unt2r3t4t4MJGgtLi7oscU/s1600/IMG_0818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSQDMG-5gsyDHCDEbwH9PysJ0v4cL3KXxXufQ_KnupsAmtFTlaSsvAOsSB4tB-X4IafxyfAPtoeBJIHlOU8CDC6B0sUDVKZDd54XzyIjbQJyEEUC1H_M8sz2Unt2r3t4t4MJGgtLi7oscU/s320/IMG_0818.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sassy jumping into the pool!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-90866553701429515262011-08-05T04:36:00.000-07:002011-08-05T04:36:22.870-07:00First Tri of 2011!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnOjvFQi_0YfkUa326scZmQckvP0K0y4EN6JQtIaP1gMH2-84sJKrNueUBO19Bzlqfnvx0XCsvWLzi4Quf0ry2XyZ2z0omh0IjEj0QafuMDZdjr8X5ehoJjhoxBa7acbAvALC0n44l3ADv/s1600/Graniteman.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnOjvFQi_0YfkUa326scZmQckvP0K0y4EN6JQtIaP1gMH2-84sJKrNueUBO19Bzlqfnvx0XCsvWLzi4Quf0ry2XyZ2z0omh0IjEj0QafuMDZdjr8X5ehoJjhoxBa7acbAvALC0n44l3ADv/s1600/Graniteman.png" t$="true" /></a></div><div closure_uid_mkw8q8="129"></div><div closure_uid_mkw8q8="130"><div closure_uid_rb2if7="127"><br />
This is the inaugural race for Big Lake and is a new addition to a series of races that include another triathlon that took place in July and a half marathon in September. The name Graniteman comes from the area in which all the races take place, central Minnesota. The largest town in this area is St. Cloud, MN (about 30 miles from Big Lake) and is home to large deposits of granite. Quarries have operated in this area since the 1880's and thusly the city of St. Cloud is nicknamed the "Granite City". </div><div closure_uid_rb2if7="126"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_rb2if7="126">Well its the first of 2 triathlons this year, but the next one is the Square Lake Long Course in September and that'll be a bit more challenging. So this race is one part training for Septembers race and one part fun...mostly fun I hope. </div><div closure_uid_rb2if7="138"></div><br />
<div closure_uid_rb2if7="140">The location of the race seems like it should be favorable for a fast race, but of course a lot of other variables come into play...weather mostly. It could be windy, rainy, hotter than the surface of the sun, or all of the above. In any case, it should be a fun course. Here's my course description for each leg;</div><div closure_uid_rb2if7="140"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_rb2if7="140">Swim: The swim course takes place at the local beach (Lakeside park beach) which is on the southwest corner of Big Lake...not terribly original when it comes to naming lakes, beaches, and roads (I'll get to this later) in this area I'd have to say. I guess Wet Lake and Sandy Beach were taken. Anyway, It's a triangular course which will have us starting on the right side of the beach and angling out to the left and making one turn and coming back towards the left side of the beach. </div><div closure_uid_rb2if7="140">The swim distance is .33 mile, 531 meters, or 580 yards, depends on which one you prefer. In any case, I'm just hoping to kick and flail my way through without incident. </div><div closure_uid_rb2if7="140"><br />
Bike: After I entered the bike course route into Map My Ride, it appears that its very flat and should be fast. Other than that, I have nothing to go on until tonight when I drive the course. I'm actually feeling pretty good about the bike this year as I've already spent more time in the saddle than I did last year in prep for my Olympic tri. If conditions are decent, I think I can surpass my overall bike pace PR.<br />
<br />
Run: The run course is a 5K and is also flat and fast and takes place on Lakeshore Ave (Again...not a very original name, but at least I won't forget where I'm at). I've done a few brick workouts and all have gone very well and the last two I've done have been sans socks. I haven't done a tri since last September, but I feel my fitness level is in a good place and I plan on pushing as hard as I can at this point.<br />
<br />
So there you have it, my Graniteman Big Lake Triathlon preview. Next post will be my race report.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Later</div></div><div closure_uid_rb2if7="140"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
</div></div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-66250952829939528402011-07-31T06:40:00.000-07:002011-07-31T06:40:35.984-07:00Finally...A Parade!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div closure_uid_22h3ng="122"><div closure_uid_124q8b="100">The end of June and beginning of July has been kind of a tough month for our household. Here's a bullet point rundown;<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>June 24 - The "procedure" kept me outta commission for about a week. </li>
<li>July 2nd - Oldest daughter gets sick while 90 miles from home and throws up. To make it worse, she threw up all over me and I didn't have any spare clothes. Yuck. * missed parade #1 *</li>
<li>She gets a temp of 105 Sunday morning and goes to Urgent Care. </li>
<li>She doesn't lose the temp until Thursday July 7th and doesn't go back to daycare until the next day. </li>
<li>Friday July 8th, my youngest gets a temp and we repeat the same s**t for another 5 days. * missed parade #2 * </li>
<li>Both kids test negative for strep throat and we're told its viral and it has to run its course...great. </li>
<li> During the 10 days of continuous illness, my wife and I work half days at work so one of can be home with the sick one. During this time, no runs or workouts for either of us. </li>
<li>As of July 22nd, the illness's have seemed to go away (although the youngest seems to be teething, so she's a little crabby). OH BUT WAIT! my wife and I get a call at work and the oldest had a temp. </li>
<li>She spikes a temp of 104 again on friday night and she throws up twice. We give her a cool bath, some medicine, and the wife and I are on Def Con 5 again all night. </li>
<li>Saturday July 23rd, the oldest takes a 6 hour nap and sweats out the fever. 2:30pm, she is fever free!</li>
<li>Sunday July 24th, we go to a PARADE! </li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><img src="http://www.lumberjackdays.com/images/2011logo.jpg" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;">Anyway, after a long few weeks of little sleep and no training, Half Iron training has resumed. A few weeks off hasn't been bad and in reality, it was probably needed. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;">Next weekend I have my first tri of the year, a sprint in Big Lake, MN. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.granitemanbiglake.com/" style="color: blue;" title="Graniteman Big Lake Triathlon - August 6, 2011 - Big Lake, MN"><img alt="Graniteman Big Lake Triathlon - August 6, 2011 - Big Lake, MN" border="0" src="http://www.granitemanbiglake.com/templates/mybusiness/images/logo.png" /></a></span></span></div><div><br />
</div>It's a 1/3 mile swim, 15 mile bike, and a 5K Run. It should be fun and I'm going into it with zero expectations. This is the first year of this event, so there are no finish times or race reports to rely on to gauge the course. The race director posted the course maps just last week, so there may be a few hiccups with the overall event, but it should still fun.<br />
My wife and I decided to make a weekend out of the whole thing. We took off work on Friday and will be staying at a hotel and then the race will be Saturday morning. Then we'll go back to the hotel, relax, and let the kids play in the pool. Since we haven't been able to camp since Memorial Day, this may be our "vacation" this summer. Oh well, at least the kids are feeling better and we get to have a fun weekend.<br />
<br />
Later<br />
<br />
<br />
</div></div></div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-27328847045295335432011-07-22T06:43:00.000-07:002011-07-22T06:43:07.866-07:00Run like hell...literally.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi52Y4M0W5YtfxJ_MZq4Sj3FScyh45_gVLLAaqoT_CkxwNRGOKuad7WvYnvUS1H7hEHEfjX13YExFIBPSCixpgYrIrabZZRGymhj1tcnyS4ZKxNjFgqKyu_QFSla25wUy-6Ozpfwz51Fzb/s1600/hell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi52Y4M0W5YtfxJ_MZq4Sj3FScyh45_gVLLAaqoT_CkxwNRGOKuad7WvYnvUS1H7hEHEfjX13YExFIBPSCixpgYrIrabZZRGymhj1tcnyS4ZKxNjFgqKyu_QFSla25wUy-6Ozpfwz51Fzb/s320/hell.jpg" t$="true" width="320px" /></a></div>Maybe I'm a wimp, maybe its age, or maybe it's just that damn hot, but I haven't been able to bring myself to run outside this week. In fact, the last "training" related activity that's been outdoor was a 15 mile bike ride last Saturday and I was sweating like a whore in church! <br />
<br />
<div closure_uid_xykcd8="120">We did however have a fun family day at the lake last Sunday morning. The lake is spring fed so the water is almost always cool, which was much needed as the temp was in the high 90's, but felt like it was 100+! We ate lunch and jumped back in the water for another 30 minutes and then headed home to nap and get out of the oppressive heat. </div><br />
<div closure_uid_xykcd8="126"><div closure_uid_bvfb1j="126">So I've been trying to get into a "training" rhythm as my next couple of races quickly approaches. I've been consistently inconsistent lately with regards to swimming, biking, and running and it's got me feeling a little lost. I got into such a groove "training' for Grandma's Marathon that I knew weeks in advance what my training was going to be and when I was going to do it, but triathlons are different and require more planning. You'd think by now that I'd have this tri training down, but with two spirited children and a wife who's also "training" for the Ragnar Relay it get tough to fit it all in. I plan on sitting down and hammering out a tentative training schedule from now until my half iron on 9/11/11. I've said before that the rest of this years races are just for fun, but they still require a certain amount of training so you don't kill yourself. So it's a fine line between adequately training so you can still have fun and not training adequately and having a long painful day.</div></div><div closure_uid_xykcd8="126"><div closure_uid_bvfb1j="120">Anyway, I plan on getting some time on the bike trainer a few mornings during the week and mixed with a few bricks as the half iron gets closer. Then I'll do either a tempo run, speedwork, or weights/core workout during my lunch hour. Swimming gets a little trickier. I can swim at the local school on Satuday mornings from 8am-9am, but the rest of the week is hit and miss. I'll try and sneak to the same said school for lap swimming either Monday or Wednesday night from 8pm-9pm, but with kids that can be hard. I could also go to a local lake (we have 10,000 of them after all), but without a "swim buddy" that's not the smartest thing in the world. </div><div closure_uid_bvfb1j="120"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_bvfb1j="120">Anyway, I'll get it all figured out eventually and if not, I'll have fun trying. </div><div closure_uid_bvfb1j="120"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_bvfb1j="120">Later</div><div closure_uid_bvfb1j="120"><br />
</div></div></div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-52746424971587254072011-07-20T17:14:00.000-07:002011-07-20T17:14:56.569-07:00Q...this is for you!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I watched <a href="http://qonthemove.blogspot.com/2011/07/we-interrupt-this-justin-bieber-jam.html">Q on the move's</a> last post and as a father of two girls myself I thought "It could be worse"...and here's how.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/kspPE9E1yGM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
Funny and disturbing all at the same time.<br />
<br />
Later</div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-91758055664258923602011-07-12T13:25:00.000-07:002011-07-12T13:25:40.678-07:00Virgin rideI got in a 4.7 mile run this afternoon and it was the first time I ever pushed the jogging stroller. My 14 month old daughter did great and eventually fell asleep. I have to admit that I wouldn't like to push it for 10 miles, but this wasn't too bad.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDljQn089rusAh6lHX-MWz3JzM4logBA670uP0wW_GyZ2covVy9YFIbc7nF0w8LnnKS6VOYrt-HaMCtgH2Q5i4TtuRPG3WqJ_nMoke1M1SlT1lf194fjsEcHxiKKBjCpvao8P4Tm3f74K/s1600/sleepy+baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDljQn089rusAh6lHX-MWz3JzM4logBA670uP0wW_GyZ2covVy9YFIbc7nF0w8LnnKS6VOYrt-HaMCtgH2Q5i4TtuRPG3WqJ_nMoke1M1SlT1lf194fjsEcHxiKKBjCpvao8P4Tm3f74K/s320/sleepy+baby.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
It felt good to get out and run. The last 3 weeks have been a bit of a nightmare. A medical procedure, one sick kid for 5 days, and then the other kid sick for another 5 days. I think everyone is on the mend so hopefully life can get back to normal.<br />
<br />
LaterI'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-45716233244170136062011-07-08T19:12:00.000-07:002011-07-08T19:12:34.952-07:00Hello?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hyphenhyphenU84JTmiv3mak02w3zlA2YOc6Gz2ULsnZ93adRNHotMsaTf53HoPurAaDsZdyMsJNcoFl-TPPKu8Ol-zCBpV0u3b73GoJJmOjU64iGrUwQC8-eIaxBfVfvTOyQVYWPPKqAU73hjepwR/s1600/Lionel-Richie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hyphenhyphenU84JTmiv3mak02w3zlA2YOc6Gz2ULsnZ93adRNHotMsaTf53HoPurAaDsZdyMsJNcoFl-TPPKu8Ol-zCBpV0u3b73GoJJmOjU64iGrUwQC8-eIaxBfVfvTOyQVYWPPKqAU73hjepwR/s320/Lionel-Richie.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><br />
I'm back after a brief hiatus. Since Grandma's Marathon I haven't done much. Some by choice, some not. Here's a quick catch-up of what I've been doing (or not doing).<br />
<br />
June 18th: Grandma's Marathon<br />
<br />
June 19-23: I rode the bike trainer 3 times for a total of 90 minutes<br />
<br />
June 24: the "procedure".<br />
<br />
June 24-26: intimate sessions with multiple frozen bags of peas.<br />
<br />
June 27- July 2: Still sore early in the week, but got better as the week went on.<br />
<br />
July 2: Oldest daughter got sick and threw up all over me in the parking lot at Applebees, 2 hours from home.<br />
<br />
July 2-4: Monitored a sick little girl; no parade, no BBQ, no fireworks = sad little girl.<br />
<br />
July 5-7: Split the work days with the wife and got in zero workouts, but kids come first.<br />
<br />
July 8: Oldest daughter feeling better and able to go to daycare! But the youngest now has a fever...here we go again. I did however work a full workday today as I wasn't able to split the workday with my wife so I was able to get in a lunchtime run; 3 miles in 24:16.<br />
<br />
The Lifetime Fitness Triathlon (now called the Minneapolis Triathlon) is tomorrow and want to wish Jamie of <a href="http://jamierunmn.blogspot.com/">TriScientist</a> good luck. It's his first "real" triathlon and I know he'll do great!I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-57579808691862210692011-07-01T07:42:00.000-07:002011-07-01T07:53:50.828-07:00Really!? and Happy Birthday Canada!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">As if being sore and tender wasn't bad enough, I'm constantly reminded of my procedure by all the items around the office. I cringe at the very sight of anything sharp. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiiaYScY6xB1lpC1RwLAUff6BVCQJmgwRtbfYWpkjpOBrjx78YjSldy3t-rCkJLV__ti1xdTLNP_wxJgRLtjHki5taR0wzJr8WIUI8rt8mNwNuzqIFfLdjVatLQ6AMJj5C1M42LHJ44ro9/s1600/letter+opener.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiiaYScY6xB1lpC1RwLAUff6BVCQJmgwRtbfYWpkjpOBrjx78YjSldy3t-rCkJLV__ti1xdTLNP_wxJgRLtjHki5taR0wzJr8WIUI8rt8mNwNuzqIFfLdjVatLQ6AMJj5C1M42LHJ44ro9/s320/letter+opener.jpg" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Letter opener? In some part of the world this would be a precision surgical instrument.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQk72u0eCNp-QG7H7GyXlwsUoZwuJAmfwYL0O4x_-G7pqiGBaAXh3MsrIxlgM1jaboZMN2NtUeR9Hi0SckHt7WD177qBkIrF-g46_9Jto-I8bNlRqaFKpeND2zXyfJvFwrJgUhRVtt7MxD/s1600/scissors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQk72u0eCNp-QG7H7GyXlwsUoZwuJAmfwYL0O4x_-G7pqiGBaAXh3MsrIxlgM1jaboZMN2NtUeR9Hi0SckHt7WD177qBkIrF-g46_9Jto-I8bNlRqaFKpeND2zXyfJvFwrJgUhRVtt7MxD/s320/scissors.jpg" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This too!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3bsl4gv7CAxXE2K5b-Ftnf1EkY4vnbQ6sbWT3JYj3EJ340l3yaoMK8CLZUD_fce7BnCgiHvf6hnaZR48envX-uGGkus1_Rkw1BQ7BgfBDsMegJlcZR48MOwi5Lfn4uiswvIMTGJIaIFu/s1600/paper+cutter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3bsl4gv7CAxXE2K5b-Ftnf1EkY4vnbQ6sbWT3JYj3EJ340l3yaoMK8CLZUD_fce7BnCgiHvf6hnaZR48envX-uGGkus1_Rkw1BQ7BgfBDsMegJlcZR48MOwi5Lfn4uiswvIMTGJIaIFu/s320/paper+cutter.jpg" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I almost threw up when I saw this!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2WQ3AOf7g8FC-A8uowqjrJbyBpNnw4dA5lSYWgwPVqp11WPoiKV5NhX4Abmh0NEunQDS_QIOWhXx6v7rDo222ZbGUBifKfSh1TcOVD2HrgqLHsIzXb-fehuJUFyjfafr1p9qMOOdYik93/s1600/cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2WQ3AOf7g8FC-A8uowqjrJbyBpNnw4dA5lSYWgwPVqp11WPoiKV5NhX4Abmh0NEunQDS_QIOWhXx6v7rDo222ZbGUBifKfSh1TcOVD2HrgqLHsIzXb-fehuJUFyjfafr1p9qMOOdYik93/s320/cake.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Jeez, I didn't even get a cake...Pete, you're a lucky man. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">If all goes well, I'll try running in a few more days. </div><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJvgirdCecY2toXkahiDpNeRBcMU_kbC0Joa5Q0hXNI495vzKXCC4VlgU8xVKaC9W6EarLw0GnWbKat0rliXrqyXVLavuOhp2GB3RWR3ygoJ2r6MT_tTj0gNqE1loR9UTGmLQmCXpTLjW/s1600/canada_flag.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJvgirdCecY2toXkahiDpNeRBcMU_kbC0Joa5Q0hXNI495vzKXCC4VlgU8xVKaC9W6EarLw0GnWbKat0rliXrqyXVLavuOhp2GB3RWR3ygoJ2r6MT_tTj0gNqE1loR9UTGmLQmCXpTLjW/s1600/canada_flag.gif" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Oh, and happy Independence Day today to our neighbors to the north! In your honor, I will observe the KPH numbers on my speedometer when I drive today while listening to Nickelback, I'll bitch about the last time the Stanley Cup was raised in Canada (1993, really guys?), drink a Molson and maple syrup, reflect fondly on the Gold Medal the Canadian hockey team <strike>stole</strike> won against the USA, watch a Micheal J. Fox movie, and I'll say "eh" at the end of each sentence. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Later (eh!)</div></div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-88332310073128864562011-06-28T19:38:00.000-07:002011-06-28T19:38:02.921-07:00Not having a ball lately<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So I can't resume any training until at least 7/4 due to my recent medical "procedure", so I was laying out whats next on the list of races I have for the summer. I noticed that my next race is the GraniteMan sprint triathlon on 8/6/2011. That only gives me 5 weeks to prep. I should mention that I haven't rode my real bike at all this year (other than the trainer a few times) or swam 1 lap since February. I'm hoping that my marathon training will carry over a little bit, but I'm not entirely worried about it. The rest of this summer's events are for fun only. <br />
<br />
The pic below is about as accurate a depiction of how the medical procedure felt as I could find. I apologize if this is a little graphic, but what can say, the truth hurts. I should have gotten a better health care plan.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #636363; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px;"><a href="http://www.funnycorner.net/funny-pictures/4328/202.jpg" id="bigpich" style="color: #636363; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Vasectomy Clinic"><img alt="Vasectomy Clinic" border="1" id="bigpic" longdesc="http://www.funnycorner.net/funny-pictures/4328/funny-cartoons-pictures/Vasectomy%20Clinic%20seen%20in%20Funny%20Cartoons%20Pictures" src="http://picture.funnycorner.net/funny-pictures/4328/202.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px;" title="Vasectomy Clinic" width="510" /></a></span></div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-82397895126899037002011-06-25T17:21:00.000-07:002011-06-25T17:21:02.617-07:00Highway 61 Revisited<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> The Thursday before Grandma's Marathon my daughter decorated one of my running tanks as I posted previously. I was hoping to wear it for the marathon, but it was going to be chilly last Saturday, but I'll get to that in a minute.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhII4s7jzSAHzDYGiCiqjaImWFD9Z2OVcjA96IX2YrgByyhBCbGQkRG0AvD7ASx-oW56zdbaLORD8w_OC4KgrNt-FPwYLZhfHdqCyH5H46evNegVBtZt0wF9QqnN1GKDtwDr5hWVAHuQWmL/s1600/IMG_0657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhII4s7jzSAHzDYGiCiqjaImWFD9Z2OVcjA96IX2YrgByyhBCbGQkRG0AvD7ASx-oW56zdbaLORD8w_OC4KgrNt-FPwYLZhfHdqCyH5H46evNegVBtZt0wF9QqnN1GKDtwDr5hWVAHuQWmL/s320/IMG_0657.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>On the way up to Two Harbors MN, along the shore of Lake Superior, where the beginning of Grandma's marathon starts my friend Ryan said, "you know what you should title your post about Grandma's?, Highway 61 revisited". I told him that if I meet my "A" race goal I'd name my next post "Suck It Grandma!", but things being what they were on Saturday, Ryan had a great post title. Thanks dude.<br />
<br />
Oh, and if you didn't know, "Highway 61 Revisited" is the name of Bob Dylan's best known albums and also the highway that Grandma's Marathon is run on. Bob Dylan was born in Duluth, MN and lived there until the age of 6 when his family moved to Hibbing MN where he lived until he finished high school.<br />
<br />
That's enough of the history lesson already and out of my love/hate relationship with Grandma's Marathon, I decided not to name my post "Suck It Grandma" and rather the aforementioned. Besides, <a href="http://qonthemove.blogspot.com/">Q on the move</a> said it best, "respect the marathon".<br />
<br />
I had several race goals in mind for Grandma's and they were as follows;<br />
<br />
A race: sub 3:40<br />
B race: sub 3:45<br />
C race: sub 4:00<br />
<br />
But before we get to finish, we have to start at the beginning. This is a marathon race report for crying out loud!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPiOhlnYsgRHSx0Z2cO_VEhGEKJ7xk6HCzYPEy5sKha8kcl8FekjNW2Qt3nmQhtO357ysqjxT1vc7e5uHD_BphwxYtxYkk5DxIE-3p3yLfs_b3cqtIAzH1t3MTP1ljTbOq0dIQBLw06hhl/s1600/bird+and+mouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPiOhlnYsgRHSx0Z2cO_VEhGEKJ7xk6HCzYPEy5sKha8kcl8FekjNW2Qt3nmQhtO357ysqjxT1vc7e5uHD_BphwxYtxYkk5DxIE-3p3yLfs_b3cqtIAzH1t3MTP1ljTbOq0dIQBLw06hhl/s320/bird+and+mouse.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>Friday started with a drive up to Monticello MN to meet my friend Ryan where we would take off for Duluth. I was a little early, so his little dude had drawn me a couple pics to take home. Very impressive artwork I must say.<br />
On the way north to Duluth, we stopped in Cloquet at Ryan's brother and sister-in-laws. This is where we would be staying for the night. Ryan's sister-in-law Christina is a runner and hung signs up all over the house for motivation. Below are a few of the ones I liked the best, but all of them were awesome and it was cool to have them everywhere you looked...even the bathroom.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR942cD_ByY5TY2VCpveSjKVW9YxTkNdIbx3g3S4If1ZQHkyWTAKRGst7Xarx_GOL_ZHA65vcUI4sQMbTBdLnRaUEB6MwW70W6hxo3XgKs9Otx5JuB-VQArlivF8XoEJAAP981L_DnNsBw/s1600/sign+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR942cD_ByY5TY2VCpveSjKVW9YxTkNdIbx3g3S4If1ZQHkyWTAKRGst7Xarx_GOL_ZHA65vcUI4sQMbTBdLnRaUEB6MwW70W6hxo3XgKs9Otx5JuB-VQArlivF8XoEJAAP981L_DnNsBw/s320/sign+1.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFuhjgNqA6s6uh1xgx1_7RcB93EJs2vwilI76JzCjh-E8S6C94I76p9PzdR06CbtnPjbiVcoC9MQZtZELiekM7z90pFFfc_zmi7XBTuGqC_l9qHq6Yz7NV4ZqYlV7c63N5ObdT1zHMe7BR/s1600/sign+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFuhjgNqA6s6uh1xgx1_7RcB93EJs2vwilI76JzCjh-E8S6C94I76p9PzdR06CbtnPjbiVcoC9MQZtZELiekM7z90pFFfc_zmi7XBTuGqC_l9qHq6Yz7NV4ZqYlV7c63N5ObdT1zHMe7BR/s320/sign+2.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Gh1d9bqeCysToNymMqccB17I2QziogzepokZi3hfxYuyX2mDP7dWLql_Ny9Hz-SSWj5iGyihv0p7zqgXpLCL4Pz5njSJNklXShGssHHUVENSP0lA0PWd8tkwYbtGa6HdvsIVfWutxxnD/s1600/sign+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Gh1d9bqeCysToNymMqccB17I2QziogzepokZi3hfxYuyX2mDP7dWLql_Ny9Hz-SSWj5iGyihv0p7zqgXpLCL4Pz5njSJNklXShGssHHUVENSP0lA0PWd8tkwYbtGa6HdvsIVfWutxxnD/s320/sign+3.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
After stopping in Cloquet and dropping off our bags, we went up to Duluth to eat and then go to the expo to pick up our race packets.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAwqAtZmutxVTFVQHG5R86jyMUdXMimf92sFzle6jkGQQhql9KphkvnzVnomjp96RapFiis0igE4yjmi8IhVMr46vn35_S2X0gNO6V9eE1v86vFffAgVB7VL9E0SHaJCaHXnxzyhTtQOL/s1600/carbs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAwqAtZmutxVTFVQHG5R86jyMUdXMimf92sFzle6jkGQQhql9KphkvnzVnomjp96RapFiis0igE4yjmi8IhVMr46vn35_S2X0gNO6V9eE1v86vFffAgVB7VL9E0SHaJCaHXnxzyhTtQOL/s320/carbs.jpg" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carbing up!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_uY89V1hxA14mjMdD2kekw-q9hBKfY9jjrV8aWAjVUo90wjrg_tisKsip6b8Bu0WZxVtfz1aeVKWdcTJL3sfMRuZPE296ze9vj4d6y5YgGSkXbSLa1ZoBVx927d7mtyq0gg19AnkFH0Ti/s1600/ship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_uY89V1hxA14mjMdD2kekw-q9hBKfY9jjrV8aWAjVUo90wjrg_tisKsip6b8Bu0WZxVtfz1aeVKWdcTJL3sfMRuZPE296ze9vj4d6y5YgGSkXbSLa1ZoBVx927d7mtyq0gg19AnkFH0Ti/s320/ship.jpg" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The William A. Irvin ship in front of where we parked at the expo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovMPzKGDPENc92KdywXPBYHLY8M54TvbpMFIqOiVdByfA3VEUJqPpQ2yGO3dpNbEEIcRN03MbD44c0c3R8hiy8HwpzfFFcnn38sZoaMSJqrVCdoVrQiz6nHL-baJV9cOI6IrcmVQygjYz/s1600/expo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovMPzKGDPENc92KdywXPBYHLY8M54TvbpMFIqOiVdByfA3VEUJqPpQ2yGO3dpNbEEIcRN03MbD44c0c3R8hiy8HwpzfFFcnn38sZoaMSJqrVCdoVrQiz6nHL-baJV9cOI6IrcmVQygjYz/s320/expo.jpg" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Expo crowd. This is also home of the University of MN Duluth Bulldogs, 2011 Division 1 National Champs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>So after getting our race packets and dropping off some used shoes for Soles 4 Souls, we headed back to Cloquet to get a good nights sleep.<br />
<div><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS1_g7wpzz2BUiPtZtCHDI9VMpLWhj0f7Yj4RNXpovA37JBFpplXqA3XY3zA7JDh8YkHNCha1F6aX4j8_baJR-WizboBH87eAJNdDhYwkhcCgtEhrL1rwh81S4bcx9YzZNA2oD1lL_V2yR/s1600/ryan+and+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS1_g7wpzz2BUiPtZtCHDI9VMpLWhj0f7Yj4RNXpovA37JBFpplXqA3XY3zA7JDh8YkHNCha1F6aX4j8_baJR-WizboBH87eAJNdDhYwkhcCgtEhrL1rwh81S4bcx9YzZNA2oD1lL_V2yR/s320/ryan+and+me.jpg" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smiles at 5AM? </td></tr>
</tbody></table>The alarm went off 4:30am and we were on the road by 5am. It pretty much rained all night and all the way to Two Harbors.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4zMnaOV9ontqm2e7t8pLI-Z_bLPEuHeYvxZqWmitgmr5UNm59rxxdtNtluoQ9iCqObAN9RyH-RHc8MVYB_tlhoL9nSZ0HPplo-sPIaOfbOcKfGCIwNniBy0Ibg2xkDduVUXDvBVhMzz5/s1600/on+the+way.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4zMnaOV9ontqm2e7t8pLI-Z_bLPEuHeYvxZqWmitgmr5UNm59rxxdtNtluoQ9iCqObAN9RyH-RHc8MVYB_tlhoL9nSZ0HPplo-sPIaOfbOcKfGCIwNniBy0Ibg2xkDduVUXDvBVhMzz5/s320/on+the+way.jpg" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apparently the women behind us is not a morning person.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>About the time we got off the bus in Two Harbors it had stopped raining...for the most part. We ran into an ex-coworker as we walked to the starting line and it was her first time running Grandma's. It was nice to see her again and we chatted for awhile then wished each other good luck. We dropped off our sweat bags, got in line for the potta-pots, and by the time we were done with that, it was time to get to our starting spots. Ryan lined up with the 4:15 pace group and I set my sights on the 3:40 group. I actually was just ahead of the 3:40 pacer and only had to wait about 10 minutes before the start. I was chilly at the start, but still ditched the "throw-way" shirt before the starting horn of the train went off. Soon after the start, I was happy that I took off the "throw-away" shirt and warmed up quickly. The wind was at our backs and it sprinkled a little during the first few miles, but never rained very hard. The wind however did blow off the lake pretty steady.<br />
I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but I tend to start out too fast and this was no exception. I was hoping to "bank" a few minutes over the course of the first 20 miles and this plan worked...to a degree.<br />
I started off really good and actually passed the 3:30 pacer. I didn't think much about it at the time, but was really going waaaayyyy to fast. I got to the half way mark in 1:44:51 (8:00/mile pace) and was running along with the 3:30 pace group at this point. I was already about 5 minutes ahead of schedule and was thinking I could just slowly lessen my pace and still get done in under 3:40.<br />
At mile 16 I started to feel my first signs of trouble. My legs were starting to fatigue and doubt started to creep into my mind. I started to try and not think about it and just slow my pace a bit. I also noticed that more and more people were starting to pass me. Now I knew this would happen, but it's not very good on the psyche regardless. I hadn't planned on being that far ahead of schedule and didn't have a plan B to try and cope with this.<br />
By the time I got to the 20 mile mark I was actually getting cold. I was still ahead of schedule (2:45, 8:15/mile) , but I knew the next 6.2 miles was going to hurt. I was hoping that once I got into the city of Duluth I would warm up. My thinking was that the buildings and trees along the boulevard would block the wind, but I really think the wind was "swirling" in town and at times I was running into it. My shirt was wet with sweat and now I was starting to get colder. Now is the time the wheels started coming off.<br />
The last split I recall taking was at mile 22, 3:03+ (8:19/mile), and was still on track to get in under 3:40, but I was hurting real bad and was so cold that I would have given one of my children for a warm dry sweatshirt at this point. Shortly before this, a women came up next to me and chatted a bit. I told her that if the 3:40 pace group passed me I'd start to cry. I was kidding (sort of) and was ready to be done. Somewhere around mile 23, the 3:40 pace group passed me and I was dejected (and still cold). I passed the last few water stops and made the left turn towards Canal Park. This went down hill and I made my last effort to get in under 3:45. There a few turns in Canal Park and now we are right on Lake Superior. On a few short straight-aways we were running straight into the wind and I actually walked. I made the right turn by the William A. Irvin (see pic above), looped around and ran (it felt like I was running anyway) to the finish line. 3:47:56.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhwZIFBy87TgnyGR4DCma9u1ZBv6Ez4ef09OMm_eb0dHWTeVrQXVy5wFfm7VXAX1PXtvMEDWBWkJN-bFsetmPmkoyDxUbzrE8ToXhv4FQQnrGVoTCmLuge30Xpratmkc8Bpdvil7i1neN/s1600/lift+bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhwZIFBy87TgnyGR4DCma9u1ZBv6Ez4ef09OMm_eb0dHWTeVrQXVy5wFfm7VXAX1PXtvMEDWBWkJN-bFsetmPmkoyDxUbzrE8ToXhv4FQQnrGVoTCmLuge30Xpratmkc8Bpdvil7i1neN/s320/lift+bridge.jpg" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duluth Lift Bridge. Grandma's Saloon is just to the right.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I got done, got my medal, shirt, and mylar blanket and sat on the curb. I was soooo cold. I was actually shaking. I went and got my sweat bag and headed to the changing tent. I sat inside and tried to warm up, but my hands were shaking so much I could barely text my wife. I changed into a dry t-shirt and put on a hooded sweatshirt and thought I should get something more to eat and drink. I grabbed a bagel and chocolate milk and found a spot to sit and watch for my friend Ryan to come in (see pic above). I must have missed him come it, but found him in the family meet up area a few minutes later. We went to get his sweat bag and while waiting in line Ryan gave me the gloves he got from his sister-in-law as my finger tip was bluish purple in color. We caught the bus back to the hotel we parked at that morning and then went back to Cloquet to clean up for the ride home. We got the stink of 26.2 miles off of us and then went to get lunch before we drove 3.5 hours home. We each ate a pizza the size of a steering wheel and drove home.<br />
It was nice have some time to talk to an old friend for 3+ hours in the car. Outside of a few emails and an occasional phone call, we don't get uninterrupted time together to just talk about any and everything and that really means a lot to me.<br />
<br />
When I got home, I found the following signs hung up around the house and it reminded me that race results don't mean anything compared to the love of my family.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXxKcaWqGiR1cMVf60-Cd5ra_BcdHD6KxQcB9_0-ah_b62ICglWplNcBQNsmd72BnHROyw3eG-SvUVqrapheZtnDnqjd_VkQOrst_yexrYn56Xqwr2g4W_cYSO2T-R5ZigqqaWWovCIZG/s1600/IMG_0697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXxKcaWqGiR1cMVf60-Cd5ra_BcdHD6KxQcB9_0-ah_b62ICglWplNcBQNsmd72BnHROyw3eG-SvUVqrapheZtnDnqjd_VkQOrst_yexrYn56Xqwr2g4W_cYSO2T-R5ZigqqaWWovCIZG/s320/IMG_0697.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMWFrh_-gP9NLQmiMmu8qJFP22pt27qwb9HIKRvlzfrgXedggQCnLJL0ze3npPD3JB7OoNxEEgtw_7E86hOx-o7Agnmx2uHx-LVhBa7BXSD1_TJlt9t9asWGPocJyrox30H8azspFDN80/s1600/IMG_0698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMWFrh_-gP9NLQmiMmu8qJFP22pt27qwb9HIKRvlzfrgXedggQCnLJL0ze3npPD3JB7OoNxEEgtw_7E86hOx-o7Agnmx2uHx-LVhBa7BXSD1_TJlt9t9asWGPocJyrox30H8azspFDN80/s320/IMG_0698.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1n-RpG_kuLiLsAufAquDjHdT2DKq2nebRgGNT0AzXbgNyuXLdSoNM7wGAn8JwYdQof0DJESS98XJF3207Ff1z_O3ET-uP8tO3_6QMml4yTMtbFnrQffkY-6ZBEeC5T_hSTgvx9KwalX_S/s1600/IMG_0699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1n-RpG_kuLiLsAufAquDjHdT2DKq2nebRgGNT0AzXbgNyuXLdSoNM7wGAn8JwYdQof0DJESS98XJF3207Ff1z_O3ET-uP8tO3_6QMml4yTMtbFnrQffkY-6ZBEeC5T_hSTgvx9KwalX_S/s320/IMG_0699.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7J7kokomcU_bmjklrJP_xLkr1U6tEWN_0y6kmxzhsIEUus9PQBFmbBc5tSStANxjBJXFOwGiAvBkhRu41MDjtaPSU3fOKRrab1zh4F92DEP7O1hH35HXBOID-nW65uPTpKLN7EpRpsEdq/s1600/IMG_0700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7J7kokomcU_bmjklrJP_xLkr1U6tEWN_0y6kmxzhsIEUus9PQBFmbBc5tSStANxjBJXFOwGiAvBkhRu41MDjtaPSU3fOKRrab1zh4F92DEP7O1hH35HXBOID-nW65uPTpKLN7EpRpsEdq/s320/IMG_0700.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The following day was Fathers Day and we went to the Childrens Museum in St. Paul. It was a nice way to end the weekend. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj18a8kr8S_wRz_fhByZXXJl3vrH8MT7HdBjKhvTtYOTS95OGKOrHwlKDbnXL-vd6ghHO6Mn2rdCXWfz4Z-ODgDAXYILGd6YCTf1n70IAmqxYX7BpW3DFGvfD5Z4tsz53Vfia8qluf4L2xr/s1600/IMG_0702.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj18a8kr8S_wRz_fhByZXXJl3vrH8MT7HdBjKhvTtYOTS95OGKOrHwlKDbnXL-vd6ghHO6Mn2rdCXWfz4Z-ODgDAXYILGd6YCTf1n70IAmqxYX7BpW3DFGvfD5Z4tsz53Vfia8qluf4L2xr/s1600/IMG_0702.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71P18DvI7JD2HqCi67qQaEdC-6J_GhjRrMKQB-zkRgSvSgajTnRTFEFG4p-_Y_Cuoxf0NEiXXv3tuX9X3_KnvSUpbH2o0OeV0Mi3m6SWY03OLkH_GP6eiBuamEL8PJA5auzSBWyRhW137/s1600/IMG_0677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71P18DvI7JD2HqCi67qQaEdC-6J_GhjRrMKQB-zkRgSvSgajTnRTFEFG4p-_Y_Cuoxf0NEiXXv3tuX9X3_KnvSUpbH2o0OeV0Mi3m6SWY03OLkH_GP6eiBuamEL8PJA5auzSBWyRhW137/s320/IMG_0677.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKjoSeHkV-4qKPR25KQnu6_gEUh13GQxGM04GVmK3E-fcNfxgG9jSYnwUrt9TMwNujcW-nROqVzdaiA4fmwCMd5SqdMhPndDLOve0ISrqxOrJI05rCDeXKBFQRviwuKZXTMf5oNQqmXWGG/s1600/IMG_0663.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKjoSeHkV-4qKPR25KQnu6_gEUh13GQxGM04GVmK3E-fcNfxgG9jSYnwUrt9TMwNujcW-nROqVzdaiA4fmwCMd5SqdMhPndDLOve0ISrqxOrJI05rCDeXKBFQRviwuKZXTMf5oNQqmXWGG/s320/IMG_0663.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
I didn't reach my "A" race goal or even my "B" race goal, but I learned a lot and can't wait to do another marathon. 3:47:56 is a marathon PR and I'll take it!<br />
<br />
</div></div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6563732347823295833.post-36326379298143399432011-06-20T20:38:00.000-07:002011-06-20T20:38:31.661-07:00Pre-Race Grandma's Marathon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS1_g7wpzz2BUiPtZtCHDI9VMpLWhj0f7Yj4RNXpovA37JBFpplXqA3XY3zA7JDh8YkHNCha1F6aX4j8_baJR-WizboBH87eAJNdDhYwkhcCgtEhrL1rwh81S4bcx9YzZNA2oD1lL_V2yR/s1600/ryan+and+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS1_g7wpzz2BUiPtZtCHDI9VMpLWhj0f7Yj4RNXpovA37JBFpplXqA3XY3zA7JDh8YkHNCha1F6aX4j8_baJR-WizboBH87eAJNdDhYwkhcCgtEhrL1rwh81S4bcx9YzZNA2oD1lL_V2yR/s320/ryan+and+me.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ryan on the right and me. Who smiles at 5AM on a Saturday?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I've taken a few days to digest Saturdays marathon and will share my race report and more pics in a few days. Until then, I'd like to thank Christina and Jason (Ryan's brother and sister-in-law) who live in Cloquet (about 20 minutes from Duluth) and graciously let us stay at their home the night before the race. They even gave us beds to sleep in so we got a good nights sleep!<br />
<br />
P.S. Christina, you're going to rock the Whistlestop half marathon!<br />
<br />
</div>I'M Tri-inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14442052264764436516noreply@blogger.com3