Baltimore Marathon Race Report

As I begin this report I am pleased to announce that I met my goal-finish.
2nd Goal-Have fun.  I cheered the spectators on, high-fived all the kids who had come out of their row homes to see these crazy people running and I ate as much as I could.  I also gave the 'Maopalski' fist pump to as many people as I saw! :)
I was admittedly worried in the day leading up to this race, but I have an awesome group of friends who are also runners who had nothing but encouraging things to say to me the week before.
I arrived at the expo on Friday and after picking up 4 Hammer gels and 2 gu gels I went to get my bib.
The atmosphere was very exciting.  It seemed that every vendor was selling the same stuff just in a different spot. My sister and I went back to her house where Brendan had prepared a nice salad a monster steak and a baked potato.  Through my study of the paleo diet and how my body responds to the challenge of endurance sports I have found that loading up on lean protein the might before a race works best for me.
I looked over the elevation map for the race and put together a rough nutrition plan for the race.  As a bigger guy this is a pretty important aspect.  My smaller friends can eat less and perform well.  I like to think of them as compact cars that are very efficient-I on the other hand, am a Humvee.  If I do not refill the tank every couple of mile things don't work out.
Before I went to bed I finished up the last of my inspirational reading-Dean Karnazes-Ultramarathon Man.  The last story in the book is about how he ran 200 miles straight-kind of puts things in perspective.  That night I slept like a log.
The next morning I got up  and ate a bagel with almond butter and a cup of coffee.  We arrived at the race village around 7:15 I made a quick pit stop, confirmed with my sister where they would be so i could look for them along the way and got myself lined up.
The race starts on the side of Camden Yards where the Baltimore Orioles play.  I got into line and struck up a conversation with some of the guys around me.  Being my first marathon they were excited for me and gave me a couple of pointers.  The best one was-take it easy in the beginning.
They played the national anthem and as is customary in Baltimore when they get to the lyric 'O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave.' the whole crowd roared 'O.' It's an Oriole thing.  The gun when off, the confetti flew and we were off.
The first three mile is a 250 foot climb.  It is really not a big deal with where I train.  I took it easy running at about a 11 min pace the whole way up.  One side note-as I was driving through Wiles-Barre on Friday on my way to Baltimore I realized I had left my Garmin GPS unit at home.  I train with it all the time so running without it was going to be different.
Around the mile 1 there was this scraggly old guy guy yelling "Go Runners" over and over again.  I found it funny.  By the time I reached mile three I had fallen in with a couple of people that were talking runners.  I get pretty bored running for so long so it is nice to be able to talk so someone along the way.  Plus it make it more fun.  They were Debbie from Westchester, NY and Sean from Virginia.  We had some good laughs but i had to make a pit stop at mile 5 and lost them to the pace.
After my pit stop we ran through the beautiful John Hopkins campus and Druid Hill Park.  This was also where we picked up the first relay exchange.
It was downhill to Federal Hill after that.  I grabbed some skittles at Mile 7 and kept booking along.  I met a guy who was about 6'7".  I made some comment about his height and he laughed.  We got to talking about how his Dad had died ten years ago to the day.  He was kind of commemorating his life with the run.  He had been a marine at Iwo Jima and a Baltimore City School Principal.  They were very close.  As our conversation we parted ways with me pulling ahead.
Entering Federal Hill there was a huge cheering section and some girls with Swedish fish so I decided to get some of them too.  Running while trying to chew Swedish fish is harder than you think.  I spent the next mile trying to get them out of my teeth and wash them down.  Federal Hill is also home to the Under Armor factory who was the primary sponsor of the race.  This was mile 12 and they were handing out power gels.  After this a girl ran by me who had a very springy stride.  we got talking and someone overheard me saying I was for North East Pennsylvania.  We all got into a conversation about Lake Wallenpaupack and the town of Hawley.  This was pretty unusual because where I live is pretty obscure.  It was during this conversation that I also came across an ipod on the ground.  I picked it up and later returned it to the lost and found after the race.
At the half Marathon point I found myself running alone again and it stayed this way for a good time.  we ran by the Inner Harbor and the Aquarium then to Fells Point.  This was were my sister was going to be meeting me.  At about mile 15 I spotted her.  She had bought me a shot of espresso and filled one of my other water bottles with HEED.  I took my shot, ate a banana and I was off again.  By mile 16 I was still feeling great.  This was pretty significant because this race would mark only the third time I had run farther than 16 miles.
I kept my pace up, passing through another realy nice park section and into what I knew would be the most challenging part of the course.  It is at mile 16 that some pretty big hills come into play.  I was so excited to the way body was feeling.  I was getting tired, but i knew it was nothing I could not work through.  as I neared mile 18 I caught up with my friends Debbie and Sean.  After the first big hill Sean dropped off and Debbie and I pushed each other up the following hills, making conversation as we went. 
When we came to the mile 20 marker things started to go south.  My body and legs started to just shut down.  At mile 21 someone was handing out candy and I was so beat I couldn't even open a twizzler wrapper.  I kep pushing on hoping I would make it past, but the more I pushed the worse it got.  My quads began to cramp so bad that I almost fell over.  I stopped at a lamp post and stretched things out and it got better then worse again.  This is how the next 4 miles went.  It was the longest 10k of my life.
Finally as the hill crested at Mile 25 my body got a second wind.  I don;t know what happened but my muscles stopped cramping and I was able to keep a pretty steady pace.  What is great about this course is the last mile is all downhill.
I was going of sheer will at this point.  My body and mind were completely spent.  As I cam running in my thoughts drifted to Renee and Liam who were not able to be there.  I was missing them badly.  The crowd got thicker on either side of me.
The last 500 yards of the race goes through the brick path of Camden Yards.  As cool as this is, it is also kind of anticlimactic because no spectators are allowed in this area, so you have about 100yds of just you and the brick.  As I broke into the final stretch I could see the finish line.  In my mind I heard Liam saying 'Go Daddy Go!'  My Sister and Brendan were there cheering and as I came in I thanked God for giving me the ability to do this.
My official time was 4:39 (that's hours boys and girls)
I received my medal, solar blanket and stood in line for a dry bagel and some granola bars.  I asked  half marathoner who had already finished if he would help me to the ground.  I was afraid of what would happen if I tried to do it myself.
After I met up with Emily and Brendan we went to Fells Point and got some pizza.  Consequently enough I met up with my Federal Hill crew there.  Who knows, maybe I will see them while they are on vacation this winter at Lake Wallenpaupack!
I left this racing feeling very happy with how I did.  I wanted to cap off the most active year of my life with a marathon.  I also know that I can do it faster.  Going in I said I would not be doing another marathon next year...I lied.  I want to do it again with a faster time goal, because i know I can.  I look forward to the challenges to come.

Thanks for reading and for all your support!

Sebagoman Race Report

I spent Friday counting down the minutes till I left for the race.  At 4pm I wrapped up my last appointment, ran home for my bag/bike which were packed and I got on the road.  I made a quick stop at Action Bikes and Outdoor in Matamoras, PA for some Hammer Gels and arrived at the hotel in Chester, NY at about 7pm.  My first dinner was a disappointment so I ventured out and found an awesome Shop Rite.  I took a chance and bought some Sushi-Salmon Avocado Rolls which were awesome.  I also bought my breakfast for the next day.  My cheering section (My sister Emily and her boyfriend Brendan) was not going to arrive till 11:30 so I decided to hit the sack.  I was exhausted but I laid in bed wide awake.  No matter what I tried to do I could not fall asleep.  Emily and B rolled in at about 12:00 and I am pretty sure they were both asleep before I was.  I decided to work through my race plan to try and put my mind at ease.  It must have worked because the next thing that happened was the alarm going off at 4:15am.  I ate my breakfast of a Wheat bagel with Almond butter and fresh strawberrys and blueberries and got on the road.


Spent the 30 minutes drive spending time praying and reflecting a lot the awesomeness of God.  He gifted the word with an incredible sunrise that morning, rich red just brned through the early morning sky.
I arrived at the check-in and heard the Race Director talking to somebody else.  I knew that the cap on the race was 400 but I heard them briefly chatting about how there was only 120 people signed up for the race.  At this I suddenly felt a little hope.

The Sebagoman Olympic Triathlon is a .9 mile swim to a 21 mile bike to a 6.2 mile run.  To be honest I did not have many expectations going into this race.  My biggest goal was just to finish-and beat that big 3 mile ascent at mile 6.  But other than that I had no hopes of placing or anything like that.  I had originally signed up as a Clydesdale (it's the Division for guys over 200 lbs) because at the time I thought I might be able to place.  But at the months have passed I have not had the time to train as much as I would have liked.  But with the word of the smaller field I got my hopes up of possible top 3 in the division.  I found myself sizing up every guy setting up the transition area to see who my competition would be.  You can never really tell though.  I went back to just getting focused and ready for the race ahead.

It was decided because of the small amount of people there that we would all go off in one big wave-"like on big happy family."  I took and Espresso Hammer Gel and headed down to the beach.  I lined myself up on the outside of the pack.  The plan was to let the group thin out a little then I would move in closer to the buoys.  I donned my cap and goggles, said one last prayer and waited for the horn.  When the blast went off I was very surprised at how relaxed I was.  I just started chugging along like I usually do.  I did not even try to site the buoys because they were white...and so was everyone's swim cap.  So I watched where everyone else was going.  Unfortunately I got caught up in a group that decided to swim away from the buoys.  When I went to site a buoy I found I was way off course and quickly started moving back toward the main pack (or pod) of swimmers.  I got pushed and bumped a few times, even tried to draft one guy for a little while until I realized that he was going too slow.  This swim also wins the award for most scenic.  Usually water is murky from being churned up by swimmers.  But you could see all the underwater landscape because it was only 7 feet deep at it's deepest point.  By the second lap around the triangle I found I was not at the back, nor was I in the front.  It was nice to know that even though i have not spent much time in the water my swim was turning out really great.

I made it out and ran into Transition 1 feeling really good.  I put on my shoes (I still use toe straps) took a Hammer Endurolyte, through my gel flask in my back trisuit pocket and started the ride.

One thing I knew I had to watch out for was cramping.  In my first tri (Got the Nerve-Sprint) my calves cramped up in a wicked way after I got off my bike.  So I had been training with Hammer HEED (see a trend here?)  I packed two bottles full of Melon Flavor and had added a little extra to keep my muscles from getting over fatigued.  The big hill I had fretted about so much was pretty big, but the time was passed when I started riding with this guy who was going about the same speed.  We chatted for a good way up the hill.  My plan for this hill was to take it easy because it was still early in the race and there was still a long way to go.  The roads on the first half of the ride were absolutely abysmal.  I felt like was going to blow a tire from all the potholes.  The second half was brand new backtop so that made up for it.  The scenery was gorgeous and passed a few hardcore runners who cheered me on as I went.  at about mile 19 there was this large group of people lining both sides of the road.  They were all cheering as if I were some kind of elite.  I think they were waiting for a bus or something.  Either way it was just the boost I needed to get through the last miles of the bike.

I jumped into Transition 2 grabbed my hand held water bottle also filled with HEED (lent to me by UltraRunner Chris Freet) took my second Enduralyte and got going.

I was definitely fatigued but felt good.  The run was a moderately challenging course that was rolling hills.  It was okay because it was nothing I had not trained on in the past couple of months.  a half mile into the run the lead guys came flying around the corner and gave me a big high-five and an encouraging word.  One thing that I experienced in this race was how much all the athletes encouraged each other during the race.  As we all passed each other on the 6.2 mile out and back there was almost always a high-five or an encouraging word.  At 2.5 miles I heard someone come up behind me, a small little woman, I politely asked if she would be willing to carry me up the next hill.  This emitted a bit of a laugh and a little more encouragement.  By mile 3 I was out of HEED and felt my body starting to get dehydrated.  Not only was I parched but my muscles were starting to cramp up, especially my quads.  There were also hotspots forming on the arches of both my feet.  I had opted not to wear socks because I felt I would be able to bear it during such a 'short' race.  Plus I did not want to waste the time in the transitions.  As I came down the final stretch I heard my sister yell "Go Ken, you are going to make it in under 3 hours!!"  I dug deep into everything I had and crossed the finish line.  I grabbed a water, vitamin water and a handful of ice which I proceeded to drop into my trisuit.  I was exhausted but stoked it was accomplished.

I enjoyed 4 fig newtons, 1 banana, 1 Vitamin water, and a slice of Sausage Pizza to wrap up the race.  I did not even think to check my time or standing until I went back for some more water and saw people standing around the preliminary printout results.  As I followed the column down I saw that I was the #2 Clydesdale.   I guarded my heart in case it was some kind of mistake.  As they got to the last of the awards they called my name for second place.  I was blown away!  I have never won anything in the way of an athletic trophy (barring the 'Most Improved' Cross Country trophy in 8th grade)  It was like all the training had been validated!

My official splits are a follows:
Swim 33:19  (2:06/100yd pace)
T1 1:06
Bike 1:23:09 (15.2 mph pace)
T2  0:29 (4th fastest T2 time)
Run 59:13 (9:33 pace)
Final 2:57:16
Placed 61 out of 100 overall

One thing about this race is I just had a lot of fun with it.  I found myself just enjoying what I was doing despite the great amount of pain-especially at the end.  I am looking forward to recovering from this race and getting busy with the business of the next race-the Baltimore Marathon on October 16.  Keep me in your prayers!!

Slaying the Dragons

I have an active imagination.  My youth was marked by pictures of G.I. Joes, Super Heroes, Robin Hood, Knights, Castles, and Dragons.  I used to (still do) draw pictures of dragons.  The mythical beasts always seemed to just engross my mind.  I recently read a series of fantasy books that helped those thoughts along.  The Eragon Series were a boy becomes a dragon rider.  Books like those are food for the kid in me.
During the long hours of training you have a lot to think about.  I can only think about my pace, time, nutrition, , so much before I begin to think about something else.  I think also when I am experiencing intense amount of pain I look for some kind of out.  Something to take my mind off the pain.
My next two races are hilly.  A few weeks ago I took sometime to go out and drive the course for my next race.  As I drove it I realized that the elevation charts did it no justice at all.  A sick feeling started to form in my stomach as I drove in my car up some of these hills.  Renee turned to me and said "This is fun...right?"  Here is the elevation chart for the the Sebagoman ride: MapMyRide - Sebagoman in Stony Point, NY 
I went home from that little day trip saying...I need to work my hills.  Now working hills where I live is not difficult.  I live in the Northern Poconos and I really can't get on my bike without expecting at least one big hill.  It is worth mentioning that the run course is mostly downhill on the way out and uphill on the way back.
Hill training is tricky.  I am still new at this so I am not really sure the 'right' way of doing it.  In my mind I just push as hard as I can till I get to the top of the hill, then do it again for the next one.

Enter the dragons.

As I was charging up what we call Jadwin hill I began to see these hills as dragons.  When I stand at the bottom of a hill I stare at something that wants to defeat me.  I am not one for giving up or being defeated.  These giants want to conquer me, but I will not be conquered.  My imagination gripped me as I began training these hills.  Call me a nerd-but no longer was I a 225 guy running up a hill.  I became a fearless warrior facing down a dragon that only sought to devour me.  Things like this only enable my unwillingness to give in to pain.  Step by step was another step toward victory and getting to the top of the hill meant I won.

We cannot be defeated by our dragons.  Whether in life or in a race.  We need to face them, fight them, and slay them.  If we allow ourselves to be conquered we only set ourselves up for another defeat.
So slay your dragons fearless warriors

Family Matters

I have a family.  In fact, as I begin to write this post my 20-month old son Liam is practicing his climbing techniques on anything that has steps, rungs, or hand holds.  My wife is at work and she is pregnant with our second child due in November.  I love the wonderful benefits that come along with having a family.  Watching Liam grow is always an adventure as he explores and discovers what works and what doesn't-what is right and what is wrong.
I can also safely say I am an endurance athlete and I try to train like one.  As many people who train with families at home know there is a mighty word that rings like a bell in the night.  A word so important the repercussions are epic (okay, that may have been dramatic) the word is- Balance.
Balance is something that is so hard to find when the world spins about you like a tilt-a-whirl careening out of control at a carnival.  Trying to find time to spend time with the family, get all my work done, and train to the level that will allow me not just to finish but perform at a satisfactory level.
Many of my endurance brethren would agree that many times being able to rain means getting up a redonkulous hours of the morning when those single athletes are still nestled in their cozy little beds getting their 8 hours of sleep dreaming about the awesome workout they plan on having when they are fully awake.
I am not complaining, no, we family supporting endurance athletes, we actually consider ourselves a finer breed of warrior.  We live on 6 hours of sleep (if we are lucky) we move while the world sleeps.  Coffee, Ensure, and Gels are the staples in our diet because without them we would never get moving.  We wear our families as a badge of honor.  Not only are we able to train for races that defy the limitations of the human body but we are champions for our families as well.
I am not going to say it is not difficult, because it is.  Sometimes we have to make sacrifices somewhere.  More often that not I choose to sacrifice training.
When my life ends, I want there to be three truths about me: 1. My life reflected a love for God 2. I was an awesome Husband(see #1) 3. I was a great Dad (see #1).  All the physical accomplishments in the world cannot hold a candle to those 3 truths. 
I'll continue to train and race because they have become a fun motivational factor in my life.  But my greatest reward is coming through the door after a heart wrenching workout and seeing my little guy come running in with a smile on his face because he is happy to see his daddy.

GTN Triathlon Race Report Part 2

This is a continuation of my race report and is the actual report of the race.

After I got my race packet and number marking I took my bike and the rest of my stuff into the transition area.  The transition area can be a little intimidating.  Everyone is setting up all their stuff and everyone has a different system.  Everything I had read told me to do my own thing and not pay attention to anyone else.  This was easy because my way was the best way anyway.
After I got my transition area set up I put on my shoes and went for a little run to warm-up, stretched and then spent a little more time with Renee, Liam, and Erin before it was time for the competitors to enter the transition area to get ready for the race start. (My Transition area is on the left in the picture to the right)
Looking around I felt like i was standing amidst a pod of seals.  Most everyone had a wetsuit except me and the woman standing next to me.  At that point the nervousness really started to set in.  I breathed deeply and started to shake myself out.  A volunteer was walking by and must have seen it in my eyes because she stopped, looked at me and said "You'll be fine"
We were herded much like cattle down to the beach and instructed that we had five minutes to warm up and get acclimated to the water.  I rushed in nervous that I might run into the same problem I have had with previous open water swims.  The water is so cold that it takes my breath away.  The water was a brisk 66 degrees.  This was not nearly as bad as the 55 I had been in Lake Wallenpaupack the week before.
I gathered with my wave and we entered the water.  This was it.  I kept repeating in my head one of the last things Renee had told me before the race-"Race your own race."
The gun went off and the 45 men in my wave took off.
I had heard about the kicking and hitting that usually goes on during the first moments of the swim taking off but you don't really understand it til you are in it.  Honestly, it's not that bad.  Everyone is just trying to go in the same direction at the same time.  The only trouble is you cannot really get into a rhythm.  By the time I was able to get my bearing straight I found myself at the back of the pack-this was mildly disheartening, but I kept plugging along.  After the first buoy I started to pass people.  I looked to the left and saw a couple guys from my wave doing the breast stroke, on my right a guy just floating on his back.  Rounding the second buoy I continued to pass other guys from my wave and make my way toward shore.  My mantra for the swim was "Race your race" (thank you sweetheart).  I emerged from the water winded but determined to continue on.  My whole body screamed "Just walk fast and catch your breath" but my heart refused to yield.
I came into the first transition heard Renee cheering for me and filming(video will come later).  T1 went very smooth except for the tongue of my right shoe going further down than I would have liked.  Once corrected I grabbed the bike and off I went.
The first part of the bike course was pretty rough but once we got out onto the main road things got a lot smoother.  As I got into my rhythm I found that I began to pass a bunch of people from the two waves ahead of me.  This was a huge confidence booster.  I played leap frog with a couple of people but for the most part once I passed someone they were gone.  at around mile 7 I ended up riding with a guy in a blue trisuit.  We chatted for a bit about the beautiful countryside then about the big hill coming up.  I asked him if he wanted to race, he said "Sure, loser buys the winner a drink" needless to say I never saw him again.  I still owe him a drink.
The big hill came and went and was pretty brutal.  I passed a couple people walking their bikes up.  My heart, again, would not let me do such a thing.  as I buzzed downhill at mile 10 a Honda Element passed me then made a right turn right in front of me! I did a little yell more because I was buzzing along at 23 mph and had to slam on my brakes.  It was very frustrating. 
The rest of the bike leg went very well.  I was very happy with my pace and by mile 14 felt I was really getting into my groove.  The words Imago Dei popped into my head.  This is a Latin phrase that means "Image of God."  I was pumped by this.  The idea that we are made in the image of the most powerful being in the universe can really get your psyche amped.  Coming into the last mile of the bike leg I felt unstoppable.

I found out quickly that just because you are made in the Image of God, does not mean you are God.  I parked my bike and took off for my run.  As I came out of the transition area I saw my cheering section with Liam holding a sign that said "Go Daddy!"  The push from my friends/family was just what I needed because right then I felt an excruciating pain start to course through my calf muscles.  With every step I felt as if my calves were going to freeze up right on the spot.  I said to myself, just keep running, they will loosen up....I hope.  After a mile they did, but not after all previous waves buzzed past me like I was standing still.  I got as second wind as I came around the 1.5 mile point.  I grabbed some water and dug in.
When I got off the rail trail and back onto pavement the adrenaline kicked in and I pushed with everything I had left to the finish line.
As I crossed the finish line I was overcome with this sense of relief, exhaustion, pride, and whatever else.  My mind did not really know what to do or think and so I defaulted to a bit of crying-not much, but those who know me know I am a cry baby.  I thanked God for the ability to compete and exercise and do all that I had just done.
At first I was not overly pleased with my time but this is what the final split was: (the split is a separation of the times)
Swim 10:06 Pace-2:03/100
T1 1:41
Bike 53:39  Pace 17.9mph
T2 :41
Run 25:54 Pace 8:21/mile
Final Time 1:32:01
Placed Overall 207/588 Age Group 24/45

I was definitely surprised at my run time as I usually train at around a 9+ pace and I thought my legs were going to give up on me.
After the race I went and enjoyed some fried food at a place called the Blue Bird Inn near Mt.Gretna with my cheering section.  Thankfully Liam slept in my arms through most of lunch (he was apparently a very tough to deal with during Daddy's race).  A big thank you to Renee, Liam, Emily, Brendan, and Erin for coming out to support me.

Renee asked if I would do this one again.  I think I will.  It was very well organized and very first timer friendly.  The bike course is mildly challenging and the run gives a great opportunity for a PR.  Next on the docket in the Sebagoman Olympic Triathlon on August 21.  Stay tuned for updates on my training and thought about the upcoming race.

Got the Nerve Report Part 1

This is the first of a series of reports on the Got the Nerve Triathlon held in Mt. Gretna, PA on May 22 2010.  It was my first triathlon so its a pretty cool deal.
This post is a prequel to the actual race itself.  We used a disposable camera and still have 12 pictures to burn as of the writing of this blog.  So pictures and video are coming soon.
Friday afternoon I shot out of work to lots of well wishes and re-explanations of what I was going to be doing the next morning, which is no problem because I love talking about it.

I got home laid out all my gear to make sure I had everything  For those who know me well I have swiss cheese for brains and I tend to forget things.  Once I got everything laid out I packed it up got everything into the car and took a 15 minute cat nap Renee and Liam got home.
As we headed down the road Liam was acting a little more fussy than usual.  Those with toddlers know that long car rides are not the most fun in the world.  Liam also has a screech which leaves his mouth and goes right into your spine.  It does not stop there but spreads itself out along you neck and shoulders.  This does not provide for a relaxing or enjoyable ride, but this would only serve as a precursor for the night to come.

We stopped in Wilkes -Barre at an Applebees for dinner.  I found to best looking pasta dish on the menu to store some carbs.  It was a Three Cheese Penne with Grilled Chicken.  It was not anything to write home about, but good enough to serve its purpose.  One interesting site we saw was this, a alrge dresser sticking out of the back of a sedan...it did not look very safe.
Our original plan was to stay with some family in Lancaster but due to a lack of beds we opted to stay in a hotel.  There were a couple of reasons for this, but the primary one was I needed/wanted a good nights sleep.  Second it was only about ten minutes from the race site.  We made a half-hearted effort the night before to find the race site site but to no avail. Turns out I turned around about 500 yards from the turn-off.
We got to the hotel around 7:30 which normally is Liam's bed-time.  We did our best to rock him, give him a snack, but by 9pm he still was not going down.  Renee and I were both losing steam and I really wanted to get some rest.  So I took liam for a walk on my shoulders through the hotel.  I thought he might be fading, but by 10pm he was still going.  I got the stroller and we did laps around the Hampton Inn.  I am sure I covered over a mile and it still did not seem like he was fading.  Finally at 11:15 he passed out-and so did we.
At 3am we were awoken abruptly by some yelling and arguing.  And it wasn't like it was down the hall, it was right outside our door.  The guys was going on and on about who knows what.  Finally I hear another voice of a older woman scream "Hey big-mouth, people are trying to sleep!"  I thought she handled it well because things quieted down after that.  I found out the next morning it was a drunken wedding just back from the reception and the State Police had almost been called.

My wake-up call came at 4:45 I got up went downstairs ate a bagel with Peanut butter, a banana and some coffee.  When I got back upstairs my family was still sleeping.  I got them up (reluctantly-he's so precious when he sleeps) and we got on the road.
The parking area was already filling up when we got to the race site.  I started to feel twinges of self-inflicted intimidation as I got the bike out and my gear set.  I picked up my race packet and got my body marked with my bib number 534 and my age on my right calf.  This number would prove very useful in my own observation during the bike leg which i will save for the next post.  Thanks for reading!

The Final Countdown

For your listening pleasure while you read this blog.
The Final Countdown
But here were are, 6 months in the training.  It is amazing to think how far I have come since November.  As I ws thinking the other day it really all started when i watched a "where are they now" episode of the Biggest Loser.  Two of the guys on there went on to do Ironman Triathlons.  Those are the bigs ones and take well over a year to train for-so we are starting small.
But in a little over a week I will be participating in my first Tri.  I am very stoked, excited, nervous and I know the next week will be filled with dreams about me missing the race or getting there late or something like that.  This always happens when I get close to some big event.  I am comforted by the fact that I will have an awesome cheering section.  So far it is up to 4.  Renee and Liam, my sister Emily, and a close family friend Erin.
My biggest worry is my bike to run transition.  I was disheartened by a brick workout I put myself through last week.  When I got off the bike my legs were spent and my pace was less than satisfactory.  So I have been battling in my mind the different possibilities and reasons for this.  My cardio is more than prepared for this race.  I can perform twice the distances required in all the disciplines without any great difficulty, is it just a matter of my body not being ready for it?
Or do I need to do something I have never thought to do, refuel nutritionally during the race? It is a short sprint and should take longer than 1:45 but do I need to intake some calories halfway through?  A problem with this is that I have not practiced refuleing during training, only pre-workout and post work-out.
There are ton of questions cruising through my mind right now and each one feels more confusing than the rest.  Just praying that I can do what I know for this one and look forward to the next.
Be praying for me this week, and know that I have more excitement than worry.  The worry just tends to be more vocal sometimes.
Peace.