Life of a 1/2 Ironman

6 weeks past surgery

2009-08-04T20:57:00.000-07:00

I am doing better...2 weeks off my crutches and I finally feel some improvement. The past few days I have made constant progress in regards to pain while walking. The feeling I have is getting better very slowly but at least I can see improvement. I can walk without limping and the pinching pain is almost gone. I have been biking between 20-30 minutes almost every day and I did a few strokes in the bay in front of the hotel completely painless.
On Monday I was coaching the Sunset Beach soccer team in the annual tournament on Shelter Island but lets not talk about it too much. Let's just say my coaching career can only take an upward trend from here on.
Tomorrow and Thursday I am off from work which means during the day I will enjoy my time doing the beach triathlon (swimming, reading, sleeping) and in the evening I plan on looking for an apartment in Hoboken or Jersey City Heights . Day #2 is devoted to Dr. Waskowitz and possibly meeting up with Rob if he has some time. I am hoping that I will get the green light to take my bike outside after Thursday. I am excited to see some pavement...

not what I expected

2009-07-25T18:16:00.000-07:00

It's only been 3 days since I got off my crutches but I don't like what I am feeling right now. I am experiencing a pinching pain close to where I felt my pain pre-surgery only this time it's more severe. I can tell myself that it is normal since my knee wasn't baring weight for 4 weeks or I freak out...I am kinda in the middle of those two. I figured out that if I take baby steps and keep my leg as straight as possible when I walk the pain is gone but that can't possibly be a solution for life. Right now I am hoping that this is temporarily. On Monday morning I will contact my doctor to see what the next step should be. If I have to go back to crutches I will but I am crossing my fingers that it is a normal symptom.
I went on my trainer twice in the past 3 days and I don't feel any pain. I figured since it's not much weight that my knee has to bare I will continue that to keep my leg moving as prescribed by my doctor. I was hoping to be back on the street when Rob comes to visit on the 7th-9th of August but I really need to take it slow. Sorry dude!
I envy all of you that will participate in the Lake Placid Ironman. Good luck to you all and enjoy the race.

I am walking again

2009-07-23T14:08:00.000-07:00

4 weeks have passed and I finally put a side my crutches. Almost...
Last night I decided to do my first few steps and I think my body didn't really know what to do with my right leg so whenever I encounter stairs I still need to use a crutch to support my weight. It was the weirdest feeling I ever had...no doubt on my mind. I have a little pinching pain in my knee but I have a feeling that this is normal and it will disappear when my leg is used to the weight. Besides that I am super excited and it feels good. I am at about 95% of my range of motion pre-surgery and swelling seems to be history too.
Today was also my first day to do some stationary biking. I hooked my bike into the trainer and did 20min at a very easy pace to see how my knee reacts. I didn't have any discomfort and it felt much better than walking since the weight was gone. If I feel good later on I will do another 20min and increase my time as I progress. As most people would think indoor riding is boring...I am so excited to feel the pedal under my food I could do this all day right now. I am extremely happy to stand on my two legs. I have done everything the doctor told me to and so far it seems to be working. Tomorrow I am thinking about joining the jellyfish in the bay so that will be another exciting day.

4 days to go

2009-07-18T18:45:00.001-07:00

This Thursday I saw Dr. Waskowitz for the second time after my surgery. He did a quick check to see if I felt any pain by doing different movements and happily there was none. My knee isn't swollen anymore and my range of motion is better than expected. I was told to stay on crutches until Thursday and after that I can start some easy stationary biking and swimming. I have been doing my daily leg lifts (average of 3000) but I didn't get to 6000. Since last week I am keeping my leg lifted while doing my knee bends which trains my hamstring at the same time. I have lost about 1 - 2 inches off my hamstring but I am not too concerned about it since I know I can gain it back quickly on the bike.

According to my doctor I will be able to do my planed bike vacation at the end of September.I am very excited to get started on the bike. I have been doing every thing the doctor told me but the fact that I haven't felt any pain in the area of my surgery makes me a little nervous. I can't even determine where the doctor operated. I would have expected to feel a difference but I don't. I am trying to stay positive because he seems to be an amazing doctor. In 4 days I will be losing my crutches and I will see what's going to happen after that. BABY STEP'S
Here is a MRI picture of my cartilage damage. The white spot means that the cartilage is missing.

Bergfest

2009-07-09T20:00:00.001-07:00

Bergfest is German as you probably guessed and it simply means I have reached the half way point of those annoying crutches. Two weeks ago I had my surgery and in two more weeks I can lose my crutches. The last two days I was off from work and all I did was relax...relax...relax.
Day 1 of my weekend I spent entirely on the beach. I got to the beach at 10:30am and left at 7pm. Due to some SPF 15 sun lotion I didn't even burn. After the beach me and some colleagues arranged a BBQ and that was it. Great day with some good rehab. My knee wasn't swollen at all and I managed to get in some good rehab exercises.

07/08 leg lifts: 4000 bends: 1600

Day 2 was very similair and doesn't need anymore explanaition than relaxing.

07/09 leg lifts: 3000 bends: 1200

Congratulations to my training partners Josie and Rob. Both finished the Griskus Sprint in a great time and took home some 3rd place bling from their age groups. Well done!

Week #2 after Surgery

2009-07-07T18:02:00.000-07:00

And another tough day on crutches is coming to an end...
My rehab has been going pretty good and I see a lot of progress every day. After week 1 my knee had been very stiff and it was constantly swollen. Every time I tried to do some bends it felt as if my skin and muscles on the inside where attached. I started off with only very little range of motion and light pain when I did bends. Now my bends are easy going and I can bend more than 90 degrees without a problem. At 110 degrees my knee seems to be blocked but I gain more range of motion from day to day. Whenever I do my exercises my knee feels so much better and the swelling goes away for a short period of time. After sitting at the desk at work it swells back up. I am almost done with week 2 on crutches and can't wait to lose them. Next week Thursday I have a second appointment with my doctor and I am hoping that he will allow me to do some very easy stationary biking. This is the first time I am looking forward to sitting on the trainer indoors.

this is my log of the passed three days.

07/05 leg lifts: 3500 bends: 1500
07/06 leg lifts: 4000 bends: 1600
07/07 leg lifts: 4000 bends: 1600

I am coming closer to the 6000 mark but the day is simply not long enough. It takes me about 30 minutes to do a set of 1000 leg lifts and 400 bends.

GOOD LUCK TO ROB AND JOSIE AT THE GRISKUS. Rob, I hope you place this year. Josie...kick some ass ala rosie the riveter ;)

MICROFRACTURE

2009-07-04T20:16:00.000-07:00

In March my doctor (Dr. Waskowitz) diagnosed me with cartilage damage on my femur. My MRI pictures revealed a 1.6cm small area of missing cartilage that seemed to have caused my pain after running sessions. It was difficult for me to decide if I should get it fixed now or if I should simply step back from such intensive workouts. My final call was based on the facts that:

I am young (better chances of healing quickly)
I wanna be active (what’s life without heavy workouts)
I am covered under my school insurance (why do I pay insurance if I don’t use it)
I am not job hunting yet (crutches at an interview – not a good idea)

Thursday June 25th the day finally arrived. I got a little nervous but who wouldn’t. My orthopedic has done a great job explaining the ins and outs of the procedure called MICROFRACTURE and he made me feel confident in what I was going to do.

MICROFRACTURE is a procedure where small holes are being drilled into the bone (in the damaged area) to stimulate cartilage growth. The cartilage formed fills in for the original cartilage. The downside of this procedure is that the new cartilage will not be as strong as the original cartilage. In my case however a little layer of cartilage was left at the damaged area which will serve as a base for the new cartilage.

The procedure however is only half of my way to returning to competitive triathlons. Rehab is just as important because the new cartilage (scar tissue) can restrict the joints range of motion if not performed seriously. I also have to stay on crutches for 4 weeks so that I don’t damage the cartilage which needs become strong enough for weight baring activities. Range of motion exercises are started early on after surgery so that the cartilage will be shaped correctly. The rest of rehab involves strength exercises to retain the hamstring muscle which I am working on….

07/04 leg lifts: 3000 bends: 1000

(I know I need to do 6000 but it’s difficult…really...I will get there)

Rehab...

2009-07-03T21:57:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I am gonna post about my knee surgery from last Thursday.
The doctor told me to do 6000 leg lifts daily...today and yesterday I only got in 1500. Starting tomorrow I will set more time aside for my rehab exercise. Not gonna lie but my leg is burning after 1500. Lets see how many I can do.

07/02 leglifts: 1500 bends: 300
07/03 leglifts: 1500 bends: 500

Beautiful Connecticut...in 52miles

2009-04-30T20:50:00.000-07:00

This weeks practice has been going great. On Monday I rode 40 miles in record speed, Tuesday, and Wednesday I swam 3200 yards, and Thursday I biked another 52 miles.

Mondays right was fast...very fast...I averaged 21.79 mph and if it wasn't for the last hill in Farmington I might have broken 22 mph.

Tuesday and Thursday I finally switched up my swim practice from the usual 6x 500 to 10x 100 on 15sec rest, 5x 200 on 20sec rest, and 2x 500 on 30sec rest. I feel comfortable in the water right now and I am getting in a lot of distance. My major goal needs to be speed so I hope the 100yard intervals will help me with that.

Today I tested out a new loop and I must say it was phenomenal. Hills...just the way I like it...and talk about scenic...Connecticut is beautiful around the Canton area. Based on google maps I climbed at least 800ft to the Saville Dam in Barkhamstead, CT. I always wanted to go there and it was gorgeous. Besides the killer winds the ride was amazing. With a scenery like that riding becomes so much easier...have a look.

This is the link to my loop: 52 miles of New Britain - Farmington - Unionville -North Canton - Barkhamstead - New Hartford - Canton Center - and back to New Britain

This was the last practice session for the month.

April 2009 Total: 560miles on the bike and 20200 yards in the pool

P.S. Happy Birtday Rob! a

Rider down on Route 61...

2009-04-26T16:28:00.000-07:00

Josie, Rob and I went out for a 62 (55) miler starting at the Quassy Amusement Park. The weather was incredible...almost too incredible. It was 84 degrees for the first time this year. We stacked up on water and gels and left towards Lake Waramaug. It was long ride #2 for Rob this weekend and without any substantial nutrition over the past three days his energy went down very quickly. I was concerned he will hit a wall at some point during the ride but he managed to stay with us for the most part. When we got to Lake Waramaug Aid Stations had been set up around the lake and runners where crawling over the pavement. At some point I saw 50k turn....100k turn written on the pavement. "=ultra marathon". The runners didn't look too happy at that time which wasn't very surprising with this kind of heat. RESPECT TO ALL OF THEM. After a little break I took the chance to break away from the other two for 1 1/2 loops around the lake for fast 10miles. I kicked it up in the big gear and gained about 5 minutes. Before we left the loop around the lake the helpers at the aid station refilled our water bottles for the last 20miles and off we went. Josie and I felt great so we climbed quickly up some good hills on 106. Eventually we hit route 61 which took us into Bethlehem were we started to decline. Josie followed my lead and Rob wasn't too far off.
At about 25-30mph we went downhill when all of a sudden I passed a pothole by about 2 inches. I didn't see it until it was right below me so I screamed "Pothole" but it was too late. I looked back and until now I have this picture of Josie at a 45 degree angle in my head. I slammed the brakes, through the bike on the road and ran back cuz Josie took a dive on the pavement. Luckily the car behind was able to stop. Josie took away a bunch of scratches on her hands, hips, knee, stomach, etc. The people were so nice to patch up Josies bruises with their first aid kit. The husband even called an ambulance from Bethlehem. The fire department and an ambulance moved out for her :) They blocked the entire street for Josie and with about 12 people they patched up Josie again :) Luckily no broken bones or other scary injuries so her wounds are hopefully healed in a few days. I will give her a rating of 10 for the dive. Great landing without head-pavement-contact. Well done. *crowd is applauding* The people that stopped drove Josie back to the car and Rob and me finished the last 8 miles. (For some emergency pictures check out Rob's blog)
After the shocking event we drove to Carvel to get some well deserved ice cream/hot dog to analyze the crash again. Josie then took me back to CCSU where she noticed that my tire was almost down to the tube. My OMFG brake slam resulted in this...
Good thing the Triathlon Club Summer Santa just brought me a new pair of continental tires. All the best to the fastest female triathlete that I know personally :)

38 pages lighter...

2009-04-19T17:45:00.000-07:00

Wow....I just finished my longest paper ever. 38 pages on economic regression analysis and forecasting methods. I have never been so happy. The worst part is that this huge ass paper only counts for 10% of my final grade. There is still one tiny section missing but I can't even look at it anymore. I have to submit it by 12am tonight. The thought of having it done is almost as rewarding as finishing a race...almost..not quite as good. The result...Yesterday I went out to ride with Josie and Rob. We met up in Middlebury to ride down to Lake Waramauge for two laps and back. We totaled 58 miles and averaged a little more than 18 mph. The weather was amazing and New England roads still suck. At one point I thought I was going lose my teeth (the real ones) because the road was bumpy as f...k. Rob kept holding on to his water bottles that he stored in his jersey and Josie couldn't feel her hands anymore from all the shaking. I took some nice pictures of Rob in his Jan Ullrich jersey and of Josie now aka Rosie the Riveter. This has been my longest ride this season and I felt pretty good afterwards. The last two miles up hill I started a Lance Armstron attack to break off the two men field and I gained a two minute lead on the duo behind. It was a fun ride that ended with a large milk shake from Carvel's. Josie is officially the worlds slowest ice cream eat...it took her almost 20 minutes to finsh her cone one the way home. Increadable that it didn't melt and evaporate before.

what a smile after 58 miles...
not sure if that is pain in his face...

Ok I am out for a swim...laterz

fast ride and a bad quiz

2009-04-17T17:46:00.000-07:00

This week I have bombed my first quiz for the semester and I am very glad it wasn't worth much. It hit me in the right moment to realize that the semester isn't over yet and if I wanna graduate with honors I need to keep up the work. I need to complete a huge ass 25 page paper by Sunday night, 3 past due lab reports and I just got a new research paper that is due next week. Well lets start working on it...
On Monday after my 30 mile ride I was kicked out of the CCSU pool 1000 yards to early because they life guards felt like going home. I don't think there was any other reason but I don't blame them. It's not the most exciting job to wait until someone needs to be fished out of the water. The next day I swam with Rob and Josie if you wanna call it that. They basically past me a million times just because they can. It is fun to at least have someone next to you that you can try to hold on to for 25 yards. I did 3300 yards that day +-100 yards for miscounting the lanes.
Today I was sitting in the library for 6 hours working on my paper but at the end I couldn't take it any longer so I decided to go for a 30 mile ride over Talcott Mountain into Simsbury were I turned and went back. The weather was amazing for the first time this season and using that enthusiasm of mine I cranked out my fasted ride for the season at 21.36 mph average. My goal for the season must be a 22 mph average over 56 miles....nothing else counts.
So now I will get back to my paper because tomorrow I am going for a longer ride with Josie and Rob...

3 days without training...damn you DC

2009-04-14T18:55:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday I skipped class and went for a 50 miler managing a 20.32mph average. After almost 4 months training stop I have been highly motivated to get out on the bike. I have taken Josie's advice and prepared a training schedule (so far I have always done what I felt like) and the plan is to average 150 - 200 miles per week until I am done with classes. My week also includes 6k -10k yards swimming and minimal running. I have had bad knee problems over the winter and my doctor told me I have a light cartilage damage in my right knee. And since I stopped heavy running I feel good. After this season I will decide if I have to have surgery. It's called microfracture and it could cost me 2 years of recovery...this type of surgery can only be done if you have a lot of patience which I don't...big problem right there. But lets hope I can do 95% of my endurance workout on the bike and only run occasionally.

On Friday I left for a trip to Washington with a friend of mine. The Holiday Inn we stayed in had a gym so I can't say that I didn't have the chance to train but I just didn't. My fault and I feel bad for it. Stupid regrets...yeah the running guy in the picture below wasn't me.

The highlight of the trip was Sunday. The weather was perfect so we took the subway to Georgetown and started walking around. Georgetown was amazing...I could picture myself living there that's how nice it was.

Good news vs. bad news

2009-04-09T08:44:00.000-07:00

Background: Over the summer I am working for a hotel & restaurant as the Assistant Controller. July and August are our biggest months and weekends during that time are crazy...especially the weekend we have the 4th of July fireworks.
good news first...
I have contacted my boss and he allowed me to take the weekend of my graduation off. That means my debate if I should walk or not on May 23rd is resolved.
bad news...
My boss did not allow me to take the weekend of July 12th off since that is the weekend we will have the fireworks. That means I won't be able to do the Ironman 70.3 Providence that I wanted to do so badly....sorry Rob. Instead I will be registering for the Griskus Sprint on July 8th. Goal is the podium.
If I can convince my boss to let me take off a weekend in August I might try to do the 70.3 Steelhead (August 1st) or the 70.3 Lake Stevens (August 16th). Lake Stevens is one day after my birthday so maybe I can convince my boss to give me off those days. Will see how it goes...

Debate: Today is gorgeous and it's a perfect day for a long ride...actually it's a perfect day to skip Calc III and do a long ride instead. My schedule says "OFF DAY" but I hope my body will forgive once my brain tells it to enjoy the scenery.

Mo: 3000 yards + 200 warm up
Tue: 3000 yards + 200 warm up
30 miles (20 mph average)
Wed: 40 miles (20 mph average)
Thur: ? probably a 40-50 mile ride :)

Midterms are over...Griskus Sprint 2009?

2009-04-06T20:57:00.000-07:00

And another New England rainy day is coming to an end...
On Saturdays I remember Josie saying something like: "why does everyone wear jammers now a days" and today I became one of those guys too. I tested my new swim jammer and I gotta say it felt good. I went for a 3000 yard swim. 6 x 500yards plus a 200 yard warm up. This has been the longest I have gone so far and I feel great. Not like swimming is that exhausting but only three weeks ago I dislocated my shoulder so I couldn't really swim in the mean time. Last Thursday I still had some pain when I swam but today I felt some improvement. Shouldn't take too much longer until the pain is gone.
I finished my last midterm for this semester today at 8:32pm and I felt the relieve as soon as I walked out of that classroom. I am not sure how I did but I am just happy it's over. Not too far away finals will be bugging my mind but at least for a little while I can concentrate on the sport.
After Rob send me an email saying that he will be doing the Griskus Sprint again I thought about entering too. The race is on a Wednesday which perfectly goes with my work schedule over the summer. So if I can get him to pick me up in New London I think I will be in to give him some extra motivation on the bike. I will probably see you out there...

new start in April

2009-04-05T12:21:00.000-07:00

Going out in the freezing New England weather this Saturday was what other people call crazy. Rob, Josie and I met up for a bike ride around Lake Waramaug. Rob's idea was to go for ONLY 70 miles but weather conditions stopped us at half the distance. The weather forecast predicted a 40% chance of precipitation but that was enough to rain when we started the ride. Almighty figured he could do better so he added some tornado like winds to the great conditions which made it feel like...where are my toes? has anyone seen my toes? oh there they are I just can't feel them. After 5 loops around the lake we called it a day but most important was that all of us finished strong....with an extra large pizza somewhere in the nowhere of CT.
After yesterdays weather Almighty had to make up for a crappy day so he created an almost perfect Sunday with a lot of sun and horrible winds. So I went out for another 40 mile ride. The wind like I said was crazy. Coming from West Hartford I went up Avon Mountain into Simsbury. For the first 20 miles I had head winds so I was excited to turn around for the way back. Going down Avon Mountain I tried to refuel so I figured I just let it roll...yeah that didn't work. The hill I usually go down at 40 mph wasn't steep enough...the wind was so strong that I had to pedal downhill at 18mph. On my way back I saw this awesome tree...Every child's dream for a tree house

...and I took some other pictures of the ride.
Random farm at the bottom of Avon Mountain...
Avon Mountain...I think...

I am back...on the road, in the pool, in my life...

2009-02-16T07:17:00.000-08:00

I finally got back from Austria two Fridays ago. I just moved into a new apartment right next to the CCSU campus. Austria was great but very stressful at the same time. I was there to spend time with my girlfriend and to study some Math and Economics. I was scared at first because I wasn't sure if I would be able to handle European universities. The beginning didn't seem too difficult but as the semester went on it got tougher and tougher. Towards the end I was in the library studying 10 hours every day. So much for spending time with my girlfriend. Starting just after Christmas I wasn't home much. I had one month to prepare for 4 final exams which I had to pass. Without these credits I would have had to add another semester in the US. I received my grades last week and I passed my classes. I haven't been happier in a long time. Now I am back trying to reorganize my US life....
Since I didn't have time to swim for over a month last week was my first time back in the CCSU pool. It felt weird and I was exhausted pretty quickly but I managed to get in 2000 yards. The time before Christmas I was swimming a lot in Vienna and I felt great in the water. Now I just have to get back to that...
on Thursday I finally got around to cleaning my bike and on Friday I went back on the road. It had been even longer since I road my bike so I started off with an easy 25 miler around Farmington/West Hartford. It was beautiful outside but the cold was taking a toll on my toes. I ordered a pair of shoe covers right when I got back. Yesterday I went out for a ride with Rob. He picked my up and we drove out to Lake Waramaug. At 35 degrees it was just above freezing but the wind around the lake was a real killer. At the parking lot we met this guy named Greg. He is a pure cyclist riding for a team in Boston. Really nice guy. So the first 25 miles we stayed with him until he went home. He lives right on the lake. I wish that house was mine. Greg has the best possible training roads that you could ask for. The loop around the lake is flat and if he wants to ride hills he has Gear Mountain right around the corner. After we dropped him off Rob and I did two more loops around the lake for a total of 42 miles. I couldn't go any further since my toes had no feeling what so ever...but I am glad to back in my life.

7. Red Bull Flight Day

2008-09-25T01:57:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday I went to the 7th Red Bull Flight Day. You might ask what it is.
It's a bunch of over motivated people trying to fly (glide) from a 20 feet high ramp with their self build "plane". Pre-flight performance, flight/glide length, and design were major criterion that decided over victory or loss. 38 teams participated in this visitor pulling spectactle. The price for the first place was a private pilote education course which I thought was really cool. Maybe I will start next year too. 60000 visitors gathered around a little bay in Vienna too watch these people jump into the cold Donau

here are some pictures of last Sunday's heros:

you won't believe it but that was the winner...unfolded.

aaaaahhhhhhhh....down it goes

Pola's dog (Teddy)

my favorite....perfect aerodynamics like my bike frame...too bad their plane was made out of metal and didn't glide too well

Economics (my new passion) & Vienna

2008-09-20T02:47:00.000-07:00

Since a few weeks I have been going nuts over everything concerning this worlds economy. I
AM HOOKED...
A few month ago I decided to change my major from Math (Secondary Education) to plain Mathematics with a minor. At that point I had no clue what minor I should work on but I knew that I only have 2 semesters left of which one will be in Vienna. I thought I could easily find a minor that I can finish in 2 semesters but I learn that it's not that easy. Prerequvisit here prerequisit there....everything takes at least 3 semesters is what I was told. I went to our econ department and met a realy nice professor that wanted to help me. He gave me permission to take three econ courses in Vienna at the same time. It might be a bit tough but if I don't want to spend another $8000 on tuition I better get through it. The funny thing was that I had no clue what economics was all about. I had no idea...

The semester hasn't even started and I have read the entire microeconomics book, I have been to a trading seminar on CFDs (Certificate for Difference), participated in 2 online seminars on trading, and I have been reading the financial section of the Vienna newspaper (I never read the newspaper my entire life). Let's see where my new passion is going to take me...

Vienna:

I am in love...I am in love with the "Wiener Stadthallenbad"...I am in love with my new pool.

No...the pool doesn't only look long and wide in the picture...it is. Rob I am sure you are jealous right now (unless you swim in a similar pool)...50m lanes (150yards).
At least two lanes are reserved for athletes (and wanna be athletes) only. The lanes are wide enough so that two people can pass a slow swimmer at the same time. The pool is phenomnial. I already bought a half year membership card for the winter. This is gonna be where I will be beating myself to better swim splits.

Vienna City Triathlon Race Report

2008-09-15T00:21:00.001-07:00

The morning of the race my head was a bit like my rubiks cube - lots of pieces in the wrong place. Most of my equipment I packed the night before but when I got to the race sight I realized that I forgot my water bottles, my race belt, and my power gel. Not sure what I was thinking but luckily it was only 10am and I had 2 hours left until race start. Pola went home for me to supplement my scaddered brain.
I wasn't feeling like racing until I got in the water. We were swimming in the Donau which isn't known for cleanliness. The water looked a bit muggy and the wind created some smaller waves. The day of the race Vienna experienced a temperature drop from 86 degrees to 50 degrees within one day.
My brother, his girlfriend (Linda) and Pola were watching the swim start from the top of a bridge. It was a trianglular course of 700m + 100m + 700m. Since SI experience a jelly fish attack all summer I lacked serious swim practice for this race. I went swimming 3 times in Vienna to get a feeling for the water. As soon as the start signal went of I was glued to the feet of the guy infront of me. I felt great. After a few meters someone passed us so I saw my chance to glue myself onto his back end. Until the second turn we were a group of four. One guy lead the entire way and three drafting. I was in fourth position when the guy infront of me couldn't close the gap between himself and the second guy. With a quick sprint I passed #3 and tucked myself behind #2. 700m to go and I felt great. On the second turn I looked to my right to see where I positioned myself in regard to the 180 other triathlets and to my surprise I saw a lot of flying arms. #2 and I kept drafting off #1 until about 150m before the swim exit. We swam below the bridge where my mini fan club was waiting. I got out of the water still not knowing what position I was in. When I came to the transition area I saw 5 other guys and about 170 bikes still waiting for pickup. I GOT OUT OF THE WATER IN 12th POSITION. This was by far the best swim I ever had. 0:26:11 for 1500m!

how cool is that picture :) thanks to my personal photographer - aka Pola

The bike course consisted of a 10km loop up and down the Donau. We had to loop around 4 times to complete the 40k. To my surprise the race wasn't draft legal since it wasn't the professional race. The 120 pros started 2 hours after us. The course was flat and slightly windy. On the first 5k of the loop I average 24mph and the on the back portion 22mph. After my first loop I saw people still entering the bike course from T1. Even though I felt fast on the bike I lost a few spots to some even faster bikers. At one point a drafting group of three past me but besides those rule brakers everyone seemed to follow instructions. The bike was fast and took its toll on my legs. My gatorade was way to sweet to consume without spitting up a storm. Every time I drank some I felt like puking on the nice flat pavement. I got back to T2 when I heard the commentator say that two more people (me and some other guy) will soon join the other 17 runners already on the run. I was still in 18th position which was amazing. I didn't feel too good anylonger but who cares? I was fast...1:02:00 for 40k.
After a 49 secong T2 I was on the run course. It was a 2km loop that everyone went through five times. Sounds really boring to see the same route five times but I kind of liked it. 1km seems to go by fast and it keeps me more motivated because I could quickly count my loop and do my 2463 calculations to keep me busy during the race. While running I always calculate how far I have to go, what is left and what's left if I finish this lap or the next. By the time I put every step in fractions I already past another km-stone which means I have to start my calculations over again. But the fun I had calculating was the only enjoyable thing about the run. I basically hit a wall at km 0.00. As mentioned before my legs were tired when I got off the bike and my running form looked like that of a cavemen. Even my mini fan club had to let me know how horrible I looked on the run (at least they are honest). Struggeling through 10k my first loop of 9min slowed down to a final 10:48min loop.

I finished 31st in 2:20:19. I ended up 5th in my age group. (#3 & #4 overall were my age and took the glory of a bronze medal) Overall I was very happy with my swim and bike but now it's time for a cranky speed workout. I have to get fast for the 2009 season.

official PDF results (I am the guy with the German flag in 31st position)

PS: notice how many people on that list are officale Tri-club members? This is insane. Alomst everyone is enrolled in a club. I am just saying...we need to watch out for those Austrians. They are fast and they have a lot of money for the nice equipment I always wanted to have.

me eating the driest piece of bread with meat that I ever had

knee issues and trader @ brokerjet

2008-08-31T16:06:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-24T17:38:00.001-07:00

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

2008-08-18T02:45:00.000-07:00

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???

2008-08-15T23:54:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-12T17:12:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-09T17:31:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-06T07:10:00.000-07:00

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.

HELP - Bottom Bracket

2008-07-29T07:25:00.000-07:00

I need help changing my bottom bracket. I have a clicky noise in my bottom bracket. I am not sure if I only need to tighten it or if I have to change it completely. Does anyone have experience with that?

What tools do I need and how do I know what bottom bracket to buy (if i have to)?
Any suggestions are much appreciated.

Thanks!

US Open 2008

2008-07-27T17:57:00.000-07:00

4 years ago I came to the US as a foreign exchange student. Back than I didn't know that soccer season doesn't go all year long so in the Spring I had to switch sports and I decided to play tennis. I hadn't played much tennis before but I learned quickly and made the varsity team, first I played doubles and than worked my way up to singles. That season our team qualified for the state championship in CT. Since only the first and second single got placed without an extra qualifying game I had to qualify again which I did in an impressive 6:2, 6:1, 6:1. Lucky me in my first real tournament round I got matched up with rank # 5 in CT. After I made the first point I thought I had a slight chance but sadly that was the only point I made. The same day I saw the match of the #1 vs. #2 in CT which was an amazing game.

ANYWAYS >>> I bought US Open Tickets on Ebay today! (I think that was what I wanted to say)

secretly I am hoping to meet her ;) of course I just want to see her play tennis...(just kidding Pola. love you)

Today's practice almost got cancelled. From the time I went to bed to the time I woke up (I work nights and sleep during the day) it rained. Shelter Island got hit by another huge storm and it lasted and lasted and lasted. Towards 6pm I didn't think it's gonna stop but gladly it did. Demotivated from counting rain drops all day my room mate dragged me out for a run. I don't know if that ever happened before. Usually I am the one dragging him. It got dark really fast and we ran on main street. I convinced him to change up our running loop so we ended up going down to the South Ferry and back (5.2 miles).

Yesterdays practice consisted of a 107km ride. I think that was the first time I actually crossed the 100km mark. Even when I was training for the Ironman 70.3 Switzerland I didn't go past 90km. I went out east as far as you can go on Long Island. Turning point is the Montauk light house (worth a trip if you are out here).

Weekly total:

bike: 218km
run: 20km
swim: 0km (aaahhh...jellyfish)

Tri-suit or tri-top with shorts?

2008-07-25T23:06:00.000-07:00

Today I found myself looking at old pictures from my races and noticed that many of my fellow competitors are wearing a tri-top with tri-shorts. I wondered if I was outdated with my tri-suit. Last year at the Nutmeg Half Iron my tri-suit started to cut off my blood circulation in my legs which caused me to cramp up before I even got to the run, granted the bike leg was insanely hilly but the tri-suit started to shrink on me. The fact that the tri-suit is a one piece did not help either because now every time I tried to pull it down it moved back up in seconds. Knowing that I wouldn't survive the half marathon in my suit I had to change into the only other option I had, long running gear. That would have been great for cold fall day but long running gear in 90 degrees heat did not work out much better than my tied tri-suit. Now everyone at last years race remembers the kid in long running gear. Not a bad way to draw attention to yourself....Do you think I should invest in a tri-top and tri-shorts?
Today's training went great. After my night shift at work I went to bed at 10am. I set my alarm for 3pm because the weather was supposed to be insanely nice. I got up called my girl friend in Austria, ate some left over rice pan and a toast (the toast counts as breakfast and the rice as lunch), and managed to get out of the door at 4pm. Since I left my good bike in Switzerland with my parents I am using my old bike for practice sessions for now. I hope that the extra effort I have to put in on my old bike will help me gain some speed. I finally installed my new bike computer with cadence function :) (been waiting for that a long time). After 30km towards Montauk I decided to turn around to total 60km. On the way back I got hit by some wind but besides that it was an excellent ride. I rolled my bike back in it's parking spot next to the couch, put on my running shoes and started running. 15minutes into my run my hamstring got tied. I think I pulled it this Tuesday playing soccer after a bike ride. Anyways I kept going because it wasn't that bad. The weather was gorgeous and I was really enjoying this.

Vienna City Triathlon

2008-07-24T22:00:00.000-07:00

Next stop Vienna, Austria...
I finally signed up for the Vienna City Triathlon in September. This will be my first Olympic distance triathlon. The Vienna Cuty Triathlon belongs to the ITU races and is part of the European Cup. Sadly I registered too late to start in the professional division but at least I can watch the pros go at it since I should finish a few minutes before their start. When I signed up it only cost me $60 (40Euro) which is comparably cheap to New England prices.
After my break, which was way too long, I started to get back on the road. Feels good to be sore again :) I did a 50k ride and a couple of long runs and soon I will be back in shape...The only issue I am having right now is the massive amount of jelly fish in our bay on Shelter Island. The warm water attracts thousands of jelly fish every year that make it impossible to swim comfortably. Maybe Shelter Island is cursed like the land of the pharaoh. We have millions of tiny little frogs after it rains and on top of that we can't go in the water because jelly fish will sting you every 10 yards. What did I do to deserve that? I was thinking that I will dedicate my last week before the race completely to the swim. By September 5th I will be able to go to a regular lake or pool in Vienna which gives me 8 days to the race. I am not looking to come out of the water first anyways so I hope I can at least get comfortable in the water within that time.

that's what the little things look like (not my picture but I could take one just like it) aren't they cute?...NOT

Rob: I know you want to go back to NZ but I think IM Arizona will be easier on your bank account so that you don't have to struggle through the next season and since you haven't done IM Arizona yet you might as well get a taste it. I vote for IM Arizona

When I grow up I want to be like Len Sheer...

2008-06-21T15:50:00.000-07:00

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

Shelter Island 10k

2008-06-12T11:20:00.001-07:00

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 :)

looking forward...Ironman 70.3 Monaco???

2008-06-06T22:02:00.000-07:00

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!

Ironman 70.3 Switzerland Race Report

2008-06-02T12:03:00.000-07:00

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. :)

Training with the Pros

2008-05-31T08:35:00.000-07:00

Over the last two days I used the oppertunities to get some advice from the pros. At the Ironman 70.3 Switzerland they offered two swim practice sessions and two bike practice sessions with some of the pros that start on Sunday. At the wetsuit test on Friday they showed me how to put on the wetsuit correctly. I didn't know that it was a science on it own. Taking it off was a whole nother story. I was able to test my wetsuit a couple of times more and Jimmy Johnsen (DK) gave me some great advice to improve my swim. On Saturday Jimmy Johnsen (DK), Jonathan Hotchkiss (GBR) und Nicole Hofer showed us the bike course which I expected to be more hilly. Not like a short 15% incline isn't bad but I expected it to be harder (I am not complaining). On the ride on saturday I noticed that my bike needed some minor adjustments and thanks to Tempo-Sport (a local bike shop) all that was taken care of in few minutes.
At the Ironman shop I already saw my new bikeing outfit :) Red-White-Black Ironman 70.3 Switzerland shirt and pants that match my bike. Gotta have it.
Right now I am just relaxing and eating some pasta. I started drinking lots of fluids and I threw in some Magnesium and Calcium tablets to refill my body. I am really excited and can't wait for tomorrow to come.

Hallöchen from Switzerland

2008-05-29T02:38:00.000-07:00

I GOT HERE...YEAH!
Finally arrived in Zurich yesterday morning.

Travel Plan:
6:35am left work with the company van from Sunset Beach
6:45am took the North Ferry from Shelter Island to Greenport, NY
7:00am breakfast roll at the local deli
7:15am the big mean Hampton Jitney lady wouldn't let me on the bus
7:20am my reservation was called in and I was let on the bus (the big mean lady did not appologize)
10:00am a "foreign" taxi driver pulled me out of the Hampton Jitney at the Airport Connection
10:05am the taxi driver ensured me the my bike case will not fall out of the open trunk even on the highway
10:30am I think I got ripped off by the foreign taxi driver ($20 for the short ride seemed a bit much)
10:45 I think the older check-in lady at La Guardia Airport, NY liked me...got my emergency exit seat (which everyone wants to have once they get into the plane and see the amount of space you have for your legs) but I had to pay $50 for my bike (I am just not as smooth as Rob who got through for free)
11:00am waiting...
11:30am trying to sleep...
12:00pm moving my num arm that fell asleep...
1:00pm why don't they have bunk beds at airports for those that have to wait so long? no one can sleep on airport chairs
2:10pm (20minutes until the plane takes off) running to the "bon au pain" stand to grap some fruit and joghurt (not like I could have done that an hour ago)
2:30pm securely fastened my seat belt (Toronto here I come...)
3:00pm we are flighing around some minor turbulences...
4:15pm arrival in Toronto ( the arrival felt like a triathlon start...business men&women get out first. The long hallway people kept their position according to seat number...T1 (the escalator) I took the stairs and pulled passed half the business class...jumped on the bike, (the rolling walkway that takes you through the airport even faster) passed another few on that...Still one business woman in front of me. I think I could have passed her on the run but she got dq'ed because the she did not go through T2 (the international flight connection passport control)...therefore I declare myself as the winner of the 1st international airport triathlon. (*crowd is cheering*)
4:50pm I saw a cyclist restaurant right next to my gate (their logo was a crank)...I had to go in
5:50pm two cokes, one plate of chicken quesadillas and one buffolo chicken burger later...I was ready to go to Switzerland
6:15pm departure from Toronto, Canada to Zurich, Switzerland

*At this point I have to thank Air Canada for their luxurios economy class and the great service. This has been by far the best flight I have ever had. Air Canada has been great...you can be sure that I will book you again.
I really did not notice much of the flight since I was passed out cold next to this little old man. When the stuardess explained the emergeny exit rules to us and he agreed I really wasn't to sure if he could have lifted the 65lbs door in case of an emergency.

7:30am arrival in Zurich
8:00am through customs, baggage claimed, outside the airport in record time (US customs should take a training course at one of the European airports to speed up their work process)

Once I located my dog it was easy to follow his leash to find the owner (my dad). We loaded my bike in the car and went home. Not sure if I can call Isliesberg, Switzerland my home but at least I sleep here one a year or so. That afternoon my dad took me out to Lake Zurich (OMFG waves)
This lake is no joke. It is soo long that wind speeds pick up and create some nice waves. I jumped in and tested my wetsuit for the first time to get a feel for it. I swallowed a few liters of water and decided I will give another shot tomorrow. (not gonna lie but I am a bit scared and I hope the other 1799 participants break the waves for me). Back home I assembled my bike and took it for a 20km "spin". What comes to your mind when you here Switzerland? Mountains? At least thats what it looks like here. I went up a few nice "hills" at a 10% incline. The down hills are amazing. The only promblem that comes up is that fact that there is no time to grab the water bottle. Either you go up hill and you need all your strength to get up or you go down hill at over 40miles an hour and you are too affraid to drink. My first day here was very intimidating but exciting as well.

Hope there aren't too many typos in this. I will post some more over the next days.

Wetsuit Struggle...

2008-05-21T08:01:00.000-07:00

Hey sorry but I haven’t blogged for a while…but now before my race I figured it’s a good time to post a pre-race concern.
I am a bit scared this year even though I shouldn’t be. Last year when I did my first half iron I trained well but I believe I didn’t train as much last year then I did now. I kept a training log and saw that I swam 37000yard (which is a lot for me), I biked about 1500km (which should be more) and ran 32hours (which is restricted due to my knee). I really should be prepared and ready to go but I guess everyone is a bit nervous especially since it goes overseas for me this time. For those that don’t know I will be starting at the Ironman 70.3 Switzerland and my entire family plus extended family plus gf will be there. I am really looking forward to finally having a crowed that will cheer for me (hopefully).
Last time I looked I expected an incredible 1200 people starter field but my last research showed that they must have extended it to 1800. That’s nuts I can’t wait to jump into Lake Zurich with a few people. Talking about swimming there is my concern. I read that the Lake has a temperature of 15 degrees which is like 59 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s cold bbbbrrrrrrrrrr. So now I decided to get a wetsuit but I never used one in my life. Since I don’t like to be restricted in my shoulders I figured I will get a sleeveless one hoping that that will make the change from not using a wetsuit to using one less complicated. My problem is that I don’t have enough time to get used to a wetsuit since my race is in 10 days. Right now I don’t have access to a pool just the cold ocean and I am not sure if I can jump into the Atlantic yet. After all I bought a WetZoot at trisport.com which should get to me by Friday. On Tuesday I will take off to Switzerland where I hope to jump into Lake Zurich a couple of times. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get used to wearing a wetsuit?

What a start into the new season…

2008-02-26T10:00:00.000-08:00

Sunday’s mini indoor-triathlon was a nice little start into the season. When Anthony and I got to the New England Fitness Studio in Cromwell we signed away our life at the front desk. While doing so Anthony was asking the ladies if I could still start after my heart transplant a few weeks back. After that comment you could instantly see the ladies face turning pale and the discomfort was silently spinning in their heads.
Signup for the Triathlon: $10
Look on the ladies faces: priceless
They seemed relieved once we told them that I am in best condition and that they wouldn’t have to worry about me dropping dead in their gym.
Signed up and dressed in triathlon gear we walked into the meeting room where they already waited for us to start the pre-race meeting. After being told that Anthony and I messed up their entire starting list and starting times I was psyched to put down a great race time so that the entire extra 10min wait time were worth it for them at the end. The two of us got placed in the 5th wave of the race which meant that we had quite a bit of time to kill. While watching some stronger swimmers gliding through the water I got to talk to one of the ladies that organized the race. Dressed in a Team USA warm-up and wearing an Ironman Lake Placid 2007 hat I was correct to say she is a pure athlete. Trying to squeeze some practice tips out of her I already had to get ready for my swim start. I was sharing a lane with Anthony who shortly after the start hit me in the face and snapped my goggles in half. Luckily I was able to put them back together. 18 ½ laps later we had a short break to change for the bike “my favorite part of each triathlon”. On the bike I found some time to talk to the “pure athlete” about lactate threshold mentioning that I really want to test my lactate threshold to idealize my practice sessions. Now the last part was the run and since we were the last wave they told us that 2.25miles is the distance to beat. No way could I do that because I hate the run. After the race I was told that I dominated the bike portion (that’s the way I like it) and with a 2.14 mile run I was close behind the top.
Not only have I had the best bike result but also did I win the little indoor triathlon and a $30 gift certificate for www.trisports.com . J My first victory!
I am aware of the fact that my swim leg isn’t the best so I jumped in the pool for a 2000 yard practice on Monday. After a few minutes a woman joined me in my lane since the diving team had practice. She killed me…ouch. Damn she was fast. I felt bad that one time where she had to slow down behind me because our timing wasn’t perfect. Sorry fast lady in colorful bathing suit! My goal this semester will be to improve my swim by a few minutes from last year’s 1.2 mile distance. I think I am doing pretty good on achieving that goal.

damn winter...

2008-02-23T20:13:00.000-08:00

damn snow...damn cold...when is winter going to be over? Can't wait to get on my bike to do those lovely 3-4 hour rides. My trainer has been a good companion but its time for some fresh air. Today I did my hour and a half on the bike inside with some minor knee irritation. Not sure where that is coming from but I hope it will be gone soon. I guess I gotta get out my German witch medicine to fight the pain...

Tomorrow at noon I will be putting my fitness to a small test at the Indoor-Triathlon in Cromwell. Its gonna be a 15min swim in the pool, a 15min ride on a stationary bike, and a 15min run somewhere.

Today I have been looking up some early year duathlons that I might be doing and I am really looking forward to do the Shamrock Duathlon in May. Over 200 starters will be paying to run for 2x 5k and to bike 28k. Gotta love the sport...

2008-02-21T12:52:00.000-08:00

I am psyched about this season...I am preparing for the Ironman 70.3 Switzerland and my entire family will show up...

Haven't felt so motivated in months. I am just a bit mad that my stupid cold won't go away and the weather does not really help either. I finally got my ass back into the pool for an hour this Tuesday to get some time in the water. I was shocked how bad I felt swimming. That's why I am gonna jump in the pool again today.

I have started slow to get my body used to longer practice sessions and I now slowly increase my times. I am feeling pretty good on the bike and the run but after my first 30mile ride a week ago I was pretty dead. Shouldn't take long to find back to my shape. I can't wait until Spring is kickin in so that I can put my trainer in the closet and role around on the street. There is nothing more relaxing than a few hours on the bike towards nowhere...