be different. go big.

Weekly Update - Nov. 8 to Nov. 14

2010-11-15T18:40:00.000-05:00

11-12-2010
Fri-PM: 7.0 miles (:55) Ballston to DC Commute
First run back since R2R2R. A little stiffness in the Achilles, but other than that felt good. Of course, run commuting instead of dealing with Metro always feels nice!

11-13-2010
Sat-AM: Cycling 45 miles (2:20) DC to Great Falls loop
Casual recovery ride to catch up with friends. Nice day to ride. Still a little tired aerobically from the previous weekend's run. Getting there.

11-14-2010
Sun-PM: 20.0 miles (3:00) DC to Chain Bridge Out-and-Back
Hit the grassy sections of the Mall, then across the I66 bridge for a loop around Roosevelt Island, then on the Potomac Heritage Trail. Lots of folks and dogs out hiking the trail today. Never seen it so busy! Glad to see people getting outside on a crisp fall afternoon.

One (More) Guide to the Grand Canyon R2R2R Run

2010-11-14T20:28:00.006-05:00

So here we go.

Below is a run-down of all my logistics and my experience at running the Grand Canyon from South Rim to North Rim, and back to the South Rim, in a day (November 7, 2010). I will try to avoid boring anyone reading this of the details about how "beautiful, inspiring, and moving" this place is. It is. It was. I was a little. This is more about the nitty gritty, the logistics, of running this beast solo and self-supported.

Bright Angel Trail in the lower right, and looking at The Box from above in the distance.

The trip began with a flight into Las Vegas on Friday night. I got in late, and was on the road in my cushy rental car by 10:30pm. They recently opened up the bridge over the Hoover Dam that has been under construction FOREVER, and thus has helped cut down on the drive time to the South Rim. You could fly into Phoenix, or even Flagstaff saving yourself a few hours, but it was much cheaper and logistically easier for me to start from Vegas.

I finally arrived at the South Rim around 2:30am. For those who have difficulty with math that is about a 4 hour drive. Arizona doesn't follow Daylight Savings Time, so during the Summer its on Pacific Standard Time and the Winter is Mountain Time. It was pretty quiet around the park this time of night with no Rangers collecting fees, and definitely no one at the Mather Campground office. I was too tired, and it was too late at night for me to care about setting up a tent so I threw my sleeping pad and sleeping bag (Rated to 0 degrees) on the ground and just slept under the stars at my site. No animals or insects attacked while I slept.

In November the Mather Campground is relatively empty compared to the Summer months. If you choose to camp, you could reserve ahead of time online or just roll up and pick out an available site day-of. If you happen to have an NPS All-Access pass cost for a site was 7(!!) bucks a night when its normally 15 dollars this time of year. I booked ahead of time at Recreation.gov. If roughing it isn't your thing you can also grab a room at one of the lodges at the South Rim, the Bright Angel Lodge is literally steps from the trail head where you finish. Very key. I don't know about availability of rooms this time of year, but I doubt they are sold out. Also, the entrance fee into the park if you arrive during business hours is $25 unless you again have an All Access pass, in which case its $0. Arrive late after the entrance Ranger is gone and its also $0.

After sleeping in on Saturday, I spent the rest of the day walking around the South Rim taking photos, hitting the Market Grocery store for some last minute food items, and taking the Red Line bus out towards Hermit's Rest for some sunset shots. I also stopped by the Backcountry Office for some intel on water down in the canyon. It is highly recommended this be done ahead of time so there are no surprises while running (out of water!). This time of year water options become more and more limited as Winter creeps in. The Rangers let me know that I had 3 options along the way: Phantom Ranch, the Caretaker's House, and Indian Garden. Cool, I can work with that.

Weather this time of year at the Canyon can be a mixed bag, but more often than not there will be sunny or partly cloudy skies. Its the desert, afterall. While I was there, it was exactly that and daytime temps on the South Rim were around the low 60s, and night time temps were upper 30s. Comfortable. While inside the Canyon I estimated the temps to be upper 70's to low 80's for the High. Maybe low 50's in the morning.

As a result I chose to wear my Montrail Masochist trail shoes, smart wool running socks, 2XU compression shorts (awwwright, spandex!) for my lower half. For the upper half, I had a Patagonia polypro-type t-shirt, fleece-lined arm warmers, lightweight running gloves, a buff, sunglasses, and a headlamp. I also brought a packable Sierra Designs wind jacket which was primarily worn while getting from the campground to the bus depot in the morning, and for the last mile of the run. I also carried an Ultimate Direction WASP backpack, with a 65oz bladder, and took my iPod just in case I got bored.

Nutrition for this journey consisted of 12 servings of Infinit Nutrition Endurance Ultra formula, divided into 3 hour or 1 bladder servings, 1 gel, and 4 salt pills. I used all and wish I had more salt pills...hows that for foreshadowing??

I carried all of this gear and food with me for the entire run, and did not place any caches.

I woke up on Sunday morning about 4:15am to get dressed in my tent, eat a little breakfast, and get my gear ready for the days activities. I was out the door by 4:40am. I had planned to jog the greenway path from campground to the Visitor Center bus depot in time to catch the first Green Line bus out to the South Kaibab trailhead. It was chilly at the start, but I warmed up quickly with the wind jacket on and was borderline sweating by the time I arrived at the bus stop. It looked to be a little over a mile on the map, and give or take it was...I got to the bus top around 4:50am which was WAY early to catch the first bus at 5:15am. Luckily it also came early and I could escape the chilly morning winds inside the heated bus while waiting to see if any other passengers would arrive. The bus waited for the first blue bus to get there and passengers to transfer over, so I guess that is also an option instead if you'd prefer to limit the number of miles in your legs before getting to the rim.

Navigating a switch back on the upper section of the South Kaibab trail

We took off, and got to the South Kaibab trailhead a little after 5:30AM. After dodging some grazing mule deer, I started down the trail immediately. My Pikka headlamp was doing its best to illuminate the rutted, and stepped trail but it was still decently dark. It was enough though, I thought. Of course, in typical fashion I roll my ankle dropping down one of the many steps within the first mile, and do my best to hobble on it for a bit. Luckily its not too serious, and most of the pain subsides within a quarter mile. Its a 6-7 mile downhill, switchback-y run on the South Kaibab trail, finally dropping you at the black bridge over the Colorado. No water is available anywhere along this section. There was enough light to switch off the headlamp by about mile 4. I also didn't see the mule train until just outside of Phantom Ranch, which made passing a breeze. Whew. Time to complete section: ~1:30.

More switchbacks!

I skipped stopping at Phantom Ranch and started up the next section right away. This section is close to 8 miles along a creek. You start by going through "The Box" and then exit into a wider section eventually passing through Cottonwood Campground, and then ending at the Caretaker's House. Its a gradual uphill all the way with a couple short but steep kickers up and down along the way. Reverse that when heading southbound. I ran most of this section, save for the handful of steeper sections and really tried to keep my heart rate in check. I modified my pace accordingly. Time to complete section: ~2:15

In the box canyon

The first time at the Caretaker's House I missed seeing the faucet right after stepping off the trail, and instead got my fill up from the hose closer to the house. Don't miss the correct faucet here, its easier to use than the hose! From here its about a 6 mile climb up to the North Rim. I started power hiking immediately. There were a few flat-ish to slightly downhill sections which I ran, but for the most part I chose to hike the rest. You pass by Roaring Springs about 1 mile in, then cross a cool bridge at 3.5 miles in, go through a tunnel when you're 2 miles from the North Rim, and then finally you're at the top. It was chilly and windy so I snapped a few shots, and headed down immediately. Throughout the day I found that in the sun it was HOT, but in the shade it was COOL. Arm warmers came in handy and were getting a workout going up and down my arms throughout the day. Its 6 miles of steep downhill. You can try to let it all hang out, but I would recommend trying to save your legs and avoiding an out of control trip that may send you over the edge. Its narrow in some sections. You will then find yourself back at the Caretaker's House. Time to complete section: ~3:15

North Rim in the distance

Almost as awesome as a double rainbow - all the way - its the North Rim!

Back at the House I ran into the Ranger who was stationed there for the week. Nice guy. He showed me the REAL water faucet, and we chatted it up a bit. After filling up I decided to lay on the ground, and put my feet up for about 10 minutes using one of the logs at the outdoor table. So nice and necessary, but killing the average. I soon started back down the 8 mile section towards Phantom Ranch. With most of it a gradual downhill, its a great opportunity to just let gravity take over, and cruise. Again, I hiked any steep uphills. Notably the one by Ribbon Falls - ugh. Especially in the box canyon section it was starting to heat up, and I felt myself getting a bit out of it. So each time the trail came within reach of the creek I made sure to dip my buff in, put it around my neck, and throw some water on my head. It was just what I needed. Also around this time I caught up to another group running R2R2R who I had passed coming down as I was moving up to the North Rim. I liked the fact that they were using trekking poles for the downhill, but when I saw them the second time on the flatter section I was glad I left the sticks at home. While it might be nice to have the trekking poles on the uphill and downhill sections that middle section is just too flat and long. I think I made the right decision FOR ME to not carry them. Finally we all arrived at Phantom Ranch. Time to complete: ~2:00

Back across the Colorado River

If you can get back to Phantom Ranch early enough you can take advantage of the small food store. In it they have a small selection of snacks, beer, water and LEMONADE! The lemonade is delicious. It cost me $2.25 for the first cup, and $1 for a refill. Bring some cash if you want any of that. Here I also refilled my water bladder, enjoyed my sweet drinks, and put my feet up again for another 10 minutes or so. Whats the rush, this ain't no race! Once I collected myself I headed on down the trail for the final 10 mile section, crossing the Colorado over the silver bridge, and then starting on a long and extremely sandy traverse along the river. Eventually you get through this and start to head up along a creek towards Indian Garden. You can basically see the plateau above you the whole way, but you have "a few" switchbacks to navigate before you get up there. For the most part I ran the traverse, and power hiked the rest of the trail all the way to the South Rim. Once at Indian Garden I drank some water to wash out the tartness from the lemonades and took down the gel and a salt pill. I was starting to really feel it at this point, and some leg cramping began to set in. Continuing on up you have a few mental milestones to use if you like with the 3 mile house, and 1.5 mile house, and finally the South Rim. I left Indian Garden and continued up the switch backs to get to 3 mile house. I sat here to catch my breath and mind for about 4 minutes. I also swallowed the remaining salt pills. Damn, I'm out. Climbing higher I eventually reach the 1.5 mile house. I lay down to put my feet up, but the setting sun has made it quite cold, I start getting chills, and the cramps have migrated to my hip flexors. So I call this rest stop short and continue to motor up after putting my jacket back on to keep some warmth with me. The sunset was pretty awesome, and I could finally make out the Art Studio that hangs over the final section of trail before you top out. It was a glorious sight. I put on my headlamp, but didn't REALLY need it yet. I go through the tunnel, pass by the studio, and then crest the rim. Time to complete: ~3:15

Done.

I was too tired to really smile, or yell or do anything other than take a photo of myself and the trailhead sign, and then hobble down to the bus stop. A heated blue bus came shortly thereafter, and I happily hopped on. I was trying to think to myself what the other tourists on the bus might be thinking seeing me in my disheveled state, with dirt to my knees, stinky, in tight spandex shorts, and by this point, shaking uncontrollably. Eh, no matter - just let me stretch my legs out and we'll all get along!

I get off the bus at Mather, and instantly the shakes and the leg cramps REALLY start to take over again. Its a long 300 yards to my site (I made sure to get the closest site to the bus stop). I make it and jump in my sleeping bag to warm up. After 12 or so hours of running, and experiencing decent temperature swings I can only assume that my body's thermo-regulation totally went out of wack. I'm no doctor though. The leg cramps continued, as well and I did my best to manage them while I put on normal/warm clothes.

Now, the campground showers close at 6PM in the off-season, and I unfortunately was too late and slow to make it. The Market grocery store is also only open until 7PM in the offseason. This, I could make. My body was too jacked and in complete shut down mode to walk the .1 miles to the store like usual, so I hopped in my car and drove it. For shame! I picked up a quart of chocolate milk, some bananas, baby wipes, and various other items I was craving at the time, and checked out. It was heaven. Upon getting back to the tent I make use of the baby wipes to clean the legs up and then slip on the compression socks like the geeky triathlete I am. Finish off the food and drink, brush the teeth, and call it a night around 8:30pm.

I drove back to Vegas the following morning to catch a flight and be back at work on Tuesday.

All in all, a successful run. It took me a little under 12.5 hours, including rest stops and such - and that was keeping it pretty casual. I guess the record is in the 7 hour range, which is pretty freaking fast - but kind of counter to the whole point of running R2R2R in my eyes. I highly recommend this run not just to ultrarunning fanatics, but regular runners who just love to run! I think if you can train for and are in shape to run a marathon, then you can knock this out too. Let me know if I missed anything!

See you on the trails!

Sunset in the GC while climbing the final few miles

Weekly Summary - Nov. 1 to Nov. 7

2010-11-09T10:47:00.001-05:00

11-1-2010
Mon-PM: 6.5 miles (:55) Ballston to DC Commute
Standard commute downhill into DC. First time running with the bigger backpack. Its heavier, but thats just more resistance training, right? No longer a need to leave shoes or jacket at the office!

11-2-2010
Tue-PM: 7.0 miles (:55) A little bit longer now Commute
Hit some grass running on the way home, nothing special. Legs are handling the bigger bag, and more weight just fine. Temps are dropping!!

11-5-2010
Thurs-PM: 7.5 miles (:60) A couple pick-ups on the way HOME
Ballston to Ft. Meyer, down to the Mt. Vernon trail, across the 14th street bridge. Threw in 2 5-minute pick ups just to get the cadence up. So long Daylight Savings Time!

11-7-2010
Sunday-ALL DAY: 48 miles (12:30) Grand Canyon R2R2R
Whew, a tough day - but a fun day! Amazing scenery. I would say perfect temps and conditions for completing this run. Saw a few other groups out there attempting the double crossing, as well. Longer report to come.

Heading down the South Kaibab Trail

Weekly Summary - Oct. 25 to Oct. 31

2010-11-01T14:51:00.000-04:00

10-25-2010
Mon-PM: Cycling (:60) Hains Point
Easy loops around Hains Point

10-26-2010
Tue-PM: 6.0 miles (:55) Post-Work Pick Ups
Down the Mall, a couple grassy loops along the Potomac, and then back home.

10-27-2010
Wed-PM: 10.5 miles (1:30) Long Run Commute
Ballston, down to the Heritage Trail, lap around Roosevelt island, across the 14th street bridge, over to the Mall and then home.

10-29-2010
Fri-PM: 6.5 miles (:55) Standard Run Commute
Starting in Ballston, down to Ft. Meyer, across the 14th Street Bridge, past the stinky fish market, and then home.

10-31-2010
Sun-PM: 20.0 miles (3:35) Dickey Ridge to the AT in Shenandoah National Park
Out and back starting at Dickey Ridge Welcome Center, on the Dickey Ridge Trail, then jumping on the AT for 10 miles out and 10 miles back. Foliage colors were on fire, mini apples on the trail, and busy road crossings. Nice trails.

Run in Shenandoah National Park

Weekly Summary - Oct. 18 - 24

2010-10-24T18:36:00.001-04:00

10-18-2010
Mon-PM: 7 miles (:54) Mall Rambling
Down the mall, run in with LJ, catch up sesh, then over the 14th street bridge, out and back home.

10-19-2010
Tue-PM: 6.5 miles (:50) Post-Work Pick Ups
Hit the Custis, then headed south on the W&OD for an out and back after work, then threw in a couple "elevated pace" sections on the way back to the office. Drove on home.

10-20-2010
Wed-PM: 10.0 miles (1:20) Long Run Commute
Fromm Ballston, over to Cherry Grove, dropping down to the Potomac Heritage Trail south for a loop around Roosevelt Island, onwards to Mt. Vernon Trail, across the Memorial bridge, along West Potomac Park and on HOME!

10-22-2010
Fri-PM: 6.5 miles (:50) Short Run Commute
Starting in Ballston, down to Ft. Meyer, across the Memorial Bridge, then straight down the Mall towards home.

10-23-2010
Sat-AM: 26.5 miles (6:05) The Wild Oak Trail
A long day in the mountains along the beautifully tough Wild Oak Trail. 7500+ elevation gain is what my GPS caught. Nice long run shakeout to work out clothing, hydration, and fueling strategies for ultra runs soon to come.

The Wild Oak Trail - George Washington National Forest

The next project and a weekly summary! October 11-17 Summary

2010-10-18T18:52:00.000-04:00

The next project is to survive the Leadville 100 trail run in 2011, and if all goes perfectly (channeling Denali here!) then hopefully a sub-25 hour finish.

As I scoured the internets in search of advice for training for a 100 mile race, let alone Leadville specifically, I ran into issue finding any good resources. Lots of race reports, lots of tips and brief bits of advice but nothing that really lays out the journey. So in response I thought this could possibly be a good outlet to record the blood, sweat, and tears that may be shed as the build up to race day nears. In the end it will either show the process of successfully completing a race like Leadville 100, or DNFing. Either way, it'll be here in all its glory to read and learn from!

So without further ado, let me share where I am starting from in terms of fitness:
27 year old male who has been doing focused endurance/aerobic training in some shape or form for the past 7+ years. Mainly triathlon of all shapes and distances. I have completed an Ironman triathlon, 2 relatively tame 50 miler ultras, handful of marathons, some long distance cycling efforts up to 12 hours at a time, and various mountaineering endeavors. All of these with mixed results, and primarily finding myself coming in around upper mid-pack when there is a Finish Line involved in the longer distances.

This past year (2010), after Denali, I have been focusing more on short (~2 hour) triathlon races with decent success - for me. I was also able to work in some longer rides (9-12hours). Typically this year, my long run has been in the 100 minute length, with 4-5 other runs during the week of tempo, pick-ups, and recovery efforts - in addition to swimming and biking. Total training load per week has averaged around 13 hours since June.

The plan going forward:
Kick up the long distance trail running! I am shooting to accomplish this through training runs, and ever-increasing ultra-distance races culminating with the magical 100 miles. Hopefully I will do a 100 miler in Spring to get my feet wet, and not have Leadville be my first 100 ON TOP of my first 100 at altitude. Again, this plan will either be a success or failure - time will tell!

10-11-2010
Mon-PM: 8 miles (1:00) Run Commute
Hopped on the W&OD in Ballston, then on to the Mt. Vernon Trail, across 14th Street Bridge, and pointed it towards home. Concrete miles.

10-12-2010
Tue-PM: 5 miles (:45) Monument Loop
Down along the Potomac, over to the Lincoln, up along the Washington Monument, and down the mall. In search of soft surfaces. Found some.

10-13-2010
Wed-PM: 9 miles (1:15) Long Commute Route
Through Arlington, down to the Heritage Trail, over to the Mt. Vernon trail, across the Memorial bridge and on home.

10-14-2010
Thurs-PM: 7 miles (:53) Direct Commute Route
Ballston to Courthouse, on down to Rosslyn, across 14th street bridge and home sweet home.

10-16-2010
Sat-AM: 20 miles (3:00) Long trail run
Down the mall, over to Mt. Vernon Trail, up the Heritage trail, some rambling north of Chain Bridge, back on the C&O, down and around the Capitol, and back to the homestead.

Denali Pictures

2010-06-04T20:07:00.002-04:00

Thanks!

2010-05-30T19:34:00.001-04:00

Thanks everyone for following. As the previous post stated from my parents, I successfully summitted Denali - albeit solo (more on that in a future post)! After a few days of descending I have been safely flown off the mountain and am hanging in Talkeetna waiting to return to Washington, DC.

Its been a great few days in town reconnecting with climbers from the mountain, sharing stories, and eating/drinking lots of unhealthy things. It sounds like most people have lost between 10-20 pounds during their climb, so some feasting is only necessary!

Photos and video to follow later this week!

Thanks again,
Andy

Summit Reached! Goal Accomplished!

2010-05-25T21:02:00.001-04:00

We reached the summit of Mount McKinley today Tuesday, May 25 at approximately 3:45 PM Alaska time. It is cold, windy but what a thrill to be on the top of North America!

Thanks for all the prayers and good vibes for a safe ascent and excellent weather. Now we just have to climb back down.

Message from Andy via satellite phone to Richmond, VA at 8:45 pm EST Tuesday May 25, 2010 from the top of Mount McKinley.

SMS from 881631619640@msg.iridium.com

2010-05-22T16:21:00.001-04:00

TOOK CACHE 2 16800 YESTERDAY. AWESOME CLIMBING! SNO NEXT 2 DAYS THEN 2 HIGH CAMP

Blue Sky on High!

2010-05-19T19:53:00.001-04:00

Made it to 14,500 ft today. The weather is quite warm with blue sky and lots of sun reflecting off the snow.

Will rest for a couple of days at this altitude. Weather permitting we will start our trek to 17,000 ft by the weekend. So far feeling good and

acclimating to the change in altitude.

Your prayers and chants for good Denali weather are working well so please keep them coming.

Message from Andy via satellite phone to Richmond, VA at 7:30pm EST Wednesday May 19, 2010.

2010-05-16T13:47:00.001-04:00

Made it to 11,000 ft on Friday May 14. Took the weekend off to rest and wait out a" white out".

Will be moving to 14,000 feet, weather permitting, starting Monday.

Continue sending prayers for good weather as we continue our climb to the top.

Message from Andy via satellite phone to Richmond, VA 1:10 EST Sunday, May 16, 2010.

Game time!

2010-05-12T14:25:00.001-04:00

This message has been sent using the picture and Video service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, Quicktime@ 6.5 or higher is required.

Mind over matter: because if you don't mind, then it doesn't matter!

2010-05-11T18:08:00.001-04:00

No flights onto the glacier today, so a mandatory rest day before we
even get going.

Time to hurry up and wait. Better luck for us tomorrow, hopefully!

--
Sent from my mobile device

To fly or not to fly?

2010-05-11T12:59:00.001-04:00

Time to fly

2010-05-11T02:02:00.001-04:00

We had a nice climber orientation at the ranger station here in
talkeetna this afternoon. They make it sound so easy!

Weather has been hit or miss today, and the forecast looks the same
for tomorrow. Fingers crossed there will be a weather window for
flying into basecamp on the glacier at 7000 feet...but not looking
good! This is why we budget for a few bonus days.

Cheers!

--
Sent from my mobile device

Towards talkeetna

2010-05-10T15:43:00.001-04:00

Just passed through wasilla. Sadly, no views of Russia today!

--
Sent from my mobile device

Anchorage!

2010-05-10T03:25:00.001-04:00

Off to a good start with a lift to the hostel in anchorage from a kind
Alaskan. Thanks John!

Now for some late night food shopping...

--
Sent from my mobile device

Locked and loaded.

2010-05-09T06:12:00.001-04:00

Time to bust a move to anchorage by way of Minnesota, and then on to
talkeetna tomorrow.

Hoping jan was able to fly around that silly volcano I can't pronounce
in iceland.

--
Sent from my mobile device

Link to the Denali Recreational Weather Forecast

2010-05-07T11:02:00.001-04:00

Get an idea for the weather we are experiencing on the mountain! Forecasts for 7000-14000ft and 14k to the SUMMIT!!

As we get closer to the top please pray for a cold and calm wx forecast!

http://pafg.arh.noaa.gov/wmofcst.php?wmo=SXAK49PAFG&type=public

Live webcam of the Denali range from Talkeetna

2010-05-07T10:57:00.002-04:00

Link to a live webcam of the Denali Range as seen from Talkeetna, AK:

http://www.talkeetnaair.com/web-cam

Test message subject

2010-04-28T23:16:00.002-04:00

Test message body
--

Denali - West Buttress Overview

2010-04-14T15:51:00.001-04:00

The highest mountain in North America, Mt. McKinley has been the goal of aspiring high altitude climbers since it was first climbed in 1913. Its reputation as a highly coveted summit derives from its location near the Arctic Circle and the Pacific Ocean giving it some of the most ferocious weather in the world. Because of its weather and ease of access, some climbers use McKinley as a training ground for climbing the 8,000 meter peaks of the Himalaya, including Everest.

Most climbers ascend McKinley via the West Buttress route because it is relatively free of objective hazards and technical sections. The relative ease of the route combined with the number of middle-aged amateurs attempting it prompted one climber to call McKinley, "the Mid-Life Crisis Mountain." That being said, the West Buttress is very unforgiving of mistakes and even the most experienced climbers have failed or died on this route. Other popular routes of ascent include the Muldrow Glacier, the West Rib, the Cassin Ridge, and the South Buttress.

Mt. McKinley is also known by its Athabascan name Denali meaning "The Great One" and some climbers refuse to use "McKinley" when referring to this mountain. In fact, at least half a dozen names exist for the highest mountain in North America and most translate to "The Great One". The Americans are the only ones who bucked this trend and named it after some mediocre President from Ohio. Ever since the mountain's name was changed to McKinley, an effort has been under way to change it back to Denali. The State of Alaska now recognizes it as Denali and the Feds have changed the name of the national park in which Denali is the main attraction to Denali National Park. Congress, however, has shown little interest in changing the mountain's name.

The earliest attempts at climbing Denali began in the late-1800's. In 1906, Frederick Cook claimed the first ascent, but his claim was later discredited after his "summit" photos were proven to be from the summit of an insignificant peaklet more than 10 miles away from Denali's true summit. In 1910, a team of four "sourdoughs" with no previous mountaineering experience managed to climb the lower North Peak of Denali. Their claims were dismissed until later climbers found a 14-foot spruce pole they had erected near its summit.

The first documented ascent occurred in 1913 when a team led by Hudson Stuck reached the South Summit. Other notable ascents include Bradford Washburn's first ascent of the West Buttress in 1951 which later became the standard route of ascent. The first winter ascent was accomplished on February 28, 1967 and is documented in the mountaineering classic, MINUS 148.

-the following was copied from SummitPost.com =)

Denali 2010 - Group Equipment List

2010-04-01T12:12:00.000-04:00

Category	Gear Name	Cost	Quantity
Cooking
	Stove (xgk-ex or whisperlite), screen, base		2
	expedition service kit for each type of stove		1
	fuel bottles (20 or 30 oz)		2
	white gas (in gallons)	40	4
	2 liter non-stick pot w/lid		1
	3 liter pot w/lid		1
	plastic spatula (cut-off handle)		1
	measuring/dipping cup		1
	plastic scrubbing brush		1
	lighters		4
	hand sanitizer (1 oz.)		2
	whiskey? (for basecamp)		1
Hardware
	ropes		1
	pickets + 36" sling + caribiner each		2
	ice axes with hammer		1
	ice screws		2
	shovels		1
	snow saws		1
	snow probe		1
	wands w/identifying colored tape on end (1 meter)		25
	2-person tent (Trango 2 or other large 2-person)		1
	parachute style snow anchors for tents		8
	GPS with route programmed and extra batteries		1
	AM-FM radio + batteries		1
	map of route		1
	iridium satellite phone + 2 batteries		1
	solar charger		1
Medical Kit
	Sterile Gauze (roll) - 2"		1
	Sterile Gauze - 3"x3"		5
	Ace Bandage		1
	compress		1
	tourniquet		1
	benadryl (25mg)		6
	blister kit		1
	bisacodyl (10mg) - constipation		15
	Diamox		5
	CPR face shield		1
	salt tablets - dehydration		3
	immodium - diarrhea		10
	adhesive tape roll -small		1
	blood stopper		1
	butterfly bandaid or steri strips		6
	Telfa non-stick 3" x 2"		6
	Betadine		1
	Alcohol prep pads		5
	Pain medicine		20
	Dramamine		6
	Tweezers		1
	Sterile latex gloves		1
	dexamethasone - cerebral edema (4mg)		12
	3x Anti-Biotic Ointment (packets)		6
Repair Kit
	baling wire (in ft.)		5
	duct tape - small (roll)		1
	multipurpose tool		1
	tent pole repair sleeve		1
	patching nylon for tents (ripstop)		1
	sewing needle and thread/dental floss		1
	small seam grip		1
	zip ties		6
	nylon cord (50 feet)		1

Updated: 2010 Team B-US Denali West Buttress/Upper West Rib Climb Itinerary

2010-03-26T14:46:00.002-04:00

After some discussion, it was decided to back off on the full West Rib attempt, and instead focus on getting up the West Buttress with a possible Upper West Rib attempt from 14k camp. If time and weather allows, a light and fast second summit attempt of the full West Rib is not out of the question!

May 8: Jan arrives in Anchorage.

Jan arrives in Anchorage after 20+ hour flight with three legs, pretty waisted. Happy to have a large comfortable bed. Jetlag.

May 9: Andy arrives in Anchorage

Jan sleeps and does some shopping. Things are getting pretty hectic. Jan is still suffering from jetlag.. Things are getting even more hectic once Andy has arrived. Pick up sat phone, do more shopping, coordinate shopping lists.

May 10: Transfer to Talkeetna
Another possibility to pick up the sat-phone. Some last minute shopping. Morning shuttle to Talkeetna. Briefing with rangers at 4 p.m. in Talkeetna.

May 11: Flight into BC 7100 ft (2164 m)

Some weather reserve (we have the whole day to fly in). Hopefully we can fly in in the morning.

May 12: Climb Radio Control Tower (8670 ft / 2643 m)

If the flight is in the morning, May 11, we could try to climb the mountain afternoon.In that case, and if we feel ok, we can start moving upwards on May 12.

May 13: Move to 7,800 ft (2377 m) camp
A standard slog day. Huff and puff on skis with fully loaded bags. The camp can be also at 8000 ft.

May 14: Move to 9,500 ft (2895 m) camp

Another standard slog day. Another huff and puff with fully loaded bags. Can also be done as a cache and carry project if start moving on May 12.

May 15: Rest (option Mount Capps 10,545 ft /3,214 m)

If feeling bad/tired: rest. Moving 2 days with about 60 kg per person and unacclimatized should not be underestimated. If feeling ok, it is possible to climb Mount Capps or cashe to the next camp.

May 16: Cache to 11,000 ft (3352 m) camp

May 17: Move to 11,000 ft (3352 m) camp

May 18: rest

To give body time to recover. Get extra acclimatization.

May 19: Cache to 14,200 ft (4328 m) camp
May 20: Move to 14,200 ft (4328 m) camp

May 21: Rest

To give body time to recover. Get extra acclimatization.

May 22 - May 28: Summit push activities

Example West Buttress:

May 22: Cache to 17,200 ft (5242 m) camp

May 23: Move to 17,200 ft (5242 m) camp

May 24: climb higher + return to 14,200 ft camp
May 25: rest
May 26: Move to 17,200 ft camp
May 27: rest/reserve
May 28: Summit day 20320 ft / 6194 m

Includes flexibility to descend to the lower camp if feeling bad / for recovery.If not necessary, either summit push/ some extra acclimatization/ reserve days

Example Upper West Rib:

May 22: Cache to 17,200 ft (5242 m) camp

May 23: Move to 17,200 ft (5242 m) camp

May 24: rest or climb higher; descend to 14,200 ft (4328 m) camp
May 25: move to the base of West Rib junction 16,000 ft (4877 m)
May 26: Move to 17, 000 ft (5182 m) camp on West Rib
May 27: Summit day, descend to 17,200 ft (5242 m) camp on West Butt
May 28: reserve

I wouldn't suggest to plan the summit earlier than day 18. Only if we feel ok, and conditions are right, we could try earlier.

May 29: Descend to 11,000 ft (3352 m) camp
May 30: Descend to base camp, fly out

Descent can be done in one day if need be. Strenuous, but possible. Saves one extra reserve day.

May 31: reserve
June 1: reserve
June 2: reserve
June 3: reserve
June 4: reserve

Those badly needed reserve days.We are happy to have them.

June 5: Andy leaves Anchorage 1:30 a.m.

Team B-US Denali West Rib Climb Itinerary

2010-03-17T22:16:00.001-04:00

In Anchorage:
May 8 : Jan arrives in Anchorage. begin trip preparation at hostel.
May 9: Andy arrives in Anchorage. pick up sat. phone, pack, and shop for Denali.
May 10: Morning shuttle to Talkeetna, Afternoon meeting with Rangers. Continue to pack and shop for Denali. Find Hudson Air Taxi. ID sleds, and rig.

Arrival on the Kahiltna glacier:
May 11: Morning flight into the kahiltna glacier (7200'), ski past Camp 1 to 8000ft (Mouth of NE Fork) and set up base camp. Drop cache for NE Fork/West Rib attempt. - 6 miles, 800ft gain.
May 12: Ski to 11000ft (Motorcycle hill camp), drop cache. Return to 8000ft. - 10 miles r/t, 3000ft gain
May 13: Ski to 11000ft, sort and pack gear for west buttress aclimation trip and high cache. - 5 miles, 3000ft gain.
May 14: pack and rest for west buttress, ski around area.

West Buttress acclimatization trip:
May 15: Drop Skis. Carry cache to windy corner @ 13,500ft, return to 11,000ft camp - 4 miles r/t, 2500ft gain.
May 16: Climb to Camp IV @ 14,200ft, set up high camp - 3 miles, 3200ft gain
May 17: Retrieve cache at 13,500ft, return to camp IV. - 2 miles r/t, 700 ft gain
May 18: Active rest day at altitude. Carry cache to West Rib junction @ 16,000ft. - 4 miles r/t, 1800ft gain
May 19: Active rest day at altitude. Practice on Fixed Ropes.

Plan A - West Rib portion of the trip:
May 20: descend west butt to 8000' base camp, pick up skis at 11,000ft camp.
May 21: ski up NE fork of Kahiltna to "moderately safe" camp II (10000'). - 3 miles, 2000ft gain
May 22: ski west rib col approach, to 11000' on the NE Kahiltna, send the col to gain the ridge at 12,800', climb lower rib to camp III (13,300'.) (big day, but at this point we are honed) - 2 miles, 3300ft. gain
May 23: climb lower rib to camp IV (~16,000') - 1 mile, 2700ft gain
May 24: rest at 16,000'
May 25: Summit day! climb upper rib to summit ridge, slog ridge to the top of the continent. descend west Buttress to Genet Basin (14,000'). - 2 miles, 4000ft gain
May 26: Rest day.
May 27: Ski/Descend to Base camp (8000').
May 28: Ski/Descend to landing strip and pack for departure.
May 29: Weather/Rest Day
May 30: Weather/Rest Day
May 31: Weather/Rest Day
June 1: Weather/Rest Day
June 2: Weather/Rest Day
June 3: Weather/Rest Day
June 4: Weather/Rest Day
June 5: Andy Flies out to Talkeetna in the morning. Jan keeps climbing?

Plan B - West Buttress from 14K Camp:
May 20: Carry cache to Ridge Camp @ 16,200ft, return to 14k camp. - 4 miles r/t, 2000ft. gain
May 21: Rest day at 14k camp
May 22: Move to High Camp @ 17,200ft - 2 miles, 3000ft. gain
May 23: Rest day @ 17,200ft
May 24: Summit Day or pick up Cache @ 16,200ft. - 6 miles r/t, 3200ft gain
May 25: Summit day!
May 26: Summit day!
May 27: Summit day!
May 28: Summit day!
May 29: Summit day!
May 30: Descend to 14K Camp
May 31: Ski/Descend to 8000ft base camp
June 1: Ski/Descend to Landing strip and pack for departure
June 2: Weather/Rest Day/Bonus Climbing/Skiing
June 3: Weather/Rest Day/Bonus Climbing/Skiing
June 4: Weather/Rest Day/Bonus Climbing/Skiing
June 5: Andy Flies out to Talkeetna in the Morning. Jan keeps climbing?

Spirit of Morgantown Half-Ironman Race Report

2009-08-13T21:17:00.000-04:00

Quick and Dirty:

Swim: 31:17
T1: 1:15
Bike: 2:33:50
T2: 1:11
Run: 1:45:53
TOTAL: 4:53:24

Swim -

New type of swim start which consisted of running off the pier, and jumping off into the water. I found myself praying that no one behind was going to jump on top of me while I was under water. I popped back up, and started flailing trying to get up to speed. Water temp was at the perfect point where pro's were sans wetsuits and age-groupers could wear them. Awesome to be able to hang with the pro's for AT LEAST the swim... swam through some traffic on the back half of the loop, and then hit some serious current as we neared the dam. Raised the effort to get around the buoy's as quick as I could, and then cruised back using the current to my advantage on the way in.

T1 -

LOOOONG run from the swim exit back to the transition area which was situated on the ground floor of a parking deck.

Bike -

Potholes. Everywhere. Worst roads I have ever ridden on in a race, but that made it kind of interesting in a way, and kept me focused on the task at hand. Most of the super deep wheel swallowing holes were marked with paint to help with dodging. Some technical turns, a couple steady hills, some long smoking fast descents, and a nasty 100 meter 8% climb at the end of each loop helped to keep the racing honest. Stayed within myself and paced off one of the elite/pro male dudes for most of the ride. Got an extended Infinit shower during the ride, but its all good.

T2 -

Standard. Grabbed my iced hat and make shift neck cooler out of my cooler that I brought with. Sweet!

Run -

Weakest of the 3 for me, as usual. Run course is entirely flat, with the first 1.5 miles on pavement in the sun, and the next 2 miles on dirt in the shade. Shake, repeat a couple times, and you just completed your half-mary. Felt good in the first mile, and the second, and third mile, but after that I began to fade - and HARD. I was melting in the heat (oh yeah, temps were in the upper 80's and humid by this point). Grabbed all the cold water and ice I could carry at each aid station, and just tried to survive to the finish. I did, barely!

Overall -

13th overall, and 3rd in the AG. Surprisingly fun race, and one I may have to do again next year. Maybe they will re-pave some of those roads? Doubt it...

3 weeks until Canada. Time to rest up, and let all this work pay off!

Mountaineer Half Pre-Race

2009-08-07T13:58:00.000-04:00

Spirit of Mountaineer on tap this weekend. It is supposed to be HOTT, and not the skinny-triathletes-in-spandex kind of HOTT. Maybe I'll pack an ice chest for some relief at the start of the run??

It would be great to finally have a breakout half-IM race! With all the IM build training I think this is a good shot to do it...will the heat foil my plans? Only time will tell...

Tentative A+ race execution times: :28/2:25/1:40 ....must dig deep - no excuses!

See ya out there.

Leg Shredding

2009-05-28T09:57:00.000-04:00

Hit a training weekend out at Deep Creek Lake with a bunch of good people. PAIN was the name of the game for our time out in the montagnes! Needed these hilly rides in preperation for IM Canada coming up in a few months....

56 miles of the Savageman course followed by a strong 55 minute t-run on Saturday. 95 miles starting from the lake down into the Monongahela Nat. Forest with an epic climb up to some HUGE windmills thrown in for good measure on Sunday. 50 minute recovery swim in the lake on Monday. Sparks, beer, fries, and ice cream for recovery nutrition!

Pics or it didn't happen:

Pre-JFK 50

2007-11-16T20:06:00.000-05:00

Its the night before, and I'm a bit intimidated of whats to come starting bright and early at 7am. This "race" will blow my greatest one-time run distance right out the window. I get the same feelings of when I did my first triathlon...what to wear, freak out, what to eat, freak out, how fast to go - you get the idea.

The game plan is to try and stick to keeping the heart rate under 150 at all times, if this means walking some sections then so be it. Each heart beat is critical in a race of this distance, and saving some early on could pay dividends when the going gets tough in the latter miles. Hopefully this plan will stave off the desire to walk, as I'm confident in my aerobic capacity but not as sure about how the legs will hold up. All in due time.

So here goes nothing, off into the dark abyss that is endurance running. I think I can see the light...

Good Song: Ted Leo and Pharmacists - Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone?

Another day another dollar

2007-11-05T19:57:00.000-05:00

Marine Corps was just a week ago from yesterday. Where does the time go? A successful race, with a finish time of 3:27ish. Still looking to find the secret to running a strong final 6, and the ultimate 3:10 finish. Once thats in hand, the Boston Qual. should be a piece of cake. The legs are feeling good while just walking around now, but any attempt at running and some nasty soreness rears its ugly head again. The next challenge is the JFK 50 in a few weeks, and I'm definetly going to need a full/fresh set of limbs to finish that beast.

For a dose of cross training - an adventure into the western VA mountains was had, and some lovely leaves were a-changing. Good people, good weather, and good scenery made it a sweet day. The woods are where its at...

Good Song: Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

MCM is a go.

2007-10-23T13:15:00.000-04:00

Marathon time and by the power of Hercules I submit to you, blogland, the official "2007 Marine Corps Marathon Music Video Theme Song That Will Never See the Light of Day". Crank up the speaker volume, dust off your air guitar, and let down your 80's hair as we get pumped together for whats sure to be an amazing race day!

"Holllllyyyyy diiiver, yeah!"

'Cross racing, bro.

2007-10-22T22:32:00.000-04:00

Am I in first? Or am I in last? You'll never know!

I realized during this brief 30 minutes of atomic pain that, while cyclocross racing, your bike chain is either in 1 of 2 positions - Dropped, or in the process of being dropped. Its a downward spiral of frustrating agony as tattooed bike shop mechanics who look like they had 3 too many cases of PBR roll right on by as you slip in your personal puddle of tears while bending over to connect the gears again. Of course, they could easily kick my ass with one finger because, alas, I am a fragile mistake of a triathlete. Pathetic really, and for that I should be shamed for all eternity. Or just offered a bottle of MD 20/20. Your decision (choose wisely).

Bottom line: 'cross racing is some sweet stuff, no matter what goes wrong/right.

Good Song: Interpol - No I in Threesome

Back, maybe?

2007-10-19T18:27:00.000-04:00

Ok, I feel the urge to write more updates but just never get around to it...thinking about focusing more on quantity than quality - and pictures. Everyone loves pictures, well, maybe not Britney Spears.

Currently tapering for the Marine Corps Marathon, my final 20 miler/new-ish running kicks caused some nasty bone cyst/bruises on the 'ol ankles. Switched back to an older pair, and bought a NEW pair but different brand of shoe. So far so good, and hopefully all will be golden again come Oct. 28.

MTB ride, Beer and Brats, a couple short runs, and my first 'Cross race look to be consuming the upcoming weekend. Looks to be a good one. Pray for some fall temps already!

Good Song: Cinematic Orchestra ft. Patrick Watson - To Build A Home

Into the Wild

2007-09-29T11:01:00.000-04:00

I just saw the "Into the Wild" movie last night, and it was pretty damn good.

Of course, "Supertramp" makes some key backcountry mistakes - there's no arguing that...but the movie is about much more than what he is Physically doing. Its about breaking away from the mold that is 21st century society, and doing the things that move YOU. Is he doing this because he is dying for attention? I don't believe so...and the movie does a good job laying out the motivation for his journey.

If you get a free 2 and half hours go check this movie out, its worth it.

A couple quotes from the film:

"Happiness is only real when shared"

"If you want something in life, reach out and grab it"

Be well.

Shenandoah 100

2007-09-10T14:10:00.000-04:00

A weekend of awesomeness! Sometimes more aptly known as the Shenandoah Mountain 100. An endurance mountain bike race over 100 miles within the George Washington National Forest outside of Harrisonburg.

A little bit of climbing.

2007 would be my 3rd time racing the SM100, and I was hoping to finally break the 12 hour barrier. Previous years have consisted of serious bike malfunctions, bonks, and just overall slowness induced by night before debauchery.

Lots of the big guns of endurance mtb-ing were in attendance such as Chris Eatough, Chris Beck, Sue Haywood, and a special guest appearance by none other than Floyd Landis. I, of course, never saw any of them until the awards ceremony because they were hours ahead of me...but its still cool to say you "raced" against 'em right? Race was at capacity with 450 riders, and you definetly got that sense when you looked around the grounds and saw tents everywhere!

I hope I have everything...

Anyways, the way it works is all the racers meet up at a big campground out in Stokesville, VA the day before to pick up race packets, socialize, eat a big pasta, dinner, drink beer, and camp out. The race starts right at sunrise (6:30am-ish), and with the race start so far away from civilization its best just to camp out to avoid an early morning rush.

Something cool that is done, is the banning of all racers from having gel packs during the race. You are riding out in the middle of nowhere sometimes, and bears squirrels, etc. don't really want to see some random Gu packets strewn about. Instead, you are given a flask filled with Hammergel or you can fill it with whatever you want (I went with a strong liquor) to use during the race.

For me the actual race typically turns into a steady ride. Its tough to actually take it out hard, because you will pay dearly during some of the later climbs. Even starting easy resulted in a few nuclear meltdowns which had me seeing Jesus and goblins on the side of the course. I felt pretty crappy from 25-75 and found myself walking my bike up fire road climbs + the single track climbs that I can typically clear without issue normally. I guess it was just one of those days...

At the 75 mile aid station I started downing a gatorade/coke mixture at the next aid station and felt much better towards the end. Finished in 11:46-something which is what I was shooting for. Landis finished in 3rd, at 7:25 or so. Kegs of Old Dominion Ale and friendly faces at the finish made all the aches a distant memory...

Someone get me a beeer!

Be well, and thanks for reading!

Hooray for atrophy!

2007-07-18T18:48:00.000-04:00

False alarm, I over-reacted. No surgery needed for the offending thigh, just some 1 on 1 time with a large masculine woman 3 times per week for the next 3 weeks. I guess I'll take that...

We now return you to your normal programming.

Lame

2007-07-17T23:25:00.000-04:00

I know what you're thinking. These are NOT my legs to the left, although it might be kind of cool to have definition like that...I mean, shoot, you can see right through the skin!

Nah, really though tough times are a-coming on the horizon... The swelling has given way to reveal a lovely depression above the knee - where my quad muscle should be. The result is a sweet gangsta lean as I walk down the streetz, yo!

...also, a good chance of surgery. The orthopedic surgeon will confirm that tomorrow. But the sooner I go under the knife, the sooner I can get back to doing what I love. These past few weeks have made me realize how much I appreciated and enjoyed being outside and active. Its been a good awakening to remind me of how crappy the couch and tv is, and how amazing even just the simple things of hearing yourself breath and hearing your feet hit the pavement are. I seem to have a habit of always realizing a good thing until after its too late... I should try and change that behavior. Oh well, theres always alcohol right?

Maybe this is for the best!

I went ahead and took a page from the boys on the CSC cycling squad and picked up a couple black wristbands that read in bold, "Harden the Fuck Up". Simple, straightforward, and non-confusing. Slightly corny, but a damn good reminder for when the going gets nasty in the next few months.

Tomorrow begins the new journey, and the journey is the effin reward. Yippee kay yay, mofo.

DFL to DNF

2007-07-08T20:11:00.000-04:00

Game over for the tour on the last day. I tried moving a tree with my thigh, and it didn't exactly work out the way I planned...

Tour de Burg Stage 4

2007-07-02T22:25:00.000-04:00

Massanutten Ridge riding with total mileage on the mtb somewhere around 40 miles, and criss crossing across Ft. Valley. Exhaustion is at meltdown level, so complete sentences is no longer required. Here are my random non-coherent thoughts about the day. Rocks, rocks, and more rocks on the ridges. Jackhammer feeling. Slooooow. Lost time to second to last place guy, and DFL jersey is starting to funktify. Pain. Burrito dinner made achiness go away for brief period.

100 miles on the road bikes over gravel, and pavement with massive climbs, including gravel road climb all the way to the top of Reddish Knob from West VA. Ughhh, best chance for getting some time back if I can hang onto a pack for the timed sections. Little grill mexi night is my motivation.

Triathletes are soft.

Tour de Burg Stage 2 and 3

2007-07-01T22:31:00.000-04:00

Stage 2 ended and I'm back in the DFL jersey, after a long atomic battle today. A climb up the backside of Mass. Mtn. Resort, a gravel climb and descent on Cub Run road, and a final assault across New Market Gap on 211, with a parade pace back to town to finish. Grand total of 76 miles for the stage. A nasty flat on the Cub Run descent put me to the back of the pack again after a solid effort on the climb. It was tough seeing my competition roll on past me as I freakishly change my tire. Luckily I got a little time back ont he New Market gap section to keep the time difference close. I banged my knees into my handlebars a few more times too even out the huge hematomas I've already accumulated over the past days.

Stage 3 was a short time trial on some nice local trails in town. 30 second between riders let you be close enough to see your closest competitor but not quite close enough to pass. I tried to make a move to pass back the 2nd(to last) place guy, but stumbled on a rock garden losing his wheel. Finish line was at the door step of Luigi's pizza, which inside scoop, has it closing its doors for good within the year!! Anyways, a nice pizza and salad dinner with a couple beers amongst friends and fellow cyclists made the day complete.

Crazy nar-nar rocks tomorrow on the Massanutten ridge. Shooot!

Tour de Burg Stage 1

2007-06-30T22:05:00.000-04:00

45 miles on the mountain bike and around 5000 ft of climbing means sore legs for the peloton tonight.

I had another mediocre performance and find myself quite often in the back of the finishers. I feel like I was so much faster in past years tours, or maybe these guys just get sooo much faster year in and year out. Probably the latter. First timed section consisted of a big singletrack climb, a little techy moss-rock section (which I walked most of) a little ridge fire road, and then a nice long singletrack drop down off Buck Mountain. A rear flat got me good about half way down, but on the bright side allowed for a nice breather.

Second timed section was a long ridge ride on roll-y singletrack, the kind where you feel there is no place to recover and you're working just as hard to go downhill as you are up.

The big news is I have (temporarily?) relinquished the DFL jersey, but am only 30 seconds off the lead. Like in that big french tour, the pressure of riding with the jersey early on was just too great, and energy sapping so I will look to make my attempt on it in the final days ahead!

BIG road stage in the A.M. lined up close to 80 miles with probably 30 of that gravel...the teeth jarring variety, too. Then at night a MTB-TT on some local trails with the finish at the entrance to the pizza joint!! Woooo, its gonna be killer!

Roll it.

Tour de burg prologue - DfL!

2007-06-29T22:36:00.000-04:00

Barely made it down to the stage start in time fighting crazy DC
traffic. It dumped buckets beforehand making the trail like Adams
morgan barfloor. Wet, slippery, and sketchy. I redlined it to start
and payed for it with out of control riding and spectating people go
by me. 2 miles up means 2 miles down. More of the same but coming at
you faster! Crashed hard at the bottom and donated a little skin and
blood to the trail gods.

A solid effort means I finished in last place capturing the coveted
dfl jersey! An honest to goodness jersey I have to wear, and fight
for, and will do my best to slum it hardcore so I can hang on to it!
Yeahghh, big mtb stage tomorrow with more big downhills!

Giddyup!

Go go speed racer

2007-06-25T18:34:00.000-04:00

A busy past few weeks of racing are wrapping up with the start of the infamous, 12th running of the Tour d'Burg! Some serious riding, and serious debauchery are on tap starting Friday with total mountain bike mileage looking to be in the 150 mile range, and road/gravel riding 180 miles racing up 37,000 feet of elevation over 5 days. If you enter the Prologue fat and lazy, you'll be guaranteed to look like LA in his prime (still never as fast) come Wednesday after the final stage. Yeahhh!

Xterra richmond was two weekends ago where I felt like I had a "breakthrough" run performance finishing up with a 12 minute PR, but still only finishing 5th in my age group. Its great to finally feel strong on the run in the heat, but still need to work hard to keep increasing the speed.

Yesterday was the 12 hours of Crank Monkey at Quantico where I attempted the solo race. I took it out fast in the first two laps, then had a major nuclear-sized meltdown during laps 3-5. After five, I had enough and took a casual 3 hour break just hanging out in the pit area taking in the scene, and trying to learn about race the strategy of the other solo riders. Interesting stuff. Put one last lap in around 5pm to end on a good note, and it felt great. A pizza feast ensued shortly thereafter. Total days mileage of 6 laps = ~7 hours of riding = ~ a little less than 60 miles. I think I'm ready for the tour.

Lets bring it to the D.C. area!

2007-06-23T14:44:00.000-04:00

Q&A: SF Mayor's Battle Against Water Bottles

San Francisco is cracking down on the sale of single-serving plastic water bottles. Mayor Gavin Newsom speaks out on why he’s leading the charge.

WEB EXCLUSIVE

By Karen Breslau

Newsweek

Updated: 8:00 p.m. ET June 22, 2007

June 22, 2007 - When San Francisco recently banned the use of plastic grocery bags as part of its campaign to fight global warming, the city drew international attention. Now, plastic water bottles are in the cross hairs. This week, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order banning the use of city funds to purchase single-serving plastic water bottles. The order also prohibits the sale of such water containers on city-owned property. The move is part of a campaign by the city to boost the environmental awareness of its already-green citizens by getting them to use tap water instead of bottled water—and cut down on the acres of plastic generated in the process. Residents who sign an online pledge not to buy bottles can get a stainless-steel recyclable container from the city for free. Newsom spoke with NEWSWEEK’s Karen Breslau about San Francisco’s latest trend-setting environmental campaign—and his own efforts to break the bottled water habit. Excerpts:

NEWSWEEK: Salt Lake City has also banned bottled water for its employees. Why are cities taking the lead in persuading people to stop buying bottled water?
Gavin Newsom: The transportation and distribution, developing the plastic for the water bottles, the cost of the water, has a huge environmental and economic impact. As a consequence of the prolific growth in bottled waters, we in the city feel we have a responsibility to address its cost and its environmental impact. We are looking to eliminate completely all of bottled water consumption supported by city money but also to begin an educational campaign to convey the real cost of bottled water, transported half way around the world. We are looking at a marketing campaign showing bottled water compared to a barrel of oil, that shows it takes far more energy to transport the water than the oil.

You’re talking about these little single-serving bottles like the ones I’ve got all over my desk and feel guilty about?
I was having one in the car today, and I was feeling badly as well. We are not preaching what we don’t intend to practice.

Representatives from the bottled-water industry say it’s unfair to single out their product. Thousands of food and beverage items come in plastic packaging, they point out—and consumers like having a healthy choice of water, instead of buying drinks containing sugar and calories.
Yes, but the difference between bottled water and Diet Coke is that you can’t get Diet Coke from the tap. It’s not like any other bottled liquids. These people are making huge amounts of money selling God’s natural resources. Sorry, we’re not going to be part of it. Our water in San Francisco comes from the Hetch Hetchy [reservoir] and is some of the most pristine water on the planet. Our water is arguably cleaner than a vast majority of the bottled water sold as "pure."

You’ll be raising this campaign with the U.S. Conference of Mayors. And in Salt Lake City, Mayor Rocky Anderson has also banned his employees from using plastic water bottles. Other cities are looking into bottling their own municipal supplies and competing with commercial brands. Why are mayors all over bottled water all of a sudden?
You can start from our roles as fiduciaries. In San Francisco, we spend over $500,000 a year on bottled water, and it’s no better than our own tap water. Why are we paying for something that’s free to us? We are going to save a ton of money. But it’s also clear as we go around the country, or even around the world—I heard the same thing at the Davos summit—that people are talking about the environmental footprint of bottled water. It’s become a narrative over the past year. We as mayors recognize, as we’ve seen through our purchases of alternative-fuel vehicles for city fleets, that we can make purchasing decisions without asking permission. One gallon of bottled water costs the same as 10,000 gallons of tap water. We are going to offer our best practices to other mayors and are asking all cities to take a look at this issue. We did this with our recent ban on the use of noncompostable plastic grocery bags in San Francisco and got a lot of attention.

Are you expecting some pushback from the industry?
The bottled water industry is huge; we are arguing to reduce the consumption of bottled water and that is going to wake up this giant. I imagine every marketer, whether its Coca-Cola with their Dasani brand or whoever, will spend their money saying I’m full of it.

I’ve seen you gulping on occasion from a plastic water bottle. What are you doing to reform your own habits?
About a year ago, my director of the office of the environment, Jared Blumenfeld, saw a case of Fiji water outside my office and he walked in furiously and said, "Do you know what you are doing to the environment?" You have to set a better example. It’s not enough that I have an electric car. I have to slowly wean myself off. I’m not sitting here perfect. I’m trying at home what we provide all of our city employees.

A reusable stainless-steel bottle?
You’ll see me with a fancy recycled bottle; I’ve got about a dozen different prototypes, bottles for bikers, for hikers, every kind you can imagine. But it does [take] getting used to. They are not as portable and clean as they appear to be. I recycle my bottles, but I am hardly going to be the poster child. Still, it’s a start.

ACE Big Canyon

2007-06-07T19:46:00.000-04:00

Wheww, good times this past weekend out in the hills of West Virginny. A little off-road tri in the Xterra circuit known affectionately as Big Canyon was going off!! I came, I saw, I raced, and I smiled. For those not familiar with the race format out in coal country, its a 1.5 mile swim down the New River, and 6 mile run from the bottom of the New River Gorge to the top, and then a groovy 10 mile mountain bike ride through the ACE campus. All was well, and I felt decent on the swim, SUPER strong on the run (for once!), and so-so on the mountain bike. I think my 2 day uber hike of the Wild Oak Trail the prior weekend helped jump start my aerobic engine, and sleeping in a make shift tarp tent toughened me up, too!! ARGHHHHH. Anyways, I came out with a 6th place overall finish, and a 2nd place age group award. All in a days work! The legs are feeling good, and I hope I can keep this momentum through to Xterra Richmond in 10 days or so. We shall see! The team over at Performance Training Systems have gotten a plan for me dialed in for a strong season, and a potential Ironman attempt coming in Summer '08. Ride the waaaaaave...

Rock out.

Good Song: Morrissey - You Have Killed Me

Lets hear it for live musik.

2007-05-20T22:41:00.000-04:00

Got the opportunity to catch the sold out Arctic Monkeys show at the Electric Factory in Philly this past Thursday. The english know how to make some super good rock tunes. Maybe its the accents? I was able to get all of my jumps in place, fist pumps, finger points, and other rock show moves out of my system. It felt damn good, too. Time to mosh...

Good Song: Arctic Monkeys - 505

St. Croix wrap-up

2007-05-09T14:13:00.000-04:00

The Virgin Islands are fun. The St. Croix triathlon is even more fun! While I didn't get that precious Kona slot I was after, I did still manage a solid 2nd place age group finish along with some friendly leg cramps. I look forward to visiting again in the next couple years. Now I can get back to some serious mountain biking, camping, hiking, and other fun outdoor activities. Looking forward to the summer! Here are some sights you may encounter if you ever find yourself on St. Croix during the first weekend in May:

View at about mile 40 on the bike course

Hanging out on a pristine beach off of Buck Island

Friday morning practice swim

Stilt walkers during the Jump-Up! festival

Good Song: IAMX - Spit It Out

St. Croix is here, wish you were beautiful.

2007-05-03T13:50:00.000-04:00

Hotel On the Cay - Island where the swim begins.

Looking out over the St. Croix harbor at sunset.

Good Song: The Kooks - Naive

Giddyup!

2007-04-30T19:03:00.000-04:00

My baby has her dancing shoes. Time to get down!

Good Song: Arctic Monkeys - If You Were There, Beware

Alexander and Macca to do Battle on St. Croix

2007-04-11T20:08:00.000-04:00

World Champions Craig Alexander and Chris McCormack will lead the field at the 2007 St. Croix Ironman 70.3, set for Sunday May 6. Alexander parleyed his 2006 St. Croix win into the first ever Ironman 70.3 World Championships, held in Clearwater, FL. Macca is the reigning Triathlete of the Year, and is one of the most versatile athletes in the sport.

The classic St. Croix course rewards fitness and strength, and both of the Australians have consistently proven their class. St. Croix offers a $50,000 prize purse, so both athletes are expected to give it their all.

Age groupers are also rewarded on St. Croix. Both Ironman World Championships Qualifying slots for Kona and Ironman 70.3 Clearwater slots are available. Limited entries are remaining, and all interested athletes are recommended to go to the race website www.stcroixtriathlon.com to enter soon.

More information can be found at the website.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

...they neglect to mention that I'll be the dark horse, waiting for the entire pro field to crack, and then at the line I come out of nowhere and steal the show in front of the world to see, and do cartwheels across the finish line!

...yeah, maybe not.

Good Song: Walter Meego - Through a Keyhole

Test post from my blackberry

2007-04-11T10:36:00.000-04:00

Go dukes!!

Blossoming

2007-04-03T07:35:00.000-04:00

Blossoms are out, Spring is here, and the tourist season has officially begun.

Good Song: Arctic Monkeys - Brianstorm

Bloomin'

2007-03-21T07:56:00.000-04:00

It's Spring! Why aren't you out riding your bike???

Good Song: The Changes - When I Wake

Happy Birthday to me, I have the flu...

2007-03-04T09:45:00.000-05:00

Today marks another year older for me, and I have decided to celebrate this occasion with a great case of Influenza. Mmm, the fever, the chest congestion, exhaustion, and headache all combine to say "HEY! Way to go, its your birthday!" Luckily, it hit on Friday and I started taking a wonderful prescription drug cocktail yesterday, so hopefully I'll be close enough to 100% to head into work on Monday. Maybe start training again by Tuesday??? Oh well, I guess next season I'll go in on that flu shot because this definitely sucks. Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Good Song: Placebo - Every You Every Me

Times they are a-changing...

2007-02-25T19:06:00.000-05:00

So, I'm in the market for a house to buy. Well, condo really since I can in no way afford a "house" in the D.C. market anytime soon. I can barely afford a 1 bedroom condo in the District...those that I can qualify for are mostly located in what people like to call "transitioning" neighborhoods. Or, by those who feel threatened, "gentrifying". I checked out one place this past weekend, and liked what I saw in the building. A couple pics:

The building was impressive, but the Petworth neighborhood still leaves something to be desired. We walked the neighborhood a bit, and headed to a tucked away Slovakian cafe a few block away known as W - Domku. A great atmosphere with tasty food, and a type of place I could see Petworth/Georgia Ave. need many more of!

So the questions I ask myself: Do I get in early, and hope that like many other neighborhoods close-by redevelopment takes hold? Am I prepared to go from the suburbs, to cookie-cutter (but safe) Arlington, to a potentially rougher, but more diverse part of D.C? How do I feel about being a gentrifier? Can I make a difference in this community? Many questions, and many more hot issues to think about. Much, much more to follow!

Stay well.

Good song: Rocky Votolato - She Was Only In It For The Rain

Hallmark Holiday

2007-02-13T09:15:00.000-05:00

An Affair Of the Head
They Say Love Is All About Brain Chemistry. Will You Be Dopamine?

By Neely Tucker
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 13, 2007; C01

It's all about dopamine, baby, this One Great True Love, this passionate thing we'd burn down the house and blow up the car and drive from Houston to Orlando just to taste on the tip of the tongue.

You crave it because your brain tells you to. Because if a wet kiss on the suprasternal notch -- while, say, your lover has you pinned against a wall in the corner of a dance club -- doesn't fire up the ventral tegmentum in the Motel 6 of your mind, well, he's not going to send you roses tomorrow.

Dopamine.

God's little neurotransmitter. Better known by its street name, romantic love.

Also, norepinephrine. Street name, infatuation.

These chemicals are natural stimulants. You fall in love, a growing amount of research shows, and these chemicals and their cousins start pole-dancing around the neurons of your brain, hopping around the limbic system, setting off craving, obsessive thoughts, focused attention, the desire to commit possibly immoral acts with your beloved while at a stoplight in the 2100 block of K Street during lunch hour, and so on.

"Love is a drug," says Helen Fisher, an anthropologist at Rutgers University and author of "Why We Love: The Nature and Chemistry of Romantic Love." "The ventral tegmental area is a clump of cells that make dopamine, a natural stimulant, and sends it out to many brain regions" when one is in love. "It's the same region affected when you feel the rush of cocaine."

Passion! Sex! Narcotics!

Why do we suspect this isn't going to end well?

Because these things are hard-wired not to last, all of them. Short shelf lives. The passion you fulfill is the passion you kill. The most wonderful, soaring feeling known to all mankind . . . amounts to no more than a narcotic high, a temporal state of mania.

"Being in love, having a crush on someone is wonderful . . . but our bodies can't be in that state all the time," says Pamela C. Regan, a professor of psychology at California State University, Los Angeles, and author of "Mind Games: A Primer on Love, Sex and Marriage." "Your body would fizzle out. As a species, we'd die."

Some of these love chemicals in the brain, scientists measure by the picogram, which is a trillionth of a gram.

How fragile, this thing called love.

* * *

Just about all writing about love stinks, maybe because so much of it begins with something like "O!" or maybe because people are (a) in love when they write it, which makes for a lot of senseless mooning the rest of us couldn't care less about; or (b) they have just been Kicked to the Curb of Romance, in which case they would rather be pinned to an insect board and labeled than live another minute on this godawful Planet of Hate.

Sigh.

Stendhal was onto something in the 19th century when he observed that "The pleasures of love are always in proportion to our fears," because passionate love is also partly about terror. Bill Shakespeare had it down cold, when he had Friar Laurence warn young Romeo of the perils of passion: "These violent delights have violent ends."

And did Romeo listen?

Shucks, no! Wise counsel, patience, foresight, prune juice -- who wants that ? Is there one among us who, at least once in this life, does not want to throw everything out the door and sprint to the Disco Ball of the Brain, where there are big white piles of dopamine, where a hot and sweaty Barry White is always on stage, thumping out "You're My First! My Last! My Everything!" And there's that new girl in class! Scantily clad! She's on the floor, beckoning you! Yes, Bubba, you! Out you go, and she's saying your name and her hand slips to the small of your back, and this is going to last FOREVER AND EVER!

Here it goes, a long time ago, Abelard and Heloise, two of history's most famous lovers:

Abelard to Heloise: "So intense were the fires of lust which bound me to you that I set those wretched, obscene pleasures, which we blush even to name, above God as above myself."

She to he: "Even during the celebration of the Mass, when our prayers should be purest, lewd visions of the pleasures we shared take . . . a hold on my unhappy soul."

HONEY! BABY! SWEETIE! CALL ME!

Did we mention Abelard was castrated as a result of their affair? And Heloise went off to a convent for the rest of her life? That they named their child "Astrolabe"? What people! What passion! What the hell were they thinking?

Actually they weren't, and neither are you, not really, when you fall passionately in love.

In her most recent research, Fisher and colleagues gave 32 love-struck subjects an MRI scan while they viewed a picture of their beloved.

Boy, did their brains light up!

There are two shrimp-size things on either side of your brain called the caudate nuclei. This is the gear that operates bodily movements and the body's reward system: "the mind's network for general arousal, sensations of pleasure, and the motivation to acquire rewards," Fisher writes. And when the test subjects looked at their sweeties, these things started singing "Loosen Up My Buttons" with the Pussycat Dolls!

This, then, kicked the party over to the tiny ventral tegmental area, a little peapod-size thingy that sends dopamine bopping around your head.

This is what scientists call lots of fun.

A separate study by Italian researchers several years ago showed something else.

Serotonin, another neurotransmitter in the brain associated with obsession, depression and racing thoughts, was greatly affected -- right down to the molecular level -- by romance and surging dopamine. People newly in love and people with obsessive-compulsive disorder showed the same lowered levels of the "platelet 5-HT transporter." In other words, dopamine appears to suppress serotonin, which in turn triggers obsessive-compulsive thought patterns.

You can't stop thinking about Dave. No wonder! Dave's hiding under a wet flap of cortex!

Your brain is officially in love, and it officially is driving you crazy.

Oliver Sacks, the famed neurologist and author, once cited the case of a 90-year-old woman who had suddenly become radiant, flirty, even frisky. The diagnosis: a long-delayed onset of neurosyphilis had loosed the reins on her inhibitions.

She did not want to be treated.

"What a paradox, what a cruelty, what an irony," Sacks wrote. "That inner life and imagination may lie dull and dormant unless released, awakened, by an intoxication or a disease . . . it is the very realm of Cupid and Dionysus."

* * *

Cupid can't last, you know.

Oxytocin and other chemicals kick in, running around your brain to make you bond with your lover, producing a mellower, more sustainable relationship.

Women: contented sigh. Men: light snoring.

Or, your Previously Perfect Love Pumpkin turns into possibly the most selfish, cheating, low-down dirty dog this side of Amarillo. You get dumped. This is what produces "drama."

"Drama" is not good for your "brain."

What it feels like:

A one-way ticket to the Tex-Mex Border Bar of the Mind. It's always dark in here, stinks of old cigars. The clock on the wall always reads Beer:30. Your caudate nucleus is now slouched over a bar stool in the dark. Sitting next to it is Freddy Fender.

Suddenly your brain bellows, off-key:

WASTED DAYS AND WASTED NIGHTS!

Freddy looks up from his beer.

I HAVE LEFT FOR YOU BEHIND!

Freddy throws his arm around your brain and joins in:

FOR YOU DON'T BELONG TO ME!

YOUR HEART BELONGS TO SOMEONE ELSE!

Your brain can spend entire days doing this.

This is because your brain has kicked into reverse, and love is long gone.

Rejection, rage, despair!

Dopamine leaves the scene of the affair, now running off into the nucleus accumbens, the insular cortex, the lateral orbitofrontal cortex, research by Fisher and others shows. Jilted lovers' brains now light up in these areas when they look at pictures of their former flames -- this brain matter is associated with taking big risks, addiction, physical pain and obsessive-compulsive disorders. This is why, researchers theorize, people become obsessed with lost love, and are driven, in extreme cases, to stalking, suicide, homicide, rubber tubing.

Regan, the California researcher, notes that such cases are rare, and may have more to do with existing mental issues than simple unrequited love. Still, she says, passion is destined to end, whether mellowing into long-term love or blowing up on the freeway at 4 a.m. Given this, she wonders if "we do our self a disservice by glorifying passionate love so much."

"The search for eternal passion is very misguided," she says. "It's the search for the perfect high that keeps people discarding relationships right and left . You don't feel the same way you did; people want to break up, instead of seeing it as normal."

And so, alas. Even neurologists, to go with Shakespeare's priest, now tell us passion is true love's fool's gold, a flamboyant dead end on the evolutionary chain of primate happiness.

The only problem with this insight is that no one pays it any mind. Doomed passion may not make us right, and it may not even make us very happy.

It only makes us human. It only makes us who we are.

Good Song: Menomena - Wet and Rusting

Sufjan tix are a no-go.

2007-01-29T09:37:00.000-05:00

When trying to get free tickets to go see the greatest songwriter currently out there, Sufjan Stevens, do not think that showing up at 7am for a 9am ticket release will be fruitful. Camp out, or don't even try. You have been warned.

Ciao!

Good Song: Fischerspooner - Get Confused

CO Trip - Winter 2007

2007-01-10T18:15:00.000-05:00

In one word: Amazing.

That would just about sum up my trip out to the mountains of Colorado. I am not so sure I will ever be able to snowboard anywhere on the East Coast after experiencing the terrain, the views, the SNOW, the margaritas, and the peoples first hand. Each time I head to Massunutten, Wisp, or wherever from here on out I will shed a little tear for my trip out west. I'm finding there is just too much to say in one sitting in order to properly explain what I felt when I was out at Breck', Keystone, and, Vail for the past week - so I'll do my best instead with a photo journal of sorts.

The trip started hanging out in LoDo (Lower Downtown) Denver for a couple days while the cuz took care of some legal bidness. It snowed, and as a result...I ran. Or well, explored as much as I could in 60 minutes of excercise. I headed down towards Union Station, past the baseball stadium, and onto this great multi-use paved trail that runs along the Platte River. The pic above shows the views of the river, and as much of the metro Denver skyline in the snowstorm. As I ran...

I stumbled upon what is quite possibly THE largest REI in the whole entire universe. It was 3 floors of an endless supply of outdoor gear, and quite honestly I couldn't stop myself from drooling down my windbreaker. The also had one enormous climbing wall, but no time for distractions. Instead, I picked up a pair of sunglasses for the soon-to-be sunny days in the MTNs. I finished up the workout and then...

Ventured into the outdoor 16th Street Mall. I must say, that Denverites love their Starbucks as I saw atleast 4 stores within a 6 block stretch while I was riding the free bus shuttle that treks up and down the strip. Following that I met back up with the others, and we headed off towards Breckenridge to crash at a cabin below Peak 7 - again, in a snowstorm. Trucks proceeded to put chains on, and do all kinds of crazy stuff you would never see in around D.C. We kept on truckin'.
The next morning I woke up to see this view out of the cabin's living room window looking up onto the lower Breckenridge range, and more importantly about 5 inches of the fresh white stuff. Niiiiiice.We headed to the slopes of Breckenridge the first day, and I was in awe of the views and the amount of slopes they had. Above is the view as you get off the lift around the middle of the mountain. We rode some groomers, some glades, and eventually the upper bowls once we were warmed up and found our snow legs.
That first day was cold, with a high of maybe 12 degrees F and as you can see above winds kicking up to 30+ mph gusts. Made for some exciting times going up the lifts, and even more so trying to traverse across the mountain to get anywhere. The picture above is at the top of the Horseshoe Bowl.Above is looking over the edge of the Horseshoe Bowl, and beyond into the town of Breck'. Good stuff! Hard to really get an idea of how steep this terrain is from the photo, but basically think of a bowl you would eat Mac and Cheese out of and then consider trying to ski/snowboard down the sides of it. Mmm, mac and cheese.
In the afternoon the weather turned for the worse as another snow storm rolled in and threw down about 3 inches. We rolled out via gondola, and back to the cabin to warm up and rest up before heading out on the town to find some cute ski bunnies and/or drinks. Ok, in hindsight we never really saw too many females in town (so that is a small, but notable disadvantage to the rockies) but we did see many many drinks. And they were tasty!
The next day we hit the Keystone ski area across the valley from Breck. Above is the view from the top of the lift right before we went into the trees, you can make out the Breckenridge trails off to the right. Keystone was my first experience of skiing glades (thinned out woods) and woods. I loved every second of it, and it took every ounce of energy out of us. There is nothing better than cutting that first line through the powder, carving between the trees, getting stuck in the powder, and then doing it all over again. Below you'll see a little piece of heaven.The next day we headed back to Breckenridge for a more relaxed day so we could regroup after an exhausting day at Keystone, and a push for a BIG following day at Vail. We headed over to the trails on Peak 10 looking for some good powder, found it, rode it, and moved back over for a couple more runs on Peak 7 and 8. Drinks followed at a local establishment in Frisco to watch the BCS Nat. Champs. What happened Ohio State!?

Vail was the last resort we hit, and the acres of trail they had was just sickening. Glades, looong steep groomers, bowls, drop-offs, terrain parks, whatever, they had it. Above is looking down one of the bowls on the backside, and across into a couple other bowls. The temps were in the low 40's and winds were M.I.A. Making for a superb day of rocking out.

Above is right before the drop into "Lover's Leap", and looking over to the backside bowls at Vail.
On the opposite side from "Lover's Leap", you have an incredible view into the 10 Mile Mountain Range. Take that lift you see up, and you will have your head pinned to your right shoulder staring at that view.

Thanks for reading!

Good Song: The Delays - Hideaway

Back in the Rockies!

2007-01-04T18:43:00.000-05:00

After 4 VERY short hours of sleep, I headed off at 5:45am to catch the Metro to Union Station. From there I caught the 6:35 am Amtrak train to BWI airport. I then proceed to miss the BWI airport stop, and head in for a short jaunt in B-more. Grrrreat. A quick turn around, and a jump onto a southbound MARC train I get to check in at 8:05 for an 8:35 flight to Denverrrr. The airplane gods were smiling on me this morning! The rest of the trip was smooth sailing, and my snowboard also made it in one piece surprisingly. The plan of this excursion is to be one with the snow for the next 6 days. I've been going through ice-crystal withdrawl with the recent tropical winter episode going down over on the east coast. Not a problem here, theres a good 5 inches on the ground, with 3 inches expected to fall tomorrow...and thats just in the high plains. A couple days kickin around Denver, and then its off for some sweet pow-pow at Breckenridge and Vail. Lets hope for no broken bones!

Mmmm, yellow snow.

Good Song: The Slip - Eisenhower

The final edition.

2006-12-31T13:45:00.000-05:00

Finally, my replacement tri bike has arrived. It was not warrantied, but the shop helped me out with getting a new rig at a fair price, plus some nice little aero bar upgrades. This should hopefully complete my collection of 2 wheeled machines, and now I can throw cash away elsewhere (alcohol?).

The bike line up is now as follows:

'06 Kestrel Talon - TT setup (triathlon)
'06 Scott Cross Team (training, road/gravel road racing)
'06 Specialized Stumpjumper Expert (mtb)
'70's Olympian steel monkey-barred fixed gear beater bike
'02 or so Giant NRS2 beat down and broken mountain bike (single tear.)

I love bikes, go ride one!

Good Song: The Rapture - Gotta Get Myself Into It

Amazing stuff!

2006-12-11T07:43:00.000-05:00

The scene pre-show.

I feel like I'm part of the elite Washingtonian scene now. I'm in the club!!! Wellll, ok maybe not so much. But I atleast got a sense for what its like to be "in the club", and I LIIIIKE. Last night definetly lived up to the hype. It all started by myself first forgetting my phone and then metro-ing into D.C., but I had no way to get a hold of K. so she could let me in to her place. I tried calling everyone on the outside phone thing, but no luck there. I then attempted to get into a nearby library to email, IM or something...but you needed a student I.D. card - SWEET! So I metro-ed back to my place to get my phone, when I did finally pick her up it was 4:45. I said I'd originally pick her up at 4:00, woops!

Il Divo(NSync meets Opera)

So we find a place to park close to the museum, and as we're walking up we notice all these flashing lights, streets shut down, and noone allowed to cross the street. The President's motorcade was on its way, and damn is it quite a procession. It consisted of 5+ moto cops, then followed by a couple unmarked SUV's, a couple limo Bentley's/Cadillac's , then more SUV's with guys with BIG guns hanging out of them, some cars with radar equipment on the top, an SUV with a guy video taping the front of the procession, and finally an ambulance. All in all I'd say about 15-20 vehicles rolled up.

The President and Mrs. Bush speaking.

Once we're inside the place looks amazing, very theatrical, with smoke, and lights setting the Christmas mood beautifully. Take our seats, and wait for the show to start. Then the President's party roles in, we clap, some organizers talk, we clap some more, and finally Dr. Phil and his wife start to host. Taylor Hicks, Chris Brown, Il Divo, Corinne Ray Bailey, and Gretchen Wilson were all very amazing and talented, but in my opinion who stole the show was Bianca Ryan. She is 12 years old, and has the vocal chords to rival the Greats like Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. Simply amazing!

The GRAND finale!

Following the show was an elaborate reception where we dined on wine, crab cakes, Baked Alaska! A Congressman and his wife from Wilmington, NC - which is where K. graduated from - sat down at our table, and we chatted nicely about how everything shuts down in the South when there is a dusting of snow. They also filled us in on their recent trip to South America. Nice people. I got his card, so who knows...maybe he knows of a nice Technology-related job up on the Hill. Gotta network ;). The show will be on TBS on December 13 at 10pm. Check it out!

They didn't allow flash photography during the show, so I could only keep the pics so steady. Sorry!

Great night all around!

Good Song: Badly Drawn Boy - Nothings Going to Change Your Mind

Christmas in D.C.

2006-12-10T14:56:00.000-05:00

Wooo,

Somehow I managed to score a couple tickets to the taping of "Christmas in D.C." that goes down tonight. So I'm taking K. out for a night out on the town, heyyyyyy. Its hosted by Dr. Phil, so I can get some relationship advice, attended by our President George W., so I can get some "how-to-run-a-Country advice" (well, maybe I won't ask him), with performances by the American Idol winner (forgot his name), Chris Brown, Il Divo(who?), and a female country singer. I'm going to try and snap some pics, if Secret Service lets me...

More later!

Cheers!

Good Song: Heavens - Patent Pending

Free Sufjan.

2006-12-05T18:09:00.000-05:00

For those emo indie-music hipsters out there, Sufjan Stevens is slated to headline a freakin' free show at the Kennedy Center on Feb. 5th, 2006. FREE! Check out the Kennedy Center page for ticket details....PEACE, I'm out.

P.S. If you want some good xmas tunes, pick up his 5 disc Christmas Song album, "Songs for Christmas". Its 20 bucks - you won't be disappointed.

Good Song: Sufjan Stevens - Did I Make You Cry On Christmas Day? (Well, You Deserved It!)

24 hours.

2006-12-03T21:24:00.000-05:00

I need to remember this when I am sick in about 3 days, so I'm putting it here for the time being:

04:00pm - Deja Vu movie with friends
07:00pm - 20 Minute swim
07:30pm - shower
08:30pm - meet the fraulines
08:45pm - wait for the fraulines
09:15pm - Ethiopian dinner at 14th and P
10:45pm - Move the party to St. Ex
11:15pm - Stand outside in the cold to get in to said bar
12:00pm - First of many drinks
02:00am - house party in College Park
04:00am - National Airport to drop off international flyer
05:00am - Bed.
09:00am - Wake up
10:00am - Mountain bike ride at Rosaryville with the Doc.
12:00pm - lunch/football
02:30 pm - big nap
05:30pm - wake up
06:00pm - 90 minute run

And that brings my first "recovery" week and training block to a close.

Live big!

Good Song: MuteMath - Peculiar People

The family grows...

2006-11-25T12:05:00.000-05:00

The newest member of my bicycle family...the new training/gravel road racing bike: The Scott Cyclocross Team. WEEEE!

Good Song: Taking Back Sunday - Liar (It Takes One to Know One)

Gobble Gobble

2006-11-22T09:40:00.000-05:00

Turkey dayyyyy, wha' what!

Today I must battle the fiercest opponent I have ever encountered: Pre-Thanksgiving traffic from D.C. to Richmond. I'm going to just throw out a guestimate of 3 hour drive time, for what normally should be a 1:50-2 ride...and its supposed to be windy and rainy. BONUS!

Good news is that I'm taking my (broken) bike down to the bike shop I bought it at to hopefully have it warrantied and replaced with a new one. I'm crossing my fingers that I won't have to pay a dime for it, but that may just be wishful thinking. Shout out to Three Sports, good people down there.

Enjoy the holiday!

Good Song: Fine China - We Rock Harder

Hair balls.

2006-11-17T17:57:00.000-05:00

Three "0" days in a row means I've been battling a nasty little sinus infection. After a few mornings of coughing up what could only feel like hair balls to me, I think I have almost beaten it. I'd like to thank Ricolla, orange juice, water, and clementines for my success. I couldn't have done it without you!

In a way, I'm happy it hit me now rather than later on in the "serious" training... oh well, its let me catch up on my television watching. Who knew Jeopardy could be so amazing.

Stay healthy.

Good Song: copeland - eat, sleep, repeat

RIP

2006-11-14T08:05:00.000-05:00

..and this is what cracked Carbon Fiber looks like.

Good Song: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - House Fire

Poor cage bolt.

2006-11-10T07:59:00.000-05:00

At O'Dark 30 I finally realized where the freaking rattling was coming from on my bike. Of all things, it was a stripped cage bolt. Of course, I tried to unscrew it unsuccessfully and thus made the rattling even louder on the ride following this escapade. If I ever want to have people ride with me again, I need to fix this biatch ASAP. On the other hand, getting it fixed will mean going without the road bike for a couple days...but I guess it would just mean taking the MTB out on the pavement for some rides. Big "no-no" in my book, but when in Rome...?

Take it to the chorus!

Good Song: Doves - Far From Grace

Hands up - and wave, and wave, and wave!

2006-11-05T19:53:00.000-05:00

D - C UNITED. Lost. Son of a... and I was there to witness it. End of their season. Start of mine! Coincidence? I think not! My feet were freezing through the game, as I got a whole beer poured on them during a first-half goal attempt. Hoping it would be for the best, and result in a goal I was sorely mistaken. Instead I came out with a pair of wet, hoppy socks - and one less beer.

Tomorrow morning begins my assault on St. Croix, and if I play my cards right - Kona. Its going to be a long road, with many wrong turns (to bars, and ladies) but we'll get through it together. Most of the time I'll probably just be wondering are we gonna get hopped up enough to make some bad decisions? And I hope the answer is an emphatic - YES! So let's raise up our drinks, and give some love to the good times and the bad times that lie ahead. This should be one crazy ride!

Training partners apply within. Lata!

Good Song: Headlights - Put Us Back Together

Hello, sun?

2006-11-02T07:50:00.000-05:00

Is it too early to have S.A.D? You know, that whole Seasonal Affective Disorder. It must be serious, as there are entire websites devoted to it. I know the time only changed a couple days ago, but damn, this no-sun thing really hurts. I wake up - workout, dark. Go to work, no windows. Go home, dark again! Can't win... There is really only one clear solution to this: Buy a place in New Zealand. Its still summer there, and I think it will really help with "the womens" if I could tell them I have another place in the So. Hemisphere. Thoughts/feelings?

Well, back to staring at this kitten. Its the only thing thats going to get me through until March.

Peace out!

Good Song: The Polyphonic Spree - Mental Cabaret

A learning experience.

2006-10-30T19:31:00.000-05:00

Well, the marathon is over. I am limping up and down stairs, and eating and drinking everything in sight. I came out of it with a 3:48:13. Which, depending on how you look at it could be good or bad. Good that its a personal best by about 30 minutes compared to my first marathon(this being my second). Bad that at the 15 mile marker I was on pace to run a 3:05 or so. I guess there is something in this whole "pacing" thing I keep hearing about. Plus I didn't eat or drink enough I think, and thus had a 1-2-3 punch knockout of hardcore bonk and severe leg cramps and a killer headwind in miles 18 to 22 - without an adequate (read: salty goodness) aid station in sight equals mucho walking. S'all good. I think with more running, and tempo during the longer runs I can easily keep that pace I was on for the rest of the race. Here are how the splits fell out:

START 5 Mile 10 Mile Half 15 Mile 20 Mile 23.5 Mile FINISH
8:35:16 AM EST 0:34:10 1:08:24 1:31:05 1:46:42 2:39:33 3:13:50 03:48:13
TIME Chip Time: 03:48:13 Clock: 03:48:27 Pace: 8:42

Placement Overall: 2556 Gender: 2071 Division: 167

I was also 436th female across the line. Holla!

And of course a shout-out to everyone that came out to give their support. It meant so much to see you cheering. Thanks!

You stay classy...world.

Good Song: All-American Rejects - It Ends Tonight

A fall day

2006-10-25T08:01:00.000-04:00

Yo, whats up!

"Cold" is the word of the week. Seems as though Fall just ran right in without any care or warning. Makes for perfect running weather atleast! The nervousness has intensified as the race draws closer this weekend. How fast should I go out? How long can I maintain the pace I want to keep? Will I hit "the wall"? What the hell am I even going to wear!? Damn decisions, more stressed out about this then some of the bigger triathlons I've done.

On a less stressful note, the folks over at Set-Up Inc. just made the Virginia Triathlon Series results official, and turns out I won my age group. Normann watch out! I'm gunnin' for you now...
Maybe as the prize they'll send me a nice new pair of Zipp wheels. I could use those.

4 days!!

Good Song: Editors - Colours

Welcome back, welcome back!

2006-10-22T17:04:00.000-04:00

Good times back at JMU this weekend, spent with friends new and old! Started it all off with a solid 50+ mile ride with a major 10 mile climb to the top of Reddish Knob with some slow(hah, yeah right) mofo's. The leaves and mountains were freaking amaaaaaaazing. Why didn't I appreciate all this scenery back when I was in school? Oh yeah, parties. No worries! Still felt good to get back on the bike after all the run mileage thats been thrown down lately. Usual homecoming festivities followed, and don't ask me where I ended up sleeping...because I'm not really sure myself. Mmmmm, fall. Gotta love it. Time to run... marathon in t-7days!

Good Song: The Decemberists - Summersong

Ironman World Championship

2006-10-20T10:21:00.000-04:00

Some would argue this weekend is the biggest in the sport of Triathlon. The famous Ironman World Championship gets under way around 12:30pm EST, and pits the world's fastest, most dedicated, endurance athletes against each other. A couple of friends have been keeping my updated on all the happenings of race week, and it sounds just as amazing as I have imagined. I don't ask you send them specifically good vibes, but all the athletes over there competing this weekend. They all worked their asses off to not only qualify, but to be there and actually do their best. If you have a chance, check out all the action live via IronmanLive. Who knows, maybe I'll have the opportunity to experience this week in Kona firsthand some day. Could St. Croix be the ticket? We'll see...

A hui hou!

Good Song: Killers - This River is Wild

True Love.

2006-10-16T10:02:00.000-04:00

Hah, this guy has his priorities straight.

Good Song: Silversun Pickups - Checkered Floor

Disaster...averted.

2006-10-10T20:54:00.000-04:00

Well. Where do I start? Basically, I cancelled the camping trip as I was shivering in my sleeping bag, on a little ridge about 3000+ feet up, in the middle of a windy rain-driven storm after 7 or so miles of hiking...up. Don't get my wrong the trail itself was awesome, and would have been fabulous if the temps had cooperated and not been so freaking North Pole-ish! Oh well, I returned home the same day wet, cold, and tired. I'll be back to complete the whole loop soon enough, oh yes, I will. Next time I'll be ready. Ready to not get big huge blisters, and not carry a ton of stuff, and well, you get the idea. Until then, I train...for the marathon, or, to do that hike again? Who knows... here are some pics, maybe you'll get the idea:

Winding my way up the trail...leaves were BURSTING with color!

Mmmmm...dark, and ominous.

Looking up towards Lookout Mountain (say it with me, "32% grade".)

"Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink."

Mother nature has a sick sense of humor.

Good Song: The Kooks - Ooh La

Out to the mountains

2006-10-06T15:50:00.000-04:00

Headed out to spend a couple days in the mountains along the 26 mile long Wild Oak Trail...the leaves should be changing, and hopefully the rain will have stopped! Pictures when I return!

Math is fun!

2006-10-06T11:01:00.000-04:00

Subject: Math 1950-2006

________________________________

1. Teaching Math In 1950

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of
production is
4/5 of the price. What is his profit?

________________________________

2. Teaching Math In 1960

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of
production is
4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?

________________________________

3. Teaching Math In 1970

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of
production is
$80. Did he make a profit?

________________________________

4. Teaching Math In 1980

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of
production is
$80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number
20.

________________________________

5. Teaching Math In 1990

A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and
inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or
the
preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a
profit of
$20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for
class
participation after answering the question: How did the birds
and
squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no
wrong
answers. )

________________________________

6. Teaching Math In 2006

Un hachero vende una carretada de maderapara $100. El costo de
la
producciones es $80. Cuanto dinero ha hecho?

Good Song: The Format - Time Bomb

Damn you title IX -- goodbye male sports...

2006-10-02T08:32:00.000-04:00

6 guys sports v. 12 girls teams... how is that fair???

JMU ENACTS PROPORTIONALITY PLAN TO COMPLY WITH TITLE IX

Press conference attendees Rose, Damico, Moorman, Rivers, Bourne (l to
r)
September 29, 2006

HARRISONBURG — James Madison University's Board of Visitors voted today
to approve a plan to bring the JMU Athletics program into compliance
with Title IX.

The plan will take effect July 1, 2007, when the following varsity
teams will be eliminated:

Men's
Archery
Cross Country
Gymnastics
Indoor Track
Outdoor Track
Swimming
Wrestling

Women's
Archery
Fencing
Gymnastics

With 28 varsity teams, the JMU Athletics program ties for the rank of
seventh in terms of the number of teams among all 327 Division I
schools nationally.

"The JMU Athletics program is unusually large for a public university
of our size," said Joseph Damico, rector of the JMU Board of Visitors.
"With so many teams, we faced an insurmountable challenge coming into
compliance with Title IX. Fundamentally, that is why the Board voted
today for this plan."

The proportionality requirements of Title IX mandate that collegiate
athletics programs mirror each school's undergraduate population in
terms of gender. As of the fall semester 2006, JMU's proportions place
it fundamentally out of compliance with federal law:

Overall Enrollment
Female 61%
Male 39%

Athletics Participation
Female 50.7%
Male 49.3%

Jeff Bourne, JMU athletics director, said, "We explored every avenue in
search of an alternative to this action. Lamar Daniel, a well-known
consultant on Title IX compliance, has worked closely with us and he
believes that this plan is our most viable alternative for reaching
compliance with Title IX."

Once this plan is fully implemented, total participation in athletics
will move to 61 percent female and 39 percent male, in alignment with
current student enrollment. The university will then have 18
intercollegiate sports:

Men's
Baseball
Basketball
Football
Golf
Soccer
Tennis

Women's
Basketball
Cross Country
Field Hockey
Golf
Lacrosse
Soccer
Softball
Swimming
Tennis
Track, Indoor
Track, Outdoor
Volleyball

This decision affects 144 student-athletes currently participating in
these sports, as well as three full-time and eight part-time coaches.

"Now that the Board has voted to enact this plan, our main concern is
with our affected student-athletes and coaches," said Bourne. "We are
taking great care to preserve the financial guarantees already made to
our student-athletes. If you are a student-athlete on an affected team
and you are receiving a scholarship, you will continue to receive that
scholarship until you graduate."

Currently, eight students on the rosters of the 10 affected teams
receive a total of $13,500 in scholarships. Access to sports-medicine
and academic-advising programs also will be available to them. Any
affected student-athletes who decide to transfer to another program
will be provided with full assistance regarding the transfer process.
Affected coaches will receive severance packages appropriate to the
university's policies and procedures.

All of the financial resources recovered from the implementation of
this plan will be redirected to provide the full complement of NCAA
scholarships for women's golf, tennis and swimming. Partial scholarship
funding will return to men's golf and tennis, with a plan to enhance to
full funding by 2011.

To view online the press conference held Friday afternoon to announce
the plan, go to http://media.jmu.edu/special/8_924.asx. Attending are
JMU President Linwood Rose, Board of Visitors Rector Joseph Damico,
Associate Athletic Director Sheila Moorman, BOV member Wharton Rivers
Jr., and Athletic Director Jeff Bourne.

Marathons are for sissies?

2006-09-28T13:20:00.000-04:00

sports nut: The stadium scene.

Running With SlowpokesHow sluggish newbies ruined the marathon.

By Gabriel Sherman
Updated Friday, Sept. 22, 2006, at 7:35 AM ET

Among autumn's sporting rituals there is one tradition that fills me with mounting dread: the return of marathon season. If you've been to the gym or attended a cocktail party recently, you know what I mean. Chances are you've bumped into a newly devoted runner who's all too happy to tell you about his heart-rate monitor and split times and the looming, character-building challenge of running 26.2 miles. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a slovenly couch potato who abhors exercise. I'm an avid runner with six marathons under my New Balance trainers. But this growing army of giddy marathon rookies is so irksome that I'm about ready to retire my racing shoes and pick up bridge.

According to Running USA, about 430,000 Americans ran a marathon last year, an increase from just 25,000 in 1976*. Next month, 40,000 participants will tackle the Chicago Marathon, and about 36,000 will run in November's New York City Marathon. The New York Times recently reported that the wannabes who get turned away from the big-city races—New York got 90,000 applications—have resorted to buying spots on the black market. As the ranks of marathon runners swell, I have to ask: What's the point?

Today, the great majority of marathon runners set out simply to finish. That sets the bar so low that everyone comes out a winner. Big-city marathons these days feel more like circuses than races, with runners of variable skill levels—some outfitted in wacky costumes—crawling toward the finish line. The marathon has transformed from an elite athletic contest to something closer to sky diving or visiting the Grand Canyon. When a newbie marathoner crosses the finish line, he's less likely to check his time than to shout, "Only 33 more things to do before I die!"

It wasn't always this way. In 1970, when 127 hearty souls lined up for the inaugural New York City Marathon, the marathon was the province of a few masochists dumb enough to try to run as far as most people commute by car. Back then, Americans who ran took running seriously. The icons of the era were Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers, a couple of guys who happened to be the best marathoners in the world. Now, P. Diddy and Oprah spark tons of media buzz for finishing marathons in lackluster times. American record-holder Deena Kastor, who won the 2005 Chicago Marathon in 2:21, is completely anonymous.

The democratization of the marathon began in the early 1980s. The success of books like Jim Fixx's The Complete Book of Running inspired mass "Just Do It" participation. As the popularity of marathons increased, the speed of the race slowed to its current snail's pace. In 1980, the average finish time for a male marathoner was 3:32, according to Running USA*. Today, it's more than 4:20. In 2003, the start time of the New York City Marathon was moved forward an hour earlier, in part to grant thousands of stragglers extra hours so they could finish before sunset.

Aside from an elevated sense of self-worth, what do marathoners get from their efforts? There's no doubt that a lot of people train for marathons to get in shape. But the human body is just not designed for such high-mileage running. As a result of their crash course in distance running, a preponderance of marathoners suffer repetitive-use injuries like stress fractures, tendonitis, and shin splints. It would certainly be healthier for inexperienced joggers to run fewer miles at a faster pace.

Perhaps more troubling, the slow-marathon outbreak has created a host of new health hazards. Slowpokes face the risk of hyponatremia, or overhydration. This is caused when a runner consumes too much water, diluting the body's electrolyte balance (and potentially leading to a heart attack) unless he consumes a sports drink like Gatorade to replenish the depleted sodium. Slow runners are particularly at risk because the body loses sodium as it perspires. The longer a runner is on the course, the more electrolytes they'll sweat out. In the past decade, according to the Washington Post, at least four runners have died from drinking too much during a marathon.

Marathons might not be good for your health, but they are certainly good for business. A boatload of races have sprung up to assist would-be marathoners in their quest for mediocrity. The Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, for one, has bands performing every mile to keep bored runners entertained. Maybe if people ran faster they wouldn't need Zeppelin cover bands to keep boredom at bay.

Running was once a purist's sport—you needed only to lace up your shoes and hop out the door. No longer. During a recent run in Central Park, I dodged groups of marathon trainees festooned with heart-rate monitors and space-age breathable fabrics that looked like they'd emerged from some NASA lab. Along with this profusion of gear, a constellation of coaches, massage therapists, chiropractors, and other gurus now peddle services to the marathon masses. In New York, the Bliss Spa offers the "Cold Feet" treatment, a one-hour procedure that "uses alternating hot and cold therapies to help circulate and deflate aching, swollen feet and puffy ankles." Two groups that Bliss says deserves this kind of pampering: marathon runners and pregnant women.

In many ways, the slow marathon is the perfect event for the American athletic sensibility. Just finishing a marathon is akin to joining a gym and then putzing around on the stationary bike. We feel good about creating the appearance of accomplishment, yet aren't willing to sacrifice for true gains. It's clear now that anyone can finish a marathon. Maybe it's time we raise our standards to see who can run one.

Correction, Sept. 22, 2006: This article originally and incorrectly attributed two statistics about marathon runners to USA Track & Field. The statistics came from the group Running USA. (Return to the corrected sentence.)

Good Song: Sufjan Stevens - Adlai Stevenson

5 weeks out...

2006-09-24T22:03:00.000-04:00

...until I run/hobble in the 31st Marine Corps Marathon. Ran a 17 mile training run yesterday in 2 hours 30 minutes -- which I consider a decent training pace. At first I was worried as to how I'd fair in this race, or if I would even finish, but I'm feeling much more confident in my ability now. How fast can I finish in, or even how fast do I WANT to finish in? We'll see how I feel come race day.

If you find yourself bored on the 29th of October, and feel the need to track my progress during the race via text message or email then head HERE. (Carrier charges may apply, duh.)

Peace out!

Good Song: Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. - Whitewash

Glacier Trip-A-Go-Go Part 3

2006-09-04T22:45:00.000-04:00

Day 7

Rest day today. A long hike with a group of others. 2.5 hours out to a ford(not the car), followed by lunch, a nap, some photos, and exploring. A turn around for the return trip, and a total of about 12 miles of hiking. It was warm and sunny, and the post-hike activity was, of course, rock jumping into the swimming hole. Awesome! Back to trail work in the morning, its the second to last day of it.

Day 8

2nd to last day of trail work. More fill lines and brush clearing lines, both of which I've just about reached my limit with. It has been a blast here, but I am starting to miss what I know as "home" more and more. And I'm not so sure what my apartment is looking like... Anyways, cheese cake was the desset for tonight's dinner, and it was superb. More jumping in the swimming hole.

Day 9

Last trail work day came and went. Spent most of my time working a section completely muddy and trashed by a couple unkempt mountain springs. Made some troughs to divert the run off away from the trail, and landscaped the area. Hopefully it dries out and is usable in a few weeks time. Had a short rain shower with some hail, followed by a great chili dinner. Said our official goodbyes to the trail and gave out a couple rocks, receiving one from Tom, and giving mine out to JR. There are some pretty amazing people here, and I've loved learning about every one. Note to self: don't forget owl wrestling, pick-a-dance, or the Yeti chant, or chicken evolution.

Day 10

The final full day in the backcountry. Tomorrow we begin the 7 mile hike back to civilization. It rained most of last night and today has been mostly cloudy and the coldest day so far on this trip. Fall is definetly in place here, and its not even September yet. I spent most of the day doing nothing. Used the morning to watch the proffesional trail crew load up and head out, then a group lunch on the rocks down by the creek. Took a 2 hour nap, read the second half of my book, and ended the day with a huge dinner consisting of Lentil soup, salad, garlic bread, greek pasta, and butterscotch pie. Wow. I miss home and am ready to return, but at the same time I hate to leave this place. The scenery, and the people I have encountered have made it a very special and magical place. I look forward to returning soon to explore the many other areas of the park. Sperry Chalet is one possibility!

Day 11

Rained all night down where we were camping. When I woke, I was quickly greeted by a beautifuly light coating of snow on the upper slopes surrounding us. Pretty cool to experience the first snow of the Fall/Winter season, and I"m sure many more will follow. Waited a while in the morning for the mules to come, and once they did we began the hike out. The 2 fords were easier than when we came in, and we were happily greeted by the trail guy who had his hand cut by the chain saw. Headed back to the park headquarters, and then finally to Kalispell to get cleaned up in a hotel, and have one last group dinner...MEXI NIGHT! A long day tomorrow, with many hours in a cramped airplane seat. Whats this about a tropical storm in D.C.? Hmm... Great trip!

Good Song: The Essex Green - Don't Know Why(You Stay)

Glacier Trip-A-Go-Go Part 2

2006-09-03T10:51:00.000-04:00

...continued from Part 1 (duh.)

Day 4

The first day of trail work began with some delicious oatmeal and raisin cinnamon toast. Following that was a two mile hike with heavy tools (pulaskis, pickmatix-s, rock bars, chain saw, etc.) to our work site. While there we smoothed out a creek crossing, and created a Check Dam which consists of burrying a log in a steep section of trail and then back-filling with dirt. This, I learned, reduces the amount of sediment moving down the trail as hikers and animals use it. Trees are heavy I realized, and dirt/rock is no joke to move. We completed most of the work there while others created a rip-rap retaining wall, more check dams, and a "turnpike" which is basically a wooden and dirt bridge over a Spring. Its amazing how much a motivated group can accomplish. When we returned I took another quick dip in the stream and finished the day off with some boxed wine and declicious noodles. Cheers to Montana. Oh, and I have blisters, weee.

Day 5

My biceps are killing me. Spent most of the day shuttling large boulders from the creek to a stream crossing. All in all moving about two tons of rock combined with the other team members. Hopefully the work we did to secure a bridge will hold with the next Spring thaw. Got very muddy today and took most of the afternoon washing the mud out of my clothes back at the creek. Lots of casualties today as well for some reason -> 1 cut to the hand of a guide by the chainsaw ( he immediately hiked out to get 11 stitches we later found out), close call to the head with a pulaski for one team member, and very tired arms and legs of everyone else. Going to bed early tonight (8:40pm). P.S. It rained all last night and I'm still drying out!

Day 6

New work site today to work on a washed out section of trail along Nyack Creek. Moved some BIG rocks to form a low side border to frame the trail in. View from our site was inspiring. Looked farther up the valley with an amazing 8,000ft high bowl that was just picture perfect. Cooked dinner for everyone and made salad, garlic bread, soup, and spaghetti. Everyone has lots of compliments for it. I was apparently caught snoring last night, who knew? I had some awful dreams, and slept terribly in general so lets see of tonight is any better.

Good Song: Snow Patrol - Warmer Climate

Glacier Trip-A-Go-Go Part 1

2006-09-02T18:03:00.000-04:00

Day 1

Finally arrived at Glacier and it is everything I though it would be. Lots of mountains, lakes, and woods! The group I met is quite friendly. They come from a variety of backgrounds, have tons of interesting stories to tell, and all have a common love of the outdoors. I'm the youngest as I expected, but that's alright. For now I'm just enjoying listening to the many experiences the others have had. We're staying in the group campground for tonight, then begin our trek to the backcountry in the morning. It should be interesting as it appears most of the group has experience camping, but I'm not so sure about hiking with a pack on. We shall see! I'm happy to be back outside again.

Day 2

An early start beginning with a 5:30am wake up, and swift trip to the trailhead. After some introductions to our trail crew leaders we began our trek into the wilderness. Complete beauty surrounded us, with towering mountains, and trees for as far as the eye could see. I forded my first river today(Middle Fork of the Flathead), and then a second time through a creek(Nyack). The water was freaking freezing, and it iddn't help that the rocks submerged in the water were covered in a slimy sheet of silt. A few close calls crossing, but noone took a bath. We then continued on for another 6+ miles until we reached basecamp at around 4000ft. We're camped next to a primitive ranger patrol cabin along the Nyack Creek. I can hear the stream in the background as I write this. Shouldn't have any problem sleeping tonight. But first I'm hoping for some Northern Lights. P.S Still no bear sightings!

Day 3

Wow, was it chilly getting up this morning. Even the hot chocolate and warm b-fast didn't keep my fingers and toes from going numb. The sun neglected to hit our valley until 9:40am, but when it did it was GLOOORIOUS! Took a short hike farther up the trail just to stretch our legs out, and came back in time to enjoy a filling lunch. This was followed by a talk about our trail work and animal safety. We had enough sitting and listening, so a few of us decided to scramble up the creek a ways. I switched from boots to sandals quickly as there was no hope of staying dry. The views along the creek were quite picturesque with many rapids and pools that were the deepest of blues. I took a jump into a little swimming hole on the way back, and it quickly reminded me that this was a glacier-fed stream. Sooo cold, yet so nice! Tomorrow we begin our trail work.

To be continued...

Good Song: Belle & Sebastian - If She Wants Me

Back in the D.C.

2006-09-02T00:58:00.000-04:00

I survived the flight back, and the trip itself. Its no fun trying to land at night, in a tropical storm... although I did get a free roller coaster ride(?)

Pictures and words are coming shortly...after I get some sleep and catch up a bit, of course.

Be well.

Good Song: Smoosh - Find A Way

Into the woods

2006-08-20T22:13:00.000-04:00

Today I knocked out what will most likey be my final triathlon of the year. An off-road tri down in Charlottesville. 16th overall, and 2nd in my age-group. One of the more fun courses for me.

I've done so many races this season I have practically lost count...some good, some bad, some fun, some, well, could be "more fun". Mentally I'm tired, and on the verge of burn-out. Its time for a break, I think. Time to focus on other things for a bit. In a way I'm glad I'm headed to the woods for the next couple weeks. An opportunity to evaluate where I've been this year, and more importantly, where I'm headed. Its going to be a blast, and an adventure I'm sure. But its going to be hard not talking with some people, and of course, taking a break from "all" of my loyal readers and fellow bloggers. No worries, 2 weeks and I'll be back.

Keep it gangsta'

Good Song: John Vanderslice - Plymouth Rock

Montana

2006-08-16T07:45:00.000-04:00

5 days and couting til I'm off to Glacier National Park for some backcountry fun for 2 weeks. No bathrooms, no electricity, and no cars...just me, the mountains, and some critters probably. I'm hoping to see some bears while I'm out there...just hopefully from a distance, a LONG distance. Here's the rundown:

The Trip

We will be working among the towering peaks, majestic forests, and alpine lakes of Glacier National Park, which was created in 1910. President Taft set aside 1.4 million acres along the Continental Divide in Montana to protect and preserve the natural beauty of the area from mining and development. In 1932, the park joined with Canada's Waterton Lake National Park to form Waterton/Glacier International Peace Park.

True to the park’s name, glaciers abound here in the shadows of towering peaks. Abundant wildlife, including mountain lions, grizzly bears, wolves, and moose roam the park. We'll likely be working in the western part of the park, which has a wilderness feel and older trails than other parts of Glacier.

The Project

We'll be on the west flank of the Continental Divide in the Middle North Fork area of the park. The name comes from a fork in the Flathead River, which limits entry into the area. We'll need to ford the river when we hike in to our campsite (remember to bring Tevas or water shoes in addition to hiking boots). Our work will be mostly trail restoration: building turnpikes, water bars, drainage work, and brushing. We will work hard on the days we work, and play hard on our off days!

Itinerary

The closest commercial airport is in Kalispell, Montana, about 45 minutes from the park. Amtrak stops in the town of West Glacier, near park headquarters. Flathead-Glacier Transportation can provide shuttle service to the park as well. Call (406) 892-3390. You are responsible for arranging your own transportation to the group campsite, but information will be provided for those who wish to carpool. We’ll meet and provide the first official "get acquainted" dinner at a group campground near the park headquarters, in West Glacier, on day one. Please arrive no later than 5 p.m. The specific location and map to this group campsite will be provided later.

Breakfast the next morning will be at the campsite, after which we will shuttle to the trailhead for the hike in to our base camp. On that first day, we'll hike to base camp, set up our tents, and get oriented. The hike in will be approximately 4-7 miles, with just a small amount of elevation gain and will require fording the wild and scenic Middle Fork of the Flathead River. Water shoes will be required. Over the next eight days we'll work five days, taking three full days off for resting and exploring the surrounding area. We'll hike out on day 11; lunch that day will be the last meal of the trip.

Accommodations and Food

We will use our own tents during the trip at a group campsite the National Park Service will select. All meals and plenty of snacks will be provided. The menu will be largely vegetarian and participants will take turns assisting the cook. Group water will be provided for camp use, but please bring your personal water filter. We will use a park cabin nearby to store our kitchen, food, and personal items. If you have special dietary concerns or food allergies, make sure to include this information on your trip application.

Trip Difficulty

Overall, this trip should be considered strenuous due to the type of work we will be doing. It entails extensive use of shovels and pulaskis to install tread and turnpikes on trails in the park. The hike into our campsite, though moderate, will entail a water crossing. Participants should have had some past experience in hiking, camping, and backpacking, and be in great shape. Novice backpackers are welcome on this trip.

Equipment

In addition to your regular backpacking gear, you must bring at least one pair of leather work gloves and a day pack to carry your lunch, water, work gloves, raingear, sunscreen, etc., to the work site. We will provide food and the gear for cooking and a first-aid kit for emergencies. We will also supply water purification for camp and commissary use, but we request that you bring a water pump for personal water when you are away from camp. Our campsite will have a nearby water source. The leader will provide a detailed equipment list later.

Get outside!

Good Song: OK Go - Hello My Treacherous Friends

When the bells chime, don't board!

2006-08-10T11:03:00.000-04:00

The Washington Metro Presents: Real Men of Genius
(Real Men of Genius)

Today we salute you, Mr. Arm Shoved Through Metro Door Commuter.
(Mr. Arm Shoved Through Metro Door Commuter)

Without your unwavering commitment to board a train that comes every four minutes, fellow commuters would have to arrive at their jobs on time.
(no one hopes you make it)

Armed with nothing more than an Express, you squirm furiously, undeterred by the total loss of circulation in your right arm.
(your fingers are turning red)

Please stand clear of the doors? I think not. While others may heed these warnings, you dare to push the envelope, and all others within five feet of the doorway.
(no one else matters)

So crack open an ice cold beer, oh gatekeeper of the Green Line, because Metro may Open Doors but you keep 'em that way.

Good Song: Small Sins - Small Sins

The perfect race t-shirt

2006-08-08T18:31:00.000-04:00

To all those race directors out there, I do some races here and there and I think I have exceeded my limit of boring, 100% cotton t-shirts. I want, nay, NEED something more. So here is my recommended race partipant apparel criteria.

If its going to be a t-shirt then lets make it something a bit more useful. The days are behind us when triathlon were cutting edge, now they're simply trendy. Its not cool anymore to wear a "Some-random-town Triathlon" t-shirt, practically everyone has participated in atleast one by now it seems like. Instead, lets be able to wear them while we're actually training for our next race, and have them be of the finest blend of performance fabric. Doesn't matter what kind, just leave the cotton in the fields...and make sure it freakin' wicks! Colors...simple, anything other than white...because after a few workouts its no longer a crisp ivory, but a stained array unatractive color. Lets give orange a shot, or perhaps some crazy color that hasnt even been invented yet. That would be sweet. VERY cutting edge then.

Logos...no more blah pictures that show some random animal doing an excercise activity. Put in the effort to do something original, or work up some clever saying like, "Your mom does triathlons." Alright, thats not very original in itself but hopefully you're getting my point. We can do better people, and we can get this right...just take it one race at a time.

Ride it like you stole it.

Good Song: Midlake - We Gathered in Spring

A most famous, and meaningful passage...

2006-08-06T18:42:00.000-04:00

But once your crew has rowed you past the Sirens
a choice of route is yours. I cannot advise you
which to take, or lead you through it all--
you must decide yourself--
but I can tell you the ways of either course.
On one side beetling cliffs shoot up, and against them
pound the huge roaring breakers of blue-eyed Amphitrite--
the Clashing Rocks they're called by all the blissful gods.
No ship of men has ever approached and slipped past--
always some disaster--big timbers and sailors' corpses
whirled away by the waves and lethal blasts of fire.

On the other side loom two enormous crags...
One thrusts into the vaulting sky its jagged peak,
hooded round with a dark cloud that never leaves--
And halfway up that cliffside stands a fog-bound cavern
gaping west toward Erebus, realm of death and darkness--
past it, great Odysseus, you should steer your ship.
Scylla lurks inside it--the yelping horror,
yelping, no louder than any suckling pup
but she's a grisly monster, I assure you.
She has twelve legs, all writhing, dangling down
and six long swaying necks, a hideous head on each,
each head barbed with a triple row of fangs, thickset,
packed tight--and armed to the hilt with black death!
...with each of her six heads she snatches up
a man from the dark-prowed craft and whisks him off.

The other crag is lower--you will see, Odysseus--
Atop it a great fig-tree rises, shaggy with leaves;
beneath it awesome Charybdis gulps the dark water down.
Three times a day she vomits it up, three times she gulps it down,
that terror! Don't be there when the whirlpool swallows down--
not even the earthquake god could save you from disaster.
No, hug Scylla's crag--sail on past her--top speed!
Better by far to lose six men and keep your ship
than lose your entire crew.

-Homer, The Odyssey

Good Song: Sun Kil Moon - Pancho Villa

Coming home

2006-08-04T22:00:00.000-04:00

Flying back to D.C. in the morning...just needed these top 25 to get me back into the work mentality. Holla!

Are you a prostitute or a software consultant…

------------------------------------------------------

1. You work very odd hours.

2. You are paid a lot of money to keep your client happy.

3. You are paid well but your pimp gets most of the money.

4. You spend a majority of your time in a hotel room.

5. You charge by the hour but your time can be extended for the right price.

6. You are not proud of what you do.

7. Creating fantasies for your clients is rewarded.

8. It's difficult to have a family.

9. You have no job satisfaction.

10. If a client beats you up, the pimp just sends you to another client.

11. You are embarrassed to tell people what you do for a living.

12. People ask you, "What do you do?" and you can't explain it.

13. Your family hardly recognizes you at reunions (at least the reunions you attend.)

14. Your friends have distanced themselves from you and you're left hanging with only other "professionals."

15. Your client pays for your hotel room plus your hourly rate.

16. Your client always wants to know how much you charge and what they get for the money.

17. Your pimp drives nice cars like Mercedes or BMWs.

18. Your pimp encourages drinking and you become addicted to drugs to ease the pain of it all.

19. You know the pimp is charging more than you are worth but if the client is foolish enough to pay it's not your problem.

20. When you leave to go see a client, you look great, but return looking like hell (compare your appearance on Monday AM to Friday PM).

21. You are rated on your "performance" in an excruciating ordeal.

22. Even though you get paid the big bucks, it's the client who walks away smiling.

23. The client always thinks your "cut" of your billing rate is higher than it actually is, and in turn, expects miracles from you.

24. When you deduct your "take" from your billing rate, you constantly wonder if you could get a better deal with another pimp.

25. Everyday you wake up and tell yourself, "I'm not going to be doing this stuff the rest of my life."

Good Song: Can't think of any right now...

Door County, WI

2006-08-02T17:50:00.000-04:00

Well, half way through a well deserved vacation to the tiiiiny little finger of Wisconsin on Lake Michigan. No folks, there is really much more to the Dairy State than cows, cheese, and strange accents... Internet access is limited in these parts so I'm relaxing with a whole bunch of tech geeks in the Sister Bay public library. Wi-fi is beautiful. Anyways, life is great without having to go to work, and time away from the big city is just as nice. I've posted a myriad of photos that have been taken thus far. Notice the absense of concrete and people from them. Oh, and we're fishing for Chinook Salmon if you were wondering...only caught two thus far, but the week is young! Get outside!

Cana Island Lighthouse

Who is winning? The uncle, or the salmon?

Sunrise on Lake Michigan

Cana Island landscape

Egg Harbor(On the Green Bay side)

Coming back after few bites and big waves

Looking out on "The Lake"

Good Song: The Stills - Halo the Harpoon

Great Quote

2006-07-27T08:25:00.000-04:00

Yet the very next day, Landis attacked on the first climb back up the same mountain range, the 201km stage to Morzine-Avoriaz, and didn't stop until he left his opponents out of breath and in denial. The gamble was so audacious, so hardheaded and risky that as word of Landis' plan rippled through a peloton worn out after a week in the Pyrenees and Alps, several riders pulled up alongside and begged him not to try it.

''I just told 'em,'' Landis would recall, '''Go drink some Coke, 'cause we're leaving on the first climb if you want to come along.'''

-- from an AP story

DOPER?! Time will tell...

Catching Up

2006-07-23T23:29:00.000-04:00

Ok, here we go...getting back into it again. Work/training/social life has been crazy lately, and so this had to give, unfortunately...please, stop crying.

Lets see if I can keep updating this more regularly now. One post at a time. Currently training for Culpepper sprint tri, and getting pumped for my weeks of vacations coming up in August! Woop woop!

Keep it gangsta.

Good Song: Muse - Starlight

Triathlon-ing

2006-06-23T06:29:00.000-04:00

Half-way through the "Andy B. Endurance Event world tour"...it started with Eagleman, continued with Xterra East Champs. last weekend, Bath County Sprint tri this weekend, and THEN the grand finale with the 11th Annual Tour DAY Burg!!

Xterra was a blast, and it was great chance to change it up once in a while with an off-road event. Didn't really finish as strongly as I would have liked, but no worries...the road is where I'm more suited and I'll have my chance to shine bright and early tomorrow! Following this tri is a post-race celebration with a couple friends at a Dave Matthews show up at Nissan Pavilion. Hopefully I'll have some energy left to enjoy it.

Work is busy, and thus the reason I've been lacking in the posting department. My B(ad).

Get outside!

Good Song: Fine China - R-Rated Movie

Eagleman re-cap

2006-06-12T21:47:00.000-04:00

Well, its over. In the books. I came away with a 5:02:and some change finish, and a 5th place in my age-group. A solid result, but not exactly my goal time. The amount of chop during the swim, and lack of tail-wind on the bike was something I just wasn't expecting, and both combined to take the proverbial wind out of my sails. No worries, I came away with one bad ass tank top sun burn and an award with a sweet eagle on it as a result. The race weekend was a total blast, and am glad I got to spend it with a lot of friendly faces. Time to get started on my active recovery for Xterra Richmond coming up. Its going to be another amazing weekend! Cheers!

Good Song: The Rosebuds - Shake Our Tree

Eagleman

2006-06-10T07:31:00.000-04:00

1 day to go. I'm feeling strong physically, confident mentally, and those two combined make me a bit nervous. Which, when I think about it, is probably a good thing so that I stay on my toes and don't get over-relaxed come race day. I'm hoping for a strong result tomorrow, and wish that I come away with one of those precious Hawaii slots. Its going to take a perfect race, perfect(read: HOT) weather conditions, and a bit of luck. We'll see what happens! Thanks to all the warm wishes and good vibes sent my away. See you at the finish line!

Good Song: Paco - Who Do You Think You Are?

Daydream

2006-06-01T22:07:00.000-04:00

Sitting in my cube at work(working diligently, of course) I sometimes wish I could just escape to probably the coolest little town in the U.S....Crested Butte, CO. All the snow sports you could want in the winter, and all the mountain biking/hiking you could ever need in the summer. Get me there!

Good Song: Ambulance LTD - New English