Running Avenue

Auburn KD Shamrock 5K

2010-03-07T08:41:00.000-08:00

Wow!! It has really been a long time since I have raced. The KD Shamrock 5K was a good way to shake the cobwebs loose before the ING Atlanta Marathon at the end of the month. I had to sign up for something to get me motivated to train hard and consistently.

My wife was a KD and 2 of our babysitters for our twins are KDs. As you would suspect, there were a lot of 18-24 year old participating in this race. It was also very, very cold for this race, and I was ill-prepared. The built-in briefs in the running shorts provide little warmth. I met up with a friend of mine, Adam, that was running in his first race ever. I signed up on the day of the race, as there was only a $2 penalty for late registration, and I thought I could manage that. It was well organized and got through the line quickly.

The race went through a scenic route around downtown Auburn, with great views of Jordan-Hare Stadium, Samford Hall, Toomer's Corner, and the new basketball arena under construction. The start and finish corrals, timing, and results were well managed, as always, by the local running club, AORTA. The route was quite hilly and offer numerous challenges for such a short course of a 5K.

I was really pleased with my results, considering the hiatus. I finished second in my age group, although there weren't a large number of runners over 30. Here is a link to the results, in case any one out there is looking for their own time in this event.

New Military Working Dog Kennel

2010-03-01T09:28:00.000-08:00

Now, I know there is no excuse for the long absence since my last post, but I wanted fill you in on a part of my life that has been all consuming for the last 6 months. About 18 months ago, a tornado passed through Ft. Benning, Georgia. The tornado damaged several building, including the existing home of one of the main clearing houses for military working dogs (MWD) that are deployed overseas, including Iraq and Afghanistan. This project was already planned but was accelerated because of their damaged facility. We worked non-stop to get them a new facility constructed, working almost every weekend...Saturdays and Sunday. Here is a look at what we did from September 1st-February 9th.

We took a previously developed, and then abandoned, 2 acre lot that was mostly a dumping ground of concrete, asphalt, and scrap metal.

We built a 7000 square foot kennel building with 25 interior/exterior kennel runs, a 2500 square foot administration building with a vet exam room, and a 500 square foot storage building for the training area obstacles.

Here is a look at a little more of the finished product. The dogs that will be housed here are deployed 4-5 times before retirement and are out there on patrol saving American lives consistently. It was really rewarding to hear some of their stories and know that we were doing a small part at facilitating their success.

Here is a look at the whole complex and buildings. These dogs work as bomb dogs, drug dogs, military police dogs, and combat dogs. They go through rigorous and specialize training and can be worth over $40,000 at the conclusion of their training.

This was really a state of the art facility with just about every amenity for the dogs to be comfortable and well treated. We understand from the Kennel Master that PETA has even been invited to the complex to view what we built.

Clif Bar Commerical

2009-06-30T13:42:00.000-07:00

Eddie Vedder Solo Tour

2009-06-29T09:59:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago, I had a friend attend the Eddie Vedder solo tour concert in Nashville, Tennessee at the Ryman Auditorium. He was a pretty big Pearl Jam fan in high school. I can still remember him wearing out the Ten album on tape in his Honda CRX. There was a 2 to 3 month period where "Black" was on a looped repeat, and that was it. Even from an obviously biased fan, I knew that he would be able to give an honest, objective evaluation of the performance. He reported back that is it was an unbelievable show. Now, he was seeing it at the Ryman Auditorium, probably the second greatest acoustics venues in the world next to the Mormon Tabernacle. That factor, as well, might have slanted his glowing reviews, but, none the less, I took a gamble.

I got on eBay 4 days before the concert to be held on 6/23 in Atlanta at the new Cobb Energy Centre and started to bid. I lucked out and got two tickets for a grand total of $34. The face value on each ticket was $75. We planned our trip and headed up to Atlanta after work last Tuesday for the show. The Cobb Energy Centre is very nice, and it should be at a $145 million price tag. It is also the new home of the Atlanta Ballet and Atlanta Opera. We were in the center section of the upper, Grand Tier. The seating layout looked to be patron-friendly for a venue that size.

We missed most of the opening act, Liam Finn, with the drive up and grabbing dinner beforehand. We got to our seats not long before Eddie went on stage. He opened up with several cover songs before settling into Pearl Jam classics and Into the Wild Soundtrack songs. He was in a very good mood and bantering back and forth with the crowd in dialogue. He was encouraging the crowd to sing along, always getting roars when the house lights would flash on. Most of the second set was sung with Liam Finn giving accompaniment on the guitar and vocals. At the end of the second set, I can only describe what he did with the song "Arc" was ART (search it on YouTube). Finally, he came back out with Liam and Eliza-Jane Barnes for a hard-hitting version of "Hard Sun." Here is the set list from the evening. It was one of the better concerts I've been to in a long time.

Set1:
Walking the Cow (Daniel Johnston cover)
Trouble (Cat Stevens cover)
Brain Damage (Pink Floyd cover)/Sometimes
I Am Mine
Dead Man
Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town
I Am a Patriot (Steve Van Zandt cover)
Far Behind
No Ceiling
Guaranteed
Rise
Growin' Up (Bruce Springsteen cover)
Picture in a Frame (Tom Waits cover)
Driftin'
You've Got to Hide Your Love Away (Beatles cover)
Let My Love Open the Door (The Who cover)
Lukin
Porch

Set 2:
Soon Forget
Society (w/Liam Finn)
Throw Your Arms Around Me (Hunters & Collectors cover w/Liam Finn)
The Golden State (w/Eliza-Jane Barnes)
Believe You Me (Bad Radio cover)/Wishlist
Forever Young (Bob Dylan cover)
Arc

Encore:
Hard Sun (w/Liam Finn & Eliza-Jane Barnes)

photos from www.cobbenergycentre.com

Blazing Saddles Century Ride

2009-06-22T12:10:00.001-07:00

I have found my next challenge. I signed up for the Blazing Saddles Century Ride on Saturday, July 25th. It is a group ride through several rural towns along the Georgia and Alabama border. The rides vary in length according to the rider's skill level. There are 25, 48, 75, and 100 mile courses. I have decided to do the full 100 mile, Century, ride. This will be my first Century ride I've attempted. I have slowly started pushing myself on the bike to get accustomed to being in the saddle that long. It will probably take a little less than 6 hours to complete.

The ride is pretty inexpensive compared to most at $30. The race begins 8 A.M. at the Heard County Middle School in Franklin, Georgia. Showers will be available before and after the ride, and they are opening up the gymnasium for "indoor camping" Friday night. Course SAG vehicle will be on-hand to provide any needed assistance, and they are also providing a goodie bag with custom sock (see image below) and free food.

They 100 mile route goes to little spots on the map with names like, Roosterville, Stoney Point, Tyrus, Omaha, Lime, Frolona, and Centralhatchee. I used to love driving through little towns like these with not much more than a couple buildings clustered together to call a "downtown." It should make for a fun ride. Hopefully, the heat will not be too oppressive with the event held at the end of July, although, I will not hold my breath.

image from www.westgeorgiaflyers.org

West Point Lake Triathlon Photos

2009-06-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

Below are some photos from this last weekend's West Point Lake Triathlon that my wife took. As I have mentioned before, I did the Olympic, or International, distance. They also had a sprint distance competition going on simultaneously. It was a hard day, and it was the sorest I had been following an event since the Country Music Marathon...but I did it.

The swim was 1.5K, or .93 miles. It was very hard to pick a good line. I probably swam more like 1.5 miles with all the zig-zagging.

Coming out of T1 onto the bike leg of the event. I felt pretty good and was in & out of the transition area in 1:17.

I felt good on the bike. I averaged more like 19.5 mph, but this was cut down to 17.9 officially because my chain popped off twice.

"Now, where do I park this thing?"

Lost in a see of aluminum, rubber, and carbon. I had a very good T2, getting in and out in :47 seconds.

The run was pretty tough. I only stopped to walk for a second while getting some water near the half-way point. It was a pretty flat run, except for one big hill at about mile 4.

West Point Lake Triathlon 2009 Results

2009-06-13T17:56:00.000-07:00

The results from today's West Point Lake Triathlon are in. Here are the results for the Olympic/International Distance and the one for the Sprint Distance. I will have more reviews and photos to share from this race, but I wanted to go ahead and let people know these are available.

graphics from www.gamultisports.com

It's Contagious

2009-06-11T08:44:00.000-07:00

I received an automated email this morning generated from Active.com, stating that Robert Bruce has registered for the Murfreesboro Half Marathon 2009 and Kids Fun Run held on Saturday, October 3rd. Robert is a friend of mine from high school that we stayed with during the Country Music Marathon in Nashville, TN. He is an avid golfer and author of the blog Game Under Repair. He is also a beginning runner. I cannot think of too many instances when I have seen him run, Team Sports class back in high school is the only thing that comes to mind. He has been influenced by some people at his work, and a little by me, to start running on a regular basis. Shortly after we returned from our trip to Nashville for the Country Music Marathon, he announced to me his intentions to sign up for the Murfreesboro Half Marathon coming up in the fall.

I have received a few updates of his progress over the last couple months, mostly of the pains his body has gone through adjusting to these new stresses he is putting on it. He says he blames me for this. Hopefully, he might start to see some of the benefits from his efforts on the golf course, as well. I would think that having a better cardiovascular system and stronger legs would lead to less fatigue on the course and more power in his stroke. As a talented writer, I may have to ask him to give me a race review of how is first half marathon went.

graphics from www.active.com

More Ft. Benning Pictures

2009-06-09T18:46:00.001-07:00

Here are some more pictures from the Ft. Benning Triathlon last weekend. There were some interesting signs along the course and some scenery that most people probably don't get to see.

This is a predictable sign to see during a race.

This one is not...

...Nor is this on. Don't venture to far off the roads.

The Airborne jump towers on main post along the run route.

Another picture of the jump towers along the run route with with one of the airplanes on display.

A view along the bike route back the woods.

Ft. Benning Reverse Sprint Triathlon Review

2009-06-09T10:13:00.001-07:00

I am looking back over the results, photos, and video of the race this last weekend, and it is hard to focus on writing a review. I took a trip up to West Point Lake yesterday and biked the run portion of the triathlon this coming up. I am planning to make at least one more trip up there this week before the International Distance competition.

Here is how the Ft. Benning Reverse Sprint Triathlon broke down for me. I finished the race in 1:12:42, which put me finishing 24 out of 145 overall and 8 out of 28 in the 30-39 Age Group. The bike portion was about 4 miles shorter than the Grandman Triathlon I did last weekend. Since the race was a reverse triathlon, we went run, bike, swim as I have mentioned. I got there early again to pick-up my packet, get body marked, set up my transition area, and warm-up. I was somewhat surprised when I got my packet that we did not have race bibs. The only forms of identification were the numbers marked on our left arm and leg. The packets were average, with a t-shirt and Hammer Gel being the big items. The whole race was well stocked with water. There were 3 water stops for the run and 4 for the bike. There was water at the end of the race and some fruit but not much else. I can't complain. The entry fee was a steal at $30. There was a free meal after the race that I did not attend at the Mexican restaurant on post, but that was not really what I was craving post-race.

I ran the 5K in 19:37, placing 8th in my Age Group. This is the fastest 5K I have run since high school cross country. The course was well marked at every turn. There was quite a bit of construction near the course, but there were also many historic and interesting vistas, as well. I felt good coming into Transition #1. I was in and out in 1:08. I completed the bike portion in 37:28, averaging 19.9 mph, placing me 9th in my Age Group. The first and last couple miles of the route are pretty bumpy and much focus was given to avoiding pot holes and dips. The rest of the course was very rural and had a couple good hills. There was some interesting signage as we followed the road along some of the firing range areas. I came back into Transition #2 and dismounted. I got scolded by a race volunteer for running instead of jogging through the transition. I had my bike mounted and my goggles in hand in 1:09 and was off to the pool. We swam 11 laps of a 50 meter pool. Around lap 4, I got a huge cramp in my ribs on the left side. This is the side I breath from, and it became very difficult to take in some deep air. I tried to keep my pace up, but I know it suffered. I finished the swim in 13:23 ranking me 13th in my Age Group. At 1:12:42, I hopped out of the pool and crossed the timing chip mat.

This race is one of the best values I have found. There is not much advertising for it, not much swag, it can be difficult and confusing to get onto Ft. Benning, and the post race food is lacking. It was still a fun race with a course that will let you excel if you approach it right. It will be really hard to beat the price, as many 5K and 10K are edging their costs up to the $30 mark.

Ft. Benning Reverse Triathlon Photos

2009-06-07T11:33:00.000-07:00

The second leg of my three week blitz is complete with me finishing the Ft. Benning Reverse Sprint Triathlon on Saturday. Here are some quick photos of the event that my wife and I took while I was amongst it.

This was the transition area, pre-race, as everyone was picking up their race packets and getting their own little slice of space organized.

As I was warming up and doing a mental checklist of how I wanted the race to go down, I got a picture of the pool where we would be swimming 11 laps. It was so peaceful then. Who could have imagined all the kicks in the face and gnashing of teeth?

My wife snapped this shot off of me coming into the transition area from the run. I felt really good the first leg of the race, posting my fastest 5K run since high school.

Here I am coming into the transition area from the bike portion of the race. The bike racks were not marked, so I had to just eyeball my towel and bag sitting on the ground. An official barked at me not to run through the transition area.

I grabbed my goggles and headed across the parking lot to the fury that was the pool and final leg of the race.

This picture does not even show the chaos of the pool swim to the finish. I am in the foreground in the tri-suit.

I have not seen the final, final results sheet. I am still waiting for it to be published before I post results. I do have some more pictures to put up here and another video of the course. I was pleased with how I performed in this race up until the swim. I posted one of my best 5K runs and averaged one of my highest mph paces on the bike, but I got a huge cramp in my side about half way through the swim that made it extremely hard to take any deep breaths.

UPDATE: Here are the links to the Overall Results and Age Group Results for the Ft. Benning Reverse Sprint Triathlon. It looks like they still have to tweek them. I have noticed some errors already.

The Grandman Triathlon Video

2009-06-04T20:46:00.000-07:00

Below is my first attempt to create a video with titles, music, credits and everything. I'm sure there are third graders out there that can do it better. This is a video I shot last Friday as I went to Fairhope a day before the Grandman Triathlon to preview the course. It really gave me a way to know what I was up against and how to mentally visualize each turn and grueling incline. I only wish I had done this for the Country Music Marathon in Nashville. I still have nightmares about that race. I am taking my video camera out to Ft. Benning tomorrow to put together a similar video for this weekend's race. We will see what my learning curve is like on the next installment.

2009-06-04T12:33:00.000-07:00

As I was sitting in my job site trailer getting pounded by some Forrest Gump-type rain, I had ominous visions of a wet sloppy race this weekend for the Ft. Benning Reverse Sprint Triathlon. This rain was so loud that I could not hear people on the phone. It was only when I pulled up the weekend weather that a calm came over me with what I saw.

8 am

66°F
Partly Cloudy

Grandman Triathlon Review

2009-06-03T08:17:00.001-07:00

Here are a few photos of the swim and run course that I took on Friday before the race. I did not get any shots of the bike course, but I have some lovely video to show in next post. I basically propped my video camera up on the dashboard of my car and filmed the whole bike course. I was good to have it to watch and review Friday night before the race.
This is a picture of the 1/3 mile swim course. Luckily, it was not this choppy Saturday morning. Even out the the second buoy in the picture, it was knee deep water, and we would swim a little and get up and run a little. It was not ideal.
This is a picture of the area around the final mile of the course. The first mile was all up hill, the second mile was all downhill, and the last mile of the run was flat. This part of the course followed along the shoreline below the bluffs.
We ran down the road along the shoreline to the turn around area beyond this duck pond, and it was aptly named. There were ducks and geese everywhere. There droppings were also everywhere. There were a couple on Saturday morning that did not like me doing a warm-up run around their habitat who started to charge at me a little.
This was the final stretch to the finish line. Past this straight away we ran along the outer perimeter of the transition area to the finish line stocked with pizza and beer.

Transition Area

2009-06-01T19:56:00.000-07:00

I figured out early Saturday morning that everyone has their own way to set up their transition area. My approach was that of a minimalist. I had my helmet, race number, and sunglasses hung up on my aero bars. I had a pan of water to dip my feet in before putting on my bike shoes. Sixteen miles of sand in my shoes would be extremely uncomfortable. I had my gel packets in my rear water cages, along with all my repair tools. Other than that, it was just a change of shoes.

Here are how my transitions went. For the swim to bike transition, T1, I came into the area wearing my tri suit, barefoot, and holding my goggles & swim cap. I found my bike, clicked on my helmet and race number, and slid on the shades. The last thing I did was dip my feet in the water to wash away the last of the sand from the beach and put my bike shoes on. I fumbled some here getting the two Velcros and ratchet straps secured on each shoe. I did not change any clothing items or put on socks.
For the bike to run transition, T2, I ran my bike in to the area a secured it on the rack. On the last downhill stride of the ride, I reached down and unstrapped my shoes and pulled my feet out. I left my shoes snapped into the pedals as I ran into the transition barefoot. I took off my helmet turned my race number around. I slipped on my running shoes, again, without socks and ran out of the transition area. It took several strides to really get my feet under me, but I was determined not to walk any of the run course (not even the massive hills that started the run).
As you can see from the pictures, I was one of the first ones in the rack. It did not look like this at race time. It was much more crowded. I do like getting to races early.

By the Numbers

2009-06-01T13:11:00.001-07:00

We just got back from the beach and a nice, long weekend. I completed my first triathlon at the Grandman Triathlon in Fairhope, Alabama. The weather this weekend could not have been any better. There were very few clouds in the sky, the water temperature in the Mobile gave us no need for wetsuits, and the heat of the day did not come until late in the afternoon.

For the race, I was signed up as a first-timer, but they also put me in my appropriate age-group division, 30-34. So, I will be giving the stats for both divisions for what its worth. Here is how the numbers broke down for my first triathlon.

I placed 154 out 530 overall.
I placed 15th out of 42 males in my age group.
I placed 7th out of 64 first time male participants.

The swim: 7:44 at a 2.6 mph pace
I placed 2nd in my age group and 8th among first time males.

The bike: 53:34 at a 18.4 mph pace
I placed 19th in my age group and 10th among first time males.

The run: 21:58 at 7:06 mile pace
I placed 9th in my age group and 4th among first time males.

I was unsure how I felt about my transition times and felt I could have done better, until I looked at the comparative results to the other racers. I was very pleasantly surprised. For the swim to bike, T1, transition, I did it in 2:54 and :55 for the bike to run transition, T2. Here are the links for the Grandman Triathlon results and Lepow Photography from the race

I have some other items to share (pictures, video, etc.) that I will do over the course of this week. I need to get everything out there that I want to publish before this weekend when I compete in the Ft. Benning Reverse Sprint Triathlon and get a whole new series of items to post.

Departure

2009-05-28T06:39:00.000-07:00

We are loading up the car today, heading for the beach and the Grandman Triathlon in Fairhope, AL. It is amazing how much you have to pack just for the event. I dropped off my bike at Golden's Bike Shop for one final tune, lube, and wipe down. Hopefully, I can have a good clean race with few mishaps or mental lapses.

I am pumped to get down there today and have a day to relax for the early 4:30 AM wake-up call. The race starts at 7 AM and is a little more than 45 minutes away from where we are staying. I would love to be able to get in a real easy swim in the Gulf of Mexico and/or light ride. If I have time, it would be beneficial to drive up to the course and get a preview so I am not riding and running blind, but we will see how it goes. I will post when we get back about the race and let everyone know how it went.

Change of Plans

2009-05-27T07:09:00.000-07:00

I decided Sunday night not to run the Celebrate America 10K in Alpharetta because I felt that I was coming down with a mild cold, presumably from the kids. Plus, I feel like someone punched me in my left eye. It is swollen up and seems to be a stye infection coming up. All that said, I decided not to run Monday and tax my body in a race before this coming weekend's triathlon.

I have been keeping keeping up my normal training routine and am getting ready to head down to the beach Thursday evening to get settled in, preview the race course and relax a little before the Grandman on Saturday. I spoke with my friend who ran the Celebrate America 10K, and he said it was a good race with really good support volunteers.

Gear Review: Bontrager Race X Lite Rear Cage Holder

2009-05-20T10:50:00.000-07:00

I recently purchased the Bontrager Race X Lite Rear Cage Holder for my triathlon bike. I have looked at several, including the Hydrotail and various models from X-lab. Before purchasing this setup, I had one cage on my frame and a Profile Design Aerodrink on the front.

Made of carbon fiber, it is very light. It mounts to many styles of seats and can be adjusted to various angles to suit the rider's preference. It holds 2 bottle cages, has 4 female threaded holes for CO2 cartridges, and a small "basket" area to hold tubes, tools, and most anything else. It also has an additional area to mount a seat bag underneath.

The downsides that I have found so far are that the bolts that control the vertical adjustment sometimes fail when hitting bumps in the road, leaving the rig hanging limp under your seat. This could mean losing vital items when you need them most. Also, there is not much product information or instruction on Bontrager's website or with the product. X-lab has a very comprehensive website that shows various way to set up numerous configurations, what all the parts are, and where all the parts go. Also, there is no X-nut type system to store your CO2 valve. I took a machine screw, cut it off, and mounted it under the seat. The strap that holds the items in the basket area is confusing and always seems to be in the way.

The one thing that I did like about it is the price for a carbon fiber setup. The other options are more expensive and have more accessories parts to purchase separately to complete the system. I purchased mine from Golden's Bike Shops with a couple stores in Georgia and Alabama. They are good guys and are willing to go the extra mile to get you ready to ride.

Photo from www.bontrager.com and graphic from www.goldensbikes.com

Favorite Runs: Columbus Riverwalk #3 - Oxbow Meadows

2009-05-19T09:50:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, I went for a run after work on one of my favorite routes. It is a 10-K out and back route along the Oxbow Meadows area of the Columbus Riverwalk. It follow the old, meandering route of the Chattahoochee River and criss-crosses multiple oxbow lakes. There is always an abundance of wildlife from land, sea, and air to distract you as your legs and lung burn.
The route begins at the Oxbow Meadow Environmental Learning Center located on South Lumpkin Road. Then, head north along the Oxbow Creek Golf Course, where you dart in and out of wooded areas alongside 4 fairways.
Next, make the descent down into the meadows area. Over your left shoulder, you'll see wide open fields of hay straw and on you right, you run by a series of oxbow lakes that are connected by streams with turn-offs and parking for the fisherman.
There are very few hills on this route, as you can see, but the ones that are present are short and manageable. This is an excellent route for cyclists, as well.
From the meadows, the course continues to drop until you find yourself interlaced with the necklace strand of lakes. This part of the course is very shaded and preferred on hot summer Georgia afternoons.
There are usually a good number of people taking advantage of the Riverwalk. They are walkers, runners, fishermen, and cyclists. I have seen a few police officers monitoring the course on ATV's to help keep the area safe.
The only thing that you might need to watch out for are alligators and snakes. I have seen a couple of both over the last six months of running this part of the Riverwalk. It is a little unsettling, but generally, if you leave them alone the don't pay you any mind.
The last part of the route before you make your returning trip back to the Environmental Learning Center is a final drop down to your first real glimpse of the Chattahoochee River. The worst part of this last section is that before you reach the river you pass by the waste water treatment plant for south Columbus, but it is only for about a quarter mile.

It never fails on this running route that I see something new, be it wildlife or plant life or other. It is an easy route that holds you attention as you maneuver in and out of varying landscapes.

Map from www.columbusga.org

Celebrate America 5K/10K

2009-05-18T10:52:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine has convinced me to enter a 10K race while we will be in Atlanta this weekend. I am having reservations about it since The Grandman Triathlon would only be 5 days after this event. I always hate to miss out on opportunities to run with friends of mine in races. The seas of people can get lonely out there.

The race is being held on Memorial Day, May 25th, in Alpharetta, Georgia near Northpoint Mall. The race is being put on by the Alpharetta Junior Woman's Club. They are offering a 5K and 10K that starts at the AMC Theaters on Northpoint Parkway. The 5K is a single loop around Northpoint Parkway and Mansell Road, while the 10K will be two loops. I am normally not much of a fan of retracing my steps in a race, but like I said, it's always good to run with friends. The route looks like is has a couple hills but nothing too bad. I will update after the race and tell how it went. Hopefully, I will have enough time to let my legs recover for the following weekend triathlon.

Graphics from www.ajwc.net

Looking Forward: West Point Lake Triathlon

2009-05-13T18:27:00.001-07:00

The third and final leg of my three week triathlon blitz is the West Point Lake Triathlon. I have decided to stretch myself a little bit and go for the Olympic distance race, 1.5-K swim, 40-K bike, and 10-K run. I hope that my eyes were not too big for my race schedule. I felt like I had to get in at least one Olympic distance race in this year to stick to my overall goals, which are at least one Olympic distance race this year (check), at least on Half Ironman next year, and at least one full Ironman the following year. From there, who knows what I will have a passion for next.
This race is being held June 13th at 7:15 AM at R Shaefer Heard Park near LaGrange, Georgia. I have not seen, ridden, or run the course yet but hope to do it at least once before competition. As you can guess, the 1.5-K swim will be in the waters of West Point Lake. The swim start is a Time Trials start format based upon the competitor's submitted estimated swim time. It will start on a the point seen below and continue around a peninsula to the finish at the Day Use Area of the park. This area will serve as the transition area for the race from swim-to-bike and bike-to-run.
The bike ride will take the competitors on a 40-K, roughly 25-mile, trip up U.S. Highway 29, along several different scenic points along the lake, and through quiet country roads. As you can see on the elevation chart below, there are not too many back-breakers on this route. There appears to be only a couple hundred feet of elevation change the entire race. The course is basically a large loop with a couple out & back tangents thrown in there. I can recap this review when I get a chance to put wheels to pavement.
The run course actually sounds quite interesting. The 10-K course takes the runner across the West Point Lake Dam and hugs the water's edge for most of the race. From all accounts that I have heard, both the bike and run portions of this race are flat and fast. Again, I will have to revisit this review when I can get a run in and maybe post some pictures of the routes in conjunction. Some people's definition of flat and fast are quite deceiving.
Graphics from www.gamultisports.com

Wearing Thin

2009-05-11T19:57:00.000-07:00

The Nike Max Moto 5+ were the shoes that I began my running season with last April. I ran cross country in high school and have run sporadically during the 15 years since that time. After the birth of our twin boys and a recent move, I decided to kick my butt in gear and take on some serious goals for 2008-09.

Before my first 5-K in these shoes in April, I had a pair of Asics Gel running shoes that were broken out occasionally but never worn in. I purchased the Nike Max Moto's in conjunction with an iPod Nano and Nike+ running kit. I thought, "finally running won't be so boring." Since that time, I have run in 5 5-K's, 3 10-K's, 1 10-miler, 1 half marathon, 2 marathons, and countless hours & miles by myself on long stretches of roads whose names have faded into memory. I am now hanging up the laces on the Max Moto's now that most of my long distance running is over for a while, and I am moving to more of a triathlon specific shoe. Plus, as you can see, I was starting to run the risk of a blow-out or altering my stride from deteriorating wear patterns.

I am still trying to figure out the wear patterns that developed on these shoes. On the forefoot, it is consistent with a neutral foot strike, neither on the outside or inside edges of the shoe. On the heel, there is something else entirely going on. This is the area of heaviest wear and looks to be more along the lines of a supinated gait pattern. I think that the bulk of this wear happened early on in my resurgence to running. I feel like I got into some bad habits that eventually lead to a lot of pain in my IT Band in November and December of last year. I took some time off and worked hard to correct this when I returned to running. For the most part, I have been pain free. During really long runs, I feel that I relapse into old habits, and sure enough, the pain returns.

From here on out, I have around seven triathlons in which I am going to complete before the close of the year. None of them over the International, or Olympic, Distance in length. That means the runs will be no more than a 10-k in competition. I have moved my training and competition show over to a triathlon specific shoe, the Zoot Ultra TT shoe. I have only ran in them a couple times, but so far so good. They allow for quick entry into the shoe, speedy fit adjustment (no-tying), reduced water retention, barefoot wear design, and many other features thought out with the triathlete in mind. I got mine for about half off the retail price on the 2008 models from a website called Running Warehouse. By the way it is only a coincidence that both pair of shoes are orange and blue (perhaps).

Looking Forward: Ft. Benning Reverse Sprint Triathlon

2009-05-06T19:43:00.001-07:00

While I am previewing upcoming races in which I will be participating, I wanted to go ahead and bring up the 2009 Ft. Benning Reverse Sprint Triathlon. It is being held on June 6th at 8 a.m., a week after I am scheduled to compete in the Grandman Triathlon. The reason that I decided to go for two in a row is that I am very familiar with the run and bike routes for this race. Here are PDF's of the race flyer and registration form.

This is a bit of an unusual race, in that you run first, bike second, and swim third. I have been practicing for normal triathlons with the upcoming Grandman and will only have a few days to re-train my body to get accustomed to a reverse order. The race starts out from the Main Post Bowling Center on Ft. Benning Army Post just south of Columbus, Georgia. The race is open to the public, but be sure that everyone in your party has a valid driver's license (or photo ID) and vehicle registration & insurance to get on post.
The Route Preview: The run starts at the Bowling Center, which is also the T1 and T2 Transition Areas. It starts off on only one of two real uphill climbs on the 3.1 mile route. On this portion of the route, you pass by several Airborne Training Mock-ups. You continue up and around the back of the outdoor pool, where the swim portion of the event will be held, and along Riordon Street to Burr Street. Here you run alongside the three jump towers that have become somewhat iconic to Ft. Benning. There are also a few vintage, WWII airplanes on display on the parade grounds in front of the jump towers. The run up Burr Street is the second uphill climb. As you continue and make your turn onto Eckel Street and pass the Smith Fitness Center, you have a smooth downhill run back to the Transition Area for the bike ride.

The bike ride begins with a left turn out of the Bowling Center onto Sightseeing Road for the 12.4 mile out & back route. The first stretch of the route is all uphill and the roads are not in great condition. Be on the lookout for potholes and loose gravel. As you make the turn onto Dixie Rd, and eventually Sunshine Rd, it is a gentle descent until the turn around. There will be one big hill before the turn around spot just past a bridge. Everything that goes downhill, must come back up on an out & back route. The only real relief you get is around the Lawson Army Airfield runway coming and going. Finally, you crest the hill back onto Sightseeing Road and head back down to the Bowling Center for the transition to the swim.

Once you leave T2 from the bike ride, you make a short run across Eckel Street and through a parking lot to Cary Pool for a 550 meter swim. From what I hear, this part of the race gets a little crowded. Once the racer is in the pool, there are 11 - 50 meter laps to complete, down the length of the pool, swim under the rope, and back the other way. The race concludes with the final lap swum. The race is conducted by the Army M.W.R. Department, and they hold post-race awards ceremony at a Mexican Restaurant just around the corner from the Bowling Center and Cary Pool open for everyone to attend.

One final note: Ft. Benning recently reopened the National Infantry Museum in a state-of-the-art facility. They have an IMAX theatre, the Fife & Drum Restaurant, large parade ground, and an authentically renovated WWII barracks area on the property. Inside the museum are memorabilia and artifacts from every major conflict that the U.S. Army Infantry has been involved. It really is something to see if you have the rest of the day free after the race.

Graphics from www.benningmwr.com

Looking Forward: The Grandmand Triathlon

2009-05-05T07:31:00.000-07:00

Now that all my long distance running for the winter, it is time to switch to a more well-rounded sport, triathlons. This has been a busy year for me with a variety of firsts, my first ten mile run event, my first half-marathon, my first & second marathon, and now my first sprint triathlon.

The Grandman Triathlon is held in Fairhope, Alabama on the shores of Mobile Bay on May 30th. It consists of a 1/3 mile swim in the bay, a 16.4 mile bike ride out & back, and a 3.1 mile run through the streets of town. There is a very easy to follow registration page where you can sign-up online or mail-in a printed form. They have sent me monthly updated emails as more information become available on packet pick-ups, pre-race expo, etc.

The race itself should be a lot of fun. For those of you that have never been to Fairhope, Alabama, it is a quaint little town off the beaten path between Mobile, AL and Pensacola, FL along the eastern shores of Mobile Bay. There is a large variety of shops downtown and beautiful bungalow homes set within the groves of Live Oaks. There is great dining, golf, water sports, night-life and family events to suit any visitors.
The race starts off with the swim from the Fairhope Pier at 7 a.m. and is an out & back course where the swimmers will be guided by buoys and volunteers in kayak for the 1/3 mile swim in the Mobile Bay. From the information off their web site, the water temperature ill be close to 80 degrees Fahrenheit and a wetsuit will not be needed. I have gone ahead and purchased a one-piece triathlon suit to use for the whole event, swim, bike, and run, in order to cut down on my time in transition. The transition area is situated round-about at the end of Fairhope Avenue. It will be the spot for the bike in/out and run in/finish.
After the swim, we transition to the bike portion of the race. It will consist of a 16.4 mile out & back course up a steep hill from the pier area along Fairhope Avenue until we turn South onto Section Street (Hwy. 3). We follow this route for 8.2 miles until we reach the turnaround at U.S. Highway 98 before we retrace out steps and descend back into town.
Now on the last leg of the event, we come to the run. Once back in the transition area of the round-about, we change our gear and head back up the large hill on Fairhope Avenue and Magnolia Street on foot. We make a truncated out & back route up N. Bayview Avenue and Summit Street before heading back over our footsteps to the transition round-about. The race does not end there as we continue along Fairhope Park Drive north along the coastline to the turnaround at the "duck pond." The final sprint of the 5K run goes back down through the round-about and finished in the field just south of the transition area.
After the race, there are a variety of awards for all levels and age groups. The Grandman Triathlon web site is filled with helpful information, including maps, weather, rules, hotels, etc. This event is also USAT sanctioned and should really be a lot of fun.

Graphics from www.thegrandman.com and photo from media.kickstatic.com

Runner Dies After Finishing Half-Marathon

2009-05-01T08:12:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, a 25-year old runner collapsed shortly after finishing the Country Music Half-Marathon that I was at. He had finished the race around 2:16, only a couple minutes after a friend of mine that saw his collapse. From her account, he collapsed and medical workers jumped in quick to do what they could, performing rescue CPR before taking him off in an awaiting ambulance. He would later die at Nashville General Hospital that day.

The saddest part of this story is that he was a military veteran. Army Staff Sargent Benjamin Pigman from Hamilton, Montana had served 4 tours of duty in Afghanistan and 1 tour of duty in Iraq. He was a decorated veteran with several commendations and medals for his service. The medical director of the Country Music Marathon called it a "sudden cardiac event" and said that it was not contributed to the record heat on race day. It might be the case that it wasn't heat stroke or heat exhaustion, but indirectly, the heat could bring on over-exertion and stresses to the heart. My heart goes out to his family. It is terrible to see a life cut short before it even really begins.

Photo from www.wgnsradio.com

Minute Maid Commercial

2009-04-30T19:32:00.000-07:00

This had me laughing out loud and rewinding to watch again.

What Happened to Ben Harper?

2009-04-30T11:04:00.000-07:00

Over the years, I have given Ben Harper plenty of my money and time. I was first introduced to him in the mid-90's when I started going to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and have been following him around periodically since. I have followed him through each new album and venture, from picking up the Innocent Criminals to the Blinds Boys of Alabama and now this new phase with the Relentless 7.

Each album created a new persona for Ben Harper, but it was still uniquely him. This new album and band seem far more removed from those previous standards. From articles that I have read about the direction he is heading, he wanted to turn towards a more stripped down rock 'n roll feel, although there are elements of that scattered throughout his previous records from Welcome to the Cruel World to Both Sides of the Gun. This new album lacks the soul and biting lyrical phrasing that made him appealing to large groups of diverse fans.

My wife and I are both graduates of Auburn University and have since moved back to that area. We found out that Ben Harper and the Relentless 7 were going to be performing a free concert for the students of the university. I did not give it much credence, but my wife was insistent that we go. She had seen him once a few years ago and instantly connected with his music. She knew very little of his song library at the time but was hooked from the first couple songs. I had already previewed the new album and kinda knew what it was going to be like, but I wanted my wife to be happy. So, we got student ID's and tickets from our nanny and her fiancee and headed to Beard Eaves.

They played songs only off the new albums with very little typical Ben Harper flair. It was only in the encore that the crowd that was left in the Coliseum really got into his cover of "Under Pressure." The Relentless 7 looked like a cookie-cutter house band, with their standard issue jeans, button up oxford shirts, and shaggy hair. They all looked like Bill Heder, from SNL, clones. They were not in sync, came in at wrong time, and had odd, almost corny, solos. The drummer spend more time bouncing up and down on his stool and throwing drum sticks up in the air than he did connecting with the guitarist, bassist and Ben. I felt like Ben still had something to prove to himself that he could take a mediocre band, at best, pull them under his wing, and build them (and this album) into something there are not.........good. That would be the motivation behind not playing any relatively known Ben Harper songs. It just feel short of the mark, and I was not the only one to notice. I made sure to veil my ho-hum sentiment until my wife spoke out first, and she confirmed it. No connection.

There was a limit of 8000 FREE tickets available. On the day of the event, our nanny went to pickup our ticket and it was around number 4500. I don't think there were that many that showed up, and I would guess that were only 2500 there for the encore. I am sticking by Ben Harper, but I am ready to sweep this itch that he had under the rug.

Photo from musicremedy.com and graphics from thescenestar.typepad.com

Raising Cole

2009-04-29T12:10:00.001-07:00

Raising Cole: Developing Life's Greatest Relationship, Embracing Life's Greatest Tragedy: A Father's Story by Marc Pittman

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a very good book for me to read right now, and I sincerely thank my friend Stan for recommending..insisting that I read it. My wife and I have two 2 year old boys at home.

Although my upbringing was not as rough as Cole's father, Marc Pittman, I struggle with trying to identify and remedy areas in which my parents fell short and replicate the love that was shown to me. This book is heart breaking to listen to him talk about how invested he was in his son and then lose him. It goes to show that our days are numbered and that we have to do the best with who we and what we have to offer.

This is a very honest book about everything that the author was going through. At times, it was heart-felt, it was brutal, it was arrogant, it was direct and to the point, and it showed the greatest love of all. The last few chapters had me glued to the binding, and there was no way I was putting it down before finishing it. I really enjoyed his descriptions on the "Dead Man's Talk" and can see that being something that I will adopt into my relationship with my sons.

It was hard for me growing up to really connect verbally to my parents and build that since of trust that no matter what I told them was proprietary between them and me.

View all my reviews.

Race Day, Part 2

2009-04-28T12:10:00.001-07:00

Now in the heart of downtown Nashville, we made the break from the half marathoners on the circle around the Tennessee State Capitol Building. We began a long, slow climb up our next out-and-back route following Rosa Parks Blvd. heading towards the Metrocenter area. This part of the route was one of the less scenic parts of the entire day. It was very industrial and very gritty.

It was only until we were on the northwest end of the Metrocenter area that the route turned to show us vistas of another Nashville landmark…The Cumberland River. For the next 2 miles, we ran along an elevate footpath that looked to be a part of some “Rails to Trails” project. There were steep banks on both sides of the path, with one side being the river and the other being an industrial park. There was only one area on the trail that had spectators and no water stations. I just keep looking to my right, admiring the river and greenery that tried to hide the rock-faced cliffs. You could barely see the downtown area to the right. Although the area was lacking in crowds, it was nice to have a few miles without the fanfare. It was more like a normal weekend run I would have at home.

The peacefulness did not last long as we made our return trip south on Rosa Parks Blvd to join back up with the half marathoners around the State Capital. If there was a confusing part to the route, this was it. Half-way through mile 19, we were again running alongside the hoards of half-marathon runners. Over the next mile, our paths were overlaid but were sprinkled with turnoff they would take before rejoining us on our path over the Woodland Street Bridge. This is where we got out first glimpse at LP Field where the race concluded for all of us.

The half marathon runners only had1/2 mile to go, but we would have to stick it out for another 10k. The joy that I had felt when I first saw LP Field quickly dissipated as we began to weave our way through more neighborhoods to our final loop around Shelby Park. Although I was in serious pain at this point and doing an alternating run/walk combo, this was one of the most scenic parts of the route. On one side we had the Riverview Golf Course and Shelby Park and on the other side was the Cumberland River again.

Now on our final leg, we headed down Davidson Street and passed under Interstate 24. As we rounded the corner and started heading straight towards the southern end of LP Field, I got my first glimpse at my wife that I had kissed good-bye at 5:30 a.m. that morning. Her and our other friends started yelling out my name. I looked at them and all I could do was shake my head. I actually found a little kick for the last quarter of a mile and pulled into the finish area in 4:19:39.

Race Day, Part 1

2009-04-27T08:11:00.000-07:00

There was no other word for it than hot. The official high for the day was 87 degrees, which was a record high for the tenth edition of the race. The winner, Kenya’s Amos Matui that finished in 2:13:41, could have lapped me twice. I was happy to survive the hilly course under those conditions in 4:19:39. Tragically, one young man did not survive the event (more on that in a future post).

I arrived as close as I could get to the start of the race on West End Ave. at 5:30 a.m. and kissed my wife good bye as I headed towards Centennial Park. As I walked down West End Ave., the corral numbers kept falling in descending order, 29, 28, 27, 26….so on and so on. I was in corral number 4, obviously a little optimistic after coming off a good showing at my first marathon. I finally made it down to the park to drop my clothes off, stretch, warm-up, and make one final trip to the portable toilet before the race start. The bag drop off was well organize and manage by UPS. I had zero problems with drop off or pick up. By 6:15 a.m., the crowds really began to pick up. They could have put an additional 500 portable toilets in and around the park, and there still would not have been enough. After stretching and going for a warm up run, I ended up waiting in line for 20 minutes to use the bathroom. The wheelchair athletes were taking off while I was still in line.

The enforcement of the corral assignments was laughable. There were people from every corral down the line in a group with me. I could not even actually get into the corral until groups 1 and 2 left. Then, we were able to move our way into place and make the march up to the starting line. With the horn, we headed down West End Ave. as it passed by Vanderbilt University and turned into Broadway. Along the way we passed many famed Nashville landmarks, including the impressive Union Station Building, the Sommet Center, making the turn at the Gaylord Entertainment Center and coming back around in front of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

We then headed towards and out & back route down Music Square and Belmont Ave to a small loop past Interstate 440. This was the most scenic and shaded part of the entire course. Being a builder, I enjoyed the Tudor cottages and classic bungalows that lined the streets. Large oaks, maples, and poplars shrouded the sun as best they could. This helped mask the full effect of the hills in this section of the route. There were also large numbers of fans that turned out for this part of the courses, mixed in with the variety of bands that were stationed every couple of miles. As you can tell, I was pretty upbeat during the first 10 miles.

We made our way back into downtown, along the railroad tracks adjacent to the old Union Station Building again. You could still see people on the overpasses waving us on. The aid station people were top notch. The Cyto-max was in clearly marked cups, the water in water cups, and the Vaseline-on-a-stick was ready for places that were rubbing. As we made our way up onto Rosa Parks Blvd., the ½ marathoners were still with us until they made their turn off at Harrison St. on their way to glory at mile 11.5. For the rest of us, there was another 14.7 miles to go.

Also, check out the service by Garmin/MotionBased to give you elevation charts, 3D maps, and Google Earth view.

Photo from www.cmmarathon.com

Country Music Marathon Expo

2009-04-26T19:19:00.000-07:00

We made it back yesterday from our weekend at the Country Music Marathon in Nashville. It was a good, tough weekend. I wanted to take the next week to review a few aspects of the race festivities. Since there is no better place to start than at the beginning, I will begin with the Race Expo on Friday.

The Expo was held at the Nashville Convention Center just off the downtown Broadway Street area and right across from the Ryman Auditorium. My wife and I decided to head up there early to avoid the bulk of the crowds, and we were glad that we did. We arrived not long after they opened at 11 a.m. and found no real lines to speak of. From the way the Convention Center was set up, you could tell of what was to come later in the day, with over 30,000 runners and 50,000 total visitors expected. They had plenty of security and event personnel on site ready to help and had the entrance weaving around to manage the expected crowds.

Once you entered to hall, there was a large area just for receiving your race number. There was an area for chip solutions and changing your corrals (although on race day this was useless). From there you proceed to the next station to pick up your event t-shirts, half-marathoners to one side and full-marathoners to the other. Next, you picked up your race bag/packet and headed off to the largest single-purpose area in the exhibit hall…The Official Merchandise Zone. We looked around for a little bit, but everything was way overpriced and a little too self-indulgent for a low-key guy like me. Besides, I’ll just wait until after the event when they mark everything down on the web site.

Finally, we moved along into the vendor area. This put my, most recent, first marathon expo to shame. My first marathon expo was held on the ground floor of the local Hilton Garden Inn in Albany, GA. With a higher caliber event, there comes a higher caliber expo. Just about every major shoe and clothing manufacturer was present, including Asics, Brooks, New Balance, Mizuno, Sugio, 2XU, etc. There were also numbers of vendors selling discounted clothing, nutritional products, running accessories and everything else under the sun. We ingested our fill of the samples, got some cards and flyers for items I want to check out online when we got home, and slowly meandered our way through the maze. All in all, there was little I couldn’t live without.

We made our way towards the exits and headed to Broadway to eat at a Bar-B-Q place there called Jack’s that a friend recommended. It was very good, as we should have known by the long line to get in the place. Without our bellies full and our feet tired, we went back to where we were staying to cat nap and watch some NFL draft previews.

Graphics from www.cmmarathon.com

The Hidden Key

2009-04-23T06:47:00.000-07:00

My last post had me thinking back on something that happened at the Albany Marathon that I ran a couple months ago. At the time, it was quite nerve racking, but in the end, it turned out the be a much more embarrassing situation.

Before the race, I place my car key on the rear tire of my car. I could not carry it in either of my short's pockets since they both had gel packs in them. The race went fine, and I headed back to the car to wash off and change clothes. With my pockets now empty, I decided to put the key in the outside pocket of my shorts. I headed back down to the area along the river where all the post-race activities were going on. About half-way down the path back, I heard a "ping-ping." The key had worked its way out of my pocket and onto the asphalt. Now, this has happened in the past while I was running but never when just walking around.

After this, I decided to put the key in the inside pocket of my shorts. I proceeded to walk around, checking out the other runners coming in, trying to eat and rehydrate, watching the awards presentations, etc. All in all, I walked around for around 1 1/2 hours before I was ready to pack it in and make the 2 hour ride home. I reached for my key...nothing.

At first, I did not panic. I rechecked both pockets and tried to retrace my steps. Then, the reality of the situation set in. For you see, this was not only the sole key that I had with me...it was the only key to the vehicle that existed. This was my company car that I had put off getting duplicate keys made for over the last 9 months that I have been employed by my current company. So, back to the story.

I tried retracing my steps for well over an hour. At this point, I was full on FREAKING OUT. I start weighing my options. Do I call my wife to come pick me up (my phone was in the car), do I just leave it there or get it towed, or do I keep looking? I decided to find the race director and ask if there was a lost and found. No lost and found. There was no news from her that anyone had found a key at any point in time. I gave her my phone number and address, in case it was found.

CONCLUSION: I tried giving the grounds another once over...what else was I going to do. This was a good 2 hours since I decided I was ready to leave. Being male, I reached down to adjust myself. I felt something hard and it was not me. I said a quick prayer, opened up the waistband of my shorts, moved my manhood to the side and out popped the key. How could I not have felt it down there. I felt like such an idiot. I wanted to kiss that key but quickly thought better of it. I quickly headed back to the car and got out of there.

graphics from www.snickersmarathonenergybarmarathon.com

Nashville Bound

2009-04-22T18:51:00.001-07:00

My wife and I are heading to Nashville tomorrow for the Country Music Marathon. I will be running in my second marathon ever. I ran my first almost two months ago. The Snickers Marathon Bar Albany Marathon had only a thousand runners. At that time, it was the largest event in which I had ever participated. It was a good flat course and a good temperature, but it was literally 100% humidity with zero precipitation.

The Country Music Marathon seems overwhelming even before I even show up to the starting corral. Besides there being 26,000 runners to navigate, 50 bands stationed around the course, and endless numbers of spectators, there is an mountain of paper work. I have a folder filled with maps, confirmation sheets, shuttle schedules, parking instructions, timing chip instructions and a final information packet.

It has been hard to recover from my first marathon, start building back mileage for this race, and then taper back down to make sure that I am rested enough. I have been doing a lot more cross training during my time between races. I have really started putting some significant miles on the bike and made my first visit to the pool Tuesday morning. All of this is looking forward to my first triathlon at the end of May. It is a modest sprint distance, but you have to start somewhere.

Also, this will be my last race in my Nike Max Moto +5 shoes. They have been a good shoe but I have run the soles off. I will have to see how they look after another 26.2 miles. Finally, here is a map of the race course. From what I understand it is different from last year but still has some scenic views and a great finish at LP Field.

photos and graphics from www.cmmarathon.com.

Running Avenue

2009-04-22T12:28:00.000-07:00

Here is my first post on my new blog. I created this blog as an extension of our family's blog, Two By Two By Two, in order to share some items in my life that didn't really fit with the format of what we are trying to do there. As much of a mission statement as a blog can have, I want to discuss not only running, triathlon, and cycling event, gear reviews, etc, but also share with you books that I've read, web sites that I use, general life lessons, and elicit advice from all of you.