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| If you're a Swimmer / Model with high maintenance hair, you just found the perfect shampoo. |
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| Erin Dobesh Photography was on hand and captured a lot of great shots. We will get an album up shortly. |
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| Dean set a new PR with Mike Phillips and rode to the 21st fastest time ever on the 12.48mi course on his special diet. |
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| 5 new "Top 25" ALL TIME marks were set yesterday. |
Although, according to the Mayans, 2012 may possibly be an abbreviated season, I am still quite excited. This year brings with it, the opportunity to race with Team Rev 3. I am honored to have been selected to be apart of a team and organization that prides themselves on upstanding character. I've yet to race a Rev 3 race, but am anxious to get things in motion. From what friends tell me and current Rev 3 team members say, it is a top notch series. 
Right around the turn at Fireman’s Park I head an awful noise and thump thump thump thump etc. I looked back and sure enough, the air in my tube vanished like a fart in the wind. I let out a couple four letter words and pulled over, as if preparing to wave to the hundreds of cyclists repassing me. All that work for nothing. And the front of the pack pulling further and further ahead. While unwrapping my flat supplies, a mutual aid van pulled up A-Team style, but instead of guns and ammo they stocked tubes and pumps. This was a true blessing, as attempting a flat change with 100% pure frustration pumping though my heart at 150bpm probably would have resulted in broken equipment. Instead as the support guys searched for a tube that would fit the disc, I was able to pace a little bit and think. “It’s all over now, should I just ride to finish? 15 hours sounds comfortable”. They were able to get me back on the bike in about 5-6 minutes, although it seemed like an eternity.
Back on the bike I was riding with some familiar kits, people I remember seeing 18 miles ago. F@%!. And now I couldn’t even pass. I was riding the same pace as the masses for a mile or two. Trying to motivate myself, I recalled sitting in the dimly lit, dirty dungeon that was the York HS indoor “track” circa 2000. Mr. Newton at the table in front of the bleachers and concrete floor filled with kids. “90% of the thoughts we send to our brains are negative.” And “99% of the things we worry about never even happen.” Have PMA. (Positive mental attitude).
I was back to pre-flat pace and physically feeling great. Then I heard another disappointing sound. Yes indeed, it was my bottle of Ultragen hitting the road. I looked back. F it. I lost a bottle of important nutrition at California 70.3 in 2007, not turning around proved catastrophic. Since then I lost two bottles during IM distance races and turned around for them both times. However, at this point, mentally, I could not afford any more lost time. Gatorade and water for the next 5 hours it was.
I couldn’t wait to get to Old Sauk, the energy there would surely be a pick up. And it was. Everyone was going insane. The Endure it crew, Sara again, running up the hill shaking some noise device, and a pretty damn hard slap on the back from David, like a long haired jockey on a horse. The hill was over before I knew it.
At the dismount, I pulled my hamstring while trying to extend my left leg fully. No! I grabbed it, bent over and slowly extended while tightly holding my hammy in. Phew, that didn’t last long, into T2 and out in 2:28. I felt alright off the bike, and always look forward to the run. I must have gone onto the run with a couple of 2:50 guys, because I felt like I was running backwards. Three or four guys passed and pulled away in the first 800m… Not so great for morale. I just tried to hold my pace and like 1st Lieutenant John Dunbar gradually start picking people off like wounded Tatanka (buffalo).
The run though Madison is another place that makes you smile. Tons of people, and again, Sara loosing control, screaming like a mad woman! Then out of town onto the course. Holy crap. Look at all these people in front of me. I thought I must be 25-30 in my group. I hit up every aid station for everything I could get. Ice down the back, water, perform, water, sponges, was the usually combo. Later I added cola. At one point I tried a Powerbar, obviously I wasn’t thinking clearly, every time I’ve ever tried solid food like that I can’t seem to chew it and end up spitting it out.
Into town for the second to last time, Beert, Fix and Fix were on hand with more updates. “You’re in 6th, two guys ahead of you are running 9 minute pace.” I saw one guy in my group running shoulder to shoulder with a 30 Ager. I went to the outside of the path picked up my pace (as to give him less hope) and made a pass. Once out of sight, I settled back to my normal pace as not to blow up. I figured there were going to be 3 spots, so I needed two more guys. Passed one with 1 mile to go. I skipped the last aid station. I think my body was used to taking in calories and liquids every 7-8 minutes for the last 3 hours and 20 minutes, because 400 meters past the last aid station I hit the wall hard. Buttlock, quads burning. My last 4mi avg was 8:23, probably because the last 1200m felt like 10 minutes. One of those compression sneaks that I passed, repassed me here. I couldn’t go with, I had nothing. It felt like the last 20 meters of a poorly paced 800 where the quarter was 51seconds with a PR at the 600. It’s the worst feeling when you’re telling your body to move but it simply cannot.
In the end, the guy that passed me was 35 not 25. 3:24:23 for the run, good enough for 4th and 46th overall. Lost eight pounds and had a temperature of 95 degrees. I sat in the medical tent and took in fluids. Had to wait until the next day to find out if I got a Kona slot. Lapinski called with the good news, four slots were allocated to 25-29.
As camp comes to a close tomorrow, I would like to compliment each of you on the past six weeks of training. It isn’t easy to sacrifice one’s summer, and dedicate yourself to, perhaps, the hardest working camp in the country. You could have signed up for “sports camp”, “computer camp”, or “play video games until 3am and wake up at noon camp”. However, you did not. You were up each morning, by 7, or sometimes 6am, during the dog days of summer, ready to put in the miles and do work.
There are no medals, trophies, or awards for practice. The only hardware you’ll receive is intrinsic, knowing you’ve put in the work this summer, and did the best you could with what you’ve got. All these miles, and repeats on the track go right in the bank. You’re on your way to topping off quite the solid base this summer. In only a few months’ time, you will be digging deep at regionals, sectionals, and at Detweiller Park in Peoria. Then you will be able to take a look back and withdraw all the work you’ve deposited, and put it to use.
I enjoyed the opportunity to work alongside each of you, the councilors, and Mr. Kern. In my opinion there is no greater place to train in America than right here. Everyone was fortunate enough to train with the defending state champions, as well as several former state champs, current NCAA Divison 1 athletes, one of the country’s fastest triathletes, the heavy hitters, and a 1500m world champion.
Keep up the good work, remain dedicated, and make a commitment to excellence this year. As Mr. Newton says, “Have the courage to say no”. Your friends and family will understand that you are not like every other student. Often times you will be pressured to stay out late, or participate in activities that will not be beneficial to your training, or school work. Whether it concerns your nightlife, diet, sleep, recovery, training, etc. ask yourself if this will help you reach your goal this year, if so, do it… if not… don’t.
Open up your suitcase of courage this year,
"Z"
2008: 117,635 yards - 981 miles - 269:18 hours
2009: 22,800 yards - 853 miles - 88:00 hours
2010: 247,350 yards - 1326 miles - 257:43 hours
2009: may have been quite the beneficial break from triathlon training. Although my bike was as strong as it's ever been the fire academy started in March. Therefore the next 8 months of training consisted of completely useless activities such as: knee benders, push ups, sit ups, 2-4mi jogs at about 10min pace in formation, stretch cords, about 15,000 flights of stairs, jumping jacks, bear crawls, squat jumps, holding pencils and books in the air, chopping wood, dragging hose and tools around, lots of crawling, standing in place, climbing ladders, and friendly activities such as the ones pictured below, etc...
2010: was a year spent trying to accumulate volume... after all, it is free, and with each order of volume comes a bit of free endurance (postage and handling not included). Anyone may acquire asmuch endurance as they so desire, as long as they stay healthy. Since training was primarily aerobic, I consumed a lot of fat, mostly of the plant, nut and seed variety, as well as the occasional firehouse bacon and SAUSAGE fat. Intensity is not a miniature city inside a tent... nor did it show it's ugly face much this year. In '08 I was leading Computrainer classes 5-6 times a week though out the Winter months. It was intense, much like THIS and TABATA. A year ago this time I was logging my low HR hours on the yellow Giant in my friend Mike's condo while watching reruns of Millionaire Matchmaker and Gilmore Girls.
2011: The staying healthy part is however, a bit tricky. After my 4 week IMCOZ hiatus, I decided to create a nice hearty initial layer of training cake. After 10 hours on the bike and 27 miles of hills into my first week back my Achilles said, "Hey Dan, you are an idiot". Achilles was right and refused to cooperate with my stupid plan. The past week has been entirely in the pool, making standing turns like your standard "far lane weirdo". Ten days, a tube of cream, some of Erin's reflexology, and a rehab session later I've been on the bike a bit, putting some puny little pathetic watts into the cranks. I'm hoping back to back years will pay off, I should have lots of cake to deposit into the bank (even though the cake is only acquiring interest at a rate of like .75%). I hope to put a Costco size tub of icing on 2011's cake and make the IMOO course my bit@h.
