Shelter Island's 10k is simply a great event. I hate running but running with over a 1000 other people is pretty cool. This Sunday I finished 144th (o:47:01) out of 1084 runners at my first ever 10k. I was only 1032 seconds (I thought that sounds good) behind the top placed Ethiopian WORKU BEYI. The first five finishers came from Ethiopia and Kenya. That wasn't very surprising to me but I felt honored to run with them. They finished in just below 30minutes on this hot and humid day.
I wanted to lose some words about some other participants that I got to know briefly on the course...there was this little boy with his mom and his aunt at the start right next to me. The mom told him that he needs to stay with his aunt for the first 2 miles and then he can take off on his own speed if he feels ok. I thought that was a good advice so that the boy learns how to pace himself over 10k...eventually the boy flew past me on mile 4. His little legs ran and ran and ran. He past some fast people on his way to the finish line. Give that kid a good training program and you will see him starting for the US in the Olympics 2016. RESPECT little boy in green shirt.
When I grow up I want to be like LEN SHEER....at the age of 83 Len finished the Shelter Island 10k in 1:30:26. Most people that age couldn't even walk 10k in a day. I am so impressed about this man's result. When I will turn 83 someday and I can run 10k than that is because of my new idol Len Sheer. Of course he took the crown in his age group...Congratulations Len!
My race went pretty well. When I signed up for this legendary race (where you can earn World Cup points) I did not set my self a goal because I never started at a 10k run. I wanted to keep my pace and have a fun practice session. Since running is not my strong leg I was very happy with my time of 0:47:01 (7:34min/mile). I lost about 30sec at the start when the crowd got rolling and my second 5k split was 11 seconds faster than the first 5k. Overall I had a great day even without a raffle win. Maybe next year :) After the race they had prepared a lovely BBQ for all runners at the On Shore restaurant on Shelter Island. The sun started to set over the ocean and the day finished with a spectacular picture of all kind of pink and violet tones possible. Sadly I couldn't share that view with any of my friends or family.
P.S. Thank you to the race coordinator that did an excellent job putting together this 28th Shelter Island 10k. See you next year. Link for those that might want to give it a go next year... www.shelterislandrun.com
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Shelter Island 10k
After I well deserved break...I am back on the road...almost. Today I took a day off at work and hit the beach. The weather was just right...not too hot (like the last couple of days) and not to windy. There was a nice little breeze at the beach, just right to relax in the sun. A couple of kids and their moms enjoying the day, some teenagers playing beach volleyball, and me chilling on the beach chair of the hotel. I was out there for maybe an hour and a half (so I wouldn't get burnt) and then I went up to one of our hotel rooms to watch the European Championship on ESPN. After the second half I felt some tingeling on my skin....I AM BURNT. How did that happen? I look like a boiled lobster ready for dinner. I wasn't too happy about that because now I have to wait until the sunburn is gone to get back on the bike for long runs. This is the first time in my life that I want clouds to fill the sky. When the sun set today I went for a run with my roommate just to get my legs going again. The run went fine but the shower after was painful. I did what I had to and got out of the shower like I get out of T1. I hope my aloe vera is gonna work wonders on my skin. I know I don't have a second degree burn on my shoulders like Rob but sunburn sucks.
Yesterday I signed up for the famous Shelter Island 10k race. Over 1000 runners will start at this annual event on June 21. Kenyan Lazarus Nyakeraka set the race record in 1995 when he finished at 28:49. This should be fun....not like I can run a 4.37 minute/mile but it should still be fun.
Rob: the club will recieve more funding for next year. Apparently we did a good job. They will give us a bit more than $2300. $1100 for travel expenses. That means we get some funding for a big race that we will do next year. Any idea where you wanna go? Let's make it a good one :)
Yesterday I signed up for the famous Shelter Island 10k race. Over 1000 runners will start at this annual event on June 21. Kenyan Lazarus Nyakeraka set the race record in 1995 when he finished at 28:49. This should be fun....not like I can run a 4.37 minute/mile but it should still be fun.
Rob: the club will recieve more funding for next year. Apparently we did a good job. They will give us a bit more than $2300. $1100 for travel expenses. That means we get some funding for a big race that we will do next year. Any idea where you wanna go? Let's make it a good one :)
Friday, June 6, 2008
looking forward...Ironman 70.3 Monaco???
I have been relaxing the last few days. During the Ironman 70.3 Switzerland I felt a cramp coming up in the back of my knee but I got through without actually getting the cramp. The next days until yesterday that spot troubled me because I couldn't extend my leg completely. I finally got rid of it and can know start a new endover.
The last few days I was trying to figure out what race I would like to do next. Its a bit difficult this season because I work weekends and I can't get off on a Sunday to compete. In the beginning of September I have to leave the country for a while (I am going to study in Austria) but I would like to do another half iron distance race. I was eyeballing the Ironman 70.3 Monaco. It wouldn't cost me too much since I am in Europe already during that time. And who wouldn't want to go to Monaco? And the coolest thing apart from the city is that I will get to run on the Formula 1 course. For those that don't know formula 1, it is the European NASCAR just much better :) So right now I am still undecided but unless I find something better I might sign up.
After the Ironman 70.3 Switzerland I analyzed my splits and realized that to climbe to the top of my age I need to work on my bike and my run. How ironic is that? I thought I was good on the bike but that is where I can make up a lot of time.
Swim split 0:32:54 (rank # 194 overall)
Bike split 2:42:15 (rank # 434 overall)
Run split 1:48:53 (rank # 488 overall)
So for the next weeks I will work on my speed on the bike and the run. I will start to increase my speed over shorter distances (maybe 5 minute intervals) and then increase the distance and speed over the next weeks. I am interested to see if that will work. Any suggestions or workouts to help me increase my speed? I would apreciate any advice.
Thank you!
The last few days I was trying to figure out what race I would like to do next. Its a bit difficult this season because I work weekends and I can't get off on a Sunday to compete. In the beginning of September I have to leave the country for a while (I am going to study in Austria) but I would like to do another half iron distance race. I was eyeballing the Ironman 70.3 Monaco. It wouldn't cost me too much since I am in Europe already during that time. And who wouldn't want to go to Monaco? And the coolest thing apart from the city is that I will get to run on the Formula 1 course. For those that don't know formula 1, it is the European NASCAR just much better :) So right now I am still undecided but unless I find something better I might sign up.
After the Ironman 70.3 Switzerland I analyzed my splits and realized that to climbe to the top of my age I need to work on my bike and my run. How ironic is that? I thought I was good on the bike but that is where I can make up a lot of time.
Swim split 0:32:54 (rank # 194 overall)
Bike split 2:42:15 (rank # 434 overall)
Run split 1:48:53 (rank # 488 overall)
So for the next weeks I will work on my speed on the bike and the run. I will start to increase my speed over shorter distances (maybe 5 minute intervals) and then increase the distance and speed over the next weeks. I am interested to see if that will work. Any suggestions or workouts to help me increase my speed? I would apreciate any advice.
Thank you!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Ironman 70.3 Switzerland Race Report
9:00am attention...start...
The line was lifted and everyone was fighting for a good position in the 60 degree cold water. I started all the way to the left out of the second row. At this time only M18 and M25 started. Every 15 minutes they started 2 more age groups. Fighting for a spot I tried to find someone’s feed which was more difficult then I thought. It was extremely tough to orientate myself since all I saw was flying arms and legs. I didn’t pay much attention to where I was in the field but I felt as if I was slowly falling behind the main group (which wasn’t the case). After 0:32:45 I got out of the water running past a cheering crowed towards the transition area. 
2min 13sec transition and I was off on my bike. I felt a little tired from the swim but recovered on the first few miles. After 10km the course took us up “The Beast”. I think that is self explanatory. On the way up the 15% incline the people of the village created an amazing atmosphere with all sorts of tools that made noise and a Caribbean band on the top of the hill. By km 20 the inclines ended and I started descending. Here I almost said good bye to the race. The course sent us into another small village where we had to take a very sharp left turn. Underestimating the speed I had I missed the turn and almost ran over the helper that directed the triathletes. He jumped out of my way and jelled something in Swiss-German that I didn’t even understand. Past the helper I went up the side walk and squeezed myself in between a parked car and a wall (no more than 3ft). Can you say LUCKY? That could have been my first real crash.
Besides that the first loop went very well and I felt great. As usual on the bike! Starting the second loop I had to stop at one of the aid stations because I lost the water bottle that I grabbed. From the first loop I knew that the next aid station was too far away so I had to stop completely and grab two new bottles. All together the two loops on the bike took me 2:42:15 which was a great time for me. A fast T2 (1min 29sec) and I started the half marathon. The first few steps felt horrible but not even close to what I felt like last September at the Nutmeg Half Iron. I took in some more fluids to replenish my minerals and after the first 2km I felt much better. At km 3 the loop had integrated 64 stairs called “stairway to heaven” which was the cause for many cramps that day. For the first 14km of the run, this guy from South Africa that I meet after the race, stayed on me heel. I was his pacemaker until I had to slow down because my legs got tired. The second loop of the course took me a few minutes extra so that I finished the run after 1:48:53.
At the finish line the commentator called out my name and my personal fan club that had cheered for me at every possible corner during the race screamed and yelled when I finished. My parents, my brother + girlfriend, my girlfriend, and my brother’s girlfriend’s family congratulated me behind the finish line. With a time of 5:07:46 I finished 360th out of 1228 men and 14th in M18. The winner of Ironman 70.3 Switzerland, Ronnie Schildknecht, finished in 3:51:45. The winner of my age group beat me by 45min which means I have a lot to work on :)
I want to thank my personal fan club for supporting me. I am not sure how they managed to change their
position so quickly during the race. They were cheering for me out of every corner. The commentator announced that a crowd of 35000 people was at the race and I would say that my fan club did the best job cheering. :)
The line was lifted and everyone was fighting for a good position in the 60 degree cold water. I started all the way to the left out of the second row. At this time only M18 and M25 started. Every 15 minutes they started 2 more age groups. Fighting for a spot I tried to find someone’s feed which was more difficult then I thought. It was extremely tough to orientate myself since all I saw was flying arms and legs. I didn’t pay much attention to where I was in the field but I felt as if I was slowly falling behind the main group (which wasn’t the case). After 0:32:45 I got out of the water running past a cheering crowed towards the transition area. 
2min 13sec transition and I was off on my bike. I felt a little tired from the swim but recovered on the first few miles. After 10km the course took us up “The Beast”. I think that is self explanatory. On the way up the 15% incline the people of the village created an amazing atmosphere with all sorts of tools that made noise and a Caribbean band on the top of the hill. By km 20 the inclines ended and I started descending. Here I almost said good bye to the race. The course sent us into another small village where we had to take a very sharp left turn. Underestimating the speed I had I missed the turn and almost ran over the helper that directed the triathletes. He jumped out of my way and jelled something in Swiss-German that I didn’t even understand. Past the helper I went up the side walk and squeezed myself in between a parked car and a wall (no more than 3ft). Can you say LUCKY? That could have been my first real crash.
Besides that the first loop went very well and I felt great. As usual on the bike! Starting the second loop I had to stop at one of the aid stations because I lost the water bottle that I grabbed. From the first loop I knew that the next aid station was too far away so I had to stop completely and grab two new bottles. All together the two loops on the bike took me 2:42:15 which was a great time for me. A fast T2 (1min 29sec) and I started the half marathon. The first few steps felt horrible but not even close to what I felt like last September at the Nutmeg Half Iron. I took in some more fluids to replenish my minerals and after the first 2km I felt much better. At km 3 the loop had integrated 64 stairs called “stairway to heaven” which was the cause for many cramps that day. For the first 14km of the run, this guy from South Africa that I meet after the race, stayed on me heel. I was his pacemaker until I had to slow down because my legs got tired. The second loop of the course took me a few minutes extra so that I finished the run after 1:48:53.
At the finish line the commentator called out my name and my personal fan club that had cheered for me at every possible corner during the race screamed and yelled when I finished. My parents, my brother + girlfriend, my girlfriend, and my brother’s girlfriend’s family congratulated me behind the finish line. With a time of 5:07:46 I finished 360th out of 1228 men and 14th in M18. The winner of Ironman 70.3 Switzerland, Ronnie Schildknecht, finished in 3:51:45. The winner of my age group beat me by 45min which means I have a lot to work on :)I want to thank my personal fan club for supporting me. I am not sure how they managed to change their
position so quickly during the race. They were cheering for me out of every corner. The commentator announced that a crowd of 35000 people was at the race and I would say that my fan club did the best job cheering. :)
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