Category Archives: Sports

Fitness Friday—7/24

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7/13 M T W R F SA SU Total
S 

 

   3,000 

14:58 1k

pads/bouy

decent

   3,000 

15:08 1k

7:30/7:10

500’s

4x100Im, :35-37

       6,000 √
C 

 

 16i 50 2,045’ 

20.8

duress

groups 2/3

   53 1,385’ 

20.5

solid

     31+ solo 1,200 

18.3

5on/off

 150 √
R 

 

 6   6 

wall@5+

   6 10+ 1:22   28 √

S. Had wanted to get three workouts in, but bagged the late week one. Not in top shape, took it relatively easy, and felt decent.

C. The “i” is for indoors. Two good, hard race team training rides. T’s was hilly and I spent the second half in small chase groups. Beautiful weather and fun. Rode so hard that I hit the wall five miles into to W’s six miler. R was hard and fun too. I hit the the top of Tenino hill hard and was in the middle of things all night. Nice to get out for a solo ride on Su before hitting the road to teach in eastern WA. I feel strong, but will lose some fitness next week no doubt.

R. If I didn’t have training partners waiting for me on W and F, I’d probably bagged one or both of those since I was still hung over from the previous night’s cycling effort.

RAMROD Blues

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This just in. Michael Phelps wrote me and said he doesn’t find me that interesting either so I guess we’re even. 

For the last three years, on the last Thursday of July, I’ve ridden my bike around Mount Rainier with 799 other gluttons for punishment. 152-154 miles and 10,000 feet of climbing fun. I just learned that this year I will be on the outside looking in since I will not make it off the waitlist. I’ve spent the last couple months impressively working my way through the waitlist peloton, but I simply started too far back.

Now I don’t know what the purpose of going on with cycling and even running and swimming is. I’m not entirely sure yet, but I suppose life is still worth living. If you’re wondering why don’t I do a personal version of RAMROD, it just wouldn’t be the same without Travis and Dave, the unrivaled scenery, and the Crystal Mountain sandwich food stop. 

That giant sucking sound you hear is my motivation to go long. In fact, why ride at all, why run, why swim, why move from the couch? I think I’ll just sleep in, stay in bed, eat, and smoke cigars. I’ll sell my bike on craigslist and use the proceeds to buy new pants and belts. It’s a nice carbon frame, 60cm, with Dura-Ace 7800 components. I’m now accepting offers. I also have a few pair of size 11 Mizuno Wave Creation running shoes still in the box,  some new goggles, a pair of zoomers, paddles, jammers, a gym bag, a Masterlock, some Infinit mix, a YMCA card, and wife who probably won’t have much interest in me in a few months.

Then again, there will be more of me to love. 

Take a good look at this picture of me at the Pre-Classic in June because the next time Dano snaps my picture, he’ll need a wide-angle lens.

The "Before" Picture

"Before"

Missed Opportunity

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After Beijing, some wondered whether Michael Phelps’ eight gold medal winning performance would inspire many more young people to take up competitive swimming. My guess is his dramatic success has lead to a slight increase in participation.

One problem though, I wonder if other people are like me and, outside the water, don’t find him the least bit inspiring. He doesn’t appear to have anything interesting to say and seems downright uncomfortable on the national or global stage. I can’t help but wonder what the impact would be on youth swimming if the eight gold medal winner was an articulate, engaging, and even charismatic young man or woman with a social conscience.

Think Cassius Clay in a speedo and goggles.

Fitness Friday—7/10

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6/29 M T W R F SA SU Total
S       

 

 350       

strokework

 x   3,650       4,000 √-
C       

 

   54 900’       

20.8

[surging]

   59+ 1,606’       

20.3

Bourdeaux

strong

     37 1,578’       

18.4 solo

FishTrap

 150 √+
R       

 

 6.2   7.1       

54:42

   9 hills/trails       

Ward Lake

 8.7       

 

   31 √

 

S. Chose not to swim T so came up short on yardage. My excuse? Phelps returned to competition and I didn’t want to steal any of his limelight. 

C. The best I’ve felt and the strongest I’ve ridden all year. Too bad I peaked right after the Astana Tour de France team roster was finalized. Highlight was bridging up from no man’s land to the lead group on the second climb in Capital Forest and then being in the middle of things all the way home. 

R. Fair amount of trail running. The team is in pretty solid shape. Cooled down at the end of both F’s and SA’s runs in Ward Lake. A favorite summer tradition.

Fitness Friday—7/3

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6/22 M T W R F SA SU Total
S        

3,650   slow

   3,650 better       7,300 √
C        50 

2,000’  19.6

strongchase

   54 

1,180’   20.6

very solid

     100 

2k+’     18.9

faded

 204 √+
R       6.6   6.6   5.8 10.5     1:20:46   29.5 √

 

Very light teaching week so better than average numbers. Also got more sleep. Next week should be decent, but then I’m teaching on the other side of the mountains (SU-R) and swimming and cycling will suffer big time.

S. Surprised and a bit disappointed I’m swimming slower since backing off after the build to the 2/4k races. I’m concentrating on entering wider and pulling straight back, or put differently, not crossing over, but that will remain a work in progress. I think my technique is improving, but my times aren’t reflecting that yet. Maybe I’m not rotating my hips enough? Anyways, I was disappointed I had to adjust my intervals, for example, 3:15’s/200 instead of 3:10’s. Another theory, swimming alone versus working harder to keep up with other people faster than me. Got the meters in though despite being unmotivated R morn.

C. Much improved week with near record level distance. Felt positive about both T/R race team training rides. T the group shattered into (at least) thirds at the top of Waddel and Travis and I were in no-man’s land between groups one and two. After the descent we were joined by two others and the four of us did a very admirable job chasing for a long time. R was flat and very fast and I felt good. Instead of my normal dangling on the back, I was in the mix. I’ll feel better about SU’s ride once I absorb it. Quite different than my normal long distance solo efforts. Rode 1om to the start, waited for the everyone to gather, rode hard to a food stop at 48, rode hard to another food stop at 73, rode hard to the start at 90 and then soloed home slowly. I’m more of a continuous steady effort guy than a go hard and stop and go hard again guy. But it’s fun to ride with others, so I adapt. I faded over the final 30-40 which was disappointing. The first 60-70 were probably too fast (Gordon effect). One footnote to the 100 miler you’ll no doubt enjoy. I was starting to cramp around mile 93 so I took out and opened my tic-tac salt tablet holder and two came out. Instead of putting one back in, I popped both with just enough liquid to get them down. Around mile 97, I suddenly felt dizzy and nauseous to the point of having to stop immediately. Felt better after tossing my (oatmeal and raison) cookies. Note to self, small sporadic doses of salt with lots of water. 

R. Standard week except for the bevy of selfish excuses Saturday morning. “My family and I will be on vacation in Hawaii.” “My family and I will be at Hoopfest in Spokane.” “My family and I will be at a soccer tourney in Burlington.” I’m sick and tired of team members putting their families first. I had to go to the bench and get L to cycle with Arnis and me. Let’s hope they re-examine their priorities before next Saturday.

Fitness Friday—6/26

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6/15 M T W R F SA SU Total
S         

 

   3,800         

scm

   zzzz       3,800 √-
C         

 

   50   50     75 1,700’         

5on5off

17.9

 175 √+
R         

 

     6   6.6 10  1:20         

387’

last 6:41

   22.6 √-

S. T was Evergreen masters. It’s hella early and I have to drive across town, but I like it. All I remember is one set of 10x100m on 1:40, odds free, evens w/ 50 stroke. Did the first in 1:28 and then drifted to about 1:37 which made the second half damn near continuous. Somehow, I need to get back to my old descending self. Good coach, fast team, challenging workouts. Slept through R’s workout. That happens maybe twice a year. I’m blaming Sheri because she slept through T’s workout which set a precedent. A solid workout, but only one, thus the dreaded √-. 

C. Got dropped on both race team rides. Set a negative p.r. R by getting dropped twice in the same ride. I had plenty of time on the slow slogs home to debate whether my lack of form was the result of my summer cold or from being undertrained as a result of the previous week. Weirdly, my form was better and I had more pop in April. What’s with that? Nutrition has been fine, but I haven’t been getting enough sleep. In actuality, I don’t think I’m riding worse, it’s just that the race team is riding better as a result of riding more miles than me. I’m not talented enough to hang with 50% of their mileage. At minimum, I need to ride a similar amount, but that’s not as high a priority for me. So maybe I just need to accept getting flicked off the back at some point during each training ride. But if I go in with that attitude, it’s guaranteed to happen. It’s part physical, part mental. In the spring I was riding with a little swagger, now I just don’ t have sufficient ass time to ride as confidently. One more variable is the uncertainty surrounding RAMROD. I’m 156th on the waitlist so it’s going to be close. If I knew I was in I’d be a little more motivated to go long. I did go medium-long on SU finally. 5 miles on, 5 off. Wasn’t lighting the course on fire, but also felt like there was still fuel in the tank at the end. There was wind and rollers. If T and D weren’t racing they might have pulled up to me mid-ride and asked, “Ron, on or off right now?”

R. Bagged M’s run to do final summer school prep before the first class. Rest of the week was standard, except for mile 21.6-22.6. Four of us on SA’s standard 10 miler. At one point the “youth” (late 30’s/early 40’s) dropped back about 20m. I told the Supplement (early 50’s) it was time to show the youth that we’re like fine wine, just getting better with age. “When we hit the church driveway, we begin our mile time trial.” The Supp had been waiting all morning for that invitation. 6:41 with an uphill finish. Score one for the geezers. The dreaded √- due to missing M’s run and not making up any of the miles.

 


Fitness Friday—6/12

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6/1 M T W R F SA SU Total
S       

 

     1,800         1,800
C       

 

   55 20.7       

raceteam38

   60solo a.m.       

3:23

17.7 2,188’

3,586c

   20   135
R       

 

 walked—sore calf from swim   8.5   6.35   5 20

 

Swim—Lazy, lowest weekly total of the year.  My excuse is I’m a bit burnt from 6k of open water racing. Not terribly convincing, but I’m sticking with it.  W’s swim was in Ward Lake with the wife. Nice, inaugural, short, wetsuit free swim of the year. 

Cycling—Solid T/R rides, but Saturday’s was disappointing. I had planned to do 35 for a weekly total of 150, but it was raining, and after fixing a flat, decided to return to base. Got buzzed in Cap Forest R morning. Remote setting, totally alone, passed by a van that decided to cross over the bike lane line right in front of me. I thought he could have very easily driven me into the side of the road and left me for dead. A little later got chased by a dog in Delphi Heights. I wasn’t feeling much snap in my legs on the ride until that point. Turns out, all I need to accelerate quickly is a snarling speeding dog.

Run—Sunday’s 5 miler was fast and fun in Eugene before the Pre-Classic track meet. Three youngsters and seven-eight grizzled veterans. For some mysterious reason, the grizzled veterans tried to keep up with the youngsters. That didn’t last long. Destination was Pre’s Rock, a commemorative rock on the top of a roadside hill where Steve Prefontaine died in a car accident in the mid-70’s. Steep climb! Then we hit some great single track that apparently stretches for 20 miles. I could have lived in Eugene for a year and probably never have found the trails we were on.

Lake swimming is to lap swimming as trail running is to street running as outdoor cycling is to indoor spinning.

On the left, the world recorder holder. On the right, the author trying to hang.

On the left, the world record holder. On the right, yours truly trying to hang. (photo credit: T)

Excellence

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Two events recently made me think about excellence, what it entails and how to cultivate it. Event one was Olympia High’s final orchestra concert of the school year. I’m always blown away by their individual and collective musicianship. Event two was Sunday’s Pre(fontaine) Classic track meet in Track Town, USA, Eugene, OR. In the mile, 12 people went sub 4, an American woman ran 3:59.9 in the 1500; a shot putter went over 71 feet; a long jumper 28’8″; the 100m winner, 9.94; and on and on. 

One thing musical and athletic excellence entail is beauty. There’s something mesmerizing about watching a gifted musician embrace and bring a piece alive just as there’s something almost mystical about watching an elite middle distance East African runner pull away in the last 400 meters.

Often there’s a knowledgeable, committed, demanding coach eliciting excellent performance. Chip Schooler, the Olympia High orchestra conductor is a case in point. I don’t want to put him on a pedestal even though he does stand on one, but those students are privileged to get to work with him day in and day out.

There also has to be an intrinsic love of the activity that translates into dedication to repetitive practice. Then there’s very careful preparation for the excellent performance. One of my favorite parts of the meet was watching the pole vaulters warm up an hour before their event started. Running drills, spraying the handle of their poles, taking practice runs and flopping into the mat, stretching, hydrating, narrowing their focus.

In excellence versus equity debates, I typically advocate for equity, but they don’t have to be mutually exclusive all the time. Maybe I’ve slighted excellence out of fear that it too often produces elitism.

Fitness Friday—6/5

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The most humbling defeat of my atheltic career occurred last Sunday at the Haag Lake open water swim west of Portland. Prior to Sunday, I would have gone back forty years into the archive to an age group swim meet in some stuffy Ohio YMCA. I was seven, eight years old moving up from the 25 and 50 to the 100 free. Could I hold it together for four laps? Turned out the best eight year old in the state was in lane four and his Little League mom was yelling at him psyching him up from the opposite side. He shot me a “You make me laugh” look. I wondered if I’d fit under the starting block.

If memory serves me correctly, I was between lap two and three when he finished. This is where it got comical, in a funny sad way. After touching he hopped out, quickly toweled off, and threw his pants and shirt on before my compatriot tadpoles and I finished. He made sure we saw him in his civvies. His mom was so proud. I really hope he survived his mom and kharma didn’t bite him in the ass.

The Haag Lake open water swims were 800m, 2k, and 4k. Some people did one, some two, some all three. Cool event in a beautiful location. I decided to do the 2 and 4 because I hadn’t gone long in the water since a high school water polo team five mile fund raiser. The memory of that five miler lives on among a few friends because I began hallucinating near the end. More specifically, I saw Jesus doing backstroke next to me in a flowing white robe. Exquisite form. Anyways, I feel strongly that swimmers should go long every thirty years.

I decided not to push the 2 so I wouldn’t die in the middle of the 4. As is sometimes the case, I had major sighting problems and swam way too wide. So I was pleasantly surprised to finish in 29:02. I was hoping to go sub 30 in the 2 and 60 flat in the 4. There were so many swimmers at the finish and spectators that I couldn’t really tell how I did until logging onto the web Monday morning. As I skimmed down I saw a 75 year old six or seven places above me, David Radcliff, 75, 26:40. MISTAKE! Alert! MISTAKE! No way, Jose.

I goggled him and learned he may be the fastest 75 year old on the planet, but still, spanked by a 75 year old?! I’m used to peers running and cycling by me, but I usually hold my own in the water. Radcliff was an All-American at Berkeley, holds nearly all the US records for his age group, and was in finals of the 1500m in the Melbourne Olympics, but still spanked by a 75 year old?! I wasn’t in race mode, but even if I was, even if I had taken perfect lines all the way around, even if I had worn my translucent zoomers, he would have beaten me.

I didn’t see if he quickly shed the wetsuit and put his clothes on. 

Now that I’ve had a few days to fully digest the humble pie, I find Radcliff incredibly inspiring. If you google him you’ll find a 13 minute video interview from a May, 2009 meet where he set several records. He said he did a 6:07 for the first 500 of his 1,650! Someday I hope to be the 75 year old ruining youngsters’ races. 

Makes me wonder how much time would the world’s fastest 75 year old runner put into me in a 10k, the world’s fastest 75 year old cyclist in a 40kTT. 

I sighted better during the 4, but fought a calf cramp which cost me a little time. I also faded over the last 1500, should have eaten between the events. I finished in 1:02:59 for those scorekeeping at home.

Radcliff sat that one out. Probably didn’t deem me worthy competition.

Fitness Friday-5/29

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New wrinkle to my basic week of running, swimming, and cycling. Shari and I do 4,000 yards on Tuesday mornings at 5:45a. Shari has all the attributes of a great training partner–dependable, friendly, fast. She kicks my butt during IM sets, she kicks my butt when pulling long sets, and I regain a little dignity by nudging her out on 50 yard sprint sets. There’s one downside, Shari can be stubborn when it comes to leading out the lane. Tuesday morning, after Shari, another friend named Hobb and I completed our 1k warmup, I suggested we do 400 free followed by 4x100IM, three times. After negotiating the intervals, I said, “You lead out.” To which she replied, “No way, I’m not leading out.” So I did what you would have done in my position, I yelled at her. “Come on! I don’t want you swimming up on me, don’t be a baby, lead out!” Didn’t work because she dug her heels in and so I went to Plan B, the stare down. That lasted all of three seconds because the large, red, relentless second hand on the clock was nearning the tippy top. She won and I think I caught her doing breakstroke briefly once as she swam up on Hobb who was drafting off of me.

In other fitness news, I had a great Olympia half marathon two weekends ago. Perfect conditions, it was fun to run with two friends, and I went a few minutes faster than I thought possible. Shelly took us through the first mile in 6:55 or a good 30-40 seconds faster than I had planned. At mile 2, I politely suggested she take off and she slowly opened a gap. It took DoubleS and me a good 4 miles to recover and settle into a sustainable groove. Meanwhile, we watched Shelly get smaller in the distance. At mile 8.5 DoubleS dropped back a tiny bit and I decided to turn it up, so we parted ways. The local fishwrap had a picture of him crossing the line “In the marathon, with a time of 1:34:24” so we’ve been teasing him about his world record performance. Surprisingly, going up the hilliest stretch, I started to close the gap with Shelly. My mantra, “The hills are our friends,” was paying off. At about 11.75 miles we turned onto the main downhill drag into town and the finish line. I was 20 seconds back and told Shelly’s husband, “I’ll never catch her.” (Note: Shelly’s husband is 6’6″ and was a Pac-10 high jump champion in the early 90’s. If he finds out I was locked on his wife’s turquoise blue shorts for well over an hour this may be my last post.) Surprisingly, I caught her fairly quickly and then it was ON. Shelly is way more talented than me, but less experienced, and my pacing savvy was the difference. We pushed hard over the last mile. In the end, I beat her by 2 seconds, thus proving, once and for all, boys rule and girls drool. 

I know what you’re thinking. “Ron, you really do need some help from eastern philosophy.” But the more I think about it, the more okay I am with my momentary lapses into competitive madness. I race a few times a year. Almost every other run is done at a moderate pace with friends. We (usually) wait for one another if someone is struggling. It’s fun to compete on rare occasion, because of the contrast. Besides, it takes me back to my youth when racing—whether on foot or bicycle or by popsicle stick in the creek or hotwheels on tricked-out tracks—was a way of life.