Overview: Successful trip and Olympic-distance triathlon debut at the Chicago Accenture Triathlon.

Thursday: I flew Southwest from San Diego to Midway. Checking the bike box was $50 each direction. I met someone at the race who flew Delta and was charged $400 one way. Be sure to call ahead to determine if that cheaper ticket to your race is really worth it with the hidden cost. I was greeted at the airport by my friend Paul who I hadn't seen in over 3 years. He took me into the city to get checked in to my hotel, and then we had Gino's East legendary Chicago-style deep dish pizza dinner before calling it a night.

Friday: First thing I did on Friday was make coffee and build my bike. I wanted to get a ride in early enough before the race Sunday to check if any parts were damaged in the transport or if I put it back together incorrectly and needed to make adjustments. I found that being super organized when packing the bike for the trip out helps speed this process up. Plus, taking the bike apart goes much faster than building it. I even took pictures of my handlebar and aerobar alignment with my camera phone to double check.

I had a fast and flat eight-mile ride on beautiful Lake Shore Drive to my friend Paul's apartment. Coincidentally, Paul and my co-worker Trish lived exactly one block away from each other. Crazy, right? After a year of working together over the phone, through email and IM, Trish and I finally got to meet in person and to top it off, we did a swim in Lake Michigan. Trish was also signed up for the triathlon on Sunday, racing the sprint distance.



After a delicious and nutritious dinner with Paul and his girlfriend Jenny, I headed back to the hotel for the race reception. There I met a colleague, introduced myself to Sarah Reinertsen and chatted with pro triathlete Kevin Everett and his wife who were incredibly genuine people and all racing Sunday.



Saturday: I met Trish and her friends Brett and Santiago at the hotel race expo. We got checked in, body marked and found our wave assignment for the race, After checking out the gear at the expo, Trish and I headed north on the L so I could get my bike from Paul's place. I rode the 8-mile Lake Shore Drive route back to the hotel and prepared my race gear while watching the men's Olympic marathon on TV. I also packed my non-race gear because I had to fly out after the race.

Sunday: My alarms went off at 4:15 am and my crazy day started. I went through my pre-race ritual of hot shower, coffee and music headed out the front door of the hotel on my bike with backpack full of gear for the day. I set up my transition area amidst a sea of bikes, being sure to note certain landmarks for the transition that would help me quickly locate my area.



I set up next to Team Goody StayPut triathlete Laura McDonald from Denver, CO, who would later place 77th overall and win our age group! She was super cool and we hung out while we waited for our wave to be called. After close to two hours, it was time to race.



The Swim: I lined up near the front inside of my wave, wanting to get out front during the 380-yard swim to the turnaround buoy. The swim start was super chaotic and I was kicked, climbed on and dunked underwater all the way down to the turnaround point where I finally broke free, found my rhythm and pulled ahead of the pack. It felt fast but I preferred going harder and using more energy on the swim to being apart of the mess that was back behind me. The water was warm, around 70 degrees, and I started to feel good. It was really cool to see the spectators above on the lake wall when taking breaths during the swim. I exited the water and had trouble calming my breathing down at first, but there was a really long run to my transition area during which I settled my breathing. I passed the timing mat in 27 minutes and had a 2-minute, 30-second transition.

The Bike: Before I even got on my bike, I began having problems. I keep my shoes clipped in my pedals, a common practice in triathlon but what I didn't anticipate, which no one usually does, is stepping on a piece of glass barefoot while running with my bike. I was in the bike mount area when I reached down and pulled the piece of broken beer bottle out of the ball of my left foot. I caught a quick glimpse of blood, I tried mounting my bike, one of my shoes came out of my pedal, and I bumped another racer who almost fell off his bike into someone else... I was that guy.

Anyhow, let's fast forward 10 minutes into the bike, I was settling in, spinning well into a headwind and getting some needed nutrition after the aforementioned debacle. The ride was a tad windy, the road itself was in pretty rough shape and I began noticing more and more folks fixing flats. I began concentrating my efforts on choosing the cleanest and smoothest lines I could take as to avoid a flat tire. This seemed to work and the south-bound tail wind was a nice relief during the return loops. I was off the bike with an hour and fifteen minute split which is a 20.4 mph average and into T2.

The Run: My run transition was only a minute and a half, relatively fast considering the never-ending transition area that added quite a bit more to the day's run total. I was greeted by Paul, Jenny and their awesome dog Ari during my first half-mile into the run followed soon after by Trish and her friends. It took me 2 miles to settle in and find rhythm on the run during which the temperature began to rise. I hydrated with Gatorade at each aid station and was able to maintain a 7:18 pace during the 10K run by sites like the Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium. I finished my first Olympic-distance race in 2:29:12 which was good for 262nd of 4,089 overall and 62 of 519 in my age group.



Post race: The real challenge of the day began after the race as I had to schlep my tired body back to the transition area, gather my race gear and ride back to the hotel. I met Paul, Jenny and Ari at the hotel and immediately disassembled my bike, packed it in the bike box, took a shower, checked out of the hotel and Paul dropped me at the airport. A special thanks to Paul for dealing with me in all my spandex glory

Recovery: Flying so soon after the race took a toll on my body earlier this week but now I'm good to go after lots of stretching and some body work by Holistic health practitioner, Haunani Chong.

Recap: Great trip, cool city, awesome tune-up race and relieved to have no lingering hamstring issues after the scare on the track just 2 weeks ago. There is still much work to be done to find success in the full-iron distance Silverman triathlon in November. Stay tuned as training kicks up a notch. Thanks for stopping by to read this longer post and I apologize for the delay in posting.

Preview: After a successful San Diego 100 Mile Ultra Marathon in June and rest in July, the second phase of training and competition for 2008 is here. I've got my work cut out for me to find success in this notoriously rugged and demanding 140.6-mile triathlon known as Silverman.

Competition: The 4th Annual Nevada Silverman Triathlon on Sunday, November 9, 2008. Stay tuned for full-feature Silverman post.

Weakness: The bike portion of Silverman can make or break this race for me because I lack experience with long rides and hills. So in effort to strengthen my weakness, I'm launching my campaign to become a more experienced cyclist beginning Saturday with the following 100-mile ride:



Training: Here are a couple easy training rides and runs from this week:





TCSD August Aquathlon: Thursday, 8/14. I'll aim to better last month's performance (34:17, 17th of 70).

Chicago Accenture Triathlon: On 8/24, I'm racing my first Olympic-distance triathlon. I'm stoked for the race, to see a new city, I get to meet Trish my co-worker, meet up with an high school friend I haven't seen in 4 years and also watch the men's Olympic marathon on Saturday, 8/23.

Angeles Crest 100 Mile Endurance Run: I've got a call scheduled with Eric Lee (check out his impressive race resume) to discuss race logistics and get my pacing responsibilities ironed-out soon. Stay tuned for more on the AC100 and "pacing".

Noble Canyon 50K: My next official ultra marathon race is on 9/27, where I'll smash my 5-hour and 49-minute course PR Read last year's race report.

Recap: I've set the bar relatively high for the remainder of 2008 and I'm excited to share this journey with you all. Please join me and share your comments, training, virtual training, blogs, stories, race reports and/or personal victories along the way!

Preview
The summer if officially here, I successfully completed my “A” race and now its time for a little variety (see below) before ramping things back up for Silverman in the fall.

Recovery from SD100
It’s been two weeks since my "A" race and I’m happy to say that I experienced little to no soreness from the effort--testimony to proper training and conditioning. On the flip side of that, I’ve been totally drained of energy. It’s been tough waking up in the mornings and by mid-afternoon, my eyes feel heavy and it’s a struggle to stick-out the day.

I’m starting to do stuff again which is a good sign and this past weekend was the perfect summer weekend to be outside. Friday after work, I joined a group of friends and colleagues for a 1-mile swim out of La Jolla Cove sans wetsuit--68 degree water. The water was clear and it was the perfect way to start the weekend.



Marie’s training
Marie and I met Mindy at Mission Trails at 6am Saturday morning and I only made it 8 miles before my legs had enough. The girls went on, through the triple-digit heat, for 20 miles.

Marie and her girlfriends are registered for the Headlands 50 on August 9, so they have been dialing in their training. For Rebekah and Mindy, this is their first 50-mile ultra run with 50K being their longest effort to date. Marie’s debut 50 was in January at the Avalon 50 and she did great so she is excited for more technical terrain and to share the experience with her ultra running buddies.



New book
While I was waiting for Marie to pick me up after her run and head to the beach, I started reading Racing the Sunset: An Athlete's Quest for Life After Sport by Scott Tinley. I breezed through the first 100 pages and I’m really into Tinley’s writing style and the introspective nature of someone who was so passionate and dedicated to reaching their potential in the sport of triathlon when the sport itself was in its infancy. There’s a much deeper message that Tinley is offering as he recounts his struggle with the transition from athlete to the next stage in his life. I’m excited to dive back into this one again soon.

Summer training, travel and races
Sunday morning I joined Jesse and Emmy for a few hours on the bike. He rode north to Del Mar and climbed our way back south through Torrey Pines and over Mount Soledad. It was another hot day so length and effort of our Sunday scenic spin was perfect. Emmy is training for Vineman 70.3 and the three of us did an open-water swim tonight at La Jolla Shores.

Cross-training
Today was my first ActiveX Training workout since... last year? I’m really excited to be back out there and impressed with how many new folks have joined in the fun.

Today’s workout:

50/40/30/20/10 reps
• Double-jumps
• Push ups
• Sit ups
• 400 run

Travel
I’ve got a couple cool trips lined up in July starting with my birthday weekend getaway to Lone Pine, CA. Marie and I are going to camp at the base of the Sierra Nevada in the Alabama Hills, just two days before the start of the infamous, Badwater 135. The race travels from Death Valley, which marks the lowest elevation in North America at 280 feet below sea level, to the finish at Mt. Whitney Portal at 8360 feet. The Badwater course covers three mountain ranges for a total of 13,000 feet of cumulative vertical ascent and 4,700 feet of cumulative descent. The last 12 miles climb over 5700 feet and Marie and I are going to run this section while we’re in Lone Pine to pay tribute to these runners and also to preview this section of the course for the day I take on the challenge

Badwater 135

Cruise
At the end of July, I’m joining my family for a week-long cruise from NYC to King's Wharf, Bermuda. I’ve never done anything like this so I’m stoked and I’m thrilled to have an entire week with my family in such a unique setting.

Race
My next race is the Accenture Chicago Triathlon (Olympic distance) on August 24. I’m excited for this event, the chance to travel to a new city and the opportunity to finally meet my teammate, Trish, whom I’ve been working with for a year and a half.

Recap
The summer is already off to a great start and I'm excited to shares these fun adventures with you all along the way.

All the best,
~Toby

This weekend marked the one-year anniversary of my life as an endurance athlete. Last year on this date, I ran the Lake Hodges 50K, stepping into the unknown with only an 18-mile training run under my belt. The events of the last calendar year yield a similar pattern of redefining my limits, chronicled here within and embodied in my young adult life.

My journey has lead me to the summit of what I thought was previously possible only to be afforded a fleeting glimpse of higher mountain tops and greater challenges. First it was the 50K that presented the challenge, then came the 50-Mile distance that broke me until I achieved success. I'm currently preparing for a 100-mile run in June and already registered for a 140.6-mile triathlon in November. Then what..?



"What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve."

To celebrate my passion for endurance, I participated in my first official triathlon, the Ford Ironman 70.3 California at Oceanside on Saturday. The race itself is a classic—season opener for the sport of triathlon. The field was stacked with Pros in both the men's and women's divisions. It was cool to hear all the hype before the race but I was there to push myself for a killer training session—all to build my body and mind for the San Diego 100 Mile Endurance Run on 6/7-6/8.

I like to set the bar high so it leaves me with more to be desired—this way, I remain motivated at all times. I projected my finish in less than 5 hours and a PR in the half marathon. I didn't reach either of these goals (haha) but I sure had a blast along the way!

The swim was nice and warm (60-degrees) in the protected Oceanside Harbor. No swell to battle, just a bunch of flailing bodies. I was surprised to see the different color swim caps (yes, mine was pink) during the swim--I must have caught up to at least two waves that started before my age group. I knew my swim was solid and projected 32-minutes which was pretty much spot-on as I was out of the water and into T1 in 33-minutes.



The bike portion began with a mistake within the first half-mile that would cost me later on. I somehow managed to drop my electrolytes on the ground, never to be seen again.

"Punishment = Glory"

Right?

In the meantime, I enjoyed pushing myself on the bike, which remains my weakest link in the trio. I've only been riding a road bike since August and my longest ride was done in the Anza-Borrego Desert with the Triathlon Club of San Diego (TCSD). We covered 60-miles that day in 106-degree dry desert air so 56-miles through the rolling hills of Camp Pendleton seemed easy, so I pushed harder.

Towards the end of the bike, my lack of electrolytes began to creep up on me in the form of cramps in my quads so I switch to Gatorade at the aid stations. I finished the bike portion in under 3-hours, averaging 19-miles per hour. My bike dismount into T2 was greeted by a full contraction of my hamstring when lifting my leg over the top-tube of my ride--foreshadowing the first portion of my half-marathon run. My right foot was numb for at least 4 miles and my legs were heavy and the impact of each step was loud—not my typical efficient running stride. The temporary discomfort was quality punishment training

The run remained the highlight of my day. I train alone so often that I was absolutely blown away by the volunteers, fans and spectator support--it was beautiful. I was proudly wearing TCSD apparel and encouraged by familiar faces and countless supporters along the 13.1-mile run course.



I appreciate you all joining me on this adventure--stay tuned for another year!

Saturday morning, Marie and I made our third-straight weekend pilgrimage to Cuyamaca State Park for our last long trail run this month. We got on the second portion of the SD100 race course for seven hours. There are still lots of downed trees blocking the trail from last year’s firestorm. No way will these be removed before the race which will be quite the surprise for runners who haven’t previewed the course. They got the best of Marie on several occasions. Her sexy legs still look sexy, but were badly scraped by the end of our 27-miler—ouch!

We’ve now scouted the entire race course and I’m feeling optimistic. I’m confident in my support crew, even more so now that it includes my brother—making a guest appearance from the east coast. Secondly, I’m stoked because my fitness level is right where it needs to be. This became more evident when the alarm sounded at 6:30 am Sunday--my legs were fresh and I crushed an 8-mile recovery run, followed by 2.5 hours on the bike like it was nothing. Training at altitude is amazing!

Monday, I spontaneously took the day off from work to capitalize on a mountain bike trip with my good friend Tim. He got us full suspension bikes for the day because he is scouting trails out near Idyllwild for a trail running event he is directing in October. The route we took was by no means suitable for this type of running event but we still had blast.

Training for my first 100-mile run is exciting and throwing a half-ironman in the mix has made it even more fun. The Ford Ironman California 70.3 on 3/29 is almost here. I’m going to hold off on any more long runs until April. Once April hits, I’m going to peak with some serious mountain running sessions (including night running sessions) into the beginning of May and then taper down to harness the energy for 6/7-6/8.

Last night, I installed aero bars and a forward angled seat post to convert my road bike to a triathlon setup. I received some helpful tips from folks in the discussion boards so if you’re ever looking to make the switch, check out our dialogue: Road to Tri bike conversions.

Tomorrow morning, I’m meeting Airey and jesse@active for a 50-mile ride to test this new positioning. It’s going to be important to pay close-attention to my biomechanics because new muscles will be activated. There will be more stress on my neck, lower-back and hamstrings. I’m looking forward to the change in my training to prepare for the Ford Ironman 70.3 California.

I'm going to hit the lap pool on Sunday morning and enjoy another non-impact active recover/triathlon training session. Carrie Smith has kindly provided the following swim workout:

500 swim
8x50
300 swim
2x100
100 swim

The Avalon 50 took a lot out of me both physically and mentally. I’ve been resting all week, eating healthy and getting to sleep early each night. I’ve used the muscle stick for massage and a yoga class to salvage flexibility so my body has recovered from the soreness and my hips are no longer tight. Along with the physical repercussions, mentally, I’ve been in a slump all week and I’m finally beginning to come out of it. It’s hard to explain the way I’ve felt, but it’s actually been pretty depressing. It’s kind of scary for me because I am always so positive, no matter what, and this week has been a challenged to keep an upbeat attitude.

Despite the “runner’s low,” each day has been better than the last and I’ve used this time to reflect on my accomplishments in 2007 and also plan out 2008. This past year has been a dream--just look at this list of activities!

1/13/2007	Owens River Gorge rock climbing/Lake Sabrina snowshoe
1/21/2007	Mount San Jacinto tramway hike to summit
2/10/2007	New Jack City rock climbing
2/17/2007	Mount Whitney MR attempt
3/31/2007	Lake Hodges 50-km ultra run
4/7/2007	Joshua Tree NP rock climbing
6/23/2007	Sequoia NP backpacking/Sawtooth Peak hike to summit
7/14/2007	TCSD Beginner Race 3000M/11M/2M
7/29/2007	Solana Beach Triathlon Relay
8/11/2007	Mt. Disappointment 50K/50M Ultra Run
8/25/2007	San Bernardino Traverse aka 9-Peak Traverse
9/1/2207	Yosemite NP backpacking hike to Half Dome
9/9/2007	Mt. Russell via Fish Hook Arête
9/20/2007	SDTC Aquathon 1000M/3Mile
9/22/2007	Joe Decker World's Fittest Man Boot camp workout
9/23/2007	La Jolla Cove 10-Mile Relay Swim
9/29/2007	Noble Canyon 50-km ultra run
10/17/2007	Kings Canyon NP/Buttermilks rock climbing
10/26/2007	Joshua Tree NP rock climbing
11/9/2007	Joshua Tree NP rock climbing
11/17/2007	Malibu Creek SP rock climbing
11/25/2007	Grand Canyon NP backpacking trip
12/9/2007	Joshua Tree NP/Boyscout trail run
12/16/2007	52-mile Penasquitos trail run

2008 is going to be a big year and I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences with you all. Over the course of this year, I am going to train and compete in effort to build my endurance for the main event in October: The San Diego 100.

Please join me for another awesome year in adventure!!!

2008 race preview:

1/12/2008	Avalon 50 Mile Ultra Run
2/9/2008	B&L 20KM TT Series
3/12/2008	B&L 20KM TT Series
3/29/2008	Ironman-70.3 Oceanside, CA
4/19/2008	Leona Divide 50 Mile Ultra Run
5/10/2008	PCT 50 Mile Ultra Run
6/8/2008	Teva Mountain Games 10KM Spring Runoff
6/29/2008	San Diego International Triathlon
9/29/2008	Noble Canyon 50KM Ultra Run
10/20/2008	San Diego 100 Mile Ultra Run