knee issues and trader @ brokerjet

I have 2 weeks to go and I am not feeling to good. I mean I am ok but my knee is giving me a hard time. On Tuesday the 26th I went to NYC for two days and there I must have done something to my knee. It might have been too much walking or the Strawberry Daiquiris that night or maybe both in combination... Today I went out for a 21km test ride to see how my knee reacts and it felt just fine until I started walking. The different motions on the bike don't hurt my knee. The only problem I have is when I fully extend my leg and put pressure on it. I get a stabbing pain on the side as if my knee is going to collapse sideways.
Tomorrow I will go for a run. Weird as it sounds but I think that even running won't hurt. It's just the damn walking. As long as I can run I am happy. Who needs to walk anyways???

In 4 days I am taking off to Vienna...I am excited. Pola will pick me up from the airport at 7am. I will be moving in with her for my time in Vienna. She is a bit nervous about me moving in since she never lived with her boyfriends but I think we will be doing just fine. A little family life is always exciting.

Over the last two days I have prepared an applications for a stock trader training program in Vienna (http://www.brokerjet.at/). Taking an application picture was an adventure. Oskar (the worst and most impatient photographer) took my picture. After about 40 I found one where my smile didn't look like an idiot. With Photoshop Pola and I worked some miracles to adjust the bad lighting and my tired eyes.

I sent my application out last night. Deadline is today and selection of the participants tomorrow. If I get in I will bust my ass to do well. This can be a great chance for my future career. I am not sure if I want to go that direction but it sure sounds interesting to me. If I don't get in I can participate in a bunch of free trader seminars which will be cool too. Let's see what's gonna happen...wish me luck.

Goals for 2009 Season

After today's bike ride I looked at my speedometer and noticed that I rode 1:10h over 40km. Not like a major breakthrough but than I was curious what it would take to get my speed up to pro level. For some reason I remembered that the pros and best age groupers at the 70.3 in Switzerland finished the bike in 2:20h which is exactly twice my time over 40km. Now you might think ok 40km + 40km = 80km (not 90km) but I am not that far off. After moving the crankset in my head a bit I calculated that it would take an average speed of 36km/h (22.5miles/h) to do the 90km in 2:30h.

1. Goal: ride a sub 2:30h over 90km

Winter training: As the season is coming to an end and I need to start thinking about what I want to concentrate on over the winter. I am leaving the US on September 4th to Vienna, Austria. Since I am not sure what kind of winter to expect I thought I would concentrate on bring my swim time to a competitive level. 0:32:45 was what it took me to complete the 1.2mile swim in Switzerland. So any minute that I can cut off my time would be a big step for me. Also I really need to get those flip turns and the two sided breathing going. If I could keep my head under water for an extra stroke I would be cutting time right there. Learning how to flip turn wouldn't help me too much during competitions but it surely would make me look good in the pool...

2. Goal: improve my swim (maybe a 30min swim over 1.2 miles? I might be pushing it...)
3. Goal: two sided breathing
4. Goal: flip turn

I don't know what to do about my run. When I was 17 years old the doctor told me to stop playing soccer since my knees can't take it any longer. That was the worst day in my life... Now I am back doing a sport that doesn't seem to be very knee friendly. I always have to be careful how much I do so running won't become my #1 priority but I think if I become more energy efficient in the water and on the bike I will end up winning on the run too. I won't set myself new running goals but I sure will see improvement.

Another Chapter of my Life coming to an End

Today I started packing for Austria...I still have 3 weeks to go on Shelter Island but I am going up to CT to store my belongings until I am back in January. This was the second summer I worked in Shelter Island and once again it was an amazing summer. Over the summer months I work as a Night Auditor for the Sunset Beach Hotel & Restaurant. Most of the money I make her goes right into my tuition. I have been saving up some cash so I don't need to take out anymore student loans. I wish I could buy my dream bike from Blue (T-16) but education comes first. This next semester I am going to live and study in Vienna Austria where my brother and girlfriend are living. After that I will be back for the last semester @ CCSU. One more year until I have my Bachelors of Arts in Mathematics....

That has been my summer....

The hotel...and my office (bottom right)

The sunset...

The crazy people that think they own the restaurant...

I am sad that the summer is coming to an end but at the same time I am excited to move on and finish college. I would like to get into the banking business when I am done but who knows what will happen...maybe I will be back at Sunset Beach for a third season. If anyone has contacts to banks in NYC, I am a hard worker that is looking to find a job very soon...

How do you spend your Birthday???

Today was my birthday and I ran and rode my bike. Not a bad way to spend your birthday. I went on my bike for 34km which gave me some time to think about LIFE. When I ride my bike I think a lot and when I think a lot I try to plan ahead for the future. Usually I come up with some new projects or ideas that will keep me busy. I think that's the reason why I love biking because it frees my mind. I was enjoying some alone time. After the ride I went for a 4 mile run with Oskar. Later at night me and my close friends (Oskar and Fillipa: "The Sweds") went out for dinner and drinks. I might treat myself to a new snowboard jacket and pants but I haven't really decided on that.
I was wondering what other people like to do on their birthdays. How do you like to spend your birthday?



P.S. Thank you Pola (and parents) for all the presents and the work you put into preparing the calendar for me. I don't know how you remembered all those small things about me but it surely put a smile on my face every morning. I can't wait to come to Vienna. Love you!

soccer, scared lady & average speed PR

Yesterday the Shelter Island Soccer tournament 2008 came to an end. This local event is put together by the Police Chief of the island and voluntary helpers like my friend Oskar. Every year 7 or 8 teams pay an entry fee that is donated to one of Shelter Island's youth programs. Last week the 7 teams played the first round to qualify for the second week. Sunset Beach (the hotel I work for) always puts together a team. Last year we finished 2nd and this year 3rd. The tournament always finishes with a nice get-together-dinner at Sunset Beach. Once again it was a lot of fun. It has been one of the first times that I put my soccer cleats back on after playing soccer for 15 years. Even though soccer dominated my life until I was 21 I am glad that I can say that switching over to triathlon was one of the best things that could have happened to me. I enjoy the sport so much an coaching myself has never excited me more until now.

Today I went for a 60km ride and I think I am getting faster and faster. On the way out towards Montauk I had some tail wind so I averaged a little more than 23miles/h. At one point some lady in a white pick up truck almost made me run into her truck. It could have ended really bad but luckily it didn't. I cruising at 40km/h when she had to pass me shortly before she turned into a side street. Her maneuver made my go left into the middle of the street (Speed Limit here is 55mph) and cars came up flying behind me. If a car would have been closer to me they would have ran right into me. I went around her and screamed into her open window and that's when I saw that she felt bad but her words: "Sorry, I didn't mean to..." would not have saved me in case of a crash. Sorry lady if I scared the crap out of you (I hope you didn't pee your pants) when I jelled but now I think you won't cut of anymore bikers.
At 30k when I turned around I felt how strong the wind actually was so I figured I will try to keep my speed as high as possible until I hit the 40km mark. When I hit 40km I was so motivated to keep my speed that I kept my cadence up. I averaged 22.1miles/h over 60k (37.5miles). I think that's a new PR right there. Go me...

Physical fatigue - Ironman

Physical fatigue or muscle weakness (or "lack of strength") is a direct term for the inability to exert force with one's muscles to the degree that would be expected given the individuals' general physical fitness. (wiki)

Today's practice was a really fun session. I haven't been that close to throwing up in a while. I averaged 36.16km/h over my 20km ride and added a moderate 5km run. Even though my practice only lasted for a bit more than an hour but I was exhausted like I rode 100miles. I love the feeling of exhaustion because it makes me feel like it did it right. NO PAIN NO GAIN.

Nutmeg State Half Iron 2007 - exhausted...

I added the video "The Crawl" to my blog today for everyone that is interested to watch it. Every time I watch the finish of the 1997 Hawaii Ironman I am close to tears. For some reason it touches me like nothing else. It's inspiring and motivating me on my way to my first ironman.

Since Rob decided to do Ironman NZ 2009 I was looking for an alternative to Arizona. This years Ironman 70.3 Switzerland was amazing and why not go back to Switzerland to do the full distance? My family would be there and I had free housing at my parents. 100000 visitors and an amazingly large starter field with 2800 athletes are adding to the tingling feeling in my legs. The only hurdle I have to take is my visa situation.

Summer 2009 will look like this:

- done with college which means my visa is up and I need to apply for OPT (Optional Practice Time)
- OPT will allow me to work in the US for 27months granted I can find a job
- the risky part: if I don't have a job by the time I would leave the US for Ironman Switzerland I am not allowed back in !!!!!
- any race in the US wouldn't be a problem but going overseas during that time can be tricky
- the positive side: Ironman Switzerland has a race entry fee insurance :)

Ironman Arizona 2009...here I come

So what are the odds that 4 days after I decided to do IM Arizona in Tempe, AZ I meet a guy that lives in Tempe, AZ? Apparently huge. John is his name and he works at Arizona State University. My friend knows him from Southampton College where he was their internship coordinator. He came out to play in our Shelter Island Soccer Tournament this Monday. After the soccer tournament some of the players when to a nearby restaurant to chat about good old times. John was their too and I met him through two of my friends that used to go to Southampton College. He is extremely nice and offered me (and Rob) to stay at his place if we do the IM in 2009. I know its far out but hey that will safe me and Rob a few hundred dollars.

Besides that I went on another 90k ride to Montauk and back which became my standard route this year. I know every single pothole stone and tree branch that is on the road. I think by now the people on the ferry know me by my first name and every single one has heard my story of how I became a triathlete. I still don't have the lifetime South Ferry Membership but I am working on it.